Philosopher of Earth

+++The next morning, with yours truly+++

I awoke to a dazzling sun, It hung in the sky as in it were mid morning. Odd, I thought, I could've swore it was just dark... Oh well, sleep does funny things to the mind. I surveyed the surrounding area, mostly the twisted trees of this "Everfree" forest. It was however a stunning view. In the distance I thought I saw a shine of something metallic, that could be bad or good. Bad because my pursuers were already onto me, good because it was movement, and movement meant civilization, or a way to civilization, and my odds of survival greatly improved in a city or town. So I made a mental note of the direction, and climbed down. I did however keep my ears pricked for any strange sounds. I took a few steps and suddenly realized that sleeping in a tree wasn't my brightest idea ever. Ow. Stiff limbs, yay. But survival took priority over comfort and I started my way towards what I hoped was a road or something similar.

Along the way I, thankfully, loosened up my muscles, and my body felt comfortable again. On the way I saw many strange plants, I, wisely, kept off them, as I had no idea if they were toxic or not. About an hour later, I found a path of sorts. While someone/something had been there recently, it wasn't used that much as it was fading in places. The tracks that I had used to determine that there was someone/something there recently were horseshoe shaped, so I presumed a rider on a horse or one of the unicorns. They seemed to go both ways, some one going and returning, or two people going opposite ways. I didn't hear any one clop by, so they were going slow, or the shine was one person, possibly both. If it was one person, they were coming back, so I looked for the slightly older set of tracks and followed them, taking care to keep my own tracks to a minimum. I soon spotted what appeared to be an outskirts of a town.

Fearing wary eyes, as I didn't recognize the buildings, I lept into cover and began to survey the area. I didn't see any thing yet, but buildings mean shelter, and shelter means something lives there. My suspicions prove to be correct as more unicorns, pegisi, and horse like beings began to emerge from the buildings. They were a multitude of colors, colors I've never seen on a horse, pony, or donkey. The name Equestria popped back into my head. Where the hell was that? The horses, or ponies, whatever they could be called, seemed to begin socializing as humans would. I unknowingly began to slip deep into thought as I thought about these new discoveries, a dangerous state of mind for me as I don't pay attention to the material world around me. I was soon brought out of my stupor as someone very close to me began shouting.

"Apples! Apples! Git yer apples here!" Curious, and slightly startled, I began looking for the shouts source. A orange pony had set up a stall almost directly in front of the bush I was hiding in. She, I noticed her shortened snout, had baskets of apples just sitting there behind the wooden cart she used as a stall. Suddenly realizing I hadn't had a bite to eat for over 12 hours, I quickly, but stealthily grabbed one. Stealing is bad I know, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and I don't think she would've reacted kindly to a six foot alien wanting apples, if the earlier unicorns and pegasi were anything to judge by. Unfortunately, I now was stuck in a bush behind her, if she turned around and examined the bush, she would've seen me. So, I slowly brought my dark green hoodie over my jeans and brought the hood up. It was indeed a little warm, but the bush was thankfully in the shade of a tree. And taking the opportunity to study these strange creatures, I began eavesdropping on the orange pony. I soon found out that they indeed called themselves ponies, I'll refer to them as thus from now on, and that the owner of the stall, named Applejack, lived and worked on a apple orchard, a possible source of food, and that she was referred as an "earth pony" that is presumably her species as she has no wings or horn. But the real information came when an an interesting customer came by. She, again shortened snout, was a purple unicorn, or so I thought. When I saw her from a sideways view I was somewhat startled to see she also had wings! I searched my extensive knowledge of mythological creatures and found no winged unicorn. Perhaps this was what the dark purple unicorn from yesterday meant when he said "alicorn"? If that was the case then, she could be a ruling member of their culture... But the relationship between this Applejack and "alicorn" seemed to be one of long time friends, not one of a ruler and subject.

