What happens when a human enters Equestria, meets the ponies... and runs away from them? Who would he befriend instead? Under the canopy of the Everfree lies the answer...
We’ve read it all before; human ends up in Equestria, meets ponies, etcetera... but what if it wasn’t the ponies they met and befriended first? What if it was another creature, say... the timber wolves?
After losing his way in the Forest of Dean, Jack Masterson finds himself in the magical world of Equestria with no clue how he can get back. After fleeing from the truly surreal sight of our favourite ponies, he finds himself back in a forest... and this time, he's not alone...
Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in Canterlot as Prince Blueblood works on his latest scheme to ruin the inhabitants of Ponyville. Will he achieve his revenge on the Mane Six, or will he fail yet again?
Not really inspired by anything in particular, so if you see similarities between this and another story, you're probably paranoid, unless I mention any references. Rated teen because the main character, while not based on myself, shares my fondness for swearing occasionally. EDIT: this story now has a Dark tag, as one of my plot-points took an unexpectedly dark turn. I'm also considering switching it to a Mature content as a later plot-point might get darker still.
“-OWW! The hell’s in that disinfectant, iron nails?!?”
“Oh be quiet, ya big baby. Spike, could you find us some more bandages? I think we might need another roll or two...”
“Sure thing, Twilight.”
“... So... What in Equestria made you leave here, whatever or whoever you are?”
“I woke up in a house filled with talking ponies, I freaked out and legged it, see?”
“That’s rather lacking in details, ya know. How ‘bout you start from the beginning?”
In hindsight, I shouldn’t have left the trail.
My name’s Jack Masterson, and I’m a student. Or at least, I was, up until the point I ended up in... Equestria, didn’t you say this place is? Yeah, here.
Yes, that means I’m from another world. It’s kind of obvious by the reaction when I rolled into town that humans aren’t found in this world, surely you’d have made that connection?
So, like I said, a student, yes, between school and university, on a gap year with my mates Tom and Gary. What’s a gap year? Oh, it’s a break between the government-funded learning when you’re young, and further learning at university, which ultimately is funded by you, even if the government gives you a loan. Think of it as one big holiday, where you can pretty much do whatever you want, but you’ve got to pay for it, or, if you’re lucky, your parents will pay for it. Joy of joys, both Tom and Gary had parents who had given them a decent bit towards their “year off”. I on the other hand had only my savings, the miserly skinflints my parents were.
No, that’s not unjustified, Twilight, Dad’s a manager for a large corporate firm, and Mum’s a pretty good lawyer. They’re rolling in the dough, not a penny of which I’m due to get until they die. A morbid thought, I know, but...
I digress. Now, where was I? Ah yeah, gap year and miserly parents. So, me and my mates decided to go camping across the country. I say camping; they just wanted to hike around and see the sights but knew next to nothing about survival in the outdoors. Guess where I come into the picture. Yeah, I was to be their equivalent of a Sherpa up Mount Everest. Hmm? Oh, it means a guide, Twi. I can call you Twi, right?
So, that’s how we ended up hiking through the foothills and forests of England. We’d just made it into the Forest of Dean when...
One week earlier...
“Duh, the trail goes this way!”
“Then why the hell’s it darker than that way?”
Jack grimaced as his friends bickered. So far, his expectations of the camping trip to be a complete disaster had been achieved to a magnificent scale. Of course, this left the three of them in the middle of a wooded area with no clue how to get out. Perfect.
Adjusting the map, Jack spoke up. “Just shut up for a moment and think. It’s getting dark. We’re stuck in the forest. We’ve got all our camping gear. Now, let’s just camp here for the night and think again in the morning. God knows how you’d do this without me...”
With muttered agreement, the three guys pitched their tents, and within a short while had got a raging campfire going.
“Got to say this for camping in the forest, there’s no real chance of running low on firewood,” Gary chuckled. Jack and Tom rolled their eyes; Gary fancied himself as a comedian-in-the-making, and took any opportunity he could to make a joke or wisecrack, so much so that the other two had grown tired of the jokes by the end of the first day.
“Okay, I’m hitting the hay, you guys should too. Tomorrow we’ve got to figure out where we’re going.” Jack said gruffly, climbing into his rundown tent. While his parents weren’t funding the trip, he had been allowed to take the family camping equipment, consisting of a rough canvas rucksack, a moth-eaten sleeping bag and an equally patchy canvas tent, along with a few ancient pieces of cooking equipment. Fortunately, Gary and Tom had helped kit him out with proper camping essentials. Jack also had his violin with him, his reasoning being that he didn’t trust his parents with it. Much better that it be in his hands than theirs.
Through one of the gaps in the tent’s material, Jack gazed up at the stars and the forest canopy. Perhaps tomorrow they would clear the woodland, though he doubted it. It was a worry too, as supplies were dwindling, even with his attempts at foraging to stretch out the meals. Shifting onto his side, he started to doze.
“...bugger.”
Jack facepalmed as he re-read the note his friends had left outside his tent.
"Jack, we know you’ve been getting upset at us not pulling our weight, so we worked out where to go and we’re leaving early, to make sure we get to civilisation sooner. We would have woken you, but we figured you’d know how to find your way out, and anyway you probably wouldn’t be in the mood for travelling with us. Tom."
“Excellent, I’m stuck out in the wild, on my own,”Jack sighed, beginning to rummage around in his bag.
“Come on, I know the map’s in here somewhere...”
Ten minutes later, Jack was swearing. I left the map with them last night, now they’re gone, so is the map...can this day get any worse?
Not wanting to tempt fate further, Jack attempted to work out the cardinal directions using an old watch trick, attempt being the key word; the canopy seemed thicker than last night, with only a faint amount of light trickling through and no clue of exactly which direction the sun was in.
Cue further facepalming.
“If ever I get out of this, they’re going to find themselves in a world of pain.” Jack muttered, pulling his pack onto his back, striking out along the path of least resistance through the undergrowth. Unsettlingly, the further he got into the forest, the denser the canopy overhead became. The trees around him grew ever more dark and gnarled, and any which way he took, the undergrowth grew thicker and more bramble-filled.
“Correction, make that a galaxy of pain.” Jack grimaced as his legs got further torn up through the thin material of his trousers. This was ridiculous; the forest should have run out by now, and he was pretty sure that he’d not been going around in circles.
“How much farther’s the edge of the forest now?”
“Twilight, darling, it’s so good to see you out of that library! If I may say, the sunlight on your coat really does show off your colours beautifully.”
Twilight blushed. She had intended to simply head to the market to pick up a few groceries, but Rarity had been at Applejack’s stall, causing a small queue as the two argued over “how messy you let your mane get, dear, it’s like a bird nested in it.” Of course, the fashionista had spotted Twilight as the queue started to dwindle.
“Thanks, Rarity. I suppose I do spend a bit too much time inside th-”
“A bit?! Twilight, Nightmare Moon was a bit evil, and Discord was a bit crazy. You really must come out more; you’ll never meet any cute stallions hidden away indoors.” Rarity giggled as Twilight turned a deeper shade of red. She was just about to reply, when:
“AAAHH! Monster from the Everfree!”
Heads whipped around at Rose’s screams, and soon a stampede of hooves heralded everyone dashing into the nearest buildings, hiding under the stalls and generally making themselves scarce. Twilight and Rarity ducked behind Applejack’s stall, the three of them peeking over the top to see what it was.
Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight spotted Pinkie waving, gesturing at Sugarcube Corner, where peering through the window were Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Twilight giggled; though nothing had been said outright, the two pegasi were very close friends indeed. If it were not for Fluttershy’s confessed feelings for a certain big red earth pony (“O-oh, he’s, um... nice...”) you would swear the two were together.
What emerged from the trail from the forest was nothing like what they had expected. Twilight summoned her binoculars from the library and peered closely at it. It appeared to be a bipedal creature (an ape, perhaps?), loping along tiredly on its two back legs with no sign of a balancing tail to keep it upright. Oddly, it was garbed in some sort of very tatty clothing, and carrying a large saddlebag of some kind on its back.
“Twilight!” Twi snapped out of her analysis at Rarity’s frantic whisper. “What in Celestia’s name is that thing?! It’s... It’s.... It’s an abomination to fashion! ”
Applejack facehoofed. “Uh, we’ve bigger things ta think about, Rare, like what in tarnation are we gonna do about it?”
“Civilisation...”
Twilight’s head whipped around. Did that thing just speak? Any further questions were cut off as the thing collapsed rather painfully on the cobbles underhoof. “Oww...”
The thing rolled onto its back with some difficulty, shrugging off the pack, and against all probability, seemed to be falling asleep. Twilight shifted slightly – now was the time to act.
Whispering to Applejack and Rarity “Girls! Let’s get a closer look.”, Twilight gestured to the three indoors to do the same. Together as a group, they closed in carefully...
Jack sighed happily, punch-drunk from exhaustion. Made it... when I get my hands on them two...
“What is that thing, Twi? It looks like a pint-size minotaur.”
Jack blinked blearily. Six blobs entered into his vision. The one speaking appeared to be... blue?
“I don’t know, none of my books have anything on a creature like this, and I’ve read through the library’s entire zoology section after that Hydra incident.”
That was the purple blob. Jack blinked a few times more to clear his eyes, and found himself giggling at the sight.
“Little technicolour horsies...”
Okay, reasoned one part of his mind, clearly we’re massively tired; this is a hallucination or something. However, that part of his mind wasn’t in control of his mouth.
“Dude, we’re ponies, get it right.” That was the blue one with, Jack noted, crazy hair. He giggled again.
The blue one preened. “Hey, I say we let it stay, it clearly recognises awesomeness.”
Another bout of giggles and another lucid speech. “Hey thar, Pardner, thar’s a snake in mah boot...”
The ponies recoiled a little at the mention of snakes, and then the purple one spoke up. “Umm, would you mind very much telling us what you aAAH!”
Jack had reached up and started running his fingers through her mane, the odd hysterical giggle slipping past his lips. “You sound adorkable... I’m gonna go bye-bye-now...”
And with that classy rejoinder that left Purple blushing, Jack slipped into a long-awaited sleep.
The next morning...
Jack slowly came to, his head aching, and for some reason, a thoroughly painful chest. Almost as if he’d run into a wall, or fallen onto a road...
He sat bolt upright.
Road.
Town.
PONIES.
...room? Bed. House. Human house? Doorknobs. Probably human. Probably. Small bed though.
Just as his mind started to piece this masterpiece of a mental jigsaw together, some familiar voices wafted through the door. Jack strained to hear, moving over to the door, opening it a tiny crack.
“-nd that’s how Equestria was founded!”
