//------------------------------// // 1 - 09 // Story: Four Hooves // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// I wonder if Mooriella’s around here. Then again, I can’t really remember what she looks like in the show. Plus, the cows here all look the same. Uh, no, not really. Their markings are all different but, ah you get the point. The cows and bulls are all milling and grazing around. Some give me a glance or two, but other than that, they don’t really mind me. Shadows suddenly run over me and I look up, spotting a large number of pegasi ponies pushing lots of clouds towards north. So Rainbow Dash really was saying the truth that they’re also delivering clouds to other pastures. Then that means the unicorns are up ahead! I smile as I quicken my pace. “There they go,” I hear a male voice say. “When are our clouds coming again?” “In two days, if I remember correctly, dear.” I blink, smile fading as I continue walking. What do the cattle trade in exchange for clouds anyway? Milk? I shudder and shake the feeling off before I continue on my way. I feel my ears twitch as I hear laughter of young children growing louder and louder. I turn to the source and see a number of young calves playing tag or something. “Pony! Pony!” ...Or maybe they’re just happy to see a pony? I brace myself as they quickly got closer, but instead of tackling me, they run around me as I slow down until I stop to avoid hitting or tripping them by accident. “Pony! Pony!” “Pony!” “Pony!” “Uh...” I feel my ears droop as I awkwardly look at the four calves. I know children back home wants to have a pony, but I sure hope these kids don’t want to own one...or me for that matter. “Children!” I hear a loud female voice and the four calves stop running around and turn to the approaching cow. “Go and play somewhere else.” One calf suddenly boops the other’s nose. “Tag! You’re it!” and she and the other two calves screech in fake terror as they scramble away. The other one shakes his head and gives chase. The cow smiles as she watches them go. Seconds after, she turns to me. “I’m sorry about that, pony sir.” I slightly shake my head. “Eh, no harm done. Thanks, by the way.” She nods her head as I resume my walk. She walks alongside me for some strange reason. “Mighty strange to see a lonesome pony travelling our land, if you don’t mind me saying.” “Oh?” Are all sentient herbivore species in this version of Equestria this chatty and friendly? Then again, she helped me with those kids earlier, so I guess chatting with her is the least I can do in return. “Tell me, dearie, are you going to the horned ponies?” Ponies call then unicorns. Deer call them hornie ponies. I guess cattle call them horned ponies? I wonder what’s next? Eh... I doubt I’ll be meeting with another sentient race after I find Twilight. “Yes,” I say with a nod. “I’m looking for Twilight, you s—” “Twilight?!” she exclaims, startling me and catching the nearby cattle’s attention. I turn and see her look of...horror? “Dearie, you can’t be serious!” “Eeeeeerrrrrrrmmmmm...” ...Something’s telling me that Twilight here’s a different Twilight. I knew that she will be different, because Pinkie, AJ and Dash are also kinda-sorta different after my brief encounters with them, but this cow’s reaction is telling me that Twilight is a very, very different Twilight. I feel my ears droop once again as I begin to hear hushed whispers around. The cow then hangs her head low, approaches me, and bumps her head on me as she...pushes me back? “What the—? Hey—!” She keeps on pushing me, even as I try to sidestep away from her. “I’m doing you a favor, dearie,” she says as she shoves me back. “No sane individual wants to meet that crazy mare.” “Unless your insane!” a voice shouts. “She tried taking away my child!” “Mine, too!” “She’s a lunatic!” “She speaks nonsense!” “She’s dangerous with that glowing horn of hers!” And the shouts continue as this cow continues shoving me back. I grit my teeth as I try to stay on my hooves, but as the bulls and cows chant their horrible description of Twilight, my resolve starts falling until I drop on the ground on my side after one last shove. As others continue telling me that meeting Twilight is a bad idea, a few concerned cattle ask if I’m okay as they try to pull me back on my hooves. After I’m back on my four hooves, I take slow breaths to collect myself as the voices die down. After a couple more breaths, I look around and see a large number of cattle circling around me. I blink as I look at them for a few more seconds before my gaze lands on the cow that was shoving me. She’s wearing a concerned frown as she looks at me. “...Dearie, you’re still going to see her, aren’t you?” I take a breath and sigh as I hear a few whispers among the crowd. “Yes,” I quietly reply with a nod. “I...appreciate your um...warnings, but I really need to...” ...To what? Speak to her? Ask for her help? ...How can she help me? This world’s Twilight is different... She can’t help me. Nopony can, it seems. Am I...am I stuck here? Forever? I shake my head, and shake it again for good measure. I... Even if Twilight’s not the Twilight I’m looking for, I still need to see her... So at least I won’t be stuck here with a ’what if...’ in my head. Even if Twilight can’t help me, I still need to see her at least... “...For my peace of mind...” The bulls and cows look among themselves before they begin to walk away...probably from me. A few who are still around gives me a few words, basically telling me that I’m crazy. I probably am, seeing as I’ve turned into a pony and am talking to cows. The cow who was shoving me lets out a defeated sigh. “...If you must, dearie.” She looks back at me with a long frown. “You must have a reason if you choose to ignore our word about her.” I slowly nod my head. “I’m...sorry if I caused a scene.” She shakes her head. “No need for that, dearie.” She turns and gestures with her head that I walk alongside her. I nod and we start a slow walk towards the lone mountain. “I saw the determination in your eyes, but I chose to ignore it, and instead of asking you, I started making a scene. I’m...sorry about that, dearie.” Before I get the chance to respond, she continues after shaking her head, “we old cows can only give advice to the young, and this is me advising you that you shouldn’t pursue her, but in the end, the choice still falls on you, for it’s your life after all...” She looks at me, her frown still present. “I don’t know why you want to see her,” she shakes her head before looking ahead again. “And I don’t think I want to know, but do this old cow a favor, dearie.” I nod and open my mouth to— “Please don’t ask her to be your mate.” I stumble on my hooves and fall on the ground. I groan as she helps me back on my four hooves. “Guh... Never in my wildest dreams, gran-gran...”