Trapped In Amber
"So, Miss Everfree, you said you're older than the Princesses? Have you ever met either of them?" Dinky inquisitively asked, with a mouthful of doughnut threatening to stop the words from coming out. Derpy scolded her daughter with just a stare that only a child of a mother can recognise.
Everfree sat crosslegged, in her bipedal form. The trio had been sharing these picnics for a couple of months since the first night they had met, and while Derpy was surprised at her new friends' transformation abilities, she figured it was still her, no matter their appearance. The last few times they met, the tall figure would show up as such, clearly more comfortable in that skin.
She chowed down on her own pastry, which was absolutely smothered in cream cheese and filled with cinnamon. Her smile grew several sizes and she gleefully squealed in delight as she devoured her favourite treat. Not wanting to receive the same look the young filly had gotten, she swallowed her mouthful, and responded with a nod, "I did, several times, actually. They were so small back then, but I haven't seen them in a very long time now, not since they abandoned their old castle."
The Castle of the Two Sisters, long abandoned by their namesakes shortly after one had sent the other to live on the moon for a thousand years. While dilapidated and worn down over the past millennia, it stood as a memory of long-lost times.
Derpy, turning away from her daughter now that she was slowing down her ravenous eating, looked upon Everfree's face. Taking note of the small smile on her face as her eyes bore into her sugary delight. From what the pony could tell, she was reminiscing over some cherished memories. "Do you miss them?"
The tall figure left her mind and stared back up at the grey pegasus, looking into her golden eyes. "I do, it's been so long since I used to babysit those young girls."
"B-Babysit? Like a foal-sitter?" Dinky squeaked out, astonished but yet another drop of substantial information from her friend. Everfree nodded and corrected herself.
"Ah, yes, sorry, foal-sit those young fillies. It was many, many years ago. I first met them in a similar way to how I first met you!" She booped Dinky on her nose and laughed softly as her eyes began to cross. The expression reminded her of Derpy's face when she was lost in thought. After collecting herself, and realising what the spirit had said, Dinky's pastel purple fur grew a shade of red around the cheeks and she looked anywhere but in the direction of the two adults next to her.
"But yes, when they were still young fillies, probably not too much older than you, Dinky, I was asked to take care of them by an old wizard with a long beard." She tapped her chin with a finger, accidentally leaving a splotch of cream cheese just under the bottom lip - which she promptly removed with a lick of her tongue. "Starspin the Beady? No, that isn't right..."
"Starswirl the Bearded!" Dinky proudly answered, puffing her chest in pride. Everfree giggled ever so softly again, a noise the two ponies would never grow tired of, and gave the filly a scratch behind the ear as a reward, which she was ever so thankful for.
"Ah, such a smart filly, I bet you take right after your mum!" Derpy blushed and hid behind her bangs as she was suddenly brought into conversation after just happily watching it unfold. Seeing straight through Everfree's ploy of making Dinky remember her lessons from school. Thinking of how well she did with her daughter, she pondered over the thought of letting the woman return to her foal-sitting duties once more with the unicorn that beamed happily up at her.
"But yes, that old coot, he was always so grouchy with me, but he trained those Princesses well, I'll give him that." Finally turning back to her cinnamon roll, she finished it in just a few more bites and began to sip from a cup of orange-flavoured tea.
Dinky had so many more questions, about the world back then, about the Princesses, and everything else she could learn from and about this woman. Alas, the picnic was coming to an end, the treats had been demolished by the hungry trio, and the drinks were running out.
Additionally, with how full her belly had become after eating a borderline unhealthy amount of muffins and doughnuts, she started to feel very tired. Trying to fight the battle of sleep, she opened her mouth to ask something - which was interrupted by a yawn.
Dinky promptly lost the battle.
Cradled in her mother's hooves, the remaining pair sat in silence for a while, sipping on their flavoured teas. The air was warm, and the land around was beautiful - brimming with life, from small chirping insects to huge patches of blue bell-shaped flowers surrounding them both.
Derpy noticed that the past couple of times they had met with Everfree, the forest seemed to explode in new and vibrant life. She looked over her friend, taking in her painted arms and face, and her clothing, which looked a lot more comfortable than the dress she wore when she first showed herself in her 'original' form, as the woman had put it.
It looked similar to the clothing that those bodybuilding ponies would wear sometimes, though why they decided to put on clothing to work out was a question she doubted she would ever get the answer to. Thin straps over her shoulders, connected to a shirt which ended by her waist, which also was adjourned by a loose-fitting, flowy pair of green trousers. The bottoms of which flared out, which kind of gave off the impression that Everfree had very huge ankles. Derpy giggled at the thought, as Everfree looked over and smiled.
"I can tell you're thinking something silly, Miss Hooves." The woman stated as she put her cup down on the picnic blanket. A mischievous glint in her eyes which paired well with the slight smirk on her face.
