“Are we there yet?” I complained as Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and myself walked through the Everfree Forest to Zecora’s. It rained recently and our usual route to find Zecora’s was very flooded. An owl hooted and if it wasn’t for the fact we’ve been in these woods over and over again, I probably would have jumped. But to be honest, Applebloom pulls Sweetie Bell and I to Zecora’s all the time for potion ingredients and to visit her. Zecora doesn’t get many visitors, and she always enjoys the company.
“Quit complaining Scootaloo, we’ll get there when we get there.” Sweetie Bell protested, but she herself was irritated and wished we were there probably just as much as I do.
“Yea, we’re almost there, ah just know we are.” Applebloom encouraged us. She knew every route to get to Zecora’s. Twilight and Applebloom are probably Zecora’s closest friends. My hooves were getting sore and all I wanted to do was sit on my rump and drink some tea Zecora would make every time we visited. I listened to the birds chirp and flutter from tree to tree, the extra rain still on the tree’s leaves dripping on the ground. I watched my hooves go over past each other as I walked along the path. I soon felt myself run into a tree. Taking a step back I looked at the tree and looked around. I was utterly alone.
“Applebloom?” I asked looking around. “Sweetie Bell?”
I got no answer other than a hoot from an owl. This time I jumped, as I looked around the brush of the forest, it seemed to get much thicker than it was before. I looked around and went to the nearest thing that looked like a path. Following the path I felt like it was getting smaller and smaller as I walked along it. There were allot more sounds then I remembered ever being, even when I first entered the Everfree Forest. I heard something rustle the leaves behind me. I stopped suddenly and I found myself looking behind me. My tail was nicely tucked between my legs like a frightened dog.
I waited a little and everything was still. My heart was pounding in my ears, the entire world was spinning. Everything became silent, the only sound that was left was my breathing. It felt like forever until I heard a sound, which made me jump. I looked in the noise’s direction and saw a white figure. I was paralyzed, I watched helplessly as the figure got closer and closer. Once the figure came into view I couldn’t help myself falling to the ground and screaming, “Please don’t eat me!”
I sat there in a ball, shaking like a scared little kid. I felt something tap me and I looked up, and it was just odd what I saw. It was a colt. His mouth…and those eyes… He waved to me and offered me a smile with his stitched mouth. He had black doll like eyes. “What?”
He frowned and gave me an unsure look. He looked like he was trying to figure out how to talk to me. He pushed his grey hair away from his right eye only to have it return, he looked down and cleared the leaves on the forest floor. He wrote in the dirt, Hello my name is Zane, it’s nice to meet you.
“It’s nice to meet you too, I'm Scootaloo.” I said unsure how to deal with the situation. He smiled at me and whipped away what he wrote. Do you know where we are? I’m a little lost.
“You and me both Zane.” I said looking around. Even though Zane didn’t have the most appealing appearance, he was better company than no pony. I got separated with my friend.
“Tell me about it.” Well this was a predicament we were in. “I was just following this path, hoping to find something familiar or…something.”
It’s better than anything I can think of. So we walked side by side along the path. It was a little awkward since he couldn’t talk. He was nice despite his appearance, and I hate admitting this, he was kind of cute. In a doll cute kind of way. His tail looked like it was made out of fire, I kind of wanted to touch it. He started to hum a toon, oddly enough it sounded good. At least he didn’t have a cutie mark either. I felt him put his arm across my chest, it made me jump and I felt my cheeks get hot. I looked at him, and his expression suggest a look of worry. He pointed forward and I nearly walked off a cliff. “Oh Celestia, if you hadn’t of come along I would have been history.”
Can’t you fly? I read his words he wrote in the dirt and I felt my heart sink to my stomach. “No, I can’t fly yet. Just can’t get the hang of it.” I said with a nervous chuckle.
I’m sure you will, just keep your spirits up! He offered me a smile and I looked back to the cliff I nearly walked off of. I saw a something in the distance, it looked like a clock tower. “Zane, do you see that?” He looked at the clock tower I was pointing at and he nodded at me. We quickly took the nearest path down and found our way to the clock tower. As we went the brush got lighter and lighter. We soon found ourselves in a clearing, and the clearing had buildings. Allot of them, and there were ponies. “Yay! Finally out of those woods!”
