The Pony Version's Better: Maiden in the Moon

by Sunset Reed

Chapter 3 part 2

Chapter 3

“So glad you could join us.” said Applejack sarcastically to Rarity.
“I’m sorry, but practicality is no excuse for not looking your best.”
Before the team had headed towards the forest, they had parted ways to prepare for the trip. Tania had been there first, having only grabbed a jacket and left a quick note for Spike. It had taken all her will power not to go in alone, but she needed the exploration supplies Applejack and Rainbow Dash were to retrieve. Applejack had changed out of her nicer celebration clothes into clothes similar to the ones she had been wearing the previous morning, complete with boots. Dash had long pants. Pinkie had come back the exact same except for exchanging her crocs for more practical…bright magenta moccasins. Fluttershy had had to retrieve her birds and return them home, which had taken a lot of time. Otherwise she had just grabbed a jacket like Tania. Despite all this, Rarity had still taken the most time meeting them at the forest. She had completely changed her outfit into a comfortable shirt, small jacket, capri pants and boots. Too bad the entire ensemble was a crisp white. Rarity obviously didn’t understand how dirt worked. The woman had finished the outfit with a bright purple scarf.
“Lookin’ your best is no excuse for usin’ up valuable time!” Applejack retorted to Rarity’s upturned nose.
Right valuable time. They had to get going.
“The fly by’s definitely been cancelled.” said Dash, looking forlornly upwards. She looked at Tania. “You don’t think the night will really last forever do you?”
“Not if I can help it!” replied Tania. She opened the reference guide. “This book has a very flowery, but hopefully accurate map to the castle ruins. It starts right here in front of…the Everfree forest.”
The six looked nervously into the path.
“It’ll have to be enough for now. Now, look. We can’t know for sure what will be in there, so stay close and stay aware. I expect to find Queston rebels somewhere along the way, and they will likely not be very friendly.”
“um.” said an almost inaudible voice.
“Other than that, I think the only thing we need to be worried about is wild animals.”
“Wheee! Let’s go!” said Pinkie
“um.”
“Not so fast.” replied Tania. “Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own.” It was a long shot, but maybe…
Applejack shot that hope down. “No can do, sugar cube. We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone.”
There was that word again. Friend.
“We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple.” Applejack trotted purposely into the forest, the others followed.
“Especially if there's candy apples in there.” added Pinkie. Tania made a face. “What? Those things are goOd.”
Tania sighed and started down the trail.
“Um, ok. That’s fine. Never mind.” Fluttershy drooped.

* * *

The forest got very dark after only a few steps in. Behind her, Applejack and Rainbow Dash started handing out flashlights and glow sticks. Tania snapped her glow stick and watched the pink liquid make her fingers translucent. She sighed.
“So none of you have been in here before?”
“Heaven’s no!” exclaimed Rarity. “Just look at it - it's dreadful!”
“And it ain't natural. Folk say it don't work the same as Equestria.” added Applejack.
“I’ve been here.” said Fluttershy timidly. All looked swivelled to her direction.
“No offence, but YOU?!” said Dash.
“Well, yes. My house is right near the edge of the forest you know. And sometimes…sometimes I hear creatures crying out. It’s just awful and I want to save them. Or a lot of the time I have to bring healed animals back home. So yes, I’ve been here, once or twice.”
“Don’ it scare you?” asked Applejack.
“Oh, of course it does, but it scares me to see animals get hurt or never get to go home. But it’s ok, I’m pretty sure I’ve never met a Freedian here.”
“There’s Freedians in the forest?” asked Tania, surprised.
Pinkie pie passed her. “It’s called the Everfree forest for a reason, silly.”
“Duh.” said Dash.
“Wait, you don’t know about this?” asked Applejack.
“Well…no I…”
“Here’s how this goes.” said Dash, happy to have something over Tania. “Freedrun borders Queston, right?”
“Riiight.”
“And Ponyville is on the border of Queston. But no one was ever able to secure the border.”
“That’s awful! We have a border that’s unprotected!?” Tania tapped her chin. “But I guess it’s ok. We’ve been at peace with Freedrun for centuries.”
“So maybe we don’t worry about war, but do you know what does happen? Freedians move into the forest, because hey! it’s not governed by their country, and no Questions live there, so it’s not exactly governed by Queston either. It’s practically free land!”
Tania looked over at Fluttershy. “But why be afraid of them?”
“Like we said.” said Applejack. “The Everfree forest is governed by no one. Who knows wha is goin’ on in here? People play by their own rules. They tend to respect Ponyville, we never have them visit, but it’s kinda weird livin’ like this, knowing that they could just come whenever they felt like it, whether for good or bad.”
“Where have you been?” asked Dash.
“Yes.” said Rarity, who was far behind and picking her way delicately around logs. “Are you not the Personal Student to the Princess?”
“Well ya, but…well now I know, and I’ll be sure to tell her as soon as I…”
“Oh the Princess knows all right.” said Rarity.
“Well then why…”
“She’s doin’ all she can.” said Applejack, defensively. “But ya can’t just herd a whole forest of people out jus’ like that. She’s tryin’ to do it respectful like, but tha’ takes time, and we are patient folks. Ah think she’s even considered moving the border so they own the forest, but she’s holdin’ back because she knows what that would do to Ponyville.”
Tania took a moment to let it all sink in. They had now started up an incline, and were winding their way around a tall hill.
“So that’s how you knew that Spi…uh Kyle was a Freedian, huh Fluttershy?”
“Who’s Kyle?” asked Rarity.
“Yes.” answered Fluttershy. “Freedian’s all look different and come from all over, but sometimes there’s ways you can tell. Spike has pointed ears, for example.”
“You sure know a lot about people for someone who knows so much about animals.” said Pinkie.
Fluttershy blushed, and then screamed. Rainbow Dash had jumped from above them, attached to an upper branch with a rope. She shone her flashlight under face and grinned.
“You know why people are so scared of the forest?”
“Rainbow, quit it.” said Applejack
Dash made a show of kicking against the rock face to swing out into the open.
“Because those of them who make it this far never. come. OUT!”
She gave one last kick to the wall, which sent tremors down to those still standing on the trail. The trail crumbled away beneath their feet.