Photo Finish hears rumors of a once in a millennium occurance 'The Blue Sunrise . And she is determind to be the first pony to not only capture it on film, but to "Capture the magics, of nature."
On the opposite side of the Everfree stands Prudence Peak its stone radiating with raw magical energy, that once ever thousand years causes the sun to turn bluer then the azure sky. or so the rumors go. Photo Finish wasting no time in the hopes that she will be the first pony to capture this event on film and be immortalized for generations. But first she has to get there.
Cancelled because. I couldn't continue the story from where I left off. * Slaps self.... Hard.* I'm sorry to those who waited for more, but didn't get it.
Pathfinder chewed on the wheat stalk in his mouth in apprehension. He had been tracking this herd of Haidre for weeks now, and unlike their deer cousins these magnificent creatures had never been seen in a group this size ever before.
He stealthily reached into his vest for his map trying not to disturb the branches in the tree he was hiding in, he looked at the creatures as he slowly opened his map, and began to mark the location.
This close to Canterlot. Amazing all of the reports were usually from the Everfree, to think that a herd is this close to on of the major metropolitan areas. He thought as one of the creature paused and looked his way.
He locked eyes with it, its snow white coat and its branching twisted horns, a beautiful shade of ivory. All so precious, so delicate, if only it could talk to communicate wit-.
His thoughts paused as he saw a fawn delicately trot up to what now assumed was its mother.So both genders do indeed have antlers. he made a mental note, before he heard a unusual rustling in the distance. His ear perked as the two beautiful creatures darted away into the forest.
Remember your training Path. it sounds predatory, small. he continued to listen in complete silence, before he heard a small bark. followed by the somewhat clumsy paw falls of a dog.
"Ember, up here." He said aloud, knowing that only one dog could find him in the whole of the Shyleaf forest, and that was his faithful half wolf friend Ember.
She deftly climbed up the tree to the branch that her master was perched on. before wagging her tail happily, and began to poke her side with her muzzle to the small pack.
"Let's see what you got there girl." Pathfinder opened the pack and pulled out a wrinkled scroll and a treat, which he promptly gave to his canine companion.
He unrolled the scroll and began to read it.
Dear Pathfinder,
I know you've probably been tracking that herd of Haidre or whatever they're called for the Canterlot zoo but we need you to come on back, there a mare here who might have a job for your set of skills.
"Your crazy right?" Pathfinder exclaimed as he looked at the light blue mare in front of him her sunglasses showing nothing but his reflection.
"I Photo Finish prefer the term, creatively enlightened." The mare in question clapped her hooves together, and two mares galloped up to her one with a bottle of water and the other with a glass of ice, both placing it on the desk in front of her.
"Now Ms. Finish, you have to understand the Equestria corps of natural exploration is not a government agency, and we would lack the funds to divert the resources you want for your little project." Gloomshine waved her hoof over the pitifully small number of dossiers of the available Explorers. "It's not a matter of your more then generous offer for our services but we cant afford to send more then one of our agents, that's why I'm offering you the best we have." She finished by pointing her hoof to Pathfinder.
"Traipsing through the Everfree, with a group that size is impossible, I can get one or two through but her entire posse, that's a disaster waiting to happen." He blew a stray strand of his dark brown mane out of his eye. "With that many ponies, you might as well cover yourself in gravy and jump into a hydras mouth."
"He is the only pony we can truly spare at the moment, Pastures is getting maternity leave as soon as she gets back from the Whitetail woods. Cyprus flew into a poison oak yesterday, We haven't heard from Longshot in three days. Other then Pathfinder here, he's the only one we could get on such short notice."
"Cyprus flew into some poison oak, I swear he would fly into the ground if it was in front of him." Pathfinder mused under his breath.
"That and as far as the description of your request." Gloom levitated the scroll as well as her red reading glasses into view. "The Blue sunrise is just an old mares tale."
Pathfinder's ears perked slightly, "The Blue sunrise. Gloom we have gone on crazier expeditions, like that magical cave fungus."
"So many mushrooms." The grey mare shivered at her past blunder.
"Do I need to leave you to discuss this further?" The blue mare said impatiently tapping her hoof on the floor.
