Chapters The Child of the Everfree
Everfrail
POV Fluttershy.
I looked over at the Manticore who had been leading me somewhere after I patched up her wings she started to lead me into the forest after a while I started to recognize the landscape and then saw the castle ruins the old Sisters castle and I also noticed the Everfree letting in light to shine down on the castle.
There were also Timberwolfs walking around the castle and cockatrices perched on trees. The Manticore started to walk across the bridge and I followed close behind ’I have never seen the animals act like this or the Everfree letting in light’ I thought then I heard a little laugh it sounded weak.
When we walked into the room me and my friends had fought Nightmare Moon I gasped at what I saw. Lying down with Timberwolf Pups was a dark green Earth pony colt with a black mane and tail. His cutie mark was a Black tree and it looked like it was a small Everfree tree. His eyes were a dark green and then they locked onto me his pupils shrank and he started to breathe faster and he let out a hiss like a… kitten? The Mantacore who lead me here walked over to the colt and curled around him he snuggled into her mane and looked at me then back at the Mantacore who nodded.
He then stood slowly and opened his mouth and let out a low hum and a creature flew down and next to him he looked like…”D-Discord?” I whispered he looked like him but instead of a lions paw there was cheetah’s and his tail was a snakes and instead of an antler there was a insects antenna it looked at me then look at the colt and started to make chirping sounds the colt looked at him in confusion,
The colt let out a few more chirps and the Discord look alike nodded then looked at me and spoke in a young and FEMALE voice “My name is Eris and this is my cousin Everfrail why are you here” unlike Discords playful voice Eris sounded like she didn't care about who I was but WHY I was here was what she wanted to know.
“Um well Miss Manticore lead me here after I patched up her wings I don’t know why she wanted me to follow her” I said hiding behind my mane I then felt something tap my hoof I looked down to see the colt was poking my leg I was confused why he was doing that until he shocked me when he opened his mouth and clamped his teeth down on my leg I screamed in shock and the sharp pain I then looked over at Eris who was laughing and rolling in the air.
After she stopped laughing she flew over to Everfrail and bonked his head he let out a yelp which help get my leg back I looked down at the bite saw that they all had holes I then looked at the colts mouth and saw he had needle like teeth he looked up at me and ran over to my leg and hugged it and he spoke the first word that I could understand...
“Sister!”
There was a silence and then Eris burst out laughing “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH oh my Discord that is funny” she then flew up to my face and poked my nose “welp looks like you’re his new sister according to him” I just stood there for a few minutes then looked over at the manticore who nodded then I fainted and the last thing I heard was...
“Sister?”
Twilight Sparkle's POV
I looked at the Everfree the thing that took away Fluttershy was in there somewhere and we were going to find it. I looked over at my friends Rainbow Dash’s eyes were red and puffy we knew why and even she knew that being brash was not going to help then at Big Mac who wanted to find Fluttershy Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Spike all looked at the forest with determined faces “ok Everyone lets go “they all nodded and we headed into the forest our first place to check was the old castle.
Fluttershy's POV
I started to wake up to a small pain in my leg I cracked my eye to see Frail suckling my leg again blood dripping down from his mouth I looked over at Manticore, who’s name was Rose ,and laying on her mane was Eris who woke up and saw that I was trying to get Frail off my leg. She flew over to him and bonked him on the head he let out a yelp like always and let go he then walked over to Rose’s tail and, to the amusement of me, Eris and Rose ,started to try and catch it every time he missed he would let out a bark.
From what I could tell he was mostly around animals his whole life and got his cutie mark in the Everfree he mostly talked and acted like an animal but being raised by animals must have got rid of his pony side and more to animal instincts also the other animals seem to respond to him and love him as if this was his family, but where is his real family?
My thinking was interrupted by one of the Timberwolfs letting out a howl and the animals scattered hiding anywhere they could I looked down at Frail who was asleep I got up and walked over to him and curled up around him I don’t know why but I felt like I had to protect him. I waited for a while until I heard there voices.
