The 2nd Human

Hunter rested on his back and stared up at the shadowed joining of the four trees barely a yard from his face. His eyes smiled at his mind as the two wandered, even if they took separate paths.

What am I gonna do now? Ain’t got a plan. Need a plan. Down south? Check the map. Maybe Sage’s got an idea? Better weather, less ponies… way less. Gonna need a book. Twili- No. No, no, no! Not going back. Bad idea. Might get stuck in jail. Worse, prob'ly. Places that got books? Big cities, libraries, book stores… more ponies. Check the map. Talk with Sage. Make a plan. Together. Right!

He sat up, reached for his backpack, and rummaged around until he came across a folded square of paper, two inches on a side. The creases had worn away at the ink in their grid-like pattern, evidenced by half-eaten or even missing letters, as his dark blue eyes beheld the simple calligraphy of mountains, forests, deserts, jungles and swamps, even while his fingers passed over them all in a slow, whispered touch.

A sigh escaped through his nose, before he turned his attention to the diamond dog who napped within arm’s reach, as her ears twitched at the sounds their sharp hearing uncovered. Her shoulder was gently shaken, which caused her eyes to snap open. Her viewpoint changed as she sat up, and looked to Hunter as he held a weathered map in his hands.

“Got a minute? Need help.”

She tilted her head to the side, one ear up as the other went sideways. “Figuring out what to do next?”

He nodded.

“What're you thinking?”

Hunter frowned down at the map as he brought carefully to the ground between them. “Thought ‘bout going south. Ain’t got much on it, though. Like to get a book on it. Maybe decide then?”

Sage’s right paw cupped her chin as the left pointed a claw to the map, stopping at different cities without touching it. “We'd have better luck at a library, bookstore, or a local who knows the area. Bigger cities would give better chances, but we could get… spotted. With the ponies after you, and me being a diamond dog, we're sure to get noticed for bandits, or something.”

Hunter snorted as he covered his grin with a hand. Sage watched him with a raised eyebrow.

“Sorry. Ya ain’t much of a criminal, Sage. Too fluffy.”

She narrowed her eyes as her hackles raised, a huff escaping her. “Much as I hate to admit it, I'm an awesome thief. Besides-” she grinned, mischief twinkling in her eyes just a smidge “-since I don't look it, they don't expect it.”

Hunter rolled his eyes away from her, then rolled them back. “Loud and clear. Where ya think we should go?”

Sage shrugged. “No idea. I don't know much about pony-cities, and most diamond dogs hate books. Why south, though?”

Hunter rubbed his nose with his thumb before he answered, “No winter, and ain’t as many ponies. Win-win.”

The diamond dog bobbed her head in agreement. “Good points. I think we got some time before we should decide. Any idea where we're going, for now?”

The young man pointed towards a small depiction of ruins on the map, as excitement made him smirk.

“Yep.”

***

Sage walked casually beside Hunter as they made their way through the forest, while the shadows around them grew deeper, darker, and colder. The odd pair made almost no sound as they trekked on, intent on reaching the ruins before the night claimed them itself.

Hunter looked at what little sunlight he could, as it grew faint with twilight encroaching. “Got maybe light for an hour. Two to the castle, three at night. Ain’t good. Guess we’ll-”

Sage looked over to Hunter, who had stopped in his tracks, frozen in mid-step. Her head tilted to the side as she raised an eyebrow in question. He brought a finger to his lips, signaling for silence, pointed it at her, and then cupped his hand around his ear. She nodded in response, and closed her eyes to more intently focus her hearing. At first, her brow drew together in confusion, but then in concentration as she listened more intently, just to be sure. She was right. There was nothing to be heard in the woods around them.

Sage opened her eyes to look at Hunter, and her mouth to question him, when her pupils shrank to near non-existent levels. She had heard nothing. Not the sound of animals sleeping, not the sound of crickets chirping, not even the wind blowing. Were it not for her and Hunter’s breathing, she would have sworn she had gone completely deaf.

Hunter noticed her confirmation of his fears, and nodded as his lips set into a firm line. He took a cautious step forward, the light crunch of grass sounding like a falling tree in the dead silence. After twenty-three snail-paced steps, he let out a breath slowly, and watched the steamy mist float away. He rolled his shoulders, easing out the stiffness, as he began to walk at a brisker pace.

Twelve steps more and he fell through the ground.

Sage’s eyes were a hairsbreadth away from dangling out of their sockets and into her open muzzle as she watched Hunter struggle, his body having passed through the ground as if it were an illusion. His arms scrabbled for a grip on the loose soil, even as his feet did the same, but both met with similar results: he continued to slip into the unseen hole.

