Chapter One
Rainbow Dash made her way through the jumping crowd, almost losing herself to the music as the countless others have. The room she was in was larger, enough to fit maybe a hundred and a half ponies. A platform against the far wall and a deep blue curtain along the back side of the platform. The stereos set up were gigantic and if Rainbow had her say, totally awesome. The bass booming, the lights and magic whizzing above her head, she knew this was the place to be. She bobbed her head to the music enjoying the sick beats PON-3 was putting out. She found a spot she enjoyed close to the platform the DJ was on, the bass making her rainbow hair move from sound. Eventually the piece had come to its end. I was just starting to enjoy that, she thought sadly.
"Hey everypony! Get ready for the next piece! But first, let me introduce you to the two who are going to help me complete it!" The DJ's voice boomed form the speakers. Rainbow's interest was piqued, after all, who could be good enough to work along side PON-3, let alone in a live performance? "Give some wild applause for Missing Link and his partner, Slash!" The two entered from the blue curtain, a male unicorn with a shorter rusty colored mane, and a griffin respectively. The song started off with what Rainbow could only be reminded of the few raindrops that plop to the ground before a storm hits. The two continued to the middle of the stage, the griffin with a microphone in his right claw and the unicorn with his in his magic. "This song is dedicated to the Everfree's resident Lumberjack." Rainbow's blood froze. Of course, she thought, the Everfree's must notorious monster. She heard him a few times flying around the outskirts of Ponyville and occasionally pushing into the Everfree aerospace to stop rogue clouds. Always chopping. Even once she saw a tree a good distance into the Everfree fall, and with it a pause before more chopping. Apparently somepony even saw him chop a tree that would've taken a team of earth ponies a week to take care of - in a few minutes.
The song continued, sounding remarkably like she was in a forest, with the howl of timberwolves. And as the beat dropped, so did Missing Link.
"L-L-L-L-Lost.." The echo was creepy as well
"I heard this story's past,
Now I'm headed down this path,"
The magic in the air, laid against the ceiling. It gave a show of entering the Everfree, birds flitting through the trees. It was so real looking Rainbow thought she got lost for a moment.
"They say that once you enter you ain't ever coming back.
That once you take a step inside, you'll surely wake the Lumberjack,"
As the perspective moved along the trail, it turned a corner to find a huge tree had fallen across the path. The perspective hesitated before moving into the forest to get around the tree. It didn't notice what Rainbow did. And what rainbow noticed gave her chill bumps. Two glowing red eyes, watching the perspective.
"You could run and hide, but it'll do no good, he'll trace your tracks.
You've got no chance, he's onto you and this is not your last,"
This time it showed the perspective running wildly through the forest. Rainbow was starting to feel her heart beat faster (unbeknownst to her she was bobbing her head and stamping her hooves to the beat).
"Lost inside the thicket, Lumberjack he's comin' axe in hand.
Blood is drippin' from the blade, you ain't the only life he'll bend,
Now you stuck in his domain, abruptly comin' to an end."
The scene showed the perspective tripping, and a beast shrouded with shadows, yet the ax it was carrying was very clear. There was blood on it. It was bipedal with two arms, but those were the only features she could make out.
"Now you lost inside the thicket,
You step in his domain and you ain't leavin', now you finished.
Now you lost inside the thicket
Where the Lumberjack lay his ax, the land of the diminished."
This time it was a different scene. It was a meadow in the Everfree, an ax laid against a stump, with the shadowed figure sitting on the stump. Even though the scene showed it was daytime, the figure was still clocked in shadows, almost like ink in water. But the grass? It was dead. Everything was dead. Rainbow had stopped moving to the beat, completely engrossed in the show above her head.
"Now you lost inside the thicket,
Where the sun don't shine and the fog feels thicker."
And now, the meadow was starting to become engulfed in a fog so think the perspective could barely see five hooflengths in front of itself. It was dark, it was night time suddenly.
"You lost inside the thicket,
Where your fears come to life, in the shadow stands a figure."
