Serenity Echoing

by Skylarking the Stargazer


Silence Speaks

I open her wings, but only by a little, not especially when she is in front of the mirror, terrorizing herself and covering her face with her wings widely in self defense. This is the only time she can ever do so. She sighs in defeat.

"Oh, why can't I ever be brave and show everypony what I can do?!" I wept, closing my eyes and lowering my head. I can't even open my wings in front of myself; the only audience who has been watching me this whole time.

I turn towards the windows in my cottage. It’s almost midnight now and the moon shines brightly in the night sky like an orb of light. Surrounding it, stars shimmer with each spark of light filling the wide nightly expanse. I’ve always found it amazing to look outside and see breathtaking sights like this, especially in an environment where an earth-loving pegasus like me resides. After all, you don't get to see stars like these in crowded areas where light pollution blocks your true vision. More than that, ponies living in towns and cities care less about who you are; and yet, they point hooves at you for what you do. I never understood that.

'It is indeed beautiful', I thought, 'Such wonder, even for a minute long show'.

I step back in fear. I don't recognize that strange-looking pony in front of me! I back away from the mirror, trying to avert my gaze to other objects around my cottage, but it's only a circuitous maze. No matter what I do, I know that it will only result in facing that strange pony standing in front of me at some point.

Maybe my only answer: is to follow my intuition, delve into the skies and drink the burning lights of the pretty stars. All I wish to do is bask in the cool moonlight and stare down at the rushing streams of blue by the brooks.

Instead of those, I find myself trailing at what's ahead of me, not expecting the sudden strike of the tumbling Fear...


The Everfree Forest!

My word, how dark it is inside there right now! I mean even in the morning it's quite intimidating, but at midnight? I would think twice before taking my first hoof at such menacing thickets of those creepy, never ending trees! I mean, I do love trees, but when they don't love me back, it's something more noteworthy to look after my own life instead.

My hooves tremble, my breathing shortens, my whole body sweats abnormally. Maybe it's the shivering wind through my throat and down into my bones that's warning me, from those scary looking creatures of the Forest herself! I had always been told that the Everfree Forest was like a scary and mysterious lady — a lady who would beckon any stray, naive pony into the shadow of her branches, never to come back out. I have always been afraid of her and yet a little bit curious at the same time.

"Forest herself"... those two words just sound beautiful enough by themselves. I took a teeny step forward, just another inch closer to those dreadful woods. I gulp a hard drop down my throat. I can feel Lady Everfree's eyes glaring down deep inside my soul. It doesn’t matter if the stars in the night sky can even help ease this negatively dense atmosphere in any way. It is just too much for me!

I couldn't have made it here if it weren't for them, that sole spectrum that is shooting a way through the forests.

Them, I mean by the unknown light falling through the deep blue sky, crashing onto the ground again and again and again. Waves of cosmetic objects glide down to meet as well. All into those thick woods of the Everfree, yet a little of those can be seen being shot back into the sky.

And yet, despite the frightening sight, a little of each comets’ light shoot back into the sky, painting the night in a layer of sparkly silvery stardust. Another one of Lady Everfree’s tricks; and yet, I find myself gradually, almost involuntarily, crossing a line that I had sworn myself I would never to cross ever since I was a filly. I wonder why as I trespass the line that I had told myself never to cross since I arrived down to the ground as a filly.

'Curiosity misguides the cat', is the phrase appearing over and over inside my disorganized brain. I did not want to use the word "kill", it was just too much for me to even hear such kind of word... so much violence, so much hatred...

I shouldn't be thinking like this. I’ve broken a rule that I swore I would never break: I entered the Everfree Forest at its worst — at night, alone and for no reason other than to explore. The last time I came here was with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Those sweet fillies had no idea what they were up to. All they wanted to do was to find one of my chickens. If I hadn’t found the courage to go in the forest and save them, who knows what would’ve happened to them. I shutter at the thought. A cockatrice is no joke; it can turn you into stone and forget about you forever.

As they say, no pony can find you in the Everfree Forest. Perhaps that’s another reason why I’m afraid.

I have not realized anytime sooner why I ever stepped into this creepy place, what was my true motive for such dramatic action? I turn to take a glance at all my corners, they were nothing but trees so far, dark, but rustling and standing there quietly. I cower, putting my hooves over my head, but instead of dwelling on the horror that lies ahead of me, I dwell on the light cutting across the forest, illuminating the dew resting on the leaves. The feeling is strangely exciting. I cannot be more content.

