A Small Drop

by Glitch Hooves

A Forest of Thorns

Sunset leaned back in her chair. She wasn't aware about the damage they sowed. She just thought they took their magic, not their way of life...

She really didn't know what to do with that information.

"It's all my fault..." Twilight had a dark look on her. She looked guilty.

"No, it's not, if we hadn't intervened, they would've done a whole lot worse than just taking over a high school," she assured.

"I'm the princess of friendship, I should've done more than just stopped them, I should've done something else,"

"Hey, listen. What's done is done, let's just move on. We can make it up to them... somehow. We did what we had to," Sunset said.

"By solving violence with violence?"

"By saving two entire worlds, heck, maybe even the world Squirt came from, too," she gave a warm smile.

"You're right, just gotta find a way to make it up to them... yeah."

"So, now what?" Sunset asked.

"Now I have to tell you something" she said.

"What's that?"

"Well, when exactly did Sonata find 'Squirt'?" she asked.

"Uh... about two weeks ago I think, on a Friday," she answered.

"Two weeks... sounds about right," Twilight mused.

"Why'd you need to know that?" Sunset asked.

"You remember the Everfree Forest, right?"

Sunset gave a quick scoff. "Yeah I do, the supposed 'most dangerous place in Equestria,' right? Until you came around."

"Well let's just say: it earned that title back," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"We've been having strange encounters these past few weeks, strange animals never before categorized, and even more vast plant-life, highly aggressive they all are."

"That can't be good..."

"Not only that, they're highly invasive as well, we've had several cases of them growing inside pony's houses. Luckily there haven't been any... causality's, just a few injuries. The plants, however, they appear to react to a simple presence alone, and they respond with deadly force," she said.

"But they're plants? How can they be dangerous if you just don't eat them'?"

"They have tropisms, they react to the world around them, they can do a lot more than just poison, one type I've seen appears to eject needles out of its body,"

"Did you say needles?" Sunset inquired.

"Yes, why?"

"Where exactly were you going with this?"

"Well after you sent your message about 'Squirt' I thought that couldn't be a coincidence and maybe they're connected somehow," Twilight explained.

"Okay, but what's happening in Equestria so far?"

"We've managed to establish a magic barrier over the Everfree, but... those plants and animals, they're smart,"

"How?"

"They don't attack the same area twice, and they always test the barrier for weaknesses. And some of those plants are growing on it!"

"How?!"

"I don't know, but they can't break down the barrier, so that's why I left for here, to figure out more and see if there's really is a connection to this world and the new landlords of the Everfree," Twilight said. "what were you gonna say?"

"Sonata, she found a couple of drinks in the same place she found Squirt, and it just so happens, one of those drinks might have those same needles," Sunset said.

"Wait, do you have it?"

"Uh, no... it's over in the Dazzlings apartment," she explained.

"Well we have to get it! Let's go," Twilight was just about to getup when Sunset stopped her.

"There may be a tiny... little problem,"

"What's wrong? Did you and Sonata get into a fight after I was knocked out?"

"No, no, it's just that... her sisters... may not share the same outlook on us then Sonata," she wore a sheepish smile as she was explaining this,"

"That... might be a problem,"

"On a brighter side, though, I did keep a book,"

"You found it with Squirt?" she asked.

"Yeah, I figured you might be able to translate it or something," she said.

"Sunny, I am honored that you think I have the ability to translate an entirely different language, I really am. But you have to remember, there is no reference data on this, I'll have to do it entirely off scratch," she explained.

"Well... could you at least take a look?"

"Sure, I'll try my best at least," she said.

Sunset left the table and went into her room. After rummaging for a few seconds, she found the strange book and brought it back outside. She set it on the table in front of Twilight. She looked at it for a moment, examining the cover for a hint as to what it might hold.

There were three large symbols on the front, followed shortly by a large string of more symbols below it.

Twilight picked it up in her hand, and flipped to the first page. She had a quizzical stare as she looked down on the page, she flipped to the second page, then the next one, then she just skimmed through the entire thing before closing the book.

"Well" Sunset asked,

"It's an alphabet book," Twilight said.

"Wait, huh?!"

Twilight opened back to the first page. "There's a different symbol on every page, just one symbol, and it's the largest thing on the page with a little picture next to it," she flipped to the next page, sure enough, there was strange symbol that looked like a small spiral that ended with a fork. Along side it was a spear. "Crazily enough, there's twenty six of them, I might be able to translate the entire thing by the end of the day!"

"That's great!"

"Now here's the next problem,"

"Not again..."

"It's an alphabet book, any information on this was made for a four year old, probably nothing on it has anything to do with our situation," she explained. "By any chance, did you find any more like this?"

"No, that was the only one we found," she answered.

"Hmm.. I guess we'll have to work with what we have," she looked down on the book, as if thinking. "In the mean time, I'll get to working on a translated version right away, you try and get that drink I asked for, and maybe anything else that you think could help," she explained.

"On it!" Sunset got out of her seat, and headed for the door,

She couldn't help but smile a little.

'Finally, some progress!'

Author's Note:

Dear lord the dialogue! It's too much!

Comments

[Eyeswirl the Weirded]

I kinda got the impression they'd already emptied that bottle by now. Unless they're magically self-replenishing or something? Would explain how The Kid was apparently able to use most of them all the time.

[Glitch Hooves]

6497345 Oh they did, they just didn't swallow the needles. Although... self-replenishing bottles sounds really tempting.

[Eyeswirl the Weirded]

Twice now! I've seen this story pop up on the top of the 'updated' list without a new chapter, but last time, there was a new chapter a day or so later, only I didn't notice because other stuff updated between the first update-popping and the chapter's actual appearance!

Explanation: Squirt, weapons and magical booze aren't the only thing that made the trip, I think some of that mind-screw bog gas bled over to Fimfiction. Or just Zulf's pipe. Or Zia's cooking. Or both.

[Glitch Hooves]

6499137 Glad to see the Calamity didn't get rid of your sense of humor. But in all honesty, my computers been acting up and it clicks 'publish' when I wanted it to save, I really wish there was an 'Are you sure?' Feature, and now it just decided to commit sepuku, so don't expect updates for a while, sorry...