The Prince Of The Everfree Forest

At last, the moment had arrived, everything was perfect, all I had to do was open my mouth and utter a few, small, words. I waited for a second or two, just to let the silence simmer for a bit, countless years I've waited for this moment, and the time had finally arrived. “Do it...”

I took a new, deep breath. I'd done it. It was done, sure there was still a long way to go, but that didn't matter. I had felt the taste of victory, and it was sweet. A thunderous howl came from the timberwolves by my side, followed by more and more calls off in the distance. We broke off into a run, cockatrices scampered by my feat and dirt was kicked up by timberwolves, and I was at the centre of it all. The sun was rising over the mountains, a new dawn breaking out over Equestria, ponies would wake up and discover that their had been a change in management. Celestia's and Luna's time had come, too long had they ruled over ponies, spreading silly friendship and harmony over them. They didn't understand harmony like I did, I know that harmony can only be maintained by swift leadership and righteous rule.

Off in the distance, huge dust clouds were being kicked up by other packs of timberwolves and flocks of cockatrices. Organization was key here, we had be quick in taking control of the town, if the two sisters got here early, the trap wouldn't be ready in time. The plan was simple, encase the whole town into stone, that way, nothing could mess up the plan. Leave one pegasus so it could go to Canterlot and tell the princesses, then they would walk blindly into town. I could give a generic bad guy speech and pow, I get two alicorn statues.

The town was still asleep in their beds, no matter, we only need one pony to get them up. A unicorn, walking around in the early hours of the morning, unaware of the danger about to find her. We slowed down, walking into the town slowly and with style, the unicorn spotted us and froze up. I teleported, right next to her, knocking her onto the floor. “Darling, give us a scream,” I asked, she did and she did it well. At the sound, ponies began stirring from their peaceful slumber. All eyes fell on me from the pretend safety of their houses, watching my every breath. I beckoned over the flock of cockatrices, they surrounded me but kept all their eyes closed, all angles covered, then they opened their eyes. Everypony in the houses turned to stone, from hooves up, suspended forever in shock. Off in the distance, the screams and shouts of the other residence could be heard, nopony could escape from my legions yet I wouldn't stop them from trying.

Closing in on the center of town with speed, and I still hadn't found a suitable candidate. Maybe I'll gather some of the townsfolk in the town hall, ask them about it. The town hall was just like I remembered, a pillar of lies and false security. A mare waited, I guess she was the mayor, her hooves were stone but nothing more, the path around the hall was scattered with frozen ponies, they tried running to town hall, but didn't make it.

“What do you want with us?” she demanded.

“Oh so many things, but right now, I want to see Equestria under a unified banner, I've seen the future and have no intention to let that future happen,” I replied, the sky falling from above us and the ground making way underhoof, I can stop it but I had to have everyponies on my side first.

“You're a madman, Celestia will stop you, you won't win,” she uttered. I smiled, she was a funny mare, shame I didn't have the time to get to know her.

“Don't you realize, she's already lost, she just doesn't know it yet,” I watched as the rest of her body was turned to stone, the look of fear permanently on her face. “Ha, you're stoned,” I bopped her stone nose, I don't think she got the joke. I slid past her, making my way into the hall. With a push of magic I opened the door, inside, nothingness...

Have you ever felt yourself falling? The floor underneath you breaking apart, you can try to grab onto something, but it won't work. Then the realization, you were dreaming. Reality hitting you like a stone floor.

“Ohh shit!” I screamed, waving my hooves in attempts to break my fall, it didn't work. I had fallen out of my bed, again. I was laying on my hooves, the cold, hard stone floor broke my fall and crushed my hooves under my own weight. The mix of paraesthesia and extreme pain wasn't the nicest way to wake up.

I heard a soft, familiar chirping sound and the feeling of a bird's beak moving my hair from my eyes. The cockatrice looked me in the eyes, a look of concern on his face and the gentle chirping was his only way to ask if I was ok.

“Hey Coco, I'm alright,” I said, dismissing him with my hoof. He moved away from me, clucking the whole time. I struggled to my hooves, pain flaring but it was ignorable, pieces of the dream resurfacing in my memory. Shame it was only a dream.