I get back up, taking a deep breath, and slowly pushing myself a little of it out each step that I had advanced forward. I can't articulate myself any better, but it's tempting to tell myself that there is something that I need to see before the wheels of fate put me in. I enter the shadowy forest with its tall, scary trees and prickly bushes. Now I'm completely shut out — trapped. My stomach screams for me to force myself back home. What was I thinking?! Can I even make it back out alive after this? Why am I even in here?

Can I even make it back out alive?

"M-maybe I'm done for already, I-I-I'm already gone into the o-other world." I muttered to myself, and it has become my primary words as I am fighting my way through the leaves and the eerie Silence. I don't understand why I'm still marching onward like a fresh soldier on the battleground, I'm not suited for that kind of thing anyway.

I miss my friends, I miss everything already, even a litter by the dump that none wanted to look at, even those who have hurt me in the past, even those filled with hatred in their eyes...

"Oh, how I wish Angel bunny was here!" I muttered louder, but still just enough for me to hear only. Angel is perhaps my oldest friend, he was always there with me wherever I went, and always was there covering a blanket for me whenever I was exposed to the heartless cold. He may not be the most well behaved pet, but he's perhaps the closest living thing to understand my feelings, not even my other best friends know enough about me compared to him alone.

But tonight, he isn't here with me, I am pulled over by those shimmering lights, and now all alone for the first time. Maybe it is the time to prove to myself that I can handle difficult times just as well as anypony else. I am an independent mare who can take care of herself, and nothing can take that away from me!


So the "brave little me" crosses another line of desperate need. Now, I find myself trekking through the dark, twisted trees along the forest path. Now I am in the open area among those giant trees again, though they may look quite intimidating, I pinpoint my eyes on that tiny shaft of light barely finding its way through the shadowy canopy of the giant trees. I manage to make my way towards it, but I cannot find it anywhere as I reached the location, only seeing that light in front of me again. Each time I walk further, I never seem to reach it. I cannot help but feel that it's pulling itself away while I'm the heavy anchor weighing down the oceans, a strain for anypony to actually rely on.

I sigh. Well, one thing’s for certain: that tonight, I cannot rely on anypony and no pony will rely on me. I must venture through the Everfree Forest all by myself this time.

The trees around me may be like crowded ponies that I must get through everyday, but this time, there is a path that goes straight down those woods. But the furthest I can see is a pitch black spot that fills my mind with mysterious and scary things that I do not ever want to uncover. I can feel my heart pounding as the light above me forces me onward into the dreadful darkness.

Truth is, I have never arrived to the darkness — probably because I'm already in the darkness — there is just so little to see and understand from such uncertain yet lucid dilemma. That tiny beam of light that buzzed in can only lighten up so much, that the further areas were still dark.

Just then, I hear a growl among the trees, and movements around some bushes aside me as I trotted through. I flinch in response but remain quiet enough to pretend that nothing's wrong. Whatever that thing is in those bushes, it will not have a reason to attack me if I go on my merry way... or so I reasoned.

This reminds me of how I deal with other ponies, it's hard for me to say what I have in mind, and just express myself in front of a huge crowd. Often when my friends notice my distress, I would always respond with a "nothing", or " I'm fine". In reality, I'm NOT fine, I am NEVER fine! Each second of even the slightest interaction with anypony hurts me inside, I always end up ruining conversations because I don't know how to deal with them. How should I continue? Where should I end? What should we talk about? It all ends up in an awkward staring contest — which I'm tired of playing in. Twilight often would advise me of making connections with others or to look for similarities between me and other ponies. That way, it would bring the friendship bond even stronger than before, or so she frequently tells me.

Maybe now I know why I can only speak with my "animal friends".

Disregarding those unwanted sounds from off the beaten path, I finally made it out of the first stage alive. Now, I come to a much wider clearing where the trees aren't as menacing and more far apart. That once tiny shaft of light now brightens the area in a pure blue aura.