"Oh, nothing to worry about," Derpy replied, smirking right back at her, "though I have been thinking about how beautiful this area has become lately, can't help but think it has something to do with these picnics of ours."
They both looked around, demonstrating the pegasus' point. Birds tweeted in the branches above, building new nests or returning to old ones with some new materials they had found. Colours of the rainbow were splashed on all the flowers in the area as they erupted from what used to be trodden patches of dirt, or crawling their way up tree trunks.
"Haha, I guess it has, me and nature, we've been attuned ever since I first got here. It responds to my emotions more than it does my will, sometimes. Though..." Everfree brushed a hand over a sprouting flower next to her, "I would be lying if I said I wouldn't wish for this to be happening."
'Since I first got here?' Derpy pondered, 'Where did she come from?' Not wanting to take this bit of information away from her daughter as she slept, as she would undoubtedly have a thousand more questions to ask upon hearing that, she decided to let the moment pass.
"I guess, I haven't been truly happy in a long time. I've not been sad or upset, I can't even say I've been too lonely with the animals around, but I haven't felt... happy." Everfree's eyes adopted a look of longing, as the green orbs swirled in a mixture of different emotions. "Thank you, for coming to see me each week. It means much more than you know."
"Please, this is nothing compared to what you did for Dinks," Derpy responded, fighting back a small number of tears threatening to drop down her face as she heard her friend's words and her feelings. She tried not to think back on the panic she felt when her daughter had sprinted off after their last fight, and when she lost track of the small unicorn as she weaved through Ponyville.
"All the food you've brought me, which I doubt is good for my waistline, is more than enough repayment, not that I ever required any in the first place. If anything, I probably owe you another gift, maybe I cou-" Everfree began to mutter to herself, talking about growing a fruit tree for her or trying to create a hollowed-out treehouse.
Derpy laughed at this ancient spirit trying to come up with all these types of methods of repayment, and as she went to object, a lightbulb flashed above her head. She lifted a hoof, ensuring she didn't disturb the sleeping filly, to interrupt her. "If you must insist, I do have something you can help me with," Everfree looked at the pegasus thoughtfully, "how about you foal-sit this little one soon? I wouldn't mind a night to myself now and again."
"I..." the woman began to blink rapidly, fighting off some tears, "I would like that very much."
The trio said their goodbyes, Dinky waving tiredly as she yawned atop her mother's back. Everfree smiled and waved back as she watched them leave from the treeline, and shared a knowing look at Derpy, who hadn't informed the filly of their deal.
Once they entered Ponyville's outskirts, Everfree took a moment to drink up the sight. Lights and lanterns were turning on as the twilight sky above them darkened. Ponies of all various colours and sizes wandered around, finishing up their days, and beginning their nights - it was the weekend after all.
She spotted a pair of teenage unicorns in a park and gleefully watched as the colt tried to carefully rest his hoof around the other's shoulders, who decided not to be so tactful, and just lean her body against his. "Life is beautiful," Everfree thought to herself and turned her gaze towards a mountain nearby, which housed a magnificent castle, and city below. "I wonder how my girls are doing."
The woman continued to stand there for a while, suddenly acutely aware of how lonely she now felt without her two friends sharing a meal with her. She wrapped herself in her arms, hugging herself, before crouching down, and having a white mist envelope her.
When the cloud dissipated, what was once a tall bipedal creature, was now a translucent falcon, its wings and tailfeathers trailing off into wisps of ethereal smoke. It glanced around, before taking flight back over the forest, heading deep within its heart.
Derpy had lots to think about.
Everfree had said she wasn't sad or lonely, but she just knew that wasn't the truth. How quickly she embraced the idea of those picnics, how she was always at their spot instantly, or sometimes even there before them, eagerly awaiting their weekly rendezvous. How she always lingered as she watched Dinky and herself leave, even if the woman didn't think they had seen her waiting. She can talk to animals, as evident from the birds that talk to her, but were they friends? It didn't appear to be like how Fluttershy and her animals were close, and it definitely didn't seem like the friendship between the mare and Discord.
In all honesty, she offered the foal-sitting job before even thinking of a reason for one. Wanting to get Everfree out of the 'house' and be near other ponies, and make some friends with Dinky. The woodland spirit may be ancient, but it didn't appear to be very smart when it came to their wants or emotions.
...She would have to bake more cinnamon rolls to apologise for the thought.
Dinky was currently sleeping in her bedroom, while Derpy sat downstairs, sipping on some cider she kept around for evenings like these. The thought of going out with some friends of her own, maybe even talking to a nice stallion, was exciting, but it had been a long time since she left Dinky with a sitter. But, of all the ones she could think of, Everfree felt like the perfect option.
She was a mother in her own way, and from the stories both she and Dinky had told her, she helped raise that forest, literally breathing life into it. When and why it became so corrupted sprang to her mind often, but anywhere the woman touched, it was as if she was bringing it back to how it once was. A beautiful oasis of flowers and wildlife, untouched by the monsters that roamed within.
