I stood outside of the Everfree Forest, waiting. Zecora had asked me to get her a white tulip for one of her new brews, but she knows very well that the eerie nature of the Everfree forest gives me cold hooves, so she and I agreed on her walking out of the forest to retrieve the tulip. It had been twenty minutes now of me sitting outside of the forest, and I had not seen one sign of Zecora.
I had patiently waited outside the forest, with the tulip stem in between my pale yellow lips, when I heard something. Something... animal-like. I put the tulip down onto the grass and geared my ear towards the sound. It was very faint, but as I listened closely, I heard the cries and meows of a cat, coming from the depths of the Everfree Forest.
"Oh dear, a poor little kitty is in there!" I spoke aloud to myself. "But, I promised Zecora that I would wait out here, outside of that... that spooky forest."
I anxiously weighed my options. Do I wait here for Zecora and potentially put a helpless little animal's life at stake, or do I trudge into the forest, putting my fears aside, and help the cat? As difficult as a decision it was, I chose to go into forest.
"Well, it won't be so bad," I gulped, trying to lower my anxiety. "Besides, maybe if I go in there, I can help the kitty and run into Zecora as well!"
I picked the tulip back up and nervously walked into the dark forest. Hoof after hoof, I cautiously moved myself toward the meowing noise. Although it sounded faint outside of the forest, it wasn't long until I ran into my destination - the cat. Although it was hard to see through the dark shadows of the trees, the cat had tan, unkempt tufts of fur with dark brown stripes, followed with crooked whiskers surrounding her dark nose.
I dropped the tulip from my mouth and crept towards the cat gently, as I do with all other little animals, and spoke softly. "Excuse me, little kitty. Are you hurt? I heard you meowing, and I wanted to make sure that you were okay-."
"Shut up!" The cat bellowed out in a raspy voice.
I was completely astonished. "Oh - oh my! A talking cat? I never knew little kitties could talk-."
The cat grimaced. "Didn't I tell you to shut the hell up? And my name is not 'little kitty,' princess. It's '400.'"
Despite still being completely shocked, and certainly offended and hurt by this cat's rude tone, I continued to talk to her. "Oh... 400? That's quite a silly name." 400 glared up at me, not saying a word. I interpreted this as her waiting for me to continue speaking. "So, um... is there anything I can do to help you? Do you belong to somepony-."
"Actually," 400 interrupted, then pointed her paw towards the tulip that I had left behind. "I want that flower of yours."
"Oh, that? Oh, no no no, you see, that tulip is actually for somepony-."
"I said, GIVE ME THE FLOWER!" 400 growled and retracted her front claws, and swiftly slashed across my right hoof. I flinched and squeaked at the sudden, stinging pain, then looked down at my hoof. Blood was dripping slowly from the three cuts that 400 had made. That's when 400 spoke up again, in a very aggressive tone. "Hey, are you fucking deaf? Give me the flower, right now!" She raised her paw up to scratch me again, but before she had a chance to dig her nails into me again, I was already running back the other direction to retrieve the tulip.
I galloped back to 400 with the tulip in my mouth, and dropped it in front of her. I winced as I looked back to see that my hoof had left a trail of blood. I gazed at the trail, horrified, until 400 spoke and snapped me out of my temporary trance.
"Nice work, pony," She said, inspecting the tulip with her paws. "This will be a great gift for Wednesday."
"Wednesday?" I questioned, confused. "What's going on on Wednesday?"
"Not the day, dumbass! The rat! Just look behind you!"
"The... rat?" I looked behind me again. There was no sight of my trail of blood anywhere. Instead, there was a small household rat standing where the trail should be. He had unkempt fur and crooked whiskers, just like 400. The rat scurried by me and then sat next to 400. The two animals shared greetings.
"Hey there, Wednesday!"
"Hi, 400!" Wednesday chimed in happily, but his mood changed as soon as his eyes averted towards me. "Who's the freak?"
"Oh, just some little bitch who decided to take a little visit. Look, she even brought us a flower."