And in the fog, stood a figure with red eyes glowing. Rainbow Dash, normally brazen and brave, flinched before the apparition. Only one thought in her head. Predator. She adverted her gaze to the platform, which Slash was looking directly at her, a questioning eyebrow raised. Rainbow pulled herself together stood proud. He simply smiled, then raised the mic to his beak, golden eyes right at her, pointing back to the ceiling to the show. She looked despite her better judgement, but she couldn't show weakness now! Not with Slash looking at her!
"This is my domain, I promise you will not escape
And you are not the first, nor the last soul I fate to take."
The scene that welcomed her was what she could only picture war looked like. Trees were shattered, some chopped, ash was falling form the sky with fire encircling the perspective and the beast. And as slash spoke, so did it. In the darkness that was Lumberjack, the mouth was a white line with no defining features besides being white.
"For I am Lumberjack! Where the ash will fall upon my place,
All who went to won't return and so, of course, you seal your fate."
The figure was walking closer to the perspective, the ax moving up into a striking position. The perspective you could see was struggling to get away, but had somehow injured itself because it was on the ground it seemed.
"This ain't a game, your life's involved
Blackened thorns, they feel like walls"
Thorns now, as Link spoke the creature spoke as well. Thorns behind the perspective and making a barrier between itself and the fire... yet open to The Lumberjack.
"Ashes turn the day to night
And when I cut you down you'll crawl.
The air is cold as ice, my shadow's got you feelin' small,
Condemned to death and like another tree your soul will fall."
The Lumberjack took the swing, and Rainbow cringed. The perspective cut short before the final blow to lights as the sounds of the song hit hard. Rainbow looked back to Slash, a smile on his face, giving Rainbow a wink. She gave a shaky smile before quickly fighting the crowd to make it outside, and even then she could faintly hear the beat and rest of the song. The loud applause afterward made her feel guilty about not staying to the end.
She shivered in the brisk night air, rustling her wings. Predator, she thought, it's a predator.
Chapter Two
Rainbow Dash trotted down the empty roads of Ponyville, leaving the booming club behind. Every once and a while she'd cross paths with a Royal Guard. The past few years Ponyville has had a couple of break in's, nothing big was taken but it was just frequent enough to have a very small detachment of guards patrolling at night. Her thoughts were still on The Lumberjack, but she hoped the walk in the cool air would get her mind off the magic show. She was really looking forward to her designated 'Reading Night' with Twilight. It honestly couldn't have been a more lame name if she- scratch that. It really could be... she mused. But it could've been much more awesome. Maybe something like 'Tranquil Perusal'... she instantly shook her head. Nope. That was worse! I've got to set the Reading Night with Twilight to be every other week, she's starting to rub off on me. Luckily for her sanity the library was coming into her view. Flapping her wings for the boost, she was at the door quite swiftly. As was tradition she opened the door and walked straight inside without knocking. "Good evening, Twilight!" She said in a posh voice, a smirk big on her face.
"Good evening, Rainbow! I'm surprised you're on time tonight, I heard that PON-3 was playing tonight. I thought you'd be at least thirty minutes late." Twilight replied, looking up form a book with a smile on her lips.
Rainbow turned her head and looked through the shelves, "Eh, it wasn't as great as they made it out to be," she answered rather quickly. He gaze traveling to the 'M' section across the room, and made her way to it. "Say Twi, got any books on the monsters in the Everfree? Or maybe a book of species in the world?"
Taken aback by such a strange question from her normally action-fiction friend, she replied a tad late, "Oh, uh, yeah sure. We have the Monster Compendium that I personally wrote on the monsters we've came across as well as myths and legends of Equestria. As well as The World Species Book authorized by Celestia and every leader of every known sapient species, and another with sentient..." She trailed off, activating her magic with a soft hum and grabbing the respectful books. "I'm excited you're finally branching out, but why the sudden change? If you don't mind me asking that is."
"Just... a feeling I guess." She replied as she sat down, the Monster Compendium opening in purple magic before her while the others were piled where she could reach them.
