Chapter 109: Pony Tales
Part 1: Ponies in the Snow
TIME: 13:37 GKT
DATE: War Day 886/19 Noneus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Trillyhigh Mountain Range, Unknown Pony Civilization
I stared at the perfectly shaped human skull. It was carved from stone, with a rope through the eye sockets. Beneath it, in plain english, was "Stay away."
K: "These symbols underneath each head must represent the languages of the so-called monsters." I grasped the head under the jaw. "Alas, poor Yorrick. I hardly knew ye."
Blizz: "Oh, and what is THAT from?" She smiled, tilting her head.
K: "Shakespere. One of Earth's greatest playwrights." I shrugged, and let the skull dangle.
Seven: "What's our next move, K?" He shrugged.
K: *Sharp inhale*Sigh* "Make contact and hope we can explain ourselves." I stood fully, and checked the gate. "It's locked, but, I can just reach over."
I did so, being careful not to fall into any magical traps. I didn't feel any, so, I just opened the gate and walked through, slinging my weapon behind me and making sure my hands were empty.
We were soon passing fields of something that looked like cabbages, and certainly potatoes and carrots. Onions, I think, also, and garlic. Staples. Chives, and some kind of short wheat. Then, tea plants of at least FIVE different kinds.
One caught my eye, and I stopped, moving over to it.
K: "I.. don't belive it.." I gently held the leaf. "THIS IS..! This is the same stuff I had back 10,000 years ago!! It's the same species!" Of course, for me, that was just a couple years ago.
Applejack: "Hm. Di'in't one'a Redheart's relations feed'ya that?" She tilted her head to the side.
Dex: "Far out, dude." He nodded. "Look over there."
There was a roughly shaped human form in the wheat field, nailed to a stick in the ground. A 'scarehuman' - and the colors of its clothes very vaguely matched Danny's outfit, right down to a piece of cloth on its head that looked kinda like a baseball cap.. if you squinted just right.
K: "Amazing." I nodded and stood.
There was something resembling a house, nearby. It was partially dug into the Earth, with a second story above ground, and an L-shaped trenchlet one would follow to get to the front door on the first floor.
K: "Interesting construction." I gestured at it. "Come on."
We moved over to the house.. and I leaned on the Trenchlet's wall, across from the door. And I reached out with a stick, and gently knocked on it.
K: "Hello? Anyone home?" I called out.. a bit louder than a usual announcement.
Silence. But, for a second, I could hear someone moving around.
K: "They're in there." I shrugged.
Havoc: "Aww.. they don't want to come out and play?" He sounded legit disappointed - a little flicker of Puppy Havoc.
Wisp: "Sir. Pony approaching, up the road, and to the east." She said.
K: "Oh?" I turned my attention away, and moved away from the trenchlet wall.
Sure enough, a stallion, walking along without a care in the world. He had some cases over his back as saddlebags. They were wooden, and seemed to have something in them. He also.. had a bee bonnet hooked to his gear.
Sunset: "Hey, I think that guy's a beekeeper." She blinked.
Rarity: "And, it seems, unconcerned with our presence." She shrugged.
K: "More like, he didn't get the warning." I shrugged, and shook my head. "I don't want him to freak out on us. Havoc? You, Seven, Fluttershy. Make contact."
Fluttershy: "Hm! I'll show him nopony wants to hurt him." She smiled.
Havoc: "Well, they didn't have any wards against wolves, sooooo.." He started moving off.
Seven: "Indeed." He nodded. "I hope he takes kindly to us."
I watched from a distance, staying kinda out of the line of sight, but not all the way. I didn't want to display ANY hostile intent.
I watched them approach him. And he seemed VERY welcoming, smiling and waving to them, and coming over for a talk. Havoc sat on his haunches and wagged his tail. Seven was smiling. Fluttershy did the actual talking.
After a bit of back-and-forth, Fluttershy motioned for me to come over, and I did.
K: "Hello, sir." I bowed my head a bit.
Hive Stock: "Well! The human of Legend!" He nodded to me. "Hive Stock!" And stuck out his foreleg.
I firmly, but warmly, shook hoof-and-hand.
K: "You're not afraid of me?" I asked.
Hive Stock: "Eh.. more that.." He shrugged. "..if you bring death and destruction, it's not like I can stop you. So, I may as well see what's up." And grinned.
K: "Interesting take." I shrugged. "Look, I don't.. I don't mean you or anyone any harm." I gestured a bit, as a small bee came over and sat on Fluttershy's nose.
And she talked to it.
And the bee came over to me, and landed on my finger. And.. HUGGED it.
Hive Stock: "..oh, my! That's Queenie! She's one of my new Queen Bees.." He tilted his head, and buzzed with his mouth, only for her to fly over and land on his nose.
They.. seemed to have a conversation.
Hive Stock: "Queenie says she doesn't feel any evil outta you at all." He shrugged a bit. "These are Flutterbye Bees!"
Fluttershy froze. And gently tapped her head to my hip.
Havoc: "Oh! My old friend Flutterbye?" He grinned.
Hive Stock: "Old friend? She's one of The Ancients!" He chuckled.
Havoc: "I'm Havoc the Pup, and this is Seven the Kit. Sir. We ARE Ancient Ones." He bowed a little.
Hive Stock: "..what..?" He seemed amazed. "You.." And moved closer to Havoc. "..forgive me." He bowed his head a little.