As she saw Hunter desperately reaching for something to hold onto, Sage leapt over to him, and grabbed one of his arms. Tried though she did, she too began to slide with Hunter into the unknown. With one paw on his arm, the other shot out behind her, and dug into the soil, as she tried to anchor herself, to no avail. Her claws scored shallow furrows into the dirt, before Hunter’s weight pulled her in. She remembered seeing leafy canopy of the forest, heard Hunter scream out her name, and then…

***

The wall was uninteresting. Just bland, beige, and unadorned. And yet, for some strange reason, a pair of eyes stared at it, almost as if they could see more deeply into it, into the small cracks and sections where the paint had dripped before it dried, and these were, somehow, the gateway to paradise.

But such was not the case. The eyes only stared because the body had not moved, and only blinked rarely. What they saw was the same scene that had repeated, over and over again, for the past three months: an empty room, an unmade bed, and a missing backpack. The eyes stared, ignoring the cries of the stomach, the ache of the joints, and the constriction of flesh across the ribs. They cared not for the incredible effort it took for breath to be drawn into the lungs. They only cared for an answer, and continued to stare until it was found.

The pair of ears heard the sound of wings as they flapped up the stairs, before a knock came at the doorframe. Since the staring had begun, the door had remained open. A familiar, raspy voice broke the silence like a cannonball fired through a glass house, even though it only whispered.

“Hey, Pinkie. We found him.”

One of the ears twitched, ever so subtly. The eyes blinked slowly; the head turned away from the wall, loud pops echoing into the room for each joint screaming in pure ecstasy. The sight of a rainbow mane and magenta eyes caused the mouth-corners to tremble upwards, moving like molasses in slow-motion, and the jaw creaked with the motions of creating the grin. A single word escaped the lips, sounding like a whispering snake, vocalizing a single word:

“Whhherrre?”

Rainbow Dash smiled as her eyebrows drew down to form a ‘v.’ “Gilda found him in a cave in the Everfree Forest. Twilight wanted me to tell the gang, so I thought I’d tell you first. Well, gotta tell everypony else. Later!”

Pinkie’s grin widened by inches, even as her pupils shrank, after Rainbow Dash flew back down the stairs. Her straight mane began to fill up, though not to its previous volume, and instead became wavy. She rose from her haunches, moving slowly as she stretched unused muscles. One of her back legs stretched out behind her, then the other, and she repeated the process with her front legs before she rolled her neck around. Pinkie’s eyes were shut tight, her teeth bared in discomfort, as she loosened up.

Slowly, her legs moved forward, their memories of walking slowly returned with each clip and clop of hooves. As Pinkie took the stairs a step at a time, her legs steadily increased in their speed and surety, though they trembled as she reached the bottom. Her breath came in short, labored gasps as the sweat trickled across her shaky frame. Pinkie wiped the sweat from her head, and made her way to the kitchen.

The bread, accompanied by the tomatoes, lettuce, and daisies, were helpless against the onslaught of chomping, chewing, and gnashing of molars. Their silent cries were drowned out by the satisfied sigh of a being they had named, ‘The Pink Menace.’ Pinkie Pie, oblivious to the massacre that had taken place, gathered a new group to join their brothers in her gullet, with the addition of a poor, innocent apple.

Again, and again, and again, the ingredients were brought together, but would not share the fate of their predecessors. At least, not yet. No, their fate was to be worse, to be contained in some form of clear, flexible barrier, and made to wait in silent dread for the unknown hour of their imminent demise, bunched together in a wicker prison.

The refrigerator was raided for five gallon-sized jugs of apple cider, and a small note was taped to its front to explain their absence as well as the disappearance of two dozen strawberry cupcakes, a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and a lemon meringue pie, in addition to four dozen chocolate chip cookies.

All were nestled securely into Pinkie’s little cart, which she hitched onto herself. She made slow but steady progress through Ponyville, smiles and waves were doled out as she passed or was passed by the residents, and even a few faces who had come in just for a getaway weekend from Canterlot.

Many tried to stop her to talk, but she gave them each a small smile, whispering, “Sorry, can’t stop, on a mission, talk later.”

The sun shone bright, the air coolly whispered by. Hoofsteps coupled with the rolling cart as it creaked along struck a harmony to the song of her harsh breathing. But onward Pinkie went, her destination known only to herself. Past Sweet Apple Acres, past Fluttershy’s cottage, and past Zecora’s hut, deeper into the Everfree Forest. Not a sound she could hear nearby. Not the frantic leap of prey as it fled, not the subtle step of a predator on the hunt, not even the lazy hum or buzz of insects. The silence only made her grin grow longer, wider, taller, and deeper; and though her body shook, though her muscles screamed in protest, though her smile twitched from the effort of keeping the head-splitting grin, she only paused to heave breath after steaming breath once she could see her goal:

The Castle of the Two Sisters.

