Chapters The Chronicles of Daniel Ridge: The Age of Equestria
Six ponies stood in the center of a large antechamber, each holding another's hoof to form a circle. Small rays of light pierced through cracks in the stone walls, the only sound the slight drip-drip of water on the rock. In the center of the ponies, a pedestal, and a single green book resting atop it. On the cover, The word "D'ni", in large gold cursive.
After a small command from the leader, two horns grew bright in the dark room, washing the x in a mixture of blue and silver hues. A minute passed- then five minutes, ten minutes - an hour passed in complete silence. Throughout the spell each of them seemed to be struggling - their faces taught, muscles stiffened. A bead of sweat slid down one's left cheek. A small wind that should not have been there gathered around them, blowing through and opening the book, the pages flapping until they suddenly stopped on a single page. It began to glow, until it was a blinding ball of magic - and then, just as suddenly, the magic disappeared. Four of the ponies, exhausted, collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily. The leader remained standing, with only large breaths to show her effort, her silver horn dimming.
"Did it work?" an auburn mare said between gasps.
"Yes" The leader answered, trotting up to the book. "The link has been made. Now, we can have our champion."
"But Milady, how will we find them? They could appear anywhere in Equestria."
"You know of the legends, Ginger Snap. If such a creature were to arrive, we would come to know of it eventually."
"And if they're not willing?" a sea-blue unicorn said, adjusting his glasses.
"Then we kill them" The silver unicorn answered, then added with a giggle "Or you could make them willing, I'm sure. You do so love to experiment."
"Indeed, Milady." He bowed, a wicked grin playing on his lips. "I will prepare."
"Good. Tic, Tac, you will help him as always."
"Of course, your Majesty" two Pegatwins said in unison.
The silver mare turned back to the pedestal and smiled. Her time was coming. Soon, Equestria would be hers. And she knew just where to start her conquest.
Canterlot.
Daniel had been reading in silence at the counter when the shop door opened and his dad came in, the sound of the heavy rain pouring through the entrance for a moment as it shut behind him. He was dripping wet, with a luggage sack trolling behind him, and a travel pack on his back. His large red jacket streamed droplets that drop-dripped on the hardwood floor. His khaki pants were completely soaked and now sporting a sad shade of sodden soil. His old army boots were coming apart at the seams, as if they resented his muddy socks, which sloshed as he walked over. And his favorite Canucks baseball cap, which Daniel swore was no longer a hat and more a piece of fabric the old man wrapped around his head every morning. And yet, even though he was such a mess, his dad's smile could not have been larger.
"Daniel!" He cried, pulling him into a bear hug "I'm so glad to see you again."
"Hey Dad" Daniel replied, returning the embrace "How was your flight?"
"The flight? Fine, fine" he said, shrugging "Customs was a bugger to get though, as usual. You know how it is with them."
"Considering what you brought last time, I think they are justified in being cautious."
"Hey, I told you that I didn't know about the snake, or that it was female, or that it was actually a mother that gave birth to live young."
"Yeah, well neither did they, until they opened the bag."
This time, it was his dad's turn to grunt.
Daniel's dad was an anthropologist, and most of his time was spent travelling around the globe, discovering more and more evidence to prove the existence of an ancient civilization that thrived in chasms below the surface of the Earth. This left Daniel back at the house and run the small bookstore that occupied the first floor, "Ridge's Leatherbacks". Though Daniel would often find himself lacking proper company, when his dad returned with all his discoveries and stories of the places he had been, the time alone had been worth it. As per the usual, his dad brought some souvenirs back this time as well.
"So other than a rolling rhombus of ripe reptiles, what else have you brought back?"
Daniel's Dad laughed and grinned mischievously "None of those scandrals this time, fortunately, but something even better" then held up a hand "you'll see, you're going to love this one especially."