Zane and I ran closer to the town. “Why hello the’r kids, what ya’ll doing in Urbs Secretorum?” A red stallion asked as we approached the town. “Well actually we call it Secretor fer short, the long one can be ah mouth full.”
“We got lost in the Everfree Forest. We are just so happy to be out of there.” I looked at Zane and he smiled at me.
“Everypony ser is welcome here, come on we’r about to start our daily town party. An yur all invited!” He said running off into town.
“A town that throws a party daily? Is Pinkie Pie here?” Zane looked at me with confusion. “Somepony I know back home.” He smiled at me and ran after the red pony. I quickly followed behind, I didn’t want to be alone. Sure I don’t know Zane very well, but I felt more comfortable with him than strangers in a town.
“Welcome to Secretor! Please enjoy some apple cider, and enjoy yourself!” A filly wearing an apron and bonnet said offering me a glass of cider. I smiled and accepted the drink, I looked at Zane thinking how he could drink something if his mouth was sown shut. But to my surprise the town was a few steps ahead of me, he was already drinking his through a red and white striped straw. Music started up and I saw Zane getting pulled by the filly that gave us the drinks to dance with him. I smiled, this was awesome!
I found myself enjoying myself a little more than I thought I would. I actually danced with a colt. I did something I wouldn’t ever do! I even danced with Zane a few times, when the music died down, I noticed he was humming a soft warm toon. He had been doing that all night, even while the music was playing. It was like he was dancing to his own music that played inside of his head. By the end of the night we did so much, we rode on wagons rides. Got cotton candy, drank a gallon of cider, and ate my own weight in sweets, danced with Zane and other colts in the town. Let’s just say, I wasn’t myself, and sadly to say it was a better party than Pinkie Pie ever threw. Well it certainly was the wildest.
How you feeling? I read a piece of paper Zane held up to me. I looked at him feeling a little woozy. “Not sure, my stomach kind of hurts.”
Maybe we should call it a night? I nodded and thought to myself, where would we stay. Even though we are in a town. We didn’t know anypony, and I certainly didn’t have any bits to pay for a room. “Where would we stay?”
“I got ya a place at the Inn. Yer little friend here told me about your predicament and I was more than happy to accommodate you.” The red pony offered me a shaky smile. He looked very nervous, but happy. “What kind of Mayor would I be if I didn’t help out some visitors?!”
“Well thank you very much sir.” I said to the nice stallion. He offered me a shaky smile again.
“Bolt is the name, mention me at the Inn and they’ll set you up.” Once again he offered me that same smile and walked off. I looked at Zane and he offered me a big smile. We headed off to the Inn, after getting directions that is. We got a nice room with a big bed. Gotta be honest, felt a little embarrassed sharing a bed with a boy I just met. But after the night I had, I was too exhausted to care.
“Good night Zane.” I said to my new friend as I got comfortable. Zane turned off the light and literally jumped into bed. He situated himself under the covers and started to hum. The sound was so soothing, it lulled me to sleep with in an instant. He would be a great singer.
13 ~ ~ ~ 13
I felt the sun smack its heat on my face. I tried to ignore it, rolling onto my side, burying my face in my soft pillow. But that heat was starting to get unbearable, I even pushed the covers off of me, and I never do that! I finally gave up and pushed myself off the bed. I looked around and felt my stomach protesting trying to sit up. Man I had eaten way to much candy and drank too much cider. I heard humming and looked in its direction. I saw Zane humming and writing at the desk. “Morning Zane.” He quickly turned around startled. He quickly wrote something down on a piece of paper and held it up for me to read.
I wasn’t expecting you to be up so early. This kind of confused me, I felt the sun shining on me. I looked at the window and yeah the sun was shining through full blast. Like as if it was sitting right outside the window. “What do you mean early? The sun is higher than it is then when I normally wake up, and that’s for school.”