“Twilight!” I called the voices stopped and were replaced by galloping hooves and then I saw them all my friends were here I wanted to run to them but I didn’t want to wake Frail they ran over to me and started to talk at once which did wake Frail who started to let out whine which made them al stop talking and look at the green colt who was whimpering.
Rarity was the first to speak “Fluttershy why do you have a colt curled up by you” I started to shift around so he was behind me and then answered.
“U-um well he lived here for a w-while and when he saw m-me he started to call me s-sister I don’t know why.” I told them there was a silence and then he spoke another word.
“Awkward”
I giggled at him and then looked over at Rose’s hiding place she nodded and started to walk out and with her all the other animals emerged from there hiding places with Eris flying down next to Frail “His name is Everfrail and this is Eris there cousins” I explained.
They nodded slowly pinkie walked over to Frail who started to whimper until he started to sniff again and then steadily got to his hooves and walked over to Pinkie and then sniffed and poke her leg my eye’s widened when I figured out what he was about to do.
“EVERFRAIL N-” *SNAP*
His jaw snapped over Pinkies leg and he started to suckle every one looked at him in surprise but Pinkie who was…cradling him. Eris flew over to her with wide eye’s “no way h-he likes you!” I looked at her in shock then back at Everfrail who let go and hugged pinkie.
“Sister!”
I looked at them in shock I never thought Everfrail would like Pinkie sense she was so loud but he just did the same thing he did to me. I was brought of my thoughts when Pinkie picked me up in a bone crushing hug and started to speak.
“OH MY CELESTIA does that mean me and you are sisters oh my gosh this is so awesome I have to throw a party this is so COOL!” after Pinkie stopped talking I noticed Frail jumping up and down and his eye’s looked like they were full of energy after he…drank……Pinkies………blood.
‘I get it know when he drinks someone’s blood he becomes more like them like when he drank my blood he was more shy of my friends and when he drank Pinkie’s blood he became more hyper.’ I thought then I heard Twilight yelp. I looked over at her and saw Everfrail trying to bite her and in her magic was Pinkie trying to get out I also notice the forest grow darker and the animals were whimpering and vines started to grow faster and were heading for Twilight.
Then Pinkie got out of her grasp and Frail ran up to her and started to nuzzle her. The vines started to retract and the animals were no longer scared and Twilight spoke up.
“Come on everyone let’s talk about the rest of this at home this place gives me the creeps” everyone nodded and Eris, who stayed quit, floated over to Everfrail and laid down on his back and with that we left to ponyville…
Without noticing the figure heading to the castle with food and on her flank was a gray swirl with small lines head from it and the golden jewelry around her neck, legs and ears
The Child of the Everfree
Nature Magic
I looked over at Everfrail and Eris, the latter being asleep on Everfrails back, looking around in amazement and wonder. I giggled as I saw him sniffing around the air until a bee landed on his noise and he went cross eyed to look at it causing everyone to laugh at his expression.
Until he snapped his mouth over the bee and chewed.
We all looked at him with dumbfounded faces while Eris, who had woken up after hearing the snap, started to laugh “Here is some advice stay away from Fray’s nose.” she said. The moment she said that nickname Everfrail started waging his tail and tried to lick Eris who was flying away from him yelling “NEVER AGAIN” everyone started to laugh until ’Fray’ went quiet.
We looked over at him and saw he was staring intensely at a cat who was staring back with wide eye’s…
…
…
…
“CAT!”
The cat let out a loud hiss before running away with Fray hot on its tail and with all of us on his tail trying to catch him but being an earth pony and living in the Everfree must have made him really fast because the only on who has even got close to him was Rainbow Dash who was caring Spike in a throwing position…wait.
‘She wouldn't’
I was proven wrong when she threw Spike onto Fray’s back to stop him only for him let out an ear splitting screech and started to jump around trying to knock Spike off but Spike held on tight and Fray started to run towards Ponyville with us on his tail.
