//------------------------------// // Discoveries on Both Ends // Story: Fairy Tale // by Veck //------------------------------// ??? ??? With a sputtering cough, Jonathan returned to the world of the living and regained consciousness. He awoke staring up into the refulgent sky, set ablaze by the sun already high over the water in the east. The reflection of the golden glowing orb shimmered off of the water, which, when mixed with the sight of the lush, green forest surrounding him on all sides but one, created a stunning scene. It was breathtaking to say the least, the likes of which he had never before seen in St. Joseph. This fact drove the teen to believe he was somehow in a different location, and a lack of any recognizable landmarks confirmed this. Sand shifted beneath him as Jonathan propped himself up on an elbow to get a better view. A very sudden squawk ripped Jonathan from his stupor—a seagull had somehow landed right next to the teen without him noticing. Startled, Jonathan made a silent shooing-motion at the bird, which caused it to take off and glide away to another section of the shoreline. He was still slightly embarrassed at the thought of being scared by such a small creature, but shook it off as he slowly got to his feet. That proves I'm still alive, I suppose. It was a very weird sensation, being able to breath again. Lungs that were before filled to the brim with water were now fully functional. A heart that he was sure had stopped beating, thumped as lively as ever against his chest. “I have to admit though, it's a very beautiful place,” he mumbled quietly to himself. He ran his hand through his close-shaven blonde hair a few times, attempting to remove any stray grits of sand. Promptly, he repeated the same process to his still-moist cargo shorts and shirt, but it was a fruitless effort, as the wet fabric consistently held the sand in place. After a few minutes of trying his outfit showed no improvement visually, and the teen gave up. With the sun rising, my clothes have to dry off eventually, he told himself. Deciding he should leave the beach, he then turned toward the vast woods and began to scan the treeline for any openings. Almost straight ahead of him, a small gap in the trees caught his attention and with a closer look Jonathan noticed a dirt path trailing off into the forest. The teen groggily vaulted over a small, grassy bluff, then ducked under an overlying branch into the trees. “Can't see more than ten feet in front of my own eyes...” Jonathan noted, squinting into the dense cluster of brown and red and orange. Using an arm to shift branches to the side, he then stepped out of their path and lowered his head as they snapped back into place. After a half hour of aimlessly traversing the footpath, the barren earth faded into a roughly cut stone. Used tantamount to some retro roadways, the stone was carved into four by four bricks in a fashion that suggested it was done by hand, rather than with a machine. Not too out of the ordinary, Jonathan thought, Seen a few of these in St. Joe. It was at this point that he noticed the lack of branches reaching out in front of him, and with no obstructions to his vision he saw a small clearing in the trees. Following the route eventually brought Jonathan to a sturdy looking bridge that arched over and across a fast moving stream. As the teen stood atop the curved structure he gazed down at the transparent water, riddled with pebbles of various sizes and colors. It was a new experience to Jonathan, seeing this much of nature. He was much more accustomed to the city life, compelling him to sit and just take in the beautiful scenery. Who knew when he'd ever have another chance to do this once he got back home? If I ever do get home..., Jonathan realized, though his expression remained unchanged. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if really wanted to go back. Because it'd be so wonderful, going to back to the damned Fosters, a sarcastic voice said from somewhere in the inner folds of his mind. The good part of his consciousness quickly retorted, They could be worried about me. Worried?! That shiner that you've just recently recovered from is DEFINITELY a sign of their worry. Fervently shaking bad memories from his head, Jonathan decided that dwelling on them would eventually drive him insane, and stepped off of the stone bridge following the tiled pathway towards a gradual, low hill, where the pathway quickly gave way back to dirt and then grass. With each step, exposed calves and ankles were tickled by the wild arm's length grass. What Jonathan saw at the peak stole the breath from his lungs. “Come on Tia! Come on get up!” a voice called to her from outside of her slumber. Only making a groan in response, Princess Celestia made no effort to leave the warm, cozy haven that was her bed. She had accidentally stayed awake for a large portion of the night thanks to her new book, Levitation, Teleportation, and Other Useful Spells. The consequences of which had taken its toll on the the young unicorn. Invading her haven, a vivid beam of light penetrated the safe and welcoming darkness as part of the heavy blanket was lifted up and off of the mattress. Begrudgingly, Celestia opened a slightly bloodshot eye by just a fraction and found two deep, azure orbs staring back at her, which seemed to radiate pure cheerfulness. As frustrated as she was at being woken up so early, the smallest smile began creeping its way onto her face at the sight. The younger filly seemed to be slightly bouncing in place, trying to contain her excitement. “The Pegasi are bringing the final Rain of the year tomorrow,” Luna said impatiently, “We gotta make this day count!” Celestia was springing out of the bed before her sibling had even finished talking. “Oh