Daniel cocked an eyebrow quizzically, but relented, offering his dad the only seat. He took it, letting the luggage fall to the floor with a thud, and swinging the backpack onto the desk. He opened it up and made a show of rummaging around in it, until Daniel could wait no longer.
"Dad, enough teasing - show me already."
"Alright, alright" he replied, pulling out his hand and revealing his prized possession. Daniel reached out for it and his dad handed it gently over to him with a knowing smile. As Daniel took it, for a second he thought it glowed a little in their hands, but a quick glance at his father showed that the old man had seen nothing. Daniel looked back down at the treasure the anthropologist had procured.
It was a book. A large, heavy book with rough leather bindings, like a crocodile's scales. The centuries it had survived through had taken a heavy toll upon it; spots of diluted greys and ink blotches, and strange scratches all over, as if something had clawed at it. The Title of the book shown dimly in the light - 'Equestria', in small, gold cursive. Daniel turned it sideways to read the spine, and he gasped. In small, almost unreadable letters, was the name 'A. Ridge'. Daniel looked up at his dad in shock.
"Yes, I thought you might like that. Unfortunately it seems that no one has written in it, but the novelty of coincidence felt too tasty for me to leave it behind."
And it was true - flipping through the pages, there was no sign of use. Though there was inkstains on the cover, there was no indication of penmanship at all.
"Oh, but there was one odd page I found in the back - had some sort of black square on it - here, let me show you." Daniel's dad took the book back and scanned quickly through until he stopped at a page.
"Ah yes, here it -" and he stopped midsentence. Neither moved or spoke. For though there was a rectangle on the page, it was not black.
The rectangle shimmered in the light, like evening light playing on the lapping waves of a quiet lake. Inside of it, to both of their unfiltered shock and awe, was an image - but at the same time, not an image. It was like a video - inside the rectangle there was a picture of a clearing in a forest; then the rectangle would shimmer, and the image of a small pond took its place. Then it would shimmer again, and another image was shown, and then after that another. It seemed to cycle through an infinite amount of landscapes, never the same, and yet every one of them similar. Daniel gulped slightly and glanced up at his dad, who had also glanced at him.
"Dad, what-"
"I don't know, Daniel. It wasn't like this before" his dad raised a hand to his lips in wonder.
"What do you mean?"
"It was just as I said - black, like someone drenched the page with ink. I had thought it odd that the other pages had shown no damage, but I didn't imagine anything like this..." as he said this, Daniel's dad reached out, nearing the strange image.
"Wait, dad, you shouldn't touch-"
But it was too late. As soon as his fingers touched the image, the old man began to glow. As the glow surrounded him, his body seemed to shimmer just like the images in the book.
"Dad!" Daniel reached out to grab him, but his hands passed through him - he was like a mirage, like he wasn't real. Daniel's dad looked at him in horror, but he managed to say a few words , though they were warped in different pitches.
"I love you" and with that, his father vanished, his body collapsing into little lights that fell like golden sand that dimmed out into nothingness on the floor.
The Chronicles of Daniel Ridge: The Age of Equestria
Daniel's mind was racing. Only minutes ago the father he had known for twenty years had disappeared before his eyes. He could only stare blankly at the book on the floor in the moments after the incident, but now he had to decide his next step. His father wasn't dead . It was the only conclusion he could accept, the only one he would ever accept. But if so... where was he?
He picked up the book gingerly, taking care not to touch the strange image. It still shimmered and rippled in the soft light. Was his father inside the book? Daniel watched the images with growing distress. If he was there, it did not show, for although the images changed one by one, he could not see any indication of movement within them. Daniel had tried earlier to call his dad's cell phone, but it never connected, though he tried many times.
Daniel put the book on the countertop and sat on the stool with a heavy thud. Should he follow? Neither of them knew anything about the world inside the book. From what he had seen of it so far, it looked like Earth. Maybe it was a teleportation device that dropped his dad in the middle of the woods somewhere. Maybe his dad had just been dropped only a few miles away, and if he had been able to find a road, hitchhiked. He might already be on the way back. But what if he had been dropped in the middle of nowhere? He hadn't brought any supplies. What if, by not chasing after him, his dad starved, or gotten bitten by a viper, like those from his luggage? Daniel shook his head. No, that wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't let it happen.