I may not be an artist but this blue isn’t just any average blue. It’s a turquoise blue with a little bit of chiaroscuro here and there...maybe. Such beauty! How magnificent can a wonder like this be? I can’t describe the cool light washing over my yellow fur. It feels so glossy and tinged! It all may not look like much to an average pony’s eye, but I see more than just a column of moonlight descending into a wide clearing in the Everfree Forest. I see a masterpiece painted by Nature itself.

After all, a true artist appreciates all styles of work as art, no matter how uninteresting or unpleasing it can be, right?

Visions take over the ruffling sounds once I pay real attention to those luminous sparks throwing blue shades through the opening of the giant trees and straight into the night sky. I gaze up through the giant trees and straight into the deep nights, where the motions of the stars shatter what I call "reality". It is even clearer than the first time I saw it before entering the Everfree. There is no light pollution, no disrupting noises and voices — only the tranquil silence. This is the place that I always wanted to be in. Maybe, I should move my cottage here.

A joyous rush sweeps over me. I feel like spreading my wings again. It appears that my wish may come true after all, as I can no longer feel my wings clutching at my sides anymore. Slowly and gracefully, I spread my wings aside. They blend into the blue light in a rapid glow. There I remain, enjoying this moment. For once, I don’t have to worry about anything. For once, I’m safe to be myself.

SNAP!

I shriek, falling onto the ground. Now I know I’m not imagining things! There’s something dangerous still lurking in these woods!

Getting back up, I dust myself off. I may like nature, but too much of it can affect me in a bad way. I guess I’m like Rarity in a way, I do care about how I look sometimes.

I sigh, hanging my head as I slowly walk into the trees. They’re quite close together, branches tightly intertwined. They remind me of my good friends. They stay for one another, holding limbs together and providing needed comfort. I wish all ponies would do the same, for once. As long as we stand united as friends, we can stand strong on all four hooves. Even when alone, we don't have to fear anything, because friends are always be us no matter where we are.

It feels like that my words slipped out too early. Were they spoken by accident? Does it feel, that something just isn't right at the very moment?

My body, is made of sweat and shaking. I am afraid again.

And then, my wings...

Oh no, not my wings!

They're closed again...


I try to open them, but they will not listen to me. They remain shut, tight and fearful. I had the perfect moment where Princess Luna's beauty encouraged me to make good use of these wings. But now, I have to start all over again because of one sound. ONE SOUND. Only one sound and I freak out! Why does this always happen?

I look up through the leaves above me painted with that sparkling, magical blue light. My mind turns to the crowded parties that Pinkie Pie would constantly invite me to. I can't help but think that maybe other ponies wouldn't be so happy if they have "too many" friends. It might feel uncomfortable and even stressful to keep track of them, especially if there were hundreds of them.

I sigh again. Maybe it's just my point of view. After all, I don't have that many friends. I interact with so few ponies already, and the most of the friends I have are my furry animals. Unity may not be the best idea for ponies after all. Friendship is important above everything else, and I am proud to be an Element of Kindness to help my friends spread this wonder to all of Equestria, I want every pony to enjoy this gift.

It isn't so easy, however, once you realize that ponies are just friends with you, and nothing closer than that. There is always a special connection between some ponies at least. There are those trees, holding their wooden arms together. There is me, who can't do any of those with my own kind. I am still alone, why I am scared of everything still remains a mystery to others. I am never comfortable being truly personal with even my closest friends.

Just then, a hoot fills the comfort zone across many paces away. I begin to trot faster than before, trying to locate that resonant voice. Tree after tree, I see nothing but the bright moon glistening and comets gliding across the deep blue. I stop myself once I see an owl making that same hoot that I just heard. She is made of black and gray stripes, similar to that of Zecora. I try to hoot back, despite it wasn't the best hoot that I ever done. The strange looking owl turns her head around to meet my cerulean eyes, I almost froze and freaked out because of her giant eyes, but told myself that I'm an animal expert, and nothing will go wrong as long as I recognize that creature.

Slowly, I take out my hoof to the owl, barely waving it to signal her. Owls are very wise creatures, they can sometimes even predict what may happen next. You wouldn't want to fool an owl through mind tricks, they can see it right through and impale that gust of fear down your throat with those mysterious, spherical eyes.

The owl then opens her wings and flies off, up into the deep sleeping night. I want to follow, but my mind tells me to back away and not let a predator pounce on me and take me alive with me having to see my flesh as I get eaten. Oh these awful thoughts! Go away! Now is not the time!

