Into Your Dreams...

Chapter 7: Welcome to the Jungle

I woke up as Twilight poked me a few times in the chest. I opened my eyes, once again covered in the unexplained gel, which I assumed would soon have an explanation. I opened my eyes and attempted to move. No luck, the gel was much thicker this time for some reason.

"I see you are awake." Twilight spoke.

"MMMPHF" I tried to speak but the gel hindered my speech.

"Oh, oops." She said, an embarrassed smile on her face. She grabbed a container next to her and scraped some of the gel into it, and quickly capped it as the gel started to dissipate. She then cleared away much of the gel around my face so I could speak and see better.

"Thanks."

"Is it safe?" Said Rainbow Dash from the doorway.

"Yup."

"Phew, I didn't know it was going to be like THAT!"

"Neither did I," I commented, "Where's Fluttershy?"

"She just left," Replied Twilight, " She was by your side as you dropped to the ground and made sure you didn't hurt yourself when you fell. It's strange, normally she doesn't go out of her way like this for somepony she's just met."

"Hmm…Really," I had a little bit of a crush on Fluttershy, but that had to wait for the moment, "So…did you find out what you needed to find out?"

"Well," She paused," yes I did. Unfortunately though, the last answer I need will be determined by a test that will take about an hour to complete. I think it best for you to stay here while I complete it."

"What am I going to do for an hour? I'm supposed to be playing at the party right now."

"Oh, speaking of, I have…um…somewhere to be tonight…" Rainbow said to us, feigning innocence.

"Alright Rainbow, go to Pinkie's party, you too Applejack." Twilight addressed the two of them.

"Aw shucks, thank ya' kindly Twi'!"

"Race you there!" Rainbow challenged Applejack.

They ran out, smiling, headed towards Sugarcube Corner. Twilight looked at me then walked up to her room with the gel. I finally stood up as the rest of the gel still on me dissipated. I looked around at all the books in this library of hers. Since I had an hour to wait, I decided to find a book on flying. I searched for "How-to" books, but found none, so I looked under the F's for it. There was where I found the book, "Cloudsdale Beginner's Book of Flying." I picked it up and brought it over to a table and started reading. Every ten minutes or so, I would get up and stretch my wings to get a feel for flying and such. As I read on I tried doing the things in the book during breaks, eventually moving to the outdoor balcony to try out getting off the ground without blowing books and papers everywhere. At the end of about 50 minutes, during one of my breaks I had gone inside to get a drink and was doing a wing stretch. It was at the moment my wings reached full span that Twilight walked in with her clipboard. She looked up to say something, but was stunned by my appearance, and dropped the board. The clatter of it hitting the ground caught my attention and I turned to her while still holding the water with my magic. I can only imagine what it looked like to her, horn glowing turquoise to match my mane with wings outspread to full span. I closed my wings and looked at her, eyebrow raised. She then matched my stare, and turned away, blushing.

"Sorry…Ahem, the test is complete,"

"And?"

"And I have determined that the gel is indeed composed of pure energy."

"…" I stared at her, taking another sip of water.

"That means that you are indeed suffering from the Torment."

"So what can I do about it?"

"Well the only known cure is a flower that only grows naturally in the Everfree Forest."

"So it should be pretty straight-forward? Go in, grab the flower, get out?"

"Unfortunately no. First off, due to the experience of a few 'rebel' Fillies, the Forrest has been gated off with wrought iron fences, almost nopony gets in anymore. Second, the flower exists only in the very inner sanctum of the forest, which is nearly impossible for somepony who doesn't already know the area, and third…well, I don't think Fluttershy will be very keen on the idea of going into the Everfree Forrest anytime soon."

"Wait, what does Fluttershy have to do with this?"

"Well, as I said. Fluttershy is the one who admits ponies into the Everfree Forest. Nopony has gotten in recently because Fluttershy doesn't let foals through, and older ponies don't venture beyond the Ponyville limits, save for Zecora of course. And as for getting to the inner sanctum…well…Fluttershy is the only one who has ever ventured there, remarkably, and that was only because Owlicious had injured her wing doing an errand for her. She mapped it all the way there, for future reference and I guess we-You- are lucky that she did. So I guess you're going to have to convince HER to go to the Everfree Forest, not just yourself."

