> Revival of Tambelon > by Kaliber > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The great city of Tambelon stands dormant, forever watching over the desolate landscape. It is carved and melted down from the highest peak of the mountain with long-lost magic. What was once a radiant, prosperous city is now a nightmarish reflection of its former glory. Ugly and crooked, its towers stand like spears—piercing the heavens above. Its entrance is jagged, like a gaping maw, ready to swallow all who dare to enter the nightmarish city that it guards. Gigantic windowless openings, like dead eyes looking outward at the corrupted and poisoned lands, pierce its outer shell. This is Emperor Grogar's stronghold. Built in ancient times, it was where Grogar ruled his glorious empire from his thorny chamber in the highest chamber of the Celestial Spike, the tallest tower in Tambelon. Yet Tambelon is much more than what the eye can see. Its chambers and tunnels run deep, deep, into the flesh of the world. Giant halls and dungeons made of fire, ice and black obsidian are hidden from view. Columns and columns fade into darkness, towards the invisible domed ceilings of the crypts and chambers which Grogar’s armies once called home. Furnaces and forges, heated by the blood of the earth itself, are found in every corner. And down here, in the lowest halls at the bones of the earth, Grogar used forgotten magic and occult rituals to bring new creatures into the world—monsters—and released them to wreak havoc among his enemies. When Grogar was defeated by the pony tribes, much of Tambelon was sent to the Dark Dimension, along with many of its inhabitants. And everything that wasn’t banished, the remaining underground fortress and its ruins, collapsed and buried its remaining inhabitants. But not all of the tunnels and halls have disappeared… some remain; untouched, undiscovered. We do not know what else can lurk in the bowels of Tambelon to this day, waiting for the return and the call of its Master. Bray, a loyal companion of Grogar, became the Ruler of Tambelon after its unfortunate banishment. He had been searching for a way to free Tambelon for a long time, and finally, after centuries, he had found an Artifact that could help him send one Tambelonian to Equestria in order to find a way to free the once-proud city. He stands at the window of the Celestial Spike and wonders if he should send his apprentice Cozy Glow to Equestria all alone. Would it be wiser to travel there himself? Would Cozy manage to cope with such a difficult task or would she ultimately fail the mission? Despite his worries, Bray has no doubt that Cozy was the best of his students. Although she is a Pegasus, she has a special ability to channel the power of magical artifacts, but then again, if she were to fail her mission, then the inhabitants of Tambelon would be doomed to eternal imprisonment in the Dark Dimension. Every day, Bray looks back on his life before he became Grogar’s Loyal Number Two. Once upon a time, he was not a powerful magician, but rather an ordinary donkey without magic, who earned his living working as a jester on holidays for rich ponies. He remembers how much contempt he felt for those miserable equines! He thought it was unfair that other creatures didn't have magic, yet they did—it fueled his hatred for all ponies. But after the defeat of Grogar, when the army of Gusty the Great surrounded the city, he could have escaped and left behind the thousands of ponies that were held captive in the city, yet he decided to go with them to the Dark Dimension out of pity! And after so many years, his attitude towards them has improved… just a little. Now they served him and Tambelon faithfully! He is especially fond of Cozy Glow, in whom he sees the Savior of Tambelon! In his days of reminiscence, he remembered the day he joined Grogar and began to serve him; he never regretted his choice. Thanks to Grogar, he received magic, power, wealth, and everything he had only dreamed of! Grogar was a powerful dark mage—a necromancer—who created monsters with the help of dark magic, and he captured a small town which was to soon become his capital city: Tambelon itself. Tribes of different creatures obeyed him, and he ruled with an iron hoof until his subjects started rebellion under the self-righteous Gusty the Great. In its glory days, Tambelon was inhabited by many creatures: Troggles, Minotaurs, Arimaspis, Wyverns, Ophiotauri, Centaurs, Gargoyles, Ponies, Dragons, etc. All of them served for the good of Tambelon! Some were blacksmiths and artisans, while others were warriors and even generals! The city was gargantuan; it was surrounded by a large stone wall and multiple watchtowers. Grogar's Palace and the Senate Building towered in the center of the city. Also in the city was a large library, where many books and scrolls were stored. Metals and precious stones were mined in the dungeons. Grain was grown as well in the surrounding farmland, but was not enough for the inhabitants; they were malnourished. There was also an observatory and schools in the city, in which the young Tambelonians studied magic and numerous other subjects. Bray had always remembered when he last saw Grogar alive. That day, Grogar instructed him to send Tambelon to the Dark Dimension in the chance that his