A Woodland Romance

Chapters

On the Road Again
Midnight Rescue
We Meet Again
Strange Happenings
A Blooming Romance
Mending a Broken Love
The Two-Legs Revealed
Midnight Scare
Gaea's Geodes
Peril in the Forest
The Wedding
Splendor Woods
True Love's First Kiss

On the Road Again

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

I’ve finally done it! I’ve located the grounds where the Rainbow-Eyed Ponies live. They are such a peaceful tribe and they make very beautiful art. I was thinking about writing a book involving them, but I decided against it in fear of other ponies searching for the Rainbow-Eyes and doing them harm. I know somepony who would think of that possibility.

Anyway, how are you doing? It sure must be pretty exciting having all these adventures without villains and treasure hunters tailing you everywhere. You’re really lucky, Sunset. You may be a princess, but you’re the most hooves-on princess I’ve ever met.

I hope to see you again soon.

Your friend, Daring Do

Sunset finished reading the letter to her friends, who were all riding in Troubleshoes’ wagon with her.

Sugar Belle asked, “So do you think we’ll ever meet Daring Do again?”

Sunset shrugged, “I don’t know, but anything’s possible.”

Party Favor agreed, “Especially when that ‘anything’ involves a famous author actually being a jungle adventurer.”

Double Diamond exhaled, “Whew! We sure got a kick out of that one!”

Night Glider said, “I tell you, that was some adventure we went on with Daring Do.”

Party Favor sighed happily, “A wild dream come true.”

Sunset smirked, “You know what would be a wild dream come true? Finding my one true love.”

Sugar Belle said, “I hope you find him someday. Your sisters have found theirs.”

Sunset looked down and said sadly, “I’ve been secluded almost all my life. I’m not even sure I will find somepony I’ll love.” She gave a wry chuckle, “Besides, I’m almost middle-aged now. Even if I wanted to marry and have a family, there wouldn’t be enough time. No. I think I’m just better off single and adventuring with you guys.”

Her friends exchanged uncomfortable glances with each other before Night Glider spoke up, “Ya know, Sunset, we’re not going to be traveling forever. I mean, some of us would like to settle down someday. But no matter the circumstances, we’ll always be your friends. If you ever need us, just let us know.”

Sunset gave a small smile as she said, “Thanks, guys, but I don’t want you to put your lives on hold just because I’m alone. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

Troubleshoes spoke up, “Not to interrupt the conversation or anythin’, but we’re here.”

Sunset was the last of the royals to arrive in Canterlot. Every member of the family had just attended Flurry Heart’s crystalling, but Sunset wanted to stay in the Crystal Empire a bit longer after the ceremony to catch up with Starlight. To her delight, her former guardian told her that she and Sunburst were currently dating, though they decided to wait with any kissing. Sunset knew that it was perfectly understandable, since they were both under the Spell of Eternal Youth and only true love’s kiss could break it.

As Sunset’s friends helped her unload her bags, Sugar Belle asked, “Are you sure it’s okay to stay at the castle while you and the others are on this camping trip?”

The princess answered, “Oh, I’m sure it’ll be fine. I want to make sure you guys are having fun of your own while we’re at Splendor Woods.”

Double Diamond smiled with wide eyes, “We’ve never actually stayed at the Canterlot palace before. This is going to be neat!”

Troubleshoes worried, “I just hope I don’t break anythin’ valuable.”

Sunset assured him, “Don’t worry, Troubleshoes. In case you accidentally bump into something, there’ll be a spell on it to protect it from being damaged.”

Just then, Twilight raced out the door and cried, “Sun-Sun!”

Sunset smiled as she embraced her twin sister, “Twi-Twi!”

Twilight said after she hugged her sister, “I’m glad you made it. We’re making the final preparations before we head off to Splendor Woods.”

Sunset chuckled as she followed Twilight, “Only you would crazy-prepare for everything.”

Twilight smirked, “Why do you think Mother and Father made me queen?”

Her twin joked, “Your obsession with order?”

Both sisters chuckled as they entered the hall. Sunset remarked as she saw the stacks of bags near the doors, “Whoa. Now that’s crazy-prepared.”

