An Old Equestrian Storm

002

"The Everfree Forest. Don't even get me started on that place. I'm amazed nobody's just burnt it to the ground yet. It would be a public service."

I very quickly found out that the Everfree Forest was not a happy place. The dark and twisted trees were unsettling enough on their own, but it was the silence that really got to me. There were no signs of life anywhere I looked.

Oh, and it looked like I'd already lost the path, which meant I was stuck in the forest until I regained my bearings... or something found me. My paranoia was betting on the latter. The solution to my problem was to keep moving. If I stopped for even a moment to retrieve one of my swords I'd be left wide open to a surprise attack.

I'm just running down the clock at this point, I thought as I continued wandering through the Everfree. Damn it all, was avoiding Pinkie really worth putting myself in a life-threatening situation?

No. No it wasn't. If I planned on staying in Ponyville for any period of time, or even revisiting it further into the future, Pinkie was just one of the ponies I'd have to learn to deal with. Besides, she wasn't all that different from -

My thought was cut off as a searing pain tore through my mind, causing me to stumble and fall to my knees. I gritted my teeth as the pain intensified and my vision began to blur in and out. Just what had I been trying to remember that would cause such a violent reaction?

Once the pain faded, I picked myself back up and kept walking. Getting distracted by my own thoughts wasn't a good idea in hostile territory. Who knew how much that little episode had already cost me?

An ear-piercing wolf's howl tore through the air nearby and was soon accompanied by the sound of many running paws. I froze, hands on the straps of my pack and sword case, ready to drop both and defend myself if they were after me. When no threat came, I decided that enough was enough and pulled the keys to my sword case from under my shirt. Within a minute I had my Schiavona settled around my waist, the familiar feel of the basket-hilted broadsword offering me comfort and confidence. In that span of time, the wolves had found whatever their prey was... but something seemed off about it. I kept hearing wood hitting wood amidst the barks, growls, and whimpers.

Putting myself in the line of fire wasn't my best idea. I'll be the first to admit that. At the same time, leaving someone to face off against a pack of wolves alone was just cowardly.

I burst into the battleground a few moments later and quickly assessed the situation. A pony in a tattered brown cloak was facing off against what looked like wooden wolf puppets, wielding a bamboo staff with expert skill. A few piles of loose scrap wood were lying about, lending evidence to the idea that the wooden wolves were just animated constructs. Just what was moving them was beyond me, but it didn't change the fact that I had my targets.

In one swift motion I discarded my excess weights and stepped forward, drawing my Schiavona in a fencer's grip and spinning it a few times. That extra flourish may have seemed unneccessary, but I actually used it as a method to make sure my wrist had its full range of movement.

The battle paused as both sides tried to figure out if I was friend or foe, but continued when the pony cracked its staff down on the head of another wolf and turned to sweep the legs out from a second. There were five wolves still active, all prowling and trying to find an opening in the pony's defenses. The number was swiftly reduced when I darted up to one that had its back to me and drove my sword through its skull in a burst of sap-like fluid. Yeah, definitely going to have to sharpen this later. I jumped a little when the wolf dissolved into a small cluster of sticks and leaves, but didn't dwell on it. I quickly flicked the odd amber liquid off of my blade, then turned into a wide slash that removed my would-be assailant's jaw. That wasn't enough to stop it and I winced as its claws left a nasty scratch on my left leg, tearing through the fabric of my pants with ease. I pulled back, re-angled my sword, and thrust through the space where a normal wolf's brain would be. That time it chose to dissolve.

My pony partner had matched my kill count in the same time, leaving only a single wolf that cowered away from our combined stare.

"Stand fast, my strange friend. This battle is not yet at its end," The pony's accent reminded me of a Kenyan couple I knew back on Earth, but I wondered if the rhyming was intentional. That no longer became important as the final wolf decided to just suicide, breaking into scrap wood like its brothers.

That assessment quickly proved to be incorrect when all of the loose wood in the area began to vibrate and shift on an unknown power.