Coco and me walked to the mouth of the cave, from the cave's elevated position, I could see the town in the distance. It was sunrise, a brand new day for Equestria. The town was so close, if only I was able to walk out of this bloody forest I would be able to do something, talk, walk, doing something with those ponies. Yet like a silent observer, I could watch but not interact. Celestia was very strict with my banishment, not allow anywhere near any 'civilized' ponies, but she was nice enough to let me keep the wings and horn.

I was, in her eyes, an accident. So she pushed me back into where I came from, the Everfree Forest. I was a mistake, a coincidence, not a 'true alicorn' like her or her sister. I was just a freak to her, a series of unfortunate events that I was thrown into. She couldn't handle me, so she locked me in a prison and left me to rot. She didn't look like she had much control over her kingdom any more, she had her sister possessed by a nightmare, a god of chaos taking control, evil kings, and power hungry tyrants. Just recently, a monster broke out and stole the whole kingdom's magic, but was defeated by a book smart mare and her friends. That mare had a habit of walking into my forest, she did it often to go and talk to that mysterious zebra or went to study in that old castle. I followed her inside the castle a few times, just curious on what she was doing, she would look through all the books, read them and put them back. I only followed her because she was an alicorn like me, I first I thought she was a freak like me, banished to the forest by Celestia, but she had her friends with her and I shied away.

“Look at it Coca... what I would give to just walk over there,” I muttered, Coco wasn't listening, just scavenging through the grass outside the cave. “Why do I bother talking to you?”

Maybe it was for the best, Celestia said I couldn't control my powers and was a danger to everypony I met. It my opinion those ponies deserved to have their brains painted against my wall. She didn't know what it was like to have ponies constantly laughing at you. I didn't always have my wings and horn, the forest gave those to me. I was an earth pony, my father was a drunkard and my mother died when I was very young. Ponies at the school would point and laugh, tease me. So I ran away, I ran so far away and found the forest, hoping to die and never see anypony ever again. Instead, I got these wings and my horn, an incredible magical ability and a steadfast pair of wings was all I needed to get my revenge. I killed them all, I didn't mean to kill them, but it happened and it didn't stop, the whole town felt my wrath, they all died. The next day, Celestia appears, fully suited in her armour along with her bodyguards, I don't know what she was expecting, but I know she didn't expect an alicorn, just a child. I was scared, I panicked, I ran from her to, I hid for days, leaving her a trail of magical eruptions to follow. She found me, eyes cold for all the trouble I caused, she stripped me of most of my magical abilities, leaving me with basic magical abilities that a foal could match. I was still able to cause damage and a lot of ponies got hurt by magic simple magic tricks, so she tried something else.

She was kind enough to let me live, but pushed me into the Everfree Forest until I could control my powers. I haven't seen her since, maybe she's forgot about me, I haven't been able to ask anypony, if I tried to leave my body would burn like the sun, I tried it once, didn't even get out of the trees before my body shut down, a pack of timberwolves dragged me back into the forest and I never tried it again.

Off in the distance, that same alicorn mare walked towards the forest, from the looks of it she was alone. I left Coco to do his own thing, he would normally stay in the cave or graze the grass, never did anything interesting or productive. She took the same path as she always did, straight through the forest and across the rickety bridge. I followed her into the castle, I had nothing else to do and maybe, one day, I would get the courage to talk to her. She buried herself in books, eagerly closing one and opening the next, hours past in silence. I watched from the large archway, she was too enchanted by her books to notice the pony watching her. After a few hours she began packing up, taking away a few of the books for herself and put back the others, her magical control was impressive, the books went back in the correct places even when she wasn't looking. During her frantic book organization, her head turned in my direction, and she caught a glimpse of me. I ran away quickly, hoping she did actually see me, I hide around a corner. She stood where did, looking down both hallways, “H-hello, is anypony there?” she stammered, it had been so long since I heard a pony talk, I'd almost forgotten what it sounded like.

I stopped myself from calling back, Celestia words echoing in my mind, no talking to 'civilised' ponies. I started walking down the hall, she didn't want to talk with me, she would probably only wanted to know why I was watching her.

