The leaves of the jungle slowly swayed with the slight breeze as I overlooked it from the upper branches of an especially tall tree. Seriously, these things were massive, they made redwood look small.
The sun burned brightly above, but being in the shade helped and gave me time to think.
Three more days before the rescue ship would arrive. Since the rexosaurus attack, we had been unbothered by the local wildlife. Maybe we were in its territory and it would take time before the others noticed this area was empty now and borders would shift around.
But for the moment, we seemed safe.
Thank Celestia that nopony else was hurt during the attack.
I scraped my hoof against the branch I was laying on, following the slight pattern in the barch with the edge of my hoof. This was where batponies really came from. No wonder the forest felt nice to be in, assuming you could discount the things wanting to eat us, of course.
We knew what happened more or less. Some sort of blood magic to make thestrals stronger, faster. Blood drinkers. That much we knew at least from the carvings in the walls.
But then what? Why did batponies change?
It wasn't the blood magic... and Midnight now knowing what to look for, had verified it in me. Say what you want about Discord, but he don't fuck around. He didn't just make me look like a thestral, he made me one where I had once been a pegasus.
But if it was still just as active as back then, then the question was, 'what happened?'
Midnight suspected a second spell, a curse laid above the blood magic. Maybe an attempt to turn everypony back to the way they were before. Maybe an attempt to just remove the blood drinking.
Maybe an outright attack to try to drive thestrals extinct.
Did it really matter?
I sighed and shifted my wings, extending one to look at it for a long moment. Not really. If batponies were to be accepted, we needed to tear it all down. Curse, blood magic. All of it.
If somepony could break through all of it, it'd be Midnight or Sparks. With them working together, it wouldn't stand a chance.
But then what? Breaking the magic was only a small part of it, the easy part even.
Changing ponies was not something that was as easily done.
...Well, unless you used blood magic apparently.
Smiling slightly at that, I shook my head and stood up on the branch, stretching for a second before I glanced behind me at where the temple rose up out of the jungle, just barely cresting between the trees.
But we could do it. Thestrals built that thing in this monster infested hellhole before they were turned into blood drinking super ponies.
If they could do that, they could turn public opinion. We just needed to strip away the magic shackles around our necks first.
"See anything?" I asked Silver Light as I looked to the side to where the Pegasus was sitting in full armour. The only way Moon Glow would allow me this far away from the rest of the group.
The white coated pegasus shook her head, her pink and braided mane shifting as she did, "No, sir. Too much green."
I looked over to the temple again just as a flare rose high into the air and exploded in bright red sparkles. The once an hour flare that was being sent up just in case any of our missing ponies saw it.
I wasn't exactly hopeful considering it's been over a week and I hadn't spotted any of them in the dream realm, but I wasn't about to order them to stop. Hope is a powerful thing.
Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.
"Well, we might as well fly back then," I said and stretched my wings, "It was a longshot anyway."
Had hoped we would be able to track the larger predators by the movements of the trees, but I guess the world doesn't work on Jurassic Park logic.
Silver Light smiled and shrugged her wings, picking up her spear from where she leaned it against the tree trunk, "Could have worked."
"Actually, might still," I said and frowned out over the forest, "Might just not be any close enough to spot. But it's likelier that they simply move without bumping into every tree in sight. Don't become the apex predator of a place like this by being clumsy."
With that, I spread my wings and took to the air, flying back towards the temple, flying higher as I scanned the horizon in all directions.
Spotting what I was looking for, I looked over at Silver Light and gave her a wave before pointing with my hoof.
She glanced over and then nodded, "Going to rain soon," she shouted to me over the wind, "Been feeling like it for an hour or so."
That was something I didn't have and don't think I ever had.
Then again, might just be a matter of education, every pegasus in the legion, and the guard for that matter, was required to at least hold a basic weather license.
I had thought about getting one just because it seemed interesting a couple of times, but with what time? Unless I could bribe Celestia, there was only so many hours in a day.
We flew across the pyramid and I scanned the ground, the defenses were repaired and the remains of the rexosaurus was long gone and Midnight wouldn't let me keep a skull so she threw the entire thing off into the forest when it's magic resistance faded away.
Likely good thing, no way Luna would let me keep it at home anyway.
Spotting Dee, I circled down to land next to her, "Hey. How's the drawing going?"
She put her pen down and showed me her notebook, showing the structure of the pyramid, "Mapping it," she said in explanation, "We have spent most of the morning measuring every surface."
"Better get that done soon," I warned her, "Rains coming."
"I can tell," she agreed with a nod, "I'm mostly done with the exterior anyway."
...Maybe taking the time for one of those weather courses wasn't that bad of an idea after all.
I have the feeling that when the rescue ship comes something will force Page into the past. It’ll be a non voluntary time loop. He’ll become the alicorn in the temple
Why the fuck is he being so doormaty , passive,submissive now?
Be assertive and take it when there is no reason to not to.
Page can get it even now when it's thrown away , the meat is probably eaten by insects, so bones should be easy to extract and to clean from remains
10468314
Good point
10468561
Cadance finaly get Chrysalis cuddle lessons
https://www.deviantart.com/lulubellct/art/Lovebugs-791130317
To be fair it was Midnight that killed it. Assist kill might not count since the other rather distracted than injured...
