Into the Everfree
“Awww yeah, let's do this,” Rainbow said, hovering above the ground and dressed in a full Daring Do outfit, including a bulging pack stuffed with adventure equipment.
The other three mares involved in the investigation were watching that with various expressions, mostly disbelief. Applejack had facehooved and was slowly shaking her head. “Sugarcube... ah love ya ta death... but ah thought we agreed that wasn't leavin' the bedroom.”
Dash rather boldly shook her rear end and gave a heated wink to Applejack. “What's the matter? Can't keep your mind on the adventure with all this Daring Do goodness in your face?”
“No... it's that ya look like one-a them sweaty Neighponese cosplay girls. It ain't a good look fer ya,” Applejack said, pulling her hat down over her face a little ways as other ponies trotted by and whispered.
“H-hey, I told you I was no fangirl!” Dash insisted. She turned on the small crowd of folks that had slowed down to look at her and scowled. “What are you looking at? It took a lot of effort to get it this accurate! I should be getting an award!”
“Setting all that aside,” Twilight said diplomatically, pushing ahead of Dash, “We should start by deciding if we investigate known areas of sightings or if we interview the oldest residents. Until Rarity and Fluttershy come up with something from the archives we don't have anyone in particular to question, families might have stories that have been told and retold about older happenings.”
“We're not gonna spend our time watching a bunch of old folks napping and don't you say anything, AJ, you know that's mostly what Granny Smith does,” Dash said, shooting her marefriend a quick look.
“Ah wasn't about ta say a thing. Ah know how olden ponies get...” Applejack said. “But it ain't so kind of ya ta say so. They've still got lots-a wisdom. They could help.”
“But I wanna investigate something! Something awesome! Like the Everfree forest!” Dash insisted.
“You don't even know where to investigate. It's a dangerous proposition. And since the sun is out you can't rely on the protection of the Everfree Nightwatch,” Twilight said, tapping a hoof on the ground. “We need a place to start. Mysteries aren't solved by just blindly running at a problem. It needs order and structure.”
“Not another mystery,” Roseluck lamented, pushing her flower cart past the four on the way to the town square. “Mysteries get my blood pressure up and Nurse Redheart told me I need to have less stress in my life.”
“We're just investigating the local Nightmare Night legend about the Stonebeast, the Maudlin Mare and the Fiend. I intend to show there are perfectly natural magical explanations for them,” Twilight said, affecting her 'teacher' voice.
“Oh them. I've been hearing about them since I was a foal, but I've never seen them and I'm glad for it. You want a real mystery that's not scary, there's the Lonely Larkspur,” Roseluck said, leaning on her cart.
“The... Lonely Larkspur?” Twilight asked.
Roseluck nodded and pointed out towards the gem fields. “Over there, at the border of the fertile Ponyville lands and the gem fields there's an oddly-shaped rock with a big hollow in it. Every year a single larkspur grows from out of the hollow, without any help. Nopony takes care of it, nopony makes sure it's ready for next season, it comes on its own. It's like a piece of the Everfree far away from it. I noticed it because flowers are my thing.”
“Seriously, Twilight? First we're talking about interviewing old folks, now we're talking about looking at a flower? What ever happened to going to the Everfree?” Dash asked.
“It's a really odd flower! Ordinary larkspur blooms in early spring; the Lonely Larkspur blooms in fall, right around Nightmare Night. Also, ordinary larkspurs live for two years, this one has always been there, as far as I know,” Roseluck said to Twilight. She then turned to Dash and scowled. “Well, that's some big talk from a cosplay girl! If you want a mysterious Everfree flower there's a rock in there that looks like a lumpy, misshapen hyacinth. It's a few dozen meters in by the right entrance, off the path in a pretty obvious clearing. The whole place has a strange feeling to it, magical but spooky.”
“I'm not a cosplay g- wait... I get to go into the Everfree forest and find a spooky and magical clearing? I'm in!” Dash cried, setting herself to zoom off.
“Not without me yer not, sugarcube,” Applejack insisted, grabbing Dash's tail in her teeth.
“H-hey, I would totally never go on an adventure without you. Just the two of us, awesomest mares in Equestria, kickin' flank in the Everfree forest,” Dash Said, landing and throwing a leg around Applejack.
“Hopefully there ain't too much flank ta kick... is it alright if we go? Dash ain't gonna be able ta focus otherwise,” Applejack said with a resigned shrug.