Bewitching Bell—a talisman of immense power—was lost. Bray did so, but at a cost—without his Bewitching Bell, Grogar was petrified in stone. How would he regain the Bell and free his master, he thought. He knew he would have to find out. Bray knew that Grogar would be free once more! And he was anticipating his return! But even more than this, he is worried about Cozy Glow, and her difficult task on which the fate of every Tambelonian depends. It is only due to the fact that the miners stumbled upon a treasure trove in the dungeon which contained many artifacts that belonged to Grogar that he is even able to send her on this mission. The clever emperor ensured that these artifacts were hidden in the dungeon in case the city fell, so that they would not fall into the hooves of Tambelon's enemies. Among them were the Rainbow of Darkness; with the help of this artifact, Grogar created various monsters, and the Crystal Ball, which allowed him to observe his creations. There are numerous artifacts, but there is not the one Bray was searching for: The Bell. The Bell cannot be destroyed, so the ponies had most likely hidden it in a hard-to-reach place. He has yet to find out exactly where, but he is close; with the help of the Bell he can free Grogar and take over Equestria once more! He is ever so close to resurrecting the Empire of Tambelon, but it all depends on Cozy Glow and her task, for even one small mistake would seal the fates of Tambelon and everyone in it. Bray moved away from the window when he heard a knock on the door. “Enter,” he commanded. Instantly, the door opened and Cozy Glow entered the room. She was wearing a black cloak with the symbol of Tambelon on its side. She had a curly blue mane and tail, with bows on almost every curl. She approached Bray and bowed to him. ''As I am sure you are aware, I am sending you to Equestria to find the Bewitching Bell and then return it here, to me.'' ''Yes, Master Bray. I won't let you down,'' Cozy assured confidently. ''You are to gain their trust and then steal the magical artifacts required for the Ritual of Attrition. Drain the magic of the Equestrians and send it here, do you understand?” Cozy smiled at him. “Alright, Master. I will take their magic so we can be free! We will take our revenge on Equestria for imprisoning our glorious city.” Bray chuckled. “Well, in that case, let's not delay. Have you packed your things?” “Yes, everything I need!” Bray used an Amulet which he received from the miners to open a portal in the middle of the room. Cozy placed her bags on both sides of her cloak and walked up to Bray, hugging him. “I will not let you down,” she said. “See to it that you don’t.” He frowned when he saw the portal slowly shrinking. “The portal is closing! Go!” Nodding, Cozy Glow quickly ran for the portal before jumping through it. Staring at the location from which she jumped, he frowned. “Complete this mission, Cozy Glow,” he whispered under his breath, “for the fate of our very society depends on it.” > introduction to Equestria > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cozy Glow’s fur and feathers frosted as she fell. Her eyes widened as she tried to contain her terror. She could see the rolls of her mane trailing above her like the cut strings of a discarded marionette. Her wings were spread wide with feathers extended to the best of their ability but they still couldn’t catch any air. Colors flashed by her in streams thinner than noodles. Each little lance of light stabbed through her eyes and sent burning spears of pain directly into her brain. Shutting her eyes did no good as the lights seemed to pass right through her. Several moments passed like this before Cozy realized something, something very important. She couldn’t breathe! No matter how hard she tried to suck in air—no matter how wide she opened her mouth—nothing entered. Her eyes widened further, and tears began to stream from her eyes. No air, no time, no room to breath, Cozy was falling and falling and falling. Her vision was fading as the colors dimmed and the void swallowed everything. She’d failed, failed Bray, failed her master Grogar, failed Tambelon; she failed before she even started. Just as Cozy was about to pass through the veil of life into death, light blasted her eyes. Cozy could feel the impact as she landed with a muted thud, but her frosted skin could barely feel the sensation. It took several moments for Cozy to realize that she felt grass on her back. She greedily sucked in air as fast as she could, each inhale bringing her further from the precipice above eternity. At first her breaths were visible and her entire body shivered, but the warmth of Cozy’s surroundings gradually banished the cold. Cozy Glow flew out of the portal and landed in the fields outside of the Everfree Forest. Looking around, she saw wonders she had only ever heard of from Bray. She was in awe at the beautiful trees as they blew in the wind—their green leaves and various shapes made her spine tingle. Another amazing sight was the vast array of wildlife roaming the forest behind her—wolves, rabbits, snakes, and owls were everywhere in the Everfree. But what she adored most was the sunlight on her skin—in Tambelon, the brightest thing she had ever come across were the torches that illuminated the gloomy halls of