He had to get ready. A lot of time had already passed since then, and knowing his dad, he probably hadn't eaten on the flight back home. He was probably starving. And it was getting late - he would need shelter. Daniel grabbed his dad's bag off the table. His dad may have been caught unprepared, but he wouldn't. He would have everything they would need. Everything would be fine, he told himself as he ran up the stairs. He would save his dad.
An hour later Daniel ran back down the stairs with an expedition pack filled with gear, and the bag his dad brought back. He had everything he needed for a long hike, with enough dry-food to keep both of them fed for a week. The other backpack was full of technical stuff, and the gear his dad would need for himself - a gps, portable fishing rod, binoculars, first aid kit, etc. Carrying them both was hard, but worth it. If they were going to be out in the wilderness for a long time, then they would both thank him for his insight. Daniel slung the two bags beside the counter and headed over to the front door. He pulled out his key and locked the door, then set the alarm system. He didn't want to come home to find the place robbed. As he headed back to the counter, he stopped, and looked around the room.
This may be the last time he saw this room. He had grown up in this little store, and as the memories of the past flooded over him, he felt his anxiety coming back. There was so many questions, so many things that could go wrong, so many mysteries. The weight of his decision sat heavily on his shoulders. But he was determined, and after one last look around the store, he headed to the counter.
The book still lay where he last saw it. Picking it up, he closed it, and looked it over once again, if only to give him more drive. It was this book that had taken his father from him. He told himself that as soon as the two of them got back, he would burn the fucking thing. As he turned it up and over, he noticed on the back cover a strange symbol, painted with gold. He paid it little attention.
He set the book down on the counter once more and opened it to the page in question. The image still shone, forever changing, forever shimmering in that strange, rippling movement. He stretched, flexed, cracked his knuckles. He slung his bag onto his back and slung the other over a shoulder. It was time.
Daniel slowly reached out to the image, hesitating as his hand drew nearer. A small voice in the back of his head told him to stop, to come up with something else. But he had already begun, and when his fingertips touched the rectangle, he knew it had started.
Daniel felt a strange tingling on his skin first, then a light tugging in the pit of his stomach, like someone had grabbed him by the waist to pull him in. The sensations grew in intensity rapidly, until he skin felt like it was burning, and the tugging became a falling sensation in his solar plexus. His skin and clothes getting brighter and brighter. Daniel felt panic set in with the rest of the sensations as his mind succumbed, but he knew it was too late. In the last moment before he felt his consciousness click out, he felt the floor give out beneath him, and both his body and mind fell into darkness.
----------------------
Marcus groaned as he slowly woke up. Only moments ago he had been marvelling at the ancient text he had brought home to his son Daniel. He had touched the strange image he had discovered within it. He remembered the sensation, the horrified look on his son's face, and almost puked. His head was spinning dangerously, and as he tried to pick himself up, he cried out. He knew this feeling . When he landed, he must have broken his arm and been knocked out by the impact. He grimaced - it was going to be a bitch to move around with. Using his good arm he got up and surveyed his surroundings.
Around him were walls of stone, the smooth rock forming a dome above him, where a large crack lightning-bolted up through layers of sediment. Through the crack a small trickle of sunlight came through to illuminate the antechamber. A small onyx-black door at its far end also shed some light through its barred window. As he made to move to it, he noticed a glint from come from below his feet. As he looked down, he gasped. Marcus was standing on a large mural painting; More than that, though, he realized, it was a gear. A massive metal gear ten feet in radius. It seemed to connect to another gear just below the base of the back-wall, where he saw a myriad of large mechanics. As he studied them with a distracted interest, a clacking sound startled him from behind.