“Sure. Splitting up actually seems like a really good idea. Any indications of magic and the significance of the Everfree setting are important. We'll meet at the library later today to go over what we found. Hopefully Rarity and Fluttershy will have come up with something,” Twilight said, gently nudging Pinkie. “Let's go check out that larkspur.”
“Okie-dokie-lokie!” Pinkie said, adjusting the provision pack on her back and bounding happily off.
An hour later Applejack and Rainbow Dash were deep in the Everfree forest, following the path as best they could. Their delay had come from stopping at the Apple farmhouse to see Applebloom, who provided them with pouches of mixed herbs she had prepared. The little filly was no expert herbalist, but was getting there; the mixture was a basic creation Zecora had taught her, which kept the Everfree animals at bay and allowed her to walk without fear into the tangled woods. Applebloom used them for courting calls and lessons, while the two marefriends were solely interested in poking around.
“Does it seem like cheating if we do this adventure with special herbs that keep us from danger?” Dash asked, as she hovered to look for a clearing.
“Ah ain't no cheater, and ya know it. Ah wouldn't be doin' this if ah thought it was cheatin'. Mah lil sis uses this ta come a-callin' on her intended, so ah ain't got no objections ta using it. Seems ta be needed,” Applejack replied, pushing aside bushes and hanging branches to try and see a path to a clearing.
“I know, I know, it keeps cockatrices and timberwolves and other stuff away but isn't that half the fun of it? Fighting of creatures while you look around for the mysterious ruins or whatever?” Dash asked.
“It ain't mysterious ruins and ya know it. It's jes an odd rock. And you mean ta tell me that y'all believe that if Darin' Do had a choice she'd keep on getting' attacked by weird creatures? That don't make a lick-a sense,” Applejack answered, shaking her head firmly. “She always seemed smarter than that.”
“I thought you never read the books,” Dash lamely retorted, pushing ahead forcefully. “Anyhow, okay, she'd probably prefer it if Ahuizotl's feline minions didn't always attack her and she'd probably like to avoid normal stuff like timberwolves and such, but she totally rolls with it. And I can too.”
“Don't do it if ya ain't gotta,” Applejack said with the cadence of one imparting homespun wisdom. “Ain't no use ta puttin' yer body an' brain through Tartarus if'n ya got the means ta keep yerself safe from that.”
“I know, I know. I saw the cross-stitch sampler in your room...” Dash said, ears perking and eyes narrowing. “Wait... this is about the right place and I see a clearing over there. Come on!”
Applejack rushed behind Dash as the pegasus crashed through the undergrowth and dodged around the gnarled trunks of the trees. “Dash! Don't you run off on me! This ain't th' clear skies-a Cloudsdale this here is the Everfree!”
“Chillax! We've been in here before and we made it!” Rainbow Dash cried, pouring on the speed and crashing through into the clearing.
As Roseluck has said, there was an aura about the clearing. Something clammy and unnatural. The air temperature dropped a few degrees and the light grew muted, adding to the natural gloom of the Everfree. The edge of the clearing was a rough circle where the sparse, low grass turned to dirt and only the barest hint of stunted, twisted bushes poked through the ground. The only real feature was in the very center. It looked like a rough-hewn stone spike, topped by a non-artist's rendition of a hyacinth. It was mostly in shape, but looked made by an unskilled hoof, further marred by weathering and time.
“Sugarcube... this place... this place don't feel right...” Applejack said, slowly dragging a hoof along the ground. “This here earth mana ain't flowin' like it ought, and that ain't jes 'cause this is the Everfree. This whole place is wrong.”
Dash put on a brave face, despite the fact that she could feel the unmistakable wrongness of the site. “Th-this is... nothing! It's just a rock, a rock that looks like a flower. The mana's all messed up because whoever put it there wanted it to be messed up. It must be a marker for something. Something cool and... archaeological...”
“Archaeo... them Darin' Do books sure are doin' a number on ya. Ah know what yer tryin' ta say and Dash... we oughtn't ta do it. Ah'm tellin' ya, somethin' ain't right, and the mana's sayin' it's somethin' in the ground...”
“We took the time to come out here and find it. Nopony has ever had the guts to do this. But we can! We're the best and bravest, in all of Equestria,” Dash said. She opened up her pack and pulled out a folded-up shovel. She extracted another one and tossed it to Applejack. “Trust me. It's fine.”
“'M ah really gonna marry this crazy mare?” Applejack muttered to herself as she caught and unfolded the shovel. She heaved a sigh and slowly approached Dash, who had started digging near the base of the stone. “'Course ah am. Why not? Ah'm just as crazy as she is.”
