Ghost of the Everfree

by David Silver

20 - Going Native

"On it!" Apple Bloom dashed off, leaving Dry Whisper to his own devices.

He considered that a moment before going for his book. He ascended the ramp up to the clubhouse and nosed inside, kicking it shut gently behind himself. "This is not a bad god at all." Even a good one! "A fine choice." He'd at least heard of a few others, but all seemed so... violent, or mysterious. Not like Luminace!

She was all happy and open. Her entire point was to make things less mysterious!

He gladly spent the next few hours learning more about the studious friend maker. "Oh!" There was a step he could do. There, in the book, was a diagram of a proper holy symbol of Princess Luminace. He grabbed his own notebook and carefully copied the image over, even if he had to go over... Wait.

He applied a hoof to his face. "Silly." He set the book up against a corner, backed up, and snapped a nice close picture of the icon instead. When the image emerge, he checked it with a satisfied nod. That'd work way better than any drawing he'd manage without years of practice. He set the camera aside, making a note to thank Fluttershy for letting him borrow it. He'd have to give that back, eventually, right? When would that be? She seemed in no rush to reclaim her amazing magical device.

Still, he had a picture! He rushed into town with it and a big smile. Trick there, he wasn't sure who to bring the picture... to... "Hm..." He could... He could just ask someone? The ponies of that town had proved kind and maybe with his new mane style they'd be even more accommodating? He wandered up to a mare that was just sitting there. Oh, he recognized her after a moment. "Hello, Lyra."

"Hey, kiddo." She was smiling, a good sign. "Did I ever catch your name?"

"Dry Whisper." He bowed towards her, lowering his front. "I was trying to find a place to make a bit of jewelry."

"Jewelry? Fancy." Lyra leaned in and got a better look at the photo dangling from his lips. "That? Huh, well, we have a jewelry store. Bet they'd take custom orders." She pointed the way. "And after that, you can get some candy." She pointed out a second store. "Tell Bonnie I sent ya."

"Thank you!" It was important to show thanks to kindness. Luminace had been very firm on that point. "I'm going to the jewelry store then. Do you need anything?" Repaying kindness with kindness was also a great thing. He wasn't sure he'd really be able to help Lyra, but even offering was a step in the right direction.

Lyra curled a hoof to her chin. "Mmm, nah. When I go to the jewelry store, it'll have to be super personal. Appreciate you asking. Go have fun." Down came her hoof, mussing up his altered mane. "Have fun!" She insisted, nudging him towards his first destination.

"Thank you!" he cried, charging ahead. He was soon inside the much quieter jewelry shop. It got points immediately. It felt safe and still, compared to the bustle of the middle of town. It was also filled with jewelry, which made sense to him.

"Hello." An older mare was smiling down at him. "I'm Clarity Cut. Welcome. What can I help a little colt like you with?" He tone implied little colts did not often come into her jewelry store.

He walked up to the counter. Running felt improper in that quiet place. Rearing up, he set the picture he had taken on the glass counter. "Can you make something like this?" He tapped at the picture gently. "It should be about this big, and hang around my neck." He held up both hooves in front of himself. "Like a pendant."

"Hm." She examined the picture intently. "Little boy, how many bits do you have?"

Uh oh. Money. That was a thing he didn't have much of... She could see the worry on his face and her hoof came in to gently muss his mane. "I appreciate what you want, but I have to make ends meet too. When your parents; have you asked them? They probably have some bits."

He sat back, crashing to his haunches. His family was a far way away. They would give no bits. "Oh..." Darn it... But the answer, it was right there. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara both walked like aristrocrats. Diamond's butler literally fed him every day! Surely they'd have money, and Silver would want him to get that! "I know!" he chimed, his poor mood lifting. "I'll be back." He grabbed the picture, craning his neck over the side of the counter just long enough to snap it up. "Sorry for bothering you."

He would ask, the next day. With his plans firmly set, Dry trotted through the town towards his home. He had everything sorted out! It'd be fine! He set the picture carefully aside to present later, when he had the money in hoof to actually get the work done. His first holy symbol, a mark of devotion! He burst into little giggles. It was worth being excited about, by his measure. But what to do until then?

Well... He could read! Surely she would be happy with that choice; it seemed safe to assume. The door opened and he squeaked, diving for cover under his blanket of protection. "Dry?" It was Apple Bloom. "Where ya at?" The door closed. "Done figured out what was happenin'."

"You did?" He peeked out from under the blanket, ruining its stealth effect. "What is it?"

Apple Bloom poked his nose, having known exactly where he was the entire time. "Yer becomin' Equestrian."

Dry slid up to his haunches, the blanket falling behind him. "Oh..." He rubbed at his cheek, only for the hoof to fall to the ground. "Oh." He looked at Apple Bloom with new eyes, taking in her shape and configuration. He'd become that?! Well, not a filly, right? Right?! There were guy Equestrians, he had seen them! He would not become a filly. That would be... No! He was a colt. "Why?"

Apple Bloom shrugged at that. "Now that ah can't tell ya, but it works both ways. An Equestrian pony stays in Everglow too long, or does the wrong thing, snap!" She clopped her hooves together with the word. "Everglow pony. Um, 'specially if they learn any shapeshiftin' magic. Instant ticket." She set her hooves on his shoulders. "Now don't be sad. Yer still Dry, and yer still our friend."

