Whither Must I Wander

by thelegendarytoothpaste

Shaggy and Scooby always run away side by side when fleeing in terror from a monster. If a great dane's running speed is 30-40 mph then that means that Shaggy can run at the same speed. This means that Shaggy is the fastest human being alive, beating

There were five more of them, and they were all around the same size as Fluttershy. They all had exotic coat colors. One of them was purple with wings and a horn and a little extra weight. She eyed him with total fascination.

Another was light blue with what looked like a rainbow caught in her mane. She honestly looked like if a fairy or a ket¹ had their way with her mane and she never washed the afterglow out. She was a pegasus like Fluttershy, and she eyed him with the same fascination as purple wing-horn did, but with a mix of caution as well.

The white unicorn with the purple mane eyed him with mild disgust, and Link scowled. He didn't believe himself to be the most handsome boy in the world, but she didn't have to rub it in. Link decided that he didn't find her particularly good looking in return. He raised his little finger at her² and she was his concern no longer.

The orange one with the hat had neither horn nor wings. It had a blonde mane and eyed him with a measured gaze. Link could feel himself being bored into by her. She was muscular, far more so than the other horses here and even more so than Epona, who was a mighty mare indeed. She was eyeing him with non bias however, and Link gave his nod of approval.

The fifth one was the pink. So much pink. Too much pink. She had neither horn nor wings too, and was stock still, as if she were a statue. Her gaze was blank, and- did her rear right leg just shoot out from under her for half a second?

He studied her for a few more moments and caught a few other such spasms. Her tail would twitch-a-twitch, her legs would freak out, but her neutral expression never changed. She seemed to be making a conscious effort to stay still.

All five of them eyed him at a respectful distance, though the blue funny hair one was a bit closer than the others. She had her wings splayed out to cover the others, as if she were ready to protect them from him if he attacked. Link rolled his eyes, as he was hardly in any condition to attack a fly much less a herd of giant equines, but he gave a nod of respect at any rate.

It seemed to translate, and the blue one gave him a smile and nod back.

"Hinka, one more. She bigger. Much bigger. She no hurt you. I let her in, yes?"

Link eyed Fluttershy. Though his gaze was neutral, he was stunned. There were larger equines out there? Where did they get off being so tall? Navi always told him to drink his milk so he got big and strong too, but just how much had these creatures been drinking?

Link quickly realized something: Fluttershy wasn't just asking him if she could show him one more equine as a courtesy. She was actually waiting for his answer. Link wondered if she would think less of him if he said no, but he decided against it. He figured he was going to end up seeing them sooner or later if he went outside, and he figured sooner would be better.

Link gave a single nod, and Fluttershy smiled gently. She quietly said something to the other five, who murmured something in response, and left the room for a spell.

All was quiet for a few moments. The pink one looked about ready to explode, and Link found himself wishing for his shield just in case she did.

Link's leg ached.

---

A few moments later, Fluttershy returned, and she wasn't kidding when she warned him the new horse was especially big.

It was another horse with wings and a horn, but it towered over the others, and seemed to have an ethereal mane. Link did not believe he would feel anything were he to touch it; it seemed to be almost ghostly. The fur covering her body was white, and she had what looked like the sun on her flanks.

Link felt himself regretting agreeing to meet with this one now. She was too big.

His feelings were put a bit at ease when she smiled an almost motherly smile at him. She said something in her alien language to him, and he shrugged to show his lack of understanding. She exchanged words with Fluttershy then, and gave a nod.

Her horn began to glow with a brilliant yellow light, and Link had to shield his eyes for a moment. When it faded, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

Right up until she started to speak.

"You can understand this language, yes?" she asked in heavily accented Hylian.

Link would have been stunned silent if he wasn't naturally half wordless.

She smiled at him. "It is an ancient spell. It took me many hundreds of years to master and is quite taxing."

She turned her head to the purple wing-horn horse, who seemed to be chattering to her excitedly about something. She said something in her strange language, prompting purple to cross her front arms with a huff and a pout.