Havoc: "No, no, nothing to forgive. The Human, here, is my friend, and we're on a quest to defeat Tirek." He shrugged. "He's back and he's hurting ponies and.. everyone." He lowered his head a bit.
K: "We're trying to stop him, Mr. Stock." Bowed my head a little.
Hive Stock: "Tirek is back..?" He sighed. "Then The Legend is coming true." He nodded. "Come on. You may as well come with me. I need to get this honey prepped and stored, anyway." He nodded to Queenie, who flew off to go back to her budding hive.
K: "Is.. that a bad thing?" I asked.
Hive Stock: "It means a change. A big change. If you're a good human - and you SEEM to be - then you'll help this world. But.." He looked down a bit. "..it's entirely possible everything we have here, will be destroyed in the process." He shrugged.
Applejack: "Howdy, sir! Ah'm Applejack, 'n'this here's mah husband." She nodded to me.
Hive Stock: "Oh!" He looked at me. "Well, that's proof you're a good human. Ponies don't fall in love with just ANYone.." He smiled.
We moved over to the little house I'd knocked at.
K: "I knocked, no one answered." I shrugged.
Hive Stock: "Eh. Your coming isn't exactly cause for celebration." He set the cases down near the door. "Honey! I mean.. I HAVE honey, Honey."
Mare: "..and they're out there with you. I can HEAR them!"
Hive Stock: "Greenie.. come on." He lowered his head a bit. "Let's not be unfriendly. He's a GOOD human! He's married to a Pony, and these are all his friends. Even Queenie likes him!"
Mare: "..oh, alright." She audibly sighed, and we could hear her unbar the door.
She opened it, and stuck her head out, looking at me. And I was basically giving her the human version of Puppy Eyes.
K: "Really, ma'am, I don't.. I want to save ponies. Not hurt them." I lowered my head a bit.
Mare: "..come in." She seemed resigned.
The Girls, the Lads, and I, got inside. Smallish house.
K: "I'm-"
Mare: "I'd rather not know your name." She moved over to the fireplace, and started warming a large pot of water.
Hive Stock: "Greenie! Come on, don't be rude." He put a hoof on her shoulder.
Mare: "Hive..!" She sighed. "Look, I love you. But I'd rather not think about the name'a the creature's gonna destroy my farm!" She was flushed in the snout.
Fluttershy: "K wouldn't do that!" She was red in the snout, too.
Mare: "Excuse me?" She turned to face her.
Fluttershy: "K would never.. ever.. harm anything of yours. Not intentionally. He's.. you don't know what he's been through! What.. what any of us have.." She lowered her head, but looked up. "He's saved so many lives. He's kept going, even when he could have given up and just let himself die! He's.. he's.." She let the tears come. "..he's helped so many of us, for so long, no matter what happens to him!" And plopped on her haunches. "You don't know what you're saying. K is.." She sniffled. "..he's my best friend." And looked up at her. "He loves everyone. And he tries so hard to protect everyone. No matter what."
Mare: "..." She heard the water start boiling, and she added the tea to it. "I-I'm.. sorry." She finally said. "Green Fields." She turned to me and curtseyed a bit.
K: "K." I nodded to her.
Sunset: "Kay's helped all of us." She shrugged. "All in different ways."
Havoc: "He saved me from a curse." He nodded.
Gaze: "Aye. He helped me fin' th' mare'a me life." He beamed.
Cosmic: "He saved me from myself." He shrugged.
Norfy: "He saved me from my PAST selves." He smiled a bit.
Applejack: "An' he saved mah heart." She blushed. "An' our kids."
Gilda: "..he saved my life." She lowered her head.
Green: "Heh.." That was a wistful chuckle. "..did you tell them?"
Hive: "Nah." He shrugged.
K: "Please." I nodded. "I would like the right to face my accuser - even if it's a legend."
Green: "It is said that when the Human of Legend arrives, he will bring with him a terrible battle. That the fields will be alight, and our homes destroyed." She served us tea, and talked as she did so. "That our foals will be scattered, and our way of life will come to an end."
K: "I won't let that happen." I nodded. "Coz?"
He handed me the Mic.
K: C> "Alpha Actual to Snowball Base. Come in." I called.
Rapid: C> "Echo Actual. Go."
K: C> "Call in all available reinforcements. I want 1st and 2nd Rangers, 1st Aero Marines, 1st and 3rd Para Regiments with Mechanized, and that Whinnysota Militia unit, along with Superb and Enterprise. Get them to Snowball Base, expand, reinforce, dig in, and prepare to QRF."
Rapid: C> "Roger, Alpha. Expecting something big?"
K: C> "Let's just say we got tipped off."
Rapid: C> "Understood. Echo, out."
Green: "..you have to realize, we see that legend as an inevitable thing." She shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, it's already over." She hugged Hive, though.
K: "NOT as long as I draw breath!" I nodded firmly... then slid down on my knees, and put my arms around Green. "I promise."
She teared up, and at first resisted, then put her forelegs around my neck and pulled me in tight. I could feel her desperation, her desire to believe, but her fear of what she's always been taught, coming true.
I had a lot of work ahead of me.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Cold and Caring
TIME: 16:11 GKT
DATE: War Day 886/19 Noneus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Green Fields' Farm, Arceria Village, Western Empire of Harmony
Over the next couple of hours, we got filled in on information. Apparently, when the Empire of Harmony started to fragment, settlements and cities on the western side of the Empire moved on further west and somewhat south. Compared to Sven and Marta's ancestors, who were the descendants of the survivors of the central part of the kingdom.