“That's the spirit! Between the two of us we'll at least get a little ways down and see if we find treasure or some... what does she say? 'Culturally significant artifacts of great historical import',” Dash said, quoting Daring Do with a sage look on her face.
“Ah'll be happy long as we don't dig up some weird critter. Never know what yer gonna find out in this place,” Applejack muttered, using her natural earth pony strength to crack the hard earth and toss aside large chunks of dirt, stones and other bits of detritus.
The ground was quite unusual. Unlike the loamy, fertile soil of the rest of the forest it was dry but packed, slightly clay-like. It was the kind of dirt they associated with the foothills outside of town, unsuitable for growing plants but perfect for growing rocks and gems. The ground was also tightly packed, as though it had been tamped down in order to protect it from intrusions such as the one that was happening.
The two mares broke and removed ground in a circle, making a trench that hugged tight around the stone in the center. Applejack was just removing another shovelful of dirt when she spied the thing. It was a long lump, that looked like more than just another big rock. “Sugarcube! Bring that there brush. Ah think ah found something.”
“I wanted to be the one to find something! I'm the one that looks like Daring Do. But it's pretty awesome you did it,” Dash said, plopping the pith helmet down on Applejack's head, and giving a saucy wink. “Now you can wear the hat. You can go ahead and keep wearing it tonight...”
“Woah, nellie! Let's get through th' day before ya get on ta talkin' 'bout the night,” Applejack said, taking the brush from out of Dash's pack and sweeping it over the long shape. The sweep of the brush uncovered what looked like a sort of fossil. Stone was in the process of growing into and over a bone, as could happen if someone is buried in a stone-growing mana field. The length and thickness of it spoke of a leg bone, but one that was much longer than a pony's, from a creature larger than a pony. “That's... that's a bone, Dash. A bone!”
“I-it could be the only one,” Dash insisted, her normally husky voice jumping half an octave. She rather boldly stuck her shovel into the ground and threw out a few careless loads of dirt.
“W-wait, Dash! This here is a grave! Ya ain't got no right ta go pokin' 'round in no grave!” Applejack insisted, straining Dash's forelegs with a desperate grasp.
“Come on, let go! Daring Do pokes around in graves all the time! Tombs, barrows, crypts, necropoli, and Twilight says it's alright. As long as it's for science. Well... I need to know what's going on, so it's for sci...” Dash stopped speaking when her shovel and brush uncovered more petrified bone, another portion of a leg that was not attached in any similar fashion to a pony's leg. “This... isn't a pony.”
“We gotta leave this place Dash. We ain't got no right... no right at all ta be here diggin' up some poor feller's final restin' place...” Applejack insisted, tugging on Dash's leg and dragging the pegasus a good way along from the trench.
“No! We wanted a mystery, we found one! Applejack... I know what you're saying, and I know this isn't a good thing but... look at it!” Dash indicated the weathered stone marker and the area around it. “This marker isn't a real headstone. There's no name on it and it wasn't made that well. And these bones aren't far down. Don't you want to know why?”
Applejack ground her teeth as she looked down on the two bones, feeling almost aware of what they might be. “Consarnit Dash... ya ain't wrong... much as it pains me ta say... ah wanna know too. Ah wanna know why this critter is out here, not over in the cemetery or somewhere proper. But we're gonna be respectful. Ah don't care how silly ya think it is, yer gonna apologize ta them bones as ya dig 'em up.”
“Fine! Fine...” Dash turned to the bones and mumbled, “Sorry about this... but I wanted an adventure like Daring Do. Me and my big, stupid mouth...”
Applejack and Dash carefully worked up and around, almost scraping off the dirt layer above where the rest of the skeleton would be. They were a bit reluctant to dig deep enough to reveal what was beneath. Dash accidentally did just that, the scrape of her shovel being interrupted by a bump, which had the character of stone. Applejack wielded the brush and looked to Dash. “We don't gotta... we outta. But don't gotta...”
“We do,” Dash said in a quiet tone, looking at the small dirt-covered lump. She knelt down by the space and said, “Sorry... whoever you are...”
“Mah apologies in advance...” Applejack said softly, leaning down and swiping the brush across the expanse. The dirt was very fine, almost powdery. There was not a speck of moisture to it at all. The brush swept away all the concealing dirt, and left the two mares entirely speechless, looking dumbfounded by the revelation.
