Half Past Ten

by Ashfur

Investigations

Oh my gosh, what in the world have I done?! Jake pondered as he trudged towards Sweet Apple Acres. She caught me off guard asking and I answered without thinking! Now Myst is like… my temporary kid or something! And it doesn't help that Pinkie didn't recognize her… I need to talk to Twilight again and see if she knows anything about what happened last night. But I can't risk Myst fading again! Maybe Applejack has a clue?

“Hey, Daddy?”

“Huh?” Jake was snapped out of his thoughts by the alicorn filly hanging onto his shoulder. “Oh, did you need something, Myst?”

"I'm hungry again. Can we get something to eat?"

Jake's stomach chose that moment to growl, and a feeling of hunger washed over him as well. "Huh. I am, too. You'd think all that food you dreamed up would have filled us up, but it feels like it vanished before it even reached our stomachs! Well, let's go see Applejack. I needed to ask about what happened last night. If we can figure out what was going on with that rift in the sky, we can figure out where your family is. And the elements of harmony are our best bet."

Myst pouted. "But I want food, daddy!" She hovered in the air next to Jake, landing on his shoulder and hugging his head for balance. "Can't we get something to eat first?"

"That's why we're going to Applejack's place! She grows really delicious apples. Plus, she might know something." He paused as they passed the first of several dozen-dozen apple trees lining the path to the farmhouse. "Hey, Myst. Imagine a ladder for me, I wanna try something."

"Sure thing!" Myst focused her energy, and Jake watched as a ladder faded into view in front of him, leaning against the tree trunk. He reached out and touched it. It felt solid.

"Huh. So your illusions can be felt, I guess. But do they really interact with reality? I know that's what Twilight would ask, and since we can't go to her right now…" Jake cautiously placed his foot on the first rung of the ladder. He shifted his weight so the ladder was completely supporting him. He didn't fall through and hit the ground; it may as well have been a normal ladder! He swiftly scaled the remaining rungs and plucked a pair of apples from one of the higher branches before clambering back down. "...Incredible," he breathed. "It's just magic, it wasn't there before, but I climbed up it and got these apples. And yet…" he reached out to the ladder again, reminding himself it wasn't real and there shouldn't be a ladder there. His hand phased through it, the whole ladder turning translucent until he pulled back. "This has a lot of potential, Myst."

"It won't stay forever, though!" She reminded Jake, taking the offered apple and biting into it. It was a real apple, she noted. She felt the juices running down her throat, unlike any illusion ones that seemed to vanish once she swallowed. "Do you think Applejack will be mad we took her apples?"

"Eh, she owes me a favor anyway, and I can always pay her later. She trusts me on that. As for your illusions ultimately vanishing, they still have quite a few practical applications. You could stop a collapsing building until everyone got out with that kind of power!" Jake stepped up to the porch of the Apple homestead, and knocked on the door four times. "But that can wait. Let's talk to AJ for now."

Within moments, the door swung open and an orange-coated mare trotted out to greet the pair. "Well, howdy, Jake! An' you must be that new filly I heard about. Weird seein a new alicorn, but weird is pretty normal here since Discord started hangin' around. Ah'm Applejack. Who are you?"

"M-myst, miss Applejack. Mystic Lodestar." Myst was hanging off of Jake's shoulder, and hid herself behind his head to avoid eye contact.

Jake raised his hand to signal that he wanted to speak. "She's been through a lot, AJ. She's a tad skittish. Can we come in? I needed to ask you a few questions about last night." Applejack nodded, ushering them into the home. The living room had a sturdy couch Jake knew was strong enough to fit him, so he plopped down there and set Myst beside him. Applejack cantered off into the kitchen, quickly returning with a platter holding several glasses of apple juice.

"So what did y'all want to talk about? It was pretty crazy, wasn't it?" She asked the pair, sipping her beverage.