Before I knew it, Applejack was reaching for her last basket of apples, the basket I had unknowingly been munching out of and was now half empty. Fuck me. I must really pay attention to these kinds of things, second time in under 12 hours I committed the same mistake, I mustn't let myself slip like this. Applejack, stood and stared at the basket for a moment or two, then looked at the bush. I prepared to leap into action. Fortunately I didn't have to, as she turned around as said,

"Gee, looks like Applebloom forgot ta fill this basket up all the way, Ah'm sorry Twi, Ah'll stop by later and drop off a basket." she apologized to the "alicorn"

"That's okay AJ, I'll see you later then!" she smiled and walked away. Applejack however looked back at the bush that concealed me, seemed to shrug and started packing up her stall. Finally, my legs are starting to cramp, and I would like to know where this orchard is. But that look showed a little suspicion, so I would have to be careful when following her.

When everything was packed Applejack pulled the cart away, I marveled at the strength needed, as I saw the ruts that the cart left. I slowly snuck around the trunk of the tree and stood up. Euphoria flooded my legs. After stretching them out I darted across the path to another bush in order to follow Applejack. Wow she was fast with that heavy cart, she made twice as far as I predicted before I caught up. And soon a large red barn entered view, along with an extreme amount of apple trees. Food located, I marked it down on a mental map. Now I need shelter. I could use the Everfree, but I don't know what kind of plants grow there, or animals, if there are talking unicorns and pegasi, then who knows what they hold. The barn? No, too frequented. In the town has the same problem tenfold. In the orchard could be possible, but I don't know them like the owners, so hiding in there is not possible. That was when I noticed three small ponies running along down the road towards the barn, I briefly over heard them as they ran by.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders! To the club house!" they all chanted. With no leads, this club house sounded possible. So, I trailed them. They ran through the orchard like they've done it a hundred times, they probably had. They eventually made it to a back corner of the orchard. Their clubhouse, was a tree house that was built in a huge oak tree. But I saw the trail they'd worn through the area, and it was obvious that they came here often. So the tree house was a no. But the general area, it was remote and desolate. I couldn't see the barn anymore, trees surrounded the area, and any apple trees I saw had little fruit on them. so their harvesting days were few to long gone. I would have to avoid the tree house though, those three came often. So I started scouting for a decent area to hide in. It wasn't until the late evening when I finally found a place. A decent sized old shack, probably an old tool shed, that had long stopped housing tools. It was covered in ivy, and one practically has to walk into it to know its there, yes I am speaking from experience. The owners probably did know it was there, so I couldn't do anything major to it, but it seemed dry, and out of the elements. I then finally sat down after an entire day of walking and hiding and slept.

+++That morning, in Canterlot+++

Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne. She had just brought the sun up for the new day, after relieving her sister Luna of her nightly duty. When suddenly the doors to the throne room burst open and the criminal she had ordered to be captured rushed into the room with a disgruntled pegasi in tow.

"Ah, Wind Rush, I see you found Void Spark and captured him." she mused.

"Anything other than what I summoned!" shouted the hysterical unicorn.

"Um... What is he talking about?" asked a confused Celestia. WInd Rush finally managed to stop Void Spark with a angry tug on the rope.

"When he was captured, he summoned something." he stated.

"That is what he is known for." she replied.

"He had tried to summon his hellcat, but something else came instead, and it wouldn't listen to him." Wind Rush explained. Celestia nodded, Void Spark and his most trusted familiar were a feared duo. The fact that it didn't come when Void called unsettled Celestia.

"Have you found it yet?" she asked.

"When I left, Nimbus and Silver were about to untangle a mess of tracks it left." Wind Rush responded

"What do you mean by mess of tracks?" The princess wondered out loud.

"At first it ran in a straight line, but then for whatever reason, it decided to, um... double back, multiple times, in the same area, in different directions."

"Hmm..." she pondered by what he meant. "This thing, whatever it is, obviously is intelligent, not the animal instincts of the fiends Void usually summons. Whatever it is, it could be dangerous."

"Um.. yea dangerous..." Wind Rush rubbed his head where the stick had stuck him.

"It hit you didn't it?" Celestia asked in a don't-bother-hiding-it tone. "Go see the royal doctor, we need to know what it is capable of." she instructed him.

"Um... your majesty?" he said as he held up the rope that kept the unicorn, Void Spark in check.

"Go, I'll see to him personally." The unicorn swallowed a nervous gulp as the Princess said this. Wind Rush made a hasty exit. Celestia then used her magic to take the rope and dragged the criminal towards the throne.