“Ugh, Pinkie, we don’t need any more of your random stories for the moment, we need to work out what we’re doing with this... sapient ape thing. Clearly it’s the scientific find of the century... imagine all the papers that could be written, the studies that could be done...”
“Uh, Equestria to Twilight, you’re drooling over that book.” A familiar voice snickered. Blue pony, thought Jack. And likewise, the science-y one must have been Purple. This is one whacked-out extended hallucination. Or...
He pinched himself. Ow. Yep, definitely awake. This is just too weird. No, it’s more than that, it’s damn freaky....
Back to the forest?
Hmm?
I said, back to the forest? A voice in his head suggested. Probably his conscience or subconscious, he figured.
Oh, yes, that sounds sensible. In as much as anything can in this technicolour world.
Jack stepped back from the door, looking for his pack. In doing so, he spotted a small tray with a few flowers, what appeared to be a hay sandwich, and an apple. Swiping the apple and his bag, which was resting by a wardrobe, Jack paused. Well, the thought’s there...Now, how best to get out of here...
“Ah just don’t understan’ it, how could something like that come outta the Everfree? If that thing’s, uh... consarn it Twi, what’s that word ya used? About it bein’ able to speak an’ such?”
Twilight turned to Applejack. The six ponies were sat around Twilight’s kitchen table, in various states of exhaustion; Twilight had been able to get the creature into the library without too much effort using magic, but its pack proved more difficult for the ever-proud Rainbow Dash to carry too far. Applejack soon took it from her, having less trouble with it, but it still was fairly weighty.
Twi thought for a moment. “You mean sapient?” Applejack nodded.
“Yeah, that’s the apple. If’n that thing’s sapient, then what if there’s more of ‘em?” Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “What if they’re violent? What if-”
Twilight interrupted. “You’re making too many assumptions, Applejack. We’ve got to view this from the point of any scientist; there is what we believe which may be rendered true or false at any time, so we must keep an open mind. I mean, a century before Nightmare Moon rose, most earth ponies and unicorns still believed the world to be flat until the mathematician Abacus Ablaze proved the pegasi’s claims that it was in fact round.” Twilight smirked as she recalled the fact, but her smile was wiped from her face as Rainbow Dash snorted.
“Hah, us pegasi knew more than the unicorns? I’ll bet that put a twist in the unicorn’s tails!” she laughed.
Twilight sighed. “Aaanyway, we’d better check up on that thing. The sooner we find out something about it, the sooner I can stop thinking of it as a creature or just a thing.” Twilight grinned at the thought. Interacting with a completely new species! Well, more than having her mane fondled and being called adorkable. Twilight blushed at the recollection.
Trotting up to her room, where the creature had been put to rest, Twilight nudged open the door quietly, so as not to disturb it. Needless to say she was surprised as she caught site of the creature dropping to the ground from her window, pack in hand.
“Hey! Get back here! Girls, it’s climbed out the window, after it!”
Oh shit.
Jack started to run as fast as he could, ducking through a nearby alleyway as the sound of six sets of hooves galloping to the door echoed out to him. Even with their greater numbers, soon the sound of hoof steps diminished as Jack took more corners, determined to lose them.
Eventually, the buildings started to thin out, and Jack could see the forest again. He breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe now I can get out of this weirdness.
Such a shame the fates were not on his side.
“Hey!”
Jack found himself screeching to a halt as the cyan pony with the cool hair landed in front of him. Holy crap, they can fly too?
The mare snorted. “Now you’re done running, you’re going to walk right back to the library before I make you. Since you obviously appreciate how cool I am,” she preened for a moment “I think you know it’d be best to just go back.”
Jeez, I hope they’re not all like this. Jack looked around for any signs of the others, but fortunately none of them had made it here, or at least not yet. Come on, how to get out of this...
After a few moments, Jack’s eyes shot open, grinning, which unnerved the pony a little. “Hey, no funny business. Turn around now.”
Lowering in the pack to the ground, Jack breathed in, forcing himself to relax. Here goes nothing...
Jack twisted around and charged his foe, earning another look of surprise from his would-be assailant as he launched himself over her head, and slammed his full weight into her back, elbow first between the shoulder blades and wing joints.
Even an athlete like Rainbow Dash couldn’t support the weight of a larger being like Jack. Rainbow collapsed to the ground, stunning herself as her head impacted on the ground, and Jack rolled off quickly. Wincing at his now smarting elbow (pony spines are tough!), Jack scooped up his pack again and returned to his sprint to the forest.
Several minutes later, Dash was sitting in the middle of her friends, their concerned faces looking down at her as Twilight checked her over for any lasting damage.
“Jeez, what the hay did it do to me? It was like some of that Kung Fu stuff, only without any of the cool kicks, punches and guys exploding.” Dash exclaimed. Twilight looked at her confused.
“Exploding?”
Dash nodded eagerly. “Yeah, there’s this one movie, `The Diamond Hoof`, I forget the director, but the main stallion in it lifts a bad guy up over his head and throws him with just his hooves, and the dude explodes as he hits the ground! And there’s this other scene, where-“
Twilight facehoofed, and a few thwack sounds suggested her friends were of the same opinion. She sighed. If that thing made it back to the forest we may never find it again...
Several hundred meters into the forest, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. His pursuers appeared to have disappeared, and despite being stuck in the forest again, he remained quite optimistic about finding a way back to a proper town, with humans and everything...
Grrrrrrwl....
Jack grimaced as his stomach rumbled. Naught but the apple he had eaten had graced his stomach in the last 24 hours, and even that hadn’t filled much, only serving to convince him that, despite his misgivings, his situation was completely real.
Grrrrrrr...
Jack grimaced again, then stopped, confused. That didn’t come from his stomach... but then....
Slowly he turned.
Face to face with him was a wol- no, not a wolf, it was made of wood. Someone’s art project, maybe? He mused.
Grrrrrrrr...
The wooden wolf shifted a little, preparing to pounce, and the truth of the situation hit home.
Under the cover of the dense forest of the Everfree, dark and strange things lurk. Fruit bats flit from tree to tree, manticores hide in the shadows awaiting prey to pounce on, and even the mist seems to take a life of its own, choking the noise out of the air. Not a single sound can be hea-
“shiiiiiiiiiiiit!”
Oh. Well, maybe just one sound...
Jack tore through the undergrowth, running for his life, fleeing from an equally fleet-footed foe; a pack of wolves, made entirely of wood. Just a few moments before, he’d been congratulating himself on escaping from the ponies, and now I’ve got these bastards to deal with! What the hell is with this place?!
The woodland cleared a little, the naturally gnarled and bent woodland giving way to a small grove of apple trees. Jack paid little attention to this detail; all he noticed was the high up branches, just within his reach, and with some luck, out of range from his pursuers.
Speeding up, Jack leapt for one of the lower branches, and began to pull himself up. Just in time too, as the jaws of the closest wolf snapped around where his ankle would have been a moment ago. Pulling himself up a little higher into the tree, Jack congratulated himself briefly.
Damn, they’re persistent, Jack thought. Why the hell were they chasing me? It’s not as if they’d be able to digest me.... right? They’re just wood... whatever they eat, it was damn good luck to find these tre-... the hell?
Not a few inches from Jack’s face was an apple. A rainbow-skinned apple that Jack swore he could feel energy coming from.
Jack blinked. “Okay... I don’t think we’re in Kansas any more... What’s up with that...?” he muttered as he leaned closer to the apple, reaching out for it.
GRRRRR....
The hairs on the back of Jack’s neck bristled as a wave of fear hit him. By looking at the apple, he’d taken his mind off the wolves. One sat gazing up at him, a snarl on its twiggy lips, while a few padded around the tree impatiently.
Well damn, Jack thought, I’m stuck now. Up a tree, and no way out, unless I can magically learn to fly in the next few minutes. His thoughts briefly turned to the axe tied securely to his travel bag, but quickly shook his head; attempting to cut down that many wolves with one tiny hatchet? I’d be swamped in moments and torn to pieces.
Slowly, Jack pulled his hand back from the apple. As he did, the main wolf who had been gazing up at him stopped growling. Jack looked at the wolf quizzically, then moved his hand closer to the apple again. Sure enough, the wolf started growling at his proximity to the apple.
“... Well this makes as much sense as anything else,” Jack muttered, “Wolves, made of wood, who for some reason don’t want me touching their rainbow apples... no one would believe me if I told them about this...”
Jack settled back in the branches a little. Well, I’m stuck here for a while, might as well get comfortable, he thought.
Slowly Jack’s gaze wandered around the clearing below, until something caught his attention; two of the wooden wolves had become bored with their vigil under the tree, and were busying themselves with the other apple trees, or, more specifically, the apples. A small number had fallen to the ground, and the wolves were carefully lifting them in their jaws and gathering them together. The smaller of the two waited until the larger had its back turned, then literally wolfed one down one of the windfalls. A moment later, the larger wolf rounded on the smaller, growling at it.
They’re... farming these trees? Then that means... the blood ran from Jack’s face. I’m sitting in their crops. They weren’t trying to bite me to eat me. They were trying to keep me away from their food supply...
Half an hour later, Jack was still stuck up his tree. The wolves’ numbers had dwindled around his tree in favour of gathering what remained of the apples they could get to, but the largest of them all remained at the foot of the tree, gazing patiently up at Jack. It must be the Alpha of the group, Jack figured. The lone wolf’s unwavering vigilance was rather creepy in Jack’s opinion.
Jack’s gaze returned to the closest apple to him for the umpteenth time since he had clambered up the boughs of the tree. Then back to the wolves. Then back to the apple. Slowly, a grin crept onto his face.
“Maybe...” Jack grinned. Slowly, he closed his hand around the apple.
GRRRRRR...
The Alpha started growling menacingly. Jack paid it no heed though, slowly pulled the brightly-hued apple from its branch... and dropped it down to the wolves below.
As the apple bounced briefly on the soft ground below, the wolves’ attentions were drawn to it. The Alpha sniffed it warily, growling softly at any that tried to get too close to it. Slowly, ever so carefully, it lifted the apple between its jaws and crunched it up.
Jack suddenly found himself under the scrutiny of the peculiar eyes of the entire wolf pack. Gulping, Jack selected another apple, and sent it tumbling the same way as the last one had. Again, the apple was treated to some suspicion before the wolves pulled it to their stockpiles.
Jack silently congratulated himself. Okay, they’ve taken the bait, now how far can I throw the apples?
<What manner of creature are you?>
Jack looked around curiously. Odd... it had sounded like someone had just said something.
<Name yourself, creature. We have never seen such as your kind since we were mere saplings.>
Slowly, Jack’s gaze returned to the Alpha with growing confusion. The Alpha looked confused too, and tilted its head to the side quite quizzically, almost like a cat would.