Behind the door, Marcus saw someone rush away. Marcus ran over to the door. "Wait! Hold on, let me out of here!" Marcus he shouted. He tried to open it, only to find it locked. The stranger made no indication of hearing, their steps clacking strangely into the distance. It sounded oddly hollow, and as the sound receded, he swore he heard a second pair of footsteps - was their someone with them? He shouted again, but when there was no reply, he sighed, and backed away from the door.
His lifeline to freedom gone, Marcus turned back to the mural-covered gear. It was a beautiful painting. On one side of the painting, a mob of men stood with open books, books that, Marcus realized with surprise, had the same black rectangle as he had first seen when he found the blasted text. They seemed to be raising both book and hand in praise towards the center of the painting. On the other side, a herd of horses - but they were strange - many had wings, or horns, and were a palette of colors from the brightest of yellows to the darkest of purples, with strange markings on their flanks, each unique to every horse. In the middle of the painting, A great void of stars seemed to separate the two factions, where five men stood with their own books open and raised in a circle. Their books, however, had bright glowing rectangles. Within their circle, two mares circled each other in a constant, flowing chase. The two mares were clearly unlike the others, as were the five men. One was bright pink, with a flowing mane of light blue-green and magenta hues. On her flank was a symbol of the sun in all its blazing glory. The other was a dark navy blue, with a lighter blue mane. On her flank was a light-grey crescent moon. Both had wings and horns, and were wearing jewelry. And in the center of it all, a strange symbol was indented into the heavy gear, painted gold.
The mural was clearly important, but in what way? Marcus realized that the mural was somehow related to his work, but in all his years of research, he had never seen any depictions of horses at all. The civilization he was studying came from great underground catacombs. Horses could not have survived there for any great length of time. So what were they?
As he pondered over the significance of the mural, he was once again startled by the clacking of the stranger's steps. There was another pair of steps this time - or was it two more? He couldn't be sure, but when Marcus stepped towards the door hopefully, a voice shouted out, stopping him.
"Back away from the door, prisoner!" a voice shouted. Marcus couldn't make out a face or shape through the bars - He relented, however, when the voice shouted again, louder this time.
He watched impatiently as the stranger fiddled with a set of keys before he unlocked it. The heavy door swung out, and someone stepped into the room. Or trotted, he realized, gasping as many pieces clicked into place and other questions darted up like flies inside his head.
The silver-haired mare shone brightly in the light. She was only just short of his height, with a horn that stretched out from beneath her bangs. Her pure white mane was flowing gently, though there was no wind. And on her flank was the symbol from the mural, emblazoned in the same glowing gold.
Her emerald green eyes looked him up and down, and to his surprise she smiled. And then, to his greater surprise, she spoke, in perfect English.
"Welcome" she bowed slightly to him, her smiling growing wider.
"Welcome to Equestria"
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.
The Chronicles of Daniel Ridge: The Age of Equestria
"Come here Daniel" I called to him from the living room. He peeked out from the bedroom, his little eyes worried, hesitant.
"Come on, Daniel. Mommy wants to see it."I said, beckoning him closer.
"But you'll hate it!" He whined, retreating a bit back into the safety of his room. I giggled a little. Such a shy child.
"Don't be silly, Danny" I replied, using my pet name for him. He perked up a bit at this, coming out from behind the door-frame. But he still stood at a distance. His little hands held a book - small, but it was still a third his size.
"I'm sure it will be wonderful." I encouraged him, patting the seat beside me. He looked as if he would change his mind, but he finally relented, walking over and climbing onto the sofa.
And then he read to me. The words were simple, his grammar full of mistakes, but it was colourful, full of young imagination and childish magic. But there was the beginnings of what I was looking for. What I had wished for, for many years. What I could no longer do, what I could no longer accomplish. Someday, he would help bring them to fruition.
When he was done, I stroked his head and smiled. He was my son, my student. My little ace, in a deck stacked against me. And I would play it soon.
Very soon.
