Antonovka

by Soufriere

Chapter Eight: Accolade

After arriving home from my little adventure, which turned out to have taken over three days because, like I said, time has little meaning in that place, my life quickly settled into the routine rut of a farm-girl. Ma was, of course, angry at me for leaving the homestead and also for losing our ladle; she didn’t care one bit about the circumstances, only that it was gone for good. The delivery via Royal Courier the next day of an entire box full of kitchen equipment including canning jars mollified her a little. But only a little.

I never told my parents or my brothers one word about what I discovered in the Forest. I didn’t want to scare them …and they’d never have believed me anyway. Plus, despite being a fully-grown mare (if barely), Ma probably would have made me cut a switch and flagellate myself like an errant Tarpanite foal.

I would not venture into the Everfree Forest again in any of their lifetimes, even though part of me always wanted to. But, I held back. I suppose ignorance can be bliss sometimes. Ask yourself which would hurt more: learning your friend sacrificed her (after)life for you and was gone forever, or never knowing the answer either way? To this day, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.

Speaking of the Forest, from that point forward, Timberwolves rarely trespassed on our land again, the frequency of their appearances dwindling over time until eventually the only continued proof of their existence was their menacing yet melancholy howling far in the distance.

You know apple trees bear fruit in the Fall. Imagine our shock when those funky Forest apple seeds I’d planted sprouted fully grown gnarly trees in an instant, complete with bolts of lightning, in early Spring, then a few days later (also in an instant) put out giant rainbow apples. I named them Zap-Apples for the literally electric way they sprout on what seems like a whim, unconnected to any calendar I know of. Over the next couple years, I experimented with them to see what in the world I could do with them to bring in some extra income for our family. Eventually, I figured out how to make it into a tasty jam. The unique combination of tart and sweet varying by colour would no doubt be a hit with ponies, I felt, so we decided on our next market trip we should bring a few jars to sell.

Now normally in those days, when even the national roads were poor quality and the very idea of a locomotive was laughable, one would venture by wagon to the nearest market town. In our case that should have been Canterlot, as we could literally see Equus Mountain and (on a clear day) the spires of Celestia’s palace from Pomme Hill just behind our cabin. But, thanks to the chilly reception the Unicorn Nobility still gave us there, we sold our wares in the next nearest place: Detrot, three days northwest of our homestead, two at a gallop.

Back then, Detrot was a bustling boomtown with a cosmopolitan population. It was still over a century before Count Skinflint would revolutionize wagon production on a massive scale. Nonetheless, a healthy industry of hoof-made wagons existed alongside the farms which still stretched across the landscape, their wares destined for the Grand Market in the middle of the carrefour in the heart of the city. Any crop you could imagine, within reason depending on the season, could be found in its stalls.

Such a pity what happened to Detrot later on, but that’s a story for another time.

As we sold our Zap-Apple products, ponies were at first skeptical. Can’t really blame them, since nothing like it had ever been seen before. But, as soon as we convinced some of the local Nobility (sigh) to try them, they used their influence to steer business our way. Once we sold everything we had, and we always sold out, we would spend a day or two wandering the market for goods to improve our homestead.

Sometimes, if I had time after the market day, I would explore central Detrot. Most of the sights I saw are long gone, victims of modernization and decay. I'm sure that includes one from a peculiar incident.

---

In the Summer of 753AB, we were in Detrot’s Grand Market having yet again sold out of my special jam. I decided to wander around alone for a bit. Ma was in no mood to move, obviously, so she kept watch over our stall. I didn’t take any money with me (that was Pa’s prerogative). Some youthful freedom.

As I found myself exiting the market area, I felt a presence behind me, following me. I turned to see in the shadowy alleyway next to one of Detrot’s many theatres a mare wearing a familiar navy blue hooded robe. I immediately made a beeline for her. She did not run, though she did step back in shock and so I wouldn’t smack into her, which I nearly did.

Sure enough, she was a Moon Cultist. Not only that, she looked kinda familiar. The feeling was mutual as she examined my cutie-mark.

“Hmm… a single apple blossom at the tip of a branch,” she said, more to herself than me. “You are Antonovka, yes?”

I nodded. “Eeyup. Pretty sure I’ve seen you somewhere, haven’t I?”

“Indeed,” she replied with a smile. “I am Kharon, the Missionaries’ recruiter for Pegasus ponies. We met briefly in the Valley. It is a pleasure to see you again.”

“Yeah. So… why’re ya here in Detrot? Yeah it may be a mixed city, but still ain’t too many Pegasi here.”

She tilted her head. “Recruitment is still my reason for being, and the situation in the Cloudsdale Chiefdom is becoming dicier by the day as Chief Nimbus Dash refuses The Sun Princess’s offer of suzerainty. In addition, I am in charge of protecting Japetus, for he so rarely leaves the Forest but needed to undertake an important mission. I believe …it involved finding you. At least that is one thing he mentioned.”

“That fella. Really.” I deadpanned. “Well, take me to ‘im.”

Kharon led me down the alley which turned off into an even narrower darker alley. We stopped at a wooden tenement that looked like it was rundown from the day it was built. She pushed open the creaky door and led me into the front room, announcing in her breathy voice, “I have found her.”