It fit - we were to the west of the Crystal Kingdom.
The western part of the country rather discarded the idea of a ruling class. They were mainly peasants, anyway, and their population was never huge. They just moved to somewhere warmer (oddly, not directly south) and set up shop again. They were already used to mountain living, and had been absorbed, village by village, into the Empire over the final 100 years of its apex.
They still called themselves part of the Empire of Harmony, however, as "harmony" had taken on an important meaning to them. This land was ruled by Windigoes. Even to this day, they had problems with them. Cultural quirks were thick, here.
For one, they were never to turn away a stranger. They always invited them in for rest, warmth, and maybe some tea or broth or something to warm them up. And, if needed, a meal. Always be friendly with strangers.
They were the same way with each other, and were more like one huge family. They loved each other very dearly, even if it wasn't romantic love, and were big on hugging and nuzzling. Shows of affection.
This outpouring of love and friendship kept the Windigoes at bay. Positive feelings and unity, made them ill.
Like Equestria, they had a serious sexual disparity of mares-to-stallions, but not quite as pronounced. They likewise had some of Equestria's traditions regarding this - that an Alpha Stallion might have more than one Mate. As with most Ponies I'd ever met, romantic attraction was a pure, emotional state. Gender didn't matter - it was if the souls fit together (Green said "like fragments of fractured crystals"). They weren't prudes about sex, either, but it wasn't something they just talked about openly.
As for The Ancient Ones, they knew about them, and revered them. Once they established Havoc and Seven were who they said they were, they were overjoyed - Green relented on her hopelessness by some measure, when both of them endorsed my skills.
Hive: "Green and I have been.. together.. for about half a year." He blushed a bit.
Green: "And I just recently found out that I'm with foal." She blushed as well.
Gilda: "Heh. I getcha. I'm a mother, too." She smiled broadly, and let it fade a bit. "I almost lost them." She nodded. "I know exactly how you're feeling right now." She lifted up her coat to show off her gnarly scar.
Green: "Oh!" She looked closer at it. "How?"
Gilda: "A massive tornado came through Equestria." She shrugged her wings. "Killed some people, destroyed two cities. Cloudsdale was a Cloud City.. I was up there.." She nudged Dash. "..with my wife and babies. The only thing I remember is my Eggfather handing all of them to me, and telling me to hold on. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in a bush, with K screaming for help." She blushed a bit.
Green: "Aw." She blinked.
K: "The chicks all survived. But, she was badly hurt." I shrugged. "That was almost two months ago."
Gilda: "We got the ones that did it." She nodded.
Havoc: "So, how big is this village?" He asked, sniffing around a bit.
Hive: "Uhm.. there's seven homes, and a trade center." He shrugged a bit. "Twenty seven ponies. Mostly because Mushroom Bark and Birch Branch have eight foals."
Applejack: "Awww! I bet they's the cutest!" She beamed a grin.
Green: "I certainly think so." She shrugged. "Birch is my cousin."
K: "What other towns are there?" I asked.
Hive: "The main town is Icicle Falls. That's.. I suppose our capital? Then, there's Snowmount Village, Glacier Village, Coldy Caves, and Frosty Springs. There's a few that just live out by themselves." He shrugged. "We do a lot of hunting and gathering, in addition to farming and things. When we have stuff to trade, we usually just go to the nearest village, or Icicle Falls."
K: "Reminds me of the Eastern Empire of Harmony - five small hamlets, one village in the center." I nodded.
Sunset: "Do you know where the Fortress of Harmony is?" She got right to the point.
Hive: "No. I know it exists, though." He shrugged. "Lichen might know." He nodded towards the north. "She's in Snowmount Village."
K: "Sounds good. Think we can hoof it there before dark?" I glanced and looked back.
Hive: "Mmmmm.. I wouldn't. If you get caught out after dark.." He looked at our weapons.
K: "I get it. Yeah, we'd rather not shoot up the place, if we can help it. These are for protection, not aggression." I patted my Grant. "Mind if we use that empty area off to the side of the house, then? We do have 30 people with us." I shrugged.
Green: "OH! Oh. Well.. I mean.." She shrugged. "..let me go talk with the others. I'm sure we can find room for everyone." She gave me a warm smile. "Even if you mean to bring change, I can't ask you to sleep out on the grass."
Rarity: "Thank you, darling!" She beamed a grin.
Havoc: "Mind if I come with?" He wagged his tail, as did Bella.
Green: "Sure!" She smiled back, and out they went.
I sat across from Hive as he freshened up my tea.
K: "Your Mare is pretty amazing." I smiled.
Hive: "I know it." He blushed.
Applejack: "Ah shure hope y'all'll come'n visit'n stuff." She sat next to me. "Makin' friends all over.. we'd love y'all to come on down."
Hive: "The Griffons wouldn't mind?" He tilted his head.
Gilda: "Their King is my Eggfather." She smirked. "Things are changing. I'm sure we can work out some kind of travel road or something, so you can come visit other lands."
K: "Ever think that maybe the end of your way of life, wasn't in a bad way, but in a way that made you lots of new friends?" I gave a small grin.
Hive: "Perhaps you're right." He nodded, smiling.
Seven: "I know you well enough, K. You'd die to bring peace." He nodded.
After some time, Green came back smiling, with another adult mare in tow. This mare had poofy hair, like the filly I'd seen before, and her coat was the same color. Like Green, she was wearing clothing - hers was a loose linen shirt in offwhite with a square-cut neck hole, and a flowing green skirt that came down to her back knees.