<Speak, creature, we now you can. What was it you called as you ran from us? “Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit”? What manner of phrase is this?>
Jack’s jaw dropped. It was the wolf talking. In his MIND...
Jack grimaced as he came to. “What the hell just happened?” he muttered.
<If you are in need of reminding, you fell out of that Zap apple tree like a newborn chick trying to fly. Most amusing, really.> a graunching rumble reached his ears. It almost sounded like... laughing?
Jack’s eyes shot open as he recalled his predicament.
Sitting at his feet was the Alpha wolf from before.
Jack froze under the patient gaze of the Alpha. Somehow, though, the gaze seemed softer than before. The other wolves had also dispersed among the trees, returning to their gathering.
<Are you alright, fledgling? You seem ill at ease.> Jack frantically cleared his ear with one finger. Surely it couldn’t be speaking to him directly through his mind?
<Our apologies for chasing you as we did, but you must understand, we must protect our harvest with great vigilance.> the wolf leaned closer. <Now, what manner of creature are we to thank for helping us gather a few more morsels for our stocks?>
Jack stammered, “Uhh, J-Jack... h-human...”
<You are a Jackhuman?> the wolf looked at him curiously. <What a curious name. Is your species related at all to the Jackrabbit? You seem much too big for a rabbit. More closely related to the Jackalope, perhaps?>
Jack shook his head, still freaking out a little. “No, m-my name’s Jack and my species is human. Well, Homo sapiens if you want to be specific....”
<I can’t say I recognise that name. Are there many of you in these parts?> the wolf asked, quite casually.
“Uh, no, I think I’m the only one.” Jack murmured. The wolf bowed its head.
<Ah. my condolences for your loss.>
“Loss?”
<Why, the loss of your species, of course. Are you not the last of your kind?>
Jack shook his head, wondering how he was speaking so calmly to a wooden wolf, of all things. “No, there’s at least seven billion of us. I just... don’t think I’m in the same world as them any more.”
The wolf jerked back in surprise. <Well, that’s certainly a bold statement. Seven billion, you say? And in another world? No wonder you do not smell of magic yet.>
Jack frowned. “Magic? Magic doesn’t...exist.”
The wolf snorted, laughing its guttural laugh again. <Doesn’t exist? And just what do you think we are held together with, sunshine and butterfly farts?>
Slowly, Jack made to stand up, shaking his head. “This is just too weird...”
<Says the monkey missing its tail that claims it’s from another world.>
“True... so, what do I call you?” Jack asked, “It’s not like I can keep thinking of you as Alpha Wolf.”
The wolf grinned wide. <Oh? Well, I suppose that’s true. Call me Rowan. Generally we name our own after the trees our heartwood came from, though sometimes we add other words relating to our past.>
“Your heartwood?” Jack asked, looking around for his pack. Fortunately, it had lodged safely in the tree’s strong branches. Rowan nodded.
<Indeed. A new Timberwolf enters into this world when enough magical energy has been collected by his brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, we have no way of collecting it directly from the world, so we must rely on more magical sources.> Rowan gazed up into the tree as Jack retrieved his pack. <These trees’ fruits are the easiest way for us to collect such energies as is necessary.>
"Right, I’m with you so far. So, you collect all this magical energy, and then you stuff it into a tree?”Jack queried, carefully checking over his violin.
<Well, not quite.> Rowan replied. <Magic requires a focus, a way of channelling it, to give it purpose. The ponies use their hooves, wings or horns, depending on their breed. We wolves “sing” our magic.>
As if to demonstrate his point, Rowan howled, making Jack cover his ears at the sudden noise. Even through his hands, however, Jack could hear the telltale shifting of the pitch in the howl. Faint blue lines of light traced their way into the air from Rowan’s mouth and towards the farthest trees, which were bare of any leaves or fruits. As one, the pack joined him in his song. With each wolf's voice joining the choir, the trees were bathed in the soft glow of their magic mingling with the tree's own. Each tree began to spark at the tips of the branches as they became saturated with magic.
After a few moments, the song ended, and Rowan turned to Jack. <With our help, these trees will produce a fine harvest in five day’s time. So too can we use our hard-earned magic to sing to life our new brothers from the wood of the forest, restore ailing trees, and much more.>
Rowan eyed Jack. <It’s also how we’re able to communicate in this fashion, fledgling. One apple should give enough magic to last several days without problem. Alas, in recent times, the harvest has been poor for us; we are unable to get among the branches where most of the apples remain until their magic disperses, and without their magic we become naught but wood.> Rowan whined softly. <Our numbers have dwindled recently, and many of our kin have returned to mother Gaea’s earth once more...>
Jack stayed silent, taking all of this new information in. So that’s why they were so eager to protect these trees...
Rowan perked up. <But, perhaps we can renew ourselves, much as the forest does. I assume you are not going anywhere?>
Jack frowned slightly at this question. “I don’t think I am. Why?”
<Perhaps there is an opportunity here. You have already proven how easy it is for you to climb up among the branches and pluck the apples from the boughs.> Rowan straightened up. <If you will help us with our harvests, you shall have our protection in this forest. Believe me when I say, alone you stand no chance. Likewise, without your assistance, I fear we may succumb completely and fade. Why not then help us and improve your chances and ours significantly?>
Jack mused for a few seconds on the wolf’s proposal.
“...yeah, alright then. You’ve got yourself a deal.” Jack held out his hand. Rowan nodded, and did likewise with his paw.
Suddenly, Jack yawned, to Rowan’s amusement. <Tired already? Ah, I suppose being chased must have worn you out both physically and mentally. Come, we must find you somewhere to sleep that is safe...>
Half an hour later, Jack was wrapped up warmly in one of his camping blankets. The wolves had found an uninhabited cave nearby for him to stay. Still, Jack found himself shifting a lot, trying to get comfortable as the rocks and pebbles on the cave floor pressed against him through the padding he’d laid beneath himself. Around him, the pack slept, save a few who kept watch for the ever-present perils lurking in the darkness.
Eventually, Jack gave up and just lay there, looking out at the stars, glad of something familiar to him to hold onto. Maybe tomorrow we can find somewhere better to see them from, Jack thought, before drifting off into the embrace of his dreams.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I’m so sorry I messed up there was this creature and it left and it ran into the forest and it could talk and
Dear Princess Celestia,
Spike here. Twilight’s got herself all worked up again over some weird creature that turned up out of the Everfree forest. It collapsed in the middle of town on market day (big surprise – every time something happens around here it’s like everypony’s out shopping or something), so Twilight levatlevite carried it back to the library with the other girls. It soon escaped though, out of a second floor window.
The strangest thing, though, was what it looked like. It walked upright like me, but it didn’t have a tail to balance it. It had paws and claws similar to me, only they were squishy and soft. The only hair it had on it was on the top of its head. It also was wearing clothes over itself too, and had what looked like saddlebags over its back. Oh yeah, and it could talk too, but I didn’t hear what it said, and Twilight blushes whenever I bring it up.
Anyways, Twilight seems really worried about how it could have been a really important discovery, so could you please tell her something to calm her down?
Foreword: in this chapter I'll be using numbered footnotes on a few occasions. Look out for the numbers in brackets and bold that correspond with the appropriate footnote. Enjoy!
“Right, this one’s clear!”
Jack wiped his brow. Climbing the apple trees was fairly easy, compared to moving through the tough thick branches to collect all the apples. Below him on the ground, his new allies, the timberwolves, busied themselves taking the spoils of today’s harvest to their stockpiles deeper in the forest. It had been but a few days, but their collections had greatly increased over the last few days thanks to a little ingenuity on Jack’s part; every wolf now carried in their jaws a wicker basket(admittedly low-quality – Jack wasn’t anywhere near an expert in weaving), increasing their carrying capacity. It was rather an amusing sight, Jack chuckled to himself, of such tough and fierce-looking creatures carrying not only a basket, but such brightly-hued apples along.
<Good work, hatchling!> Rowan called up, <Make your way down and rest a while, there are no more trees in need of harvesting today.>
Rowan, the alpha wolf and also Jack’s first contact within the group, sat guard at the base of the tree as his pack ferried their precious cargo. In his own words, Jack would be perfectly safe with but a single wolf by him at all times, and who better than the strongest member of the group for the job of bodyguard? Not only that, Rowan remained the only wolf that would regularly talk to their human compatriot.
Save for the introductions to the few members of this pack, the other wolves tended not to talk around Jack, and remained quite focused on their jobs all the while. Presumably to save their magic, Jack believed. Slowly though, they seemed to be warming to his presence and his contributions, save Thorn, an aptly named male of a prickly personality. His true name was Raspberry, but refused to be identified by such a silly name.
Then there was Willow, a female whose graceful gait and how she held herself reminded Jack of the peaceful tranquillity of her namesake. Jack and Willow got along very well very easily, though she was quite reserved and shy around him and the other wolves.
Of course, supporting Willow was the ever-energetic and easygoing Juniper and even-tempered Holly, both females too. The three females of the group were almost inseparable, save for at harvest-time.
The final member of this tiny troupe was Oakenfrost (named after the sharp winter he had been “sung” into life in) or Oaken as he preferred to be called. As level-headed and clever as Rowan, Oaken stood as Rowan’s second-in-command in the pack’s pecking order.
As Jack clambered down, Rowan turned to face him. <Many thanks, my friend. With just one more tree’s load, we may finally be able to start restoring our clan to its former glory.> Rowan shifted slightly as Jack’s shoes hit the ground.
“Well, I’m only really returning the favour, you guys are keeping me safe and I’ve got to earn my upkeep somehow, don’t I?” Jack grinned, stretching.
<Well, whatever you claim, the timberwolves are glad of your help.> Side by side, the two began to return to their makeshift home. Jack had done what he could to make their rocky shelter a bit more comfortable, but it was no Batcave, not by a long shot. The opening to the cave was too wide and let in great gusts of cold air in the night, chilling him to his core. Perhaps soon I’ll find a better place to crash, Jack thought.
As they walked, however, Jack’s ruminations were cut short by the arrival of Oaken.
<Rowan, be on guard, the Striped one walks near!> Oaken barked out, causing Rowan to growl softly. Jack on the other hand knew nothing of what Oaken meant. He turned to Rowan.
“Who, or what, is the Striped one?”
Meanwhile, back in Ponyville...
Spike glanced nervously at Twilight. It had been several days since her frantic message to her mentor, Princess Celestia, yet she hadn’t received so much as a microfiche on the matter. True to past form, Twilight was obsessing over the “mistake” she thought she’d made, and her appearance grew more and more dishevelled with each day, her mane gaining more curls and split ends, and her lack of sleep leaving her with bags under her eyes and a slightly crazed look in her eyes.
