I've Got This

Today’s my thirteenth birthday, and you know what that means!

Mom and dad are finally letting me help out at Camp Everfree!

Of course, I’m not an official counselor or anything. The only thing I’m going to be doing is what they tell me, and most of that will be running around to get replacement oil for the tents, bits of equipment for archery, checking on the lake conditions, making sure the campfires are out. All that kind of stuff.

But I’m still happy! I’ve lived at Camp Everfree my whole life. I wake up every day in these old woods, go for a swim whenever I want in our lake, hike up and down all the hills and valleys I like, and I get that beautiful view of the mountains every day and skies full of stars every night. I get to have all the fun that all the other campers get for only a month all year round! I get to be here in winter and spring as well as summer and fall!

But now? Now I get to really be a part of it. I finally get to be part of what mom and dad do all the time! I’m finally old enough to be part of the Camp Everfree staff!

"Ok, ok, Gloriosa. You can stop jumping up and down any time now. We're really going to need you around here from now on. This is a lot of responsibility. Don't think that just because you're just a 'junior ranger' that this means you don't have to work hard to give everyone the best time ever."

Oh, dad... I know it’s going to mean a lot of work and responsibility. We’re open six months out of the year and we’ve got to take care of six different groups. Six times a year we’ve got to learn a whole set of names and faces and be able to take care of them all. Dad always told me we’ve got to make sure everyone has a good time, while mom always told me we’ve got to make sure everyone makes a lot of good memories so everyone has fun and keeps coming back.

But I’m up to it! I already take care of Timber all the time when mom and dad are off at the lake or on nature hikes. And he’s got to be worse than a bunch of campers, heh!. I can take care of this!

I got this!

Sweet sixteen has come around, and so’s my 'promotion'! I’m up to Junior Counselor now!

If I thought my work was bad before, it’s getting way more intense now. Now I actually have to take care of the campers themselves. I’ve got to keep all the schedules and activities straight, and plan them based on what each group of campers wants. I’ve also got to start keeping track of the rules and making sure all the new campers know them. I may have lived at Camp Everfree all my life, but they haven’t. There’s things a lot of city kids don’t know about like ticks and nettles and snakes and poison oak.

But I’m up to it! I’ve got to be. Mom and dad have really been working hard lately. Harder than I’ve seen them in a while. Ever since we shifted to seven months out of the year, dad’s been run ragged. Mom’s not doing much better. It seems we always collapse in bed at the end of the day ever since that increased workload. And since we added rock climbing? Phew…that’s a whole slew of liability issues and waivers to manage in addition to all that.

It’s quite a lot to deal with and mom and dad need all the help they can get. Too bad Timber isn’t too helpful as a ‘junior ranger’… Looks like he’s always on his phone in the few spots we get reception, and always complains about things like when the campers get mud all over the sailboats or cleaning up after arts and crafts. He says we barely have any time to ourselves at the end of the day, and he never gets a chance to go to town during the months when we have campers.

"I spend the whole summer here every year! I want to do something new! Something different! Aren't you bored of being at camp every single summer?"

Well, taking care of so many campers and keeping them happy is a lot of work. Mom and dad work hard too and they need some relief. Luckily, that’s what they got me around for. And now that I’m a junior counselor I can really take some of the stress off of them.

I totally got this!

My eighteenth birthday. I’m finally eligible to take on the role of a full camp counselor. And not a moment too soon…

Dad hasn’t looked that good in the past few weeks. He gets tired out getting the boats ready. He gets too weak trying to spot campers on the rock climbing. Yesterday he had to cut off one of the nature hikes early. That’s never happened before. He looks pretty worn out now. In fact, most days he looks pretty worn out, but there’s nothing for it. During camping season the only time we get to relax is when we head to bed. The campers keep us busy the rest of the time…

But it’ll be fine. Timber looks like he’s taking this job a bit more seriously now. True, he doesn’t have near the experience…but that’s what I’m here for. I’ll take over for dad and just split my shifts to handle half of his groups plus mine. Then he’ll have half the day to rest and everything will work out great. I just need to step things up, give dad a ‘light’ month, and then everything will be back to normal.

I know how to be a good counselor. I can keep everyone happy and entertained on two sides for a month, and then dad will be right as rain.

I got this.

A heart attack…

I still can’t believe it… It couldn’t possibly be happening…

Dad keeps in such good shape with all of that running around all day. He hikes, he swims, he runs, he chops wood… He eats healthy all the time and takes care of himself, and still has time for all the campers!

…Me.

It was my fault. I couldn’t step up.