"You have got to be kidding me," I grumbled when the wood began to glow with a ghastly green light and draw towards each other. It only took one leg forming for me to know that the wooden wolves were recombining into a single, larger wolf. An Alpha. I had a feeling that my Schiavona wasn't going to hit the mark on this larger target. That meant I'd need enough time to get back to my case and switch swords.

"Buy me some time," I said to the cloaked Equine at my side.

"Timber Wolves are nothing new, but what is it you plan to do?"

I ignored the question and unlocked the case, fumbling with the Schiavona's belt in my haste to take it off. My leg was aching from the injury, adding to the problems and making me wonder if there hadn't been some sort of contact poison on the wolf's claws. The Schiavona was quickly tossed into its slot in the case and I glanced at the Alpha wolf to check its progress. Three legs and most of the body were fully formed. I didn't have much time! My second sword was a katana, for those times when I needed a two-handed blade or some extra cutting power. Both the Schiavona and katana were versatile in their own rights, but they also leaned towards different styles of fighting. I tied the sturdy sash around my waist and wedged the katana's scabbard into it edge-up, just in time to nearly have my ears blasted out by the Alpha's howl.

Compared to the parts that made it the Alpha Wolf was collossal. It was at least as big as the average house in Ponyville, if not larger. I certainly hadn't picked an easy battle, that much was certain.

"You might want to get out of range," I commented to the pony beside me, lowering my stance and settling my dominant left hand on the white cord-wrapped hilt of the katana. "I'm not used to fighting with anyone else and I don't want to risk hurting you."

Any further conversation was put on hold as the Alpha pounced raising is forepaw high to try crushing me. As it descended, I fell into instinct taking a step back and drawing my katana in an arcing slash that cut through the wood as if it were straw. I took the katana in a two-handed grip, but wasn't fast enough to block or evade the counter attack properly. The wolf's other forepaw slammed into my chest like a sledgehammer, packing enough kinetic force to lift me off my feet and launch me through the forest. It was a miracle that I didn't imapale myself on any low tree branches. When I finally hit the ground, only a backwards roll saved me from a serious injury.

I got reckless. This body may be leagues beyond my old one, but it still isn't capable of matching up to a monster that size easily.

The Alpha Wolf snarled at me, hunkering down and preparing for another attack. I closed the distance between us, planning to capitalize on the injury I'd already inflicted on it. Once I was close enough, it snapped its head forward in an attempt to bite me. All I could think to do was a baseball slide that put me right underneath its belly. An attack of opportunity there would deal severe damage, but I didn't like the idea of getting crushed under it. I rose and put my full weight behind a high cut to the wolf's left rear leg. Unfortunately I'd misjudged the actual force needed to slice through the limb, but a quick roll covered my blunder and got me out of harm's way.

Now with only two legs left, the Alpha was incredibly off-balance. It tried to turn and bat at me, but only succeeded in crashing to the ground. My attempt at removing its other hind leg was met with a desperate kick that caught the wolf's claws on my chest and shredded my shirt. I was rapidly getting tired of becoming a living projectile. Without wasting any more time on plans, I charged the downed wolf, feeling a feral roar rise in my throat.

Once I was close enough the roar was unleashed, my katana biting deeply into the wooden monstrosity. I dragged it along the wolf's side, taking vengeful pleasure in its whines of pain. Once I reached the neck, I tore the blade out and whirled it into an overhead strike. That would have completely taken the Alpha's head off if it hadn't chosen to finally die and burst into firewood.

Letting out a long sigh of relief, I sheathed my katana and started looking for the cloaked pony.

Or I would have, if I hadn't passed out from blood loss.

"Um... you need to wake up. If you don't want to that's fine..."

The timid and unfamiliar voice peirced through the veil of sleep, slowly pulling me back to the waking world. I opened my eyes and sleepily stared at the butter-yellow Pegasus Pony I'd seen before entering the Everfree. Glancing down, I saw that my chest was covered with bandages. I could feel a similar treatment on my legs under the soft green blanket. I was about to go back to sleep, but the Pegasus set a small tray in my lap.

"You can rest after you eat," The pegasus said, suddenly a little more assertive. "You're hurt and you need to get your strength back."

"Mrrr..." I groaned incoherently, wishing to do nothing more than curl up and nap until I was feeling better.