Yet at the same time, I don't want such violence happening to me. There is an angel telling me that I must go and follow that owl no matter what. The mist now is slowly packed and piling together, becoming more and more dense. The once sapphire lights produced by the genies are slowly fading out, the lamp is about to be come useless for me once I can't see what's ahead of me! I must go, NOW!


With my wings opened once again, I felt the need to take off not in courage from the sudden ambush of timberwolves, but in fear of this mist that will hurt me in the future. Quickly, I fly off into the sleepless dusk, the sky sounding with nothing but the breeze. The trees are no longer tall and big once I'm above them all, there are mountains not far up ahead, but I won't be that quick to reach them, which is a good thing I guess. Their tall shadows swallow up the rest of what you can see, maybe something even scarier than a dragon can hurt you.

Not far I can see the owl flapping her wings, and suddenly turning to her left. I nod to myself and did the same. This time she dives straight down, back into those woods. Do I have to do the same again? I have just begun to enjoy my time outside in the endless time of silent blues, but if I don't follow the owl, something's telling me that this whole journey is just a good for nothing walk instead.

From miles away I can hear the timberwolves howling to the moon. They frighten me at times, so unpredictable and cold because they are simply made of deceased wood and spirits of evil, there is no way to tame their hearts if they never had one from the start. Yet, their sounds make up what the Everfree Forest is, and the true beauty nature can sprout out if you're emotionally and mentally prepared to see them. I feel safe just hearing those wooden animals resounding to the sky, because I'm so far away from them, and that they won't possibly hurt me from there. These thoughts purify my mind as I dive straight back into the woods...


Sigh, back into the forest we go, and I'm still flying above the ground, desperately trying to find the runaway owl. The bushes and shrubs are shown no more, but instead with green orbs of light floating around, littering the forest with a new source of radiance; a new tension building up inside my crisp, yellow chest. It is so warm, so much warmer compared to those blue lights sent by the cosmic miracle beyond the stars earlier.

Not sooner, I arrive to a vast glade made of only serenity. I can take a clear notice of the brightest stars hovering above my eyes. The moon is lightened up, full, round, and just splendid! I imagine nothing else of scary things, no more haunted trees and forests poking me in the ribs anymore, no more unfriendly voices of dreadful predators searching for food, no more ponies intruding my privacy. This is the boundary where limits no longer can hold my wings down onto the ground. I can do whatever I please, nothing to stop me from accomplishing anything.

I close my eyes, sniffing out the incoming breeze that brought up the grass and the poplars. It was cold. Yes, one can argue for that, but it doesn't matter as I still can open my wings more than before, though not completely sure whether if that's the right thing to do right now. Can my wings express freedom just like that? Or even if it does, what am I supposed to do with it?

'Is it always about my wings?' I ask myself in my head, the unanimous doubts return to persecute me. 'This isn't going anywhere! So frustrating that I just want to SCREAM!'

My feathers stop beating, almost followed by my heart as I sink into the grass. My wings fall onto the ground, but not closed at all. My hooves bend into my body, seeking protection from my torso. I just want to burst into tears, crying until I can get no more sorrow out from me. Giving up and leaving the Everfree is an option, but there is the feeling at the very moment making me want to stay; my body feels heavy, my hooves attach to the soiled earth.

Suddenly, I hear a drop and another drop is seen wetting the soil. 'It must be raining now.' I think to myself.

My throat can't clear up, and it hurts even more as I turn my head up. I am so wrong when I realized that the sky was clear, purple and almost red in a sense, but the blue was fading away. My faith dies down deep inside; it was I who was beginning to rain on myself this whole time. Frustration seethes among the smokes that was pumped out dramatically by my own blood. I don't know why, but I must hold my true feelings back in, but this time that introvert mare fades away into the stars... oh goodness...

"I wish Angel bunny would be here, I wish my friends would be here, I WISH ANYPONY WOULD BE HERE! TO COMFORT ME FROM ALL THIS CONFUSION! THE CONFLICTING THOUGHTS TEARING MY EMOTIONS APART FROM EACH OTHER! WHY IS IT THAT I CAN'T FULLY ACCEPT THE BEAUTY OF NATURE WITHOUT HAVING TO SUFFOCATE FROM REMORSE OR GUILT?! CAN SOMEONE TELL ME?! ANYONE?!!!"