When the dust cleared they were looking at face with a short, slightly-blocky muzzle, a high forehead, and pointed teeth, with the skull bearing numerous long, serious cracks; at the side of the head, placed where an ear once had been was a lush, blooming blue hyacinth, looking none the worse for having been buried. It was a Diamond Dog with a battered-in head, buried in a shallow grave in the Everfree.
Larkspur traipsed along joyously, humming a little tune she recalled from an orchestra performance. That had been with her mother, when they still made residence in Canterlot. The memory put a shine to her eyes and a small smile on her face. It surely hadn't been so long. Just a few years. Years.
Before she knew it, she had followed the wavering flow of mana through into the foothills, where things were nothing like she knew them. It was not as wildly chaotic as the Everfree forest, which was a dangerous tangle, but it was not a growing, fertile land. Hardy trees and stubby bushes pushed up occasionally, but it was mostly dust and dirt. The low hills rolled, taller than her head, making them intimidating despite being low.
Larkspur had always been sensitive to the flow of all mana types. The doctors called her a natural tracer, she could detect the flows and fluctuations very well. Had she been more inclined she would have gone into academics or similar. But she preferred her own hobbies and the freedom to follow traces as they came.
The earth mana was strong in the area. Likely the place was conducive to the growth of crystals and gems, perhaps even rock slabs like the Cannonites produced. It would make for a good industry, perhaps, for the local holding. She could feel there was an alteration, a strange variation in the feel which had sent out a waver in the local field. She had never felt such a thing before.
Her pace slowed as she approached the site where the change was most notable. It was as though the mana was being rearranged, reduced and re-concentrated in other areas. The surface told her nothing, it was the same as it ever was, so far as she could remember. But there was still something.
She dug at the ground with a hoof, despite the fact that a gentlemare did not do such a thing. She was used to working in her hothouse, a little dirt did not frighten her. The first few digs revealed nothing, but a later one broke the surface a little bit and revealed an opening. “A sinkhole? How curious. There has not been any rain here...” She said with a tilt of her head.
A scrabbling sound from behind her drew her notice. The ground broke apart and dirt poured out, forming a mound, like a giant anthill. What emerged was not a gargantuan myrmicinian but a creature which Larkspur had never seen before. It had emerged to what was presumably a waist, revealing an upper body, forelegs and head. The head was very like a canid, though shaped slightly flatter, with a higher forehead allowing for large, expressive eyes containing sallow sclreae and solid, slit-like irises of a bright green, and pointed, erect triangular ears. It had a modestly-pronounced underbite and a blocky, pushed muzzle without jowls. The long forelegs were slender-but-muscular near the shoulders, growing thicker and even more robust at the ends, where there were paws with thick digits, whose construction resembled that of a griffin's talons, with the opposable digit for gasping. The creature was covered in fur, like a pony, of a dark green color flecked with spots of dark red. It had a collar of plaited root around its neck, on which hung a glowing green gem, and also wore a rough-made vest in an off-beige color.
The two stared at one another, Larkspur's face a mask of shock, the canine surprised but trying not to show it. Nothing passed between them for the space of a few breaths, the slight blowing of wind the only noise. Finally the canid spoke, looking quickly aside. “Not place for pony. Go away.”
“Wait!” Larkspur's hoof shot out as she called, stopping the creature in mid-vanish, his head and shoulders the only things still above ground. “Wait please... don't go. Why is this not a place for me? Who are you? What are you?”
There came a few shifty, indecisive motions of the yellowish eyes, and a grinding of the underbitten jaw. “Not supposed to talk to pony. Must stay away from ponies. Be quiet, keep hidden. Am only scout,” The creature said.
“Please... I promise I won't... well I don't know what has been said of ponies. I won't... eat you? Is that what you fear?” Larkspur asked with an unsure smile.
The big creature laughed and pulled up from the hole, though only enough to put his hands on the ground again. “Know that ponies not eat us. Must not talk because we are hidden. Live underneath, and are quiet. Not want to make ponies know us.”
“Oh... can you at least tell me what you are? I promise I'll keep your secret. I just... I love to learn things. And meeting a new species...” Larkspur approached, slowly, minding the reaction with every hoofstep.
“Am Diamond Dog. We not want to hurt, want to live under ground and not make ponies mad,” The Dog said, a slight tremble moving through his has his body wavered between remaining up and dropping down.
Larkspur continued to approach, going more slowly. “And your name? Surely you have one. All creatures have names.”
The Dog released a short burst of sound, with a few instances of silence that were probably of a high pitch. “In pony language would be 'Heliotrope', because body look like one.”
“I see the resemblance, yes...” Larkspur said, casting her eyes over the Dog's form.
