//------------------------------//
// Canto X 
// Story: The Blue Rose 
// by Chicago Ted 
//------------------------------//

The next world in which Thorn awoke was real.
It wasn’t the Everfree, nor a ship– he felt lost.
Laying, he tried to stand– dazed he did feel,
So tired, beaten, battered, and tempest-toss’d.
He looked up, and stared into eyes of steel.
He knew that something had Mother cross’d.
“Well, thou art awake,” she coldly berated.
“Pray tell me– is thy vision still e’er-shaded?”

“No,” he answered. “Just fine you I can see.”
“Fortunately– thou couldst have gone blind!”
Came then the town-doctor, a graying donkey
With years of medicinal wisdom in his mind.
“Thou hast been sleeping for long– three-
And-ten hours. Not to leave thee behind,
Thy mother instead returned thee to town,
Arriving at mine home just after sundown.

“Carest thou to explain thyself, young foal?”
“Yes, I will!” said Thorn. “Back in the woods,
Mother and I were trotting through on a stroll
To the next town. I found the finest of goods!
You see, dear Mother– that is why I stole
Away from you. See! It claimed my moods!”
But Thorn got a shock when the doctor spoke:
“That, foal, was naught but poison-joke!

“Thorn, willst thou not listen to thy mother?
Doth she not know what thou walkest into?”
“Do you?” questioned Thorn. “Here’s another:
I saw a Blue Rose! To me, but not to you!”
Neither of them believed him. “O brother!”
Said the doctor. “That flower, of that hue?
Impossible! Those hallucinations and sleeping
Are more akin to those of beleño-poisoning.”

“Hast thou learnt a lesson today, Thorn?”
Asked his mother. “What hast thou learnt?”
Thorn thought hard. “I earlier heard ye warn,
Mother. But after, your words were burnt.
My defiance was why we had been torn.
That, Mother, is what today I have learnt.”
“Correct,” said she. “Thou must be careful
If thou wantest for thy whole life to be joyful.

“Healer, how much is your treatment worth?”
“Only eight bits,” said he. “It was simple.”
Of any logical reasoning Thorn had a dearth–
He saw it all! It was all true! O how cruel
Fate was, to hide this journey from the Earth!
He knew every face, every danger, every battle.
“Come along, Thorn,” said she. “And keep by!
At thine age thou shouldest not need to try!”

They left the doctor’s abode into the street
Of a Celestia-forsaken town: Whispering Oaks.
It was a simple village, without any high élite
To speak of, but consisting of simple folks.
Thorn, after the journey, found it bittersweet
Once more to see his true-to-life town blokes.
He saw plastered walls and a thatched roof,
And the cobble-paved street beneath his hoof.

“Gangway!” somepony shouted. “Move aside!”
Thorn and his mother obeyed the command.
Whom had shouted the order they then eyed: 
A chaise-et-quatre, pulled by a pony band.
Whoëver chartered it had too much pride–
Likely somepony who wasn’t from this land.
Thorn’s mother asked, “Dost thou see, Thorn?
Everywhere thou lookest, danger is borne!”

Thorn sighed, then replied, “Yea, Mother, I do.”
With the carriage gone, they continued home.
Despite what he said, Thorn really knew
That, while there is danger on one’s roam,
How to experience, not doing something new?
There they were, at the door of their home.
Unceremoniously, the two went inside–
What unspeakable fate must Thorn abide?

We shall at last be introduced to Thorn’s father.
He had a grim, grave grimace on his face,
Showing his many years’ skill as a farmer.
“So!” he said. “Finished with your goose-chase
This soon?” “Not quite,” said Thorn’s mother.
“We had to turn back and return to this place,
Since Thorn left me and wandered in a patch
Of poison-joke. He almost met his match!”

But instead of lashing out in rage welling under,
He simply sighed. “Well, I have dinner for ye,”
Spoketh he. “Surely you have great hunger.”
Thorn realized it too. For all that time that he
Was in the Everfree, he was not much a wonder
Than before he and she entered the Everfree.
The table was duly set, without much talk
Between them, but the ticking of the clock.

The meal can be considered frugal at best:
Only that which can be grown in their garden.
Whispering Oaks wasn’t afflicted with a pest
Unless isolation can be considered its mien.
They only had enough for three, and no guest.
Even to them, Thorn was a heavy burden.
O Fluttershy, dost thou not see such a thing?
Kindness when they little can be affording!