Spike’s POV
There is only one thought running in my head right now…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Yep pretty much sums up my thoughts right there. This kid is crazy I mean he hasn't stopped running for an HOUR and hasn't stopped for any-WOAH. I was suddenly launched through the air I looked over to see the kid looking wide eyed at some Fleur on Roselucks stand and his eye’s glazed over and he ran for them.
“ROSELUCK WATCH O-” CRASH
I was interrupted when I crashed into Big Mac’s stand he looked down at me and then pulled me out of the rubble “*cough cough* uh thanks Big Mac” he responded with a simple “Eeyup” then looked over at the kid who was looking up at the flowers for a while then Big Mac gave a smile and walked over to him.
Big Mac’s POV
I walked over to the forest green colt that was still looking at the flowers and when I got over to him I nudged him with my hoof. “Hey kid” I said he looked up at me and he tilted his head I then pointed to the Fleur he was looking at “you want one of those.” he looked at me for a little then a smile started to spread over his face and he started to jump around me nodding his head. I chuckled at his little display before walking over to Roseluck “Excuse me miss could I get one of them Fleur for my little partner here” I asked draping a hoof over the colt who nuzzled it and let out a purr. She smiled and nodded and she handed me the Fleur and I gave her a few bits for payment.
I then bowed my head and gave the colt the Fleur who ate them faster then fire over dried wood then when he finished he looked up at me with sparkling eye’s then latched onto my leg and started to nuzzle it. I just gave another chuckle before lowing down and letting him get on my back and I rose up to my full height and I heard him mutter…
“Tall.”
I smiled and started to walk towards town hall to find his family then I stopped and looked up “What’s you’re name partner” he opened his mouth but before he could say his name I heard my sister calling out.
“Everfrail were in tarnation are you!?” I started to trot over to where I heard her voice and I saw her running around with Rainbow Dash flying around until she saw me and started to charge for me and then stopped in front of me and looked up at me.
“Hey Big Macintosh have you seen a forest green colt with a black tree cutie mark and sharp teeth?” I cocked my eyebrow before looking on my back and saw the colt on my back only he was laying flat on my back and had changed his fur and mane to red like my coat and had closed his eyes and his tail hid his mark. I was confused why he was doing this so I nudged him and he cracked open an eye and his coat turned back to its normal forest green and he smiled.
I then asked “So you’re names Everfrail?” he nodded then jumped down from my back and started to walk to Applejack and Rainbow Dash who looked down at him in confusion but just shrugged and started to trot to the library. I smiled before walking back to the stand with one thought in my mind.
‘How did he change color?’
Applejack’s POV
I looked down at the little colt again to make sure he didn't run again but he was still there with a smile on his muzzle. Suddenly he stopped walking and started to sniff then he smiled wider and ran to the library and almost broke down the door. When we ran inside we saw him clinging tightly to…
“Zecora!?”
She looked over at us and nodded “Hello you two I would love to stay and chat but I must take Everfrail and Eris back home.” Eris groaned but Everfrail just kept nuzzling her then she started to trot out with the children with them but before she could get far Everfrail started to cough and wheeze. Eris flew over to him concern in her eyes.
“H-Hey fray you okay?” she said with a smile but he didn't respond but he did cough more forcefully then a blue mist came out and clouded him. Zecora stared at the scene with fear in her eyes then started to look around frantically before grabbing a book on Cantorlot and threw it at Everfrail and the book dissolved along with Everfree who spoke one word before disappearing.
“Sisters?”
And with that he was gone.
Eris’s POV
I looked at the spot my cousin was but now he was gone. I felt tears run down my face and quickly buried my face into Zecora’s chest and sobbed. She started to stroke my back until I calmed down then I flew up and looked at her then asked “W-What happened to Fray?” she looked down for a moment before sighing.