It wasn’t helping either, Spike noted, that she’d been drinking copious amounts of coffee and had started researching again, tomes scattered around her as she hunted for any word of such a creature within the library’s (somewhat limited, as Twilight often remarked) stock of books.
Spike was very grateful, then, when the doorbell (literally, a bell by the door) sounded, breaking Twilight’s concentration. “Ugh, can’t anypony appreciate that this is a library? Quiet!” Twilight lamented. Spike sighed, shaking his head.
“Twi, the library’s been shut ever since you started reading agai-” Spike’s retort petered out as he opened the door and saw who was there.
“Greetings, Spike, may I come in?” Celestia smiled.
“And it spoke, you say?”
Celestia frowned lightly at the description. She and Spike were seated in the living area of the library, enjoying some tea, while Twilight frantically tried to clean herself up for the Princess.
“That’s what the Twilight was saying when she brought it back here,” Spike explained, “but I never got a chance to hear it.”
“How very peculiar. I’ve had the Canterlot Academy’s Research team scouring the archives and they haven’t found so much as a mention of such a being in any of the books. The most we’ve found is a vague reference to a Minotauren myth...” Celestia sighed, but a moment later giggled as Twilight emerged from the bathroom, looking like her usual self, save one little addition...
“Uh, Twilight?” Spike pointed to her back hoof, smirking.
“What?”Twilight looked back, only to blush as she spotted a few sheets of toilet roll stuck there.
"...OhmigoshI'msosorrybackinasecondPrincess!"
“Has anypony spotted the creature since this happened?” Celestia enquired, a smile on her face as Twilight dashed off, crimson-faced, to get rid of the paper.
“I’ve not heard if anypony has, Princess; I’ve been in here trying to make sure Twilight was alright.” Spike replied.
“Hmm...” Celestia mused. A moment later, Twilight returned, still red-faced from her blush, much to Spike’s amusement.
“Well then, I have a new task for you, Twilight,” Celestia spoke regally, as she arose from her seat. “This creature is completely new to us, and as such could be either a threat or an ally. On these grounds, therefore, you and your friends are to keep your eyes out for the creature again, and if possible speak to it. Who knows?” Celestia smiled. “If this creature is as sapient as you claim, you may even gain a new friend.”
“However ,Twilight, I do have a few concerns...” Celestia frowned a little. “This creature may have been on its own as you found it, but that does not mean it is alone. There may be more of its species in the Everfee, and if you discover any evidence that makes you believe so, you must exercise caution. In the worst case scenario, there could be a whole host of them capable of fighting. We do not wish to risk a potential war scenario, with a foe of which we know next to nothing about, because of some issue with how we handled the creature’s presence. I ask you as well, therefore, to avoid trying to aggravate the creature, and if you do come across more of its kind, make sure you have an avenue of escape clear.”
Celestia’s frown soon disappeared, and stretched as she stood once more. “Well, Twilight, it’s been good to see you, even if for only a short while. We really must have tea more often; it really is a pleasant break from the humdrum of palace life and running the kingdom.” She turned to leave, but paused at the door, smiling gently. “Oh, and Twilight? Don’t run yourself ragged on this. Just do what you can, I can ask no more than that from you. Perhaps your zebra friend has seen something of the creature? She lives in the forest, doesn’t she?”
Back in the forest...
“Who, or what, is the Striped one?”
Rowan crouched down, gesturing for Jack to join him on the ground behind a Muleberry bush (1). <The Striped one is one of those blasted ponies. However, we...> Rowan paused, <...tolerate this one. She seems to understand the laws of this forest. Most of their kind cares not for our sacred harvest, least of all those apple farmers...> Both wolves growled at this.
Something clicked in Jack’s mind. “Apple farmers? Is one of them orange, with blond hai- a blond mane, I mean, with a hat?”
Rowan’s growl deepened. <The grand-spawn of the one who first stole the fruits of our efforts, aye, that’s one of them. We try to get our harvest back each year, when the moon is full, and the night begins to grow in length once more, but they drive us away with the sound of iron on iron. ‘tis a dreadful thing, iron; many a tree has been cut down by a pony’s iron axe, and where a pony isn’t strong enough, a minotaur is often called in...> Rowan growled deeply, then looked at Jack curiously. <What do you know of the fruit stealer’s spawn, fledgling?>
Before Rowan’s question could be answered, however, Oaken growled for them to be silent and still. In the cover of the bush, the three of them waited for ‘the Striped one’ to pass.
“Hmmm... Forget-Me-Nots, in palest blue... Snapperdragon (2) seeds, a glorious red hue...” Jack chanced a glance over the top of the bush to see another pony. This one, however, was striped in black and white, with a Mohican mane and plenty of tribal-looking jewellery. As it (she, Jack thought) paced through the forest, the pony murmured to itself, checking through its baskets, one either side of its body with string over the pony’s back to keep them in place. Jack ducked down again, but not before spying a sturdy wooden staff slung across her back. Onward the pony padded, muttering to herself.
“The toughest leaves of an Ironwood tree... which leaves... just a few berries of that young Muleberry.”
Jack froze, as did the wolves. Carefully, the zebra moved its jaws around a rather large berry, and in one swift movement, yanked it off the stalk.
HEE-HAWW!
Jack, not expecting the noise, leapt back from the bush with a curse, and the zebra responded in kind, though with a mouthful of Muleberry her scream was somewhat muffled. In one deft movement, the wooden staff was levelled at Jack using the zebra’s front hooves, just as the Timberwolves darted to in front of him from their cover behind the bush, growling fiercely at her. Slowly, the zebra assessed the situation, spitting out the berry.
“And what is this, that crosses my path this day? A pair of timberwolves, with a most unusual stray...” she murmured, her eyes now fixated on the growling piles of animated wood before her.
Jack bristled at this. “Stray?”
The zebra’s mouth fell open. “You speak in pony tongue, strange beast? Then...” Her eyes darted back to the wolves. “how is it you’re not these wolves’ next feast? I thought that the foul beasts would kill the forest's creatures to take their fill.”
Jack groaned a little at the memory. “It’s a rather strange story.” Gesturing for the wolves to back down, Jack recounted his tale in brief. Slowly the tension between the two groups lessened, until Jack had finished. Though it was clear the pony was still wary of the two wooden threats, some sort of silent truce had been called between the two sides.
“A peculiar tale you tell indeed.” The zebra mused, resting against her staff. Her eyes rested once more on the wolves. “To think that apples are what these wolves need... and to think one such as you would have discovered their point of view.”
Jack looked at the zebra curiously. “Do you always speak in rhymes?”
“Only when the mood takes me.” The zebra bowed, grinning. “I am Zecora. And you are...?”
“Jack.” Unused to the formality, Jack bowed a little too. Zecora tapped a hoof against her chin, and then snorted softly, a broad smile moving across her lips.
“Jack... a fine name for one with such new ‘friends’ as yours.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Well, think about it. They are wolves made of wood. Given your new association with them, that would make you..”
Jack pondered this for a moment, but soon facepalmed. “Lumber-Jack.” he groaned. “Do you always have such a way with words?”
“I have to be, or else my rhymes would fail.” Once again, the zebra chuckled. “Now, to my home, I had better make flight; one would not like to be caught in the Everfree at night.”
Jack looked skywards to check the time; his watch, oddly, wasn’t keeping time too well, losing a fair few minutes each night. Well, it was either that or the nights were drawing in very fast. Already the summer sun was beginning to decline a fair ways towards the horizon, making it around eight in the evening by Jack’s reckoning, whereas his watch read 17:00. For this time of year, Jack found it very peculiar.
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea, we’d better do the same.” Jack held out his hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Zecora.”
Zecora put her hoof in his, shaking it. “Indeed, the pleasure was all mine, perhaps you should visit my home some time.” She eyed the wolves, chuckling softly, “I feel sure they know where it is.”
And with that, she turned and trotted away, only to halt not far away and turn back around. She returned to them, a slight blush on her face. “I almost forgot what I came for; a few berries.”
“Ah, right.” Jack chuckled, until a thought came to him. “Um, you’re friends with the ponies in town, right?”
Zecorah mused on this for a moment. “While at first they feared my foreign looks, they soon learned not to judge their books... hmm, that was not one of my best rhymes...” She tutted. “Well, yes, I suppose I do consider them friends now. Why do you ask?”
“I’d rather if you kept meeting me to yourself, if you can," Jack said sheepishly, “Having them chase me again sounds like a terrible idea, especially with my, ahem, new friends?” Jack gestured to the wolves.
“Ah, I see what you mean. Very well, I shall do my best, to hide our meeting like you request. Now off with you, can you not see, I’ve yet to pluck a single Muleberry?” Zecora frowned, but a little smile played on her lips.
Jack chuckled, and, turning away with the wolves, they left her to her harvest.
For a few hundred feet, Jack and the wolves walked in silence, until Rowan chose to break it. <So, that explains where you’d heard of the harvest-stealer’s grandchild; you were virtually in the same room as her. And just what was that word you used back there that made you groan so?> Rowan growled. <I did not recognise it, but it did not sound pleasant at all.>
Jack groaned again. And here I had hoped today’s drama was over and done with, he thought.
Meanwhile, in Canterlot’s swanky Upper District...
“No, no, NO!”
Truly sighed, carefully dodging an airborne vase. “I’m sorry, your Lordship, but there’s no way that plan would work.”
Such was the life of a valet in the Blueblood family’s household, Truly Faithful mused. His whole family had been butlers, maids and servants to the volatile brood of the Blueblood family, right back to the days of the first of the Bluebloods had been born, back in the days of Truly’s great-times-twelve-grandfather, Old Faithful. To date, the Faithfuls had diligently played a much required role in equestrian history; dodging countless thrown objects and insults, cleaning up after and providing care for the cream of the Canterlot aristocracy, (and a really thick cream it was too) and just shoving a spanner in the works of the mad machinations created by the Blueblood family.
Which leads us neatly back to Truly’s current situation. Wielding another vase in his hooves, (the Bluebloods had the odd tendency to forget their magic sometimes when angry) Prince Blueblood the Thirteenth ground his teeth in frustration. “Why not? They’d never see it coming!”
Truly shook his head. “And just how do you plan to train the bears to fire the lasers you’ve mounted to them? Not to mention, how would you get them in place without being discovered?” Truly countered, “And even then, let’s not forget the Element of Kindness works in Ponyville as a veterinarian. I hear she can talk with animals, and there’s the rumours that she out-stared a cockatrice and befriended a Chimera. Evidently not someone you want to get on the wrong side of, especially if you’ve just grafted laser cannons onto their skeletons?” Truly finished pointedly.