Whilst eating, his father had the urge to ask:
“Thorn, whatever was it that convinced thee
To wander about aimlessly, despite thy task
To help deliver our produce to Morrígantree?
Poison-joke dons onto its intruders its mask,
To make it hard for those from it to flee.
Pray tell, Thorn, why hast thou strayed
From thy mother– why hast thou not stayed?”

“I’ll tell you,” said Thorn. “All of you I’ll tell!
It started when I saw a sparrow point out
A path for me to take. I, being under its spell,
Had no choice but to follow its shown route.
Think you that mine head is naught but a shell?
Well, when I got there, there wasn’t any doubt
That what I found was the rarest treasure–
Its sight alone gave me a high, great pleasure!”

“Poison-joke!” said his mother. “How oft
Must I say it? Why willst thou not hear?
Poison-joke’s not precious!” Thorn scoff’d.
“Well, perhaps you shall decide to fear
The story of my travels. I shan’t go soft
When I tell you all– I shall make it clear!”
He was so confident– surely he won’t fail!
So Thorn summarily began to tell his tale:

“When I found that flower, it came to life,
And told of a quest for wisdom– for me only!
Said quest was fraught with trouble and strife.
To start, it went to Dragon-Lands with me.
After joining their band, their sharpest knife,
Tânadain, Gurun’s sword, they bestowed me.
A blade like this could be stopped by noöne,
For it contained within the fires of the Sun!”

Said his mother, “Thorn, that was but a dream!
Dragons can accept noöne but their own kin!
This idea of thine is ridiculous in the extreme!”
Said his father, “O Thorn, where shall I begin?
Stop dreaming, thy fate as a farmer is supreme!
To betray the family trade is a horrendous sin!”
Neither believed the words that Thorn said.
But the story, he knew, was far from dead:

“What next I did? I then stopped Cloudsdale
From advancing further into dragon territory.
What a problem they had, and I could not fail!
But in fact, ’twas Cloudsdale that I had to free:
A Windigo-Coven took control of the ice, hail,
Cold, and snow, and were on a freezing-spree.
Stopping them was not easy, but it was done.
Their fragments were melted in the bright Sun.”

“Thorn!” said she. “That’s even less believable!
Cloudsdale cannot fall to some odd intrusion!
If this be thy quest, then thy knowledge is null.”
“Aye,” said his father. “Thou shouldst have run
The first chance thou hadst. This story is full
Of only random, nón sequitur nesció, son!”
They still thought that the legend was a lie.
Thorn decided that he had to aim up high:

“After the coven’s fall, I asked that they
Take me to Gryphonstone, for there I knew
That a red Janus stone will open the way
To Tartarus. A storm we travelled through,
And we saw gryphon pirates on the skies’ lay.
They wanted to rob us– and I did, too.
But only I succeeded, for Captain Grizzle
Fought me with what may as well be a chisel.”

“Pirates?” asked his mother. “Sailing the sky?
Thorn, I command, cease with thy dishonesty!
This story, I say again, is naught but a lie!”
“Celestia’s decree made all piracy history,”
Said his father. “’Tis impossible to defy!
Thou remainedst on the ground, we all agree!”
Perhaps this grandiose fight cannot convince?
Thorn tried something that happened since:

“Come next morn, I was in Gryphonstone.
I saw that a gryphon, Grøß, was wanted;
The reward would easily cover the stone!
For him through the darkest alley I hunted,
But he was hunting me, and wasn’t alone;
Grendel was with him. I was capturèd!
But I freed myself and brought them in,
And freed Gesiþe, King Grover’s kin!”

“I know naught of the gryphon’s culture,”
Said she. “But I am most certain of this:
Than thee Grover’s guards are much abler!”
“He would have noticed something amiss,”
Said his father, “and went searching for her.
Grover, I’ll tell you, is anything but remiss!”
This was getting frustrating for Thorn’s mind.
Perhaps truth in their homeland they’ll find?

“Next I chartered another ship to Canterlot,
To their crystal mines, to search for another:
Coin, whose freedom I had also wrought,
Was searching every land for her dear sister.
We found her owned by a diamond-dog lot.
I took to battle with them, in furious anger.
After, all were freed. Some then decided
That a city of Canterlot ought to be created.”