I didn’t know going from junior counselor to senior counselor would be so different. I didn’t know they had so much more to do. I was going to make things easier on dad. I was going to take more work from him, but…but I couldn’t. I was making too many mistakes. I was getting too mixed up on the schedules…forgetting camper’s names…almost letting that one who had peanut allergies have a PB&J packed lunch for that one hike… I had to give some of the work back to dad. When he should have been resting, he had to get back to work. And now…

That insurance plan he bought doesn’t cover operations like the one he needs. After that storm knocked down one of the cabins two years ago, we don’t have any savings. What are we going to do? How are we going to pay for that surgery?

Mom says we have another option but until then everyone needs to step up. We can’t close the camp for the season. Definitely not now. It needs to stay open more than ever or we’ll all be living off of those wildberries we point out on nature hikes…

Alright…I wasn’t ready before, but I am now. I’m going to just have to really step things up and bring my A game. I’ll handle both my shifts and dad’s, and I’ll do my part to get him well again.

I can do this.

I got this.

This…this is…

No…deep breath…don’t lose it now, Gloriosa.

But…dad’s…dad’s gone.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. None of this was supposed to happen. That surgery was supposed to fix everything! We got the money for it! Dad was supposed to be right as rain! Not…not…

Good god…don’t tell me it was because dad found out how we had to pay for it…

We didn’t have a choice. I know that camp meant everything in the world to him. It meant everything to mom too. It meant everything to me. But that lake, that forest, those mountains…it was the only thing of value our family had. We had to mortgage…just to get him better. Back on his feet. And once he was back, we could always get the money back…somehow…

And now not only could we lose the camp, we don’t have the money for funeral.

…No. No, this isn’t it. The camp is still open. We haven’t lost it yet. We can still make the next few payments. Enough to get camp started again. And once it happens, I’ll make it better than ever. I’ll make camp the best it’s ever been. Mom and I will run things so well we’ll…we’ll…

We’ll open eight months out of the year. Yes, that’ll take care of it. We’ll have the extra money to make the payments, we’ll keep the camp, and everything will be fine. Just fine. I’ll handle the last month myself if I have to. I know this camp like the back of my hand.

I have to do this. This was the most valuable thing dad ever owned. I won’t lose it. I’ll work as hard as I have to in order to get it back.

I’ve got this.

Timber has been giving mom and me a lot of trouble lately. It makes me mad, but…I can’t say I blame him. He never liked living here. He always wanted to move to the city where they didn’t have to worry about wildlife, mud, mosquitos, and constant weather and tree damage. And since we opened eight months out of the year, everyone is running a bit on fumes. The first and last sessions are the worst. We really shouldn’t be open that early or late in the year. We aren’t getting many takers for weather that cool, and…I think we got so few campers this year we may finish in the red for those months…

"This camp took dad from us! This stupid stand of trees and mud! Why do you all want to keep it?"

But everything is going to be alright. One or two more years of this and we’ll be back on solid ground again. We’ve closed out the debts on the funeral, we’re making all our mortgage payments, and we’re even putting some money away. If we can just keep this pace up a bit longer and not have any more red months, we’ll make it.

I’ll just do what mom always does. Nice, perky voice…friendly, welcoming attitude…and always make sure we keep the activities going so all the campers are happy. Just one more year…two at the most…

I can do it. I can get us out of this hole.

I have got this.

No-no-no-no-no! This can’t be happening! This is a nightmare! It’s not real! I’ll wake up any second and it’ll all be a bad dream!

I’ll be back helping the campers! I’ll be smiling and cheerful! The sun will be shining! Everyone will be laughing! And mom…

Mom…

Why? Why didn’t you listen to me?

I told you my leg was feeling fine. I told you it wasn’t sprained, just twisted. I told you I could handle the sailboats. That I had this. But you wouldn’t listen… You kept telling me I always say that even when I’m run ragged… You told me I might break my ankle out there… You told me you could handle the sailboat group in your sleep…

Camp’s over. Everyone got a full refund. So…we have to clean out the savings again to pay for the funeral. And we still can’t make the next payment…

It was my fault… All of this was my fault. If I had stepped up, dad would have never had the heart attack. If I had been nicer and helping the campers out more, we wouldn’t have had those red months. If we would have stayed in the black, I wouldn’t have had to work so hard now. I wouldn’t have slipped on that path near the quarry. I wouldn’t have had to sit out. And mom wouldn’t have been on that boat when the wind picked up the sail…

This camp was the most important thing to mom and dad, and it’s the most important thing to me. And when it needed me, I let it down. I slacked off. I didn’t step up and take care of things. It’s because I haven’t been handling everything like I should have that we’re in this situation. Now we could lose everything again…

I’ve got to keep it together… I’ve got to pull through this… I’ve got to be enough of a ‘parent’ for everything, especially now that it’s just me and Timber. I have to take care of him too.