“Name of you? Is polite to share name,” Heliotrope said.
“Oh! Here I was raised well and a graduate of finishing school and I cannot even remember the basic courtesies... my name is Larkspur. It's a very lovely flower. Oh! I-I'm sorry if that seems rude! I don't mean to imply you are uneducated but you live below ground. You may be less aware of flowers...” A deep blush burned across Larkspur's blue face.
Heliotrope gave a loud, raspy laugh and slowly shook his head. “No, understand. Do not know flowers but know pony names sometimes for flowers and pretty things. Sorry do not talk right. Not learn pony very well because am scout, not leader.”
“You said this before. A scout. Forgive me my curiosity but... a scout for what? What do you seek here?” Larkspur asked.
“Looking at ground. Testing percentage. How much rock, how much dirt, what kind. Much clay, no clay? Have many strata? Layers mostly from flood or from volcano? Are good gems, are crystals, are metals? What is mana pattern in gems? Good flow, bad flow, no flow? Must know things before come to harvest or to live. Many scouts needed to see if new areas good for Dogs,” Heliotrope said, counting off things on his fingers.
Larkspur looked frankly stunned, mouth slightly agape as she regarded Heliotrope. “Scouting is certainly... involved. My word, you would be snapped up as land surveyor for any number of wealthy or noble folk in Canterlot, if not asked to lecture at the university...”
Heliotrope waved a hand dismissively and affected a humble posture. “No no. Am not special. Normal scout, not smart like important Dogs. Only know dirt, and gems, and metal. Not expert in mana, not expert in making stone blocks, or expert in making tunnels. Know little, but can do job.”
“Your kind sound very advanced. How is it that we have never heard of you before? Surely ponies would be very interested in such a great group,” Larkspur said. “We could share so much knowledge.”
“No, is not way of Dogs. For all time can remember, have hidden. Is for best, only come to top to get food cannot find under ground, or find things ponies not want. Should not... be talking...” Heliotrope sunk a little lower into the ground, until only his fingertips, eyes and the top of his head were above the surface.
“So... why are you talking to me?” Larkspur inquired, having finally reached the hole.
Heliotrope hesitated for a bit, softly whimpering as his body fought itself, intending to vanish yet intending to stay. He finally looked up, ears folding back slowly. “Pony was so pretty... wanted to talk. Wanted to be nice. So lonely being scout. Thought that pony might... talk.”
Larkspur smiled brightly, and slowly reached out a hoof to cup one of Heliotrope's blushing cheeks. “I am the daughter of a land-owner. I have no responsibilities save those I impose upon myself. My time is more than my own. If you want to talk... let us talk as long as you desire.”
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No sabía que tenías ascendencia hispana.
It's going to have to wait a bit, but SQUEE, I love me some Dia de los Muertos too.
3326008
Was that Google Translate? According to my father that usage of "ascendencia" is non-standard and he's the one with a degree in Spanish. Also, I don't speak Spanish well just borderline competently, good enough for Spanish 102 at best.
But yes, though I show off a cosmopolitan education and a focus on classic English literature and a Francophile name I'm Hispanic, mostly a Mestizo: Mexican, Spanish, Comanche, German and Chinese.
3326886
I need to hop down to the Northgate market and get my calaveras. I never eat them but they look cool.
3327688 No, el español es mi lengua materna. "Ascendencia" se refiere a los miembros mayores del árbol genealógico (padres, abuelos, etc.). Si tu padre es alemán, por ejemplo, tienes ascendencia alemana. Por el contrario, tus hijos son tu descendencia. Writing in Spanish for the lulz.
3328852
I appreciate the effort. It is not easy putting in the accented letters. I'm just glad I could understand what you said. Reading Spanish is mostly okay though some native speakers can really throw me off. But my crafting of the language blows.
3331773
You seem to have a saddle birr about my AJ. I know it's a bit rough but I really find the accent is one reason I like writing for her. She's fun
But you're right. She's no hick. She's a fallen Faulknerian belle who learned how to deal, a deb that's never coming out and is fine with it.
I'll correct that later today. A wifi day for my birthday. Huzzah!
3332326
families that. families.
Don't diss cosplay AJ.
I fix what needs to be fixed and your southern accents tend to be way too hickish. Hopefully, like with your dialogue quotation and punctuation, one day I'll get it through and I won't need to correct all the time.
This story is getting interesting, I wait with bated breath.
And finally, happy birthday!
3333212
Thank you, thank you. This story took a little while to percolate. I hope the end result is enjoyable.