The sound of a teleportation spell came from behind me, I turned around and there she was, only a few metres away from me. Her eyes ran up and down me, her brain rushing to process the thing in front of her. I galloped away and she began to chase me, I made some sharp turns down halls but she kept up with me. I thought I lost her but I didn't stop running, until I made a wrong turn. I collided with a suit of metal armour and it came crashing down onto me, the noise was surely going to attract the mare, so I got back up despite my dizziness and kept moving. “Wait! I only want to talk to you!” she shout down a long corridor, she didn't understand my punishment, I couldn't talk to her.

Eventually we ran out of hallway to run down and I became trapped between her and a circular room. I was bouncing off the walls, the castle was riddled with hidden pathways and forgotten secrets, I could only hope I could find one before she started asking questions. I wasn't that lucky, and I had to accept the mare's inquisitive glaze.

“H-hey...” I muttered, she appeared to be quite stunned by me, guessing she didn't know about me at all.

“Hi...” she spoke softly. Her eyes appeared to be denying my existence, she kept blinking her violet eyes, when they opened, my existence persisted. “You're real! You're really real!” she uttered. Her hoof rose to touch me, I moved it back to her side with my own. I had forgotten the warm touch of a pony, most animal in the Everfree were cold blooded reptiles, if they even had blood at all. The soft fur of a fellow pony brought back painful memories of a life I'd almost didn't believe I lived.

“Yep, definitely real,” I reassured, accompanying it with a silly wave of my hoof that brought the mare back into the room.

“I thought you were a legend, a-a story to frighten young foals,” she exclaimed. Is that what I was, 'a story to frighten young foal'?

“A story? I like stories. Care to share one?” I asked, the only thing I had to keep remotely sane was the books from the library, I grew quite fond of them, but even a whole library gets boring after countless years.

She seemed to suddenly regret her choice of words, “N-nevermind, forget I said that,” she was reluctant to tell me, whether if it her nerves of my legend or she was scared of it happening to her.

“Alright, a topic for another day I guess,” I still wanted to hear my legend, but she wasn't talking and forcing her might have serious consequences. I started getting a closer look at her wings and horn, they were definitely real. “Question, I remember there being only two alicorns princesses before, unless you're secretly Luna in which case I like what you've done with your hair,”

The mare giggled, “No, I'm not Princess Luna. I'm Twilight Sparkle, Princess of friendship,” she put a hoof on her chest, just in case I was getting confused.

“That's a long title,” I muttered, so she was a Princess, how many more were there? “So what do you do, ya know, being the Princess of friendship,” I asked, it seemed to be a rather obscure thing to rule over, Celestia had the sun, Luna had the moon and she ruled a mutual feeling? It didn't add up.

“I ask myself that question every day, I think its something to do with spreading friendship and happiness over Equestria, but I'm not so sure,” she admitted, it sounded like her ascension to royalty wasn't exactly thought out well. “What about you? Do you rule over anything?”

“Me? I rule over nothing, I ain't no prince,” I replied, I many have wings and the horn, but I needed Celestia's approval first.

“But aren't you the Prince of the Everfree Forest? That's what the legends call you,” Twilight pointed out, so I ruled over my prison, great.

“No, its just my place of banishment, besides, I don't think Celestia would approve,” I explained, she seemed surprised by the word 'banishment', I think she might have realised that she was breaking the rules.

“Banishment? So you're not allowed to leave, how long have you been here?” she asked, I didn't even though the answer myself.

“Dunno, Celestia didn't banish me with a calendar,” I admitted, “Must be around, 2000 years, roughly,” I ran a hoof through my maple mane, that's a long, long time, isn't it?

Twilight looked shocked by the number, “Really?! That's a long banishment, even for Celestia,” she exclaimed, honestly, I'd lost track of the days, I used to mark the weeks on the wall of my cave, but I ran out of space.

“Its not so bad, I had plenty of time to practice magic and flying, I've read all the books in the library and explored the deepest caves, just like the princess told me to,” I said, my voice had turned desperate and by the end of the sentence, it sounded like I was in denial. “Sometimes, it feels like she has forgotten about me,” I admitted, head turning down to the floor.