Prairie Podzol: "Hy, everyone!" Her 'Swedish' accent was much thicker. "Ayem Prarie Podzol." She curtseyed to Sunset. "My daughter say you save her."
Sunset: "Was she the one with the poofy hair?" She smiled.
Prairie: "A'yep." She nodded. "Her friend Snowfall live up in Glacier Village." She shrugged a bit. "Her an' my frien' Crackling Fire come to th' low valley an' beyond to gather wood sometimes."
Rarity: "Well, darling, I'm Rarity Belle, this is Sunset Shimmer, Applejack K--- the wife to our dear General K, Toola Roola, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash." And a gesture to Gilda. "And dear Dash's wife, Gilda."
Prairie: "Oohh! Is so nice to meet'cha!" She giggled a bit. "Me an' Greenie got everyt'ing worked out so everyone got a spot to say tonight!"
K: "Ah, I'm sorry, ma'am, I kinda feel like we're putting you out.." I lowered myself to her eye level.
Prairie: "Oh, pfshh! Nonsense!" She shook her head. "You sav'd my daughter from a group'a Windigoes. Is's the least we c'n do!"
K: "Thank you, ma'am." I nodded slightly.
Prairie: "Come, come, now. I agreen'd ta take you eight in for th' night." She gently ushured us to the door. "We don' wanna be late for supper!"
K: "Havoc, Seven, make sure we share our supplies with the locals." I said to them as I departed. "Sleeping cramped is one thing, I don't want us eating up all their food."
Havoc: "No problem, buddy." He beamed a grin.
Soon, we were at Prairie's house. And a fine little home it was. Like Green's, it was dug partially into the earth, which made it fairly simple to expand if needed. Prairie had lots of vegetables hung up to dry, too.
Her daughter, upon seeing us, launched herself into my arms.
Pippi: "YAE!" She nuzzled me, squirmed out, and nose-nuzzled each of the girls. "You caem to say haello!"
K: "More than that, we're spending the night." I nodded to her.
Pippi: "Ohhhhh!" She started rapid-fire tapping her little hooves. "First dae human saved me, now he's going to spend da night?!"
Prairie: "More than that, sweeties, he's staying for supper!" She smiled.
You'd think the little girl just got told she got an all expense paid trip to an amusement park. She squealed, and hugged all of us again.
K: "You're excited!" I chuckled a bit.
Applejack: "R'minds me'a Koringo!" She giggled.
Pippi: "Oh'cha, it's because of the legends!" She smiled, and rocked back and forth on her hooves. "Our lives gonna change, an' if'a you saved me, it's gonna be GOOD!" She nodded very firmly, like she would not accept any other answer.
Prairie: "Oh, I hopes so to, sweetie!" She moved over to the large cauldron over the fire place, and lifted the lid - the smell made my mouth water.
K: "That's.. golden mushroom stew!" I smiled.
Prairie: "Oohh!" She BLUSHED a bit. "Mister General! I didn't know ya knew Mushrooms, too."
K: "Just K, ma'am." I nodded, and slid over by her. "That smells so good.. is that meat in there?"
Prairie: "A'yuh. Gotstabe." She nodded. "We hunt Aurochs for meat'n'leather'n things."
I didn't see it, but Fluttershy went a bit pale at the thought.
K: "I'm guessing Aurochs aren't sentient, like you and I?" Strange thing to say to a TALKING HORSE but.. I've been here four years, I don't.. really see the distinction any more.
Prairie: "Nooo.." She shrugged. "We also hunts sheeps and voles and.. whatever else we can get." She nodded. "Gots'ta have good fuel for your belly fire." She gave me a very sisterly poke.
I just smiled.. warmed on the inside from her friendliness and personal warmth.
Pippi: "We also eats feesh!" She beamed a grin.
K: "Fresh fish? Ooo." I nodded. "Good eating." I had my pack off by this time. "Anything I can offer to pad out the supper? We have oats and-"
Prairie just put her hooves over my hands with a blush.
Prairie: "Don'cha worry none, K." A firm nod.
I felt like I was at my sister's house, she's cooking dinner, and I'm being told she will not tolerate me ordering pizza, even if I pay for it. Because she's going to feed me.
And I don't even HAVE a sister!
Honestly, it reminded me of Forest Spirit's family.
K: "Yes, ma'am." I nodded.
Prairie: "Prairie." She nodded back.
Right about then, her husband came in. A massive stallion, Mac's build, but even taller, about as tall as Luna, and an Earth Pony.
Stallion: "Ah! Guests!" He nodded firmly. "You must be the Human!" He stuck out his hoof.
K: "I must be." I shook hoof-and-hand with him - his magi-kinetic field was very strong. "Just call me K." I nodded. "This is my wife Applejack, and my friends Sunset, Rarity, Dash - and her wife Gilda, Fluttershy, and Toola Roola."
Sunset: "Nice to meet you." She nodded a bit. "Kay seems to have people a bit scared."
Icy Shanks: "Name's Icy Shanks." He shrugged a bit, getting fully inside and getting his outermost layers off. "Some people will. The legends aren't taught all one way. My family always thought the coming of the human myght mean thee restoration of the Empire." He sat on his haunches next to me. "Mushroom stew, love? Smells amazing!"
His accent was lighter than his wife's. It made me wonder how this accent passed along - who would have it the thickest, and who might not, and what their ancestry might be.
Prairie: "Mhmm.. an' biscuits, an' stuffed mushrooms." She beamed a grin.