He’ll be here… soon… and then…

“… eh-he… eh-he-he… eh-he-he-he-he. Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

As her mad cackling echoed off into the heart of silence, Pinkie crossed the worn, rickety wooden planks of the rope-bridge, while thrumming a tune softly under her breath,

“I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless, but not for long,
The future, is coming on
I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless, but not for long,
The future, is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
Yeah, Ha-ha!”

***

Page.

Not here…

Page.

Not here either…

Page.

Interesting… but not what I was looking for

Page.

Ah-ha! There you are. “Moonblossom: a rare flower that only blooms under the light of the full moon, the petals are usually pressed for their liquid, which can be distilled and used as a powerful anesthetic before surgery. It can also be ground into a fine powder to be used as an inhalant sleeping aid to induce a dreamless sleep. In this form, it is commonly referred to as lullaby dust. Moonblossoms are most commonly found in forested areas, such as the Everyfree Forest and Whitetail Woods.”

This must be how Hunter’s been able to avoid Luna for so long. But, how did he find out about this flower?! It’s taken me weeks to find this out!

A pair of purple eyes looked up from the book as a magic aura closed it shut, and they glanced the title once more.

Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-Alls that are Simply Super.

“More tea, Twilight? Your eyes look a fright.”

The head housing the bloodshot eyes looked up from the book at a concerned, striped face framing turquoise eyes, a quirked eyebrow, and the mouth turned down at the corners. Twilight’s smile was small, but gratitude shone through like a lighthouse in the dark at the tray, as well as the steaming teapot and cups upon it, balancing on her friend’s hoof.

“Thanks… Zecora. Haven’t… slept well,” she spoke in a scratchy voice.

The zebra's smile reached her eyes as she poured the tea, before offering it to the alicorn. “What friend would I be, to not offer tea?”

Twilight’s aura encompassed her horn and the cup of tea as she giggled, which descended into a small coughing fit. The tea slid warmly, welcome, soothing down her throat after the sudden irritation. The cooling aftertaste of peppermint, coupled with the honey in the dark liquid, brought enough comfort for Twilight to let out a small sigh as she closed her eyes with a large smile.

“Much better. Thank you, Zecora,” she whispered, not wishing to strain her throat more.

Zecora closed her eyes and smiled, but opened them with a small frown, “I’m happy to help, in any way I can. But tell me, for Hunter, what is it you plan?”

Twilight stared into her tea through droopy, half-closed eyes, and yawned before she answered. “Well… to be honest, I’d just like to know why he left. I mean, I know things were tense after his… arrival, but it seemed as if he was settling in just fine.”

She paused to sip at her tea before continuing, though her gaze went back to the cup as her hoof tapped at her chin. "What was he thinking?”

Zecora closed her eyes, sighed, and slowly shook her head back and forth before looking at Twilight once more. “Not a unicorn, pegasus, or pony is he. Compared to that, I believe, he sees things much differently. Understanding, you say, is what you desire. But in your eyes I see a separate fire.”

Twilight’s head shot up, her puffy eyes large as dinner plates as she looked from side to side. “I, uh, what do you mean?”

The zebra gave a smirk as full of confidence as Rarity was full of drama. “Your Element is not honesty. Your eyes and lips speak two things, you see.”

A sigh escaped Twilight’s lips as her head bowed low, but her gaze gained resolve as she looked into Zecora’s eyes. “Okay, I’ll tell you. The truth is-” her eyes were drawn towards the window “-is that Pinkie Pie?”

Zecora turned around, looked out her window, and saw the pink mare pulling a cart. “Pinkie Pie I believe it to be. Though why does she travel through Everfree?”

Twilight coughed, and finished her tea in one large gulp before she answered, “I don’t know. But I’m going to ask her and find out.”

Zecora watched as Twilight cantered out of her home, sighed, and put a hoof to her jaw as she frowned at the floor, “There’s more to this than meets my eye. What reason caused Twilight to lie?”

***

Twilight moved at a brisk trot, intent on catching up to Pinkie Pie, but slowed upon noticing that Pinkie’s hair was not its regular level of poofiness. In fact, it was only slightly wavier than when she’d been kept in the dark for her own surprise birthday party. And, for some strange reason, she was hauling a small food cart. She followed at a distance, but always kept Pinkie in sight.

As they reached the bridge spanning the chasm before the ruined Castle of the Two Sisters, Twilight’s hoof came up to capture the gasp that escaped her, though Pinkie seemed not to notice, preoccupied with her song as she was.

Why did Pinkie come here!? This isn’t the best place for a picnic… but, then again, Pinkie never does anything without a reason.