Blueblood paused, taking all this in, then slumped down onto his desk, the vase falling to his side as he moaned with frustration. Truly took this as a chance to quickly clean up around the Prince, depositing a cup of his favourite raspberry tea next to his face as the Prince slumped forward onto his desk.
“Oh, come now, Sir, it’s not all that bad.” Truly tried to console the Prince, patting him lightly on the back, a sympathetic look on his face. “The idea was a flop, yes, but at least you’ve found out what wouldn’t work, eh?”
He turned to face the door again. “Not to mention Prince Blueblood the ninth tried that one,” Truly muttered under his breath. While the Bluebloods took great pride in their genealogy, the Faithfuls took pride in their careful note-taking and long memories of the plans the various Princes through the ages had dreamt up. Without these, there would be plenty of animals trotting around Equestria with various weapons secured to them, Truly’s father would chuckle as he taught his son the tricks of the trade. For some reason the Bluebloods gravitated towards animal-weapon combos, just as surely as a pony was a pony (3) and as surely as Celestia loved cake. Unfortunately, more often than not the poor creatures would turn out to be completely useless as agents to carry out even the most simple the task, let alone, say, assassinating the Marequise de Fantailler or harassing Fancy Pants. They did have a surprising capacity for unfettered chaos among large gatherings though, Truly had to admit. The sight of an angry honey badger with scimitars strapped onto its claws would have even the toughest of the aristocracy fleeing for their lives.
Still, for the task at hand, Blueblood kept drawing up the most useless plans yet known to the Faithful family. It didn’t help either that he was so fixated on one particular target...
“Why?” Truly heard Blueblood say, his voice muffled by the desk under his face. Truly tried not to snicker at the sight of his employee so ridiculously arranged; his head pressed against the desk, sitting in an awkward position on his desk chair, with his back left hoof up in the air behind him and his tail wrapped loosely around the fallen vase. He continued, “Why must it be so damned difficult to get rid of those impudent mares?”
“Well, you have to admit, you did yourself no favours that night Sir,” Truly sighed, “from what I hear you made quite the ass of yourself without their help. No offence meant, Bean.” Truly apologised, turning to the geriatric donkey gardener on the other side of the study’s window.
Old Bean shrugged. “None taken.” Arthritically, he resumed his trimming of the House’s fine rose bushes.
Back inside, Truly continued, “Could you please drop this matter, young master? It HAS been over a year since that disaster of a Gala, and the other Noble Houses have gotten over the fiasco a while back. Surely addressing some other matters would be more productive? I hear Fancy Pants has opened another art Gallery in Canterlot, perhaps you could offer your, uh, masterful opinion?”
“ ‘m older than you, Truly.” Blueblood sulked, much to Truly’s amusement.
“And since when does that mean you get to sit here wallowing in your own mess, Sir?” He chuckled, poking Blueblood in the side playfully.
Blueblood looked over, a look of irritation on his face. “Such disrespect for your master! Don’t you know who I am?!”he shouted.
“I don’t know, could you give me a clue?” Truly grinned.
If looks could kill, he thought with some pleasure, the one the prince was giving now would have decimated Stalliongrad.
Blueblood hissed. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t fire you on the spot.”
Truly smirked. “Just one? Easy. Grilled cheese.”
As if on cue, Blueblood’s stomach rumbled, much to the aristocrat’s annoyance. He fixed Truly with a scowl, slumping back into his desk chair again. “...damn you, every time...”
Truly chuckled. “Ah, don’t be upset, milord, I’ll fix you some lunch. The usual, I’m guessing?”
“How in Sheleshtia’sh name do you get it to tashte sho good?!”
The valet smirked as his master wolfed down the grilled cheese sandwich set before him. Yet another secret kept by the Faithful family, Truly thought with some satisfaction.
“Ah, years of practice, Sir.” Taking a glass of water in hoof, the valet joined his employer at the dinner table; while Blueblood the thirteenth was by far, the most incompetent of the family, he was by far the easiest of the lot to manipulate by the Faithfuls, earning Truly and his relatives certain... perks every now and then, say, getting to sit at the grand dining table, (4) or more frequent holidays than the servants of other noble houses.
Truly savoured these moments; the Prince was stuffing his face, which meant he wouldn’t be obsessing over any plans other than filling his belly, leaving Truly a chance to just sit back and relax.
This time, however, Blueblood seemed to be thinking about something while he ate. Slowly, he finished his mouthful and stared at his valet with a frown.
“...Truly... you seem to know plenty about all the pitfalls on my plans...” Blueblood said, slowly and deliberately. There was something about his tone that made Truly shiver a little.
“Uh... yes, Sir?”
“I wonder, therefore...” Truly began to feel uneasy at Blueblood’s words. Could he be thinking-
“What would you do?”
Truly blinked, then shook his head. “I’m sorry?”
“What would you do?” Blueblood repeated slowly, with an intensity in his eyes Truly hadn’t seen in quite a while. It made the young valet shudder under his gaze.
“Err, I... W-well, I suppose...”Truly stammered, but Blueblood cut him off angrily.
“Time and time again you’ve shown me what’s wrong, now how about you tell me what’s right?!” he shouted. “Since you seem to know best, you’ve got three days, Truly. Come up with a plan to put paid to those mad mares!”
“B-but Sir, I... I’m no noble!” Truly stammered, trying to convince the Prince not to continue this line of thought. “What would the other Houses think if it got out that a commoner was meddling in a noble’s affairs?”
Blueblood ground his teeth in frustration, his tone turning to a wheedling whine. “Then we don’t let them know! You make the plan, and I’ll put it into action. Come on, you’ve got the brains, I’ve got the funds and the contacts. It’ll be easy! Between the two of us, I’ll bet we can wipe those silly fillies off the map!” the Prince snorted, a sly grin creeping onto his muzzle. “That’ll teach them to mess with me!”
Truly tried to calm down. Come on, think, how can I get out of this?!
With no clue how to yet, however, he stammered “Uhh... I- I guess I could try, Blueb- I mean, Sir.”
Blueblood, meanwhile, was once again grinning, a dangerous gleam in his eye as he dreamt of success in his future. “Finally I’ll be rid of those six; Applejack... Rainbow Dash...” he hissed each name, “Pinkie Pie... Fluttershy... Celestia’s own pupil, that insufferable bookworm Twilight Sparkle... and the mare who ruined the Gala the most for me...
“Rarity.”
End of Chapter 3
(1) The Muleberry used to be an innocent enough mulberry bush, until a rather unfortunate incident involving a very clear-sighted grey mare with a blond mane and bubbles for a cutie mark, a large Poison Joke patch, and plenty of Poison Joke pollen, caused the plant to take on new properties. Now, whenever anyone attempts to pick the berries of the Muleberry bushes, the sound of a braying mule can be heard, much to the shock of most first-time pickers. Well, Poison Joke has an odd sense of humour. Incidentally, the mare in question now lives in Ponyville, delivering mail. Nopony knows the full details of the story, owing to the mare’s storytelling abilities (or lack there-of), and she has yet to discover the cure for the prank played upon her by that perfidiously perverse plant. Still, with such a curiously common cure of taking a bubble bath, it shouldn’t take too long for her to find it.... right?
(2) Snapperdragons, like the Muleberry, were among the plants afflicted by the Poison Joke pollen spread that day. Originally Snapdragons, the flowers of said plant are known to attack any animal or insect that gets close to its fiery-coloured petals, with little jaws shaped like a dragon’s muzzle. The seeds of the plant, which are coincidentally placed where a dragon’s fangs would be, are particularly useful in the strengthening of a flavour or a potion’s power. One single seed can spawn many new plants, each as fierce as the original, leading to a popular myth about what would happen if you planted a dragon’s tooth in the ground. It really is strange how Poison Joke chooses to work.
(3) Except when they’re a changeling, cleverly disguised zebra spy, Discord in disguise... it has to be said, for a phrase in common usage, it had some glaringly massive exceptions.
(4) A fine piece of craftsmanship that was designed to seat 50 ponies. Unfortunately, it had been designed by Screw Loose, a famously terrible eccentric inventor who decided to take it upon himself to design a table where the politics of the aristocracy would be null and void. In doing so, he made a table where each pony would be seated at most one space away from the host, and in the process managed to break several of the laws of physics, and even a few laws of magic too. This left the table warped through space such that only three places were actually visible in the normal planes. Nobody had yet figured out how to reach the other 47 places, not even Celestia herself.
Lighting up the last star in the sky, Princess Luna stifled a yawn. For a being of well over a thousand years old, she had never been much of an evening-owl (1). Luna shuddered to think how her sister had coped with performing the task of raising the sun AND moon during her... `unplanned holiday to the lunar planes`, and for a thousand years, no less.
Satisfied with her sky-portrait, Luna padded back into her quarters from the balcony, making her way to the Royal dining room, two of her faithful Night Guards falling into step either side of her. Dinner, or breakfast in her perspective, was one of the few times she and her sister would get the chance to talk on a normal day, making it very important indeed. Mostly, the two would go over any particularly urgent or high-profile matters dealt with during the sisters’ own day and night courts to bring the other up to speed, which usually took most of the mealtime. How fortunate then, Luna giggled to herself, that Celestia had not so much a sweet tooth, but rather, a whole set of them. Dessert time was an occasion where the two could talk more freely together about any more personal affairs.
Breezing into the room, Luna giggled again at the sight before her; her sister, the graceful and strong leader she was... face down on the table, snoring softly.
Rapping gently on the table with one hoof, Luna leaned in close to her sister smiling, and murmured “ ‘Tia... ‘tis not thy bedtime yet...”
“Mrn...”
“Hmm.” Luna thought for a moment, before her eyes lit up. That should get her awake!
“oh ‘Tia...” Luna said in her sweetest voice, “Dessert’s here... your favourite, banana sundaes!”
Celestia jolted upright. “Where!?” her face fell as she took in her sister bursting into laughter, no sign of her tasty treat anywhere.
“Oh ‘Tia, your day must have been quite something. Nothing less than a national emergency would see you passed out before the pudding course.” Luna tittered. Celestia huffed.
“Nothing quite so dramatic, Luna, I assure you,” Celestia sighed, “but there has been a development which is both intriguing and concerning.”
As the servants brought in the princess’ starters (2), Celestia regaled her sister with the details of what her student had discovered. Luna silently took it all in, a thoughtful look on her face.
“-and to cap it off, not a single member of the Canterlot university faculty had heard of such a thing.” Celestia sighed. “All we really know is what our ponies saw of the creature, and now it dwells within the branches of the Everfree. Not many ponies dare venture within nowadays, Luna, not even our guards would want to.”
