MLP: Journey Across Time

by B. J. Williams

Pottok

The band of seven arrived at Pottock. The area around them was mostly arid (a semi-desert) but crops are still able to be grown, although the crops that can be grown are few. It is described with houses constructed with brick and mortar. One can tell that the houses and buildings weren't very impressive but were built to last.

“Welcome to Pottok.” Basil stated to the six. "It's not much but its home."

"Well," Twilight Sparkle stated. "It's not too bad."

"It's kind of poorly decorated." Rarity stated. "No offense."

"No problem." Basil replied.

"What's there to do around here?" Pinkie Pie asked as she dashed into town. "What's going on?" She pops out of a pot of some food. "What's in here?" She ate some of the food. Then, she was over loaded with flavor. "What is this stuff? It's good and crunchy. What's in it?"

"Well," said the chef. "There are artichokes, onions, peppers, clams…" Pinkie Pie stopped.

“Wait, are you talking about real clams?”

“Yes.” After finding out there are clams in the stuff, she went over to a can, stuck her head into it, and spat the food out of her mouth.

"I don't like clams."

"Well, sorry. I didn't know you don't like clams."

"But that's just sick."

"If you live harsh environment like this, you got to eat what you can." He then said under his breath. "Even if it means to become an omnivorous pony." Of course, Pinkie over heard this.

"What did you mean by omnivorous?"

"Well in some regions across the land, Pottok is a good example, it was not as good with vegetation due to climate." Pinkie was confused. "Even during the Equestrian age, the pegasi weren't able to help with the climate, so vegetation nearly all the time was scarce. Due to this, ponies in these areas began to mutate developing an omnivore gene."

"Uh? Omnivore gene?"

"It allows ponies to get nutrition from the consumption of plants and meat. During the Equestria age, it was rare for a pony to have it. Now a days, it is more common especially for ponies in harsh climates." Pinkie understood what he said.

"So, do the ponies in this town have the omnivore gene?"

"Almost every pony in this town has this gene." One of the male soldier ponies noticed Basil.

"Basil, who are you with?" one of the soldiers stated.

"Some ponies I just met in the wilderness." Basil replied.

"You know their names?"

"Not really, but at the time, it wasn't very important. We were attacked by perverted bandits."

"What about her?" the soldier stated pointing to Fluttershy. She was still crying. "Did they get her?"

"No," Twilight Sparkle stated. "She killed one of them out of self-defense."

"Then, she's a pansy."

"Hold on, sir." Basil stated sternly. "That was, most likely, her first kill and is overloaded with those thoughts."

"I never want to pick up another knife again." Fluttershy stated. Basil felt uneasy and a tear dropped from behind his head.

"Okay, that shoots down that theory. Something tells me she needs help."

"You think?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"It has been a few hours, it is expected to be this way. But she does need comfort."

"She needs some but where are we going to find some?" Basil looked around and found the pony cleric of Pottok walking by, Father Zaldi.

"Father Zaldi?” He was just be happening to be walking by. A tall brown pegasus with a dark brown robe appeared. His mane and tail were silver. He had dark-colored freckles. His cutie-mark was a rosary. He turned toward Basil and smiled.

"Basil," he said with a mild and caring voice. "It is good to see you again."

"Same here, father." Basil paused. "Can ask you something?"

"Sure thing."

"Father, can you help this pegasus?" He pointed his hoof toward Fluttershy still in tears.

"What has happened with her?" Then, Basil whispered in his ear. This shocked him. "Oh my, I'll see what I can do." Zaldi stated mildly. "What is your name, my filly?"

"I'm… I'm Fluttershy." she replied softly.

"What was that?"

"Fluttershy."

"Come with me. I'll consul you." So, the two walked off and they arrived at a large building with two terra cotta domes on the top of the building. "Enter Fluttershy, if you please." The interior looked of that of a church. One could see individual ponies at the pews praying.

"Who are the ponies praying?" Fluttershy asked out of curiosity.

"They are ponies that attend plenty of masses."

"Who are they praying to?"

"They are praying to Stalyon. He is the one that the princesses prayed to."

Eventually, they entered a decent sized room in the back. The walls were lined with red clay and the ornaments were simple. There were two chairs in the center of the room. "Now then," he stated as he toke a seat. "What ails you?" Fluttershy also took a seat.

Meanwhile, Rarity was looking around at the various buildings of Pottok. She was coming up with ways on how to improve the appearance of the town. She bumped into another pony; it was a mare. Her coat was the color of emeralds and
her eyes were a bright blue. Her mane was blonde and like Rarity had gemstones as a cutie mark except that they were blue.

"I'm terribly sorry." Rarity said.

"It's fine really." the mare replied. "I haven't seen you before."

"Well, this is my first time here, darling."

"Are you one of the upper class ponies from Coltabasso?" Rarity was surprised.

"Coltabasso, isn't that a small town?"