The soil becomes clean from my glands. I pound my hoof onto the ground not once, but twice, thrice, four, followed by five and up to a countless number. My throat is now paralyzed, I can't even find a space to breathe into. Euphoria turns into a pill that serves nothing but addiction, the wonders of nature has dragged me to think deeply on my pains and amazement at the same time; weighing heavily on both sides, but never finding a good balance in between them.

The more I think about this internal struggle, the less air I have in need to survive. I feel like burning, but I always burn out like all prominent stars shone above me everyday. I regret having to made my day turn out in a such way by so much, that it feels embarrassing, and I'm shy to express it out to anyone. I want to make peace and unity among all ponies and animals, even though many ponies do become annoyed by my passive personality. I try too hard to become perfect, haven't I?

I turn my head back up to the stars as they wink in such a fashionable order as if they were speaking to me. Wind begins to pick up, but this time it was harder and more powerful than before. Trees rustle, waves of lights appear miles above my reach, constantly changing and switching colors as they bend back and forth like flags — representing a belief that one should never give up on. White and sparkling comets glide across many times of steps that a normal pony can take. Shooting stars are only cosmic romances, and whenever it is worth to watch them collide and sprinkle into dust, it is only a mere drama acted out by nature to entertain us and draw us closer to them.

And then, it was not before my eyes turned white from seeing the fury of the skies...


I have always loved glades when I was young, they made me open my mind if not my eyes. When the day was unpleasantly hot outside, the unforgettable breeze shielded me from the raging heat that was about to explode into waves and waves of unavoidable fatigues. Although it was a far and long way down to the earth from the unbearable clouds, we as pegasi live closer to the sun than any other ponies.

So my mother would accompany me down during dawn or the deep dusk to make our time as a family in the best way possible. We would sit on the grass, and watch divinity naturally perform their duty day by day. I loved having my mother's hooves around me as I rest my head into her body. That way, I thought, would get a better and a mutual understanding between us and everything else. If not, then at least a warm and a temporary shelter would be nice too.

There were nights when my mother and I wouldn't speak at all to interrupt the silent film slipping past our eyes, not even a second of detail of the leaves lightened up by the galaxies; or the sweet and refreshing taste of the wind after being mingled in with a healthy population of trees, flowers, woodland creatures, and the little streams hissing away into rivers then the extensive bodies of the shallow water. There were other nights when we would chat about many different topics.

Motivated by the astonishing imagery, each word served a purpose to keep our conversation solid. If not, then I would just rest my head on my mother and we would watch Princess Celestia raise the moon and see the wonder of nature, either way was an extraordinary experience, nothing to lose from.

I do remember this one night, however, when I cried to my mother about my underachieving performance at flight school. It was humiliating, it was devastating, I had never felt so crushed before when a former bully of the camp, Hoops, pushed me off the clouds and left me in a pitfall to doom. I could've just been done for from the acceleration, but my desperate will to live had me flap my tiny wings rapidly.

Even then, I was hopeless, scared, empty of fulfilling the basic necessity of a normal pegasus, for all I did was fall.

Fall.

Fall.

Fall.

And never had the chance to get back up, because the only way I will be able to do so is float away with only a naked soul, or just lose all my consciousness and not even having the speck of presence of my existence. The only pony who wanted to save me was Rainbow Dash, who quickly rushed to the scene, carried me onto her back, and took me back up to Cloudsdale.

Once I returned back to my birthplace, however, I was greeted with unfriendly faces of disgust, dirty jeers, forceful objects thrown at me, wanting me to get lost and never find my way back to safety. Rainbow defended me with all her courage and might, and I felt a speck of hope, that not all ponies hate me.

They hated me for loving the ground than up here in the blank clouds. I can find friends that understand and relate to me, hopefully, even if the whole world is chewing on my hooves. It hurts to see Rainbow Dash being bashed on for being with somepony like me, it hurts her pride too; just losing respect from ponies because she stuck with me, to protect me...

I questioned my mother whether if it really was worth Rainbow's time to defend me, by that time the moon spilled dim orbs that couldn't make the night dark as it was supposed to seem. It was difficult enough for me to complete the question to her, as I choked down every word I said. I was scared of the forthcoming answer from my mother's lips, but at the same time I cuddled deeper into her, like I can find anything in her that's special to me, more than just a mother being a mother.