Dry leaned forward. "Wait. Did the ponies who became Everglow ponies... Are they still here?"

"Sure they are." Apple Bloom nodded rapidly. "Like Fluttershy's friend, Tree Hugger, all Everglow pony, but she turned back, just like yer doin' right now. Equestria don't need no Everglow ponies, and Everglow don't need no Equestria ponies, so..." She waved over his body. "So you'll fit right in soon 'nough."

"Then... that isn't nearly so bad..." If ever he... "If I get home... Um... If I go to Everglow, I'll turn back. That isn't so bad..." A temporary thing, and not a painful thing, so far.

"Great!" She bobbed her head as she got up to all fours. "In fact, if ya wanted to get it up an' over with, we could ask our friends. Bet Silver or Sweetie know a spell that'd finish the job. The only shape spell ah got is one that'll make ya big and strong, but it's only safe fer me, so... not that."

"Not that," echoed Dry, considering. "Should I hurry?"

"Well." Apple Bloom shrugged at the confused colt. "Yer kinda in the middle right now. Worst place t'be, ah reckon. Equestrian ponies are nice and Everglow ponies are nice, but half an' half?" She reached for his mane. "Don't rightly match, ya know?"

"Hm." He pointed to the book Silver had lent him. "I've been reading all about Princess Luminace! She's a nice god, and knows so much. I like her. But there is one thing I was wondering."

"Whas that?" Apple Bloom leaned in. "No expert on the god thing, but ah can try."

"Well... Are there any Equestrian gods?" He lifted his hooves up equal with his shoulders. "I am here, I should at least know of them. Feels rude."

"Right nice of ya." She circled left and right. "Um... Celestia and Luna are the only things that come kinda close. They ain't got churches or nothin' though. They do got holidays though!" She pitter-patted in place, dancing on her hooves. "Those're fun!"

"That's good." Though holidays were but one part... Which reminded him! "I wonder what holidays Luminace has." He wandered back to the book, intent on finding out.

Apple Bloom giggled at her studious friend. "Yer fallin' fer her somethin' powerful. Glad it's workin' out fer ya." She tapped her chin. "But if her holiday is, like, do a book report, gonna have to sit that one out if it's alright with ya."

"She wouldn't--" Oops, she would. He hurriedly flipped to the next holiday, blushing brightly.

"Knew it!" Apple Bloom liked smugly satisfied at calling that. "Dinner'll be at the house, so come on by, alright?"

He looked away from his book. "Is that alright? I didn't help in the orchard today."

"Don't be silly." She nudged the colt. "Yer a guest, and a friend, and also a foal. So that's three good reasons we won't mind havin' ya 'round fer dinner. Have fun!" And she was gone, just like that, leaving him to his scholastic adventures.

"Equestrian." He nosed out a mirror that had been tucked away, likely by the crusaders, for when one wanted a mirror? Either way, he propped it up against the wall and snapped a picture, not of the mirror, though he did capture that too, but of himself taking the picture. "It may be a while..." He still wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it. That it was reversible was good, surely? But how should one feel about that?

Ah! He scurried back to the book. Perhaps Luminace would have the answer! He got to reading, and poring, and diving, but there was no specific answer to that question to be found. Just some advice.

If you find yourself in a situation without an answer, first, rejoice

Rejoice? He didn't feel like rejoicing in that moment, but he read on.

because it means you've found something new. Possibly for anyone, or possibly for yourself. Either way, it is a chance to learn and grow. Don't panic. Remember what you have learned here. Take firm hold of your journal and document what's going on. Leave nothing out, so those who come after you will have more information if they should happen to encounter the situation that has you perplexed.

Take notes? Hm. He curled, taking his notebook out of his saddlebag and setting it next to the holy text. He could take notes, for any other Everglow ponies that happened onto Equestria, and were just as scared and confused.

He could be their light and guide, even if he wasn't there anymore. A little smile began to spread on his face. That sounded nice. That sounded... good. He'd like that, to lift a pony up when they were miserable and confused. He could do a good deed, in the future. He may never meet who it helped, but... He grabbed a pencil in his mouth and got to scribbling his thoughts down, reversing the note taking techniques. Instead of compacting spoken thoughts, he was working on his own, but he did so diligently, for the lost pony, in the future, who may count on him to explain what was happening and why they shouldn't be scared. It'd be alright... He'd explain why, and, perhaps, some day, he'd be a hero to a pony he'd never get to meet.

That was the power of books, and what a magnificent power that was.

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

because it means you've found something new. Possibly for anyone, or possibly for yourself. Either way, it is a chance to learn and grow. Don't panic. Remember what you have learned here. Take firm hold of your journal and document what's going on. Leave nothing out, so those who come after you will have more information if they should happen to encounter the situation that has you perplexed.

I see two things important there.

The first rule of Scouts.

And even more importantly, The Words Of Adams. You may now listen to them in the voice of Stephen Fry.

[badninja]

I wonder what lessons Dry will bring home and how Everglow will grow from them?