“Now thou knowest that’s fantastic,” said she.
“That was not how Canterlot was made.
Princess Celestia commissioned that city.”
Added his father, “There was no crystal trade.
Canterlot had no mines– this anyone can see.
The noble truth, Thorn, thou must not evade!”
Very well. But what of real wisdom’s domain?
Thorn knew that this story shall not be in vain.

“Not long after, to Saddle-Arabia I travelled.
There was a library standing ’midst the desert.
Its village was silent, which had me baffled–
Then I saw that it was a lone bandit’s effort.
At the ship, him and the Hussárs I battled–
Right trumping Wrong– this fact I did assert.
After, I returned, and acquired a new spell,
And with it, I went into the Tartarus-well.”

“Saddle-Arabia?” said she. “That’s impossible!
And to travel into Tartarus– that’s e’en more so!
Both of these places are wholly unreachable!”
“Besides,” added his father, “even I’d know
That a village in Saddle-Arabia is unthinkable.
They are nomads, travelling a sandy plateau.”
So resistant– and so clouded with blindness!
Thorn decided to take it below the surface:

“There I met a shapeless being, or a thought:
‘Quivett’ was his name, and his ultimate goal,
Apparently, was to render Equestria naught.
I had to stop him. But he tormented my soul,
Showing what ‘wrong’ deeds I had wrought.
What, you might ask, could I do as a foal?
I crushed a red seal, and so I did forthbring
Dragons, gryphons, and pegasi to my aiding!”

“Thorn, is that the end of thy fantastic tale?”
Asked she. “Because I can never believe
That one can fight what leaves no trail!”
“What alliance, too, didst thou achieve?”
Asked his father. “Such a thing shall fail–
How soon each other shall they leave?”
Due of this story the family began to rend,
But Thorn was close to reaching the end.

“After the battle, I fell into the deepest kip–
But what choice had I, after a long spree?
I woke up on a zebra-captained airship.
She was sailing to the Forest Everfree.
There, all confessed their mutual friendship,
And vowed never to divide those three.
They had me to thank. But true to my fear,
My quest was over– then I woke up here.”

Mother said, “Well, I should be glad it’s over.
Thou takest excess credit, thou didst nothing!
That ‘quest’ was like that of a drunk rover!”
“What savedth thee? No truth didst thou bring!”
Said his father. “Not even a four-leaf clover!
Thou art naught but a peon, not some king!
Off! Fie! Hasten, and get thee to thy bed
Until thou hast this Truth within thine head!”

“Very well!” thundered Thorn. “Be that way!”
He summarily retired into his bedroom.
Thorn was furious– such a grand tale that they
Would not believe! All from a precious bloom!
No matter what he did, he could never sway
Their judgement– even if it meant their doom!
Thorn tried to formulate a counterargument
To use against two unfair parents so arrogant.

But the more Thorn thought about it all,
The more he concluded that they were right.
Their reasoning for discipline was not so small,
So what reason had he with them to fight?
That was what Thorn decided in his dark stall
While looking at a garden darkened by night.
Thorn stared into the night– O! Forsooth,
There was a beauty perceptible only by youth.

Luna’s moonlight bathed all in a cool glow,
Revealing a world unknown to Celestia’s Sun:
A period where Time itself starts to be slow,
Where One is Many, and too, Many is One.
The earth may be baked dry or frozen in snow,
But this precious moment naught should shun.
Thorn sighed at the sight so tranquil and serene,
How long was it when last he saw this scene?

Then the night’s winged phantom forthcame!
Thorn couldn’t believe that which was before:
Not only a sparrow, but now an owl so tame
Had approached him, on the nocturnal shore.
It had with it a scroll bearing Thorn’s name,
Meant for him. It was dropped on the floor.
Then the owl flew off again, never to return,
Leaving Thorn alone with much mæ to learn.

Gingerly, he picked up the message unbidden.
It had a blue bull-seal holding the scroll shut,
Further secured by a strand of green ribbon.
“Thorn”, it said simply on the seal’s one facet.
’Twas a style used by the Princess of the Sun.
Odd that somepony else would use it– what?
The message levitated out of Thorn’s forelimb!
Unfurling itself, the scroll then spoke to him:

“Fear me not, Thorn, for I am no stranger.
We’ve met before, in the Everfree Forest.
Keep reading, listening, there is no danger.
You are not done, so please don’t yet rest.
Friends always start by finding a stranger,
Putting some faith into him, as a small test.
Whoëver passes it, be by his side always.
Whoëver dœsn’t, just forever part ways.

