Roots of Fear

Distantly, there was the sound like a clatter of seeds on the floor, followed by the soft but unmistakable sound of hooves clopping on a wooden surface. The hooves grew slightly stronger for a short moment, then stopped. After a brief pause, a voice, little more than a whisper, came to Sky’s ears.

“Anything?”

Another whisper, one softer and gentler, responded from nearby. “No, nothing yet. He’s still asleep. The poor guy; just look at him. What kind of terrible trouble did he get into to end up like this?”

From the deep recesses of his memory, images of his days in Cloudsdale returned to him. He saw the pegasi, flitting around on a whim, moving the clouds and (more times than not) taking naps on them. The variety of the pegasi was as wide as the spectrum of the rainbow. Yet this kind voice he heard brought a picture of one pegasus in particular. One that he hadn’t forgotten in all his time he’d been away. Weakly he opened an eye.

“Fluttershy?” he managed, though his voice was hoarse and rough.

Standing off just to his right was a lovely yellow pegasus with a long flowing pink mane and tail. Her eyes were gentle and filled with concern, but they lit up as she gasped in delight at hearing him speak.

“Oh! Sky, you’re awake! Thank goodness! We were all so worried,” she said, coming over to his side. “I’m just glad we found you in time.”

Sky’s head was still fuzzy, and having his senses working again only confused him even more. “Hold on, let’s take this from the beginning. Where am I?”

“Yer’ back in Zecora’s hut,” said another pony, entering through the dangling bead doorway. She was a pretty orange color with a yellow mane and tail, both of which were tied off at the ends with red ribbons. She wore a distinctive cowpony-style hat that gave her a “no-nonsense” appearance. “And boy, are you lucky that we found you and got you back here as quick as we could. We’d have liked to’ve never found you if it hadn’t been for Zecora showing us exactly where she’d seen that big ol’ storm.”

Sky brought a hoof to his head. He was slowly beginning to piece together his current situation: he had been found by Zecora and some other ponies, who brought them back to Zecora’s hut, where he had been tended and left to rest for…who knows how long. He squirmed for a moment, trying to get more comfortable on his cot. He saw several bandages wrapped around his forelegs, but he couldn’t see the rest of his body, as it was underneath the blanket. He decided to leave it alone. He suspected that he didn’t really want to see, anyways.

He looked over to the cowpony that had just entered. “And you are…?” he asked.

“Oh, right. Name’s Applejack. I’m a friend of Twilight’s from Ponyville. Zecora came into the town and found us, sayin’ that somethin’ big was happenin’ in the Forest, and that Twi, Spike, and some other pony—I’m guessin’ that’s you—were in trouble. So the six of us came gallopin’ into Everfree Forest, tryin’ to find you and make sure you were alright. You were pretty banged up when we got to ya’, but we managed to get ya’ back here, and I reckon that this is as good a place to be as any.”

Sky’s head was beginning to pound at the sudden wave of information, but he managed to keep his wits. “But…the bridge was out. How did you get to us?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Rainbow Dash and I flew out and put it back up. Then we all came over and found you lying on the ground, with Twilight on top of you. Spike was really surprised to see us, but all he told us was that we needed to get you two somewhere safe, and Zecora said that she could try to fix you up if we could get you back to her hut,” Fluttershy answered.

“So that’s what we did, and here you are,” Applejack finished. “Any other questions?” she asked, winking as she did.

“Plenty,” Sky admitted, “but only two for right now. First, can I have a drink? I’m parched.”

“Oh, of course!” Fluttershy said, moving over to a small stand beside the cot. A bowl full of some liquid sat there, and Fluttershy lifted it carefully and brought it up to Sky’s mouth. He slowly took it in. It had a strange sweet taste, with a hint of tartness. Sky nodded to Fluttershy that he’d had enough, and she set it back on the stand.

“Ah, much better,” he said, sounding much more like himself. “And as for the second question…well, it’s not so much a question as it is just me being surprised that you remember me, Fluttershy.”