“Everyone might as well take a seat so I can explain Everfrail’s origins” everyone took a seat around the Zebra and she began…
“To know about Everfrail I will need to tell you about the Everfree forests magic. You see most of Everfrail’s body structure is…Nature Magic which is made of three different energy’s which can be produced by magical plants, artifacts and animals in the Everfree. Animals like Timberwolf’s, cockatrices’s, Breezie’s, Chimera’s, Ursa’s, Phoenix’s and Hydra’s produce Animal Energy which is what gives a cockatrice it’s stare and a Timberwolf’s life.
Then there are artifacts spread around Equestria like the Mirror pond, the royal sister’s old castle, the crystal heart, the elements of harmony and even the old Nightmare Moon statue. They all produce Ancient Energy which is lingering magic within the castle and the statue or sold energy like the crystal heart or elements of harmony then magic in its pure form which the Mirror pond is made of.
And last there is Plant Energy which produces’ Plant Magic all plants produce this magic but the most powerful ones are poison joke, the tree of harmony and zap apple trees. Poison joke is magical because it has chaotic magic infused with the nature magic making them stronger. The tree of harmony is the main producer of harmony magic which stops the Everfree from growing. The zap apple trees produces Pure Nature Magic but the fruit lets out the magic in the form of electricity and the nature magic in the electricity draws the Plant Energy together and then releases it in the form of condensed Plant Magic and the Plant Energy Mix with the Animal and Ancient Energy creating Nature Magic.”
Suddenly Rainbow interrupts “What does this have to do with Everfrail.” Zacora glares and Rainbow quickly quiets down as Twilight takes notes.
“Anyway as Twilight knows Discord spread Plunder seeds to suck the harmony magic from the tree of harmony but it did not happen for 1,000 years and when they did start to feed on the tree the poison jokes chaotic magic started to go out of control and started to mix with the Animal and Ancient Energy producing vast amounts of chaotic magic and stopping the zap apple trees from releasing their nature magic” Twilight raises her hoof “yes Twilight?”
“You mean to tell me that those vines were poison jokes?” she asked in shock. Zacora nods.
“Yes you see when the Plunder seed spread over the tree there was less harmony in the forest and chaotic magic from the poison joke could influence the Plant Energy to make them more deadly and stronger so when you stopped the Plunder seeds the chaotic magic was still inside the Plant Energy but the Animal and Ancient Energy’s were purified and started to ’attack’ the chaotic magic. Soon the zap apples electricity shot off all the Pure Plant Magic it was storing so when the Chaotic Plant Energy and the Animal, and Ancient Magic was drawn in to one place they started to break the Chaotic Plant Magic.
But like I said there was a cycle, Animals produce Animal Energy, Artifacts create Ancient Energy and Plants create Plant Energy, small ounces of Chaotic magic and Harmony magic then the zap apples fuse them to make Nature magic. But without the Condensed Plant Energy the Chaotic and Harmony Magic, Animal and Ancient Energy fused with the zap apple’s Pure Plant Magic and created a pony to store all the Energy’s and Magic.
The Animal Energy created a body, the Ancient Energy flowed magic into the body, and the Chaotic and Harmony Magic fused with the Pure Plant Magic creating a soul and then Everfrail was born.”
Everyone was quiet for a few minutes then Twilight asked “But what does that have to do with what happened to Everfrail?” everyone nodded and Zecora sighed.
“You see when the Magic and Energy’s fused he had BOTH harmony and chaotic Magic so when he need Nature Magic to stabilize the Chaotic Magic. One way is for him to eat a Fleur every day without missing a day which must have happened if he forgets once then he starts to cough up Chaotic Magic and he will teleport around. I had to give him a template for the magic to locate so right now he is in Cantorlot.”
They all nodded and started to pack I looked up at the mountain. My cousin was up there and I am going to find him.