Scootaloo is five A.M. in the morning. Okay that was bazar than anything I could even think of. I went over to the window and looked around. I thought there would be garbage everywhere from the party the town had last night. But there wasn’t one piece of trash anywhere, not even one little kernel of popcorn. This town was certainly prepared for everything, kind of reminds me of Twilight. She was so organized, she even had a cleanup strategy for all of Pinkie’s parties. But Pinkie wasn’t always one to follow that at the end of the day.
“This town is weird.” There was a knock at the door. Zane turned to the door and quickly opened it. He was met with the filly we met the other night with the apron and bonnet.
“Breakfast for our wonderful guests.” She said happily as she pulled the tray of food into the room. Zane smiled to the girl and she offered a shaky one back to him. One that reminded me of Bolt, he gave that same kind of look. He held up a piece of paper to her.
Thank you very much.
“You are most welcome. Please have a great rest of your stay.” Bonnet girl said with a bow. She hurriedly ducked out of the room, lightly closing the door behind her.
“What is with the ponies of this town?” I asked Zane, all he did in return was shrugged. He turned around and wrote something down on a piece of paper and held it up to me. I wonder if my friend is still looking for me. I couldn't help wondering that myself.
“I just hope they aren’t still lost in the Everfree Forest. My friend Applebloom knows that forest pretty well. They must be worried sick about us.” I really do hope they aren’t still wondering those woods still looking for me. Zane’s friend, whoever they are must be alone. We have to get back as soon as possible.
I miss home. I know how he felt, I missed my friends, and I was missing school too. I wonder if they have the whole town looking for me. Everypony of Ponyville looking for me. Come to think of it, Granny Smith has talked about the origin of Ponyville, but she said nothing about another town near the Everfree forest. “You know, no pony has told me about this town. Ponyville was the only town I know that is anywhere near the Everfree Forest.”
Zane gave me a confused look and started to get himself breakfast. He was kind of private while he ate. I suppose it wasn’t easy having the mouth he does. Must be painful whenever he ate or drank something. We ate our breakfast in silence, once we were done with that we decided to head back to the forest and find our way back. Hopefully we can find someone that can help us. I suggested finding Mayor Bolt, he was very helpful last night. Zane agreed and we asked around the town.
“Nope haven’t seen him sorry.” Was what we mostly heard. It took majority of the day and we came up with nothing. My hooves were hurting from walking around asking everypony. I found a nice shady place to sit down at. Zane was still at his, he seemed to look more confused as he asked pony after pony. He even asked some of the same ponies we asked earlier. Zane looked at me with a big frown, he ran over to me and wrote in the dirt. I keep getting told there is no Mayor Bolt.
“What?” I quickly ran to the nearest pony and asked them the same question we asked the whole town. “Have you seen Mayor Bolt?”
“Mayor Bolt? There is no Mayor Bolt in this town. Sorry kid.” The mare said before walking off confused. I looked back at Zane and he shrugged. I slowly walked back to him, feeling confused. Maybe we should just try on our own.
“I don’t know about that Z. It is getting late.” He looked at the sky and nodded. I wonder what happens if he tried to yawn, which I did. His eyes went wide and he held his muzzle and jaw together. My guess is not well. Deciding to head back to the Inn and get some rest, we were met with a very warm welcome, along with confused looks.
“Freshening up before the party?” One of the bell boys asked as we headed to our room. Which made me think, how long did we have to room for.
“Yes, we are.” I lied completely. The now missing Mayor Bolt said they had a daily party. “Umm excuse me, how long do we have our room for?”
“As long as you need.” The bellboy said with a smile.
“Okay, well we will see you at the party!” I said feeling uncomfortable, I grabbed Zane and hurriedly went to our room. “Okay this place is starting to give me the creeps.”
I know how you feel. Zane looked at me with worry, I shared the same look with him. Maybe we should just enjoy ourselves. Maybe that guy was lying before.. I really wanted to believe that, and for a short time I did. I smiled at Zane and he smiled back at me.
“Let’s go have some fun!” Zane and I ran out of the room and joined everypony else with the party. I expected to see bonnet girl there, giving out cider and candy like she did last time. But instead it was some other mare. It took me off guard but I didn’t let it get to me. Just like before I chugged cider and ate even more candy this time. I felt woozy and dizzy but I couldn’t stop laughing. After the carriage ride I found Zane and myself on the outskirts of town. “Where are we?”