"No, we will do it." Pathfinder smiled.
"Excellent, now when do we depart?" The mare sprang to her hooves, as her attendants quickly galloped to her side and escorted her out. the door slamming shut to the small office.
"We leave tomorrow, at ten o'clock." Pathfinder shouted at the closed door.
A few seconds later Gloom slammed her head on the mahogany desk. "Agh..... She was a pain." she complained as she levitated the dossiers into a nearby filling cabinet. " You know you don't have to do it right?" she inclined her head to him.
"Gloom when our fathers started this corps, they did it for the joy of exploring our shrinking natural world." He looked at the picture on the far wall, there stood four ponies; two stallions and two mares, smiles on their faces as they stood in front of Winsome Falls.
Pathfinder stared at the two ponies on the left. The mares long chocolate brown mane and her kind blue eyes, and her light pink coat. her smile could turn even the gloomiest of days nice and bright. he focused on the stallion and his strong and determined violet eyes, unlike the mares lighter coat his was a dark mud brown and his mane a mossy green. He smiled and then looked at his light brown coat, and reached into his canvas vest pocket, and pulled out a old pocket watch.
"Tell me straight up Path, is this one of those I have to find the perfect place and time to scatter my parents ashes deals?" The grey mare stood up and leaned on his side. "Because if it is I definitely won't object to that not after what your father did for my family."
Pathfinder remembered, his fathers untimely death, as well as his mothers soon there after. He smiled, almost defiantly as to the tragic loss he went through at a early age. "It's the least I could do, is try and lay them to rest in the hopes that the Blue sunrise is indeed true.
Pathfinder looked over his assignment once more then at his pack, he smiled at his rather small pack which held all the equipment and food he would need for the expedition. he only hoped that this Photo Finish wasn't one one of those bring half her mansion type of ponies. he glanced at the now rising sun.
Oh good I still have a few hours before we meet at the train station. he glanced around his small apartment, considering he was hardly in it long enough to get it dirty he checked that of his list of time killing activities which left only two. He choose the more entertaining of the two and whistled for Ember.
"Come on off to Glooms house." he smiled remembering the last time he beat her to her morning coffee, she still didn't for give him for setting up that pit trap just outside her room, even after her paid for the repairs himself. He remembered how this prank war started with the gray filly stealing a piece of bubble gum when they were younger, and the escalation from then on.
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Pathfinder smiled from inside the mares closet, this time he really out did himself, flipping open his fathers old pocket watch he watched it tick away to exactly seven forty five. He yanked on the rope that dangled next to his head, and watched as the mares bed shot upright and dumped the screaming unicorn down a trapdoor, through the series of metal chutes installed on a half planed future prank.
He waited for the dull thud that came from the kitchen and waited.
"Pathfinder!" The mare yelled out at the top of her lungs.
Wasting no time he quickly trotted to the kitchen, there at the table sat a rather angry mare with a steaming mug of coffee and the news paper.
"Rough morning?" he smiled jokingly as he looked to the other end of the table and noticed a rather important peice of his prank was missing. "Wait. Wheres Ember?"
Gloom smiled menacingly as she took a sip of her coffee. before saying. " Go find Path."
Pathfinder was blindsided by the dog and collapsed to the floor. Ember then began furiously licking his face.
"Never mess with a mare before she gets her coffee or next time, it wont be Ember blindsiding you." She took another sip before adopting a more cheery smile. "So what brings you over?"
Pathfinder gently pushed the dog of his side, before standing. "I was wondering If you could watch Ember for about.. oh a week."
The mare stared at him them to Ember, and then to the orange tabby that decided to make itself known as it hopped on the table.
"Come on Gloom, Tangy could use the company, I mean look at her shes so lonely when your away and so is Ember when I'm."
"Sure why not." Gloom shrugged, "but this means when my granny visits it's your job to carry all her bags." she smiled.
"Your granny, Glowsprite or...." The stallion felt a shiver from the mares impassive stare. "Oh, Granny Tatianna." He felt his back hurt from the last time she visited her " Little storm cloud, and her coltfriend dirt clod."