I remember that she patted my back and kissed my head, while the shooting stars winked brightly as I looked up. I, on the other hoof, didn't blink at all; because I would miss it all: the message that the heavens sent me, even if I wasn't certain on what they meant. But I know it's something pertaining to what I can feel and rub into, not just known to anypony. I've always had the smallest spark that I was special in some way. I don't need acceptance nor recognition from others, not especially if they don't know who I am on the inside aside from bearing the "Shy" in my family's name.

Nevertheless, family love is such a wonderful thing to enjoy feeling about. I can't forget that.


Well, there is no choice but to keep going. Usually I wouldn't know what to do, and maybe just stop right here and end it all.

Tonight is a different time, a different place, and will remain as a moment which stands out from the rest. I will put my faith into the stars' trail and the moon's embrace; if they are to believe in me and acknowledge me as one of them: a unique life force with the potential to reach out to the skies and hail to the unknown divinity. I would definitely want to communicate with such spirit, a true friend indeed. I had no idea where I got the motivation from, but it looks like I'm on the right track from what I believe.

Not soon, the same owl whom I followed earlier came back to me, standing right in front of me, in the middle of this vast and barren glade. I looked at her for the longest period of time, reading the flashing beam of light she sent me off her eyes. Suddenly, a rush of a new tension hit my stomach, once the owl flew off without warning. I had no time to think; I reacted into leaving this climatic, pellucid glade, and on a path along a nearby stream.

Through the blue waves, I can see myself marching on like an actual soldier on the battlefield. I no longer fear having to see who I am: she's just a friendly, cuddly mare who lives side by side with what clueless ponies call: "the forces of evil". The sound of water rushing onto rocks refreshes my soul into a gleaming drop of cool vapor tinging me over and over again.

I realize that my hoofsteps are not on the same rhythm as the speed of the stream, making me almost take longer steps, and begin to run along with the rushing water. Thankfully I don't have to; nature progresses in a different speed from us ponies, and must be the reason why we misjudge the Everfree, and why we can't get along. The growth of the roots in a tree during the winter can take years compared to a colt growing his hooves, but it will end up durable and stronger than the later grown stallion. Evolving ponies don't want to feel inferior, yet perhaps many of us are envy of how powerful nature can be? Is that why we ignore and avoid you, Mother Everfree?

Oh how much I sound like a traitor to my kind! I wish I can stop being torn on both sides and bring myself back together. I feel just like a cracked tree, about to die any moment. The stream becomes slightly wider than before when I just noticed it, lurking beneath the blues is something that I can't explain, as the shadow moves along with the speed of the stream, perfectly camouflaging along with it.

Avoiding horrific tales brought up by my mind, I assume the figure to be nothing more than a wooden log drifting with me. Therefore, I continue to pace along the stream, minding my own business and avoid the dangerous Curiosity.

Without my conscience, my eyes slowly become weary. Everything I see becomes blurry and slowly transformed into unclear shapes, I have to force my brain to interpret the objects swirling around my vision. I haven't ate nor drank anything before leaving the cottage, I just came out by my sheer force of will and imagination. They called me out here, so I thought it's a must-do task that may turn out to be just fascinating enough for this journey to be worthwhile.

All those words... Just aches my head even more... I can't hold my ground any longer... I feel so dizzy, and out of my control...

Something feels cold... but the cold isn't a slow process... rather an instant strike of sharp icicle into the flesh... I can see the stars and a trail of their hazel auroras across the night sky...

...

Sweet Celestia...

No... Sweet Everfree, help me...

Please...


So many sounds can be heard, but none of them are loud enough for a party. Pinkie Pie sure knows how to make ponies smile as one, but those types of parties are just too loud at times. Screeching in my head right now are those voices of nature, not the artificial noises made by ponies who only accept civilizations. The sounds of music as the creatures communicating and the water beating the trees, pass through my ears and solidify my wings, enchanting them to fly again.

Yes, my wings have a sense of their own, most pegasi should I think. The problem is, that I can't move my wings, my whole body was weak and maybe even crippled since I woke up. All I know is that I'm alive, floating away to somewhere unknown.

Unknown...?