I can’t lose him like I lost mom and dad. If I do, then…then I really won’t have anything.

This camp is mine now. I have to keep it. I lose it now, and I’ve lost everything our family has been since great-grandma and grandpa. Somehow I will. Mom and dad could, and so can I.

I’ve got this.

I never realized just how hard this was. Mom not only handled being a counselor, but she handled the finances. I always thought it was as simple as taking in the money from the campers, but there’s expenses everywhere. Just replacing old equipment costs an arm and a leg. That food isn’t cheap either. Neither is fuel. Just letting the campers keep their lights on until campfire costs an extra 300 a month. I could try and cut some of these out, but…all of the campers expect them now. If I make them unhappy and they stop coming, how much money will we really be losing?

The bank is writing letters now every week. I’ve tried telling them they can’t get blood from a stone, but they said I have to meet the agreed-upon minimum payments. If I can’t somehow get the money to make the next one, they said my only option will be to look for someone who can buy my remaining debt. And there’s no telling what conditions they’ll put on the camp if they own the property…

Timber is at least not talking about abandoning the camp anymore. I think he finally gets how important it was to mom and dad. But I can’t rely on him. I made too many mistakes trying to let other people do what I should have done myself. I’ve got to sort through this…keep the books balanced…keep the campers having a good time…and everything will work out.

Everything has to work out this time. I mean…we only have two mouths to feed… Timber says maybe we should hire more help, but no. Not until the books are clear. Not until I’m sure we can spare more money. I can handle it. I can do it.

I’ve…I’ve got this.

What…what now? What am I going to do…?

I stalled it as long as I could. I did everything I could with the books, but it wasn’t enough. I was too delinquent on payments. I couldn’t let us fall into bankruptcy or the camp would be gone forever. Selling the debt was the only chance, but…now the land is the property of Filthy Rich. My great-grandparents settled this land. They set the very stones that make the foundation of the cabin I live in. And now I’m renting the privilege to live here…

These rent payments are worse than the mortgage ones. He says the land would make a boatload as a nature spa; a lot more than it does as a camp. I know what he’s trying to do. He’s wanting to close the camp down. He knows we don’t have the money and that we can’t make the payments. That's why he's charging so much. He'll run us out and then....then...

I…I couldn’t help it. I felt so helpless and small. I saw him dangling Camp Everfree right in front of my face and a moment from taking it away forever. I almost broke down in tears. I put my hands together…pleaded with him…begged him… If he had said no I would have literally gotten on my knees.

"Fine... I'll give ya' 'til the end of the month. Hmph."

He gave me one more month, but…that wasn’t pity. It was torture. He knows I’ll never have the money. Canterlot High School has already made their advance payment and it’s not enough, and we won’t get any more money until after the deadline. He’ll take whatever I can give him for extra pocket change and then kick me out. I’ll have lost everything. I’ll have let the whole family down.

I…I…I don’t know what to do. I thought I could handle everything. I thought I could save this camp. But…but there’s nothing left. No money and no hope.

What can I do? I’ve let everyone down… Timber tells me to just let it go; that I did all I could. But no. Mom and dad could have saved Camp Everfree. I didn’t. It was my job to take care of this place and I failed. I didn’t care enough for the campers and I didn’t care enough for the camp. Now we’re going to lose everything…

I used to be happy sitting out here by the lake. It used to make me happy. Now I can’t stop thinking about how in four weeks I may never be able to sit here again without paying a fee.

I’m at the end of my rope. I…

I…I don’t…

Wait…what’s that?

This…this is impossible. I’ve been down in this old quarry hundreds of times. I looked in all of the caves when I was a child. I never saw anything like this before. But now…

What in the world are these things? I don’t know, but so long as I’m holding onto them all I have to do is think of plant growth coming out of the ground and “poof”, vines spring right out of the ground. They grow fast…so fast. I started to fall off that podium the crystals were on and before I could hit the ground they already had a seat under me. In just an instant, they make something strong enough to hold me… They grow so fast they actually make force…

How is this possible? It’s just like magic! It only works when I’m holding onto them, though. If I put them down, nothing happens. Whatever this power is it’s in the geodes.