***
Daniel slowly opened his eyes to the blinding light as he woke, the dew from the grass clinging to his face. He sat up, blinking sleepily. It took a minute for his mind to focus. He had always been like this, waking groggily every morning, his thoughts scattered. As he waited for his brain to settle back to it's proper rhythm, he looked about, taking in his surroundings.
He had awoken at the edge of a dense forest, it's dense foliage giving it an ancient, gloomy look. The morning sun almost completely separated from the distant horizon, making the mountainous region across the valley look absurdly beautiful in comparison. The alpines were tipped with the familiar blanket of snow, the base a dark grey, and the valley he sat in was a vibrant green. A good a place as any to land, he thought to himself as he got up. He tried to stretch, but he felt the pack on his back tighten across his chest, bringing his mind back to his purpose.
He quickly took it off and opened it, checking the contents. Nothing was missing, and after another check with the second bag, he was sure that nothing had been lost in the travelling. He felt great, actually. He had thought that the trip would be more painful. Rather, he felt a strange lightness, a surge of energy he could not remember having previously. The feeling spread through him as he stretched again, and he felt readier to begin his search than he had been when he first touched the book.
The book! Daniel looked about to see if it had come with him, but it was nowhere to be found. Understandable, he realized, as it was still back in the library when his father had come through. There was no reason for it to be here this time. Instead, he looked about again for any sign of his dad.
Daniel wandered around a little in the meadow, never straying out of site from his original landing place. It was easy to distinguish. Nearby a large slab of shale had been pushed off the nearby mountainside and shattered, creating a jigsaw puzzle of jagged rock and rubble. He had never seen such a strange landmark, but he paid it little heed. Though he did thoroughly search the area and between the scattered boulders, there was no sign of his dad.
Daniel needed to find his father, but straying too far from his starting point. was foolish. If his dad did land here, he would not have gone too far. But at the same time, Daniel wasn't comfortable setting his camp here. There was no water source in sight, and if a storm brewed, nothing would keep the tent from blowing away in the wind.
He could camp in the forest, but Daniel felt uneasy about it. There was something about it that made balk at the idea. No, he would have to search for a better location, someplace where he could stay near enough to come back to quickly.
Daniel pulled out his gps and turned it on, the green screen slowly brightening into a glowing green. The battery was full - to his relief - but though he walked around a little for a better location, he received no signal at all. Was there no connection here? Strange, the conditions were almost perfect. Daniel bit his lip in frustration. Now he had no clue as to his location. He really was in the middle of nowhere. He would have to trust that he could remember his way back. At least the rubble was easy to spot.
Daniel put his gps away and picked up the backpacks before heading east, towards the distant mountain range. He went slowly, searching the area tirelessly for clues, signs of humanity. Tracks, firepits, anything of remote interest. But the slowly descending hill of flowers and fresh grass were all he could find, untouched and wild.
It was a few hours later when Daniel found a water source. A small stream ran down the hillside and lead off a small cliff, which hung over an expanse of swamp below. He wasn't sure what to make of these drastically different locales. They felt out of place, disorderly. Like geography had taken a backseat and let baby brother nature go nuts at the wheel. He shook his head, scattering his thoughts, and walked down to the water.
He again let his mind water as he refilled his bottle and took a moment to relax his aching shoulders. He dropped the two bags to the ground and squatted down with his bottle. If he was to camp, the swamp would be his best choice. While it did not give him ready access to his landing point, it provided the water and shelter he would need, if he had to stay for the night. And seeing that his dad had been the one who taught him how to survive out in the bush, he would be thinking on a similar vein. Or stream.
Daniel's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a loud, deep growl. He froze, his hand still tucked into the stream, the lid of the water bottle bouncing off his wrist as the water threw it airborne over and over. The growl came again, and Daniel looked up slowly.