Oh no, where in Equestria am I? I must've fell into the stream and it carried me all the way here.

This is a swamp isn't it? The humid air mixed in with the unbearable smell produced in this waste colored habitat, large bubbles fizzle and pop, the steam amplifies the extreme heat. In addition to the unpleasant conditions, a swamp is an unlivable and guaranteed danger. It has been responsible for the numerous disappearances of ponies and other races of creatures alike who traveled through here.

The risk is high enough to ensure that my life is at stake right now.

I managed to swim across the muddy lake and safely reaches the shore. On the wet grassland I stand, my hooves slowly sank into the soil. I can cry over about how unclean I've made myself, but this is just another way of drawing closer to Mother Everfree. For a prideful pegasus, that is not the case to be downcast of themselves compared to those who can't fly; they don't understand how much there is to see down here than just white puffs of vapor. I can visualize just as much stars and sunshine as those in Cloudsdale, my mind is clear as the clear blue skies beyond the clouds, but other ponies don't understand that. They just think I'm a mental distraught, well what do they know?!

"What..." I began, but slowly back off from the shore of the lake once I felt something suspicious going on. In the unexplained waters, the same shape that I saw earlier when I was trotting along the stream creeps towards me, there are two yellow eyes but black in the middle of each, locking onto me, not even paying attention to his surroundings. The creature who's yellow eyes belonged to shows his rough and green skin, inches in closer towards me.

"do I know...?" I lowered my voice once I realize the undeniable danger that I am in. I shudder and stumble over again and again while trying to stay away from the mugger crocodile. He creeps in closer, I try to remain calm, at my best mood possible. The crocodile does not growl for some reason, even though we aren't that far apart from one another. Now thinking back on it, I was too busy doodling with my emotions that I failed to observe the dangers around me. I didn't know any better about this creature than I should have.

I remember that back when I was returning a basket of frogs back to Froggy Bog Bottom, I failed to realize the danger that I was in. A giant hydra lurking beneath the deep mud, ready to devour me anytime. Furious eyes, unbelievably sharp teeth, four long necks with a head of their own enormous size. All the factors that prove the beast's monstrosity had proven itself to be more than capable of destroying civilizations. If it weren't for my friends risking their lives just to warn me—

The green, scaly beast now left the waters completely, and is in face to face with me on the environment where he has a less significant advantage compared to the murky waters, but still enough to dominate me. This is his territory, this is his meal place, feeding on the poor, innocent birds and turtles—

"If it weren't for my friends warning me..."

This twenty foot reptile has a munch on anything, no fear of being preyed by anyone. His razor sharp teeth leaves his mouth whether he closed it or not. His green, unharmed skin resembles that of a Royal Guard's armor. His cold marble eyes beams with evil and unjust deeds ready to be dawned onto others—

"If it weren't for them..."

He doesn't even have to think on his hunger, as long as he can make food of anything, he will heartlessly strike you down—

"I, I wouldn't know what else to do, I could've been a goner."

Slowly and carefully, I walk over to the seemingly bewildered but suspicious animal, keeping it quiet enough without alarming him. I place a hoof onto his snout, attempting to tame him. I nuzzle him on the mouth with gentle care, the heartbeat of the animal seemed to slow down as his body temperature increased at a steady rate. The reptile cannot withstand our soft, lighthearted confrontation. As a result he opens his mouth, revealing a chipped and almost cracked tooth.

I smiled, knowing something's wrong with the poor thing before taking action that could've hurt the animal physically and emotionally. Instead of running away, I take a few leaves from a nearby tree and other herbs that can serve as a painkiller while I remove the damaged tooth from animal. Afterwards, I enter the crocodile's mouth and place the herbs right under his tooth. I gulp, for I don't want to hurt him by yanking his tooth bad enough to cause chaos in this ecosystem, he is the apex predator here after all. Should I just leave him be like this? What if he does make harm to the other critters? Who would be at fault for ruining his diet if I just left him alone?

Wha-what if he turns his back on me? My active hoof wobbles and the rest of my body trembles like what I have done before I entered the Everfree. I couldn't think on how much danger this forest has for anypony to thrive in. What did I even come here for then at first place?

