The Traveler’s Sorrow

by ShadowsDarkHeart

Prologue

"Its time, after all these years its finally time, I hope this won't hurt them to much,"

These thoughts had clouded the old gray unicorn's mind for the last six months, he'd been waiting so long for the defeat of Nightmare Moon that now as he prepared for this day he was having second thoughts. He looked in his small bathroom mirror and shook his head in disgust at his tired, silver eyes. "buck up man, you can't show up there looking like this", Looking at his phony smile in the mirror he chuckled sadly. "guess that'll have to do,"

His thoughts continued to plague his mind, as he enter'd his bedroom to gather his things for the day "I could just give it up I've waited this long, maybe I would deserve that after all I've done"

He paused in the middle of packing his saddle bag's an empty look on his face as he considered that train of thought. In the end though he shook his head and finished packing, a look of resignation in his eyes he headed out of his home located at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres heading toward the farm house he knew so well.

As he entered the open space in front of the Apple's home he heard two familiar voices,

"He's here," Scootaloo shouted, quickly followed by Apple Bloom's shout: "AJ! Doctor Past is here"

Doctor Past Search smiled and shook his head at the two filly's excitement. As he reached the front door where the girls waited, Applejack appeared from within the house with Rarity and the last of the cutie mark crusaders Sweetie Belle.

Rarity smiled when she saw him "Doctor Past thanks again for watching the girl's today,"

Past returned the smile "No problem Rarity it was my idea in the first place" He turned toward the filly's, "I've got a little adventure planned for the four of us today, you girls ready to go?"

Apple Bloom answer'd "just a minute Doc we'll be right back"

After the crusaders left to gather their things, AJ gave Past a shrewd smile "An adventure huh? that's the first I've heard of this, what'd ya have in mind?"

Past smiled and said, "Oh just a little foray into the Everfree Forest,"

Rarity's mouth fell open, but she quickly recovered "The Everfree! why would you ever take them in there?" Rarity shuddered as she remembered her own SO call "adventures" in the Everfree.

Past chuckled, "They've been hounding me to show them some ruins ever since they found out I used explore them in my youth, thinking I was like Daring Do salvaging treasure and fighting bandits"

AJ laughed "you? fight bandits? I don't think Ah've ever seen ya mad, you've probably never even been in a fight, right Past?"

Past got a distant look in his eyes, reliving an old memory and it didn't seem like it was good one, "oh how i wish that was true AJ"

"Past? are you well dear?" Rarity asked concerned.

Past blinked "Hmm? oh....oh yes I'm fine Rarity, just remembering some of my brash youth, I had my fair share of brawls in the past AJ"

Applejack looked a little shocked "Really Past, you? I'm just little surprised Ah've never known anypony as patient you,"

Past laughed "that's what growing up is for AJ, to make yourself better the further you go," Past paused for a moment, that pain from the past returning, then he slowly continued "for me what I needed to learn more than anything was to have patience and to control my temper" He sadly thought. "too bad I leaned to late"

Applejack saw the pain in his eyes and realized even though he'd been her neighbor for as long as she could remember, she knew almost nothing about his past. "I need to fix that when I get a chance" she thought.

"Enough about my past and lets get back on topic, Rarity? Do you know of any other ruins nearby besides the ones in the Everfree?"

Rarity frowned in thought "No can't say that I do, but that doesn't mean I approve of you taking the girls in there"

Past put on hurt look and teased "I see, you don't trust an old unicorn like me to keep them safe? I'm hurt by your lack of faith"

Rarity just rolled her eyes at his poor acting "Past, the Apple family and I have know you for years, you know I trust you, what I don't trust is that forest and its beasts"

Now it was AJs turn to roll her eyes "oh come on Rarity, Zacora lives in there how bad can it be and, he took me and Big Mac on a few adventures when we was foals and we came back just fine-" Applejack paused and smiled as she recalled her and Mac's adventures with Past which prompted another memory she had of Rarity and Past giving her another point for her argument. "-and as I recall you know all to well that Past's no slouch in his spell slinging anyhow" AJ's small smile grew as she watched Rarity's face grow red with embarrassment.