“Your parents caution against the unknown?
That may be so, but you have to remember
That you needn’t face the world alone.
Friends are allies, so, I say, stick together,
So if some danger chills you to the bone,
A comrade comes such a threat to answer.
Go forth! Boldly! Let naught hold you back,
Be it a dragon, a gryphon, or even a yak.

“That grand story you told to your parents?
That was all true, sure as cabriolet.
You did all that, caused to occur those events,
From receiving Tânadain to defeating Quivett.
You travelled everywhere to all environments,
From Heaven high to the low Tartarus pit.
They’ll soon know, when the news reaches
Whispering Oaks. It’ll live for coming ages!

“Yes, you held Tânadain within your hoof.
Yes, Cloudsdale had been to Dragon-Lands.
Yes, you travelled high upon the sky’s roof.
Yes, you even assisted the gryphon-bands.
Of Canterlot’s liberation there is now proof,
And Tartarus below Saddle-Arabian sands,
Yes, it all happened! Thorn, it was all you!
Don’t think what happened was worth so few!

“Why didn’t your parents know the truth?
Because they fear the unknown too much.
They much rather stay away from their ruth,
And they have elected to be farmers as such.
Nothing comes close to the mind of a youth–
They can bring to life whatever they touch!
Imagination is one’s most powerful weapon–
Using it, one can be stopped by none!”

Thorn questioned, “But has what I done
Any consequence? I fear they may be right.
What worth am I? I am a farmer’s sole son,
Who flees from the slightest threat’s sight.”
It said, “Such thoughts make you undone.
Weak as you seem, you can still win a fight!
Now have patience, I’ve still yet to finish.
So listen, and any self-doubt I shall banish!

“It’s been said that all ponies have a purpose,
From the Princesses of the Sun and Moon,
To the farmer forming Equestria’s basis,
Whose contribution is fully ready in June.
Thus, to say that one is in life wholly useless
Is an outright lie. You, Thorn, shall see soon
That your purpose is not what they think–
You are a wise adventurer, not a low fink!

“But have patience, Thorn. A larger journey
Shall start, and you will be leading it on!
From the Gryphon Highlands to the vast sea,
From the highest king to the humblest peon,
You are tasked with friendship’s guarantee
To see that xenophobia is forevermore gone.
This will be a lifelong journey, from morn
To dusk. This will be your purpose, Thorn!

“May Princess Celestia, of Moon and Sun,
Issue a Decree proclaiming your knowledge.
May it be heard from high Canterlot Mountain:
‘To this Act I, Princess Celestia, give Passage:
Equestria’s tribes shall never become balkan.’
Thus your future quest can carry its voyage.
With royal security, I can see not one reason
How the journey shall fail in any given season.

“May the unicorns of the distant seashore
Be endowed with the blessings of safe faring.
All the sea-covered world may they explore,
At every port may your words they be sharing.
May they attract a world audience, and more,
Into Medusa’s eyes may they never be staring.
May Galene be their patron for all their life,
And entirely circumvent the ocean-sea’s strife.

“May the pegasi help with your endeavor,
To carry your divine messages on high,
So all Equestria hears, and may they never
Falter for a moment as a well-trusted ally.
Let it rain down along with snow in winter,
In words and voices that they cannot deny.
May it seep into Equestria’s fertile ground,
And from there may your Truth be found.

“May the earth ponies of the whole land
Harvest such noble Truth from their yield.
May they communicate the revelations, and
May they strive to find more from the field.
From the lowest valley up to the highland,
May your teachings to them be revealed,
Then spread around, as water in a dish–
And may these grand words they cherish!

“May the Dragon-bands of their land so dry
Take such words ultimately to their heart.
As hard as it may be for them, may they try
To accept that solidarity is not the true art.
Who knows? Maybe they someday apply
This knowledge– then may Providence impart
A more solid ground, and an end to their greed.
To stop their raids– that is what we all need!

“May the city of Gryphonstone help you see
Your vision realized in their trade-markets.
Gold slips through their claws so very easily;
May those words be treated akin to those bits.
May they hear the words from o’er the sea,
And then, may they reap from its benefits.
‘Knowledge is Power’, as the phrase is oft said.
May they have said power for the road ahead.

