The Chronicles of Daniel Ridge: The Age of Equestria

Twilight Sparkle was going through the checklist for the third time when the door to the tree-house swung open and a voice called inside.

"Twa'h?"  Applejack called out, gazing about the library.

"Here" She answered, checking off another item in the list.

"There you are!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she pushed the orange pony out of the way

"We were supposed to be at the swamp an hour ag-OOF" Applejack smirked victoriously at her before to back to Twilight.

"Fluttershy , Rarity, and Pinkie Pie have already gone on down." she said, fixing her hat.

"Twilight had to go through her list again" a pile of items with two purple legs replied  "Can anypony give me a hand, here? I can't feel my claws."

As Rainbow Dash helped carry the stuff outside, Twilight checked off the last item from her list - another checklist.

"Sorry girls" She said "We didn't get much sleep last night and ended up sleeping in."

"That ain't like you, Sugarcube" Applejack put a hoof on the purple pony's forehead "You two ain't sick, are ya?"

Twilight gently pushed her hoof away with a small smile "No, Applejack, we're fine. Just tired."

"Well you better mosey on up and get those droopers open 'cause we got a lot of work to do!" Applejack clopped her on the back and walked out the door. Twilight shook her head and followed after her.

On the way to the swamp, Rainbow Dash flew ahead and turned, flapping backwards to face them.

"So why are we going to the swamp, again?"

"Fluttershy wanted to count the population of the frogs this year, and after  the last time, I thought it would be best if we all helped her finish it quicker" Twilight answered. They all nodded knowingly. The incident with the hydra had not been pleasant. Spike tried to nod as well, only to yawn loudly, a little fire-spout floating into the air.

"Just what were you two doing up so late last night Twah?" Applejack still looked a little concerned.

"Oh, well, it's a little complicated." Twilight tried to evade the question, but Rainbow interjected, suspicious.

"Well make it NOT complicated." she folded her hooves and cocked an eyebrow. Twilight sighed a little.

"Well yesterday morning Celestia sent me a letter asking for my help" The two ponies gasped a little, but Twilight waved it off "Nothing to worry about, just to help with some research."

"What kind of research?" Rainbow Dash asked, curiosity piqued.

"Well, she didn't say much in the letter." Twilight reached into her bag and pulled it out, holding it up for them to see "It's mostly about how she's been having trouble finding anything about it herself, and how she wants to keep it low-profile. So she decided to ask me, her faithful student, for help." Twilight said this with immense pride - the others shook their heads a little and rolled their eyes.

"Twah, don't start now" Applejack chided.

"Oh right, sorry" Twilight apologized, blushing a little "anyways, she wanted me to find anything related to this symbol in the library and send her what I could find." And she pointed at the page, which showed a strange symbol.

"We went through half the library and found nothing. I feel like I've seen it before, but I can't remember where" she frowned, confused "have you girls seen it before?"

Applejack and spike shook their heads, but Rainbow seemed to pause for a short moment.

"I think I've seen it too, Twilight, but I can't remember where either."

Twilight sighed again smiled "Oh well, at least it's not just me. If you remember anything, let me know, alright?"

"Of course!" Rainbow smiled. She flipped around in the air and sped off, yelling back at them "Now let's go, guys! They're waiting!"

The three looked at each other for a moment and laughed before running after the pegasus.

When they arrived they found that the counting had already started. Rarity was using her magic to hold up a small bundle of frogs as Fluttershy counted them. After she made a note on a small clipboard on the back of her cart, Rarity walked over to a spot where the cattails grew in abundance and released them gently from her magic bubble. The arriving troupe shouted a hello as they came closer.

"There you are!" Rarity said, clearly miffed "We've been waiting for over an hour! What on Earth was keeping you?"

"Oh, hello girls" Fluttershy said quietly from behind a basket of frogs. Spike ran over to help her.

"Hi Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack!" Pinkie Pie waved from the swamp as she caught another frog.

"Cool it, Squiggletail, we went to pick up Spike and Twilight."

Rarity cocked an eyebrow at this new-found nickname, but said nothing of it.

"Well that's rather strange, is it not? Twilight's almost never late!"

"She slept in." Applejack said, bumping shoulders with the Unicorn, who smiled apologetically.

"Busy night last night."

"Oh I know that feeling Darling, but what were you working on this time?"

As Twilight explained, Spike and Fluttershy were grabbing the next basket of frogs from the pond. Spike loved to put his claws in the cool muddy water, and as he splashed about, some mud flew up into Fluttershy's face.

"Oops, Sorry Fluttershy."