Rarity pulled on rigid smile and spoke with her teeth clench'd. "Why no I don't think that I do" As she spoke her eye's were daring AJ to say anything else on that topic, and while Applejack had noticed the silent threat she was also thinking. "Its so funny how upset she gets whenever we tell that story"

"Oh sure ya do, you know, when he was tutoring you-" Past interrupted. "Oh I'm sure she remembers AJ" Past chuckled as he shook his head and smiled at AJ for her support, but he figured he'd better say something to calm Rarity down and put her mind at ease or they could be here all morning. "Rarity I've been planning this for long time" and thought "longer than you know", "I swear the only thing that'll happen to the girls is a little fear at the unknown" From the look on Rarity's face Past could tell that hadn't really help his case much. So he quickly added "And I promise that they'll be be home in their own bed's tonight" he ended with a nervous smile while locking eyes with AJ, and silently pleading. "Please say something helpful!"

AJ was still smiling but thought, "Ok Past I'll give her a break" and added. "And Apple Bloom's always saying how it ain't fair that Past's never taken her on any adventures"

Rarity looked back and forth from Past to Applejack and sighed in defeat. "Alright you two, you win, but I'm going to hold you to those promises Past" Just as Rarity finished speaking the C.M.C. returned with their things and proceeded to bounce around Past.

"Come on Past we've been waiting to see those ruins for ages" Scootaloo begged.

Apple Bloom added "Ah even asked Zacora to give me some of them things that keeps them Everfree critters away from her house" she stopped bouncing and looked around "She said she'd bring 'em by this morning, where is she?"

"I see I've come just in time, just as you were making your goodbyes" Zacora followed her voice into the yard.

Apple Bloom raced over to her "Zacora did you remember them ta-talimans you told me about?"

Zacora laughed as the others reached her and Apple Bloom "Of course little Apple Bloom, I've bought them all this morn to you" Zacora pulled four Pendants out of her saddle bags and passed them out as the others caught up with Apple Bloom.

Past examined his and laughed "Zacora you continue to amaze me"

Sweetie Belle frowned "What do you mean Doctor Past?"

"These ' Talismans' as their called" he threw a wink at Apple Bloom, "are just as good as the one's good old Zale use to make"

Zacora gasped "you speak as though you knew the pony?, if so i must call you a phony"

Past who'd been examining his talisman jerked his head up "wha, what oh of course not" he forced a smile onto his face. " I'm old, but I'm not that old," he forced out a laugh "I've just seen a fair amount of his work in my travels as an archaeologist" he pointed at his cutie mark of an old building and a magnifying glass "I even found this old locket at a dig once" he pulled a worn locket out of his saddle bags,

Zacora gasped again "you hold great Zale's item, Please let me hold my masters totem!"

Past chuckled "I suppose I should have seen that coming" he reluctantly passed the locket to Zacora, who proceeded to examine every inch of it,

Looking at Zacora, (who looked like Hearth's Warming had come early) Aj asked, "um who the hey is this Zale fella your going on about?"

Past answered since Zacora didn't seem to have heard her "Zale was the best apothecary and charm maker in Equestria a thousand years ago, revolutionized the whole craft" Zacora had finished examining the outside of the locket and had been trying to force it open. " I'm sorry, Zacora you won't be able to open that, the owner had a love lock spell placed on it,"

Now it was Rarity's turn to gasp "A love lock? I didn't know those were real, I thought they were just something those romance novel authors came up with for their books"

Sweetie Belle squealed "Oh oh is that the spell that only lets the owner and the ones he or she loves unlock the items its placed on?"

