Equustale

by neorenamon

As the ponies led the three humanoids towards Ponyville, Frisk held hands with both Asriel and Chara the whole way. It kept the attention of the ponies fixed on them most of the time, but it was the only way Frisk could maintain contact with them. The only way the Chara and Asriel could understand whatever language the ponies were using.

'It's kinda strange,' messaged Frisk.

"What's that?" asked Chara.

'These ponies. They can't be any larger than Dartmoor Ponies, but... they're fully sapient. They all seem to posses some magic inside them that seems to be linked to the strange marks on their flanks.'

"Well perhaps they're just smart," replied Asriel, "A Lot of monsters are smart and they're smaller than these ponies. Heck, a ghost is smart and you can't even find a brain in one."

'That's true,' she replied, 'Nothing in the Underground was like Earth animals.'

"The funny thing," added Chara, "is they're somehow using tools with their hooves."

'Not their mouths?'

"That's kinda strange even for the monsters of the Underground," mused Asriel.

"Oh, I'm sure it's some kind of contact telekinesis," said Chara with a smirk, "The unicorns can channel the same power through their horns to manipulate things at a distance."

'Wow. Telekinesis would be so useful.'

"Perhaps we too have such a power. It's not like any of us tried using it. I'm going to try making something move on it's own right now." She looked around for anything she could use, and spotted a broken branch lying on the ground not far ahead. Pointing her open hand towards it, Frisk could see the magic from her heart go out to her hand. It gathered around it as it grew brighter. Then suddenly, the stick glowed and flew right into her open palm.

The ponies around them seemed startled by the fact Chara could do that.

'That stick... it kinda looks like the first weapon I ever had when... I fell into the Underground.'

"I think I'm going to have fun around this place," mused Chara.

Frisk blinked.

Asriel asked, "How so?"

"There's no sign of humans anywhere," she mused, "No one to spoil everything with their greedy hands."

"Evil isn't limited to humans," he replied evenly, "So I wouldn't just assume all of these ponies aren't good too."

'But we shouldn't assume they're evil either.'

"So we'll treat them as good folks until they give us a reason to believe... otherwise."

'Spoken like a Prince among monsters.'

"Oh stahp that," he replied as he blushed a bit.

After a short while, they left the forest and came across a dirt road. The ponies took the road to the others followed along as well. As they went along, the passed a fence line on one side of the road. Behind the fence lay an expansive apple orchard, and many of the trees were ready for harvesting.

"Say," asked Asriel to one of the nearby guards, "What's that orchard over there?"

He looked around and replied, "I think that's the Sweet Apple Acres."

'So ponies have agriculture,' mused Frisk.

"Who runs it?" continued Asriel.

"Oh, that place has been run by the Apple Clan for going on three generations," replied the guard.

'So these ponies... they have extended families as well.'

"I just got this feeling..." mused Asriel as he looked around, "like we're being watched."

'There's a stallion behind one tree,' thought Frisk, 'and a mare behind another.'

"Wow," said Chara, "The stallion... that shade of red... with an orange mane."

"And the mare. She's so... orange. Her mane is blonde," added Asriel.

'Well now color has no meaning for me.'

"I wonder why they're hiding from us?"

'They've probably never seen anything like us before.'

"The hat on the orange mare..." mused Chara.

'It's shape seems a lot like my hat,' replied Frisk, 'but it doesn't seem to have any magic in it like mine.'

"Hey! You Apples over there! Can we take a few of your apples?!"

Chara's call took many of the ponies by surprise considering how loud it was. The red stallion nodded, so she took that as a 'yes'. Three large and juicy red apples popped off their limbs and floated over to her open hand. Frisk had to release Asriel's hand so she could take one of the apples herself while Chara and Asriel also took one for themselves.

Asriel took a bite and proclaimed, "These... are delicious!"

"Yes they are!" agreed Chara. Then she looked back at the Apples and called, "Thanks so much for the apples! Bye!"

Since Frisk only had one free hand, Asriel put his free hand on her shoulder instead.

They quietly walked along until they were done eating their apples and discarded the cores back into the orchard across the fence.

"Too bad you can't see color," she said as she looked ahead.

'There's a pony coming towards us on the road. What's strange about that?'

"She's light gray with black stripes."