Out of the darkness strolled Japetus. He looked, if anything, more corrupted than ever, his coat having faded almost totally to grey and his eyes as unnatural as ever. He slowly looked me over with a neutral pondering frown, as if to confirm my identity. Once he was satisfied, he suddenly reared back and punched me in the face. Who knew the old Unicorn had such a strong right hook? It sent me tumbling across the room. After I regained my senses, I could see Kharon staring at him in utter shock as he had regained his normal emotionless bearing like nothing had happened.

“What the hay?!?” I yelled as I hopped to my feet and began pawing the floor ready to charge. “Sucker punchin’ me like that! I oughtta…”

“That was for allowing the Sun Princess to learn of our existence and our sanctuary. Alas, it was all the fight I had in me. If you wish to retaliate, you may,” he said with absolute conviction.

“I will never understand you as long as I live,” I told him, shaking my head and spitting out a tiny amount of blood onto the floor. “Hang on. The Princess didn’t force y’all out, did she? ‘Cause I flat-out told her to not do that.”

“She did not,” he replied. “In fact, one of her Royal Guards intruded upon our home to inform us that, by virtue of your efforts, the Edict of Heresy has been lifted. Our desire to inform you of this was the primary reason I decided to return to my native land.”

“Detrot is your hometown?!” Kharon and I both exclaimed in unison.

He gave a quick nod. “Does that surprise you?”

“Actually… yes,” said Kharon before I could. “You… have the bearing of a Canterlot native.”

Japetus narrowed his eyes. “I am unsure how to interpret that.”

“If ya wish ta retaliate, ya may,” I snipped at him.

He scoffed with a slight grin. “Perhaps Lady Rhea has been correct about me all these years. Anyway, not all Unicorns come from or live in Canterlot, just like how not all Pegasi hail from or live in the Cloudsdale Chiefdom.”

“Uh-huh. Y’all couldn’t have sent Rhea instead?”

“She cannot leave the Forest,” he replied, “for she fears adverse effects on her health. Indeed, natural light has proved harmful to me in the short time I have been away, which is the reason for my staying in this hovel. Plus, I do not wish to frighten ponies; that would be counterproductive to the goals of our Order.”

I rolled my eyes. “So then what do y’all want with me? I got the Princess to lay off ya. We ain’t got no more business together, far’s I can tell.”

“Incorrect,” he replied. “Lady Rhea requested that, were I to find you, I must inform you that… *sigh* …due to your heroic efforts in both ameliorating the Corruption and allowing our Order to again operate openly, you have earned the ranking of High Priestess. That makes you,” his tone switched from one of boredom to one of irritation, “third in rank, behind Lady Rhea and Madame Callisto.”

Now that made me smile. “I see. Yer ticked ‘cause they made me outrank ya? Look, y’know I don’t want or need any such thing.”

“You swore the Oath. That makes you one of Us, for-ever. Your title stands even if you refuse it,” he said.

I shrugged. “Fair enough. I ain’t goin’ back to the Valley though. I… don’t think I can.”

“It is understandable. I regret to inform you we have yet to see any sign of the Spirit of Light, though certainly we hope for her return as much as you do,” he said, head hung low.

“Well, I ain’t really shocked. Uh, one more question that’s been buggin’ me…” I said.

“For three years?” he asked.

“Yeah. How’ve y’all been able to live right under the most corrupted part of the Forest and still stay sane? At least by Moon Cultist standards,” I asked.

Japetus nodded sagely. “There was not enough time to inform you then, and I suppose Madame Callisto was more focused on the past so it slipped her mind. Further in, the Valley becomes a cave, for not all of its roof was destroyed. At the very back stands a strange tree, white and petrified, that emits a warm ambient light. We believe this tree is a natural source of positive magic and allows us to keep our selves, though it is also wrapped in thorny black vines which largely cancel out its aura, thus we feel physical effects of the Forest anyway. Madame Callisto warns all to stay away due to the dark plant entwining it.”

“I see,” I said, not really understanding. “If that’s all y’all want with me, then I think I’ll be on my way.”

“Hold on,” Kharon said, stopping me.

As I cocked my head in confusion, Japetus levitated a medal emblazoned with the crest of the Missionaries of the Moon to me and slipped it under my bonnet.

“Know the Scorched Valley shall forever be open to you, High Priestess Antonovka,” he said.

“Uh-huh,” I replied, waving a forehoof as I turned, not looking back. “Good luck on y’all’s recruiting or whatever.”

I exited the ramshackle building and rejoined the world of the living, eager to get back to my folks and try to put that bizarre encounter out of my mind.

Comments

[Mx Story Anomalax]

"Any crop you could imagine, within reason depending on the season, could be found in its stalls." I like this, it sounds oddly poetic.

This chapter was good. It was a nice little break from the action and it felt quaint and the world building was sweet. It was nice to see Detrot, it gave a feeling of wonder that the story has continually given. My only question is the meet up with Kharon seems a little contrived, but given most of what happens in my fanfic is contrived, even if explained as "things are bound to go perfectly in at least one timeline," I think it's totally fine.

So good work! <3