Shame there will be no tropy but rather the approval of friend than a decoration piece.
1 week in that environment ? There boned... Literally
Unless there are very special circustances
10468765
Blank Page is a little above average on Magic ( unless hes hornycaped like now ), pretty sure we can be sure there were other Alicorn in the past.
I wonder how the first Alicorns accended without guidance. I doubt they bruteforce it like Page getting cached in a huge ponymagic explosion caused by a magic stealing entity...
10468561
https://www.deviantart.com/lulubellct/art/Lovebugs-791130317
Some mysteries just don't get solved the first time there or without those who have knowledge of the area. While they have learned some of the origins of thestrals they will have to learn someday if there are still any more living in the jungle still.
Foreshadow yuh
HOURS LATER...
Guards: Something coming this way!
*a much smaller rexosaurus comes out of the forest making pitifully noises*
Moon Glow: Huh? It is not attacking or anything. It looks like a juvenile and sounds like so...sad...
Dee Dee: Better question: why is it wearing the skull of the rexosaurus that Midnight killed??
Page: Oh...Sweet...Celestia. It's a Cubone!
Dee Dee: What's a Cubo--
Page: I INVOKE ROYAL DECREE! We are taking Cubone home with us! Don't fight me on this...that pokemon is mine!
Everypony: WHAT?! HUH?! POKE-WHAT?!?!
10469250
Lol! What made you come up with that?
10469335
While the rest of the comment section are busy at analyzing lore or predicting future events...I am however here constantly thinking "yeah yeah yeah society metaphor blah blah blah but how do I make this funny?"
Honestly in RL my friends and family knows not to bring me to the theaters. I like pausing at random movie scenes and make jokes about everything that is happening.
10469381
Well then we need to go to the movies together, I'd like to see how good you are at this in person.
10469335
Well the Cubone is a Pokémon that wears its mother’s skull as a helmet.
10469614
I know that. I've played pokemon before.
10469250
Think that's why Page kept Fern?
'Cause Fern was technically a grass type houndoor?
10469228
Well Thestral suck out the juices primal...
10469245
Not that kind of story
10469905
Dawwe! What a unexpected sweet referance
10469381
I love puns and referance jokes (\♡.♡/)
10469250
You-are-a-genius ♡♡♡♡♡
To bad its a massive carnivore that way to big ones grown up... Will be expensive to upkeep... Will need personal to keep it well trained and entertained... Unless...
Also Spearhead ones he get home to his m~a~rrr~e ♡
Also im sure Page would convince Midnight to keep the Skull if he give her a 'free-use-one-use ticket' of Page equicment ~♡
Seriously ask Luna! That guy knows what the mares loooove... Cadance might be princess of love but hes the king of bed chambers
10468765
"I'll never be evil!"
"Oh great one, the outsiders, they....they took....."
"What is it?"
"They took mango! they just came, saw mango and took it!"
".......EVERYPONY TO THE BLOOD ROOM WE'RE GOING EVIL!"
10469937
O_O ........SOUL! What's is wrong with you?! Cubone is a child is needs to be protected!
*Me takes my Cubone far far FAR away from Black--Soul*
Don't worry my sweet dragosaur! I won't treat you as if I was a shiny hunter and leave you at Pokemon Daycare Center nope nope nope~!
okay so iv just read all the others and am starting this one i have to say other than the first cupple chapter of the first story i havent been bored, its very well done
10470042
? ... ? ... ? ... ?
He already has to few time for Fern and has a friend taking care of the puppy. Its the same just more intensiv care with a Dino that is grown 5 times the size of a pony and 100% carnivore
10470085
Well...considering the clip you used, it looked like you were suggesting Cubone needed to be constantly "entertained" via being bred.
Also I don't recall a scene where Fern is being bred in any shape or form.
10470088
I see... I didnt make myself clear.
The video was to show what Luna would get in return for taking the Trophy with em plus financing Page new pet carnivore. Also for Minuette taking the 1-2 weeks healing and making it count
10470149
...Oh thank goodness! Thats a little better. For a moment there, I thought you went down the path of no return lol. I may be a shipper but certain lines I refuse to cross ha ha ha
10470195
What could breeding pony eating Dinos get them anyway? Also the dino would need to grow up and a breeding mate need to be captured for a breeding range
To be fair... Researching the antimagic resistance would be worth the effort. Perhaps Tirek and other villain attack could be countered like that.
10470085
shoulda brought fern with him, that'd kept him safe
10470328
Fern is still a puppy... My sister dog is like 6 month old and is bigger than most dogs i ever see but still a puppy...
10470535
Fern's like bigger than Page.
Might still be a "puppy", but that's still a lot of wood and bark he's packing.
accidental puns is not accidental.
Of course, timberwolves are pack
animals--creatures. They do far more damage when part of a pack than a group of them can acting singularly.The comment section is always priceless in Hivers stories on Fimfiction 👍
10474211
Raise a Timberwolf pack one by one and than use it as watch dogs! They are made out of flora and might be perfect as deterrent since they are not a food source, but can inflict damage!
Ah, yeah.
Best way to get accepted, change who and what you are.
Midnight threw away perfectly fine research material/rations.... Why not at this point..