the Celestial Spike. Unfortunately for Cozy Glow, she had a mission to complete, and the wonders of Equestria would have to wait. “This is of no use to me yet. The people of Equestria must still remember the symbolism of Tambelon,” Cozy Glow said. She took off her raincoat and bags and laid them on the grass. Gathering these things together, she hid them in the nearest bush “Come on, Cozy Glow,” she told herself, “you can’t waste time.” She attempted to lift herself above the ground, but the amount of energy she had used to enter the portal caused her wings to give out mid-air. Landing clumsily on the ground, Cozy got back onto her hooves. “So, flying isn't an option. I guess I’ll have to walk to the nearest pony town, then.” Looking in every direction, she frowned. “As soon as I can find out where it is.” Cozy rolled to her hooves and tossed her head to the side to get her mane out of the way. Colors flooded her vision as her jaw dropped. She was looking down at a town from the crest of a hill. She carefully descended the hill towards the path leading to the city. After walking for a little while, Cozy Glow finally reached the path to Ponyville. She followed it, expecting a simple town with little to no true significance. However, what greeted her at the end of the path was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. As she wandered through the town, she was awestruck with an array of houses, each one not quite the same as the last. She came across multiple wonders—an elegantly decorated boutique, a bakery with delicious smells coming from the inside, and a town hall covered in streamers and other decorations normally seen at a celebration. Though what caught Cozy’s attention most was the crystal castle in the middle of it all. It was sapphire blue and purple, and at its top was a golden and sapphire-colored star reflecting the light from each of its tips. “Bray told me that Equestrians were all primitive, selfish brutes with no class, but this place… is breathtaking.” The houses made use of every shade of the rainbow and then some. Reds, oranges, blues, yellows, and so much more flooded the town with a vibrancy Cozy had never seen before. No two houses matched in shape either. Some made use of the basic square design, some had slanted roofs, a few had odd asymmetrical designs that sprawled out in every shape imaginable, and some towered over their neighbors while others hugged the ground. The grass was a more vibrant green than anywhere else Cozy had seen, the was more peaceful than even the clearest of days back home, and the ponies themselves seemed to bounce from place to place in a manner that spoke of the sheer amount of life they had in them. However, all of that was miniscule, insignificant even, when looking at the crown jewel of the town. Twisting spires of sapphire blue and twilight violet pierced the clouds. Windows speckled the sides of it like the spots on a dalmatian. Jagged edges covered every inch of the place but when the structure was viewed in its entirety, those edges seemed to smooth out. The castle of crystal seemed to glow with friendly energy and it bore resemblance to a massive tree. They were supposed to be primitive and brutish… Cozy blinked for the first time in minutes. But how could brutes make… all of that? No matter how much Cozy thought about it, she just couldn’t connect the ugly, backwards ponies she was told of with any of this. With surprises waiting at every corner, Cozy began her descent towards this wonderful new adventure. As she wandered through the busy town, she noticed it was already noon, judging by the position of the sun. She felt less tired. The side effects of teleporting into the intermediate subspace had worn off. But at the same time, rain clouds began to form in the sky. And this, of course, made an indelible impression on the filly. Cozy Glow with dilated eyes studied the grass under her hooves, squinting from the bright light of the sun's rays. “Ah… It's all so unusual!” Cozy shook her head, as she realized that she needed to collect her thoughts. It was summer now—a very hot summer—and Cozy felt every bit of it. Therefore, Cozy walked in the shade, staying in the shadows. Sometimes she met young foals politely and awkwardly greeting her. Such a stranger was Cozy Glow. No, it cannot be said about this filly that she was not assembled or inadequate. But there was still something strange about her. Although it could not be noticed by ordinary ponies. Bray's skill was easily passed on to his beloved, orphaned protégé. She was the only pony he truly cared about. The one filly that has always remained in his soul. But right now, this filly was someone on the level of a Savior. And, alas, the history of Tambelon had been meager and dark. That wasn’t the point… Cozy halted in front of a road sign and adjusted her saddlebag. She looked around once more and sighed calmly. “Provincia Ponyville,” she said aloud; she could feel the fresh air of the peaceful environment and favorable fauna. And yet, she was tormented by many emotions at this moment, because there were a variety of ponies who were not dressed in special clothes denoting the class and level of loyalty to the managing lord! “Little Miss, are you all right?” asked one of the nearby merchants. He was an older pony; most likely