She had the nerve to think that I would have her as my special somepony. Pathfinder glanced at the mare and suspected a very similar thought was crossing her mind.
"Well" Pathfinder tapped his hooves on the ground nervously, hoping that an awkward silence could be avoided. "I better get going, That Photo Finish lady will probably be at the train station. So... See you in a week."
Gloom stared at him then Ember then the cat, the one thing that both ponies in the room know or at least thought was.What have I got myself into.
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"Careful, you don't want to crack the lens, you there fetch me another glass of water."
Pathfinder trotted up to see the train depot abuzz with activity, as ponies went to and fro with boxes and trunks.
"Uh... Ms. Finish, you did read the travel contract right?" Path finder watched as two stallion carried a massive trunk.
"Yes what about it?" The mare turned and fixed her gaze on him.
"It says bring the essentials and as little weight as possible," He looked at the train car and say that it was close to bursting.
"Ma'm were all done loading the first car, and if we hurry we will be done with the other three in about twenty minutes." A mare trotted up. Pathfinder looked at her bright orange coat and her strange green and brown, jumpsuit, if it could even be called that. "Is this the one we were to be expecting for the modeling job next week ma'm?" she pointed her hoof at him.
"No, this is that explorer pony who's taking me to the thing at the place." The posh mare dismissively waved her hoof at him.
"You mean Mt. Prudence, for the Blue sunrise." Pathfinder corrected her. only hearing a huff from the photographer.
"Pearl, deal with him. I Photo Finish must, be away from this dirty, boarding ramp." The blue mare trotted to the train where a pair of large stallions opened the car door to let her inside.
"Don't worry to much. Most of this is going back to her studio in Manehattan. The name is Pearl its a pleasure to meet you.." The mare extended her hoof forward.
"Pathfinder, I take it you are the pony who actually read the contract and all the related fluff?" He shook the mares hoof gently.
"Yes, indeed I did. I couldn't help but notice that your itinerary has the trip scheduled for six days?" The mare looked down at her clipboard with a slight amount of concern.
"You do know how these magical events happen right? Who knows exactly when its going to happen, as I planned to be there at the mountain for two days rather then one in case we miss it." Pathfinder rattled of his somewhat rehearsed response to this question.
Pearl flipped through the clipboard once more. "And your background in the Equestria rangers, I believe it goes without saying that we hope those skills wont be necessary."
" You never know when you going to get mauled by a pack of timber wolves, especially in my line of work. Besides I know the Everfree like the back of my hoof." He hooked his foreleg around her shoulders and pointed to the distant town of Ponyville, before appraising his hoof. "Oh that's new."
Just as Pathfinder was about to address the new chip in his hoof the trains whistle blew, and the platform started to fill with steam.
"All aboard."
Both ponies perked at the conductors call. They looked at each other then the train, before both of them charged towards it.
"Hey wait up." Pathfinder called out as he followed her aboard the train and into the passenger car.
The train ride to Ponyville was largely uneventful (save for a rather unfortunate hot chocolate incident.)Pathfinder looked up from his map, he smiled to himself the plan was simple. A three day hike through the Everfree, sticking to the areas he had been to before and getting the worse part of it all done in one day.
"Froggy Bottom Bog? Are you crazy, wouldn't it make sense to go through Misty Hollow?" Pathfinder glanced up to mare next to him.
"Pearl, that would add another day to this whole hike and for the most part, I know very little of what we will run into out there, that and we would then have to go here." he pointed to the map, where a hastily scribbled blob followed by a doodle of a skull and crossbones.
"Whats there?" Pearl leaned forward her eyes inspecting the map more intently.
"That is dragon territory, and I would prefer to steer clear of that area." he stated as he folded up the map and placed it in his vest pocket. "Never really liked those scaly monsters."
"You mean like that one?" Pearl pointed to a small purple and green dragon who was carrying a sack filled with scrolls. Before she heard a high pitched squeal, as the panicked stallion dove behind a nearby pile of bags.
"So much for the tough as nails Equestria Explorer, I heard boast about taking on a chimera with a broken leg." she smiled in his direction.
"There is one difference. A chimera doesn't vomit fire." He peaked out from the pile of bags.