Lots to think about, but it was already late, and Derpy stifled a yawn. Finishing off her glass of cider, she got up, washed up, and headed to bed.
The following Friday, the Hooves' household was bustling with activity. Derpy was grabbing various bits and bobs to put into her saddlebags as she said she was heading to Canterlot for the night with some friends. Dinky was buzzing around, asking where she was going, who she was seeing, and where she was staying, but a repeated question that kept filling the air was; "But what about me?"
Derpy smirked to herself and said that a foal-sitter would be coming to take care of her. "You better be on your best behaviour Dinks! I don't want to have to come home for you harassing the poor mare." A stern warning, but even Dinky could tell there was a hint of impishness to her words.
"Who is it? Is it Cheerilee? Pinkie Pie?" As she continued to list off names, Derpy snuck to an open window, and whispered a familiar phrase to the wind, before closing it and heading towards the front door. The small unicorn followed, all the while still naming every pony she could think of.
"-Princess Twilight? Princess Celestia? Princ-" She was cut off, a small knocking could be heard at the front door, and weirdly low down as well. Her mother even appeared surprised, and as she opened the door, the look of shock only grew.
A small white bunny hopped into the house, its nose twitching as its big beady eyes looked around at the pair.
"Is that, uhh, what's their name... Angel? Is Fluttershy coming over?!" Dinky asked, getting excited at the thought of the yellow pegasus coming over to tell her bedtime stories in that soft voice of hers.
Instead, Derpy collected herself and giggled behind a raised hoof. "I think you'll find this sitter the best there is." And, as if planned, a white cloud surrounded the bunny, and as the fog grew in size, so did the creature inside, when it finally dissipated a familiar woman was standing in the Hooves' household.
"Everfree!" Dinky gleefully yelled, immediately hugging the tall woman's legs. The two adults giggled as the woman reached down to rub the fillies head. While scratching, Everfree turned to Derpy.
"Sorry I had to pretend a bit there, I don't think the ponies would respond well to me in my normal form, or a ghostly deer strolling through town." She blushed a tiny amount, a bit embarrassed at the thought of running around town as a bunny.
"How many other animals can you be, Everfree?" Dinky asked from below the woman in question's hand.
"I can be anything you can think of, little one, but I can't change how they look, if that makes sense."
"So you could be a pony if you wanted?" Derpy asked, thinking of the flawed logic of the spirit. If she could be anything, surely she could have just trotted here as a pony to not rouse any suspicion?
Knowing what the pegasus was thinking, Everfree decided it would be easier to show her, and quickly let the white mist envelop her again.
Suddenly, there was a huge glowing white Alicorn in the room. Derpy hadn't ever been too close to Princess Celestia before, but she could tell that the one in front of her was larger than her by a large margin. Like all the other forms Everfree had taken that wasn't her bipedal one, it looked like a ghost, with a see-through mane, and huge wings which ended without a clear boundary - instead little pieces of flowing fog that drifted into the air around her. Odd glowing orange eyes which gave off an almost eerie light.
The Alicorn didn't speak, instead cocking her head in a 'Do you know what I mean?' expression. Derpy made an expression of acknowledgement, smirking at the absurdity of the sight in front of her. Everfree could barely fit in the room in this form, her horn atop her head grazing the ceiling to the point where her neck was craned down.
Swiftly, Everfree returned to her original form, rubbing her neck a bit to ease the slight knot that had formed in the uncomfortable position. "I figure that would probably get the most attention of them all."
Dinky was silent for this entire ordeal, staring up at the woman with amazement and glee. She suddenly burst back into life, exclaiming how awesome she was.
"Like I said, I can't choose what the form I pick looks like, I can only choose to be it, and a pony chooses a very... extravagant form. If I put more effort into it I can appear less ghostly, even speak, but it makes me very tired." While saying this, she leaned down to pick up the excited filly at her feet, holding her to her chest.
Aware of the time, Derpy realised she should be setting off, she reached up to kiss Dinky on the forehead and told her again to be good, and gave a stern message to Everfree.
"You be good too, make some friends while you're here." The woman nodded back, surprised by the sudden order. Shortly after, the pegasus left, leaving the filly and the spirit alone.
The sun hadn't been lowered just yet, and Everfree had the sneaking suspicion that Derpy had left earlier than needed to force the woman to be in town longer. Not that she was upset, but she was wondering how exactly she could go out and make friends without a) scaring them off, or b) not being able to talk to them.
A problem for later, she decided, as the excited filly started to climb her head and shoulders, perching atop her head. As the trio grew closer, Everfree started leaving her wooden mask behind in the grove for their meetups, this time being no exception. It made her feel safe, a sort of suit of armour. Not that she needed one with her powers, but it felt nice to feel protected.