The Child of the Everfree
Chapter 3: Everfrail In Canterlot
Everfrail in Canterlot
EverFrail’s POV
I’m scared. There are so many ponies and they have such tall trees just like home but the trees are made of stone, not wood. I don’t like it here it’s so unnatural unlike my forest or the forest I was at but this place was filled with magic and it was so strong I felt like vomiting.
I shakily got to my hooves and walked out of the alleyway looking around and my mouth fell open at what I saw. There on the highest point of the stone forest was my home but it was brighter and had no vines but how did they move it to this mountain and when Eris and I just left? I started to walk towards my home and looked around at all the bright ponies and noted that all of them had light or bright coats of fur but none of them were dark like me and it showed because most of them stared at me with disgust and then stuck there noses in the air.
As I was walking, I passed many different ponies one had a long black mane and gray fur with a strange case on her back and with her was a blue stallion with a blond mane. When I got near the blue stallion, I suddenly tripped and busted my jaw and green blood started to run from my mouth. I looked over to see the stallion laughing while the gray mare looked at me with worried eyes but all I could see was a cockatrice’s stare so I just glared back and got up.
I looked down and saw a patch of blue flowers and sighed but kept walking towards my home growling as I started to get close. I noticed that it had some strange new additions on it and when I got to the front, there was a drawbridge and some ponies with golden bark on. As I walked onto the bridge the ponies flared there wings making me yelp in surprise.
“Halt, state your name.” the one on the right said I started to whimper and back away and the one on the left walked up to me and pushed to the ground. The one on the right chuckled until he saw my blood and then rushed over to me with his stick thing with the metal point pointed at me and he bellowed. “CHANGELING DRONE!” and then he raised the not pointy part and then I saw black.
Celestia’s POV
I sat on my throne hearing my subjects bicker back and fourth do not get me wrong I love all my subjects but sometimes they can be a hoof full. Suddenly one of my guards busted through my door and rushed over to me then bowed. “Your Highness we have a changeling in the interrogation room he’s disguised as a colt and won’t change back.” I sighed and then stood.
“Day court is canceled for today thank you.” And with that, I followed my guard down to the dungeon and to see this changeling. When we got down, I looked into the interrogation room I cocked my eyebrow at the supposed changeling he had green tears running down his face.
When I entered his head snapped over to me and his eyes widened then, to the shock of me and the guards, he jumped from his seat, wrapped his hooves around my leg, and started to cry into it. I looked over at the guards with a questing look then looked back down at the colt crying into my leg I then lifted him off my leg and over to his seat, he started to shake again but I sat down on the other side. He looked at me with those big watery eyes I felt like I had just hurt a puppy but I had to get answers so I cleared my throat and ask my first question.
“What is you name?” he got rid of the tears and then answered
“E-Everfrail”
“Where do you live?”
“Everfree”
I looked at him with disbelief “Who is your mother?”
“None”
I looked at him in shock but continued, “Who is your father?”
“None”
I narrowed my eye’s at him “where are they?” he just looked at me with a blank expression then pointed to the ceiling.
“Home”
I looked at him in confusion “I’m sorry but what?”
He just started to point up until I understood what he was trying to say and I felt tears well up in my eye‘s “You live in the Everfree Forest alone with no parents” he started to nod with his ears splayed back. I gasped and raised a hoof to my mouth. To live in the Everfree alone and at his age no less. I stood up and walked to him and pulled him into a hug which he happily returned.
“You poor dear” I whispered then I turned to the guards with a stern glare “go get a room ready for him and make sure it is close to my room and I want my sister at the throne room.” there was a chorus of ’Yes Princess’ and then they left. I looked down at the colt that was nuzzling my chest and lifted him up on to my back then started to gallop to the throne room.
15 Minutes later…
I looked down at the sleeping form of the colt then ran a hoof through his green coat which caused him to smile. Then I heard the door open and in walked my sister.