I began to have enough with these animals' attitudes. I did what I did with most other misbehaving animals - give them "the stare" and speak to them in a stern voice. "Listen, ma'am, you do not call me that word! That is not nice!"
400 grinned evilly, clearly not affected by my voice or my stare. "Oh? And what do you suppose I do? Apologize?" She lifted up her paw once again. I had somehow completely forgotten about that scratching incident, even though it was only moments ago.
Having my memory jogged back, I flinched. "No, no, that's okay, 400! I'm sorry for raising my tone!"
As 400 lifted her paw down, Wednesday grew a sly smile on his face, looking below my scratched hoof. The previous trail of blood seemed to have manifested itself into a crimson puddle around my hooves. Wednesday walked unfazed into the puddle and wrapped his tiny paws around my hooves. "I see you've already given her some course of punishment. Good job, 400! But, I don't think she's been punished enough." He looked up at me and smiled wider. "Pony, pluck the feathers out of your measly wings. Right now."
I lurched back. "What? You want me to hurt myself?"
"I said NOW!" Wednesday dug his sharp teeth into my hoof, making me flinch and squeak once again as a new wound has opened up, letting more blood flow out of me.
I began sobbing and pleading. "Okay, okay, I'll do it! Just stop hurting me!" Wednesday let his jaw loosen and disconnect with my injured leg. He and 400 stood there, looking up at me, waiting, watching me.
I spared no time. I didn't want to aggravate these animals anymore. I turned my neck toward my shoulderblade, gripped my teeth firmly around one of the feathers of my wings, and then sharply pulled. The feather came out with needle-like pain that made my eyes water even more than when Wednesday was hurting me. I dropped the feather down by the critters, watching the pale yellow feather turn orange as it drifted in the pool of blood surrounding me. I continued this process of plucking out my feathers until my wings were patched and torn in any angle or direction. Oh, how I wish Zecora came by, to see this helpless tragedy unfold and help me out, to have at least one witness of how drastic my passive behaviors can become. I wanted to leave the Everfree Forest so badly, but there was some strange feeling inside me that made me stay, no matter how miserable I was pleasing these two animals.
However, after the painful event of hurting myself, I did see another pony in the distance, galloping towards the scene. It definitely wasn't Zecora, but it was at least one pony who could help me out. A pony like me. Stepping through the mounds of blood tainted feathers in front of me, I called out to the pony.
"Um, excuse me. I hate to be a bother, but could you please help me out? I was just tried to go to somepony's house when-."
"Shut it, bitch." 400 blurted out. She's not going to help you. She's with us. The name's 24 Hours."
"24 Hours? What's with these strange names?" I mumbled to myself. When the pony arrived, I took a good look at her. She was an earth pony with a long, brown mane and a matted, white coat. Despite her time-related name, her cutie mark looked like an island of some sort. After scanning her, she piped up in cheerful, high-pitched voice.
"Hi, I'm 24 Hours! Follow me!" She then flew up above the trees. How she did it is beyond me, for I have never seen an earth pony fly before. This was all really strange. Two sadistic critters and now a flying earth pony? I mean, I guess I could expect flying from Pinkie Pie or something, but I don't even know this mare. I don't even know if I can trust this mare. Although, for whatever reason, I put my distrust aside. I was oddly intrigued to know where 24 Hours was going.
In order to keep up with 24 Hours, I rapidly fluttered what was left of my mutilated wings. Thankfully, the wounds in my right hoof had closed. Despite my hoof still stinging like crazy, at least I was no longer bleeding. It took all of my strength and willpower, especially with my wings now in pain as well from plucking out the feathers, but the labor of flying was worth it when we made our stop, at the top of the trees.
"We're heeere!" 24 Hours said gleefully. Gee, was I astonished. I guess I had never seen Equestria at this view. The mountains in the distance were hitting the horizon of Celestia's daylight perfectly. The cottages and buildings of Ponyville looked like small specs. Cloudsdale's beautiful, soft clouds were practically at eye level. I had never been this awe-struck since I first discovered land as a filly. Although, there was something that was throwing me off. Right by Ponyville were a myriad of dark trees. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that that was the Everfree Forest, but that couldn't be it! I was right above the Everfree Forest now... right?