'She also has metal rings about her neck and left foreleg,' added Frisk, 'and some rather large metal earrings. She seems to have... more magic in her... than most of the ponies we've encountered so far. Her saddlebags seem kind of heavy too.'

"The guards seem wary of this strange new pony," added Asriel as he looked about.

The zebra boldly approached them, and none of the guards seemed willing to challenge her. She got close enough to sniff at Frisk's clothes before in turn sniffing Chara and Asriel. Then she sniffed at the backpack that Asriel still carried over his shoulder.

'She seems to use her nose much more than most ponies.'

"What is this thing that I smell?" asked the zebra in an odd voice, "Poison Joke and Heart's Desire as I can tell?"

Frisk shrugged.

"Were you in the forest so Everfree?" she continued, "The only place these plants should be?"

"Sorry," replied Asriel, "We're not from around here."

"Yes," said the brown unicorn stallion they met outside the cave, "We were sent into the Forest... to find these creatures."

"You clearly are from Canterlot," replied the zebra, "Not often around here a lot."

"Well the Princess Luna is going to meet..."

One of the guards bumped him with his shoulder as he said, "We need not discuss royal matters with everypony we see."

"Oh," he replied, "I... guess not."

Then Frisk broke away from the other two. She took a few steps towards the zebra who didn't not appear to be afraid. Reaching out, she touched the black nose.

'You're name is Zecora, isn't it?' asked Frisk, 'Making potions with your magic is what you do best.' Now no one else could hear what Frisk was communicating.

"Perhaps you can let me know," replied Zecora, "where these plants on you did grow?"

She thought about the image of the plants growing in the magical waters down in the cave. Down under the shaft where they could still get some sunlight from the surface. She even remembered how some flowers were shaped differently than others.

"Poison Joke and Heart's Desire growing in magic water too?" asked Zecora in amusement, "I'd would hate to see what would come from such a witch's brew."

'I take it you've never mixed a potion like that before?'

"Poison Joke, it be a curse," she replied evenly, "and Heart's Desire makes it worse."

'I guess that explains where I can't open my eyes or use my voice anymore,' sighed Frisk.

"If it were just the Poison Joke affecting you," she said, "I'd know exactly the cure and what to do."

'So... the Heart's Desire... complicates matters?'

"In your mind the truth does ring. The Heart's Desire changes everything."

One of the guards walked over and spoke to Zecora saying, "Move along, civilian. We cannot keep Princess Luna waiting. She should be coming to Ponyville anytime now."

'I'm sorry about that.'

"You should not worry then," she replied, "It seems we'll meet again. The supplies I bought in Ponyville need to come home. Then perchance I'll take another time to go roam," Then the zebra pulled away from Frisk's hand and began walking down the road.

"What were you two talking about?" asked Asriel, "That zebra... sounded like she said everything in rhyme."

Walking back over, Frisk took his hand once more to say, 'Yes she's speaking in the rhyme. Something she does all the time.'

"Why do I have the feeling she would get along just fine with Smiling..." said Chara before Frisk cut her off with a glare. "With my good friend Sans."

Asriel shrugged before they continued walking. Frisk also went back to holding the hands of both him and Chara. Soon houses could be seen in the distance. Some places had smoke coming from their chimneys, but most didn't. Although everyone could see the house roofs clearly, Frisk realized there was a finite limit to how far she could 'see' with her new senses.

"I betcha we're going to have to duck through every doorway or we're going to hit our heads," mused Chara.

"Makes sense," replied Asriel.

There was a commotion as the orange mare they saw earlier came running past them at full gallop. She ran so fast, her hat was blown to the back of her head. Everyone moved to get out of her way.

"Wonder where she's going in such a hurry?" asked Chara.

Asriel shrugged.

"And why isn't that larger red stallion with her?"

Frisk shrugged.

"You'd think from the commotion we caused, there would be a larger reception."

'I can't... sense... that far ahead.'

"Oh, well there's two winged ponies, two with horns, and two with neither. I can see behind them more of those guard ponies. Behind them is a larger mare with both horns and wings."

'That is most likely the one I saw in my dream. She... feels like someone very important.'

Then Chara chuckled, "and one of those ponies is the orange one who just ran past us not that long ago."

"But she wasn't wearing a necklace before," noted Asriel, "Five of the ponies are wearing strange necklaces... and the last one a rather ornate tiara. Could these be the Element of Harmony devices they spoke of before?"