“Sister what is it that thou needs” she then noticed the colt sleeping on my throne and made this face
Then she zoomed up to him and started to nuzzle him which woke him up and when he looked up he started to sniff her hoof…
Meanwhile on a train to Cantorlot…
Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie, Eris and Zecora all felt a burning pain on there hoofs and they all winced then Eris looked to the mountain “he is about to claim another” Eris spoke.
Back in the throne room…
Suddenly he opened his mouth wide and clamped down on Luna’s leg. We looked down at him in shock then he let go and shot up and hugged around her neck.
“Auntie!”
Me and Luna looked at him in shock then Luna started to smile then hugged him back while giggling a little then she gently put him down and looked up at me “what are we to do with the young one?” I grimaced at the question he couldn’t live here not with all the nobles and…blueblood. I then heard Luna start to giggle. I looked at her and couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle.
Everfrail was trying to untangle himself from Luna’s tail and he even go his muzzle tied shut he then looked at me and Luna and gave us a wave which even caused my guards to give a small chuckle. Luna then untangled him and put him on her back and looked back at me and I got an idea a sad one but it was all we could do.
“We can send him to Cantorlot orphanage.” she looked at me with sadness at the idea of there in her eyes. The orphanage unfortunately had a lot of children mostly because their parents were disappointed in them or just didn’t want a child. I nodded my head and was about to levitate Everfrail onto my back but Luna stopped me.
“um sister if thou does not mind I would like to carry him.” I smiled and nodded and we started our walk to the orphanage. As we walked out of the castle and into the streets nobles staretd to bow to us some even complementing us and one stallion walked up to us and bowed. He had a blue coat and blond mane he opened his mouth to speak.
“Hello princesses it is nice to meet y-”
“HISSSSSS”
Third Person
Everyone’s eyes widened at the noise that came from the princesses then a dark green colt crawled up Princess Luna’s neck and stood there glareing down at the stallion with his teeth bared and ears splayed back.
The princesses looked up at the colt then back down to the stallion who was looking up at the colt before smiling “princess please allow me to get rid of that revolting peasant off your head” his horn started to glow a pale yellow and the colt started to float off of Luna’s head but the stallion was then surrounded by royal guards and his magic faltered releasing the colt and allowing him to fall back on to Luna’s head.
The stallion looked around at the guards then he noticed Luna’s glare sending a shiver down his spine but before Celestia could do anything Luna started to speak or yell was more like it.
“HOW DARE THEE TRY TO HURT EVERFRAIL” the ground shock as Luna yelled “I SHOULD HAVE YOU THROWN INTO THE DUNGEON” Luna then heard a whimper she looked at her back and saw Everfrail shaking. Her eyes softened and she nuzzled him to calm him which worked as he smiled.
Celestia looked down at the stallion then spoke to her guard “Move him” the guards grabbed him and tossed him to the side and the princesses nodded before continue to the orphanage. Some nobles looked in shock at what had just happened before going back to their normal business and the princesses headed for the building with a golden sloped roof and purple stone walls.
Everfrail’s POV
I looked up at the stone tree we were heading for and I thought it looked nice because the very top was sloped and was yellow while the bark was purple. I then felt myself being lifted up and then sat on the ground and I looked up at the two ponies with confused looks but all they did was nudge me to the door.
I walked up to the door and started to hit it with my hoof and I could here hoof steps heading towards the door. I turned around to hug my auntie…but they were gone I started to look around franticly looking form them then I felt a something sooth my mind and I look for…
‘who was I looking for?’
Suddenly I heard a door open and I turned around and looked up at the face of a unicorn mare. She had long pink hair and a pearl white coat I also noticed her mark had three strange ponts but when I looked inside I noticed some Fleur de lis’s in a strange jar.
I quickly ran over to them and ate them and let out a happy sigh. I then turned around and saw the mare looking at me with a shocked look I then felt myself floating up and then on her back.
“I’ll have to fill out the paper work for you later but for now lets get you some sleep.” I let out a yawn and she giggled. I snuggled up into her coat and driffted to sleep.