“Kids you need to leave.” It took me a few seconds for me to notice. But just in the brush of the woods was Mayor Bolt.
“Bolt? Where have you been? We were looking for you for hours.” I said through the short breaths I had when I could stop laughing. I looked at Zane and couldn't stop laughing.
“Kids you must leave!” I looked at where Bolt was, but I couldn’t see him this time. I shook it off and pulled Zane back toward the music. For some reason I wanted to dance.
“Let’s party!” Was the last thing I heard myself say before passing out. Once again I found myself burning hot as the sun stood outside our window. I felt like I was on fire. For some reason I remembered Zane’s tail looked like it was made of fire. I jumped out of bed and what I expected was for the bedroom to be on fire. I was wrong, in fact he was still asleep, and the place was just fine. Also it was still dark out, and I felt like I was being watched.
“Zane?” I asked the unconscious pony. He didn’t stir, even when I pushed him a little. I was feeling anxious and claustrophobic, so I decided to go outside and get some fresh air. Once I was in the hall it felt like even more eyes were watching me. A turn to the left and then to the right should have brought me to the lobby. Yeah no it didn’t, I found myself at the end of the hall where my room was located. I shook my head, trying to wake myself up. Must have just walked in the circle without noticing.
I went the same directions I took before and I found myself at the end of the hall that my room was on. I was sure I went the right way. I went again and found myself in the same place again. Once again I tried and I remembered what Twilight once said. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over. So this time I did the opposite, and guess what I was at the end of the hall again! “What is going on?”
“A little lost are we?” I turned around and there standing was a stallion with a large grin. It was unusual, his coat seemed to change color.
“And you are whom?” I asked backing away.
“Oh the little lady knows her grammar, good fer you girly!” He said with a bigger smile.
“I’m not girly!” I spat at him, what next was he going to put me in a frilly dress.
“Oh little Lady you are in a frilly dress.” I raised my eyebrow questioning how he could tell what I was thinking. Then I realized he was right, I was in a frilly dress. One that Rarity would have designed.
“What is this, yuck?!” I said taking it off and throwing it away. The stallion laughed as he galloped around me.
“Your fun, do you want to play?” I was getting really sick of this guy, this just really told me I needed some fresh air. I walked away from him and started to head in a random direction, I was sure I’d get outside if I just kept trying. “Oh little filly doesn’t want to play.”
“No I just want some fresh air!” He snickered and started to walk circles around me as I walked. I got a look at his Cutie mark and it was a question mark. A rainbow one at that.
“Well little lady, you’re not goanna get out of here like that.” I rolled my eyes and not to my surprise I found myself in the same hall I kept appearing too.
“I just want out of here to get some air!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“May I offer some advice little lady?” He said with that big grin of his growing bigger. It was freaky, his smiled stayed even when he talked. He also has changed into thirteen different colors, and counting.
“If it gets me out of here, then yes!” I said stopping and looking at him.
“Head on back and go the way you came. Perhaps a friend you left behind can be a way. All it takes, is a little trust. Perhaps without some fuss, you will find your way home. My suggestion to get outside, is to walk a little differently, perhaps backwards.” His smiled was even creepier than before.
“What in Celestia’s name does that even mean?!” I yelled at him. “Who are you anyway?!”
“That is a reasonable question. Follow me if you wish to get outside, but you’re on your own to get where you should be.” He said walking backwards. I followed him feeling beyond irritated. “Ah uh ah, walk backwards little lady, and for whom I am. Just refer to moa, as Perhaps.”
“Fine.” I said turning around and walking backwards. The next thing I knew I heard crickets chirping and a cool breeze blowing through my fur and mane. “Okay, what is going on!?”
“Fun little filly, just plain old fun!” Perhaps said prancing around with his joy filled smile. I was just happy to have finally gotten some fresh air. I took in a deep breath and looked up at the sky. Odd thing was, there were absolutely no stars. Just black, utter black. “Scootaloo, I must warn you.”