* Asriel recognized the Elements of Harmony.

Asriel ignored the message, but Frisk noticed it as well.

"They don't really look that threatening," said Chara.

"If they're as magical as I think they are, then they don't have to look threatening."

'Good point.'

Chara nodded in agreement.

"It seems that we're being watched by a lot more than the ones we see," muttered Asriel.

"Yes. From the windows of just about every building around us. They think that just because the shutters are almost closed, they won't realize that we're being watched."

'Seems like a pretty normal precaution.'

They were well within the borders of Ponyville by then. Everything seemed so quiet as they walked along. Even the birds were quiet up in their trees.

'Many of the ponies... I can just feel how afraid they are... of us.'

"I guess fear of the unknown... is pretty universal," mused Chara.

"It's them strangers again," muttered the orange mare, "I... didn't think Twilight summoned me here fer this..."

"You know them?" asked the violet unicorn.

"Ah saw them passing by the farm on the way up here. We really didn't talk much... or anything."

Just as they were passing a small house, a door burst open as a mint green unicorn with a cyan mane and golden eyes came rushing out towards them. The symbol on her flank was golden lyre.

"LYRA?!" called a mare with a light yellow hide and a mane that was half hot pink and half deep blue, "COME BACK HERE!!"

Everyone seemed so surprised by this that none tried to stop her. She skidded to a halt in front of Frisk. Her body trembled as Frisk broke her grip on Asriel's hand to reach out and touch her nose. Asriel simply placed a hand on her shoulder instead. It wasn't fear that made her tremble, but excitement.

'Lyra Heartstrings, is it?' communicated Frisk, 'That's a nice name.'

"What are those exquisite appendages you have?!" she asked excitedly.

'Hands?'

"Oh, that sounds so useful!" she cried, "So delicate! So intricate! I bet you must have a thousand uses for them!"

'I guess...'

"That's strange," said the violet unicorn mare, "They seem to be talking, but I can only hear what Lyra is saying..." She paused before she added more excitedly, "That must be some kind of magic! I have to understand how it works!"

"Can't you just do things by touching them with your hooves?" asked Asriel.

"It's... not the same," she replied awkwardly, "Hooves... they aren't a precise. Even the limbs of minotaurs... they just so much more clumsy than your hands!"

"Minotaurs?" asked Chara, "They don't... eat humans do they?"

"What now?" she replied, "Oh, of course not! Minotaurs don't eat meat... any more."

"Well that's a relief."

Frisk mentally laughed before she sent, 'Chara is just being silly. Minotaurs aren't real monsters in our world. It was just a scary story that King Minos of Crete had a minotaur under his castle and demanded humans be fed to it every year.'

"If a monster demanded ponies to eat, I guess I'd be scared too," said Lyra.

"Lyra," growled the other mare as she walked over, "You're embarrassing us!"

"Aw c'mon, Bon Bon," she replied, "I may never again get to see something as fascinating as these... humans."

"How do you know that?!" she asked.

"I... just got a... uh... feeling from the one called Frisk. That she and Chara... are called humans... and Asriel is from a race called... monsters."

'Perhaps you saw something in my mind.'

"And that's not creepy at all," said Chara.

The ones with the necklaces were moving closer to them.

"This... this... this could be the most exciting day of my life!" squealed Lyra.

One of the white guards came over and scolded the two saying, "Please move out of the way immediately. You are interfering with Royal matters."

"I think no harm is being done," replied Asriel.

"It's alright," said Bon Bon quickly, "We were just going back to our home... Aren't we?!"

The last part was directed right into the ear of Lyra.

"I imagine we'll meet again," he said as Bon Bon pushed Lyra away from Frisk's hand and towards their front door.

The violet unicorn moved up as Frisk reached out for her nose.

"Are y'all sure this is safe?" asked the orange mare.

"How scary can being touched be?" replied the rainbow maned pegasus.

"Kinda... scary," mused the light yellow pegasus with the pink mane.

"Hello," said the unicorn, "I'm..."

'Twilight Sparkle. Your Element is Magic. A prized student of the ruler Princess Celestia.'

"Magic... is an Element?" asked Chara.

"I guess it is in this world," replied Asriel.

Frisk looked at the orange mare as she added, 'Applejack. Her Element is Honesty. She's an Earth pony...'

"Wait," said Chara, "How can we be on Earth?!"

