Ghost of the Everfree

by David Silver

47 - Visiting Officers

Apple Bloom was a ninja, at least in her mind. She slunk from cover to cover, watching the Everglow agents going about their business. There were no Equestrians in sight, aside from herself.

Except that one. There was an equestrian pony talking with several guards with authority in his voice. "No more excuses," grunted the Equestrian. "If we're low on food, I'll address that, part of why I'm here, but it's taxing and my talents could be better served doing almost anything else, and you know that."

One of the guards, a pegasus mare, saluted with her wing. "Of course, Sir. Thank you for coming with us."

Another, a unicorn stallion, shook his head. "Why did you? Your kind isn't known for trusting military operations, let alone taking part in them."

'Your kind'? Equestrian? Well... Apple Bloom mulled over that. Most Equestrians probably wouldn't, but also how were they fixing the food situation?

Fortunately, the one being asked wasn't shy. "An army can be an intense weight on the local flora and fauna. It can destroy ecosystems without even noticing it's started." He turned an equestrian hoof up. "Being able to blunt that force is a fine task for a druid to take."

Apple Bloom dipped below her crate. Druid? That was... Oh. "An Equestrian?" she quietly whispered to herself. "Shoot..."

She'd heard of the other way. Tree Hugger became a druid, and shapeshifting sped along the change, and she became an Everglow pony just like that. An Everglow pony had suffered the same fate, falling in line with the local nature of things. That made some kinda sense... "Still..." It was awkward. It meant they couldn't identify everyone by sight anymore. That had been a very helpful shortcut.

"Sir." Another pony, an Everglow pegasus was trotting up. "Sir. The locals expect regular weather support and protection."

The druid cocked a brow. "Expect it? That can be costly... Do they understand the situation they're in?" He curled a hoof up. "Not to mention the effects..."

The pegasus shook his head. "Sir. They have trained pegasi that are used to performing the task, sir."

The druid blinked dumbly a moment. "They do? They have... I was told these ponies were ignorant in the way of things, but they can control such powerful primal magic without disaster?"

The pegasus nodded quickly. "Yes, um, sir. They were handling it before we got here, sir."

"Nature finds a way." The druid turned away, pacing with a scowl. "It finds a way..."

"It does that." Apple Bloom emerged from her hiding place, approaching the druid in the rare moment he was alone with his thoughts. "This ain't yer nature anymore."

The druid wheeled on the little Equestian filly. "What? You shouldn't be here..."

"Neither should you." Apple Bloom nodded at him. "But ah thin' you know that already.

He grunted softly. "Sun above... Where are your parents, small child?"

"A lon' way off. Ah'm here 'cause ah wanna be." She waved over the druid. "How's the Equestria form workin' fer ya?"

"Unsettling." The druid looked back over himself. "Like a child drew what they imagined a pony should be, instead of what one is."

"It is one, around here." Apple Bloom lifted each hoof in turn. "That's our nature."

"Your nature." The druid sank to his haunches."Yours... Hm. I suppose, visiting the plane of fire and complaining of the heat is ignoring the reality of that nature."

"Yeah, ain't gonna get you far." She spotted a guard approaching. "I should go."

"Hold a moment." The druid moved between apple Bloom and the guard, speaking with them briefly and sending them on their way. "I would speak with you further."

"Yeah?" Apple Bloom dared a little smile. Was progress being made. "I heard about the weather. If you let the pegasi do their thin', they'll get it all straightened out."

"Hm. Not up to me." The druid turned to Apple Bloom. "But not nonsense. That would be the easiest solution. The commander fears they will take flight, figuratively, if allowed to spread their wings."

Apple Bloom snorted at that. "Ya know how nature works, so ya know that's dumb."

The druid inclined his head. "Explain."

"You have their friends and family right here." She waved over the city as a whole. "Their homes and lives. They ain't gonna run away from that 'less you give them a real powerful reason to..."

"From the mouth of a foal." The druid smiled thinly. "Wisdom is wisdom. Still, it really isn't my decision. Were it, I would have released them some time ago. I am not a pegasus." He pointed back at his lack of wings. He was an earth pony, like Apple Bloom. "Let the pegasi handle the weather. This is true of Everglow and Equestria, is it not? I am only confused that the reports seem to imply this is... an everyday occurrence."

"'Cause it is. Weather ponies go up there and they move clouds 'bout every day. They watch for storms and keep the right amount ah rain comin'." She turned to point out of town. "Now, if ya go in the wilderness, then thin's get funny. Less weather ponies, so thin's just happen. Makes ponies nervous."

"Nervous? To let nature do as it will?" He paused though, humming. "Nature is terrifying... You are right to fear its touch, but it cannot be denied, and to do so invites other calamities... Hm. Ah." He rose to his hooves. "I will speak to these weather engineers. Perhaps a discussion will make it clear."

"I can only hope." Apple Bloom tipped the hat she wasn't wearing. "Now, if it ain't no big deal, mind not tellin' on me?"

The druid considered the filly. "You don't carry yourself like the others. The others, like frightened deer. You, a little puma, possibly with fangs and claws to match." He directed a hoof at her bandoleer of potions. "Tell me, are those for show?"

Apple Bloom tensed at the druid's discovery. "Um."