“What? How do you…” He wasn’t smiling anymore,
“You need to leave this place. Sylva will eat you and her friend, and I’m not being coy little lady. She will literally eat you alive. This town has allot of secrets, now you know two of them.” He was looking up at the sky as well. “The sky is lovely tonight.”
“Why perhaps?” I asked him, his smiled returned. But it wasn’t that creepy one, it was just a sincere one.
“Perhaps this, or perhaps that. Anything can happen, perhaps on a whim or perhaps by accident. Maybe by getting lost in the woods. I only do what I can little lady, but not everypony listens to me.” His creepy smile returned as he looked at me.
“How do you know so much?” I said as a chill went through my spin when I looked at his creepy smile that returned to his face. His smile just grew a little bigger before he walked away. “Just leave Scootaloo, your friends are waiting.”
“Wait!” I ran after him, but he just faded away like a ghost. A blast of wind blew right into my face. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Once it stopped and I was able to open my eyes, I found myself in the same stop I was standing when I first woke up. I shook my head trying to process what happened. Zane was still asleep and I felt beyond exhausted, I crawled back into bed. Once I did Zane woke up a little. All I got was him opening his eyes a little, turning over and snuggling close up to me. He started to hum a soft toon, I snuggled close up to him and quickly fell asleep.
I felt someone shaking me violently. I opened my eyes and saw Zane shaking me looking beyond worried. “Zane! Zane I’m up, I’m up!” He stopped and gave me an apologetic look. I sat up and looked around me, it was still dark out. “Why would you wake me Z?”
It’s four in the afternoon! I reread the words he had written on the paper. I just looked at him confused. He gave me the same look back. Their partying out there too?
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I heard myself ask as I ran over to the window. I saw a familiar pony too, his smile wasn’t something easy to miss. Perhaps was out there dancing about with the crowd. “Zane I’m starting to get a little creeped out.” I watched the crowd, they just seemed to look more and more bizarre as I watched them. “Zane look at this, it’s just beyond weird.
Yeah I was alone, all I felt was a giant chill fill my entire body. I looked around and it was as if Zane wasn’t even there. I then looked outside the window and I saw him surrounded by the town folk.
“Quite the predicament your little friend is in.” Perhaps said with a chuckle. I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I mean who could tell what they were goanna do to Zane. For all I know perhaps was the bad guy here. “We are all bad guys in this little story little lady.”
“What does that even mean?!” I asked still conflicted with what to do. Perhaps laughed and pranced about.
“Here nor there, up or down, does it really matter Scootaloo. We all have choices, poor little Zane is running out of his.” I had enough of this, especially when I saw the crowd tying him to a post. I think the worst part was seeing him as if he was trying to yell for help. He even had blood running out of his lips.
“Let him go!” I yelled before jumping through the window. It probably wasn’t the best idea, but it was the fastest. I was met with ponies shoving candy and cider in my face. “Get him down from there!” I screamed as loud as I could. It went quiet, everypony was utterly still.
Zane ran up to me and hugged me with tears in his eyes. I looked around and couldn’t believe anypony here would do something like this.
“No he must be sacrificed, it is his turn!” Somepony yelled from the crowed. All the ponies in town looked at each other with shifty eyes.
“Sacrificed!?” I asked surprised, this town was bizarre, but now they sounded like a cult. All I knew is that we were surrounded and my bones felt like ice.
“A town that throws a party every day just to deal with the trauma of losing loved ones, watching them suffer as Mistress Sylva devours them.” The crowed made a hole and there stood Perhaps, but his coat hadn’t changed color. It was pitch black and his eyes glowed an unnatural yellow.
“Shut your mouth Perhaps, we are sick of your misdeeds in Secretor.” One of the ponies from the crowd bellowed angrily. There was a wave of agreement from the others.
“Secrets! How many more! Huh how many of your family and friends will you put on that stake to be devoured by that witch?!” He spat at the towns folk. “Mayor Bolt was the last of us to go, and all of you have forgot him!”
“You don’t decide anything perhaps, it’s a choice weather or not one goes. That kid volunteered!” One of them spat at Perhaps.
“Maybe he did or didn't he, he cannot speak. You’d throw a stranger into the void just to save yourselves the sorrow of seeing it for one more night. Put me on the stake already, I finally give up!” Perhaps said looking feral. “I’ll take his place!”