"My name is Princess Celestia," she said to him. "You may call me Celestia, Princess, Tia, Celli, Walter- it matters little to me. Just don't call me late for dessert."

Link blinked, and she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. The pink one, however, was laughing uproariously.

"Forgive me. It's not every day I get to introduce myself for the first time. May I ask your name?"

Link was silent for a few moments, and reluctantly relayed his handle. Celestia tilted her head for a moment.
"Hinka?" she said in her strange language. She gave him a warm smile. "A fine name. It suits you. May I ask where you come from?"

"The Lost Woods," he said quietly. Celestia tilted her head again. Link cleared his throat. "Hyrule," he clarified.

It made little difference to Celestia, but she smiled again at him.
"How old are you, Hinka?"

Link did not have to hesitate. He held up nine fingers, prompting Celestia's eyebrow to raise.
"Nine? You are a child, yes?"

He gave a curt nod, and something in Celestia's expression seemed to sadden.
"Where are your mommy and daddy?" she asked him cautiously.
"Dad is dead and mom is missing," he said slowly. "Trying to find her."

Celestia's smile was all but gone now. A young colt without guardians is unheard of in Equestria. Celestia would sooner take a foal in herself than let them live alone!
"Why were you armed?" she asked in a whisper.

Link shrugged in exasperation. He lived in Hyrule. To ask why one was armed there was like asking why one slept at night.

Celestia took issue with it, and again spoke to the others in her alien language. She gave another nod, and looked to him with what seemed like pity. Link scoffed to himself. He didn't need pity. He needed to go home.

"You are welcome here as long as you can obey common laws and customs. That means no displaying weaponry in town. Your slingshot is permitted, of course, provided you do not use it to harm anypony. No fighting but for self defense, and..."
She smiled at him. "As you are a child, you can not be left alone."

...What.

Link wanted desperately to yell at her. He may have been a child, but he had been alone for a long time now and he fared just fine. He was by no means flourishing, but he was able to feed himself and take care of himself. He did not need someone to help him. He knew what happened when he trusted someone to take care of him. That someone would leave him without a word.

She took note of the look on his face and hummed her concern.
"You have been alone for a long while, yes?"
He gave a curt nod.
"You have been taking care of yourself until you were harmed?"
Another nod.
"I do not mean to sound patronizing. Think of it this way, Hinka: You have been taking care of yourself for a long time and now you have a chance at a safe shelter with some company and three meals a day."

He wanted to ask if whoever he got stuck with would leave him, but he stayed his tongue. As soon as he was far enough from the trees, he was going to return home anyway. It mattered not. He was going to do the leaving this time.

Besides that, perhaps a few more days in the company of one like Fluttershy would be okay. He gave a short nod, and Celestia smiled at him.

"Wonderful. I'm going to end this spell now. I tire. Before I do though, allow me to be one of the first to say this."
She gave him another heartfelt smile, one which pulled at his lips too.
"Welcome to Equestria, Hinka."

---

Twilight was still sulking. Princess Celestia just used a spell she had never seen before and then told her it took many years to master and she would only begin to teach her if she first "reviewed her understanding of the teleportation spell."

You screw up a letter and have a manic episode just a few times, and this happens. No fair.

Celestia beckoned the others to follow her out the door for a moment. All but Fluttershy did so. The kindly pegasus wanted to ensure Hinka was not wanting for anything at the moment first.
When she did join them, Celestia shut the door gently.

"He is but a foal of his kind. A young colt."
Fluttershy gave a nod. "He told me that as well. He's nine years old."
"And he's carryin' around enough weapons to make a guard blush?" asked Applejack.
Celestia nodded. "He did not say much about that. Come to think of it, he did not say too much at all. I am unsure if that is how he normally is or if his injuries have simply been taking a lot out of him."

She sighed. "This whole thing sounds like a bad story idea if you ask me."
The others murmured their assent, and Celestia cleared her throat.
"I will have to make an announcement to Equestria. It's not everyday a new species finds its way to our humble land."
"More like most Tuesdays," agreed Pinkie. Nobody responded to her.