Fluttershy wiped her face and smiled gently "It's all right, just remember, we're here to work, alright? We can play later." She used the same tone as she used on Angel.

"Yes, Ma'am" Spike said dutifully. Fluttershy thanked him and rubbed his head.

After looking at the symbol for a minute, Rarity shook her head regretfully "Sorry, Twilight, I've never seen such a thing before. Did she tell you what it's for?"

"That's the thing, Rarity. She didn't really tell me much. Just that she wanted not to let anypony know. Of course, I was going to tell you all eventually." Applejack and Rainbow Dash gave her a look.

"Maybe Fluttershy knows?" Applejack suggested.

They asked Fluttershy and then Pinkie Pie, but they didn't know it either, leaving all the ponies a little frustrated.

"You said you and Rainbow Dash recognize it somehow?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, but not from where" Twilight replied "I think it'll come to me eventually though."

"I think that's the most we can hope for, for now, Twa'h." Applejack said, clopping her back again "What we can do, though, is round up some little green critters! Ready girls?"

The ponies and Spike cheered and got to work collecting and counting the amphibians. Fluttershy had to double-check each basket or pile to see if they had already been counted. With her ability to recognize one frig from another, it went smoothly, but slowly. A few hours passed, and after a short lunch break, they were almost finished.

Spike was a little further away from the group, picking up any hidden frogs in the marshes outskirts. It was also to keep from getting anyone else dirty again as he pranced happily through the reeds.

As he jumped after one particularly agile frog, he noticed something strange on the muddy banks nearby. It was covered in mud, and as he came up to it, he realized it was alive. He poked its side and it groaned a little, turning away from him. There was a small trail of blood where it was laying. He gasped  - whatever it was, it was hurt.

"Twilight!" He cried, running as fast as he could through the swamp to the six ponies.

"What is it, Spike? Stub a claw again? Twilight teased, dropping the last pile of frogs back into the swamp. The other ponies laughed and cheered at their work.

"Not that, Twilight! There's something hurt over there!"

All the girls went quiet, alarmed.

"Where? Show us!" Twilight was already running where Spike had come from, with the girls close behind her. Spike chased after them.  Rainbow Dash whizzed past them all, and surprisingly, Fluttershy was quick on her heels. Pinkie Pie started rambling about parties as she skipped after them.

"What is THAT?!?"  Rainbow yelled as they came up to the body.

"I, I'm not really sure." Fluttershy answered. The ponies stood around it in a circle, though Fluttershy and Rarity stood at a slightly farther distance, though for two entirely different reasons.

"You mean you've never seen it before?" Twilight asked, surprised. Fluttershy knew more about the forest critters than even herself.

"I don't think any of us do, Twa'h" Applejack walked up to it and poked it. It groaned again and rolled over once more. The girls gasped as a large gouge was revealed along it's chest.

"It's been hurt pretty bad." Twilight stated.

"Should we help it? It could be dangerous." Rarity asked.

"Yes!" Fluttershy said firmly, surprising the girls "The poor thing, it must hurt so badly. How could we just leave it like this?"

"You're not actually gonna bring this thing back to ponyville, are ya?" Rainbow asked

"Girls!" Twilight interrupted them all "Shame on you, wanting to leave it behind. We helped that Manticore pull out that thorn, remember? It's only right that we do the same here."

"And if it's here, how can it be at the party I'm going to throw it?!?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

"Well it better not trah any funny business." Applejack said "Or it's gonna have to deal with me."

"And me, of course!" Rainbow said,  smacking her hooves together menacingly. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Come on, girls, help me get it in the cart."

After they got it into the tree-house, they were able to  wipe it down and get a better look at it. It, or he, they realized after wiping the last of the mud off its face, was a rather odd creature. He was a tall, bipedal creature, with very little fur, except atop his pale head, which was dusty blonde.  Instead he sported a set of ruined pants and ripped shirt that they had to take off to get a better look at the wound.  He had claws and feet like Spikes, but no long, sharp nails or scales.  Along his chest, the bandages that Twilight had brought along were wrapped neatly by Fluttershy, and as she finished it off with a clip, he stirred, making her jump away.

"I think he's waking up." Twilight said, and the girls backed off a little from the bed they had laid him on. They were nice, but not entirely foolish.

The creature moaned again and sat up, holding his head. This was the second time today he had been knocked out. Neither had been pleasant.

"Where am I now?" he mumbled, making all but Pinkie Pie gasp, who replied to him in a cheerful voice.

"Well you're in Ponyville, silly! Where else?"

Daniel looked up in surprise, and he froze, his blue eyes  widening in shock.