Pippi: "Mama grows mushrooms in a cayve!" She was sitting in Gilda's lap.
K: "Ahhh. Mycology." I nodded.
Prairie: "Nothing so grand.." She blushed a bit. "..I'm just good at it. My cutie mark is a mushroom over a green stem."
K: "I see!" I nodded a bit.
Dinner that night was glorious. The mushroom stew was beyond perfect - AJ and Sunset both wrote down the recipe. I wasn't entirely sure AJ wouldn't delete the meat if I wasn't around, but it didn't matter.
Bedding down that night, Prairie prepared the main room for all of us - we used our own sleeping gear, she just moved things around.
Pippi: "Oh, mamma! Can I snuggle the human!?" She instantly got real cozy on my chest.
K: "For the record, I don't mind - I have four daughters and two sons." I shrugged a bit.
Prairie: "Oohhhh.. alright." She nodded. "Be good!"
Pippi: "YAYE!" She nestled herself perfectly in my arms.
Applejack got on the other side of her, and just stared into my eyes.
Family was a treasure. And it was one we both enjoyed.
I hoped I'd get to stay here after we defeated Tirek.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Snowy
TIME: 06:08 GKT
DATE: War Day 887/20 Noneus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Arceria Village, Western Empire of Harmony
Prairie: "..and I tolds him, ya better marry me.." She was chatting idly with, of all ponies, Dash, as I woke up.
Pippi was STILL in my arms, asleep.
I hugged her and slid her over to Applejack, so I could squirm out from under the covers and.. you know.
That done, I came back in, and noticed Prairie had Dash helping her make breakfast. From a pony that generally ate out or ate simple things at home, Prairie was turning her domestic. I slid over to where Gilda was, and peered at her face, only to get one eye gently slid open, and a mischevious grin on her beak.
She knew what was going on. And she was letting it happen.
I moved over to where Prairie and Dash were, and went about helping. They were making fresh biscuits (rolls/scones), so, I used my fingers to help knead the dough and get that ready.
Prairie: "Don't often see a stallion what knows how'ta cook!" She beamed.
K: "I love cooking." I shrugged.
Prairie: "Mmm. Miss Applejack picked a gud'un, then!" She hummed to herself.
I leaned over to Dash, who was now blushing.
K: "Having fun?" I asked. "Being a domestic?"
Dash: *Hushed whisper* "Shu'up! I-I'm just helping out.." She was red faced, baaad.
K: "Uh-huh. You'll make a fine Traditional Wife, Dash." I smirked.
She ribbed me with her elbow. I just grinned.
The other girls started to wake up, as the tea was starting to steep and expand its essence around the room. I got my coffee pot out, and got water in it, to make some cowboy coffee.
Prairie: "Oh! Is that coffee?" She smiled.
K: "Indeed it is." I nodded. "Grown in Canterlot."
Prairie: "The other side'a th' village, on the other valley, they got a small coffee farm, there." She nodded.
K: "Oh, really? Interesting." I nodded. "Is it sharp and acidic?"
Prairie: "Yahh, s'why I don't usually have any." She shrugged.
K: "You might like this, then. Princess Luna's special beans - smooth as silk." I smirked.
Breakfast was eggs, bacon, sausage, and mushroom omelettes (she made a couple giant ones and split them up), biscuits and gravy, hay, and steel cut oats. Delicious.
I also got the point that Prairie and AJ were the same, with different plants.
Afterwards, our teams met back up, and some of them were wobbling..
Havoc: "SO.. full." He smiled.
Bella: "I told'ya you didn't have to eat thirds!" She snickered.
Havoc: "Granny said I did!" He blushed a bit.
O'Fang: "Oh, yah, Cap'n. We all did." He patted his tummy.
K: "Got fed by a grandmother, eh?" I smirked.
O'Fang: "Yoo betcha. She even tucked us all in an' read us a bedtime story!" He grinned, blushing. "Ah felt like a pup again."
Jason the Tramp: "And kissed our foreheads good night." His tail was thumping.
K: "Heh!" I nodded to Seven. "And your evening?"
Seven: "Spent with several fillies and a very nice family. They kinda.. snuggled all of us.. it was a pile." He shrugged.
Andriea: "Indeed." She nodded with a smile. "It was enough to make a girl want kits of her own." She flicked her tail at Villa.
Villa: "..it was comforting." He nodded.
Norfy: "Oh, and we had fun, too." He nodded with a small grin. "These people are SO nice."
Cosmic: "Mhm." He nodded firmly. "I hope they interact with the world once we leave."
Gaze: "Aye!" He beamed.
K: "Alright, we're going to head for Snowmount Village. Icy Shanks says it'll take a few hours to get there." I shrugged. "I'm going to guess roughly 24 kilometers or so. If we can keep a pace of 3-4 kilometers an hour, that is. This isn't our terrain. I expect a 6-8 hour march."
Cosmic: "We should do okay." He patted Havoc. "We have friends."
Havoc: "Heheh. Darn tootin'!" He beamed a cheesy grin.
K: "Alright. Everyone go say your goodbyes so we can get going." I directed.
After all, we made new friends, here. It'd be rude to just leave.
Pippi: "You goin'?" She sounded SO disappointed.
K: "Got to, little one." I got into a Slav Squat, and offered my open arms.
She scooted right over and hugged me.
K: "I'll be back." I skritched her behind the ears. "Promise."
Pippi: "I trusts ya." She nodded.