I told Timber what happened. He didn’t believe me at first, not even when I showed him the stones. Then I made a mass of elderberry vines spring out right before his eyes. He believed me after that, but he wasn’t amazed like I was. He shrank back from the geodes like they were burning hot coals. He hasn’t come within ten feet of the vines since I made them grow either. I tried to talk about them more, but after seeing what they could do he told me just to get rid of them. That what happened wasn’t natural and these things can’t be good.

Maybe I should put them back. They had to be hidden for a reason…

Then again…there’s obviously nothing in the world that can do something like this. Which means that there’s no other camp in the world that has something like this. That means maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance this camp can give the campers the most unique experience in the world.

I won’t know for sure unless I practice. Not unless I try out these stones a bit more and see what they can really do. Time is ticking away. Canterlot High arrives in less than a week. It’s got to be our best month ever to have any chance at saving Camp Everfree. It’s got to be absolutely perfect. There’s a lot to do, but if I can get this to work with it we might just pull this off…

I can do it. I can save this camp.

I’ve got this.

"You don't know what those things are!"

I guess I can understand how Timber is still upset about this, but I’m not losing Camp Everfree if there’s anything I can do about it.

I’ve been practicing using the geodes. I’ve even made it easier by making a necklace out of them. Now I can wear them all the time and none of the campers arriving today will know any better. It’ll look just like a craft charm necklace. All I have to do it keep the campers away from the other two still in the quarry, and everything will be fine.

I can make vines and branches grow out of anywhere now, and make them grow so fast that they can put out force into them. I can actually make them lift things like small boulders. Obviously I can’t do this in front of anyone, but I know I can use this to make this camp session the best one ever.

But Timber doesn’t like it. He was mad enough when he saw that I didn’t put the geodes back and forget about the cave, but on hearing that I had been practicing… Now whenever he doesn’t look upset that I kept the geodes he shrinks away whenever I make the vines grow. He hates that so many of them usually look twisted and ugly. He hates that I have to concentrate to even make them look “pretty”.

Normally I wouldn’t want to do anything to upset or scare Timber, but…he has to realize we’re in a crisis situation. We need to make this camp a success and it’s most successful ever. This is our last chance to save Camp Everfree. If we have any advantage, we have to use it. He needs to see this as divine providence. Why else would we have found these geodes if they weren’t meant to be used now? I’m going to save the camp. All I have to do is make this work. And I will.

I’ve got this.

Everything is working out just fine, you see? Everything is under control! So you can stop giving me that look anytime now, Timber…

My plan is working just fine. All I have to do is be the same good-natured counselor that mom and dad always were. Just step right out there any take all the camper’s requests and don’t say no. They want fun, we can give them fun. Camp Everfree can be everything they expected. The sky’s the limit. Everyone is taken care of now and having a great time. Any request they have I handle with a smile.

So why are you still making all those asides to me, Timber?

I never seemed to notice just how irritating my brother can be. At first I thought it was just the geodes, but now he seems to be nitpicking all of my decisions. He keeps second-guessing me at every turn and questioning all of my decisions. He nearly caused me to lose my composure today in front of the campers. And then, of course, things had to get worse when Filthy Rich came by pretty much just to rub in my face how soon my payment is due. Rode right up in his limousine just to make a snide comment, more or less, then drove off again.

You know what’s funny? A week ago I think my knees would have started knocking as soon as I saw the sun reflect off of the hood of his car. I would have nearly shrunk back and whispered prayers that he wasn’t here wanting an advance on his money. But these geodes have had another nice effect. I’ve been feeling a lot stronger and more energized…even more powerful. Now when I saw that corporate thief drive up I just felt angry. And I should. He gave me until the end of the month, so I’d prefer it if he didn’t drive up as if he was going to start measuring the acreage for where the foundations of his spa was going to be.

I’m feeling better than ever about this month. With this new power, I’ll give the campers the best summer ever. I can feel it, and I’ve got two of our oldest alumni already rooting for me along with the campers. On top of all of that, when a plank on the dock broke, the campers volunteered their project to be making a brand new dock. Now we have one less expense and the campers are having the time of their lives. This is going to go great.

I’ve got this.

…So you can stop frowning at me any time now.

What does my brother think he’s doing? Is he trying to undermine me?

I found out last night that he decided to share a “traditional” scary story about Camp Everfree. He made up this fable on the spot about some plant monster named Gaia Everfree potentially reclaiming the camp for the forest. He couldn’t even come up with a decent name… After hearing that story he nearly threw me off when I had to tend to a couple of campers who forgot basic essentials. When he’s spreading stuff around like that to give off that the camp is haunted, it totally throws me off my game. I need to take care of everyone and make sure they know they’re all being taken care of, and when two campers need me to make some late night runs I don’t need to be stressing out about some fictional myths.