As she took in the sights of the Hooves' household, she noticed many drawings on their fridge, hung up by different muffin-shaped magnets. Peering closer, she saw how many of them were little doodles of herself with the mare and filly, with a few of them being her wearing that spiralling horned mask. Pointing towards one of them, she asked Dinky, "Who's this beautiful woman here? She looks pretty stunning."
"That's you, silly! And next to you is me and mum!" Dinky responded from atop Everfree's head, giggling as the woman raised a hand to her mouth and gasped.
"That's me?! You have a real talent here Dinky, keep this up and I'll have to keep a couple for myself." Lightbulb, "Hey, how about me and you draw together for a little bit?"
Dinky gasped at what she thought was the best idea she had ever heard, and as she was placed on the ground, she galloped towards the kitchen table, bringing forth some paper and coloured pencils.
The two continued to joke with each other as they drew pictures together. Dinky drawing a beautiful picnic with two ponies, a larger one with wings, and a smaller one with a horn sprouting from its head, and a tall creature sitting next to them with a cup of tea in their hands. All three had big smiles on their faces.
Everfree doodled Dinky, trying to impress her with some long-forgotten artistic skills, and while it didn't come out perfect (there wasn't any pencil the right shade of purple to match her coat), it was pretty spot-on, and the unicorn hugged the piece of paper, immediately pinning it to the refrigerator like her mum had done to her drawings so many times.
"You can keep this drawing Everfree, so you can think of us every time you're at home!" Not that the woman needed an object to be thinking of them, she already constantly thought of her friends, she graciously accepted and left it on the table as she didn't want to crease the paper in a pocket.
Aware of all the opportunities that now presented themselves, Dinky could barely think of an order to do them all. "Do you want to see my room?" she asked, in that childish glee that they get when they're about to show off. Everfree accepted, and followed the pony upstairs, having to bend her neck and back at the odd angle of the stairs which didn't quite accommodate her height.
The small unicorn's room was head to toe in charm and character, toys littered the floor, plush toys on her bed of the two Princesses that looked well-loved, and one that looked quite a lot newer, a plush cuddly deer. Everfree could only smile at the sight. There were even more drawings in this room, of ponies that the woman didn't recognise, but assumed were Dinky's schoolmates.
Atop a windowsill, there was a potted plant, it looked a bit worse for wear, and when questioned on it, Dinky had said, "I keep watering it but it doesn't seem to like me very much." Her cheeks puffed up as she looked down, upset at the dying plant.
"Ah, this plant is a succulent, little one. You don't need to water them very often, just give them lots of sunshine and love, and they'll grow on their own! You'll know when they're getting thirsty." Everfree raised her hands around the succulent, cupping it slightly as she moved her mouth close to it, and whispered something inaudible. As she backed away with a smile, the plant grew a lot greener, with a small flower sprouting from atop its head.
Wide-eyed in amazement, Dinky fawned over the plant, admiring its purple petals and green leaves. Everfree smiled at the sight. The filly turned to the woman, "How are you so good with plants Everfree? Even Earth ponies aren't this amazing with them!"
"I... I don't really know Dinky. I've always been good with them from what I can remember." A bit dejected without having a proper answer, Dinky soon let the matter drop as her childlike mind changed the topic for her. Staring out the window, she could see the park a little ways away and asked if they could go to play on the swings and slide.
Knowing that sooner or later, Everfree would be asked to leave the house, she took a moment to consider her options. Yes, she could leave the house like this, but risk ponies causing a stampede in fear, or even worse, thinking Dinky is in danger of the monster that's following her. She could also morph into a smaller creature, and follow the filly around, ensuring she's safe as she stays nearby.
Suddenly, an idea popped into the woman's head. Sure, she couldn't become a pony, but there were other creatures here, and without the size of a full-blown Alicorn, it would require far less energy to become one less incorporeal, and able to speak.
Finally, Everfree agreed, and Dinky as ran out to get her saddlebags (which were adorably decorated with some character from a book series the filly must enjoy), the woman ran through options in her head. A griffin was too large, a minotaur might be too intimidating, and a donkey was a good option but she didn't quite feel like doing that. Finally remembering a fellow resident of the forest, she found a good option.
As the pair went downstairs, Everfree ensured Dinky hadn't forgotten anything, and in a cloud of fog, the woman began to shift. She channelled forth some extra energy to ensure she looked alive and was able to properly speak. She would feel the strain of it later tonight for sure, but in this moment, it was the farthest thing from her mind.
Dinky watched in giddy delight, she always loved watching the woman shift, the magical fog that appeared and disappeared in moments, and while she had only ever seen her become a deer or go back to her original form before this day, it was awesome seeing how the clouds changed in size depending on what was happening.
As the white mist blew away in an unheard wind, what was left in its wake was a tall striped zebra. Its mane was tied back in a tail, and like the original form, was an almost midnight black, with strands of white running through it. On her flanks was a symbol of a tree, its upper branches curved downwards, almost touching the roots, which had curved upwards.