'No Fluttershy,' My inner self suddenly has control of her own, 'You've reached this far into the Everfree Forest, a feat accomplished by almost nopony, are you just seriously going to stop here and abandon someone whom only you right now can help? How much of a meanie are you? If you came here boldly and made it all the way here, why the hay didn't you run away at first place?

'You coward.'

I am a coward...

That's what all ponies said or thought about me when they met me. I am a worthless accompany to be along with, a burden, a hindrance, useless, uninteresting, and lost. Yes I am lost, indeed so far lost and gone, but I can always look up to the sky. For there will be a star there to shine my path down the road, that's how I made it all the way here.

And that is how I will finish it.

I manage to pull out the tooth from the reptile and quickly I close his mouth, so that the bleeding can be stopped with the herbs I placed there, as long as he keeps his mouth closed. Once I exit his mouth, the mugger crocodile turns his direction towards me, and is now so close to me that we are only a breath away from each other. He stares at me, while blinking at least once per second. I dare not to move but to only return the same gaze without much of the blinking.

Finally, he makes his first direct interaction with me with a bump of his snout. Instead of my fur perking up in anxiety, it is something else going upwards, my heart's rapid beat perhaps; like the flow of that refreshing stream I listened to earlier. The crocodile backs away and quickly dashes back into the lake, fading away from my eyesight.

Pretty soon, I can hear whispers from all over the forest, I can see colorful orbs reappearing once again as they flow all around me. I smile as I close my eyes, feeling the spirits of all creatures huddling up on me and giving me warmth. Sparkles constantly radiate in the dark atmosphere, and so will my soul. It is so magical to see how an ecosystem functions so lively without having to be forced.

Out here in the nature, there are no rules to follow nor punished if not done so, it's just how living beings decide the way they want to live. Their choice to create chances and fully enjoy Mother Everfree's gift, and nopony will ever understand unless they've been here on a night very much similar to this. There is only true freedom here in the wilderness, and I will give all my gratitude to her.

My wings are now finally opened as I gave one last glance to the swirling trails of the white stardust soaring across the night.

And I will keep it that way when I reenter the silent woods and travel back home.

For the heaven’s light will have sought me.

An angelical creed driven by natural mysteries that will only remain beautiful as long as it is never explained.


"Mommy?"

"Yes my sweet yellow cub?" She placed her hoof onto her daughter's forehead, and slid it all the way down to her chin, before gently pressing onto her nose.

"I-I have a question."

"Go ahead sweetie, I can help you with anything."

The smaller pegasus wanted someone to help her answer her, but just expressing it sometimes hurts her inner ego, even if it was tiny. She had to this time, she wanted to know, she desired to know this by hoof. After gazing up at the moonlight drooling lust, she took a deep breath and managed to overcome her worst fear for once.

"D-did we come down here, to watch the night and relax? O-or, to escape our problems only for awhile?"

"Honey, mommy doesn't seem to quite get it —" She paused her lips as she began to realize what her foal actually meant. " — Oh honeybun! You must've been scared of your fears again!"

Her daughter sobbed and cried onto her mother's lap, glittering tears wet and fresh rolled down her hooves and dried down into the soil that they were sitting on. She shook her head and firmly played with her daughter's cheeks, chuckling and almost crying out herself.

'I can't believe my little one's all grown up already! She's thinking on so much!'

"Fluttershy, you have to listen to me here." Fluttershy stopped crying and looked up to meet her mother's warm gaze and gentle smile.

"This glade is not an excuse to hide away from reality, it is a place where we are to clear out our minds from anger with other ponies, or to know deep down who we are on the inside, and when that time comes" — she noticed the young filly already turning her focus onto the northern lights that spoke to the stars. She giggled and watched along with her daughter.

"then we can finally burn out the internal conflicts that we have with ourselves, and live in eternal peace?"

The mare now had Fluttershy fully in her grasp, slowly cuddling and nuzzling her, happy and proud that her daughter can know so much even at a young age. The latter did exactly the same, returning the love and care that her mother once had given her. The wind picked up as the leaves blown off the trees soared into the sky. The mother's eyes looked at them whirling around in circles. She hadn't realized that the night was coming to an end, as a peach colored ray bursts through the air, interrupting the dark theater up in the deep indigo skies. Finally, a familiar object with a familiar color resembling of somepony who she's been with all this time, was peeking from the faraway mountains, slowly shining on everything it sees.

It is now morning.