"Answer enough." He shook his head slowly. "What a foal is doing with that, I couldn't say... Do you plan to visit harm?"

"N-no! Um..." Apple Bloom took an unsure step back. "If we could just convince y'all to head home, or even just stop bein' mean, that'd be great."

"Truly?" The druid chuckled softly. "I have heard what the others did. They have killed. They have destroyed. Do you not feel any ember of desire to lash out at them?"

"W-well... Maybe a little... Wouldn't help none!" Apple Bloom turned from him. "Ah really should go. Please don't tell nopony!" She scurried off, lost between crates and off into the city away from the druid and their troublesome questions.

The druid sighed slowly. "First, the commander..." He went off in a new direction, towards what had once been the town hall, redecorated and repurposed to become the commander's office. Two guards stood outside in strict attention. Fortunately, they didn't bother him. They knew him. "Sir," both crisply welcomed, allowing him to walk inside.

The interior of the hall was decorated with the visaged of a goddess. Blaze's burning gaze looked down from every wall where she wasn't mid-battle with some great enemy. The loyalty of the commander was easy to see. At least until he got close to the center, where the art shifted to cooler hues of the Night Mare. "Commander."

An Everglow mare sat up on a pillow she had been lounging on. "Green Bark," she greeted. "Do you carry news? Dispense it." She was wearing a full plate, helmet and all, as if a fight might break out at any moment and she was prepared for that eventuality. A longsword rested at her side, not to be drawn. She slid it into a weapon rack, already prepared to cut when called upon.

Green dipped his head at the commander. "It's about the local ponies."

"Ugh." She grunted with obvious frustration. "They are difficult to deal with... Are they getting in the way of your work? Tell me which and I'll have them disciplined."

Green laughed nervously. "No, it is more that we..." His eyes drifted up towards the Night Mare iconography. Perhaps that'd work? "We aren't making full use of their skills."

"No?" She rose to her hooves in a smooth motion. "Then tell me. We have them, they are ours to make full use of. How can this be done?" She waved a hoof. "Without them fleeing in every direction."

"They are... animals, as we all are. They will not quickly leave their dens, and even fewer wish to abandon their herds." Green Bark paced around the room in a slow circle. "I propose we allow half of the local weather professionals free each day in rotating shifts to attend to the local needs. This will please them all, and allow us to make better use of them, and free up other resources."

"Other resources?" She faced him, but her expression was hard to see with the helmet in the way. "We have enough soldiers to monitor them."

"Soldiers that could be doing other things." Green turned a hoof on himself. "And you didn't bring a druid to provide food and nothing else. My powers are being wasted, and I know you have bolder ambitions."

"Hm." She swung in place, her blade coming within half an inch of Green's throat. "You aren't wrong." She drew the blade away. Unseen, one could almost feel her smirk. "That is a waste. Very well, since you are at least familiar with the magic involved, let's start small and work up. Tomorrow, you may select one weather controller. If that works, the next day, another, until we arrive at half their force, assuming nothing goes wrong."

Green dipped his head at her. "Sir." Sure, she was a mare, but she was a Sir, and getting that wrong could be painful. "Do you--"

"--Yes," she cut in. "Keep me fully updated. For that matter, as soon as the pressure is relieved, I want you to focus on the local creatures. figure out what can be used, and how."

Green considered that with a grumble. "Permission to consult with the locals?"

"You seem to like them." She pointed past Green, the way he came. "Go, and stop asking that."

"Sir!" He hurried away, lest she change her mind.

The commander sank to her haunches heavily with fatigue and a low sigh. "Mistress... forgive me. Though I am not in... I will struggle to be a tool you find pleasing." She dipped her head at each picture of the Night Mare, as if each were her goddess, watching and judging her, equally valid and worthy of praise.

---

"I can't even, like, even believe it," repeated the stallion, dancing in place with a big grin at Sweetie Belle. "I hope she likes it."

Sweetie inclined her head. "That you're helping her little sister and her friend, I bet she will." She put an arm around Scootaloo, drawing them close. "Any ideas what we can do now?"

"Oh... no?" The stallion deflated, his good mood popped so easily. "I don't know. I'd normally be tending to manes." He snipped a pair of sheers that fit on his hoof. "But they won't let me do that. Poor ponies, their manes just going entirely out of control."

Scootaloo hummed softly. "Yeah, poor ponies." She didn't sound as convinced about it. Her mane was tamed... enough. "So, you know why we're here, right?"

"To save the day!" The stallion danced in place, his mood rebounding. "Like your sisters."

Scootaloo hiked a brow. "Like our sisters." She had an honorary sister, and she liked saving the day... so... "Yeah, exactly like them. We'll head out tomorrow to see what we can do. You just--"

"--get you dinner." the stallion trotted away to get that underway. "I'm on it!"

Sweetie giggled. "He's nice. Glad it worked out. Alright, so, tomorrow we go."

"Tomorrow." She met hooves with Sweetie in a firm clop of agreement. "Hope the others are alright."

Author's Note:

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Uh Oh.

Snarky Nobles I can understand with th costs, Kingdoms and Empires looking to expand or resource strip, nasty.

But dedicated followers of these two?

Great, where the Pantheon argues, mortals are algaestain.

[redmar]

I expect that the druid will not be surprised when the invasion fails since he seems to realize that they know hardly anything about Equestria.