“Well then, why dost not one of us search for the creature? Or, to be frank, why not I?”
Were there a comedian or jester in the room, they would have wept with joy as their sun Princess did a perfect spit-take.
Coughing, Celestia stammered, “W-what? Are you serious, Luna? You know we have more important affairs to deal with, like the Day and Night Courts-”
“Pshaw!” Luna dismissed the comment with a wave of her hoof. “You know as well as I that nary a soul comes to the Night Court; ‘tis still too ingrained in our pony’s psyche to appeal to you and you only. ‘Twould be no great shame to spend a night or two on the hunt for this pale-skinned stallion. On the contrary, in fact, I would relish the change of scenery. We will not take no for an answer, dear sister.” Luna stated.
For a few moments, Celestia tried to come up with some other excuse. “B-but you would be unprotected out there! Even your Batstallions would not dare venture within the forest!”
The two bat-winged ponies, who had taken posts either side of the door, shifted uncomfortably; though they took great pride in their intimidating nature, they were still just ponies at heart, and all knew of the irregular nature of the forest, and the perils within.
Luna snorted. “You seem to forget who you are talking to, sister. We are our Mother’s daughters, the forest’s creatures will not harm a single hair in my mane. Do you forget her efforts so soon?”
Celestia shifted uncomfortably, her arguments, and facade of infallibility, crumbling before her. “Well, that’s true, but there’s the plants to consider too.”
“Hah, the plants? They pose no threat either to alicorns, such as we are.” Luna tutted impatiently. “I would like to get this venture underway before midnight, Tia, so unless you have quibbles about how the fungi of the forest would treat me, I shall consider the matter finished.”
No sooner than Luna had finished however, a scroll flashed into existence, tumbling out of a coil of emerald-green fire. Celestia deftly caught it in her magic, swiftly uncurling it and running her eyes over the contents. After a few seconds, she let out another huff of exasperation.
“Twilight talked to her zebra friend, but it seems the zebra refused to comment. That means she probably met the creature but doesn’t want to talk about it. Unfortunately, Twilight couldn’t get anything more out of her, but I suppose it does mean that their meeting went well if she was talking as calmly as Twilight says she was...”
Luna tapped her hoof on her chin curiously. “Well, at least that means the beast had no foul intentions, otherwise she would be decidedly more shaken up, or possibly more dead.”
“Luna, please do not joke about such matters.” Celestia’s gaze hardened. “I know this is looking at the worst-case scenario in saying this, but lives could hang in the balance...
“Very well... see what you can find...” Celestia sighed, grateful for the distraction being placed before her; one of her favourite mountainous banana split sundaes.
Just outside the wolves’ cave...
Jack gazed out into the calm night, idly plucking the strings of his violin. He had figured now was as good a time as any to practice, all he needed was a suitable inspiration.
And what an inspiration was before him.
Though the Everfree forest was notorious for being tangled, twisted, and downright dangerous, one could not deny from the right angle it was breathtaking (3). As the moon reflected light down upon the leaves of the trees, one could imagine being at the ocean as the leaves wafted in the wind, making the light dance like the ocean waves. Softly, insects chirped and chirruped in the background, lending an altogether peaceful ambience to the arboreal setting.
Jack’s eyes, though, were drawn once more to the moon, casting its calming light down over the land. Setting his bow to the strings of his violin with a smile on his lips, Jack began to play, the melody echoing into the night.
Next to him, Rowan shifted slightly, baring his teeth in a wolfish smile. <’tis quite an instrument, hatchling, to make such a sound. A quite... magical tone to it.>
Jack nodded, smiling, not missing a note. “Yeah, it’s one of the reasons I decided to learn. You can make fine music with any instrument, but few have what a violin does. It’s a sort of grace and elegance, I think.”
<A fitting description. Yes, fine indeed...> Resting his head in his paws with a slight scrape of bark on bark, Rowan shut his eyes, with but a twitch of his ear giving away he was still awake as Jack continued.
In the darkness and shadows beneath the leaves of the Everfree, a mysterious mist coiled through the trees. Silently, it darted through the inky stillness of the forest hunting for... something...
Reaching the end of his song, Jack paused for a moment, considering what to play next. Around him, the timberwolves lay, slumbering peacefully in the moonlight (4), lulled to sleep by his music. Staring once more into the sky, his eyes drew back to the moon. The corners of his mouth twitched in a smile. Yes, that would be perfect...
Unseen to his eyes, the mist found its way to the tree line, coiling up into the branches. Slowly, it resolved itself into the shape of Princess Luna, carefully balanced on one of the stronger limbs.
Now most Equestrians knew Luna’s past; how she had become jealous of her sister, became Nightmare Moon, got banished, and all that jazz.
What most of them didn’t know was how long it took Luna to get used to modern society. Things had changed fairly dramatically over the years, especially in the music industry. Many an hour had been spent listening to examples of every genre that had been made since those dark days, though Luna was not too keen on this generation’s tastes (5). The only remaining traces of what she enjoyed from before, lingered on in what her ponies called “Classical” music.
Imagine her surprise then to hear such familiar tones lilting towards her from the creature sitting mere meters away.
From her perch, Luna could clearly see the being her sister had described, how it was surrounded by sleeping Timberwolves. She could see its features, its clothes, and the gentle smile on its face.
But all she could think about was the music.
As the last notes faded, Luna couldn’t help but smile. “Beautiful...”
As Jack’s piece finished, he set his violin in his lap with a contented sigh. It had been good to play once more.
“Beautiful...”
Jack’s head whipped around, leaping to his feet, the wolves waking as he did.
For those paying attention, there’s not much grip on a branch when one wears horseshoes. So, when Luna jerked back in surprise at their actions, it was no surprise that she lost her purchase, tumbling into the bushes below before her wings could catch her.
“BLASTED THORNS! FOUL ABOMINA-” Luna exclaimed loudly, but cut off when she noticed the presence of the lupine lumber-piles and their unusual guest. “Erm... Greetings..?”
Before Jack could get out a reply, he found himself getting pushed down to the ground by Rowan. <Down, hatchling! Show some respect.>
“Why?” Jack hissed back. “who is she?”
Before Rowan could reply, Luna said pointedly, “SHE, would be Princess Luna, and She would be rather appreciative of some help out of these thorns?”
Quickly and carefully, the wolves pressed the bushes and thorns out from around Luna, allowing her to step out of the bush, with just a little assistance from Jack in the form of a steadying hand for her.
“We thank thee, my subjects. And thanks to you too, creature.” Luna nodded to Jack. Around her, the wolves bowed. Jack, on the other hand, was still a little confused.
“A princess? Then what are you doing here? In a FOREST?”
Luna gestured to him. “We- I mean, I was to investigate a new creature to our lands. Namely, you.” Luna padded around him slowly. “You are just as mine sister’s student described you. More coherent though.” Luna chuckled softly. “Quite a violinist too.”
Though still wary, Jack grinned at the praise. “You think so?”
Luna nodded emphatically. “Indeed. but, ‘tis not our errand this night to take in the arts; we came to know more of you.”
Jack chuckled. “I’m flattered. Shall we get more comfortable, Princess?”
Over the following few minutes, Jack sat under the stars with Luna, and explained his situation to her. Around them, the wolves returned to their slumber, save Rowan.
“Mm, ‘tis quite the tale. And you know not how you got here? No incantations, amulets, or other such device?” Luna asked.
Jack shook his head. “Nothing of the sort. Just me, running through the forest until I came out here, wherever we are.”
Luna smiled. “ ’Tis the Everfree forest; one of mother’s finest creations...” her voice trailed off as her face fell a little.
Jack frowned slightly. “Mother?”
<The Mother of all, Hatchling.> Rowan piped up. <Gaea, the Lifegiver, she who made us all. We are honoured that one of her children would grace us with her presence.> He bowed his head once again to Luna.
“Indeed. I and our sister are directly related to her. Remind me to tell you more of her some time when there is naught else to hinder our conversation.
“but now,” Luna murmured, “I must know; do you bear any threat to our subjects, the ponies?” As she spoke, her face became darker, more foreboding, and Jack found himself getting more nervous in her presence.
“N-no, nothing of the sort. On the contrary, I’d rather steer clear of them.” Jack replied hastily. At this, Luna’s face returned to normal, but instead of a threatening look, she now held one of curiosity.
“Why-ever dost- I mean, why-ever would you wish to avoid them? They bear you no ill will either, and I daresay some have interest in learning more about you.”
“Oh yeah, your sister’s student, am I right?” Something clicked in Jack’s mind. “This student wouldn’t happen to be that purple unicorn who chased me, would it? Lives in a library, drooled over the prospect of learning all she could about a new species...?”
Luna chuckled, “Yes, that certainly sounds like the Twilight Sparkle I know. Surely ‘twould be no small trouble to talk to her?”
Jack chuckled nervously. “We-ell... I’m probably not in her good books, seeing as I knocked out one of her friends in my escape.”
Luna waved a hoof. “Sparkle will understand if you just explain yourself. ‘Tis not so odd to flee from something out of the ordinary to one’s-self. No offence.” She added quickly.
“I’ll... consider it...” Jack murmured. Luna nodded, rising to her hooves once more.
“That is the least I can ask of you. Now, I must return to Canterlot to... why are you snickering?”
Jack chuckled, “Canterlot? Really?”
“Yes? What’s wrong with it?” Luna asked.
“Never mind.” Jack grinned. “So, you’re off then? Feel free to come back to hear some more music any time.”
Luna smiled. “My thanks, I may do just that. Farewell!”
As Luna leapt up into the air, gracefully ascending into the skies, Jack sat down, a gentle smile on his lips. Perhaps the ponies did deserve a second chance...
Back in Canterlot...
“Truly! Where the Cerberus are you?!”
Blueblood was not a happy pony. For the last half-day, where normally he would be waited on, pastern-and-hoof (6), the Prince had been left alone. Incapable of doing much himself, he had been slowly beginning to fume more and more.
“Coming, Sir!” Truly stumbled into the room, hastily smartening his clothes as Blueblood rounded on him.
“And just where in Tartarus have you been? It’s been dreadful while you’ve been gone!”
Truly snickered a little at his master’s dramatics. “Terribly sorry, sir, but you will remember you wanted me to come up with a plan? To sort out your little revenge?”
All signs of anger were wiped from Blueblood’s face, to be replaced by a gleeful grin. “Well, well? What have you come up with? Tell me all!”
“Well Sir, as much as I’d hate to admit it, your idea about the bear-laser-warrior idea the other day gave me an idea.”
Blueblood, while ticked off slightly at his comment, grinned wider. “Well, I have my moments. Continue.”