I would have thought more about what I saw, but the rustling of leaves interrupted. I looked over to the side to see a glimpse of 24 Hours' hind legs leaving the branch. She was falling!
"24 Hours!" I cried out, looking down. 24 Hours had her hooves spread, her face and torso facing upright. She had the same, sly grin on her face that 400 and Wednesday had. As she got closer and closer to the ground, I covered my eyes with my hooves. I didn't want to see the gruesome scene that was about to unfold. My heart was pounding rapidly, and came to a brief stop when I heard the loud thud of the pony's body hitting the ground. I whimpered, just imagining what poor 24 Hours looked like now, body matter and organs sprawled onto the ground like an egg hitting the floor. That's when I heard the familiar, high-pitched voice call out.
"Don't be scared! Uncover your eyes!" I did as the voice said, and looked down to see a perfectly normal 24 Hours grinning up into the trees. "That was fun! You try it now!"
Before I had time to react, I heard the newly-familiar raspy voice call out from behind me. "Come on, bitch, jump." I turned around to see 400 on one of the branches, with Wednesday not too far away.
I was shocked, once again. "How... How did you two get up here? These are really tall tress, and-."
400 lifted her paw. "Haven't you learned what happens when you don't follow our orders? I said, jump."
24 Hours called out again. "Yeah, come on, pony! Jump! It's fun!"
I was shaking. "Oh, I... I really can't. I'm much to fragile and-." My sentence was interrupted with unbearably painful cat scratches and rat bites. My legs began to bleed again, this time more profusively. I cried out in pain and distress. "Please, stop!"
I tried to shake off the animals without hurting them, but they dug their claws and teeth in deeper, digging into my veins and bones with no effort. My legs were pouring out blood. I was beginning to lose my balance, both from the unsteady branch and the massive, excruciatingly painful blood loss. I felt myself begin to fall off the branch and lose my consciousness all at the same time, when I appeared in front of the Everfree Forest, as if none of this happened.
"What? What happened? Where's 400 and Wednesday? Where's 24 Hours? Am I still hurt?" I looked down at my hooves and legs to see that there was no sign of blood or wounds anywhere. In fact, my limbs weren't in any pain whatsoever. However, my wings were definitely in pain. I turned around and saw that my wings were as tattered and torn as they were with the critters. If it weren't for my wings, I would have brushed this whole thing off as a nightmare due to dozing off outside of the forest or anything along the lines of that, but my wings were evidence that this was all too real. I was reluctant to go back into the forest, but I had to figure out what happened. Why did those critters want me to be hurt? Why did they and 24 Hours want me to jump from such a tall height?
I garbbed Zecora's tulip and marched right into the forest. This was very unlike me, but something in me was urging to see the animals and pony again. I needed answers.
It wasn't long until I reached the point of the forest where 400 was. Only this time, she wasn't there. All that was there was a pile of my own feather, untainted.
This was all too weird. Where did the scratches, bite marks, and blood go? Where did everyone go?
I darted my eyes around each tree until I saw a familiar, black-and-white figure gallop in my direction. It was Zecora, wearing a bag full of different potions and herbs. Maybe she knows what's going on. After all, she's the one who lives in this eerie forest.
"Zecora!" I called out, a bit too excited to see her. I winced at my own outgoing approach, then set the tulip down sheepishly.
Zecora returned my pushy greeting with a calm, but concerned expression. "Ah, Fluttershy, I apologize for making you wait many an hour, but thank you for bringing me my flower." She grabbed the tulip off of the ground and put it in her back, then turned back to me. "But, disregard my bag of things. Whatever happened to your wings?!"
I took a good look at my wings, trying to figure out how to explain. "Well, I hate to bother, but..." I mumbled nervously, then snapped out of my own anxieties to realize that there's no time to waste. I need to find those animals and that pony! I told her everything, about the violent talking cat and rat and flying earth pony that jumped to her supposed death, but was completely fine. "...So," I concluded. "Have you seen them? Do you know them?"