Up the stream, a lion mother was staring him down, her two cubs hiding meekly behind her broad shoulders. She was much larger than any lioness he had seen before. Her frame was as large as a rhinoceros, and as Daniel silently got up, he could see that her head cleared his own by inches. He glanced up - two long, curling horns jutted out from the sides of her head.
Daniel had little time to wonder on this strange aspect. He had clearly frightened the trio, and as the mother growled again, he knew that she was not willing to share her territory. Daniel took a small step back, preparing to flee.
This set her off, and with a blood-curdling roar it charged, its massive paws cutting through the water like knife's edge.
Daniel bolted down the stream, dropping the water bottle in the process. He had very little time to think, to prepare. He didn't stop, or turn around - he just ran, ran as fast as he could. He didn't need to see to know that she was steadily gaining on him. The thought of his own mutilated body sprung into his head, and it spurred him to new efforts.
Daniel's rampaging heart almost froze solid when he reached the cliff. In his haste he had run in the worst possible direction, effectively trapping himself between a rock and a hard place. Or a rocky cliff and two set of claws accompanied by a terrifying maw. There was no way out now. The lioness had caught up to him and was now sauntering forward, as if relishing in its victory. Daniel took a moment to glance over the cliff. He guess that the fall wasn't any more than 12 feet, but the hill below it that lead into the swamp was full of debris. If he landed on any of the heavier branches or rocks, he would be dead for sure.
But he had no options left. In a brief moment of clarity he cursed himself for leaving the bear-banger in his bag. The lion mother was barely a foot away, its muscles tensing, claws extending out into the dirt. Just as it swung a vicious swipe at him, Daniel jumped backwards off the cliff.
As he fell he felt one of the lion's claws rip at his chest sending him somersaulting in the air. He almost cried out in pain as the nail dug through his flesh and ripped open his shirt. When he hit the ground seconds later, the force of the impact drove the air out of him, and then couldn't cry out even if he wanted to. He tumbled in a heap, sending twigs and pebbles flying. He felt a rock strike his hips and again his body flipped through the air, finally landing face-first in the murky waters of the swamp.
Daniel struggled through the water, flailing vaguely for the surface. He didn't know where to swim, not daring to open his eyes. He felt the embrace of fatigue snaking into his conscious, and his mind screamed for relief. Then suddenly, he felt his hand the bottom, and he turned around, launching himself desperately upwards.
He broke through the surface violently, gasping greedily for breath. He could barely process his own motions as he swam for the shore, and as he tried to stand up along the muddy banks, he slipped repeatedly, covering himself in mud. He tried to pull himself back up after the third slip, but his exhaustion overwhelmed him. He lay there, the tendrils of sleep quickly engulfing him, and his final thought was of his father, and the book that started it all.
***
I was looking for something. There was something I needed, desperately needed. But I couldn't remember what I was looking for. There was this unbearable heat, and I coughed violently, my eyes tearing up. Something was burning. I couldn't tell what it was that was burning, but I knew it was something I needed. I tried to run to it, but I felt a hand wrap around my waist from behind and pulled me close. It whispered gently of safety and assurance, but I still cried into his shoulder. We left it behind, what I desperately needed. But I still could not remember what it was.
***
Daniel heard voices on the edges of his conscious, and he slowly woke. He opened his eyes to find himself gazing at an unfamiliar ceiling. A small blanket had been draped over him, and he could feel his feet dangling over the end of the little bed he laid in. His chest throbbed and he groaned, sitting up in the bed. This had been the second time he had been knocked out. Neither had been pleasant. Daniel rubbed his eyes.
"Where am I?" He mumbled to no one in particular.
"Why, you're in Ponyville Silly!"
Daniel froze. At the end of the bed was the strangest thing he ever seen. Six little pastel ponies stood in a small group, and they seemed just as surprised as he was. They were rather small, for ponies. They all had similar builds, but none of them were alike. Each had a coat and mane of the wildest colors imaginable. Some of them even had a spiraling horn coming out of their heads, and others seemed to be flying in the air, their small wings flapping rhythmically from their sides.
