Chapter 13
While Princess Twilight out gathering the others and informing them of the news she had just learned before going out to locate Johnny and the others, the young teen was just beginning to stand up from his sitting spot.
“Ok, now that we’ve bonded I guess we should get moving.” Johnny said, as he began to leave.
“Uh… moving where?” Sunspot inquired.
Johnny turned to her. “Home. With Alyssa’s arrival I finally got some answers, now I can get back home to my Ma. I can’t wait for you to meet her Alyssa.”
“Yeah, should be… great.” Alyssa said, slowly.
“Wow… one day and already bringing her home to meet the folks, that’s bold, dude.” Crasher commented, smiling. This caused the two humans to glance at each other and blush.
“Uh… what-what do you mean?” Johnny asked, stuttering.
“Crasher!” Orchard Star scolded him.
“What?” The Sea Pony asked, genuinely confused.
“That is not a proper thing to say Wave Crasher.” Ironhorn said, sternly.
“Come on, I was just…” Wave Crasher began to say.
“Being your obnoxious and dorky self?” Sunspot interjected, also annoyed. Wave Crasher looked down, dejected.
“Yeah, and besides… Cole and I don’t like each other like that.” Alyssa.
“Right… wait, do you?” Johnny questioned her, curiously.
“Uh…” Alyssa muttered, unsure of what to say.
“Well done, you just made them uncomfortable.” Sunspot told Wave Crasher, sarcastically.
“Hey, it was just a question.” Wave Crasher defended.
“And a really dumb one, so unless you want to look like an even bigger buffoon I’d stay quiet if I were you, which I’m glad I’m not.” Sunspot stated.
“Yeah, yeah…” Crasher said, uninterested.
“By the way… how do you plan on getting back Alyssa?” Orchard Star asked, curiously.
Alyssa’s eyes widened. “Oh! Uh…”
“What?” Sunspot asked, suspiciously. “What’s wrong? You look kinda guilty.”
“Um…” Alyssa said, again. Looking unsure of what to say.
“Come on, Alyssa. You know something. Spit it out.” Johnny told her.
Alyssa sighed. “Ok… well… the thing is… I think my father’s portal had the same problem that your parent’s did…” she told him.
“You mean it…” Johnny began.
Alyssa nodded. “Uh-huh… it collapsed on itself,” she confirmed, meekly.
“Which means…?” Sunspot asked, confused.
“That the portal was a one way trip… we’re stuck here.” Alyssa told them, bluntly.
Johnny sighed deeply. “Oh well…” he said. “It’s just that I was really hoping that I could visit my biological parents and let them know that I’m doing fine.”
“That… could be problematic.” Alyssa said to him.
“What is that?” Johnny inquired.
“Uh… never mind, I’m sure they’d go nuts once they saw you.” Alyssa smiled.
“Ok… say, you wanna grab a bite? They make excellent hay fries in Ponyville.” Johnny offered, smiling.
“You eat hay?” Alyssa questioned, incredulously.
Johnny nodded. “Yeah. What do you eat?” he asked.
“Well… I do like hotdogs, hamburgers and green tea.” Alyssa said.
“What are hotdogs and hamburgers?” Johnny inquired, confused.
“Mostly… meat.” Alyssa answered. All the ponies, Bison and Sea Pony’s gasped in horror while Johnny rushed over to a bush and hurled behind it.
He groaned, disgusted. “When did I have pizza?”
“Ok, ok, I get it! You’re a vegetarian, I’m sorry.” Alyssa apologized.
“Ugh, you eat meat? How do you sleep at night?” Sunspot questioned, repulsed.
“Revolting…” Orchard expressed, disgusted. Ironhorn and Wave Crasher nodded in agreement.
“Hey, we humans eat meat and vegetables! It’s just how we’re built!” Alyssa said, defensively. “Don’t blame me…”
As Alyssa continued to apologize and defend her actions, Johnny suddenly felt and heard a rumbling noise, as if something was moving underground
“What was that?” Johnny asked, gazing around looking somewhat alarmed. They all turned to him. “Did you guys hear that?”
“Hear what?” Orchard inquired.
“I didn’t hear anything.” Alyssa said.
“Neither did I.” Ironhorn added.
“Eh, probably nothing.” Wave Crasher shrugged.
Just then they noticed a dark fog moving in from all around them and through the cracks in the ground.
“Or not…” Crasher added.
They all gasp and back away in fear as the fog slowly started to surround them, preventing them all from running away. The sky above them even turned dark, and only that part of the sky that was below the fog.