"Well, that's the issue," Replied Jake. "It seems like everyone in town knows what happened but me. I was awake late last night when I saw this huge portal open in the sky! I thought I saw Ponyville through it, but it looked different, and there was this giant monster made of smoke…"

"Wait, y'all were awake during that? Ah thought everypony was asleep for that! No wonder ya don't got a clue what's going on!" Applejack paused as Jake made a clicking noise with his tongue, reminding her of the error she just made. "Right, everypony was asleep. But ah thought everyBODY was asleep."

"Yeah, well, ya thought wrong, AJ." Jake downed his glass of apple juice in a few quick gulps before continuing. "So, what exactly happened? You make it sound like you lot had some kinda dream adventure."

"Well, yer not wrong. See, it went like this…"

---

"So, let me get this straight. Luna created some sort of dream beast-"

"The Tantabus, she called it. Yeah."

"-and it tried to break out of the dream world and cause mayhem in the real world? With reality warping powers?"

"Yeah," Applejack replied. "That's probably what ya saw. Thank heaven we stopped it before it got through."

Jake glanced at his charge, who appeared to be shhing away in fear. "Myst, you alright? The Tantabus can't hurt you. I'll keep you safe."

"B-but if that portal led to the dream world, and you said I fell through it, then that means…" Myst started go seem a little pale again. Jake stepped between Myst and Applejack so she wouldn't see Myst fading, and picked her up in a hug.

"Shush. You're real. And I'm here. Maybe princess Luna can help us, but I'm not gonna abandon you. And…" Jake thought for a moment about how to not set off the living lie detector next to him. "I only said I saw something fall through the portal. I found you near where I thought it landed. You're not a dream, Myst. Don't let yourself believe that."

Applejack, having been informed Myst had a bit of amnesia, felt realization wash over her. "Y'all think she came from the dream? That don't sound right. But if she's worried, princess Luna is definitely yer next step." Applejack was interrupted by Jake and Myst's bellies growling hungrily. She paused, stood up, and gestured for them to follow her to the kitchen. "After a bit of southern hospitality, that is. Come on, I'll fix ya somethin nice."

Author's Note:

Dear Celestia above, I just could. Not. Write! This chapter may have been the toughest thing I've ever written, for some reason. If I missed something, let me know.

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Dear Celestia above, I just could. Not. Write! This chapter may have been the toughest thing I've ever written, for some reason.

Eh, Tantabus stories be like that. 'tis like trying to nail down smoke, just won't cooperate.

[Viper Pit]

This was insightful

[HowMuchWood]

Well, they're connecting the dots awful fast! Here's hoping Luna doesn't try to blast Myst out of principal.

[Bronzedragon]

"Right, everypony sas asleep. [ was ] Ah the ever elusive typo. Inserting itself into a well written chapter between thought " Publish" and the press of a key.
Like the story keep up the good work.

[Morphy]

9596782

She's part of Luna in a roundabout way. Not so much like a baby but more like a leaf cutting from a plant?

But yeah, assuming Luna doesn't try to blast or otherwise "banish" her back to the dream realm. Not sure what Celestia would have to say other than, as long as Mystic isn't hurting anyone then she's fine. Drama rules state that Luna will be initially hostile requiring the human to defend her until Luna's angst is worn out and she turns to mothering Mystic as her own little filly.

[HowMuchWood]

9600039 I mean, in aggressive-future-Luna's defense, the last time she saw the Tantabus it was actively trying to bring about the apocalypse...

[Texus]

living lie detector

yep don't like that so I treat it as a joke for now.

The chapter was nice.

[Entiecrafter]

I hope to see more of it. It's a pretty interesting. Can't wait to see more.

[NotBurgerShot]

I really want this to update so bad 😔

[PinkiePieFox]

wonderful chapter would love to read more.

[LEGION55]

Any news?

[Phillips_Quickfix]

I saw the name Jake and immediately thought of Jake Long: American Dragon. Taking care of something like the Tantabus would be right up his alley.

Sorry. ;)

Good read though.

[Evil Paladin]

"That's why we're going to Applejack's place! She grows really delicious apples. Plus, she might know something." He paused as they passed the first of several dozen-dozen apple trees lining the path to the farmhouse. "Hey, Myst. Imagine a ladder for me, I wanna try something."

You put dozen in twice.

[Pony addiction]

Morr