"Eat."

The sudden change in tone and volume certainly woke me up. I straightened in the unfamiliar bed and picked up the provided spoon, quickly dipping it into the boal of oatmeal. I took a bite and was actually surprised. She'd flavored it with cinammon, butter, and brown sugar, which was the way... my thoughts  came to a screeching halt as a surge of pain tore through my mind. The spoon fell nervelessly out of my fingers as I clutched at my head.

"Oh, oh my. Where does it hurt?" The pegasus asked, fussing over me like she was my mother. The pain stopped after a short eternity, and I let myself collapse onto the pillow. The last sound I heard was the clip-clop of hooves running on wood.

"Magic levels dangerously low..."

"-high level dark magic."

"Prep him for a transfusion, we don't have much time!"

"Mr. Rain?"

I opened my eyes and stared blankly at the forest green wall for a moment before noticing a shape in the corner of my vision. With herculean effort I turned my head and saw Redheart standing there with a comforting smile on her face.

"Where am I?" I mumbled, shifting for a more comfortable position on the bed.

"You're in Ponyville Hospital. Miss Fluttershy brought you in early this morning saying you had some sort of episode. Once Doctor Horse arrived we ran a standard magical scan on you. The results are... worrying to say the least."

"Magic?" I asked, confused that a medical professional would be using the word.

"Your magical energy levels were at rock bottom. Low double-digit Thaums at their highest. Doctor Horse ran a more in-depth scan and discovered that somepony had cast some very dark magic that fed off of your magical reserves. We managed to clear it out of your system, but your body refused to begin naturally absorbing ambient magic. The only way we could jumpstart it was with an energy transfusion."

I didn't understand half of that with my tired brain, so I just nodded in the hopes that she'd get to something a little closer to my level.

"There was a... strange side-effect to the transfusion. I'm not sure if it's unique to human physiology or just random chance."

Redheart produced a small hand-mirror and I just blinked at my reflection. Someone had apparently decided to dye my hair, changing it from the original brown to an icy blue-white. My hair looked like it had grown outa little as well, reaching down to my shoulders at its longest. I couldn't lie, I actually liked how it made me look. If I tied it back into a short ponytail it would look even better. Maybe add a small moustache to that for a full combo.

"On a more positive note, your blood levels should be back to an acceptable level and your injuries should be healed by tomorrow. Just... try to take it easy and not get any more, alright?"

"I'll do my best, Redheart," I reassured her, only to recieve a small glare in return.

"That's Nurse Redheart to you, mister."

She left the room quickly after that, and for a moment I was worried I'd offended her.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Tenderheart walked in, looking a little worse for wear but still seeming happy over all. She settled into the chair by my bed and covered up a small yawn with her hoof.

"Sorry if I woke you up," I chuckled weakly.

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have gone to bed so late last night. Something always seems to happen on my days off," Tenderheart smiled ruefully. "How are you feeling?"

"I could probably sleep for another year. Side note, someone should really update the Ponyville maps and add a 'Do Not Enter' to the Everfree Forest."

Tenderheart's eyes narrowed to pinpricks, and her voice was unsteady when she spoke again.

"You... w-were in the Everfree?"

"Yeah. I had no idea it was as dangerous as it is. The Immigrant's guide didn't mention it. The map didn't add any label to give me an idea of what to expect. Apparently some other pony didn't get the idea either because I had to help them fight off a pack of wooden wolves."

"I-is that how you got those cuts?" Tenderheart was trembling in fright now, and let out a small 'eep!' when I nodded.

"One on the leg was from one of the normal sized ones, but I took two hits to the chest when all the pieces recombined into a giant wolf."

There was a loud thump, prompting me to look over at Tenderheart. I could only facepalm when I saw that she'd fainted. They hadn't hooked me up to any sort of heart monitor or IV, so I slowly and carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand. I was a bit wobbly, but so long as I steadied myself with the wall I'd be fine. With that in mind I maneuvered my way to the small bathroom. It was there that I recieved a small surprise.

Ponies didn't use the western toilet style, instead opting for a long trench-like bowl set into the floor. It did make sense for Pony physiology, but it made certain things really awkward for me.