Truly nodded. “Right. well, I’d actually been struggling to come up with anything decent until last night, when I heard some pretty incredible gossip in the Broken Horseshoe.”
Blueblood sniffed. “I’m not familiar with this establishment.”
Truly waved a hoof dismissively. “It’s a pub for servants, office workers... the lower classes, as you’d put it, but that’s not important. What IS important is what I heard there...”
Truly leaned in conspiratorially, and Blueblood found himself doing the same. “Rumour has it that there’s a new creature in Equestria, that emerged not far from your targets. It’s like an ape, only it wears clothes, has much less hair, and it supposedly can talk. However, all of this is inconsequential. All we need to consider is that no-one knows what to expect of it yet; it could be peaceful, violent, anything.”
Truly brought his hoof down firmly. “What I propose is, we capture this creature, bend its’ will to our service, and have it act out your revenge. No-one will suspect that anypony had a hoof in its actions!”
Blueblood laughed. “Ah, that sounds excellent!” Soon though, a frown creased his brow. “ But, if it can talk, maybe it would give us away?”
Truly looked surprised; Blueblood didn’t normally show this much attention in his planning.
“Well, yes Sir, it could, if it weren’t for this!” So saying, Truly lifted off his back a musty old tome, bound in leather. Blueblood recoiled slightly at the sight.
“This is one of Starswirl the Bearded’s less well known spellbooks, because of the darker natures of the spells within.” Truly looked around, sweating a little. “This was what took me most of the day to get hold of. I had to slip past the library’s guards and get out with it, without being spotted.”
Blueblood wasn’t impressed. “And just what is there in this... abomination, that’s worth stealing from under the noses of my Auntie’s guards?” He sniffed. “How does this fit into our plans?”
Truly grimaced a little. “Like you said, the creature could rat us out, unless we have full control of it. Towards the end of his life, Starswirl went a little... loopy, apparently, and his magical research took an altogether more unethical turn.” Truly prodded the cover of the book. “In here are some of the worst he came up with, including one that allows a pony to trap an unwilling being into his or her service, to do exactly what is demanded of them, like a puppet on a string, providing it is intelligent enough to understand what it is being commanded to do.
“This is what we shall use, sir. With this, the creature will be ours totally, the mares shall be defeated, and you shall have what you have desired for so long...”
(1) Much like an early bird, you understand, but for night-time instead of daytime.
(2) The renowned chef Great Gusto currently presided over the Canterlot Castle kitchens, who was famous for his flamboyant style, and skilful blending of spices. Even a simple cucumber and rose petal soup such as the ones the Royal sisters were served would be turned into a piece of art. If the stallion could be faulted for anything, it was that a large number of his dishes contained ginger, which left customers to his bistro in the heart of Canterlot hot under the collar and very eager to exercise, in one way or another... *ahem*
(3) Meant in a good way, of course. A Chokeweed could similarly be described as breathtaking but in an altogether more morbid sense.
(4) Despite the logical thinking that a Timberwolf would be a nocturnal beast like a normal wolf, one must not forget their origins, born from the hearts of the trees and plants of the forest. Much like their “parents”, the Timberwolf is much more active during the daytime, when light levels are much higher and another energy source besides magic can be exploited to fuel them, if only at a fractional level; not enough to sustain a wolf forever.
(5) “WHAT INANE DRIVEL IS THIS? `FILLY, FILLY, FILLY, OH!`? ‘TIS A DISGRACE! AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THOSE `PRIME DESTINATION` PLOTHEADS!”
(6) Or hand and foot, if you had those appendages.
Luna sighed as she alighted upon her balcony once more, her hooves barely making a sound despite the marble underfoot. Barely an hour previous, she had been in the presence of Jack, the strange ape-like creature now dwelling in the Everfree. She knew not what to make of the creature precisely; certainly, it- no, he, Luna thought, could play the violin masterfully, and it seemed that he had no ill wishes towards her ponies, but...
Shaking such thoughts away, Luna trotted off into the castle.
Even in the middle of the night, Canterlot Castle was awake, as servants tended to the rooms that had been used during the day, and supplicants made their way to the throne room for Luna’s Night Court (1).
Luna had no intentions in interfering with their affairs this night though. There was only one pony she needed to speak to, and Luna knew she would be waiting to hear her news of the human in the forest.
Fortunately for Luna, her sister’s room was not too far from her own, and in mere moments she arrived before its’ doors.
Knock knock knock...
Celestia snorted, jerking upright at her writing desk. She had tried to wait up for her sister, but having fallen back into the habit of sleeping at night again after so many years having to stay up most of the day, having odd naps here and there, made it near-impossible to stay awake whenever she desired to, and left her feeling bleary-headed after.
Steeling herself, Celestia sat upright, calling out.
“Come in!”
Luna softly pushed the door open, slipping her way into the room, a pensive look on her face. One look at her sister, however, made her grin.
“Oh, Tia, I did not realise just how much you love your sleep.”
Celestia blinked, playing innocent.
“Sleep? I’ve been up since you left, trying to get some of our paperwork done.” Tia waved a hoof dismissively.
Luna snickered. “In duplicate it seems, dear sister.”
“Hm?”
Luna pointed to her sister’s face, grinning. “Let’s see... gnitnuh rof dnal fo stcart retaerg rof stseuqer s’ainoffirG htiw enil ni... in line with Griffonia’s requests for greater tracts of land for hunting...” she giggled. “Thine fur has made a perfect blotting of the original document, Tia.”
Celestia swivelled around, surprised, to check in her mirror. True to Luna’s words, lines of text now graced the sun goddess’ cheek, from where her head must have rested on the still-moist ink.
With a small curse, Celestia magically siphoned the ink off her fur. It had unfortunately dried out too much to reuse immediately, but Celestia stored the powder left in a spare inkwell, resolving to use it another time.
She rounded on her giggling sister, a serious look on her face. “Come, Luna, you know now is not the time for jokes. What was it like, this creature?”
Luna’s cheerful exterior fell away, leaving a frown on her brow.
“Well... it was just as Spike told thee; a bipedal being, ape-like in appearance with little fur on its body save the top of its head, fully clothed... and could play the violin beautifully.” Luna smiled at the memory. “Oddly, it seems to have entered into an alliance with the Timberwolves, and-”
“The Timberwolves?”
Luna tutted, gazing down her muzzle at Tia. “Yes, if you would let me continue, sister...
“Besides his outward appearance, his character seems quite flawless, if only by my brief conversation with him and the emotion behind his music. He claims no ill intent upon any in our land, though he is reluctant to communicate with our ponies. This makes my conclusion all the more concerning, dear sister...” A slight frown graced Luna’s brow.
Tia waited patiently for her conclusion. Luna, however, stayed silent.
“...Well? What is your conclusion, Luna?” Tia probed, her own face mirroring her sister’s frown.
After a few drawn out seconds, Luna spoke again. “I fear that I can sense our mother’s hoof in all of this, Tia.”
Celestia gasped softly. “Luna, you’re not saying...”
Luna nodded. “Yes, I am. I think she has chosen.”
The two sat in ponderous silence, as if time had stood still.
Beyond the castle’s walls, the world continued.
At the edge of the everfree, the following morning...
“Come on, dude, all it takes is a step at a time...” Jack muttered to himself. For a good half-hour, he had been trying to convince himself to go back to town. Slung across his back was his violin case, as it gave him some reassurance to have it close.
Behind him, Rowan laid tiredly, his wooden muzzle resting in his paws. <Hatchling, you’ve been at this for too long already. If you truly wanted to make amends with the ponies, you would have gone already. Besides,> Rowan growled, <We have wasted much of the rising sun already, and I speak for all of my kin when I say we should be harvesting by now, before the sun’s zenith.>
Jack looked back questioningly. “Why, what happens then?”
With a Thwock! of wood on wood, Rowan’s paw collided with his brow. <have you not noticed yet? Though we sing the trees into growth in the night when the lunar magic augments our own, the fruit of our trees disappears at the third zenith of the sun, when the lunar magic is at its’ weakest.>
“Oh...” Jack nodded.
Then frowned. “Wait, so the apples contain a combination of lunar magic and your own?”
<Aye, that’s right.>
“Then... what keeps the picked apples from vanishing like the rest? And how do you get any magical energy from them otherwise? Surely any magic left would be your own?” Jack queried.
Rowan, on the other hand, simply chuckled. <We have learned not to question the workings of the All-Mother. Suffice to say, we are able to do so, and that is what matters for our survival.>
Jack groaned under his breath at this less-than-satisfactory answer, turning back towards Ponyville, steeling himself once more. Just one step at a time...
Before Jack could take another step though, his concentration was broken by Rowan, whose ears twitched most audibly (2). Jack sighed, partly out of irritation, but with relief too; he had been dreading just how the ponies would react to his presence.
“What is it?”
Rowan slowly rose up onto his paws, clearly thinking. <...You are set in your desire to make amends with pony-kind, correct?>
“Yeah, why?”
<Then perhaps we have an opportunity...> and with that, Rowan started off into the forest, though keeping to the edge. <Follow, fledgling, we shall see what can be done.>
Wondering what precisely was going on, Jack turned, padding after his friend.
Wandering through the trees, Jack kept an ear out for whatever Rowan had reacted to. Barely a minute into their walk, he was rewarded as a soft tone came lilting through the forest, barely audible, but enough for Jack to catch.
As the song grew in volume as they moved closer to its source, Jack muttered to Rowan, “Someone singing? How’s this going to help me?”
Much to Jack’s annoyance, Rowan just chuckled again. <Patience, fledgling, you will see what I mean soon enough.>
Elsewhere in the forest...
“Remind me again why it was necessary for me to come to this vile place and trudge through all this mud?” Blueblood moaned angrily, trying to keep his sullied hooves as far away from himself as possible, a feat that Truly couldn’t help but grin at.
“Because, Milord, I have some doubt that I’d be able to subdue the creature alone.” Truly muttered, pushing his way through the underbrush. “That and the fact that I’m not the one who’s going to be casting the control spell.”
Blueblood snorted, skirting around a muddy puddle. “Hmph. Good enough, I suppose. I do wonder though why on earth Starswirl ever thought creating such a spell would benefit ponydom.”
Truly sighed out of exasperation. “If you really want the history lesson...”
“Mmyes, I rather think that would be good.”
“Well then I’ll tell you.” Truly took a deep breath. “Starswirl the Bearded, great as he was, was just another unicorn like you or I, and mortality took its toll on his mind... and his family.
“The true madness in his mind made itself known after the death of his wife and long-time mage-lab partner, Crystal Shimmer. Where many were saddened by her loss, Starswirl outwardly showed no emotion, save for when he thought no-pony was around. He took to throwing fitful rages, but would snap back to cold, calm and collected outward behaviour as soon as he suspected another’s eyes on him.