"Given that he is a colt, I trust you know the requirement. He can not be left by himself. Call me calculating if you must, but I feel like there is a good chance for a friendship lesson here, or perhaps more. I would like for you all to discuss taking him in. Give him a foster family, at least until we can find him a more permanent housing arrangement. If you can not do that, please send for me. I will take him back to the castle."

Celestia saw the look on Twilight's face. It was the same one she got whenever she was asked to do anything by the princess. She held a hoof out to try and calm her.

"Again, there is no pressure. If you feel you can not take him in for whatever reason send for me and I will take him to Canterlot until we find some place else for him."

Before Twilight could say anything back, Celestia was making her retreat, so to speak. Equestria wouldn't run itself, after all! It was her go to excuse.

Fluttershy was biting her lip, but she was debating in her head. On one hoof, she felt that she developed a bit of a bond with Hinka in the short time he was under her roof. She would gladly take him in were it possible. On the other hoof, she had plenty of other animal friends who resided in her home that she had to move outside temporarily. Her home was very cramped with all of her animals and she felt that he would not be very comfortable there for long periods of time.

It didn't mean she would stop visiting with him. She still had a lot she wanted to help him with and teach him! She just did not think she was a suitable candidate for what Princess Celestia was asking.

Hinka yawned.

End of Chapter

Author's Note:

Usain Bolt's top speed of 27 mph.

Ffs we are already almost done with this story. I have a few more chapters left. Then we move to the sequel, which is technically more of the same if you don't think about it at all. So we're not even close to done, except we are.

1- Polite Kokirian term for homosexual.
2- A rude Kokirian gesture demonstrating disrespect and dominance.
3- If Ray Ray come around these parts looking for me you don't go dropping a dime, do yous?

Comments

[FTR2017]

To what part of the dialogue does the third footnote refer to?

[K-O-D-E-X]

I'm just curious as to where did these facts come from, they sound silly and I like them.

Also there is stuff being left unsaid and it will cause problems in the future because of lack of communication, which is a terrible excuse for conflict.

Also what you mean to tell me that a translation spell is more taxing and more complex than a high disntace teleportation, I say that's sounds like a plot inconvenience than an actual reason.

[thelegendarytoothpaste]

8881901
I think the first season of Impractical Jokers.

8883066
I'm not entirely sure if the rant is even accurate anymore. I typed until it stopped me.
We will be covering the language barrier in part. I don't like the thought of Link just picking up the language 1 2 3. I want to see him build it up a bit. We won't focus on it primarily, mind you. There just isn't a lot there to write about. Having said that, until he becomes more familiar with the language, it provides opportunity for some more comedy than, say, poof! Now he knows Equish. You will see what I mean by that later on.
Also, who said anything about a teleportation spell?

[K-O-D-E-X]

8883424
I agree with the language barrier makes for interesting developments but more so speaking as to why they didn't explain certain more clearly, but in that regard, you do you.
As for the teleportation thing I mean when she (by she I mean Celestia) says that the translation spell was complex and very taxing, though I think I miss-read at something at some point and got it a bit mixed up.

[FTR2017]

8883424
I think I didn't properly explained my issue.

There are three footnotes - two are shown in the text, with the third one not appearing at all. There is no 3 within the narrative to lead to the third footnote.

[thelegendarytoothpaste]

8883505
Yes, I wrote a third footnote in anticipation for another piece, found out I didn't need it, and then decided not to let it go to waste. So, that.
I'm a jerk. I won't apologize for that.

[FTR2017]

8883858
You cheeky toothpaste tube.

[ProjectRabbid]

Please post more

[thelegendarytoothpaste]

8884088
No. Never. In fact, just for that the story's cancelled!
I kid of course. Glad you're enjoying.

[Ephedianroyalty]

Of course shaggy’s the fastest man alive! He’s a top nouch nyoom nyoom!