Twilight then used a spell to amplify her voice and called, “Kids, Aunt Sunset’s here!”

Soon, the royal children trickled from the stairs and various rooms to greet Sunset.

“Hi, Aunt Sunny!”

“Did you get the chance to catch up with Starlight?”

“Are she and Sunburst dating now?”

“Are they gonna have true love’s kiss?”

Sunset answered, “All right, all right. Settle down. How about I read you a story while we wait to go on the trip?”

The kids shouted, “Yay!” As they followed her into the foyer, they asked, “Is it another Daring Do story?”

Sunset chuckled, “I’m afraid not, but I picked up this fairy tale book while I was catching up with Starlight, who is indeed dating Sunburst and hasn’t had true love’s kiss yet.” She then pulled out a book from one of her bags. She said as she flipped the pages with her magic, “And I know just the fairy tale to read.” She stopped at a page and began to read, “’Once upon a time, there was a lovely princess. But she had an enchantment upon her of a fearful sort, which could only be broken by love’s first kiss. She was locked away in a castle guarded by a terrible, fire-breathing dragon. Many brave knights had attempted to free her from this dreadful prison, but none prevailed. She waited in the dragon’s keep in the highest room of the tallest tower for her true love and true love’s first kiss.’”

“Kids!” Discord’s voice interrupted her. When Sunset and the kids turned to face Discord by the doorway, he said, “We’re loading up the carriages now. Who’s up for some thrilling adventure in the woods?!”

The kids cheered as they raced out of the foyer.

As Twilight entered the room, Sunset sighed, “So much for finishing the story.”

Her twin sister wrapped her hoof around Sunset and said, “Hey, look at the bright side. If the kids get bored on the way to Splendor Woods, you can finish the story you were reading.”

Sunset then smiled, “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go adventuring in the wilderness.”

Midnight Rescue

Fluttershy asked in concern, “Are you sure you’ll be all right sleeping in one big tent with your cousins?”

Screwball said, “Mom, we’ll be fine.”

Rainbow agreed, “Yeah. We should just take her word for it. Besides, Twilight and Sunset already have it under control by casting protection spells on the tents. There’s basically nothing to worry about.”

Fluttershy muttered worriedly, “I sure hope so.”

Meanwhile, Twilight was helping Sunset unpack in the elder twin’s tent.

Twilight asked, “Are you sure you’re going to be fine sleeping by yourself?”

Sunset shrugged, “Yeah. It’s nothing new for me.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t found the right colt yet. I thought that with all of the adventures you have –“

“It’d be easy to find a stallion I’ll love?” She gave a small chuckle, “Trust me, Twilight. It’s not. I’ve read books about relationships, both good and bad, and I’ve learned that the key to a successful bond is time and building trust. I need to get to know a guy before I can really date him.”

“I know what you mean. When I met Flash, I did the same thing you did: keeping my princesshood a secret. I wanted him to get to know me better by letting him see the real me, not the princess and heir of the Canterlot throne.”

“That was a really smart move you made. You got a cool guy for a husband and two astounding children to call your own. I just wish I could have something like that.”

Twilight then smirked slyly, “Let’s change the subject, shall we? I think Timber’s a pretty cool guy. Don’t you?”

Sunset slightly blushed when Twilight said that. She knew what her twin sister was getting at. She said with a small smile, “Look, I know you’re trying to get me interested in the guy, but I need to spend more time with him to see if he really is the right one for me. I mean, he’s not going to sweep me off my hooves overnight.”

Twilight nodded in understanding, “I get you, I get you. I’m just afraid that you’ll be alone for the rest of your life.”

Her twin chuckled, “Not if I have a large family, good friends, and a bookworm twin sister.” When she grabbed Twilight for a noogie, both sisters laughed.

Out on the ledge where Quibble set up his tent, he lied on his sleeping bag all lethargic. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. His hero had won his heart in so many ways. At first, he thought she was nothing but fiction, but after stumbling upon a plot involving a priceless artifact, Daring Do swooped in and saved him. It took a few more encounters with her to create a spark between the two. He was one of few who were allowed to accompany her on her journeys.