The yellow pegasus smiled. “You were one of my friends in Cloudsdale, Sky. Of course I’d remember you!” Then, rather unexpectedly, she pulled back into a shell of apprehension. “U-unless you, um, didn’t want me to remember you.”

Sky actually found himself laughing. “Hehe, Fluttershy, you haven’t changed at all!” The three ponies all started laughing together, and Sky found himself feeling much better. “I’m glad you remember me.”

“Well, now that we’ve answered some of your questions, how ‘bout we ask some of our own?” Applejack asked. “If yer’ feelin’ up to it, o’course.”

Sky took a deep breath. “I think I can do that. What would you like to know?”

And so Sky began to recount the events of his journey to the two ponies at his side, from the moment he met Twilight and Spike, to the meeting at Zecora’s hut, to the battle against the Chimera. More than once, Fluttershy whimpered at the very thought of a creature so strong and menacing.

“Quite a tale,” Applejack commented. “Spike told us what he could when we got back here, but he wasn’t able to tell us everything about the fight you had. By Celestia, that must’ve been quite the sight.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not one that I’m quite ready to revisit,” Sky admitted. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. “Wait a minute…Twilight! Where is she? Is she alriiiaaauuughhh!” he blurted as he tried to get up before falling back onto the cot in pain.

“Whoa, there, fella,” Applejack said, pushing him back down with a free hoof. “I don’t think yer’ quite ready to be up and buckin’ yet. But don’t you worry ‘bout Twi. She’s still asleep, but Zecora says she’ll be just fine. You just need to relax for a bit.”

A troubled look came to Sky’s face. “I just wish I’d been able to protect her better. I was cowering on the floor when the Chimera went for her. If only I’d been stronger, I might have been able to do something.”

“Now, don’t you go blamin’ yourself for somethin’ like that. You did manage to save her in the long run. So don’t go frettin’ over stuff that’s already happened. You did fine,” Applejack encouraged him.

“But even after the battle with the Chimera, I couldn’t get her to safety.”

“Oh, but Sky,” Fluttershy chimed in, “you can’t try to do everything by yourself. That’s why we have lots of friends. Everypony can help in some way. That way, no one has to do it all. You did what you could, and so did Twilight, Spike, Zecora, and all of us.”

Sky considered this for a moment before sighing in acceptance. “Yeah, you’re right. Heh, of course you are. Between Twilight and all her friends, it seems I can’t go very far without some good advice.”

Suddenly, a familiar black and white head poked through the beads into Sky’s room. “I came to see how this pony is coming along, and he seems to be well, unless my ears hear wrong!” she said in her typically confounding rhyme pattern.

“Hiya, Zecora,” Sky said in a voice that surprised himself with its cheerfulness. “You know, this is the second time that you’ve been a major help to me recently. I’m big time in your debt.”

“My dear pony!” Zecora exclaimed. “Do not think that way! For you have done the realm a favor we shall find hard to repay.”

“If you’re referring to the Chimera, I could have sleeptrotted through that. She was nothing,” he replied with a wink and a knowing smile.

“Oh, really?” Applejack interjected. “Sure looks to me like she tossed you around a bit, hun’.”

“Go tell that to the Chimera.” He smiled smugly.

Just then, a light blue head with a rainbow mane shot through the beaded doorway. “Hey, what’s all the commotion in here?” it asked. Then, seeing Sky on his cot, staring at her curiously, she proceeded to float through the beads using her own pegasus wings. “Oh, I see. He’s awake.”

Sky arched an eyebrow as she approached. “Lemme guess: you’re Rainbow Dash.”

She posed in the air as if on cue. “That’s me! Rainbow Dash: the coolest, fastest, most awesomest pegasus in all of Equestria!” Then, seeing the unflattering looks of her friends, she slowly lowered herself to the floor. “Oh, um, though I hear you’re not too bad yourself,” she said, smiling sheepishly.