When I returned to the main room after washing my hands Tenderheart hadn't woken up yet. I reached down and tried to shake her awake, but she refused to even move. At last my tiredness overrode all further thought. I gently picked up Tenderheart and set her on the bed, then slipped in next to her. My arms wrapped around the dusky blue Earth Pony like a big, warm stuffed animal and I buried my face in her pale green mane. It didn't take long before I'd fallen asleep again.

"So, um... I guess I'll see you Monday at three?" Tenderheart was still blushing from the awkwardness that took place when we both woke up from our respective naps. I gave her a quick nod and a guilty grin, still trying to find a comfortable place on my back for my sword case and pack that wouldn't pull at my bandages. I don't know what the ponies used on me, but my healing rate was much faster than normal and I'd already been cleared to leave the hospital. After assuring Tenderheart that I'd be at my appointment, I quickly left the hospital with Redheart's snickering still on the edge of my hearing.

My return to Ponyville was met with some sympathetic smiles and friendly waves. Others chose to simply ignore me or stare, but I didn't mind. I was just glad to be back on my feet and in some clean clothes.

As much as I just wanted to wander the town all day, I knew there were some important things that needed to be taken care of. Apologizing to Pinkie for being such an arse topped my list. Finding a place to stay the night was at a close second, since I really didn't want to go back into the Everfree and I didn't have any money to rent a hotel room. Oh wait, Ponyville didn't even have a hotel. It made me wonder where all of the Ponies who had come for the Summer Sun Celebration were staying.

The sudden impact of something soft on my lips made me pause. I pulled my head back and tried to look at what it was, making me go cross-eyed in the process. Familiar giggling reached my ears, bringing a smile to my face.

"Pinkie," I said, maneuvering around the plain sugar donut to hug her. The Earth Pony leapt into my arms, unshed tears brimming at the corners of her eyes.

"I'm so so super duper sorry!" She wailed into my chest, her mane losing a bit of its color and volume. "You got hurt because of me..."

"That's not true," I said forcefully, shifting her so I could make eye contact. "It was my own fault. In fact I owe you an apology Pinkie. Ever since we met I've been doing my damnedest to avoid you, and that was wrong of me. I'm sorry. I don't even know where to begin making it up to you."

Any further words were cut off as Pinkie's hug tightened to painful levels. When she released me I was somewhat concerned about permanent damage to my ribs. Pinkie quickly wiped the tears out of her eyes and gave me her big beaming smile, which no longer seemed so creepy.

"Silly-billy, you already have! If you really want to do something for me, meet me at the Golden Oaks Library at sundown! Right now I've gotta go help the Cakes back some more snacks. Seeya, Rainy!"

Pinkie zoomed away at inhuman speeds, leaving me with a donut and a smile. Our interaction had clearly touched a few of the ponies nearby as well, proving that a genuine smile was a truly infectuous thing.

With Pinkie taken care of, I decided to check up on the pony that had initially patched me up. Most of what Redheart had explained was mostly a blur, with mentions of magic mixed in that really had me worried for the overall quality of Equestria's medical services.

It only took nearly ten minutes to reach the yellow pegasus' cottage from the center of Ponyville. Since she was an animal caretaker, she probably needed the privacy so the animals wouldn't get spooked by outsiders. I approached quietly when I saw the pegasus with a choir of birds gathered in front of her.

"Now, let's take it from the top." I stood and watched quietly as the quiet pegasus began conducting her bird friends with professional skill, leading them through a simple song. When they began a second verse I joined in with my own whistling and was surprisingly able to stay in tune with the birds. Once the second verse ended, the birds all took off from their tree branch and the pegasus feebly tried to call them back.

"Looks like they're taking five," I said softly. Apparently not softly enough. The yellow pony let out a small 'eep!' and hid her face behind her long rosey mane. Maybe the ponies were just getting to me, but I had the oddest urge to give her a big hug. Or it might have been something that they did to me in the hospital. I'm not sure I can entirely trust the treatment when the staff starts talking about things that don't exist.

"Oh, It's you!" The pegasus' demeanor did a 180 when she finally saw who I was. "Um... why are you here? If you don't mind me asking, that is?"