What happened to those good ol’ times? What drove them apart in the first place? He loved her and her brains so much, even if she got a little testy at times. He came to Splendor Woods to relieve himself of the heartache, but it seemed to follow him no matter where he went.

He began to sing as he got up, “I was fine with the mares…I would meet along the way here, here, and there…I was fine ‘cause I knew…that they weren’t for me until Daring Do…” He stepped outside his tent and gazed at the setting sun as he sang, “I was fine when she came…and we fought like it was all some silly game…about it, what she'd choose…After all this time, I never thought I'd lose…

“It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over? It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over? I lost and she left me…Once she loved me, but she's gone…It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on?

“Maps and treasures, reinvention…Exploits, freedom, her attention…Out in daylight my potential…Bold, precise, experimental…” He lied down on his back on the edge as he sang, “Who am I now in this world without her?” He imagined the clouds as him and Daring Do holding hooves. “Petty and dull with the nerve to doubt her…” He then imagined the Daring Do cloud flying away from the Quibble cloud. “What does it matter? It's already done…Now she’s as far away as the sun…"

He stood up and gazed at the sunset as he sang sadly, “It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over? It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over? I lost and she left me…Once she loved me, but she’s gone…It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on? It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on?”

Quibble lied at the edge and stayed there in remorse for a while. Then, just after the sun disappeared behind the mountains, a yellow flash in the woods below caught his eye. He tried to look for the strange light again, but it didn’t show up. He then attributed it to a glare that came off the sunset and went back into his tent.

The royal family gathered around the campfire and listened intently as Sunset told them about the time she spent with Timber Spruce.

She finished, “…and that’s when we went back to the camp courtyard.”

Rarity squealed in delight, “Ooh! I knew it! He is a true gentlecolt!”

Fancy Pants chuckled, “You’re always one for the courteous type, my dear.”

Rarity eyed at him flirtatiously, “Why do you think I fell in love with you?”

The two then purred and locked lips.

Discord said, “Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a time for scary ghost stories, not mushy love-making! Why else would we have a campfire burning here?”

Sunset said slyly, “Speaking of scary ghost stories…” She pulled out her book and flipped open the pages to a certain legend. “This isn’t just a book for fairy tales. There are also legends in here like…” She held the open book up with her magic and said spookily, “…the legend of Gaea Everfree!”

The family gasped and oohed simultaneously.

Sunset then elucidated, having the legend memorized already, “Before Ponyville was ever founded, they say that Gaea Everfree once appeared out of nowhere and grew her strange and mysterious forest from the very ground. She dwelled there for countless years and not a single soul had the courage to enter the woods. Then, one fateful day, a unicorn wizard by the name of Star Swirl the Bearded dared to make his way through by cutting every single plant in his path. But for every plant he cut, several more grew in its place. Finally, Gaea could take it no more and wrapped Star Swirl in vines.

“She demanded to know who he was and what he was doing in her forest. Before he could reply, two alicorn sisters rushed to his aid. Celestia demanded the release of her and Luna’s guardian. With a sneer, Gaea asked why she should let Star Swirl go. The sisters told her that they had lost their entire race in a blizzard and Star Swirl thought that the Everfree Forest would keep the sisters safe from any threat. With reluctance, Gaea granted the sisters sanctuary within her woods, but only if Star Swirl and all other ponies never entered the forest. She made a clearing for where the castle was to be built and allowed ponies and other creatures to be in the Everfree Forest only for constructing the castle. After that, Gaea Everfree was never seen or heard from again.

“Some say that she still lives in the Everfree Forest, but others claim that Gaea was banished from the forest and trapped in magical geodes, hidden away from the rest of the world. But no matter which side you believe, always be on the lookout for…GAEA EVERFREE!”

The rest of the family screamed when Sunset shouted like that. After a few moments, they began to chuckle at how fun this was.

Rainbow commended Sunset, “Wow! You really got us!”

Cheese smiled, “Now that’s a way to tell a spooky ghost story!”