She raised my head up with a delicate hoof, her fur tickling against my own. “Hey, don't be sad, if you want I could sent Celestia a letter asking her about you, maybe we could cut a few centuries off of your banishment,” Twilight offered. She had the princess's kindness, she even had Celestia's kind gaze and gentle smile.

“Really, you'd do that for me?” I asked in disbelief, maybe this is what the princess meant by a 'true alicorn', the ability to repair a broken pony and to bring light to their darkened minds.

“Sure, I could sent the letter now if you want, I'm sure she would have forgiven you by now,” she reassured, “Wait here, I'll be right back,” and then she teleported away, the breeze of magical energy blowing against me. I took a seat on the cracked floor and let out a sigh, I was alone again. She was a busy princess and would probably get distracted by her duties or friends.

Minutes turned into hours as I waited for her return, she had forgotten me, hadn’t she?  Maybe something worse had happened, maybe she went to Celestia asking about me and was punished for breaking the rules of my banishment, and I was powerless to help her. I stood up, ears attentively listening for any spells or hoofsteps. Just when I had almost given up, the sound of a teleporting spell echoed down the hall, she hadn't forgotten about me.

Twilight turned the corner and entered the room, relieved to see me still waiting. By her side was a very annoyed baby dragon with his arms crossed, but when he saw me his expression softened into one of shock. “I'm so sorry I made you wait so long, I had to go find Spike and he was out searching for gem with Rarity, and once I finally found him he didn't believe you were real,” she apologised, giving the dragon a scowl.

“Ok ok, you were right, I was wrong,” The dragon murmured, a smug smile grew on her lips. “He might not even be the Everfree Prince, he might just be some random alicorn or worse, a changeling!” he pointed a scaly finger at me, he accusation was fair but a bit irrational, if there were any changelings in the forest, they wouldn't last long.

I chuckled, “Don't worry, I'm no changeling and if I'm not the Everfree Prince then I don't know who is,” I informed, hoping my word was enough.

“See, he's a friend Spike,” she said, pointing a hoof at the dragon. A friend? I guess that what the princess of friendship says to everyone she meets, but it still made me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

“Yeah yeah, come on, lets get this letter sent already,” Spike nagged, we didn't have any paper or quills with us, so we went back to the castle's library. Together we were able to write a well mannered and sincere letter that was addressed to Celestia herself. When the ink had dried Spike rolled up the paper, secured it with some string and burned it in his breath.

“Woah, what you do that for?” I asked, for all I knew he just burnt our letter, Spike looked to Twilight.

“Don't worry, Spike's breath can transport scrolls to Celestia, we should get a reply soon,” Twilight reassured. Before I could ask a question, Spike burped out a scroll, “Wow, that was quick,” she muttered, the scroll looked rushed and untidy, like she was in a hurry. Opening the scroll it looked like Celestia spilt a vial of ink over the paper and the ink was smudged from not properly drying before being sent. 'Get away from him Twilight' was written in shaky, scribbled handwriting.

“She doesn't seam that happy to hear about me,” I joked, Twilight looked inquisitively at the letter whist Spike looked rather shaken by Celestia's command.

  Twilight picked up a new piece of paper and the quill again, in much nicer handwriting she simply wrote 'why?' onto the paper. She pasted it to Spike and he sent it off. We waited in silence for Celestia's reply.

Spike burped out a second scroll, this one looked a lot better than the last one. Before I could read it, Twilight snatched it from me and read it without me seeing. With a perfect poker face she got her new piece of paper and sent off her reply. After another long silence she got a third letter from Celestia. After reading it, she turned back to me, a smile on her face.

She levitated a book from a small shelf and put it towards me, “Put this back on the shelf please, without leaving the chair,” she requested. I wasn't stupid, I knew what this was, a trial for my magical control and capability. I decided to show off, using my magic I tore the bookshelf from the wall, hovered it inches off the ground and moved it over to the table, all the while balancing the books and stopped them from falling. Once the bookshelf was next to me, I picked up the book with my hooves and put it back on the shelf, a cocky grin on my face the whole time. I put the bookshelf back against the wall and casted a spell to repair any damage I may have caused.