One of them came closer and raised a hoof. He turned to study her. She had a lilac coat and a purple mane with lighter highlights. A small horn grew out from her cropped bangs that almost hid her violet eyes.
"Hello?" She said hesitantly.
"You can talk?" Daniel said, gasping "In English?"
"You speak Equestrian?" She heaved a sigh of relief "That's good, this'll be much easier then."
The purple pony cleared her throat and then smiled at him brightly, pointing a hoof at herself.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle. These," She swept her hoof behind her , stopping at each pony "are my friends Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and-" She stopped suddenly and looked around, confused.
"Where's Pinkie Pie?"
Daniel practically fell out of the bed when a pony jumped out of the blankets and stood over him, giggling at his reaction.
"Hi!" She said, her face coming in close "I'm Pinkie Pie!"
Daniel took a moment while his heart slowed to study her. She was a pink pony, as he had guessed, with a puffy cerise mane, and blue eyes full of energy and curiosity.
"What's your name?" She asked, bouncing a little on the bed.
Daniel didn't answer, instead gently pushing the excited pony off the bed before putting his head in his hands. He was still trying to understand what the hell was going on. He thought back. He had fallen into the swamp after narrowly escaping the lioness. Except it hadn't been a lion, had it? It had horns too, different horns than the ones that some of these ponies had, but horns nonetheless. And it had been huge. No lion could have ever grown that large. And now, Daniel was sitting in a little bed talking to pastel ponies that were responding, even asking him questions. Surely he would have heard of sentient ponies before.
With dawning horror, Daniel looked back up at the group.
"Where am I?" he asked, his heart pounding heavily.
"Well, like Pinkie said earlier, we're in my house in Ponyvi-" Daniel cut off Twilight's response.
"And where is this Ponyville located?"
"In Equestria, of course. Why?" She asked innocently.
Daniel felt his face go white and his heart almost stop in his chest. He wasn't just lost in his hometown, or in a different country, or even a continent. Daniel was lost in a different world, the world that resided within the pages of the mysterious book.
For a moment of brief cynicism Daniel couldn't help but think about how proud Dorothy and Toto would have been.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asked, stepping closer.
He looked back up, sighing "I'm alright, just trying to get over how unlucky this is, even for me."
"Actually you're pretty lucky, mister!" Pinkie said, laughing.
"You see, we were all down at the swamp helping Fluttershy count frogs and splashing each other and having fun when suddenly Spike was like ohmigod guys come look at this and we followed him and we found you and you were all covered in mud and bleeding and unconscious and we were all like what should we do and twilight decided we should bring you back to her house and help clean you up and then you woke up and now we're talking!"
Daniel barely registered half of the torrential tidal wave of words she had spoken.
"What did she say?"
"She said we found you collapsed in the swamp, Sugahcube."
Daniel looked over to the voice curiously. The pony - Applejack, he recalled, had a bright orange coat and a blonde mane that had been tied into a ponytail at the very end. Light freckles dotted her cheeks and above her green eyes, a cowboy hat was perched atop her head.
"What were you doing down there, anyways?" she asked.
Was that a southern drawl? he wondered.
Daniel quickly related the story with the lion-creature to them and was surprised to find they knew what it was.
"You got away from an angry manticore? You must be pretty fast on those weird hooves of yours." A pony nodded slowly, as if he passed some sort of test. The Pegasus named Rainbow Dash had a bright blue coat and a wind-swept rainbow mane. Her red eyes were framed within a rather tomboyish face.
"Why were you up there, though? Most ponies know to stay clear of that place."
Daniel was about to explain when another wave of pain coursed through his chest, making him wince and clutch his chest.
"Oh, are you all right?" a quiet voice asked worriedly.
Daniel looked up to find one of the other Pegasi coming nearer, looking concerned. Fluttershy had a bright yellow coat with a flowing pink mane and a soft face.
"Do I need to change the wrapping?"