"They all enjoyed the story, didn't they? Why are you getting so worked up? You don't need to raise your voice!"

And of course I’m going to “raise my voice” about this. Especially when the only excuse you have is “I’m trying to cover for you if you really decide to use those freaky stones”. I haven’t even used them in front of the campers yet, so why are you giving me a hard time?

Don’t you understand? I’ve got this!

You know, now that I think on it, it’s all starting to make sense.

I had one little teeny tiny accident today, which one can understand as it was my first time. I saw a couple of campers trying to go sailing when there was no wind. Well, I just decided to use the geodes to give them a little push. I’ve never tried to push a boat before, and I wasn’t ready. I pushed them just a little bit too hard…

Alright, so that new dock they were building got a bit damaged and…alright, the boat got smashed. But the campers were fine. Both ended up on shore just a little startled. They weren’t even bruised. It was just a little mistake. I’ll do better next time. The campers are already rebuilding the new dock and everything will be fine.

And yet Timber had to spread some stupid gemstone dust around to make it look as if “Gaia Everfree” was responsible for the whole thing, then as soon as no one was looking he accused me of using the geodes as if I had just committed a sin.

But that got me thinking. The other day, he was telling the campers how much work it would be to fix the docks and how many activities they could miss out on. Almost like he was trying to say fixing it wasn’t worth it…as if it would be better to let the dock stay ruined and cancel all water activities for the rest of camp. And I remember that he always hated living in this camp when he was younger.

Is that what this is about, Timber? Are you wanting us to lose the camp? So you can finally move to the city? So you can see our home turned into some industrial creep’s latest piggy bank? So you can let mom and dad’s dream die?

I’m not sure how much I can depend on Timber for this session. I’ve got to keep an eye on him plus keep everyone happy. I’ve got to show them all such a good time they forget the whole business about the boat.

But I can do it… I’ve got this.

Nag, nag, nag… Whine, whine, whine… That’s all they do all day from sunup to sundown…

Were all of the campers always this bad? I swear they sound like sirens with their endless droning… And they’re never happy. I see two campers stuck unable to fish at a dried out creek bed and I move just a few boulders that collapsed to let the water flow, and what happens? The boulders shake the entire camp and not only scares half the campers but makes a student fall in the lake. So soon I’m having to run to take care of her and while I’m gone two more campers somehow manage to blow up the dining hall. So now I’m stuck having to clean that up when two more campers come in and start whining like little kindergartners about not having things…

I’m constantly giving all of you little brats every one of your little demands and whiny little needs and all you give me is more problems for it. I bend over backwards to care for you and this is how you repay me. You make me so mad sometimes that I want to scream.

You had all better tell everyone that this month was the best month of your short little lives when you leave camp or I’ll…I’ll…

Oh, and of course one other thing. “Gaia Everfree”, courtesy of Timber, got blamed for everything again. Now I’m seeing the campers whispering to each other about it and looking afraid at the forest. He’s trying to sabotage me…to sabotage the camp. He’s trying to ruin everything.

I won’t let him. I won’t.

I’ve got this.

Im up at the crack of dawn, I run around all day every day, and it’s still not enough.

The sun comes up and I’m out tryin to make everyone ehappy yet they just keep asking for more, more,more, MORE. I have to keep using the power.That’s why I have it. That’s why I got it in the first place.to save Camp Everfree. And I could if Timber would just be quiet for five minutes for once.

"You're using magic all over the place! I had to tell them something to cover for you! What did you want me to do?!"

he had to create that stupid, stupid, sTUPID Gaia Everfree myth so that everything I do to take care of everyone falls flat. Rather than making them all have fun he’s making them all scared to be here. He’s sabotaging me.He’s backstabbing me.How dare he…howDARE he!

Thiscamp means nothing to u but it means everything to me but you don’t care about what I want or what mom and dad want. You only care about yourself and doing what you like. Don’t you ylle at me about having to go out in the middle of night every night and choip up all of the plants I grew. This is a FOREST for crying out loud, it’s SUPPOSED to be filled with trees! Do you really think any of the campers are going to notice? The one thing they never complain about is too many trees just let it go!

You’re trying to ruin me. You’re trying to ruin Camp Everfree.You want them all to leave and never come back. You want them to go away and tell everyone about how Gaia Everfree is haunting the camp. You want to make them scared and afraid so Filfhy Rich can come in and chop it all down to make his spa.

But I wont let you. I just need a little more power and then ill show them that “gaia Everfree” is for them. She’ll take care of everyone and makethe campso wonderful that it’ll be better than anything else. Better than any activity, any camp, any place...anything. Ijust need more power I need those two last geodes.