“May we see a new Dawn of true wisdom born,
For power meant, to be kept in mind forever.
Coming up with the Sun, with Celestia’s morn,
And its sunset, sky of red, may it come never.
May the very first step be taken by ye, Thorn,
And may you not suffer a betrayal soëver.”
Such proposed loyalty! Pray, Rainbow Dash,
Safeguard it all, so that they may never clash.

Thorn spoke again. “And this second quest?
It is best accomplished by one with power!
What makes ye think to do this I’m best?”
“Because,” came the reply, “in this hour,
We approach a new era. Consider this a test
For Equestria to pass. You may be a plower,
But you have seen the life at every angle!
Every part of Equestria should entangle!

“I must close soon, but you know what to do:
Come next Celestia’s morn, sit down and write
All that you have seen and heard to be true.
Into the darkness of Ignorance shed a light,
Pierce the veil, so that this shall not continue.
Pen and parchment beats a sword in any fight.
Walk into the world, make all your fellows–
–Signed, Yours Very Truly, The Blue Rose.”

The scroll rolled itself up, and then resealed,
Dropping onto the floor before Thorn.
“So it shall be,” he said aloud to the field.
“Come tomorrow, I shall do as I was sworn!
My pen, as Tânadain, shall conquer any shield
Of misoxeny; asunder misoxeny shall be torn!
My farm-life– may it be altogether forsaken,
For this is the one true path that I have taken!

“If our press choose not to take what I offer,
Then another town’s shall! I shan’t be supprest!
All of Equestria shall know that I am its author,
And learn from my writings! And I shan’t rest
Until every hearth be warmed forever after–
Until every tribe be a part of my divine quest!
Noöne will be exempt from what I have to say,
And noöne shall dare to stand within my way!

“Come now, and let me take a needed leave
For the night. I’ve much o’er which to ruminate
And on which to compose after this eve!
In the whole of my quest I have seen much hate,
But Equestria can learn from it all, I believe.
Tomorrow!– that codex for the ages doth await.
But now. . . ,” his eyes grew heavy, “I must go
To my sleep. Forsooth! for I feel so slow. . . .”

O, but Thorn spoke too soon, for right then
A bright blue halo surrounded his whole being.
Thorn wondered– had his quest started again?
All around hisself he felt some odd aching–
Then, as quickly as it was, it was not again.
His eyes blinked hard; that light was blinding.
This sudden, fantastic wonder Thorn did stump.
For an answer, his eyes drifted to his rump.

–Could it be? –Was it actually there?
Thorn blinked once and twice and thrice. –Yes!
What a blessèd mark was burnt into his hair!
A representation of his journey he did possess!
Even at night, Thorn couldn’t help but stare–
’Twas the Blue Rose! What Joy did he express!
Wise Thorn was no blank-flank any longer.
There– a new mark!– and he was its bearer.

No longer, Calliope! –I beg of ye, no more!
I shall continue not; Thorn’s tale ends here!
The flower shall remain on the verdant shore,
Protected there entirely by the ponies’ fear–
Just barely out of reach of civilization’s door.
Its status as legend and lore, undeniably clear.
Now I believe I changed the crowd’s attitude;
So, princesses, you have my æternal gratitude.

Thorn’s journey lasted for four short days,
But during such it has encompassed æternity.
Thorn was not the first– let this point raise–
Others came before him, also leaving in amity.
This tale penetrates the span of Cronus’s gaze,
Despite the quest going only through anteriority.
The morals told here can be applied to posterity,
So that they might conquer any ethical verity.

To advise ye, honorable Twilight, I speak this:
Welcome whomever new enters your domain,
And see to their care, so you won’t be remiss.
Equestria is not all ponies, this fact is plain–
So as Magic’s bearer and Friendship’s princess,
They must never be welcomed here in vain.
Lo! all gryphons, zebras, and dragons do say
That your amity will never lead you astray.

Treat Spike kindly, and look after him well–
A dragon is he, and a powerful one at that!
He may have slight stature, as anyone can tell,
But he is a hero as grand as Thorn hereat!
Just as well as anyone, danger he can quell,
Despite misjudgement from the dragon-flat.
Together he makes your friendships complete.
With him, Twilight, you shall never face defeat!

Those who remain, pray, why wait for the bard?
There are other things one can do, are there not?
Equestria’s our homeland, and this is no canard;
A product of our labors, it is rightfully wrought,
With an aura of permanence, for-ever unmarr’d.
Here one can befriend another, as a pony ought.
Here one can walk through the fields of Elysia–
And only here, in the magical land of Equestria.