“Well, this is quite the party we’ve got here,” Sky observed.

A pink blur entered the room, taking physical form at the end of Sky’s bed. There, he saw a pink pony with a crazy pink mane, wearing a rather ridiculous-looking party hat and displaying the biggest smile he’d ever seen. “Did somepony say party?!” she shouted, eyes wide in eagerness.

She was followed, though not as quickly or eccentrically, by another pony, a white unicorn with a deep violet mane and tail. She was very well groomed, and the way that she held herself as she walked seemed to indicate a love of sophistication and fashion. “Really, Pinkie, must you always act so uncouth, especially in the presence of a guest?” she said in a voice that matched her appearance.

“Hush, Rarity,” Applejack spoke up. “We’re all friends here.”

“But Applejack, dear, we haven’t even been properly introduced!” She tilted her head to one side as she looked back to Sky. “I, my dear, am Rarity, one of Twilight’s friends from Ponyville.”

“And I’m Pinkie Pie!” said the pony with the party hat, who was now bouncing up and down excitedly at the foot of Sky’s cot. “I just loooove making new friends!”

“I can imagine,” Sky replied softly, somewhat entranced by Pinkie’s rhythmic bouncing.

“Well, I am going to check up on dear Twilight. Please be courteous and don’t wind this one up too tight,” Zecora said as she turned and walked out.

All five of his visitors were acknowledging Zecora in some manner when Sky noticed a certain baby dragon sitting at the end of his cot. “Spike, when did you come in?”

“Oh, I came in after Rarity,” he replied. “I sure am glad to see you awake. When you passed out, I didn’t know what to do. I pretty much just ran in circles for an hour before Rainbow Dash showed up.”

“And the rest of the guys weren’t far behind,” Rainbow Dash continued. “Fluttershy and I had the bridge up in a flash, and wham! We grabbed you guys and zipped back here.”

“So I’ve heard,” Sky nodded. He turned and looked out the window in his room, and his thoughts returned to the night of the battle. He was silent for several minutes.

Finally, Fluttershy’s small voice broke the silence. “What are you thinking about, Sky?”

“The Chimera. There are so many things that I don’t understand. Like how she was able to shape shift like that. Or why she waited for me to come to her. Or why she didn’t finish me off in the end. She lost her physical form, but I don’t think that could keep her from doing some damage if she wanted to.”

“Sky, now’s not the time to think about that,” Rarity said softly. “You managed to drive off that big brute, didn’t you?”

“I did, but I know that I haven’t seen the last of her. She was right; I got lucky. And I only managed to drive her off. She isn’t defeated. My mission was to discover the source of the darkness in Everfree Forest, and now I know what it is. And it’s gone. But I don’t know where it’s gone to, and that puts the whole of Equestria in danger.” He closed his eyes, trying to remain calm and composed.

“Remember, hun’, there’s only so much that one pony can do. The Princesses are already thinkin’ up a plan, I’m sure of it, and together, you’ll track this thing down. Wherever it’s decided to hole up,” Applejack said, her confidence in her words evident.

Sky turned back to the group gathered around his cot. He had tears in his eyes. “You guys are so special,” he said slowly. “Just look at you. I’ve only known most of you for about five minutes, and one of you I haven’t seen since I was just a little colt. And yet, you treat me like one of your closest friends, supporting me and comforting me. I think Twilight knows this, but she’s lucky to have friends like you.” He paused as a lone tear ran down his face. “I’d be lucky to have friends like you.”

“Then consider yourself lucky,” Rainbow Dash said as she took to the air once again, flying over where Sky lay. “It only takes a minute to make a friend.”

“That’s right,” Rarity chimed in. “Everypony needs friends.”

“The more, the merrier!” Pinkie Pie giggled.

“Well, then,” Sky said, wiping the watery streaks from his face, “I guess when I’m better, I’ll have to visit Ponyville. I’ll have friends waiting there.”