“No you can’t do that! No pony is being sacrificed!” I spat out.
“You don’t have a word in this kid!” I watched helplessly as Perhaps was surrounded and then soon tied to the post Zane had been tied too.
“Four hundred years and he finally caves. Maybe Perhaps will be enough to satisfy mistress for a while.” One of the ponies said with a laugh.
“He is the oldest out of us all, he has to something for mistress’s hunger.” Another one commented. There was a big wave of laughter. Zane and I just stood there helpless to do anything. We were just kids, what could we do.
“How could you do this?!” I asked holding tears back to no avail.
“Shut it kid, Perhaps should have been on that post before his wife and kids themselves. A selfish bastard who refused to do his duty.” A mare said with a big happy smile.
“I still remember the story that has been pasted down by my family, he let mistress into the village. He refused this entire time, I’m sure she will be happy to see him again.” All the ponies laughed as they started to dance about. They were starting their party again. How can a town be like this? That’s when I saw it, the trees moved in the distance. A large roar engulfed the air itself. My heart began to pound on my chest as if it wanted to run away. The crowed stopped dancing and watched the creature emerge in the distance.
The best way to describe it was a giant dragon made of wood and grass. I watched the beast as it grew closer to us. But as it got closer and closer it seemed to get small and smaller. It started to glow and the next thing I knew I was looking at a creature standing on two legs. It looked female and was wearing a dress made of leaves. Other than the dragon part, she would have been beautiful. But I couldn't get that dragon out of my head.
“It’s nice to see you again smiley.” She said looking at Perhaps.
“Been a long time hasn't it.” He said with that big creepy grin of his.
“How did it go about, how I tricked you to let me in?” Sylva asked as she walked around the post.
“Exactly you tricked me, letting you in here was a big mistake!” He spat at her. She smiled at him and leaned in closer to him.
“I made your town immortal did I not?”
“What kind of life is that? Sure we all have the potential to live forever, but you make us choose who dies!” Perhaps said his coat becoming red, his eyes following thereafter.
“Give and take Smiley.” Sylva said before looking at the town’s folk. “Less and less of you every feeding. I might have to move along if this persists.”
“Don’t you dare laugh, you’re the cause of it. This town was triple the size before you came. I wish you’d just kill us all, stop leading these poor ponies along, they may not see the truth. I do, I know what will become of us!” Perhaps tried to struggle out of his binds.
“Stop your protesting Perhaps!” One of the mares from the crowd yelled.
“Mistress, devour him. He is the oldest of us all, he should be most pleasing to you!” A stallion said soon after. Sylva smiled and looked around, she stopped when she saw us.
“Most amusing.” She said with a smile that bore large fangs. Sylva turned around and looked at Perhaps, a giant smile grew on her face. A white energy that came from Perhaps was going into Sylva. “Hmm 400 hundred years tastes so good. But it would be better topped with some young ones.”
“Kids run!” Perhaps yelled, without think both Zane and I ran away from the crowd as fast as we could. Adrenaline running through my entire body, Zane and I ran toward the forest. We didn’t hesitate to enter the forest it seemed the best way to get away from the mob of ponies after us. Turns out it did help get away from them but not from the town. Let me put it this way, we entered one way and came out on the other side of the town. It took us for a big spin, we stopped running and tried to process this.
“What just happened?!” Zane looked at me confused. I could see the mob at the end of town. They didn’t want to enter the forest what so ever. I grabbed Zane and went too hide between two of the nearest buildings. It was lucky it was dark, we were able to hide there until the town stopped looking for us. We had to stay there until everything settled down, and it took hours for that to happen. The town went back to partying when they gave up looking for us, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t come after us if they saw us. “Local town enemies I guess is what we are Zane.”
He nodded at me with sorrow in his eyes. We needed to get out of this place but we couldn’t really do that if we just wound back here if we entered the forest.
“Hello is somepony there?”
Author's Note
I know it's a little shorter than the last Chapter, but allot has happened in such a short time. This certainly is becoming a longer story than I anticipated. I hope all of you enjoy.