TIME: 12:44 GKT
K: "All stop!" I called, holding my fist up. "Alright off the road, find a spot to cook lunch." I directed.
We did so pretty quickly. Five hours of marching had taken us up another hill, into the next valley with the other farms, and then into the mountains again. It was a gradual grade, but it was clearly going "up."
Jason the Tramp: "Found a fire circle, General." He nodded and motioned us over. "And pony tracks!"
I walked over and examined them - they were very fresh.
K: "AJ, Dash, Wisp, Lady, Gilda, on me. Rest of you, get this circle policed up and get lunch cooking." I motioned.
Havoc: "You got it, K." He nodded.
Wisp sniffed the hoofprints in the snow.
Wisp: "Very fresh. Less than an hour. We can catch them, easily, they're not trying to hide their tracks at all, and their pace is slow." She nodded. "Let me and Gilda go up and spot - the weather's just warm enough we can do it with minimal risk."
K: "Go for it." I nodded.
Up they went - Wisp, Dash, and Gilda and we followed behind. It didn't take them long at all to track down the pony. Both Dash and Gilda looked shocked..
Gilda: C> "K! K! Get over here! NOW!" She swooped down and out of sight over the next rise.
Lady, AJ and I charged over the rise, to see Dash and Gilda landed near a pinkish figure with wraps all over their body. Clearly, they were clothed for the arctic environment.
We ran the last 200 meters to their position, and when I got there, I was completely out of breath. Despite my improved athletic condition, 200 meters is a long sprint even with just a combat load.
Ahead, Dash, Wisp, and Gilda were more or less blocking the tracked Pony from trying to escape, and the Pony, for her part, looked terrifed of us. I chalked to up to the legends, again, saying how I was going to burn everything down.
BOY WAS I WRONG!
The cowering pink pony, quivering like a bowl of jelly, peeked out from underneath her hood to look at us.
Applejack: "WHAT. IN. TAR-NATION!?"
K: "This.. this is impossible.." I pointed at her.
Dash: "K? You.. ah.. got a way to explain this?"
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Perfectly Pink in the Snow
TIME: 12:58 GKT
DATE: War Day 887/20 Noneus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Tillyhigh Mountains, Western Empire of Harmony
K: "PINKIE!?" I pointed at her.
'Pinkie': "OH, PLEASE!" She cowered, trying to almost make herself a hole in the snow. "PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!" She sobbed.
K: "KILL you!? PINKIE...!" I got into a Slav Squat again. "Pinkie, don't you know who I am?! I'm K!" I had my arms open.
Dash: "Yeah, Pinkie, come on! What's the matter?! It's me, Dashie!" She reached out to hug her, but 'Pinkie' drew a small knife.
'Pinkie': "S-STAY BACK! PLEASE!" She had the knife in her.. mouth.
MY Pinkie Pie would have held it in her hoof.
This was not our Pinkie, but I had no idea what was going on here.
K: "I have no idea what's going on here." I shrugged.
Gilda: "Beats me!" She flapped her arms. "Pinkie, come o-"
'Pinkie': "YOU ESPECIALLY STAY BACK!" She got MEAN with Gilda. "You.. you tried to hurt Dash." She blinked.
Dash: "Ah, Pinkie? Don't you remember? Me and Gilda are married!" She shrugged her wings.
'Pinkie': "Where.. where's Twilight?!" She aimed the knife at me next.. kinda.
K: "Twilight isn't here." I had my arms totally open, hands free.
'Pinkie': "A-Ah." She blinked.
K: C> "K to Toola Roola and Norfy. Get over here. Three hundred meters straight west." I called in. "Pinkie, I don't know what's going on here, but we're here to help you. We're your friends!"
'Pinkie': "Y-You're not my friends! Not.. not anymore! Not since.. since.. you tried to kill us all!" She was terrified.
Applejack: "...OH, FOR TH' LOVE OF CELELSTIA!" She spat out. "Ah know what's goin' on here - y'all ain't Pinkie, y'all're a mirror clone'a hers!" She pointed at the one we'd been calling Pinkie all this time.
'Pinkie': "Don't you DARE talk to me that way!" She hissed.
K: "Okay. Explain." I nodded to 'Pinkie'.
Rose: "First of all, my name is Rose. Rose Pompadour." She nodded.
Toola and Norfy arrived at this point. Both of them hung back, and Norfy looked at 'Pinkie' very carefully.
Applejack: "How c'n a clone have their own name?" She frowned.
Rose: "I'M NOT A CLONE! NOT ANYMORE!" She hissed.
At this point, Norfy moved up next to me, carefully watching this pink pony, and examining her in 'other ways' - probably looking to see if the "other Pinkies" were inside her.
Rose: "And second of all.." She looked at Norfy. "..oh, hi."
Norfy: "..that's not Pinkie Pie." He nodded.
K: "We figured." I nodded.
Toola: "Hi, I'm Toola Roola!" She smiled.
Rose: "Hi." She blinked at her. "Do I know you?"
K: "This is VERY confusing." I sighed, exasperated. "Will someone tell me what happened?!"
Rose: "It was a few months after you got here." She pointed at me. "Way before the war started. Pinkie found a way to make duplicates of herself. The problem is, we're.. we were never exact copies. Then.. then.." She slunk down, and held herself. "..Twilight killed most of us. With magic. She made us pop, like.."
Applejack: "Balloons." She frowned. "Ah saw th' aftermath, an' Twilight asked me t'buck the cave walls t'seal th' cave off." She shrugged. "She said y'all was just.. like.. Pinkie's zaniness an' stuff, but.. not really her. Not.. not alive."