“Ok… this is spooky…” Crasher remarked
“Ya think?” Sunspot questioned, annoyed
“More like not normal.” Alyssa stated. “Fog shouldn’t look like this… but I guess in this world… it does…”
“No… this is bizarre even by Equestria standards.” Johnny voiced.
“And that’s saying something.” Sunspot expressed.
The fog then began to close in on them, causing them all to back away and stand close together.
“It’s getting closer!” Wave Crasher panicked.
“What do we do?” Orchard wondered, fearfully.
Johnny looked and then spotted an opening just up ahead of them. “Everyone, on my mark, follow me! Three… two… one! Go!” he cried.
The fifteen-year old human then dashed forward and jumped right over the fog and through the opening, landing on the peaceful grass on the other side. The others saw what he did, exchanged glances and nodded. One by one they all leapt through the opening and came out safely on the other side. After that happened, the fog disappeared.
“Whew! That was a close one…” Johnny said, relieved.
“Maybe we should leave…” Crasher suggested.
“Agreed.” Ironhorn nodded.
“Hold on!” Somepony called out.
They all looked up and were surprised when they saw Princess Twilight floating down and landing in front of them.
“Princess Twilight!” Johnny said, surprised.
“Princess!” The others all said as they immediately bowed.
“What are you doing here?” Johnny inquired, surprised. “Shouldn’t you be in Ponyville or something?”
“I was but I got message from the Princess and I…” Twilight began she saw Alyssa. “Oh… hi there!”
“Uh… hi…” Alyssa said, slowly. She looked a bit surprised by Twilight’s appearance, but also very fascinated.
“Princess Twilight, this is Alyssa, she’s a human… like me.” Johnny said. “Alyssa, this is Princess Twilight, the Princess of Friendship, one of my Mom’s friends and… also my honorary Aunt.”
“Wow! Another Human in Equestria, that’s amazing!” Twilight said, marveled. “I thought Johnny was the only one but now…”
Before she could finish Alyssa started walking around her and studied every part of her body; her horn, her wings, her hooves, her flank, everything.
“Uh… what are you doing?” Twilight asked her, as she continued studying her.
“Sorry it’s just… Well I’ve never seen anything like you before.” Alyssa said. “Oh… I have so many questions!”
“I know how you feel.” Princess Twilight told her. “I love doing research on new things and species.”
“Me too!” Alyssa exclaimed, amazed. “Fascinating. We sure do have a lot in common, don’t we?”
Princess Twilight nodded. “Hmm-mm, we sure do.”
“Yeah, it’s a little freaky…” Sunspot commented.
“Don’t you often imitate Rainbow Dash?” Ironhorn pointed.
“No! …Maybe…” Sunspot said, sheepishly.
“Hmm-mmm?” The others all said with knowing looks.
“Oh, button it…” Sunspot grumbled.
“Look, there’s no time to talk right now, I need you all to come with me.” Princess Twilight told them.
“Why? What’s going on?” Orchard Star asked.
“Does it have something to do with the weird things that have been going on lately?” Johnny added.
“I’ll explain later, first… everypony come with me.” Twilight instructed as she began to leave.
“We’d be happy to!” Crasher beamed, as he and the others began to follow her.
“She’s not gonna let you ask her out you know.” Sunspot told him, bluntly.
“I-I wasn’t…” Wave Crasher began.
“Yeah, whatever.” Sunspot said, nonchalantly.
“Let’s just get out of this forest already.” Orchard said.
“Agreed, now keep following me.” Twilight instructed them as they begin to go down a quick path out of the Everfree Forest.
They soon found themselves on the path toward Twilight’s castle; which made Alyssa’s eyes light up in amazement.
“Wow… look the structure, the crystal’s, the elegance… how did…” Alyssa began, but before she could study or ask more about the castle, Crasher interrupted her.
“So… what is going on exactly?” Wave Crasher asked, confused.
“Be patient, you’re about to find out.” Twilight told them, as she soon stopped. The kids all stopped and looked in the same direction she was, their they spotted two tall and beautiful alicorn’s named Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, Princess’ of the Sun and the Moon respectively.
“Greetings everypony.” Celestia smiled.
“We’ve been waiting for you, children.” Luna said.
“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!” They all gasped surprised, before quickly bowing.
“Who?” Alyssa asked, confused.
“They’re the monarchs I told you about.” Johnny whispered.
“Oh!” Alyssa said, before quickly bowing.
“And they’re not the only one who are here…” Crasher said, slowly as he gestured to what was in front of them. They looked up ahead and saw the legendary Mane Six standing nearby as well, including Applejack.
“Ma!” Johnny said, surprised.
“Johnny! Where were you?” Applejack demanded, as she approached him. “I’ve been worried sick about you!”
“Uh…” Johnny began.