Ive sooo got this.

What doo you too think you’re doing here?

One little rule. All you two had to do was follw one little rule. I gave you everythig I told you that you could do whatever you wanted here. But you two just had to come to the quarry, didn’t you? Exactly what do you think you’re doing here? Snooping around? Trying to find something else to ruin me with?

Scare you all away? That’s ridiculous. I want you here. I want you ALL here. I want you all to be happy and cared for and to think this is the best place thre is so we can all keep it open forever and always. So why don’t you go on backoutside and with the others and we’ll all have such wonderful, wonderful fun and i’ll make sure you’re so happy that you never even think of leaving and you can forget all about everything you saw in the ca-

Don’t touch

“Timber wasn’t talking about letting go of the camp… He was talking about you letting go of the magical geodes!”

How do you know that?

How do you know that.

What are you? Why did you come here? Do youw ant to take the camp away from me too? Do you want to ruin mom and dad’s dream? Do you want to make everyone have a horrible time and cause them to leave so that I have to sell to that parasite and get left with NOTHING?

“All those things you were doing to make this week the best week ever… Every time you used magic to do them! It caused another problem somewhere else! Timber was…covering for you!”

Covering for me.

Covering for me?!

He led you here. He made up that stupid story about Gaia Everfree He’s underminded me the whole time He’s ruined everything I wanted to make and he’s trying to take you all away from me. How did you know? I never told you I never told ANYONE. Now he’s got you here you creepy little mindreading girls and youre trying to make everyone go away, aren’t you?

“I can see things…feel things…because I have magic too. And so does she, and so do our friends.”

This isn’t real this can’t be happening! Who are you people? Why did you come here? Whay are you triyng to ruin me now when I’m so close to saving the camp? Why does this keep having to happen? Why do you all keep coming up and trying to stop me and take this camp away from me?

“Gloriosa, Timber wasn’t wrong! Maybe you should stop using magic! Too much of it can be dangerous if you can’t control it!”

You think I can’t control it either. You think I can’t handle it. Just like him. But I’ve learned how to handle everything now. I can take care of everything now. I can take care of the campers I can take care of you I can take care of my brother I can take care of Camp Everfree!

I just don’t have enough, that’s all. I just need more. All I can get. And once I’ve got it everything will be fine again and I’ll take care of everything.

I’ve got this!

you see creepy giarls? I told yu that I got this Now look at me ha-ha i’m Gaia Everfree now aren’t I

i feel better than ever Im one with the camp now we get to be together forever and ever and ever and now I can make it grow and make it stronger and bigger whenever I want. Im big mother natur now and I cn tak care of everyone

al I have to do is wave my hand and puf I have our whole camp surrounded by walls yu cant break not even a bulldozer wil get thru them cause I’LL JUS KEEP GROWEN THEM BACK BIGGUR AND STRONGER HA HA HA! That big leech in a sut cant get me now he can’t get camp everfree it belongs to me now and no one can make me leave

You all luk so scared like a bunch of little babee squriels but its alriht im gonna take care of you all now we’ll all live here save and happy and have funfunfunfunfunfunFUN im nature now and im gonna protect yu all too Camps never gonna end well be here all TWELF MONTS outta the year HA HA HA every days gonna be better than the last and yur all gonna lov bein here so much youll NEFER let anyone clos it

I just gotta mak sure no one can get in an then we can start shootin arows an makin crafs and roasten marshamallowzand lovin howe nice and greeen and lufly all the nice thick branches are blockin out anyone who wants to ruin hour camp. no dunt tri and goway Were all safe here now and i can finly take care uf everyun

im not efen mad at u littl bruther you ddnt no any better. no no no why u tryin to chop down mi branches? y u look so scared an angry? ah told yu alredy ah got this now we can stay here forever and no onell mak us leav jus like mum and da alweys wanted for us to live in everfree

dun nun of u worrie

ah got this

wat are you doin

WAT ARE YOU DOIN

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

EFRYONE IS HAPPY HERE dun make them go away if they go away then i cant mak them haf FUN efryune wats to have FUN everune wants to STAY ill make yu ahl so HAPPIE this isyer HOME and I AM MOFER NATUR NOW WHY DUN U LISTEN TO MOTHER?!