"No, it's fine. You've done wonderfully. I'm just sore, is all." He said, smiling assuredly. The small pony blushed shyly.
"Well, you should get some more rest, um..." Twilight's voice trailed off.
"Daniel" he finished for her "My name's Daniel. But I can't. I have to go find my dad."
"Your dad?"
"Yeah. That's why I'm here. I'm looking for my dad." Daniel recounted the rest of the story to them. The library, the book, his father's disappearance, and Daniel's own jump into the pages. While the ponies were trying to wrap their heads around the tale, Daniel, slide to the edge of the bed.
"That's why I can't stay here. I have to go."
He started to stand up, ready to leave, when a lancing pain shot up his chest, his cut screaming in protest. He hurriedly sat back down. As he regained his breath, he saw patches of red appear on the dressing.
"Well you're not going anywhere like that, Darling"
Daniel regarded the pony in frustration. Rarity, the other unicorn, had a white coat and an indigo mane that had been combed neatly into curling tufts. Between her blue eyes the white horn on her head shone faintly in the light.
"You should rest and recuperate, dear. You're in no condition to go scurrying about. Besides, it is growing late, and I highly doubt you will find much in the dark."
Daniel turned to the window in surprise. Rarity was right - the sun had set, and a clear night sky had spread its canvas of stars already . Had it been that long? Daniel could barely believe how quickly it had ended.
"We wanted to bring you to the Ponyville Hospital and get you properly treated," Twilight said, bowing her head contritely "but we didn't want to scare the other ponies."
Daniel laid back in the bed, sighing in defeat.
"So what happens now?"
"Well," Twilight looked to the girls "now we need to decide where you're going to stay. Give us a minute?"
Daniel could only nod. As they rallied by the stairs across the room, Daniel cursed his luck once more. His dad was still out there somewhere, and Daniel was stuck here, with no way to search for him. If Daniel had ended up like this on the first day, just how much trouble had his father gotten into? He knew that his dad was resourceful, but he was also rash. This was a different world. Would he still be able to take care of himself?
Daniel came out of his reverie as the ponies came back to him.
"We've decided that you should stay here, with me." Twilight said.
"It's just too dangerous to move you right now, and if anypony saw you, there would be a scene. But everyone's agreed to come by when they can to help you heal."
"How long do you think it'll take?" Daniel asked.
"I don't know" Fluttershy said quietly "Usually I just let my patients stay with me until they're better."
"Well, as soon as I've recovered enough, I'm leaving." he said with finality.
The ponies looked at each other worriedly but said nothing.
"For now though, rest! You need your beauty sleep. Or healing sleep. Something of that sort." Rarity wheeled a hoof in the air, looking for a good metaphor. She gave up quickly.
"I'll be around in the morning with breakfast, so I expect you to be up by then!"
Daniel cocked an eyebrow. Was she chiding him? His mouth broke out into a smile.
"Yes, ma'am"
Rarity blushed a little at his reply.
"Good. Don't make me wait."
Rarity turned and headed for the door before stopping to turn back to the others.
"Come now, let him have his privacy! And for Celestia's sake Pinkie, please get out of the blankets now."
Daniel started as the blankets rolled open again and the pink pony came out. How did she do that?!?
As the girls left one by one with trailing goodbyes, Twilight came back to the bed.
"Well then, I guess since my bed's been taken over, I'll have to take the guest one for tonight."
Daniel sat up in alarm "This is your bed? I'm sorry, you can have it ba-"
"Don't worry about it, Daniel. I'll just have to take it back tomorrow." She giggled, and Daniel chuckled a little too.
Twilight walked about the room blowing the candles out until they were in relative darkness. He heard the rustle of sheets and a small sigh across the room, and he realized that they would be sharing the room together.
"Night Daniel"
Daniel could only grunt in reply. So much had happened that day, and as he lay in the dark, he finally felt the rush of the day's fatigue hit him. As he let sleep come over him, he realized vaguely that this was just the beginning.