Past smiled "Oh there real alright Rarity and, yes Sweetie Belle its that very spell, their just a rare find nowadays, its old magic not many unicorns know it anymore,"

Zacora frowned "but Zale didn't have a horn and this looks like something he or his family would have worn"

Past looked a little nervous "I suppose he made it and gave it to a unicorn friend of his"

Zacora frowned again but passed the locket back and said "I believe you overestimate my ability's, this charm is quite beyond my capability's"

Past looked at her pendant then the locket. "Ah yes your right that his is much stronger than yours, but let me ask you this, how old is your moon light oil?"

Zacora gave this some thought. " a year and half or so I'd say, but what makes you ask that this day?

Past Smiled "most ponies think that Zale's skills were so great that no one can duplicate his work and that's true for some pony's, but Zacora I think you can match him just replace all your 'Night Gifts'," Past chuckled at Zacora's puzzled face. "As you know all alchemical ingredient have some magic in them, did you ever think about where it came from? Sure, some of them have it naturally, but the ones you need to gather during the day or the night usually gain their magic from the sun and the moon" Past got a tired look in his eyes "though i'm sure she did her best over the years, Celestia's magic was never meant for the moon, it had its effects on the 'Night Gifts' over the years, just a few years ago i found some nightshade the grew better in the sun, and dreamclover that- "

As Past's continued to speak about his extensive knowledge of magical ingredients, everyone else study'd the effects this apparently had on Zacora, her face had shifted from puzzled, incredulous, angered, and now seemed to have settled on something between amazement and was that fear? she finally ended his ramblings with the a shaky question, "Do... do you mean to say? the 'Night Gifts' have not always been this way?"

Not sure he should, Past answered slowly , "I've noticed improvements in 'The Night Gifts' quality since Princess Luna's return"

Zacora's look of confusion returned. "you've said much this day, I must gather my thoughts on what to say" Zacora walked a little ways into the orchard a troubled look on her face. "I'll catch up with you yon forest border, I'll see you to my home in good order"

"Ah wonder wuts eatin' her" Apple Bloom voiced what everyone but Past was thinking.

Past sighed "I did it again didn't I, I said more than i should have, no matter how today goes I'll just be glad I won't have to watch what I say anymore" Past shook his head and turned toward to forest "Well Rarity you've got my Promises, we even have these talismans and an escort halfway, so if no one objects I say we get moving" The girls cheer'd and race'd to follow Past.

Applejack smiled and turned to Rarity "Well Rarity how about we track down Twi and the others and have some fun now that we have the day off?"

"Darling I tho-"

Rarity was cut off by the girls shouts from the edge of the yard "later AJ, bye Rarity"

Applejack started to smile again as she turned to look at the girls, till she noticed Past, "he looks so old and tired all of a sudden"

"what was that dear I didn't hear you over the girls"

"oh its nothin' Rarity" but she continued to watch as the small group headed toward the forest at the edge of her property. "I wonder why he looked so sad?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Past looked back at Sweet Apple Acres from the edge of the forest as they waited for Zacora to appear. As Past bought his gaze back to the forest Zacora appeared with a look on her face that said "I've got some questions and your gonna answer them even if I have to wring them out of you" Past sighed, "Yep definitely said to much earlier" "Hello Zacora, you rea-"

Zacora cut him off "Girls go on ahead and play, I've much to say to Past on the way"

Past sighed again as Zacora began asking questions he really didn't want to answer, as they they followed the filly's into the forest, He looked back again one last time just before the orchard's were out of sight. " AJ, make sure you take care of that family and those friends of yours" He turned back to the forest and went over his plans in his head again (as he evaded Zacora's questions with half-truths) and nodded, everything was ready. He hardened his silver eyes and trotted towards his goal with a determination he hadn't felt for years. "The final day of Doctor Past Search has finally arrived........... Goodbye everyone"

Author's Note:

Finally finished, hope there's no glaring spelling and grammar errors in this, if so feel free to point them out, I may or may not even fix them for ya depending on how awful they are. Also are the Italics working well as inner thoughts or should I change that to something else? hope you fellow pony lovers like it so far.

Edited 11/12/2014