"Does-" the zebra coughed, "Is this working?" She rubbed her throat with a hoof, not quite used to the sensation of talking in a quadruped form.
"This is so awesome! We should go show Zecora!" Dinky bounced up and down, clearly excited at the new thoughts and plans racing through her head.
"Not today, little one, and Zecora and I have already met before, though, we didn't really speak. From what I remember she just kind of stared at me when I accidentally walked past her home." Everfree admitted, embarrassed by the memory. She was out looking for a certain type of flower in the Everfree, to try and cure it from a curse which had been placed on it long ago and encountered the zebra as she was outside her home. She must've been pretty petrified of the sight of this tall biped wearing its horned mask and long dress wandering nearby.
She thought that she ought to stop by one of these days and properly introduce herself.
"But let's get going to the park, the sun's still shining for a little bit longer, and afterwards we can get some dinner! Your mum left has some bits to go and enjoy ourselves." Thankful for the pegasus' foresight, Everfree never had much use for bits, and as such, didn't have a single one to her name.
The pair set off, heading to the park. Dinky bounced along instead of trotting, while Everfree watched with a smile. She noticed some ponies staring at her and cursed to herself for not remembering zebras aren't all that common around here. Though they continued nonetheless, Everfree even waved a hoof to a handful of ponies which stared for a touch too long.
She also soon realised that she stood taller than the majority of the residents of Ponyville, even the stallions. Realising that maybe all the stares weren't only due to her being an oddity, but due to her build and looks, and blushed slightly at the thought. She shook her head and started asking Dinky about how school was, and what they were learning.
"We're learning math!" the unicorn cheerily stated.
"You mean maths, with an s." Everfree corrected, realising that it didn't really matter as soon as the words left her mouth.
"No, just math! We're doing times tables."
"Oh, I used to hate those! I'm still bad at my seven times tables." The zebra stated, thinking back on a long lost time when she was still learning in classes.
"I can't do my nines..." Dinky responded, thinking back on the number of times it had been explained to her but she still couldn't grasp it.
"Well, I have a trick for those, can you do your ten times tables?" Dinky nodded, "Well then nines can be just as easy, do ten times, and then take the number away. So for example, ten times six would be sixty, take away six is..." she motioned to the filly to answer.
"Fifty-four?" the small unicorn responded after a moment of pondering.
Everfree smiled, "Exactly! so six times nine is fifty-four!" Dinky made an expression on her face as if suddenly an entire pool of knowledge opened up. The zebra could only giggle to herself as Dinky started doing math questions on their walk.
As they approached the park, Everfree took notice of a handful of other colts and fillies there, and the older ponies either playing with them or watching from the sidelines. One in particular stood out, having seen her in the forest many times before. Like the woman, this pony had a link to the forest.
It was an orange pony with a blonde mane, decorated on top with a stetson hat. Three apples shined on her flank. This was an Element of Harmony. The pony's name escaped the zebra, who tried scouring her mind to remember it.
As they entered the park's gate, Dinky galloped off, seeing a friend from school, a small yellow filly with a red mane, with a type of shield as her cutie mark. She too had been in the forest multiple times, and while Everfree never had to intervene, she always kept a watchful eye from atop the trees as a bird to ensure she would never get in too much trouble.
Everfree sat down on a bench, rubbing her temples with her hooves to try and ward off the beginning of a headache that was almost certainly due to the use of her powers earlier. Realising her current appendages weren't quite as effective as her fingers, she gave up and watched Dinky play with some friends.
While distracted, she didn't notice the stetson-wearing pony approach from the side.
"Howdy Miss! Ah ain't seen you around these parts before." A thick Western accent came from her lips, bringing back memories of old cowboy movies. Trying to withhold her expression of surprise at the sudden shock of her appearing next to her, Everfree turned to look at her.
"Hello, I, uhh," searching her mind for the right words, "I'm from the forest, quite deep though so I never usually come out. I'm just here looking after Dinky while her mum is away for the night."
"Foal-sittin', eh? Well, welcome to Ponyville, Ah'm Applejack, if you need anything you just let me know, ahright?" Everfree thanked her and turned back towards the foals, who were now playing pirates.
The pony, Applejack, shifted uncomfortably for a moment, and finally mustered up, "Hey, Ah don't recognise you, do ah? You feel mighty familiar."
The zebra panicked internally, she didn't want her cover blown so early, so with a lie, she responded, "No, I don't think so, maybe you've met my cousin, Zecora? I'm-" Uh oh, now she had to make up a name, "I'm Winters."
Applejack looked puzzled, certain that she knew she wasn't thinking of Zecora. This zebra in front of her just felt familiar, like they had met many times before. It was an uncanny feeling because she just couldn't place it. She didn't have the same accent, nor the same rhyming speech pattern as her 'cousin' either. Not wanting to push the matter and scare her off, she dropped the matter.