my stars...how could I have forgotten?” she asked herself as she tried to shake the grogginess from her system. Her horn shimmered a bright yellow, and a hairbrush enveloped in the same golden aura levitated towards her. It happens the same day every year, Celestia thought, running the brush hurriedly through her tangled, fuchsia strands of hair. I should have easily memorized the date by now. Despite the short amount of rest she had actually gotten, the process of straightening her mane took a few minutes longer than expected. Several times, she had almost yanked half of her mane out just to remove the tangled brush from a particularly determined knot, which had earned a few laughs from her younger sister. After removing the last knot, the snow white princess set the brush back down onto her nightstand and upon checking herself once over in the mirror, turned and started walking toward the already open door. An idea suddenly made its way into her mind, causing a sly grin to form on the filly's face. She paused and glanced back over her shoulder at Luna, “Would thou care for a little race, Sister?” she asked with a teasing smile. Something seemed to click within Luna's mind as Celestia said this. Before she could even react, Luna was bolting past her and into the hallway, shouting something along the lines of “You-bet-your-flank-I-want-a-race!” The elder filly took off after her, laughing uncontrollably all the while. Luna easily kept the lead, actually gaining some distance from Celestia as they raced through the twisting and turning corridors of the palace they called home. Truth be told, the alabaster unicorn hadn't really been expecting to win this race, nor did she expect to even keep up. Just as much as racing was a routine competition for the two sisters, Celestia losing the races was a routine in itself. That's not to say she was incompetent, or even that she was unathletic, however. Compared to most ponies, Celestia was actually quite physically adept. By the time Celestia reached the ground floor of the palace, Luna was already climbing up onto her chair and readily preparing herself for breakfast. Approaching the long, wooden dining table, Celestia sat herself in the seat next to Luna. On the ivory unicorn's plate was her personal favorites - two slices of buttered toast and a warm, blue berry muffin. The younger filly's plate was filled completely with a tall stack of pancakes, which were drowned in a heavy coat of maple syrup, and a large portion of scrambled eggs with diced ham cubes mixed in. While munching down onto her first piece of the scrumptious toast, several ideas of how to spend the day raced through Celestia's head. She sat silent to contemplate the options, when Luna chimed in with her own idea. “Why don't we *munch* go swimming in the lake?” she suggested, her mouth partially full of food. The older unicorn cringed ever-so-slightly at the filly's ill-mannered habit and shook her head, “While it may not be too chilly today, the water will still be frigid unfortunately.” Luna looked slightly disappointed, but quickly brought up another idea. “How about a picnic then, Tia?” A wide, toothy smile stretched it's way across Celestia's face, her velvet eyes glowing with a new found excitement at the suggestion, “Oh Sister, that sounds wonderful!” The two sisters spent the rest of their breakfast discussing ideas for meals they could bring with them on the outing, and eventually they agreed on a collation consisting of four ham sandwiches, some apples, and for a little dessert they also included a couple of muffins. After preparing the meal with a speed surprising for her age, Celestia slowed her pace to be sure to place the items in a manner that the sandwiches would into a sturdy looking basket, which had been crafted for the Princesses by an expert basket-weaver. Outside on the palace grounds, Luna was impatiently pacing. She had been doing so for several minutes; evident by the circle-like trail of flattened grass left in her wake. When she finally heard the heavy 'thud' of the castle door closing behind Celestia, she let out a frustrated groan and stopped her pacing. “What took you so long, Tia, you get lost in the kitchen or something?” Celestia arched a brow, “You've been out here for five minutes.” “Still!” Sun high in the sky, the day was young and fresh. Rays of sunshine blanketed the land in a warm coat of light and the crisp smell of water was washed in from the distant lake. The wind brought a cool, gentle breeze, washing across the vast open fields surrounding the castle and flowing through the two sisters' fur. Ahead of them, the forest swayed lightly side to side in the wind. Leaves - red, orange, yellow, brown - tired of their constant struggle to live, begrudgingly released their grip on the bark and fell with a regretting silence to the earth. Celestia said nothing as she walked at her younger sister's side, taking in the scenery. It was all very beautiful. It was nearing the end of autumn; her favorite season. Whether it was the vivid shift of colors or the cool air that got through to her...Celestia did not know. A content smile remained on her face as they made their way across the grounds, her violet eyes absorbing every little detail. At her side, Luna held the small picnic basket between her teeth. She seemed to not mind the small task, a delighted smile curling the ends of her lips upward. To be honest, Luna was happy just to leave their home, it did not matter to her how far she had to walk. She—like her sister—loved the outdoors. As the duo approached the luxuriant forest, a shadowy figure loomed over the horizon, causing the two to stop in their tracks. The figure, its features hidden by the shade caused by the overlying branches, mirrored the action and stopped.