"That was an image I didn't need forced into my mind." Pearl shuddered slightly, at the though of what the fire would smell like.
"Are you two done blabbing like school fillies, we have the magics to capture." Photo Finish burst out of the train car, her dress traded out for a khaki safari coat, and rather large saddle bags.
"Whoa, she defiantly, is one prepared mare." Pathfinder mumbled to nopony in particular.
"Well then." The stallion looked around the town square hoping that dragon he saw wasn't around. Satisfied that he hadn't seen scale nor tail of the fire vomiting reptile "Lets, get started. Shall we?" He smiled to the two mares as he trotted over to his pack and tossed it over his back.
" Yes ma'm we were just talking about the route we were taking an-" She paused when the photographer raised her hoof.
"There is no need to worry about every detail right now Pearl, we are as in I Photo Finish go now to make history." She then stood perfectly still. her hoof pointed dramatically towards the Everfree.
"What the?..... Oh right, come along Mt Prudence wont hike to itself. First stop Froggy Bottom Bog."
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"You have got to be kidding me, you want us to hike across this." Pearl waved her foreleg at the bubbling wetland in front of the trio.
"Smell that air it smells.. awful, but still we have to get to the other side of it before sunset." Pathfinder stepped infront of the two mares. "Okay now we need to be careful, for the most part many of the animals here aren't dangerous, but try not to stand in any puddles for to long, because the turtles will get angry."
"Ha I'm not afraid of some silly turtles." Photo looked around the bog. "I don't understand your paranoia with this place ah what was it...." she stared at Pearl.
"Pathfinder ma'm, his name is Pathfinder." Pearl deadpanned.
"Yes, yes. Paranoid stallion, take us across this.. this."
"Bog, and snapping turtles are not to be taken lightly." he trotted ahead ahead of the two.
They continued into the bog for several minutes, the only sounds they made was the occasional swatting and cursing at the numerous swarms of insects.
"Paranoid one tell me, why are we walking through this filthy place." Photo asked as she flicked a newly muddied hoof.
"Well other then the fact that this area is mapped, it's kinda where one of my friends disappeared to." Pathfinder glanced around for a dryer path, hoping that getting out of all this mud would make his companions more sociable.
"Wait, somepony you know went missing out here?" Pearl paused concern layered in her words.
"Yes and no, she has a habit of not reporting in or being where she's supposed to be. But knowing her, shes close by in some little tree fort she built." Pathfinder pointed to a densely wooded spot. "Theres the edge of the bog, we just need to get there and we'll be all set."
"About time these bugs, were starting to get real annoying." Photo swung her hoof a small swarm of mosquitoes, thier high pitched buzzing, giving way to a much louder one.
"Wait." Pathfinder paused as the buzzing grew louder and louder. "That, sound." He twitched his ears trying to locate the source before his eyes widened in shock "Oh horseapples."
"What is it?" Pearl shook a thick coating of mud from her hoof.
"Well it could be two things, either we found a bunch of really angry killer bees or we more then likely got into its territory." Pathfinder reached into saddle bag and pulled out a small jar of honey. "I really hope its the former." He began slowly stepping forward.
"None sense, what would try and claim this filthy mud pit as its home, I know I certainly wouldn't." Photo step imperiously ahead of the stallion, determined to get to the forest and away from these pesky bugs.
"Are you crazy, this is one of those moments where you just have to trust me when I sa-" Pathfinder was tossed aside as a massive black blur barreled into his side.
Pathfinder scrammbled back up to his hooves to see, the large chitinous shell of some of his worst nightmares.
"What is that thing?" Pearl shouted from behind him.
"Ladies, I can explain that later. On the count of three I want you two to run as fast as you can into the forest." Pathfinder raised up the small jar and popped the lid off.
"One." The large insect tilted its head as both it and Pathfinder locked eye to segmented eye.
"Two." The clicking of a camera, was now the only noise Pathfinder heard followed by "Oh what a excellent shot." and a face hoof.
"Thr- Starswirls beard whats that?!." He pointed further into the bog gaining the attention of the creature as he tossed the jar at its feet, and ran in the other direction.
"Stupid bugs." He snickered as he galloped through the gushy mud to the tree line.