one of the locals. There were various goods in his trading shop, but the merchant himself was satisfied that he did not occupy the most comfortable place in the trading area. His wooden shelf stood almost at the very edge of the entrance to the small town. Cozy Glow sighed several times and tried to smile. She still remembered some of her lessons on pony etiquette when introducing herself. Cozy smiled at the trader—an elderly Earth pony—and showing her saddlebag, decided to play her part: the role of an innocent filly. “Oh, you're probably well aware of that…” The old merchant interrupted her: “STOP! Where did you come from?" A nearby young stallion who traded from Saddle Arabia, judging by his appearance, suddenly became nervous. And there were good reasons for that. “Oh! I beg you, young lady…” Cozy Glow smiled happily when she heard the familiar sound of the words, and in general, all these ponies understand her perfectly. “Hmm… Excuse me, mister. I must have made a mistake. I’ll just go on…” Suddenly, another voice came within earshot: “WAIT! Dear young lady. Please come here." Yes, this mare had a very respectful voice. But she was very old, even if it was not visible due to the numerous cosmetic ointments and potions she had clearly used. Cozy Glow paused and turned her attention to this character. “Yes?” The elderly mare spoke: “I’ve never seen you around before. I celebrate every newcomer to Ponyville by giving away a free basket of grain.” She handed Cozy a basket wrapped in a red bow. “Why would you just give this to me without something in return?” The mare smiled. “Because, my dear, doing something nice for someone else is its own gift. You’ll need to know that if you’re going to spend time in Ponyville.” Cozy smiled. “Well, thanks!” As she left the market square, Cozy realized there were many different creatures in Ponyville. Ponies were the foundation of this state, they even paid taxes! In the early days, the adoption of the law on interspecies relations was loud and uncomfortable to talk about. Many creatures never even spoke to one another! And yet now, every creature came together for not only the welfare of each other. Cozy looked to the sky as she realized that her greatest adventure had onl > chapter 2 new world > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The magical effects of teleporting through Interdimensional Subspace had already evaporated. But at the same time, rain clouds formed in the sky, since such teleportation cannot pass without an effect on nature. These were the first difficulties on the path of Cozy Glow, and she understood it perfectly, because this anomaly would most likely attract the attention of everyone who lived in the area. Despite the fact that it was a hot summer, Cozy Glow felt frozen inside. But it was a temporary phenomenon, after passing through the spatial portal. However, it still made this poor filly squat down and tremble, rubbing her body with her hooves. While her teeth were beating a drum roll, Cozy did not forget to constantly look around. She clearly didn’t need surprises, though she could still show her true face and talents in front of possible danger. Bray had done a good job of training this filly to be an excellent spy or agent for a special task. Her young age could be used as a great weapon, and Bray saw this as a great opportunity. No pony would be able to guess that there was something in Cozy that could make an indelible impression. But who was hiding behind this mask? Cozy Glow hoped that no one would find out her secret. Suddenly, lightning flashed in the sky and soon, deafening thunder sounded. Cozy took off and was able to see in the distance a large orchard of fruit trees, and what resembles a barn and a farm. But something else caught her attention, and it was a great reason to get out of this place as quickly as possible to not arouse suspicion. She remembered that she was a stranger in this country, and she should not attract much attention to her person. She needed a clear plan. And there was no doubt that this filly was smart, resourceful, cunning, and just a cute little pony. Well, good luck to you, Cozy Glow, on your difficult path to your cherished goal. Cozy Glow POV. In the distance, silhouettes of several pegasi appeared in the sky, in a hurry to figure out the reasons for the sudden change in the weather, and this gave me a lot to think about. Only, I couldn’t stay in this place for too long. I decided to run in the direction of the farm itself, so that it would be possible to find shelter and somepony who could help me. I had to abandon flight so these pegasi wouldn’t notice me and decided to hide in the bushes. But what I saw afterward certainly shocked me: Rain. This was something I could only read about in the old books that Master Bray showed me. When the first drops fell on my body, at first I was scared, but after a few seconds, I must admit: it was very pleasant. And in general, this whole view with a lot of green shades from the local fauna was unusual. There was a noticeable ripple in my eyes, and I started to feel as though I had been born and until that moment had lived in a terrible prison of convicts. Now, I was free. While my hooves slid on the formed mud, which scattered in several directions, I did not forget to look around. My