"No, it's a huge city. In fact, it is the capital city." the mare laughed. "But what you said, that was a good joke."

"Yeah. Ha Ha." Rarity was uneasy because of not knowing what was going on.

"By the name, my name is Esmeralda."

"I am Rarity." Esmeralda notice Rarity's cutie mark.

"Rarity, we have similar cutie marks." Rarity noticed Esmeralda's cutie mark; this lightened Rarity's mood.

"So, we do. Normally, I make dresses and have a dress shop."

"I work as a jeweler. I make some of the finest jewelry."

Applejack was just looking around when she saw one that appeared to be an armored pony.

"Uh, excuse me." Applejack asked. "Can I ask you something?" The armored thing turned around. It isn't a pony. It was actually a rhino. He had a single horn and wore copper shoulder pads. He also wore a copper helmet that was shaped like a fire. He turned to Applejack expecting a question. "Sorry."

"I have something to ask you." the rhino stated.

"What will that be?"

"Do you know where Basil is at the moment?"

"Yeah, I know him. I'm not sure exactly where he's at though."

"I have something to tell him. There is a message from his father." Basil was looking around with Twilight Sparkle when they encountered Applejack and the rhino.

"Applejack, who are you talking to?" Twilight Sparkle asked her.

"Crash." Basil said. "What's up buddy?"

"Hey, Basil." Crash replied. "I have been looking all over for you. There is a message from you father." Crash handed a letter to Basil.

"What's the letter?" Basil asked as he opened the letter up. "My son, I have been able to create you own legion of troops in the army. However, it can't be authorized unless you have at least six soldiers following you. I hope you find the best troops out there. Sincerely, Basil XIII." Basil thought about it. "I have an idea. We get your friends together and be this new legion."

"I don't know, Basil." Twilight Sparkle replied.

"What's the worst that can happen?"

At the troop enlistment place, the six ponies and Basil were there. Basil stated his request at the enlister. The enlister busted out laughing.

"You, a leader of a legion of civilians?" The enlister explained and continued to laugh. "I'm sorry, but it isn't going to happen.

"But these girls need to find their way home, and they lack any training. So, I ask you again. Can they train here?"

"Forget it, I'm not allowing a bunch of pansies in this training facility." Rainbow Dash got mad.

"Who are you calling a pansy?" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Rainbow," Twilight stated "Calm down."

"What is the commotion?" an older pony stated. The pony was a male unicorn, violet in color; his mane, goatee, and fu manchu was as white as snow. He wore the orange robe of a Shaolin monk. His cutie mark was a yin/yang symbol.

"Master Weida Ma." The enlister stated. "Basil here is trying to get some civilians to the military training facility." Master Weida Ma turned to Basil.

"Basil, what is your reason for bringing them here?"

"He wanted us to train, so that way we can head home." Twilight stated. "And we all agreed on the plan." Master Weida Ma turned to the enlister.

"These ponies had volunteered themselves for the training. So you have no right to deny them the opportunity."

"But but…" the enlister responded. Master Weida Ma given him a cold glare. "Fine. But they need to do one thing first."

"And that is…" Applejack stated. The enlister pulled out some packets of paper.

"Paperwork." So, they did the paperwork and turned it in. However, they needed Basil to help them because they could barely read what any of it said. They were notified the results will be in tomorrow and that is when their training begins.

That night, Twilight Sparkle wasn't able to sleep well. She decided to take a walk into the moonlight, but walking by she overheard a conversation. Then, she hid and looked to see who was talking. She saw Basil and his father talking in a house in the candlelight. Basil's father, Commander Basil XIII was a white unicorn stallion in golden armor. His mane was as red as fire.

"My son," the commander asked. "What is it with you and these particular ponies?"

"Look they need to be trained to face a world of danger." Basil replied.

"Wait," Twilight thought. "So, that pony is Basil's father?"

"Haven't you looked at their writing?" Basil XIII asked. "They are writing in an archaic script and not to mention they put down 'Ponyville' as their place of origin. That place doesn't even exist." Twilight was shocked to hear that. "Where exactly did you find them?"

"I found them near a chasm."

"Wait, you are not talking that chasm, are you?"

"That very same one." The commander nodded his head. "Not only that." He pulled out the map he got from Twilight Sparkle and put it on the table. "This was with Twilight Sparkle."

"Twilight Sparkle? Is she one of the ponies you were hanging with?"

"Yes sir."

"I see." He paused and read the map. "It appears that you might be correct about this one."

"Father, what should we do?" Basil's father thought.

"I will send a message to Coltabasso and it is best to keep your mouth shut about it around your new friends. I don't want them to find out to soon. Is that understood?"

"Understood."

"Now, you need to get some rest. You will be training Pinkie Pie tomorrow." Of course, Twilight didn't understand what was the conversation about.

“What was that conversation about?” she thought. She didn’t know how she was going to break it to her friends that something wasn’t right.