Twilight said, “Sunset did a great job tonight, but we better hit the sack. There’s a lot of fun planned for tomorrow. Who’s putting out the campfire?”

Sunset raised her hoof, “I will. I told the story, so I’ll put out the fire. I’ll be in my tent shortly.”

After everyone exchanged their goodnights and all but Sunset went into their tents, the amber unicorn poured water all over the fire and extinguished it. She checked to see if there was any more fire within the cracks of the dampened woodpile when –

Snap!

The sound of a broken twig alarmed Sunset and she looked all around, asking softly, “Hello? Is anyone there?” Suddenly, she caught the sight of a strange silhouette dashing through the trees. Her eyes widened as she breathed, “The Two-Legs.” Despite her better nature, she went into the woods to investigate.

She was only several feet in the forest when mist began to settle in. She knew it wasn’t a good sign and tried to go back to the campsite. Suddenly, she heard howling that became louder and louder. Yellow glowing eyes then appeared from the shadows and a low growling accompanied them. She gasped and backed away when Timberwolves slowly stepped into view.

Sunset lit up her horn and warned fearfully, “Get away from me!”

Just then, she heard more growling behind her and looked back to see more Timberwolves surrounding her. She fired at a couple of Timberwolves, but more came in their place. Suddenly, something grabbed her and carried her to safety on a high branch. She couldn’t believe it when she saw who saved her. It was the silhouette from her book, the Two-Legs. Unfortunately, the creature was enshrouded by darkness and thus made it impossible to know what it actually looked like.

It began scooping up stones from its bag and threw each one at the Timberwolves. Some of the stones landed in the wolves’ throats and they began choking. Sunset blasted her magic at the other Timberwolves until one shook the tree. She yelped as she fell down from the branch, but the Two-Legs grabbed her by the tail and pulled her up before the Timberwolf could bite her.

Sunset panted, “Thanks.” When she heard no reply from the Two-Legs, she joked, “Oh, the silent type, huh?”

She then noticed that the wolves choking on the stones had splintered and only their sticks and leaves were all that remained. Seeing this gave her an idea. Sunset used her magic to levitate many stones at once and fire them at the wolves’ throats. While all of the Timberwolves were choking at once, the Two-Legs bent down and put Sunset’s hoof on its shoulder. After she wrapped her arms around the creature’s neck, it jumped and swung from tree to tree with Sunset on its back. When they reached the campsite, the Two-Legs positioned its back towards a rope tied to a high branch. Sunset grabbed the rope and slid down to the ground.

She looked up again to say, “Thanks for…” She trailed off when she realized that it had disappeared. Soon, a silhouette that was moving deeper into the woods caught her eye. She finished with a small smile, “…saving my life.”

Author's Note

The song Quibble sings is “It’s Over, Isn’t It?” from Steven Universe.

We Meet Again

Sunset awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and relaxed. Still, her mind dwelled on last night’s events and the questions that followed. Was it the Two-Legs that saved her? If so, then why? She thought about when it swooped in and saved her. The skin that she felt was neither like scales nor fur. It was soft and warm.

She walked out of her tent as she sang softly, “I remember there was mist...Swirling mist upon the vast moonlit woods…There was howling all around, and out from the brush came the wolves…Then I was saved by the Two-Legs…” She then saw the rope hanging from the tree. She remembered when she slid down to safety and saw the Two-Legs retreat into the woods. She sang as she slowly walked towards the rope, “Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the dark?”

She was a few feet from the rope when something touched her shoulder. Being abruptly brought out of her trance, she gasped as she turned to face whoever it was.

Timber jolted back as he cried, “Whoa! Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you like that. Did you have a rough night?”

Sunset answered as she ran her hoof through her mane, “Um, yeah. I kinda did. I thought I saw the Two-Legs last night, so I went into the woods to investigate. I went a little too far and got surrounded by Timberwolves!”

He said in surprise, “Timberwolves? How did you get away?”

“Someone swooped down and saved me. I think it was the Two-Legs.”

“The Two-Legs?” He then asked with a smirk, “What was it like?”