They continued in an awkward silence as they watched the kids play, who had gone from playing pirates to superheroes. Everfree/Winters watched intently, having been unable to be so close to lively foals like this in a group since before this town had even existed. They were galloping and jumping around, shouting superpowers they had. A painful twang shot through the zebra's head, a mix of the ever-growing headache, and some painful memories.
The collection of ponies began to grow thin, leaving to head home for the day as the sky started to shift colours. Planted on the bench, sitting with her legs tucked underneath her, Everfree managed to tame the pounding in her head, and it began just a dull sensation - one that would hopefully go away after some food and a nap.
Applejack, who had collected her younger sister, Applebloom, turned to wave to the zebra and Dinky, and as they both returned the gesture, the farmer noticed how much the grass had grown beneath the bench, almost quadrupling in length. She gave it an odd look and left to return to her farm, filly in tow.
Dinky and Everfree said their goodbyes to the remaining foals in the park, and some of the older ponies that either the small pegasus recognised, or that had spoken to the zebra during their time there. Dinky regaled all of the adventures she had been on during her time playing, even though her audience had been less than a couple metres away at all times - which made no difference as the adult gave her her full attention.
They meandered through Ponyville, not having a clear destination in mind, except for finding a place to eat. The pegasus pointed out different buildings and acted as a tour guide, informing Everfree of different shops, or houses which inhabited her friends. Eventually, Dinky showed off a small restaurant and stated that the Princess likes to eat there sometimes.
'The Princess?' the zebra thought, taking a large and sudden interest in this building. "Should we eat here?" Dinky nodded, and the two entered and waited to be sat. They didn't wait too long, and within a few minutes, they had already found a place to sit and had drinks on the table - a soda for the filly and a glass of water for the zebra.
Everfree scanned the crowd, meeting eyes with a handful who were staring, but ignoring them, until she saw what she had been looking for. A purple Alicorn was sitting in a corner, head deep in a scroll, with a small dragon sitting next to her. While the pony was preoccupied, the reptile was not and was caught looking straight at Everfree. Blushing due to being seen, the dragon looked away and whispered something to the Alicorn.
"Hey Dinky, those two over there, is that the Princess?" Everfree asked after taking a sip from her water with a straw. the small pegasus looked up from her crayon masterpiece - something the zebra had requested when she had seen some drawing paper and utensils by the restaurant host's stand. Dinky nodded, looking over at the pair.
"Yep! That's Princess Twilight and Spike!" the filly offered a wave to the two, who were now both staring in her direction. Everfree waved as well, feeling her headache start to come back. The noise here wasn't doing her any favours, and something about the magic in this room was certainly making it worse. It wasn't as painful as earlier, but it began to feel more uncomfortable than it hurt.
The rest of the dinner remained uneventful, the two chatted about various things while eating their meals. A salad for the zebra, and a burger for the pony. They laughed as Dinky pointed out some ceasar sauce which was splotched all over Everfree's muzzle, who made a silly face trying to see it.
After their main courses, Dinky had gotten a chocolate sundae, and Everfree treated herself to a slice of cake. They both silently chowed down, enjoying their desserts.
Once they had finished they paid the waiter, and left a substantial tip - Everfree, not quite knowing what a good amount to give was, just gave them everything she had left in the amount Derpy had left. The zebra just nodded when questioned about the amount given - and the waiter left their table with a huge smile on their face.
The pair stayed seated for a while, finishing their drinks and talking about what to do that evening. Everfree's ear twitched and jumped a little at the sudden presence of a purple Alicorn standing next to them. "Hello, I don't think we've met. I'm-"
"Twilight!" Dinky exclaimed, scuttling out of her seat to hug the Princess. She returned the embrace with a foreleg, smiling down at the small unicorn, and then shifting her gaze back onto the zebra.
Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic. Everfree knew lots about her but hadn't ever properly met them. Wanting to keep a respectable distance away, her magic was jarring to be in the presence of - it just felt too familiar. Memories of the Princesses as foals practising their own magic flashed through her mind.
Recalling the lies she had already stated, and hoping Dinky wouldn't notice- or at the very least, not speak up about, Everfree responded. "I'm Winters. It's nice to meet you, Princess." She bowed her head slightly and lifted an eyebrow as Twilight recoiled a bit, clearly not used to, or just disliking, the gesture. Collecting herself, the Alicorn opened her mouth to ask a question, but the same expression that Applejack had earlier planted itself on her face.
Twilight peered closer at Everfree/Winters, trying to suss out what this odd feeling coming over her was. This zebra was emitting a bizarre energy type. It didn't feel like pony magic, and from all she knew, zebras didn't have their own form of it. No, this magic felt... ancient. Primal. Dinky departed the hug and turned to talk to Spike the dragon, who, again, was staring up at the zebra with wide eyes. A blush crossed his face when he was knocked out of his trance.