"Have anything in particular in mind?"
"Kind of..." Rainbow replied, turning the pages to the L's. Somewhat shockingly, the first entry was what she was looking for. The Lumberjack. She read from the beginning.
The Lumberjack is a legend / myth of the towns surrounding the Everfree forest. While none have gotten close enough to tell its true size, the few witnesses who have seen it have only had it in their sights for a fleeting moment. They gauged the size by the nearby trees, then walked to said trees to put their size into perspective. It stands a head above the average male earth pony. After viewing the creature, it took notice of the viewer rather quick, and seems to disappear quickly with no trail to follow. It is assumed the monster is extremely quick, and due to the sight of chopped tree's (some seem to be cut straight through in a single chop) that the monster is extremely strong as well. It is bipedal. To put into perspective, it is smaller than a diamond dog by two heads, but at least four times as strong. The author has not seen it personally. Sighting suggests its hearing appears to be excellent, so quietness and stillness are advised if one see's it.
See the Royal Guard Surveyor's account on page 250, as well as Chain Link's account on 251 for eyewitness sources.
The Lumberjack stood on the boundary of his territory deep within the Everfree. The night was lit up by a full moon. His ax in hand, and a hatchet in a leather holster on his right side. He heard the howls of the 'Tinder Wolves' as he called them -for they made excellent tinder to make a fire- from this direction. They only did that when they wanted me to know they were there. His gaze traveled across the trees around him. It was a nice 40 minute walk, but he made the sprint in roughly eight minutes. It's great the gravity here is less than Earth's, he thought to himself. He turned around, keeping his gaze moving trying to see everything in a three hundred and sixty degree turn. His gaze spotted some larger trees. If things go bad I could use those to push off... probably get a nice 20 foot leap from them each... The sounds of twigs snapping brought him out of his thoughts. From his left coming out of the woods slowly stepped four Tinder Wolves; an Alpha and three younger ones, maybe borderline pups. The Alpha carried in her wooden jaws dried up sticks and bark. The yellow eyes of the leader blinked to him.
He gazed at them for a moment longer before looking around again, keeping the Alpha in his sight at all times. He didn't want an ambush like the Northern Pack had given him once. Once. He looked back to the Alpha as it carefully placed the bark and dry sticks on the trunk of a fallen tree, then took the steps back to its position with the fledglings. The Lumberjack stepped forward and took the offering. He then knelt down and took off his leather backpack and placed the atonement gingerly within. As he stood up, he saw more life within the wolves. The younger ones wagging their wooden tails, and the Alpha nudging them forward onto his land with her snout. He eyed the mother carefully, she seemed strangely familiar. There was a yellow mark on the middle of her head that trailed down her snout. Where have I seen her before?
And so they all went, he beside them, guiding and watching them as they traversed his land. He watching over them from any unwise predator dumb enough to be on his land without his permission. He, to make sure they do not hunt on his land. All the while his mind wandering over the possibilities of a trained team of Tinder Wolves. He smiled to himself. That would be entertaining to say the least. They passed by his gardening meadow, the youngish apple tree's bearing their flowers waiting for the sun to come up in several hours. The various fruit and vegetable plants starting to grow. It was a good thing I weeded out the meadow before they sprouted. Passing by what looked to be a chrome plated metallic circle, he smiled fondly.
The proceeding didn't take long, about an hour before they reached the end of his zone signaled by half chopped trees. He stood on the boundary and watched them off, the Alpha looking back for a moment before continuing on her quest.
Back at his home, a log cabin The Lumberjack made himself that was resting against the face of a cliff. It was a simple thing with flowers and cut bushes out front, a deck out front with a rocking chair on it. With a single floor, three rooms, a kitchen, and a large living room with a couch he scavenged and a stone fireplace. No visible windows. He sighed and waved his hand over a marked piece of wall. The wall under his hand turned transparent, allowing him to see out. He gazed at the fireflies that were popping up, lighting up the world around them. He started to unpack his back, instantly placing the tinder he received from the wolves into the pit of the stone fireplace, then the wood he chopped earlier that day. The coals from before still hot enough to start another fire for him. He finished unpacking by placing a near empty canteen of water on the rickety table in front of the fireplace. He also took out his hoodie from years before, a memento of times past. He looked fondly at it.
