To Err is Equine

by RLYoshi

14: Mysteries Solved, New Ones Opened

[Perspective: Risk Reward]

The elder was not kidding when he said Nimble didn't like talking.

Nimble was a small, skinny gray earth pony with black and white hair. His mane was styled somewhat messily and his tail was cut rather short. Both of his eyes were mostly black and he didn't have a cutie mark...at least, not a visible one.

"His special talent is sneaking, so his cutie mark is invisible," the elder explained.

"Makes sense," I replied with a shrug.

"Look, Night, all we want to know is what you know about the Fine Rock. It's not that hard," False said for what must have been the fifth time.

Nimble just pawed the ground nervously and looked away.

"I think his special talent should be silence," False grumbled, seemingly giving up as she started to trot out the door.

"Hold up," I called to her. She stopped and looked at me. I turned to Nimble and crouched down so I was at his level. "What's wrong, kid?"

Nimble looked up at me, but didn't say anything. Well, at least I managed to get him to make eye contact with me. Already I was doing better than False was.

"Listen, whatever's got you down, we can help you with," I continued. "We just need to know what it is that's bugging you."

Rather than answering, Nimble looked up at the elder. The elder nodded and pulled the Fine Rock back out of its box, passing it down to him. The young colt took the gem in one of his hooves and it started glowing. He turned around and began walking away, out of the house.

"Follow him," the elder told me. "He's trying to lead you somewhere."

I nodded and started following the gray colt, who had went from walking to running. As I trotted out the door, I turned to False.

"Go find Arrell and bring him back here as soon as possible," I ordered her. "I'll figure out what's going on with our nimble neighbourhood ninja."

With that, I was gone, chasing after our only clue to the mysteries of Smooth Grove.

---

[Perspective: False Front]

"Arrell!" I yelled as I ran through Smooth Grove. I had been calling his name for fifteen minutes and hadn't seen him. And, apparently, neither had any of the villagers. How you can somehow remain oblivious to a Windigo wearing a wristwatch practicing strange powers, I'll never know.

When I saw suspicious movement a distance from the town while searching the outskirts, I naturally thought it was Arrell. Looking closer, I realized that it was a group of ponies – at least twenty to thirty of them. And they were headed this way.

Not good.

I was briefly torn between looking for Arrell and running back to warn the elder. I soon decided Arrell could take care of himself if he ran into those guys and headed back to the elder's house. I didn't even bother knocking, choosing instead to barge on in.

"Miss Front?" the elder asked, surprised and seemingly a bit irritated. "What's going on?"

"There's a group of ponies coming this way," I explained quickly. "Do you have any defense measures for this sort of thing?"

His eyes widened. "A group of...? No, we don't. We didn't think we'd get attacked."

"Dammit!" I stomped a hoof. "I'm a royal guard, but I can't take on that many ponies. Heck, even with Arrell helping me, we probably wouldn't do much, and I can't even find him."

The elder thought for a moment. "For now, we need to ensure that all of our citizens are safe," he decided. "Go around town and warn everypony you see to go home, lock their doors, and not come out until I personally tell them it is safe."

I noticed the elder pull on a jacket and start heading out the door. "What about you?"

"As the village elder, it's my job to protect the village, as well as the Fine Rock. I'm going to find Nimble and see what he's up to, hide the Fine Rock, and then confront this group of ponies to see what it is they want." He was out the door before I could question him. Gritting my teeth, I charged out and began barking orders at everypony I saw.

"Everypony, get in your homes!" I demanded. "Stay inside and don't come out until the elder says you can!"

I repeated these orders multiple times as I ran through town, watching ponies lock themselves away with looks of fear, confusion, or both on their faces. In the back of my mind, one thought kept trying to force itself to the surface.

Arrell, where are you?!

---

[Perspective: Risk Reward]

Nimble had taken me to the outskirts of Smooth Grove, into a forest that reminded me vaguely of the Everfree. However, it seemed considerably less dangerous. He finally slowed down, but continued trotting along, never fully stopping.

"Nimble, I thought the Fine Rock pulled you towards where Smooth Grove is now?" I asked. "Why are you taking me outside of it?"

"This is where it is pulling me," he replied, speaking for the first time. I shook off any surprise I may have acquired from him finally speaking to focus.

"So it's pulling you somewhere new?" He nodded. "Why?" He shrugged. "So much for you finally talking."

"I am sorry, I just prefer to stay quiet," he explained. "Ponies usually do not listen to me anyway."

I noticed he had a bit of an accent. He must have been from somewhere a fair distance away before coming to Equestria. "Well, I'm listening, and right now I seriously need information."

Nimble shook his head. "There is nothing I can tell you that I have not already said."

"You don't know anything about the Fine Rock aside from the fact that it pulls you places?"

"I know of where Elder got it from, but that is all. Right now, it is not pulling me to a location, but a pony."

"A pony? Why?"

"I am not sure. Perhaps it thinks this pony is to be the next one to receive it, or is a threat to its safety. Either way, we need to find this pony."

I nodded. "Agreed. We should probably-"

A cracking noise silenced me and caused us both to stop moving, but Nimble continued on after just a couple of seconds. I followed along, struggling to stay quiet.

"They are close," Nimble whispered. He suddenly stopped, looked at the Fine Rock, and then straight up. "Up there."

I blinked, then looked up, finding myself staring up a very tall tree. Near the top, I could make out a familiar form...

"Guys?" a voice I easily recognized called down. "Can somepony get me down from here?"

I facehoofed. "Arrell, what are you doing up there?"

"I was learning how to fly...I got distracted, and ended up landing on a branch here...I really don't like heights."

I turned to Nimble. "Is he the one the Fine Rock is pulling you towards?" He nodded. "Well, while he certainly isn't a threat to the Fine Rock, I somehow doubt he's to be the next one to receive it."

"The Fine Rock works in mysterious ways," Nimble said with a shrug.

"They say the same thing about Princess Celestia, and she sends ponies to the moon."

"Anypony gonna get me down or what?" Arrell snapped, reminding us that he was still up there.

"I will help," Nimble offered, putting the Fine Rock down on the ground and hopping up the tree like he had been doing it all his life. Which, according to the elder, he had been.

A few minutes later, I heard Arrell and Nimble arguing about something...then a scream. I looked up to see Arrell falling towards the ground, barely pulling himself up into a flight before hitting the ground. His hind legs vanished, becoming a foggy tail, and he hovered a foot or two above the earth.

"That little jackass pushed me!" he gasped at me as Nimble casually hopped back down the tree.

"Was there another way out?" the colt asked.

"...not that I saw."

"Then quit complaining." Nimble picked the Fine Rock back up and his eyes widened. "The village!"

"What is it?" I demanded, panicking slightly. Arrell seemed worried as well, fully landing to peer at the jewel.

"The village is in danger," Nimble nervously answered. "Somepony is attacking the village!"

---

Author's Notes: In the next couple of chapters, things get really interesting. Fight scenes shall take place, the mystery of Smooth Grove shall be unlocked, new powers shall be gained, and lessons shall be learned...okay, maybe nopony really learns anything, but hey...fights, mysteries, and powers. That's good enough, right?

Nimble Night

Comments

[Dusk Apollo]

Nimble is a troll to logic. Invisible CM FTW!

I shudder to think how much more trouble Arrell will get in now that he can fly...

[RLYoshi]

1565197

[AliCentaur Br0ny]

1565197 Not just that, but he taught Arrell how to fly by throwing him at the ground and missing.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/discord.png

[GordonFreebrony]

1569993
At least he wasn't named Agrajag...

Maybe he can teach Risk to fly... He just needs to distract him before he hits the ground...