//------------------------------// // Like a Bull Rider // Story: In the Mist // by NightDancer //------------------------------// Further down the dark tunnels of the temple, there was a smoky mist in the air, and a green hue drawing Steve near. He walked down the tunnel and stumbled into a room built as a shrine, and in the center of it all, a golden frame showcasing a map. The map seemed to show the whole entire world. Steve was dumbfounded. Believing the world was infinite, he no longer had heart in ruling over a kingdom. What was the use if he would be ruling over the villager? They spoke a language of about ten phrases, an impossible language to learn. What was the use? Almost glaring at the corner of the map, he examined a small, almost microscopic, perhaps, red circle. With an equally as large arrow pointing to the circle with a sentence above it reading. "You are here." It was simple enough, that reading this map it was declaring that the world has an end, it has a beginning, and it can all be conquered. It could all be his... It was just so massively large that there seemed to be no end. His previous adventures ended in grief that he couldn't find any other sentiment beings other than the villager. He then sought himself a new quest, a burning desire to find his own kind. All he needed... was a stack of pearls. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Waking up I looked up at the walls of my room. The wooden frame ceiling... If I should say so since I live in a tree. I rubbed my greasy mane and felt the grimy salt underneath my fur. I must of been out hard. I was in the library in my bedroom. getting up from my bed I thought as hard as I could to fathom what took place. I teleported to the castle ruins to relax for a little bit when I heard mysterious noises. That's when I- "HEROBEANS!!" My eyes widened in shock, from remembering of what I saw before I blacked out. "It couldn't be though, it was probably a dream. That explosion probably knocked me out. The explosion by the exploding Cutie Mark Crusaders... and... him." Twilight's thinking out loud session stopped abruptly with a knock at the bedroom door. "Who is it?" "My dear Twilight, it's time to get upright, join me downstairs for tea. I know just how happy you will be." Zecora chimed through the oak wood door. "Alright Zecora, I'll be there in a minute." What was she doing here? Wait how did I get here? I probably should of asked myself that first when I woke up. She probably had to drag me here all by herself! Unless she had a potion for that. Magicking *or something* a brush off her dresser she gazed into the mirror at herself and straitened her tussled mane. Feeling refreshed she opened her bedroom door and clopped down the stairs of her tree to find the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Zecora sitting at her table fraternizing over wafting hot beverages. Eyeing the group they greeted her. "Why hello sleepyhead, have a nice rest in bed?" Zecora asked politely. "Ah'm really sorry!" "It was her idea!!" "Weren't we AWESOME?!" "Yes, thank you Zecora, I did. Apple Bloom, can you please explain what in the world was going on?" Putting the Cutie Mark Crusaders at ease Twilight took her seat at the table aided with a hot tea provided by Zecora. "Well, uhm, ya see, we were tryin' ta get our cutie marks by creature catchin'!-" "Again?" Twilight facehoofed. "Yeah but this time was different! Zecora was there with us!" Apple Bloom directed Twilight's attention to Zecora. "It was a desire of fire they held so dear. To go creature catching without any fear." Zecora explained to Twilight, who was starting to understand. Albeit a little. "So alright I saw you bull riding that... creature... where is he- I mean it. Where is it now?" Twilight questioned getting glances from the nervous fillies. "Well after he helped drag you here, well actually towards the end there he just started floatin' ya on a cloud thingy but after we got you here he told us he had to leave. I don't know where he might've gone. Though he did say he would go to a river.Too bad he didn't want to stay, we could of charged ponies the price of their FOALS to see it!" Apple Bloom vented. "Excuse me?" Zecora shot a disturbed stare at Apple Bloom of which just sat there sipping her tea. "WHERE IS IT NOW?" Twilight slamming her hoof on the table reeled back with a nervous chuckle. "Hehe, I mean, um. Where did it say it was off to?" Twilight pondered. Only if she was listening to Apple Bloom clearly she would already have her answer. Instead she seemed quite frazzled. The feelings in her overflowed. "Oh he said he was going off to a river somewhere. Something bout' meditating" Twilight happy with Apple Blooms reply nodded. "Thank you my friends. Um, I have to go for now. Zecora will you keep an eye on the library for me while I'm out? At least until spike returns?" Twilight pleaded. "No problem my friend. Though only for a few bits so I can spend." Zecora offered sly as a fox and as sharp as a tack. "I suppose I am the element of magic in the elements of harmony and I have saved Equestria, of course with my friends, countless times so yes. I believe I may spare some bits. How much?" Twilight asked coolly. "A hundred bits. Take it or leave it." Zecora replied bluntly. "Oh Zecora! I-I, um, o-of course!" Twilight tripped over her words taken back by the sudden demeanor in Zecoras voice. In a rush twilight grabbed her saddlebags and shot a glance over to Zecora. "The bit's are in my saving's drawer, in my room. Feel free to take them whenever you feel." Twilight was stirred up. Bolting out the door from her tree house and galloping to Ponyville's bridge that led outside of town. Surely he'll be there. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Maybe? I have no clue what I'm doing. This is insane. Could it really be the creature I saw from that book? It has to be. Same blocky figure, same clothes. The eyes threw me off though. They were so... glowy... Well I sorta got myself into this mess. "Hey Twilight! How about I give myself a little time to relax and read a book? You live in a library after all!" I thought to myself out loud, not caring for whoever heard me. *WHAT was I thinking. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. If it's anything along the lines to the ending of that story this will be a disaster. If what I saw was him then this can only be a turn for the most possible, horrible, disgustingly worst threat the Equestria in the history of all histories! I will NEVER!... Let anything like what happened in the book happen to Equestria... Nope... Not ever...* I continued my walk through Ponyville on my volunteered adventure attempting to at least confront Herobrine. *Maybe I could possibly reason with him. Or hopefully nothing in that book was true and it was something different I perceived with my, lets face it, amazing eyes. Too bad Vinyl is always getting all the attention. She knows it, all she has to do is take off those glasses. 'Sigh' Who knew I was so bitter? I blame the tea.* I approached the bridge, crossed it's frilly goodness and continued walking down the river, searching for the hero of my nightmares.