“Glorioooossssaaa…LLLLEEEETTTT’SSSS jjjjuuuusssst think about thiiiiisssss ffffooooRRRR AAAA MMMMOOOOmmmmeeeennnnt, shall we? I meannnn, IIII tttthhhhIIIINNNNKKKK CCCCaaaammmmpppp EEEEverfree is aaaabbbbssssoooollllUUUUTTTTEEEELLLLYYYY ddddeeeelllliiiightful. IIII jjjjuuuussssTTTT DDDDOOOONNNN’tttt kkkknnnnoooow that I’m quuuuiiiitttteeee RRRREEEEAAAADDDDyyyy ttttoooo give up mmmmyyyy wwwwEEEEEEEEKKKKLLLLyyyy ttttrrrrriiiiips to the Spa.”

spa

SPA

SPA

SPAAAAA

U WANT FHILLTHEEZE SPA DONT U

liertraiterspibeetrayurtheefweezulcreepeecreepeecreepeegurlzgurlzdoomagikstapdooingmagikillduMORmagicgivmemore

MORE

MOR

MOOOOR

One beeg tree we ahl bee in une beeg tree we ahlwhez happee we ahlwhez toogefer we stay forever ANDEVERANDEVERANDEVERFREEANDEVERFREEANDEVERFREEWE ALL BECUM EVERFREE TREE SO HAPPE TREE NEVER SAD TREE STEY FUREFERANDEFERANDEFER

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dun wurry kamperz

aHi GHAht diZ

“…Sunset?”

The fiery-haired girl gave a sharp inhale as her eyes opened. For a brief moment, the pupils were pinpricks, a sign of true fear. But it faded quickly after blinking twice. She soon looked up and over, spotting her lavender-haired, “nerd” glasses-wearing friend standing in the entrance of the Sapphire Tent.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked.

“Huh? Oh…oh yeah.” She quickly recovered, indicating to her bag. “Just finishing up packing. Bus leaves in two hours.”

“Yeah…” She tentatively answered, although the concerned look she had on walking in remained. “But…are you ok? You looked like I scared you back there.”

“What? Oh…oh no, I’m fine. Just fine.”

She paused momentarily after that, remembering how most of this had begun. She exhaled a little.

“I was just…thinking back to a couple days ago. Right before Rarity had to put up that shield around us…” She paused. “…My hand touched one of Gloriosa’s thicker vines and, well…I guess it was a ‘part of her’ at that point or something because…”

She trailed off, but Twilight’s own eyes widened as she realized what that meant. “You mean…you…got in her head while she was…all…um, ‘nature-y’?”

A pause.

“If…if you don’t mind me asking…what was it like?”

Sunset’s face turned grim. “Honestly, I think if there’s any two people in this world that know what it’s like already, we’re looking at them.”

That made Twilight blanch a bit. She shrank slightly. “Oh…oh yeah, right…”

The former unicorn hesitated. “…But if you really want to know, can you picture the most craziest, raving, utterly nuts moment of madness you’ve ever had?” She frowned. “It was about ten times as bad as that.”

Her eyes lowered as she gave an exhale.

“…I think I’m pretty glad that I didn’t stay in her head any longer than I did.”

Twilight swallowed on hearing that. She rubbed the back of her neck and dug her toe in the dirty floor. “I…I didn’t mean to ask. Just…you know…always curious. That’s me! Heh…” She swished her mouth. “Plus, um…to be honest…”

She hesitated here. It wasn’t until Sunset looked up that she went on.

“I…kind of wanted to know and…I hoped it kind of would be really bad. I don’t really remember much about…you know…Midnight Sparkle.”

Sunset frowned. “I don’t really remember much about Demon Shimmer myself…and what I do recall I don’t want to remember.”

“Do…do you think Gloriosa Daisy will be alright?”

She exhaled and looked back. “In spite of how good she looked like she was doing at the Crystal Ball, I have a really hard time believing she’s still not at least a little shaken up about the whole thing. But you just hit on it. You don’t really ‘remember’ what happened in those. It’s like, I don’t know, being intoxicated or something. Like you’re caught in a nightmare you can’t wake up from.”

“…I don’t get it.”

Sunset looked down, seeing Twilight looking more troubled than before.

“It doesn’t make sense. I could get it if I had wanted power or dominion or something out of a fantasy book…but all I wanted to do was understand magic. All Gloriosa wanted to do was save Camp Everfree. So…so why?” She looked up. “Why did it turn us into those things? Weren’t those…I don’t know…‘noble goals’?”

Sunset stared back silently a moment. She ended up turning back to her suitcase and sighing, resuming packing. “I’ve been trying to understand how magic in this world works for a while, Twilight. The only thing I’ve really conclusively learned is that it can’t be understood. But…” She began to reach for her hung-up shirts. “I have a theory.”

Twilight looked at her more intently.