"What in Equestria's name did you bring here?!" She asked furiously.

"I don't know!" he squealed, at that the benign princess' eyes started to glow white.

"I don't know!" he repeated, Celestia's eyes grew brighter.

"All I know is that it was tall, walked on its hind limbs, had weird fleshy talon things instead of hooves! And said that everything should fear it!" At the unicorn's statement Celestia's eyes went back to normal. She had no idea what he was describing was either. Void seemed to relax, until Celestia's voice spoke up again.

"Guards, please drag this imbecile to Tartarus." she stated in a commanding tone. Royal Guards immediately rushed the throne room and dragged the screaming unicorn out.

"Send a squad to assist the efforts of Sergeant Nimbus and his tracking party. I want guards patrolling the area around the Everfree forest. I want this bucking thing found." she growled at the guards who stood by to receive orders.

"Yes, your majesty." they replied simultaneously. They quickly bustled away to relay orders and begin organizing patrols. She sat there for a moment, alone in the throne room. After a moment of reflection, she picked up a quill and parchment and began to write.

"My faithful student, Twilight, Void Spark has been captured and imprisoned, but one of his minions still roams free, I request that you come to Canterlot immediately and help my Royal Guard organize for patrolling around the Everfree Forest. I know there is none greater suited for the task. Your ever surprised teacher and friend, Princess Celestia."

She signed the letter and sent it on its way. Twilight Sparkle could easily find the creature that was loose, but Celestia hoped that it would test her abilities to command and take charge of ponies such as the Royal Guard. But what truly worried her were the unknown abilities of the thing Void had mistakenly summoned.

+++That afternoon, In the middle of the Everfree Forest+++

"Ah-ha!" exclaimed an ecstatic Silver Star. "That bugger has ran in circles, ran backwards, looped around, and smeared tracks, but now I've found it!" It had taken over eight hours of guessing, untangling, and following the same trails over and over again, until they found the one trail that didn't loop back into the fray. Silver Star's eyes were wild with restlessness, and generally being slowly driven mad by the puzzle. Nimbus had collapsed two hours ago from exhaustion, but after a quick check and relocation, he was snoozing soundly. He awoke at Silver's celebration.

"You found it?" he mumbled, getting up in a excited but tired way.

"Yes, it ran backwards out of the circle here." Silver Star said as she pointed at the misleading tracks.

"Good, I'll follow them, you however need to get some rest." he said sounding worried.

"With all due respect sir, I'm now committed to finding this thing." she took a few steps, and then also collapsed from mental exhaustion. Nimbus quickly trotted over to her, and saw that she was already asleep. Chuckling, he picked her up and laid her gently in the shade of a tree.

"Get some rest, that's an order." he whispered to the sleeping mare. With that, he began retracing the steps that Silver had pointed at.

Silver Star awoke two hours later, to somepony shaking her.

"Aagh!" exclaimed in surprise, as she sat up straight. It was just Nimbus.

"Come on, I need your help." he said. Silver got up and stretched.

"What did you find?" she asked.

"I found where he may have spent the night, and a path." he said hurrying in the direction of the path.

"Path?" Silver asked sounding confused.

"Path as in road, that ponies travel on." he stated, sounding amused but clearly worried.

"Oh..." she stated, understanding what he meant. They walked at a quickened pace for about half an hour, then they found the road Nimbus was talking about.

"Okay, the things tracks lead up to the road...here." Nimbus said as he found the aliens tracks. Silver thought for a moment.

"If I recall correctly, Ponyville is that way," she said as she pointed in one direction, "And that way leads deeper into the forest." she indicated the opposite direction.

"I don't see any tracks or signs of disturbance on the other side of the road." said Nimbus as he searched the brush on the opposite side.

"So, it followed the road." Silver finished the thought for him.

"The question is, which way did it take?" continued Nimbus.

"I think I have an answer to that." replied Silver. NImbus looked over at what she was looking at. Faintly in the gravel there was a almost indistinguishable track, but its owner was obvious. The elongated track was obviously pointed towards Ponyville.

"Oh, buck..." said Nimbus.