"Now this may sound stupid but, can't we just fly over head and grab the flower?"

"I understand your thinking, but there is a debilitating fog that stays above the forest permanently, and it is impossible to use any abilities, flying or magic."

"Okay sorry I just…yea."

"Alright good, now head over to Fluttershy's, it's on the outside of the forest, hence why she's the gate-keeper."

"Cool I'll see you later…hopefully."

I put back on my hat and sunglasses and walked out of the house and, for the first time ever, I took to the skies, and headed towards the Everfree Forest entrance. It was amazing, flying that is. Feeling weightlessness like that was amazing. Because I was a novice, however, I didn't go quite so fast, but still the feeling of the wind through my mane was simply incredible. Now I knew why Rainbow Dash loved it so much, and I could only imagine what a sonic-rainboom would feel like. Still, soaring high above the clouds was just so amazing, especially the view from up this high was phenomenal! I could see that I was approaching the forest, and began my descent.

I touched down with a thud, as I almost fell over, thinking I was lucky I had practiced some. I closed up my wings and knocked on Fluttershy's door. I heard an "eep!" from within, then the door opened to a cowering yellow pegasus, I keep forgetting how big my pony form was. I gave her a smile.

"Oh, hey Joe," She greeted while noticeably relaxing, "please come in."

"Thank you," I replied stepping over the threshold.

"What brings you around here? Did you get what you needed from Twilight?"

"Well, sort of. I am indeed suffering from the Torment, but she didn't have the cure."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"What? It's not your fault," I said chuckling.

"Force of habit, Sorry, oops, sorry, i mean…" She stopped, blushing.

I was still laughing a little to myself, "Don't worry Fluttershy, there is nothing here for you to apologize for. I only came here to ask you for your help."

"Really? How could I help, I only deal with small animals, not full grown ponies like you."

"Actually, I know where the cure is- Twilight told me- but she said that you were the only one who would be able to lead me to it."

"Wait, you couldn't mean…" She started getting anxious.

"Yes, the cure for the Torment is inside the inner sanctum of the Everfree Forest.

Fluttershy's face blanked of all emotion suddenly, "Oh," she said flatly, and promptly passed out. I caught her before she hit the floor and carried her over to the couch and set her down. After setting her down, I took a seat on the chair next to her couch. Finally I had a moment to myself to think through a few things.

So far, I've encountered the mane six, Luna, Celestia, and Vinyl. I knew Vinyl liked me, but wasn't sure on what level. Since she was the one who brought me here, I would make the guess that it's more than just friends. And of course she felt close enough to confide all her innermost thoughts and feelings, and I with her. Then, what I could assume from reactions, that several others may or may not like me. All that I could be sure of is that I saw Luna, Twilight, and Fluttershy blushing during conversations. I was a clueless romantic, not knowing how to flirt or read body language or anything like that, but maybe since I liked these ponies I subconsciously was doing so.

In the midst of these thoughts, I once again was interrupted as Fluttershy began to stir. She looked as though coming from a pleasant dream, then realizing what had happened she saw she was on the couch, and looked over to me and blushed.

"Sorry about that, I must've fainted." Fluttershy apologized.

"Stop apologizing Fluttershy, you didn't do anything wrong." I reminded her.

"Right. So what were you saying before?"

"Just that I needed you to bring me to the inner sanctum of the Everfree Forest for the cure to that which ails me."

"Oh…right…" She looked about to faint again.

"If you don't want to I can just take the map Twilight told me about." I offered.

"No, that's okay," judging by her face that was a flat out lie, "I'm sure I can handle myself. Plus, I'm sure an alicorn stallion like yourself would be able to protect me."

"Of course Fluttershy. Just be sure you're okay with this."

"I am."