He looked back at his dilapidated table. I could use new one of those... He closely examined the stump he had cut and made legs when he first made his cabin. It was old and starting to show its age, the legs were bent at angles that couldn't be fixed with his resources without looking like absolute trash. Maybe one of those big oaks closer to the town? He bit the inside of his mouth softly, deep in thought. They never seem to want to be around when I was near, so why not? I'll go in the evening; a short jog, a quick chop, and I'll have a nice new table and much left over for that fence I've been wanting. He nodded to himself. The plan was sound to his tired mind. He took the hatchet out and mounted his fire ax. He laid on his couch with his hatchet in hand and a fire softly burning and warming him up. He looked to the cave entrance he built his house over and smiled at the memories. Some good, some bad, but all helped make him stronger. He pulled up a blanket he had made and drifted off to sleep.
Author's Note
Now revised to reflect the future story
Chapter Three
Ten Years Ago
First person
I pressed a button on the holo-panel and admired the way the doorway before me disappeared, only to see to see a large walk-wall. It was like a chasm on the Upper Cut, allowing one to see some of the many floors of the ship. If they were against the Looking-Glass, and one to see directly out to space when looking out. And, as per "Captains orders" I was at the top again.
And the view was unbelievable.
The sun of this system, in full glory, the giant orange thermonuclear reaction was quite warming with just the thought of being so close. I stared in awe at the small blue and green planet (that looked like a dot) at the size comparison. A soft hand caressed my back as I heard Jessica whisper in my ear, "Sorry we can't enjoy this in a few weeks." She laid her head against my shoulder, looking out with me.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"We have to take back what's ours."
"Then why are we here?"
She looked at me calmly, and I at her inquisitively. "We have to take the life out of this star, to begin. You know what needs to be done. No more Type three's, okay? I know you got attached to some of them on the Salvation."
Today
First person
I was almost to the tree I wanted cut, probably no more than a mile away from the native village. A big oak that was roughly forty feet high with Spanish moss hanging from its limbs. It was an absolute moster. I stared at it for what felt like hours, before another tree caught my attention. A much smaller mahogany tree was gleefully soaking the rays of the morning sun.
It was then I decided mahogany looked much better as a table, so I got to work. I only hope the residents don't mind a little racket.
So it turns out they did mind the racket. I had to chop as quickly as I could, I could hear commotion from the town from the tree and thats saying something. I must've struck a cord, because as soon as I finished chopping the tree I heard some coming to investigate. I jumped up climbed into the enarest tree, and activated my watch's cloaking ability, giving me camouflage that was malfunctioning. Turning what was once beautiful invisibility into a literal shadow. I'm sure if they saw me, they'ed only see a mass of black, so it was a good thing I was hiding on a larger branch of a nearby tree that had lots of cover on it.
I noticed thelocals that had been sent were in golden armor, mostly male and seemed to be quite official. I gulped. Now was not the time to be found, not with my tree right there, and my future table. Please dont take my tree. Please dont take my tree. I watched them walk around and clear the area. They were speaking, but too soft for me to hear, and my translator only picked up a few words like "lumber" and "Jack". The rest was lost in translation. They eyed the tree suspicouslyand stood around, listening hard for maybe and hour before giving up and returning to the town. At least I have my tree. I jumped down just as they left earshot, and wrapped a rope around my tree. I tried pulling it, hoping my strength on this planet to be a bit more than I thought- only to be dissapointed. Looks like I'll have to come back tonight with my ship.
Author's Note
Sorry for the long wait, A large aount of drama happened that required my immediate attention. I'll try to keep updating, but I can't garuntee it will be timely. If you'd like to edit, I might be able to do a bit more. sorry for the short update, more coming soon. Alsoi wrote this on two hours of sleep. Try to enjoy!