I turned back to Twilight and Spike, both had their mouths agape. “Incredible!” Twilight gasped, Spike started giggling to himself.

“Hey Twilight, you might have some competition for your element here,” he smirked, she shot him an annoyed glance and he stopped talking.

Twilight began looking through the pieces of paper she got from Celestia, “How did you do that? Celestia said she limited your magical ability,” she exclaimed, she did indeed strip me of magical ability, yet I had 2000 years to practice what little magic I had.

“She limited my magical ability, that was just an echo of my former ability, and I enjoy levitation spells, their fun,” I responded, constant use of levitation spells left me an adapt at levitating objects with ease.

“An echo? I can see why Celestia limited your magic, that's far too much magical energy for one pony to have, believe me I'd know,” she said, perhaps she was right, yet I still think I should have it all back.

“I wouldn't have been given that much power if I couldn't handle it,” I argued, that magic was rightfully mine and I had waited 2000 years for it, I was not given it just to have it stolen by a paranoid princess and her little sister.

“That may be true, but Celestia knows best, I'm sure she has a plan for you,” Twilight reassured, that didn't fill me with confidence, my magic wasn't something I wanted Celestia to be able to turn off and on like a light switch. If she tried she'd learn that this bulb has a bite.

Twilight began writing another message to Celestia, probability detailing my magic and behavior, I'd made sure to be on my best behavior for Twilight. She may have been Celestia lackey but I'd seen her fight Nightmare Moon and Tirek, being on her bad side wasn't on my list of things to do.

She sent off a letter again, Spike seemed to be burnt out (Pun not intended) by being the princesses mail-man. Soon enough, Spike coughed up a final letter and passed it to Twilight. She seemed pleased with Celestia's response.

“Good news, Celestia wants to meet with you, she thinks you're ready, she'll be picking us up tomorrow,” Twilight beamed, an equal mix of bliss and dread flooded my mind. I would finally be able to leave the forest, yet was I ready to meet Celestia gaze after all of these years?

“Really? Tomorrow...” I muttered, it was a lot to take in, 2000 years had pasted. I wondered what had changed, I guess I'd find out soon enough.

“Yep, she just wants to talk, she will be taking us to the castle and showing you a few important things,” she confirmed, I was going far, far away from the forest. I guess it's not so bad, Twilight was joining me by the sounds of it.

“I guess I should go prepare, its going to be a long day tomorrow,” I said, my absences wouldn't go unnoticed, the animals of the Everfree had come to depend on me for guidance and direction. The Everfree forest was the only world I knew, I had spend so many lifetimes here, I couldn't let it go, even if was my prison.

“We should get going to,” Twilight nudged Spike, who seemed to have zoned out at some point. They both jumped from their chairs, tucking them back under the table.

“I can walk you out of the forest, if you want,” I offered, even though I'd be out of the forest tomorrow and talking to many ponies, I didn't want to face the silence again today. She smiled.

“That would be nice,” She let Spike climb onto her back and we began walking out of the castle, she attempted to go one way, but I insisted we go another way. Over the horizon, a orange sunset doused the sky with colour.

I knew all of the ways around the forest, the quickest and slowest, the ugliest and the prettiest. I lied to her when I said that there was a quicker way, if fact it was slower than the original path she wanted to take, however, I was in no rush for her to leave me and by that smile she wore, I knew she wanted me to take her the longer way to. We walked past the flower patches, were wild flowers of all kinds grew, cute butterflies flew through the air around us and birds sung their songs, leaves of pastel green fell to the ground or blew through the air. The whole time she talked, her mouth moving and painting pictures of heroic victories against monsters or just simple things like what she ate this morning. It didn't matter what she talked about, so long as she was talking and wearing that beautiful smile that outmatched all of the scenery around us. Spike had fallen asleep quickly, his quiet snores making background noise and filling any awkward silences we had.