“Don’t you lie to me, young colt. I’ll know.” Applejack reminded him, sternly.
“Um… The Everfree Forest…” Johnny replied, quietly.
“What? Come on, speak up boy, I can’t hear you.” Applejack said, while holding her ear closer to him.
“The… Everfree Forest…” Johnny repeated, a bit louder this time.
“The what!?” Applejack exclaimed.
“I believe he said…” Pinkie Pie began.
“Pinkie, I know what he said!” Applejack snapped.
“Look Ma, just let me explain…” Johnny started to say.
“I thought I told you never to go in there!” Applejack scolded Johnny.
“But Mom…” Johnny began.
“No ‘buts’ mister, when we get home you are so grounded!” she told him, sternly.
“Aw…” Johnny said, disappointed.
“Fair Applejack.” The Princess of the Night interjected. “Perhaps that can wait until after the current crisis has been resolved.”
“I’m on board with that.” Orchard piped up.
“Yeah, me too.” Wave Crasher added, nodding.
Applejack sighed in defeat. “Fine… but just so you know; you had me worried sick! So I hope your happy.”
“I love you, Mom…” Johnny said, lowly.
“Well, I love you too.” The farm pony said before they both hugged.
“Uh… ok, what just happened?” Sunspot questioned, a bit confused.
“You weren’t hugged enough as a child, were you?” Ironhorn guessed.
“Aw…” Orchard said, sympathetically.
“One more word out of anypony and I’ll show just how much I wasn’t hugged enough as a child.” Sunspot warned them, her anger growing. Luna put a hoof on her.
“We… will work on your anger issues later.” Luna told Sunspot. “Right now, we must get moving and quickly.”
“Agreed.” Princess Celestia nodded. Just then, Applejack finally noticed Alyssa standing close by and waving.
“Uh… who is this?” Applejack questioned, gesturing to Alyssa, confused.
“Oh! Uh… Ma, this is Alyssa Tao, another human… like me. Alyssa this… is my adopted mother, Applejack.” Johnny introduced.
“Uh… hi there.” Alyssa waved, awkwardly.
“Hi…” Applejack said, slowly. “Nice to meet you.”
“Wow, another creature like Johnny!?” Fluttershy gasped.
“But I thought Johnny was the only one!” Pinkie pointed out.
“So did we all.” Rarity added.
“Well, looks like he isn’t.” Rainbow Dash declared.
“Apparently…” Applejack muttered.
“Oh, by the way, I know my other name too! It’s Cole Lyons.” Johnny added.
“Cole Lyons?” Everypony echoed, confused.
“Lyons? As in…” Pinkie Pie began before she zipped off and then came back wearing a lion costume. “This kind of lion?”
Alyssa was baffled. “Uh… how did she get here and back so…”
“Don’t bother hon, we’ve wasted many an hour trying to figure her out.” Applejack told her.
“Oh! A challenge, sounds interesting.” Alyssa said, smirking.
“And headache inducing…” Twilight muttered.
Celestia turned to them. “Anyways, I’m sure your all aware by now that strange occurrences have been happening in Equestria.”
“One of which being the unusual nightmares everypony has been having.” Princess Luna added.
“Yeah, and just recently we nearly got crushed by some freaky fog!” Sunspot expressed.
“What?” Celestia asked, surprised.
Johnny nodded. “Yeah, it was so weird… it was like it was alive.”
“And it had an evil presence as well.” Ironhorn stated.
“Not to mention it smelled bad…” Wave Crasher said, disgusted.
“So whose doing all this?” Johnny questioned.
“We believe… that somehow it is King Sombra’s doing.” Princess Luna said, seriously.
“King Sombra!?” They all echoed, shocked.
“But I thought he was defeated years ago.” Johnny pointed out.
“He was indeed defeated, but some part of him somehow managed to survive.” Luna stated.
“What part?” Sunspot inquired.
“His horn.” Princess Celestia answered.
Johnny looked confused. “His horn?”
“Yes, we don’t know how but somehow it’s created a dark and powerful shadow creature that is terrorizing the dreams of everypony in Equestria.” Princess Luna stated. “Even I cannot get rid of it.”
“That’s not good…” Fluttershy whimpered.
“However, the creation of his new being is still incomplete, right now he is currently just an energy shadow and has yet to gain a body, like I said.” Princess Luna stated.
“So how can he get one?” Sunspot questioned.
“We’re not sure.” Celestia answered.
“But we do know how we can stop it.” Luna added.
“How?” Johnny inquired.
“Follow us and you’ll see.” Princess Luna said as she, her sister and the Mane Six began to walk off back into the dark forest that was the Everfree.