'It's not Earth,' she replied, 'but something called... Equus.'

"Then shouldn't they be Equus ponies?"

Frisk shrugged before she continued, 'The other Earth pony: She's Pinkie Pie. Her Element is Laughter. Her mane... it acts like a storage room... It's really big and mostly full of party supplies.'

"She must be a blast at parties."

'She is the premiere party planner of Ponyville.'

"That's right!" said Pinkie.

"How did she hear you from over there?!" asked Asriel.

'She has something called Pinkie sense that defies explanation.'

"Don't I know that," muttered Twilight.

'The other unicorn. Her name is Rarity. Her Element is... Inspiration? No, it's Generosity. She's the town's clothier and resident fashionista... She thinks our clothing is atrocious.'

"Rarity!" replied Twilight as she looked over at Rarity, "We can't just apply our standards..."

'She's right. None of the clothing has is appropriate anymore. The magic of this land... made us grow up.'

"Grow up by magic huh?" she asked, "I guess that would complicate matters."

"Well darlings," replied Rarity, "I'd love to whip up all new clothes for you all!"

'The small dragon named Spike,' she said as she looked at the small purple dragon back by the guards, 'He's smitten with the one called Rarity, but you haven't realized it yet.'

"Oh Spike is a baby dragon," said Twilight, "I'm sure... he's not ready for..." Her voice trailed off.

'The one with the rainbow mane. She's Rainbow Dash. Her Element is Loyalty. She believes she's the best flier ever, and once dove so fast, she shattered the sound barrier.'

"Yeah," said Twilight, "She wants to be a Wonderbolt more than anything..."

"They're talking about me, aren't they?!" giggled Rainbow.

"Ah reckon they all are talkin bout alla us," said Applejack, "Not just you."

"Maybe she realizes just how AWESOME I am!"

"Anything that can fly faster than sound with just wings... that is awesome," replied Asriel.

"I JUST KNEW IT!!"

'The shy one... She's Fluttershy... An appropriate name. Her Element is Kindness. She's very good... with animals.'

"How can you tell all that?" asked Twilight.

'I can just see... things... on the top of your mind...'

"I just have to study your magic as soon as I get the chance!"

Chara grabbed Frisk and pulled her back as she yelled, "NO! None of my friends are going to be experimented on like lab rats! I won't allow it! NOT AGAIN!!"

Everyone blinked at Chara's outburst.

'It's alright,' said Frisk, 'That's not what she meant.' She pulled away from Chara to touch Twilight's nose again. 'Sorry, but Chara... was concerned for my safety.'

"So her name is Chara," replied Twilight, "Then I guess you're Frisk and he's Asriel, I take it?"

'Something happened to Chara that she's never told me about,' thought Asriel quietly, 'I wonder what...'

"Yes... that's us..." muttered Chara.

"Funny, but I just sensed that from Frisk even though she didn't..." said Twilight slowly, "communicate that to me."

"Well I am Asriel Dreemurr," he said as he puffed up his chest, "A Prince among the Monster Race."

Twilight knelt down before him.

"Oh, you need not be so formal," he said, "Please stand. I'm not here... in any official capacity."

"What a showoff," muttered Chara as Twilight stood up again.

"You're just jealous that I'm a Prince and you're not," he replied as he blew the raspberries at Chara.

"Don't spit at me, you little twerp!" she growled back.

Pinkie Pie jumped ahead as she said, "I BET YOU'RE HUUUUUUNGRY!!"

The mood changed as Asriel replied, "Yes, but we have no currency to pay for..."

"Don't worry about that, silly," she giggled back, "I'll give you all the baked goods you need for FREE!!"

"I thought Rarity was supposed to be the Element of Generosity," muttered Chara.

"Well I can be quite generous TOOooOO!!"

"Is she... always... this cheery?"

"Yes," replied Twilight, "Yes she is."

"Nothing creepy about that..." she muttered under her breath.

"What was that..."

"It's nothing!" replied Asriel quickly, "Just a strange sense of humor she got from the skeleton brothers!"

"Skeleton brothers?!"

"Ain't nothin creepy bout that," muttered Applejack.

"THEN EVERYONE FOLLOW ME TO SUGARCUBE CORNERS!" said Pinkie as she bounced away.

Twilight glanced towards Luna, who simply nodded her approval. Everyone began following Pinkie.