"I came to thank you for fixing me up," I admitted, running a hand through my hair awkwardly.

"It was no trouble at all, but... um... going into the Everfree Forest is really dangerous. There are so many scary creatures that live there," The Pegasus began shivering at the very thought of those 'scary creatures'.

"I did learn that pretty quickly," I sighed, "It was most certainly not one of my finest moments. My name's Rain, by the way. What's yours?"

"I'm... fluttershy..."

I could barely hear her name, but it fit her timid nature like a glove.

"Well Fluttershy, I guess I'll let you get back to work. Sorry for bothering you," I gave her a gentle smile and turned to leave.

"Um... it was really no bother at all. Maybe you'd like to... um... well, talk again some time?"

I gave Fluttershy a quick nod and one final wave before heading back down the dirt path to Ponyville. Along the way, I passed a lavender unicorn with a darker violet mane who was chatting with a small purple lizard on her back. It was pretty clear they were headed to Fluttershy's home, and the small clipboard the lizard was carrying made me wonder if they were some sort of official inspectors for the celebration. Why a national holiday would use a choir of birds in its ceremonies was well beyond my understanding, but I was still just getting introduced to Equestrian society.

"Whoa, Twilight, did you see that guy?" A young boy's voice asked as I got further and further away.

"Kind of hard to miss, Spike. I don't think I've seen any creature like it before. Oh, just think of all the scientific discoveries that we could make by talking with it!"

Oh Hell no!

I was rapidly coming to the conclusion that all unicorns were crazy and needed to be avoided for my continued well-being. With that in mind, I increased my pace.

"I brought you a letter!"

A gray pegasus with a pale blonde mane descended from the heavens with a white envelope lightly clutched in her teeth.

"Um... Okay," I blinked, taking the offered envelope and quickly making sure it was addressed to me. When I looked back up at the mail carrier I noticed that her golden eyes were looking in two different directions and she had a big derpy smile on her face.

"You're my last delivery of the day, so if you want to reply, I can fly it back as soon as you're ready!" She giggled, plopping down on her haunches in the middle of the street and digging around in the brown saddlebags she wore. She finally retrieved a muffin that was only slightly squished, and began snacking on it. I tuned her out and popped the official-looking wax seal on the back.

Dear Mr. Rain,

It has come to the attention of our office that you do not currently have any residence for your stay in Ponyville. If you intend to remain in the town for long, there are a small number of homes available for purchase at a reasonable cost.

If you are short on bits, we can come to an arrangement that will be mutually beneficial. Please come to the Ponyville Town Hall after the Summer Sun Celebration to sort this matter out.

Sincerely,

Mayor Mare.

I could only assume that the hospital had shared my personal information with the Mayor's office. I was pretty sure disclosing medical records like that was illegal back home, but I doubted it was in Equestria. Besides, I wasn't an Equestrian citizen so I doubted half of those laws properly applied to me.

"Right. I'll take care of this in person on Monday. Thank you for delivering the letter, Miss-?"

"I'm Derpy Hooves, no 'miss' needed! Oh, and don't you mean 'in pony'?" The pegasus asked, slowly rising into the air with long strokes from her wings. I had to suppress a wince at her name. Apparently the giant wheel of nouns and adjectives the ponies used for their nomenclature contained a few unfortunate entries as well.

"Blame cultural differences," I shrugged, "Guess I'll see you if there's any more mail?"

Derpy gave an enthusiastic nod and began flying away... backwards. I watched her until she was out of sight to make sure she didn't get into any accidents, then noticed it was approaching dusk and pulled out my map to figure out where the library was. It wouldn't do to disappoint Pinkie so soon after I'd patched things up with her.

When I arrived at the Golden Oaks Library, I could only deadpan at the giant tree it was carved into. Whoever thought it was a good design choice was clearly going for a bit of irony. The lights were off from what I could see in the windows and an almost unnatural shadow blocked any attempts to look in through the windows.

"Well, up until today. Do you want to hear about today?" A small boy's voice rang out.

I turned around, seeing that Fluttershy approach with the lavender unicorn and purple lizard from earlier.