Rose: "Do I -LOOK- not-alive to you, Hickpony?!" She spat.
Applejack: "Whull, that's jes' uncalled for!" She snorted.
Rose: "Like fun it is!" She hissed back. "You're part of the problem."
K: "Rose.." I sighed. "..I need to talk to Twilight. This is unconscionable.." I shook my head. "I give you my word that no one is going to kill you or hurt you." I shrugged. "Well, Tirek might, but WE won't."
Norfy: "What are you DOING out here, anyway?" He asked.
Rose: "...I didn't know where to go, so, I just ran and ran and ran.." She sniffled, tears rolling down her snout. "..and finally, I found this place. It had ponies in it that never heard of me or her." She shrugged. "I.. I gather wood and stuff, and.. I make things.." She sniffled more. "..and maybe throw a party sometimes."
K: "I need to talk to Twilight. This is insane." I shook my head. "Please come back with us. I need to get to the bottom of this." I held my hand out.
Rose: "..okay." She put the knife in my hand, and pushed her way into my arms, and it was then that I realized that her hair was flattened and done in two squiggly pigtails with a braid holding them together.
TIME: 13:27 GKT
Cosmic: "K? Twilight's on Comms." He held out the Mic.
K: C> "Alpha Actual to Mystic Actual." Twilight's new callsign.
Twilight: C> "Go ahead."
K: C> "One of Pinkie's clones resurfaced." I shrugged at the radio pack. "Calls herself Rose Pompadour, now. She's.." I looked at Rose. "..she's a person. Er.. pony.. as far as I can tell. That is to say, she has her own mind, her own thoughts-"
Twilight: C> "OH, NO!" She sounded distressed. "One of them got away?! No, no, no. This is bad. K, you.."
K: C> "If you're going to ask me to kill her, I refuse." I stated plainly. "I absolutely will not take an innocent life."
Twilight: C> "K, you don't understand! That's not a real pony, that's just a clone from the Mirror Pool!" She was upset, clearly. "It's just a magical construct, it's not REAL! Not SENTIENT! Not like us!"
K: C> "Seems sentient to me." I said, rather tersely. "I didn't make you Prime Minister so you could judge what makes a pony a pony. This is why there's balance in government. As far as I'm concerned, Rose Pompadour is her own pony, unless you can ABSOLUTELY prove otherwise.. and there's only a couple ways to do that. One of them involves going back to Colorado and asking the real Pinkie about all the details. Did Celestia even KNOW what happened!?"
There was silence.
Cosmic: "Ah.. K? Solarus Actual is on the line, too." He cleared his throat.
Celestia: C> "I do, now. My Student, return to Canterlot immediately. We need to have a talk." She sounded BIG MAD. "And, Alpha, please tell Rose Pompadour that she is welcome to live in Equestria. Without fear of being killed. On my personal guarantee as Princess." There was the air here that 'this is why I outrank Prime Minister' to her statement.
K: C> "Roger, Solarus." I shrugged. "Alpha, out."
I just.. handed the Mic back to Cosmic. EVERYONE had this look on their face of "Mama Ain't Happy, GLAD IT AIN'T ME!" We all knew Twilight was in trouble, now.
Rose: "Mmhhh." She was close to the fire. "Thank you."
Rarity: "Darling, you may look similar to our friend Pinkie, but you are clearly your own pony." She scooted closer. "I would welcome your friendship."
Rose: "Really, Rarity?" She looked ready to cry again.
Rarity: "Of course, darling." She nuzzled her.
We took extra time to get this cleared up. As I learned from Rose's story, she'd been on the run nearly three years, now. She knew other clones escaped as well, but she didn't know anything about them. She ran for the north, as that was one place she knew didn't have anyone in it that would out her. It was beyond Twilight's reach.
As for who she was.. Rose retained Pinkie's memories up to the point of the cloning, but she had none of Pinkie's chaos abilities. She had no idea the war had even happened. The last thing she really knew was about the disaster of a party that Gilda had attended.
That put the date of her creation at 23 Quintillus, 1001 C.S.
The party that Gilda blew up at, happened the day previous.
This timeline matched with me being out of town at the time, and was backed up by Applejack's own recollection of things. On the day I'd met Gilda (the 22nd), I'd stopped off at Coxsaddle for the evening, and hadn't gotten back to town until the 24th. Coxsaddle was about half a day's walk from Ponyville at my old pace, but I'd stayed in town the entire day of the 23rd.. getting things for Applejack, actually. I remembered that.
Despite our relationship at the time, Applejack had agreed with Twilight to keep the incident a secret, and eventually had forgotten it happened.
The 'Spell of Carefree' interfering again, maybe? I wasn't sure.
Rose was just an Earth Pony that loved to party.. and had zero reason to do it for the last three years.
Now, she did. And she invited us to follow her to her cabin in Snowmount Village to celebrate having new friends, and having the choice to return to the place that once felt like home.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Pink to the Snowmount
TIME: 17:55 GKT
DATE: War Day 887/20 Noneus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Rose's House, Snowmount Village, Western Empire of Harmony
She had taken well to the local customs, and as soon as we got inside, she started making us tea.
Rose: "..so, I mean, I just came up here. And when I did, they all invited me to stay!" She smiled a bit. "It's so cold up here, though." She was close to the fire. "I-I mean.." She lowered her head a bit. "..it's better than dying."