heartbeat sped up along with my hooves. Was I afraid at that moment? I have to admit that I was. Yes, I was afraid… afraid of everything that could be waiting for me in this world, and interfering with the fulfillment of my main mission. “Hmm... It looks like I'm not far from some kind of shelter. But I definitely need to hide! It looks like some pegasi are flying here, and they are most likely locals. They probably realize that something’s going on here. A lone filly can attract a lot of attention,” I said to myself, and shaking off all the moisture from my wings and wet mane, I ran toward the fruit farm. My whole body got wet as the rain was flying into my face and slightly open mouth, thereby giving me not only cheerfulness, but also slightly quenching my thirst after teleporting. And that was good news. but there was also bad news, which was that my hairstyle started to deteriorate, and some curls from my mane stuck to my face. My saddlebag was also soaked, although it was made of good and durable material. When I reached the fruit farm, I jumped over a wooden fence and hid under the foliage of the largest tree. Gradually, I felt a slight tremor in my body as I pressed my back against the tree. However, when I looked around, I couldn't contain myself. My eyes widened when I realized that I might have come to some heavenly place. And there really were many reasons for this. “There are so many apples here!” I said in an enthusiastic voice, and not paying attention to the intensifying rain, I couldn’t resist picking up some ripe fruits and putting them in my saddlebag. “Heh! I hope the owners won't mind it, and won't consider me a thief.” Before I could put a few apples in my bag, thunder sounded again, from which I was very scared and flew up into the branches, and wrapped my hooves around them. At that moment my body was shaking with fear, and my teeth were beating out a drum roll again. The saddlebag fell and a couple of apples rolled out of it. "Darn it!" I whispered, and through the wet foliage I could see two ponies running through the trees somewhere in the distance. One pony was a light beige shade, with a blond mane and tail. And it looked like it was a mare. At the same time, she had some kind of funny hat on her head. The other pony was a filly, dark yellow in color, with a red mane and tail, wearing a light-violet bow. They were in such a hurry, constantly maneuvering between the trees to apparently hide from the rain, that I even heard a few curses from the very mare in the hat. “A curse on our poor heads! What the heck and rotten apples are going on today!?” This mare shouted as she jumped over several branches of a fallen, withered tree. “Ah… I don't know, Sis! Rain was definitely not planned today! Did you see a strange glow near the forest? Maybe it has something to do with the downpour? Wait for me, you shouldn't rush so much because of some rain, as if your croup was stung by a wasp!” shouted a young filly, apparently catching up with her sister or some relative. Maybe these ponies could help me? Otherwise, I felt as uncomfortable as possible. Judging by the Cutie Mark in the form of three apples that I saw on this pony, I was able to understand that she was most likely the owner of this apple farm. But as soon as I began to think over my future plan, something happened that eventually affected my fate in an unpredictable way… "AAAY!" I shouted when lightning struck the tree, and the very branch to which I was clinging like a saving pole, broke in an instant and fell, dragging me to the ground. I wasn't ready for this turn of events, and my hooves reflexively held onto this branch, so I couldn't react quickly. I fell and hit hard on the dirty ground… and lost consciousness. Gradually, my consciousness returned, and I felt that I was lying on something soft, and noticed I was wearing a blanket. A slight pain in my temples and hooves was still present, but at first I was afraid to open my eyes to see what could possibly be my problem. It seemed that this fall did not come easily for me. I felt pain and my body was shaking slightly. Perhaps it was because of the unusual weather, and the fact that my body was drenched in rainwater. However, I was not a prisoner, and I feel that those who had found me were trying to take care of me. My breathing returned to normal, and I decided to open my eyes to understand where I was, and who I would have to thank for such generous care. I felt that I was not alone, and someone's breath was blowing on my face. When I opened my eyes, I immediately began to analyze the situation, as my brain began to gradually get involved in the work, as well as my other instincts. I was in some room, on a fully comfortable bed. It looked like it was late in the evening, and this room was lit by several lighted candles. But most importantly, the same filly with a bow on her mane was squatting next to my bed. She was sitting with her eyes closed, and could not see that I had already come to my senses and was looking at her. Her lips moved slowly, as if she was saying some kind of spell or prayer, and in her quiet whisper, I distinctly heard the name, “Princess Celestia.” I shuddered slightly when I noticed a tear on the cheek of this filly. Her words sounded as if she was begging that her gracious Princess Celestia