“Night!” I heard him say. “You need to get up!” He sounded scared. But, what could…
“Timberwolves!” He shouted.
My eyes shot open and I came face-to-face with three huge wooden wolves. And they were staring hungrily at me.
Checking my magic reserves, I found that it was greatly depleated from using a barier spell. But why… Then I finaly noticed the three-foot-radius crater I was in. Ah. That would require a large amount of magic to keep me safe.
“Night. Focus on the Timberwolves.” Nebula reminded, no doubt hearing my mind sray elswhere.
Right. I mentaly replied, returning my attention to the wooden wolves.
Their bodies seemed to be made out of different parts of trees. Their heads were trunk subs with two log halves and wooden thorns for the mouths, which dripped green sap for saliva. Their bodies were made out of the rest of he tree trunks, the limbs, branches, and thorns made their legs, paws and claws. Four branches and two leaves made the two green glowing eyes and eyebrows.
Nebula. I need your power. I told him.
I felt my Night-Terror half smile. “I’ll fuse with you again.” He answered.
I felt myself change, as I did everytime we shared a body. My whole body grew in size by three times, same as my horn. My light grey coat became a darker charcoal color, and my mane and tail became a flowing mess, going from jet black to an inky black color, much darker than its original hue. My eyes glowed a darker purple than normal, and my teeth became a full set of razor sharp fangs. A glance at my flank showed that my lunar eclipse cutie mark - stating that I was good at controlling shadows - had become a red moon.
“Ah. Much better.” I commented, my voice slightly deeper, with a demonic edge to it. A duality I had grown accostomed to.
The Timberwolves backed up a couple steps, watching wearily, as Nebula gave me all his info on Timberwolves. A perk for us when we were like this. Our memories, knoweledge, skills, and abilities were shared automatically between us. The only downside is, if I want to learn a spell he knows outside of this form, he would have to teach me in my normal form.
The Timberwolves, aparently getting impatient, all lunged at me as one. They didn’t even clear the first foot before my magical blast reduced them to a few thousand splinters, scattered half-hazardly around the crater.
Nebula seperated us shortly after, giving me some of his magic energy as he did so, telling me it was so I could get to safety.
“We share a body, even when you’re not fused wih my spirit.” He reminded. “If you die, I can heal you like usual, because we’ll both be dead. Same if I’m somehow purged from your body. We depend on each other.”
I know. I’ll be carefull. I promised.
As I climbed out of the crater, I saw the tell-tale light of dawn on the horizon. “I thought mother was going to make Eternal Night a reality.” I spoke to myself.
“The Elements of Harmony purified her heart, as well as ours the same day we landed.” Nebula told me.
So when did we land? I asked curiously, making my way up stream, remembering that there was a village in theat direction when I crashed. The forest around us seemed more wild than the village’s greenery. To me, the dark, cold sensation of the forest felt comforting. But that was probably due to having lived on the moon for twenty years since birth.
“About nine months.” He answered. “I kept you in a pseudo stasis while our magic energy replenished and your body healed. Mortal wounds take time to heal.Then there was waking you from your coma. And now here we are.”
I had stopped in my tracks by that point. WHAT?! I mentaly roared. I WAS IN PSEUDO STASIS FOR NINE MONTHS?!
“It was the best way to keep you alive until you recovered.” He told me, reminding me, again - because I easily forgot this while on the moon - that I was still mortal.
Good point I finaly replied, after I gave myself enough time to calm myself down, before continuing my path up stream.
*****
“That is Ponyille.” Nebula revealed. “The home of the spirits, or bearers, of the Elements of Harmony.” We were on a hill, looking down at a small village dotted with ponies - mostly mares - as they went about their daily buiseness.
Mostly mares in the town. Just my luck. I was awkwardly social already, but I found myself practically shy around mares my age.
“No, you’re very shy around mares.” Nebula corected a moment later.
Shut up. I mentaly groaned, which only earned an amused laugh in return. I couldn’t help smirking as I made my way down the hill, toward the village. But as soon as I officially entered Ponyville, all conversations around me stopped, and every head turned to look at me.
I felt my cheeks heat up as I lowered my head, avoiding all eye contact. Then I heard them whispering to each other, and my already lowered lears, flattened back in sadness, fear, and shame.
I felt my head bump into something, and when I looked up, I found that something was actually a light orange mare with three white freckles on each cheek, honey blonde mane and tail, both ends tied up in a red band of some sort, and wore a light tan colored stetson atop her head.
“Howdy there, partner,” She greeted cheerfuly. ”Ah reckon y’all are new in town.”
“She represents the Element of Honesty. She can detect lies, quicker and more accurate than any magic.” Nebula relayed as I replied to the mare.
“Uh, yes, I just arrived today.” I spoke, feeling extremely awkward.
“Well, welcome ta Ponyville. Mah name’s Applejack.” The mare, who I now knew as Applejack, Ellement of Honesty, replied.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Applejack. My name is Night Shadow.” I introduced. “Although, I’m afraid I don’t know much about Equestria or it’s history. I grew up outside of Equestria’s borders all of my life.” A completely honest statement without revealing the whole truth.
“Well, ya don’t have ta worry ‘bout that any more.” Applejack soothed. “Ah’ll take ya over ta Twilight’s library. Ya might have ta wait a while, though.” She warned. “She’s been studyin’ papers she’s made ‘bout when Discord, Spirit of Chaos, broke free and tried ta take over all o’ Equestria a few weeks ago.”
“Is that why everypony became nervous when they saw me?” I asked, my ears lowered yet again. Some of the ponies had gone back to what they were doing before I arrived, but a few sill watched me apprehensively.
“Yeah. Don’t mind them, though. Weird things always hapen in this town.” Applejack said. I think a part of what little pride I had died when she indirectly classified me as a ‘Weird Thing’.
“A half Night-Terror pony is pretty weird.” Nebula commented. That I had to agree on, and I felt my ego plummet further. Damn.
“Any way,” Applejack continued. “Ah should show ya ta Twi’s Library before Ah head back ta the farm.” Oh, so she was a farm mare. That I could definately apreciate.
“Ah, right. Thank you, Miss Applejack.” I replied, following closely behind her as she led me towards the Library. I thought I saw a flash of pink as we passed a shope that looked like a giant gingerbread house, but, when I looked again, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the directon Applejack was leading me, and wondered just what I had gotten myself into. I felt Nebula about to remark and and mentaly told him not to even start.