"Oh, wait! Can I send a letter to Vinyl? She's probably wondering why I never came back to the party after I went to Twilight's."

"Yea sure."

I jotted a quick note to Vinyl telling her what I was about to do and that I explain further once I returned. One of Fluttershy's birds carried the message off and we walked toward the gate.

Fluttershy was quivering somewhat violently as we got to the door. She looked back at me, a little frightened, and bowed her head at the gate. A lightning bolt of pink energy shot up from the ground in-between the two ornate gates, and they slowly opened and fog came from between them. I simply stood and watched with a grimace as the menace of the forest made itself apparent to me for the first time. The trees were darker here, with much more twisted branches than trees in Ponyville, or even on Earth. the grass darkened as well, going from a clean, excellently manicured emerald green, to teal shaggy and overgrown.

I nodded to Fluttershy and we started through the gate. It was colder past the gate, and the gate closed with a loud clang to which Fluttershy responded with an "Eep". She jumped and fled to beneath my right wing. I felt her warmth next to me as she quivered in fear. I looked down and smiled at her, and she nervously smiled back and shrugged.

"Hey Fluttershy."

"Yeah?"

"How about you hop on my back and navigate?"

"That'd be nice," She giggled nervously.

I was bigger than she was, not by much, but I was able to handle her on my back. She flew up onto my back, laid down, getting comfortable, and put her forelegs around my neck.

"Thanks."

"It's no trouble at all Fluttershy."

She then guided me to a tree with a hole in it. In the hole was a bag full of assorted items, including the map, matches, a harvesting satchel, and other things as well. After, we headed off on on an overgrown path winding deeper into the forest.

"We can follow this path to the third outer ring of the inner sanctum."

"Then what?"

"Then we have to pass the challenges."

"What are the challenges?"

"Well, just in case anypony were to get in, I set up a failsafe system of three challenges to discourage them from entering the inner sanctum."

"Why?"

"Because the Inner Sanctum is an oasis that has been untouched by nopony since possibly the beginning of Equestria! I just stumbled upon it because Owlicious hurt her wing."

"So was this after the gates went up?" We were making good time down the path, which I noticed was beginning to shrink.

"It was actually about the same time. The Cutie Mark Crusaders decided to try getting an 'Exploration' cutie mark, but got lost for about two days before Applejack had to go in and get them. Turns out they had been treed by a pack of adolescent timber wolves. After they returned I was at first relieved that they were safe, but then I thought of the Oasis. I brought it up with Celestia and she agreed that the forest should be closed off, and that I could protect the Inner Sanctum by whatever means necessary."

"So you can bypass the challenges?"

"Yes…well…kind of."

"What?" I asked stopping suddenly, looking at her.

"Well I made the challenges to keep the sanctum safe, so I made it so that only I could bypass my way in."

"So I AM going to have to complete them."

"Yes," She saw the grimace appear on my face and nuzzled her nose in my neck, "Sorry Joe, I'm sure it'll be a walk in the park for you."

I looked at her, seeming so valiant in her effort to save the sanctum, and I was resolved, "Okay Fluttershy, let's get to the first challenge then."

"Great, it should be about five miles away at this point."

"Hmm…in that case we should probably make camp, its getting dark and you know better than I about the Everfree Forest at night."

"That is true, good thing we grabbed the bag," She said, pulling a bundle out of the satchel we had obtained from the knothole in the tree back near the gate. In a few seconds she had ripped the bundle open with her teeth and a full sized tent popped out of the minuscule package, complete with a queen bed on the inside. "Oops, I forgot I only packed for one pony when I made that bag."

"I'm sure we can both fit on it, if that's okay with you."

She blushed again at the offer, "Yea that's fine with me."

"Great."

I trotted over and transferred her from my back to the bed and, after zipping up the tent, got in myself. After settling in, extremely tired, Fluttershy shifted cozying up to me, and we drifted off to sleep, her in my arms.
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Draw conclusions at your own risk everypony!

(BTW, the title is a Guns 'n' Roses reference, Just in case being called a Jungle threw you off)

-skiskinator