Everfree felt like a piece of meat in front of these two. She didn't quite appreciate the personal bubble being encroached on by this mare. She cleared her throat and stared into the pony's eyes, whose own widened in the realisation of how close she had gotten in her scans.
I-I'm sorry, it's just, have we met?"
Again, that question. Everfree knew why they were asking this, they had been inside of her forest many times, and certain parts of it were more touched by her magic than others. That old castle, a spot the spirit visited on her off days, must have radiated her energy. The Elements of Harmony had gone there several times throughout their various adventures.
Everfree was hoping that seeing and meeting this Princess would remind her of the two fillies she once called friends, but instead, all it did was bring up some sour memories. "No, I don't believe we have, but we must be going, it's getting dark. Come along, little one." She pushed herself off the chair and reached a hoof towards Dinky.
"But, Miss Everfree..." the filly whined, clearly wanting to talk to Spike for a bit longer.
"Come along."
Twilight watched as the pair left, knowing she had upset the zebra, she tried to apologise, but they had left before she could speak up. Feeling a bit blue, she turned to Spike, about to head home herself. Spike brought a claw to his chin, and stated aloud, "That Everfree sure is a character."
"Huh? Say that again Spike?" Twilight's ears raised to attention.
"That 'Miss Everfree', she seemed a bit grouchy."
'Miss Everfree? I thought she said her name was Winters? Could it just be her last name?' Twilight lost herself in thought. 'That zebra, I have met her before, somehow. Though all I can think is... is... in the Everfree Forest.'
"Spike, let's get back, I need you to help me send a message to the Princesses."
Everfree's head was tight, it kept fluctuating from a dull ache to a full-blown migraine, and being so close to the horn of that Princess had made it severely worse. She was short with Dinky earlier, and she would have to make up for it once they had returned to the Hooves' household.
Their trot back was silent, Dinky grew tired, filled with food and having used up all her energy earlier in the day. The zebra was instead lost in her mind, trying to think of ways to alleviate her current predicament. She didn't make any friends today, as was ordered by Derpy, it felt more like she had done the opposite.
Once they got back home, Dinky yawned, and sat down on the couch, and Everfree, who was growing more tired by the second, sighed heavily as she joined her. Reflecting the spirit's state, the wispy cloud very slowly grew around the zebra, and the transformation took a tad longer than it had in the past.
Finally, back in her own skin, Everfree stretched, hearing her joints pop, and began to massage her temples with her now returned fingers. Dinky stared up at her, recognising that something didn't feel quite right. Her mother had come home sometimes looking a similar way, and when asked, she was always told to not worry, and that Derpy was okay.
Not wanting to be shut down, she instead chose a different method, and opened her mouth to ask, "Miss Everfree, I know you can become any animal, so what's the one you are now?" The woman in question blinked, realising she had forgotten to ever say.
"While I can become anything, little one, this isn't a form I choose. This is just... me." Everfree flared her arms a bit, expressing her hands in a way to show her body off. "I'm a Human."
"Are there any other Human around?"
"Humans, dear," She put added weight onto the 's' sound, "and, from what I know, no. I'm the only one around." Everfree stated, before thinking to herself, 'Though, I don't know if I even qualify as a person anymore. Maybe I just say I'm a fey next time.'
Dinky continued to look up at the human, her golden eyes staring into those green pools. "That sounds sad, Miss Everfree"
Collecting herself, and realising the sombre feeling the night had directed itself, the woman laughed and brought a hand to the filly's head to ruffle up her mane. "No, it's not bad, I have you and your mother to keep me company!" Dinky laughed, trying to remove the hand from atop her head, and stopping as it moved to scratch behind her ear. Losing herself in the delightful feeling, she didn't notice Everfree's smile drop slightly, and her eyes glistening with tears.
It was late. The day had been long and very exhausting for the woman. She didn't remember how draining it was to care for a child, not even to mention the strain of social interaction with strangers. Everfree sighed quietly to herself, she was currently tucking Dinky into bed, who was fighting off sleep to have more moments with her sitter.
"Thank you for today, Miss Everfree," Dinky yawned out, cuddling her deer plushie, as her blanket was tucked underneath her. The woman smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed as the pony kept almost drifting, but shaking her head to stay awake. "Do you," she yawned, "know any songs? Mummy sings to me sometimes before bed."
Everfree searched her mind for a moment, remembering one that she used to sing. She opened her mouth and with a voice as delicate as a flower petal, she sang.
"Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dream of
Once in a lullaby, oh"
Dinky had drifted off to the serenading lullaby, a smile left on her face as she began to quietly snore. Everfree lowered her head to the pony's forehead, gave it a kiss, and at a much lower volume, continued to sing as she left the room.
"Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true-ooh-ooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops that's where
You'll find me, oh"
"Where did you learn that song Everfree?" the white Alicorn filly said, her pink mane tied back in a ponytail - courtesy of the person in question. Her younger sister, a dark blue pony, simply stared up with wide eyes at the soothing voice.
"Well, young one, my father used to sing it to me. Oh, you girls would have loved him. In the summer evenings, he would bring out a ukelele, and strum out the tune and sing to me and my mother over a campfire."
"Whats a ukielaylay?" The smaller of the pair asked, her blue eyes sparkling like that of the night sky.
Everfree giggled, running her hand through the pony's blue mane. "A ukelele, Luna. It's like a small guitar, kind of. It's a magnificent instrument. I'll try making one, and show you girls what you're missing out on." The woman looked to the dark sky above, gazing upon the twinkling stars. "Alright, come along girls, Starswirl has more magic lessons for you tomorrow, and you should be getting to bed."
The fillies groaned, not wanting to go to sleep just yet. "But Miss Everfree, we want to learn magic from you!" whined the white Alicorn.
"I wish I could, Tia, but our magic is different, the way we do it is very different, I would be a poor teacher."
Everfree awoke with a start, she had fallen asleep on the couch after placing Dinky to bed and was dreaming of some fond memories. She ran a hand through her hair and wiped away the sleep gathered in the corners of her eyes.
Her headache was long gone, as she had thought, a drink and some sleep did clear it up. She hadn't used her powers like that in some time, becoming an ethereal spirit was child's play to her, but forcing the energy to make her a corporeal being capable of speech? It wore her right out.
She stood up to get herself a glass of water, and as she filled it, she splashed her face with some of the cold water. 'You're getting old, woman' she thought to herself. 'Yeah, understatement of my life.' She sighed, her shoulders falling as she drank.
How old was she now? She could hardly remember, a lot of the years blurring together - especially those she spent in those woods, which were a significant amount in the last millennia. She saw her reflection in the window, taking in the sight of the spirit looking back at her. She had stopped ageing physically when she had turned twenty-five, explaining to herself that it had something to do with when cells start dying off faster than they grow. She assumed that anyway, not sure if that fact was even true.
Her midnight black hair was long, reaching just below the middle of her back, with white streaks running through and fading in places. Her tattoos hadn't faded, some done professionally back when she was home, others with her artistic prowess and a stick and poke.
Her light brown skin was sprinkled with freckles, a result of exposure to the sun earlier in the week. She didn't look old, she didn't even look bad, but she felt old, and she felt bad. Similar to the Castle of the Twin Sisters, Everfree stood as a relic, albeit a living and breathing one. Her appearance was stuck in time like a mosquito trapped in amber.
Derpy arrived home early in the morning on Saturday, looking refreshed and relaxed. She hugged her daughter and Everfree and asked them about the day prior. Dinky went on about all the different things they had done, drawing together, and going to the park. Smiling, the pegasus turned to Everfree, who had been silent for the whole speech, and her expression dropped a tad.
The woman looked tired, and not in the way one gets tired after looking after a foal as lively as Dinky. No, she looked emotionally exhausted. Electing not to bring up the order she had given her about making some friends, she thanked her again and relieved her of her duty.
The woman took the photo Dinky had drawn of the trio off the table, holding it carefully in her hands. She dropped to one knee to hug the filly tight and said it was very fun to hang out with her, she gestured for Derpy to come over, and gave her the same.
And like that, she had left, leaving the two ponies together. Dinky continued to chatter about how fun it yesterday and been and how awesome the woman was, but Derpy could only think about her friend. Something felt wrong, and as she continued to think about the spirit, her daughter said,
"Muuum, you're eyes are crossing again, you're thinking too hard!
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had received a scroll from Twilight late last night, and while Luna was awake to receive it, she deemed it necessary to wake her sister up after reading the first few lines.
"Sister, this zebra Twilight speaks of, do you think it could be her?" Luna asked, looking at her sister's face, which was deep in concentration on the words of the letter.
"I... can't say for certain, Luna. It sounds like her, but we haven't heard from her since-" Celestia cut herself off, looking down at Luna's face in shame.
"Since Nightmare Moon." finished the dark blue Alicorn. The two shared a sombre moment, each remembering those tragic days of the past. After some minutes had passed, Luna spoke up again, "Is it worth visiting her? If she's around our little ponies again, maybe she's willing to talk?"
Celestia thoughtfully stared into her sister's eyes. The last time the Princess spoke with the woodland spirit, it resulted in them both leaving the situation more upset than when they had started it. "It's been a thousand years, Luna. Who knows what she'll say?"
"We won't know unless we find out."
They shared another look, and with a determined nod, levitated over a blank scroll and quill.
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I had figured this chapter's reference was to fossilized amber. Only thing that kept rolling through my head was Jurassic Park
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While a very big favourite of mine, not quite, to give a little hint, all the chapter titles (as well as the main story's name) are all linked to one thing, though it may be a little bit vague