"Oh, yes please," Fluttershy said, coming out of her shell easily for the little reptile.

"I'm so sorry," The unicorn declared, turning on Fluttershy, "How did we get here so fast? This is where I'm staying while in Ponyville and my poor baby dragon needs his sleep."

Wait, baby dragon?! I had a sudden tingling in my doom senses. The little dragon tried to protest, but was dropped off of the mare's back with a light buck.

"Aww, wook at that. He's so sweepy he can't even keep his widdle balance!"

Okay, that was the point I had to draw the line. It was demeaning to the dragon, who was clearly older than he actually looked.

"Laying it on a little thick there, aren't you?" I asked, crossing my arms and fixing the unicorn with a disapproving stare.

"I don't remember asking for your-" The unicorn cut off, finally seeming to notice just who I was. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks, and she quickly scooped the baby dragon onto her back once more. I could almost see a small after-image as the lavender unicorn darted into the library and slammed the door behind her.

"Okay, that was a bit of a jerk move... but well worth it," I chuckled. Fluttershy gave me a timid smile and entered the dark library. I wondered whether it was trespassing or not, then remembered that the main floor of the Golden Oaks Library was treated as public property.

"-can't get the thaumic lights working for some reason," The unicorn's voice came from a little ahead of me. I took a few steps toward her and jumped as the whole building lit up to reveal most of Ponyville's population surrounding us.

"SURPRISE!"

Any irrational fears I had about angry mobs were quickly put to rest when I took in the numerous decorations around the library. They looked more at home at a small child's birthday party, but that type of party also seemed to fall right in line with Pinkie's more... innocent outlook on life.

It was hard to suppress a grin as the pink pony herself spronked up to the library's new resident and began chattering away. The unicorn tried to get away from her by going over to a small table of snacks and pouring herself a drink, but Pinkie would not be so easily removed. I spotted what the unicorn had poured just as she raised it to her lips and braced myself for what would follow.

"-and now you have lots and lots of friends!" Pinkie finished as a group of mares clustered around her not entirely of their own free will. I counted down from three in my head as I saw the unicorn's face turn more and more red. At 'zero' she just charged up to the library's second floor with tears of agony in her eyes and smoke pouring out of her ears. Pinkie giggled and spronked up to me next, wrapping me in a bone-crushing hug.

"Rainy!"

"Hey there, Pinkie," I chuckled, giving the hyperactive pony a quick squeeze that caused her to release a squeaking sound. When we separated, the orange stetson-wearing mare I'd seen the day before walked up, offering her hoof for a shake.

"Howdy there. I reckon you must be the 'Rain' feller Pinkie's been talking about to anyone who'll listen. Name's Applejack."

"Nice to meet you," I replied easily, taking her hoof. What followed was perhaps the most jarring handshake I've ever experienced. Five minutes later my arm was still regaining feeling.

The party picked up its pace soon after that, but I noticed very few ponies that I hadn't already met were making an effort to greet me. I let out a small sigh in the corner I'd settled into, wishing to do nothing more than close my eyes for a quick nap. Parties had never really been my thing, mostly because-. There my brain went, drawing a blank halfway through a thought again. At least this time I didn't get a crippling headache. After about two hours of watching the other ponies have fun with loud music and childish party games, I slipped outside and soon settled on a park bench.

For a long while I just stared up at the full moon high in the sky, only getting faint memories of my odd connection to Earth's moon. It would always seem to tug at my heart when I looked at it. Just one more oddity of my old life that I'd never recieve a proper explanation for, I suppose.

Equestria's moon was larger than Earth's and had a unicorn mare's face carved on the surface out of craters. Just how that happened, I had no idea. The laws of probability were both terrifying and awesome at times. As I watched, four stars began to slowly spiral towards the moon. That can't be good...

My thought was quickly proven correct as the stars made contact and the moon began to shake in the sky, the craters that made up the mare's face dissolving one by one. When they were all gone, a stream of violet mist shot through the sky towards the Everfree Forest.

After a short pause I felt a wave of power slam into me, fueled by wrath and sorrow.

I didn't know what had unleashed that power, but it didn't bode well for Equestria.