would not leave everyone in these troubles, and help with her blessed wing so that my health would recover. I felt that she had care and a lot of kindness in her heart. And this is what started to cause another fever syndrome in me. I hadn’t been used to someone taking care of someone so unfamiliar. And that stranger—the uninvited guest—was me. I felt a lump rise in my throat, and from this I coughed slightly. “Kha! Kha!” I cleared my throat and threw the blanket off my body, because I was hot from the outside, and yet still cold from the inside. The filly immediately opened her eyes and looked at me as if a great miracle had happened in front of her, for which she had asked so hard. “Thank Celestia, you've finally woken up!” this good-natured filly said in an enthusiastic voice, and with her tail she put her hooves on the edge of the bed. At the same time, she was clearly happy… but her eyes were still glistening with moisture. The lighting from several candles on the bedside table reflected on the face of this filly, but her sincerity in her delight for my health caused me incomprehensible feelings. I should have been myself in any situation, but right now I felt something so far away from me. Sincere care and good nature—all this, I’d lacked throughout my fillyhood. But that's something I don't want to remember right now. I removed a strand of mane from my face, which was stuck because of sweat, and tried to smile sweetly. Although, I still felt some pain in my body. “Yeah… I… um…” I couldn't get my head around how I could start talking to a pony that lived in this world. But putting my doubts aside, and remembering all my lessons with my teacher, Master Bray, I immediately felt more fulfilled. The filly stopped smiling and wanted to say something, but I immediately interrupted her: “It's okay… I… YES! I'm just really worried. What happened to me? And where am I now?” I decided to ask quite logical questions, but at the same time, I started smoothly falling into the role of an accident victim. That was my trump card. I'm a tactician, and a good actor. That's why Master Bray saw great potential in me. And now, I must not let down my teacher, and myself, as well as pride in my talents. The filly recoiled from the bed and immediately ran to the door with cheerful exclamations: “She's awake!” But she didn't have time to reach the door, because I decided to stop her. “Wait!” I said with some reproach in my voice as I made a painful grimace on my face; the pain in my temples intensified from the increased noise that this happy filly was making. The filly stopped at the door and looked at me guiltily with a large smile on her face. “Oh… I'm… I'm just so happy that you've finally come to your senses… and we can talk to you about a lot of things. I've never even seen you in Ponyville! Did you come to visit someone, or did you…” I overcame all my pain and jumped on my hooves to try to calm this overexcited mare. “STOP! Aah.” I couldn't help myself and rubbed my head with my hoof, as the sharp pain immediately reminded me of the fall. “Ugh, my head,” I groaned painfully. As I opened my eyes again, I saw the filly squatting shamefacedly. The filly nodded her head knowingly. “Sorry. I’ll speak a bit quieter, and I won’t hurt your he…” When she saw my approving smile, she continued: “I’m sorry, please. Sometimes I get a bit loud when I’m excited." She shamefacedly rubbed the floor with her hoof, but still looked at me curiously, smiling shyly. “I'm Applebloom. What's your name?” I looked into Applebloom's eyes, and realized that I might owe her a life debt. “My name is Cozy Glow,” I answered, and overcoming the pain in my head, smiled sweetly. As I pressed my back against the wall of the bed, I felt thirsty. But I didn't have time to say anything, because this filly showed her happiness again. She jumped onto the bed, and putting her hooves on the sheet, immediately smiled as if it was her cherished dream. She just wanted to be a friendly and nice host—I could already tell by her behavior. Applebloom carefully stretched out her hoof to me, all the while looking at me with some hope. “It's a pleasure to meet ya, Cozy Glow. I hope you’ll be able to appreciate the hospitality of the Apple family.” She took a deep breath, looking at me with an unexpectedly serious look. “And I hope you can tell us everythin’. My older sister and my older brother, and of course, my grandmother, are very worried. You— Yes, I did not let her finish this lengthy speech, which is why she began to show her emotions again, light tears and a loud voice expressing concern. I just put my right hoof on her lips. “Calm down, Applebloom. Just don’t worry about me so much. I'm fine, thanks to you…and so I understand…” Applebloom carefully removed my hoof, preserving her benevolence and smiling cheerfully. “Yes! I was the one who found you! I heard thunder and lightnin’. Some of ‘em hit our apple trees. I heard you scream, and immediately turned around, even though me and Applejack were already runnin’ to the house! But, how—and why—did you end up in this place?” It seemed that Applebloom was my age, asking quite logical questions. I looked at her questioningly. “I'm sorry—” But I didn't have time to finish. I was startled when I heard the sound of hoofsteps coming from outside the door.