Through the crumbling skeleton of a castle Twilight followed Pinkie, past the decaying tapestries, broken doors, and piles of rubble strewn about from collapsed ceiling sections. Up a flight of stairs, Pinkie hauled her cart, wheezing from the effort it took to pull the wheels over each step. Finally, she cleared the last step, and fell to the floor in a sweaty, trembling, gasping heap.

Pinkie lay on the cool stones, her breath steamed in the gentle breeze, and her eyes looked around at the roofless tower; a broken, low wall surrounded her on all sides, barely a stone’s throw away from the stairs. She grinned through the pain in her teeth from the cold air, even as she panted.

She giggled as she dragged herself across the floor. She giggled while she unhooked the harness. She giggled as she leaned her back against the wall, and tilted her head back to rest on its top. Her hoof reached out and opened the cart, retrieving a sandwich. The hoof returned to the cart, and fished out a gallon of cider. Pinkie’s giggling never stopped as she devoured the delectable morsel, and sent it to her gullet on a river of liquid apples. As it all hit her stomach, Pinkie patted her belly with a loud sigh, and closed her eyes, still giggling.

Soon…

Twilight slowly came up the stairs, her ears pointed in the direction of a curious mixture of sound: giggling and snoring. Her head came up above the edge of the tower’s floor, and she found Pinkie to be the source of noise, napping against the wall to Twilight’s right. The alicorn sighed and shook her head with closed eyes, before opening them again and staring at Pinkie’s unconscious form.

As much as it might hurt my brain to think about it… what’s going on in that head of yours, Pinkie? Why did you come out here?

A few hoofsteps and Twilight stood next to Pinkie’s cart, taking stock of the various foodstuffs and deserts contained within. Oddly enough, there was also a sleeping bag that served as a cushion beneath everything. Twilight’s aura gently took hold of the food and levitated them around her in systematic order, before she took the sleeping bag in her own hooves. Her eyes remained focused on the bag while she unzipped it as the food was organized back into its previous arrangement.

A yawn escaped a pair of lavender lips, followed by them smacking a few times, and a trio of sluggishly slow blinks. The sleeping bag was an adequate makeshift blanket as Twilight settled next to Pinkie Pie, and nestled her back against the earth pony’s leg, as the unzipped bag floated to cover both of their forms. Her eyes took in the fading light that cast a shadow on the stairway’s entrance, before the darkness behind her eyelids claimed Twilight’s vision.

I didn’t realize just how tired I am. Then again, the past few weeks have been kind of crazy. Is it the fourth? Or… the…

Pinkie’s eyes opened halfway and beheld Twilight, asleep at her side, with the alicorn’s horn pointed towards the stairs. A small smile inched itself to the unseen halfway mark on Pinkie’s face, as her rear hoof softly stroked the sleeping princess’ mane. Twilight let out a murmuring sound of content as a smile formed on her face. Pinkie let out a silent giggle.

“Thanks, Twilight,” she whispered.

***

Pain.

Burning, stinging, stabbing, incessantly throbbing pain.

Everywhere.

Everything hurt everywhere.

Ugghhh… why’d a dragon tap dance on me? Got nothing against dragons, but I ain’t a dancefloor. Don’t wanna move. Gotta try, though. Right big toe… okay. Right foot… okay. Left big-

“Hnnggrrgg! Ah! Ah! Sss! Ishkabibblin, marzipanzus grazzerfriggim! Left foot bad! Left foot bad!”

The growls echoed softly in the cavernous space, bouncing off the rough-hewn walls like whispers. A pair of clenched eyes rode out the waves of thought-blocking pain, before being able to relax. Like a sloth reaching out for a leaf, they slowly trembled their way towards vision. What they saw was most unpromising: a large cave, its limits unknowable outside of the faint moonlight that shone through the open shaft overhead. With no inclination to move, the eyes picked out what they could amidst the gloomy shadows.

Rocks. Rocks. Stalagmite. Big rock. Backpack. Rock. Wait…

Perhaps twenty feet away lay the scattered remains of Hunter’s gear, shattered, splintered, and sundered. There were perhaps two arrows that were salvageable, but they might as well have been knitting needles for the fractured state the bow was in. The vials had released their contents to intermingle, creating a cocktail of sludge that oozed out of the shredded remnants of the backpack’s bottom. Two halves of a spear had been separated by a small cluster of stalagmites.

Despite the grip of his teeth, Hunter’s lip quivered. Despite how tightly he closed his eyes, hot tears leaked out. Everything he had made… everything he had carefully stockpiled… the bow he had gotten for his last birthday… gone.

And on top of that, the throbbing in his head had started to make his ears buzz.

Hunter’s eyes snapped open to stare blearily into the darkness as a frown crossed his brow, before they rocketed into his hair at the epiphany.

The buzzing ain’t in my head…