Gaze: "Och." He shook his head. "No one d'serves this kinnae fear. Not from fellow ponies." He shrugged at me.
K: "I never knew." I shook my head.
Applejack: "An' ah'm sorry. Again." She was sullen. "Ah feels guilty I jes' took Twai at her word'n.." She shook her head. "..ah'm an Apple Farmer, not a Wizard."
Rose: "It's okay, Jackie.." She said without thinking. "..oh! Should I call you that?"
Applejack: "If'n ye'll fergive me, an' lemme be yer friend." She smiled a bit.
They hugged.
K: "There'll be fallout from this." I nodded.
Blizz: "Uh.. kinda new to this.. sir." She shrugged.
Rarity: "It's quite simple, darling. As with many things that happen with K, this is a military secret." She nodded.
Dr. Allcome: "After as best an examination as I can perform, I'm confident that Rose is a living, breathing pony." He shrugged. "Whatever properties of the Mirror Pool, they created flesh and blood. And over the last three years, that flesh and blood has become her own pony."
Fluttershy: "I agree." She nodded, already sitting next to Rose. "She might have some of the same memories as Pinkie, but not the same thoughts. She's her own unique pony." And hugged on her.
Rose: "Heh.." She was sniffling back tears. "..that means a lot."
K: "That means.." I.. BLUSHED.
Rose: "What..?"
K: "You.. ah.." I slid over and whispered to her.
She turned beet red, and got a funny smile on her face.
Rose: "..curious, but.. you're married, now."
Havoc: "Doc, ya owe me five bits." He nodded.
Dr. Allcome: "Gladly paid." He handed them over.
K: "What was THAT about?" I cocked a brow.
Havoc: "Oh, nothing, old friend." He gave me a cheesy grin.
Bella: "My DEAR HUSBAND over there.. wagered that Rose was different enough from Pinkie that she would not want to.." She cocked a brow at me. "..explore your banana."
Rose was electric red.
Applejack was also blushing, and kinda.. lolling her head back, smiling a bit.
Blizz: "Huh." She paid off Gaze. "Guess that shows me."
Gaze: "Ah tol'ja. Th' curse's been lifted ever since Dusty come along." He nodded with a grin.
Blizz: "Soldiers talk. Sir." She smiled a bit, cheekily. "I admit, I expected her to fall to your charms, as a version of her had once before." She shrugged.
Rose: "N-Not if he's already married!" She shut her eyes, and kinda folded in on herself a bit.
Applejack leaned over and whispered to her also.
Rose: "Ah...! Th-thanks, Jackie, but.. I'm not into mares." She shrugged.
Dr. Allcome: "If that does not absolutely prove it.." He trailed off, shaking his head.
Toola: "Oh, yeah. Her and I had.. looooots of fun together." She beamed a grin. "'Course, I didn't realize she was training me to take her place." She shrugged.
Cosmic: "Sir? Solarus Actual." He handed over the mic.
K: C> "Go ahead."
Celestia: C> "Continue your mission. Make it clear to her that she is welcome to return to Equestria if she so desires. And we will recognize her as her own pony. My student and I are going to have a long talk about what happened, once she arrives back here. As usual, K, I trust your judgment."
K: C> "Roger Solarus. Her full name is Rose Pompadour." I shrugged at the radio set.
Celestia: C> "Understood, Alpha. Solarus, out."
K: "And there you have it." I shrugged at Rose.
Rose: "Thank you all so much." She started passing around hugs.
Seven: "Not to interrupt the love fest, Ms. Pompadour, but we need to talk to a pony named Lichen." He shrugged.
Rose: "Oh! Yes, yes.. tomorrow." She nodded. "Until then, uhm.." She looked around. "..it's a bit cramped.."
Gilda: "Oh, we'll get real close and snuggle. Won't we, honey?" She slid her wing over Dash.
Dash: "Y-Yeah!" She was blushing.
K: "Break out the vittles. Let's get dinner going. Dash? Why don't you take charge of cooking." I said offhandedly.
Gilda wanted to see her get a taste of domestication. I would help. I smirked, she smirked.
We ate from our ration packs for dinner - there was no way Rose could feed us all, and that was fine. She seemed a lot more comfortable, now, knowing that all of us wanted to be friends.
Rose: "Tomorrow, I'll take you all to see Lichen." She nodded. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to come with you, too." She looked down. "This place is great and all, but.." She looked at Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. "..I remember you strongly. And I want to be there to help."
Fluttershy: "It'll be nice to have you along." She smiled. "More friends means we can overcome anything."
Havoc: "That's the truth!" He wagged his tail.
K: "Agreed, Rose. Do you remember anything?" I shrugged.
Rose: "I remember.. you were.. making.. guns." She sat in a thinker pose. "I remember playin-No, I was teaching myself to use them." She looked up. "Those aren't the same."
K: "We've had a few evolutions of technology." I shrugged.
Applejack: "Ah'll teach'ya." She smirked.
As expected, that night, sleeping was.. tight. Even with the 'couples' kinda getting extra close. I found myself with Applejack about on top of me like a weighted blanket. It was comforting.
And off in the corner, I could see the Pink One.. and just the slightest hint of Pinkie Pie when her tail poofed a bit. She was Rose, though, for whatever that meant. No Pinkamena, no Chaos abilities, just Rose.
Maybe this is how Pinkie would have been, without that weight? I didn't know. I did know that we were friends, now.
And as I constantly say.. Friendship is Magic.
{End of Chapter 109}