Zecora had a confused look on her face. "I really wish I could help you, but I have a hard time believing what you're saying is true. I have seen many strange things while living here, but I can honestly say that what you've seen isn't real, my dear." They aren't real? How could they not be real? I saw them with my own two eyes. I can't possibly be hallucinating, right? "Although, if finding these creatures will put your mind at ease, look where you were last - at the top of the trees."
I nodded. "Thank you, Zecora. I'll look up in the trees."
"Very well them, but be careful up there. Your wings are still very bare."
I nodded once again, then took off, flapping my mutilated wings as hard as I could, my mind racing. Not real? They must be real! Those little critters' actions were a little absurd, and the fact that 24 Hours didn't die from jumping at such an extreme height wasn't explainable at all, but how could they be fake? I saw them with my own two eyes. Or, perhaps, looking in Zecora's perspective, maybe they aren't real. Maybe they're hallucinations. No matter what the case, they were very real to me, and I have to see them again and ask them what happened.
Once I got to the top of the trees, nothing really changed. Nopony was up here with me, but I still saw that strange patch of trees just outside of Ponyville. As I gazed out to the trees ahead, I heard a familiar raspy voice coming from the ground.
"Hey, pony. We're down here. Get down here." I quickly looked down at the ground. It was 400! I had learned my lesson from before to waste no time following her orders, so I cautiously glided down to the ground, holding onto various tree branches with my hooves in case my patched wings weren't enough support. Before I had a chance to talk, 400 piped up. "Follow me."
I did as she said. Every step she took, I took, as well. I found this to be the perfect opportunity to ask her questions. "So, um, 400, I'm very confused with everything that just happened. Why did my wounds heal?"
"Because you didn't get wounds."
"I - I didn't?"
400 rolled her eyes. "Of course not, bitch. I suppose your next question is where Wednesday, 24 Hours, and I came from."
I lurched back, surprised, then continued walking. "Actually, yes! How did you know I was going to ask that?"
"Because we're in your mind."
I stopped walking, shocked. I stammered nervously. "Wh-what?"
400 stopped walking as well and spoke nonchalantly. "We're in your head, pony. Only you can see us."
"Does.... Does that mean... You're a hallucination?"
"I guess if you wanna use those fancy names. Hallucinations, schizophrenia, psychosis, whatever. What matters is that you see us, and others don't. We can't hurt others, but we can hurt you. All the while, you'll look like an absolute fool as ignorant ponies watch the show of you freaking out when we tell you to do stuff and hurt you when you refuse to follow our orders. You're ours now." 400 continued walking. My whole body shook, panicking. Schizophrenia? Psychosis? I know I have my issues here and there, but nothing that serious! 400 was getting angry. "Are you coming or not? I'm showing you where we came from!"
"But wait, didn't you just say you come from my mind?"
"For Celestia's sake, pony, just follow me!"
I took some deep breaths and trudged on next to 400. Before I knew it, we were outside of the forest and onto a beautiful island. My anxiety loosened completely as I stepped my hooves into the warm sand. I felt like any worry or stressor that I've had in my entire lifetime has been whisked away by this beautiful beach. I gazed euphorically into the deep, blue ocean in front of me, then spoke with awe. "400... Where are we?" I turned around, and saw that the trees of the forest was no longer there. My relaxation instantly kicked back into panic. Replacing the trees were a big group of different animals and ponies, all with nametags. Wednesday was standing next to a group of other rats, six of them appropriately named days of the week. Other names of the rats included Saturn and 200. 400 was sitting next to a black cat named Midnight, as well as different cats and dogs with names like Magical 61, Blink, and Emily 64. Sitting alongside 24 Hours were other mares of different hues, with nametags that read 80 and 100 Degrees. There were many, many other animals and ponies, but I was too stunned and anxiety-struck to notice any others. In front of all of these animals and ponies read a big wooden sign - "WELCOME TO CALALINI."