“Most frightening though, were the sounds that now came from his laboratory. Many claimed they could hear screams of tortured ponies within the walls, and even Celestia was not blind to the fact some of the more powerful unicorns had started to disappear from the general populace.
“Eventually, she confronted him, only to find the student she had once taught long since gone from the mind of the pony that stood before her. All that remained was a shell, a husk of a mind, with one goal in mind; the resurrection of his beloved.”
Truly paused, his voice cracking slightly. “This goal had not been completed, but Starswirl had already done many unspeakable things to reach the stage he had. As suspected, he had been kidnapping the most powerful unicorns he could find, and cast the spell you will be using over them, to use their magical energy in his research. Those that he failed to subjugate laid broken, gibbering wrecks, but still useful as Starswirl discovered how to drain their magic. Some, he even kept alive as thaumic condensers and generators, draining them constantly.
All this, Celestia saw and was disgusted by it. Before the day ended, Starswirl had been imprisoned in the deepest branch of the Castle dungeon and all his experiments had been wiped from existence, save for the book we have; try as she might, Celestia could not bring herself to wipe his notes from existence, for some of the things he had discovered were actually beneficial to ponydom, albeit that they had been discovered using, and used upon, those poor souls he had used for magic sources. Thus, she did the only thing she could do; sealing it within the Canterlot archives with a nigh-constant Guard-watch.”
Truly’s tone lowered further still. “And that is where it has lain until I managed to take it without them noticing. I’m half-tempted to burn the book myself, if it weren’t for the fact we need it.”
Blueblood released a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. “That. Was. Dreadful. Though there is one thing that I don’t understand; if Auntie tried to get rid of all his experiments, how do we know any of what happened?”
Truly glanced back, surprised yet again. I should really give him more credit... “Look at the book’s cover, Sir, and tell me what you see.”
Blueblood pulled a disgusted face as he levitated the book out of Truly’s saddlebag, staring at it intently. “...I don’t understand, what am I meant to be seeing here? All there is on it is a lot of patterns and a gem embedded in the middle.”
“That gem,” Truly explained, “Is one of the many magical batteries Starswirl made. Coupled with the spell woven into the pattern, Starswirl enchanted that book so it would write itself using whatever was said. Look in the last few pages.”
Blueblood flipped them open and began to read.
“Enough of this Starswirl! This has gone on far enough!”
“How can you say that, Celestia, I’m so close to bringing by darling Crystal back!” *stomp* “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for her, for the two of us! We will be together again, just you wait and see!”
“Don’t you feel any remorse for those ponies you killed in the process, Starswirl?”
“THEY ARE NOT MY CRYSTAL!”
Blueblood looked up, a grim look on his face. “I...see.”
Truly nodded. “Yeah... it’s actually kind of amazing that his love for her was that strong, even if what he did was so wrong.” He snorted. “Heh, that rhymed...”
That earned him a glare from Blueblood. “How can you joke around when we’re talking of such things? What he did was despicable!”
Truly glared back. “Don’t forget just what it is we’re about to do, Blueblood, and all for your petty revenge against those mares.”
Blueblood’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t like your tone. He and I are nothing alike.”
“Mm, you’re right...” Truly muttered under his breath, so that Blueblood couldn’t hear, “he had love as an excuse for his actions.”
Back with Jack...
Eventually, the edge of the forest gave way to a large clearing, narrowly bordered by the trees of the forest, but filled with a vast swathe of various flowers, herbs and berry bushes. Jack’s gaze, however, was not drawn to any of this.
His eyes were drawn to the pink-maned pegasus in the middle of the clearing, singing to a crowd of critters, with a beatific smile gracing her muzzle.
Jack dimly recognised her as one of the ponies from whom he had fled from before, but that thought was instantly shunted to the back of his brain, his ears clamouring for control.
As quietly as a wooden wolf could, Rowan lowered himself down onto his haunches once more. <She comes here quite often, and cares for the other animals in these parts. Though we have little love for ponies, this one... this one is worthy of our respect. Few other ponies would do what she does.>
Rowan nodded his head toward the Pegasus. <You want to make a good impression on pony kind? Then I’d suggest starting by talking to her.>
Jack nodded, but clearly hadn’t been paying attention to the words of his wooden friend. All his attention was still on the brightly-coloured pegasus hovering before him.
Finishing her song with a happy sigh, Fluttershy lowered herself to the ground amidst the various applauses of her animal friends, from her dear Angel’s frantic foot-stomping to Mr Bearsley’s slow, thudding paw-slapping. She bowed, blushing a little. “Oh, thank you my friends...”
Fluttershy spent a few moments thanking her animal friends, as they started off to do whatever it is animals do. Soon enough, Fluttershy was alone in the clearing, a wide smile gracing her face.
Clap.Clap. Clap.
Fluttershy froze. All her animal friends had left, hadn’t they?
Slowly, she wheeled around.
Standing before her, just at the edge of the forest, was the creature that had ambled into town only a few days before. It was clapping, but that wasn’t what caught her attention the most. It was the broad smile on its face, and the moistness around its eyes.
Carefully, cautiously, it began to move closer to her. Fluttershy found herself doing likewise, caught between fascination with this new animal, and cautiousness over how it had dealt with Rainbow Dash in order to escape.
“That...” Fluttershy stiffened as it spoke, though she didn’t flee; the tone it used was soft, careful, and Fluttershy found herself calmed by it a little too. “That was beautiful.”
Inadvertently, she found herself blushing, and hid behind her fringe. “Uhm... th-thanks...”
Slowly it brought a paw towards her. “I’m Jack.”
“ ‘m Fluttershy...”
Jack tilted his head. “Sorry, didn’t catch that.”
“ ‘m Fluttershy.”
“Flutter...shy?”
Nod.
Fluttershy brought her hoof up haltingly to meet Jack’s paw. Gently, he shook her hoof, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you Fluttershy.”
His expression turned a little sheepish. “Sorry I ran away before, but... I panicked a bit. New place, weird creatures I didn’t recognise that could talk...” he blinked, then slapped one paw into its face. “Ugh, pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it?”
Fluttershy frowned gently, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, that from my point of view, you were the weird talking creatures, when from your point of view I’M the weird one,” He explained, lowering himself to the ground with a grunt, shifting to rest on his back, placing an odd box he had been carrying on the ground reverentially. Fluttershy opted to just sit next to him.
“O-oh, I see. I suppose so. N-not that you’re weird, w-well, you’re different, but I just... Oh, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy panicked, only to freeze as Jack softly placed a finger over her lips, smiling.
“Shh... I know what you meant to say, it’s alright.” He chuckled. “and it’s nice to see you’re so friendly around me. I was half-expecting to get chased again.”
“You were?” She asked, surprised.
“Well, yeah. I mean, I’m not normal to all you ponies, and I... well, I guess I attacked one of your friends to escape. Sorry about that, by the way.” Jack looked down.
“Oh, don’t worry, she’s fine. Rainbow thought it was pretty awesome what you did, actually.” Fluttershy giggled.
Jack laughed with her. “She did? Wow, that’s a surprise.”
For a few moments, the two sat in silence.
“...That really was beautiful singing, by the way.”
Fluttershy blushed again. “Thanks. Do you sing?”
Jack chuckled. “From time to time. I prefer playing my violin.”
“You have a violin? But, where did you get it from?” Fluttershy queried, confused.
Jack grinned. “I brought it with me from home.” And with that, he started to explain his situation.
Throughout the story, Fluttershy remained silent, save for a small exclamation when the timberwolves were mentioned. Once Jack was done she sat in thought, just as quiet as she had been before. Eventually, she spoke up.
“So, the reason the timberwolves attacked us... was just to scare us away from their food? Why didn’t they say anything before?”
Jack pondered this for a moment, fiddling with the fastener on his violin case. “Maybe they didn’t feel that the cost of magic to talk to your minds outweighed the cost of any magic they used up to chase you? Or maybe they just didn’t feel they could trust ponies.” With practiced ease, he cracked open the case, taking the violin out, setting it to his shoulder and starting to play.
“...Thanks again, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy looked around. “For what?”
Jack laughed softly. “For not freaking out.”
Side by side, the two sat in piece, violin music wafting through the air, just enjoying the peace of the day.
Jack smiled wistfully as he waved after Fluttershy. The animal caretaker eventually had to leave to feed the animals she kept at her house, but she had promised to come and talk again sometime, giving a hoof movement with it Jack found both curious and amusing.
Jack stretched, cracking his joints as he did so. It had been nice to just sit and enjoy the afternoon with another... well, another being.
Scooping up his violin and case, Jack looked around. He half-expected Rowan to still be sitting in the treeline, where he’d left off. Unsurprisingly though, Rowan had left. Presumably to help gather more apples, Jack thought. Ah well, I’m not too far from a zap apple patch, they’ll probably be there...
Before Jack could get more than a few meters into the undergrowth, however, the sound of rustling leaves made him pause.
“Rowan? That you?” He called out.
For a few moments, nothing but silence reigned in the forest. Jack shrugged, and resumed his passage through the forest. Still, something made him feel uneasy.
Rustlerustlerustle...
Jack stopped. There it was again...
Slowly, he crouched down, lowering his centre of gravity, preparing to defend from anything.
Of course, it does help if the “anything” doesn’t have magic.
Jack’s world span as a copper-coloured cloud of magic hoisted him into the air. Disoriented, he cried out, only for his mouth to be slammed shut by the caster. That didn’t stop Jack from thrashing around and trying to shout for Rowan though.
“You heard what they were talking about, this thing’s got an alliance with the Timberwolves. There’ll be no time for the spell if they’re looking for it, so we’ve got to get back to Canterlot now!”
A second, more snobby sounding voice groaned at this. “You mean there was no point to lugging this book along with us?”
“I don't know why you're complaining about it, I was the one carrying it!" The first voice snapped. "We've no time for this Sir, we’ve got to go now before the wolves come for this thing. Either you take the beast from me and I teleport us, or I keep hold of it and you teleport us.”
“Ugh, very well, but you’d better make sure that thing stays silent. We don't want anypony hearing us...”
In one wrenching moment of magical manipulation, the three figures disappeared from the forest in a flash of light.
The only traces there had been anything there before were a few muddy hoofprints, a violin case, and a violin, smashed asunder as the abductors had moved in.
Once again, silence reigned in the forest...
(1) Cancelled this night, of course. Luna was every bit as capable as her sister, but not knowing quite what she would experience in the forest had prompted her to free up the rest of the night, just in case.
(2) Well, if your ears were composed of wood, twigs and leaves, they’d rustle and make noise when they moved too.