Even I couldn't stop the inevitable and we reached the end of the forest, I tried walking outside but before I could break out of the trees, my curse began to burn at me and my head began to ache. Only a few more steps, I could see the clear ground, untainted by the Everfree Forest's dark magic. A town full of ponies just like Twilight waited, calling to me, just a few more steps. I couldn't, the pain was too much and I ran back into the safety of the forest. Twilight realized my discomfort and walked back towards me, she had her freedom, yet she still walked back inside my prison.

“I'm sorry, I can't go any further,” I admitted, the feeling of my skin igniting from the inside as my soul gets turned into a sun. The feeling of boiling blood running through my veins, poisoning everything in there path, muscles locking and sanity draining. The curse designed to protect the world from me, it did more than stop me from escaping, it boxed me in, like shackles that were on too tightly.

“Its not your fault, but look on the bright side, at least it will all be over tomorrow,” she said, she was right, all over tomorrow.

“Yes, I'll be able to leave tomorrow, I guess I'll be meeting you here,” I assumed, nodding her head, on her back, the dragon stirred from its nap.

“Yep, bright an' early, I'll meet you here before Celestia comes, if you don't mind,” she blinked her violet eyes at me, so full of life and hope and curiosity, eyes only a pony with lots to live for could have.

“Well I'm not going anywhere, I'll see you tomorrow, miss Twilight Sparkle,” I raised my hoof into a wave and something happened that hadn't happened in so long. A smile grew as my stoic lips curled.

“Please, just call me Twilight,” she insisted, the dragon hopped off her back and began to survey his surroundings.

“Very well Twilight, I'll look forward to meeting you tomorrow,” I turned to walk away, but she grabbed onto me and brought my attention back to her.

She back away shyly as soon as she realized what she'd done. “Before you go, can I know your name?” she asked, my name, something I hadn't had a use for in so long, I even had trouble thinking of it.

“Autumn Leaves, just call me Autumn,” I looked into her eyes, seeing my reflection in her wide eyes. That name brought pain, it tugged at my heartstrings, and I didn't know why, all I remember was a mare's voice, calling that name.

She lend in close, I could feel her breaths against my face. At first, I was sure she was about to do something we'd both regret, but she turned away with cheeks like roses. After an elongated pause accompanied with the muffled giggles from Spike, she was able to stutter out a sentence, “See you tomorrow Autumn,” and without another word she walked out of my reach, dragging along the purple dragon as she went.

Moonlight broke overhead as the sun hid away for another night. All around me, fireflies buzzed around my head, I tried touching their enigmatic light but they evaded my hooves with ease. They started gliding away from me and I chased them down, determined to feel the pretty lights. Something had changed inside of me, it all seemed so simple now, thousands of years past yet I had never chase fireflies before. Somehow, in the tsunami of guilt and regret, I'd forgotten the simple joys of life. Twilight had reminded me of the importance of the unimportant, that no matter what you were or how bad things looked, you could always chase some fireflies.

I followed them all over the forest, by the end I wondered if I was even following the same ones as before. I stopped when we went near the cave, I let them go back to their lives and waved my hoof to say goodbye. I skipped up to the cave, not a care in the world, a brand new day for Equestria and me waited tomorrow, and I couldn't wait. My fears had all washed away, how could I be scared when I had such a brave mare at my side and happy thoughts running a marathon in my head. I dived onto the hammock I called a bed and snuggled up to my torn blanket, it was cold in the cave but the warming thoughts were enough to keep me satisfied. By the floor, I heard a soft clucking for attention. I picked up Coco and let him lay on my chest, stroking his feathery head with delicate care. “You'd never guessed what happened today, I met a mare and I get to leave the forest for the first time in 2000 years tomorrow,” he clucked in disbelief, “I know, I'm so excited, as soon as my banishment is over, we'll be one step closer to fulfilling our destinies,” the second smile of the day fell onto my lips.

After a few more minutes of petting, I put Coco back down and he wandered to his nest, he was tired and so was I. Tomorrow, a new chapter of my life was about to begin, one where I'm not confined to the forest and can be among fellow ponies, just like I should be. Tomorrow could be the best or the worst day of my life, it was all in my hooves and all up to me to decide. My fate was final my own, and I loved it.