“You remember how I told you about ‘Cutie Marks’ in the world I came from, right? You don’t have to be a unicorn there. Alicorn, pegasus, earth pony…we all have magic in that world in some amount and we all live surrounded by it. Cutie Marks are proof. From the moment we’re born, we know on some level what we’ll be one day. We only have to ‘grow into it’. Every pony has a destiny. Every pony has a purpose. Magic just directs us to who we were born to be.”

She finished with her shirts and began to fold them.

“Here in the human world, there is no magic. There’s no set destiny waiting for anyone, but there’s still the desire to be something. Maybe they can become that person and maybe they can’t, or maybe they can want to be someone or want something but they can’t have it or get it. Everyone wants something, but there’s nothing to tell them that it’s what’s right or wrong for them. It might end up helping them, hurting them, or be suboptimum to what they really should look for. To Equestria, that’s disharmony. That’s chaos.”

She began to put the shirts away.

“We have desire in Equestria and some of it is pretty strong, but it’s nothing like in this world. Desire here makes you see what you want to be and have what you wished you have, and it’s so potent you can almost taste it. You feel you only need to reach out and take it. Equestrian Magic attaches to that. It gives you the power to see what you want and make it happen. But it can only give you what you want…not what you need. That’s why I couldn’t talk Gloriosa down even though I knew exactly why she was doing this. That’s why I couldn’t help you conquer your fear of Midnight Sparkle until you were willing to accept what I told you was true.

“The only ‘magic’ that exists in this world is through the elements of harmony, and I’m not talking about magic objects or artifacts. I’m talking about what they represent. That’s why you can always do more than you thought possible when it’s for a friend or loved one. That’s why you can always go the extra mile or push yourself harder. That’s this world’s ‘magic’…and maybe it really does have some traces of some genuine magic in it.

“If you keep those things in your heart and you don’t lose sight of them, if that’s what drives you more than anything, then you can use Equestrian magic as it was supposed to be used. But if you substitute anything for a desire, then it’ll not only make that desire come true but it will blind you to everything else. There’s no ‘noble goal’ out there that’s so noble that it’s good in and of itself. If you lose sight of why you’re doing it then it just becomes an obsession and a need. And the more you make it real, the harder it is to see anything else but that desire. Eventually you become your desire. You forget who you are and why you wanted anything else in the first place and you give in to this monster brought to life by Equestrian magic. I wanted more and more power so I became a big greedy demon. You wanted to master all knowledge of magic but only for your own good so you became a selfish dark angel that ripped up anything that stood between you and what you wanted. And Gloriosa?" She sighed. "She wanted to be able to take care of everyone so she couldn't feel the pain and fear of the thought of letting anyone down, so she became a rotten version of Mother Nature.”

She finished packing and closed the suitcase, then looked up behind her. At once, Sunset paused. Twilight was looking uncomfortable again. The former unicorn soon grew uneasy as well, realizing what she just said. She may have come to terms with her own past, but she knew in spite of how Twilight had saved them she probably was still getting used to what happened.

Immediately, she walked up to the girl and put a hand on her shoulder. Twilight looked up and saw her smiling at her.

“Before you try and beat yourself up any more about the Friendship Games, remember you got both me and Gloriosa beat. When Spike called out to you, you ‘heard’ him. That means you never gave yourself completely over to Midnight Sparkle even at the worst time.”

It took a moment, but Twilight managed a smile at that.

Sunset smiled a bit more, then pulled her own hand back. “Alright, I think I’ve brooded about what goes on in the heads of magic supervillains long enough… I better make sure my stuff gets to the bus.” She turned to head back to her cot.

“I’m going to go try and hang out with Timber as long as I can.” Twilight called back. “But need any help carrying your stuff out first?”

“No thanks. I got-”

Sunset went so rigid that her bag dropped right out of her hand and to the floor. She nearly looked as if she had been stung or stabbed.

Immediately, Twilight’s concern returned as she walked forward. “Sunset, are you alright?”

Her friend didn’t answer right away. She heard her take in some slow, deep breaths. She finally turned to her, but Twilight immediately saw her eyes, and saw some distinct residual fear in them as she managed a weak smile.

“Actually, I…I would like some help…please.”

Twilight was rather unnerved at seeing her like that, but she didn’t press it. She nodded, and quickly went for the dropped bag. Sunset took one more deep breath, closed her eyes and exhaled, and then opened them again. Much calmer, but still looking shaken, she got her bedding off the top of her mattress.

“Oh, one other thing, Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t ask about what I saw in Gloriosa Daisy’s head again.”

She began to walk out for the tent flap as her voice dropped.

“Ever.”