“Well, at first, I was totally shocked that the Two-Legs was real and saving my life. It threw stones at the Timberwolves’ mouths and made them choke. We got away and it brought me back to the camp.” She chuckled as she pointed to the rope, “We were so high up in the trees that I had to slide down that rope there. The last time I saw it, it was running into the deeper part of the woods.”

“Did you get the chance to say ‘thank you’?”

“I tried, but it wouldn’t talk to me.”

“Well, maybe it’s a bit shy.”

Sunset gave a comforted smile, “Maybe. But I’m still grateful it even saved my life like that.”

A voice then asked, “What saved your life?”

The ponies turned to see Spike coming up to them.

Timber saw this as his cue to leave and said, “I think I’ll leave the explaining to you, Sunset. You’ve got quite a story to tell your folks.” He gave a wink before he left.

After breakfast, one half of the royal family did arts and crafts while the other half rock-climbed with Quibble Pants.

As Sunset was climbing up the rock wall, Quibble skeptically said to her, “The Two-Legs? The Two-Legs saved your life?”

She nodded, “Yep. I think that’s the one.”

“Ah. You think you saw the Two-Legs, but you couldn’t tell for sure.”

She sighed in agitation, “It was dark, and there was mist covering the forest. How could I be able to see through that?”

“Well, maybe the legend isn’t real.”

The group then cried, “What?!”

Applejack unwittingly let go of the rope Sunset was attached to and the younger sister began to fall. As soon as she heard Sunset’s scream, Applejack quickly held onto the rope again and stopped her sister’s fall.

Discord argued with Quibble, “Oh, how could you say that the Two-Legs might not be real?! I’m real, and if the creature was real, then it just saved my sister-in-law last night!”

Quibble raised his hoof to calm him, “Okay, okay. I’m just saying that what if it was another creature, like a Sasquatch? There are plenty of Sasquatches roaming around numerous forests.”

Sunset shook her head as Applejack slowly brought her down, “Nuh-uh. The creature that rescued me last night had smooth skin, not hairy.”

Discord asked, “Are you sure it was skin?” He wriggled his fingers as he said spookily, “Maybe it was scales.”

“If it was scales, they were really soft.”

Spike asked, “Who ever heard of soft scales? Well, except on baby dragons, of course.”

Meanwhile, a cloaked pony with glasses and a hat arrived at Splendor Woods. Gloriosa saw the new visitor and cheerfully greeted, “Hello, there! Here for a fun-filled adventure at Splendor Woods?”

The pony chuckled, “Adventure is my game. Oh, say, could you introduce me to the campers here? I’d like to make some friends.”

“Oh, sure! You’re in luck, because the only campers here right now are royals from Canterlot!”

The cloaked pony’s eyes widened and she said in excitement, “No way! The whole family?”

“Yep.”

“Including Sunset Shimmer?”

“She’s with them. Part of one big deal.”

“May I go meet them?”

“Why, yes, you may. Half of them are doing arts and crafts and the other half is rock-climbing.”

“Great!” She started racing off.

Gloriosa remarked, “Wow. She sure is one excited camper.”

At the rock-climbing wall, Quibble said, “Look, I have seen many things in my life that you would not believe, and I’m telling you that the Two-Legs could be another…” He trailed off as he looked at something behind Sunset. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped a little.

Sunset asked in concern, “What? What is it?”

When Quibble pointed his hoof at what he was seeing, Sunset turned around and gasped in delight.

The unicorn raced towards the cloaked pony as she cried, “A.K. Yearling!”

Sunset and Yearling embraced as the latter smiled, “Sunset! I can’t believe you’re here!”

“Well, I can’t believe you’re here, too!”

They then heard an annoyed ahem and turned to see Quibble now expressing a ticked-off look. He asked Yearling, “Is she another one of your associates you never told me about?”

Sunset asked her in surprise, “You two know each other?”

Yearling answered in irritation, “Yes, but we’re keeping our distance now.”

Quibble scoffed, “’Keeping our distance’?! Ha! We used to date before we broke up because you kept secrets from me!”

She shot back, “I have to for everypony’s safety! Don’t you realize that?! I was only trying to protect you!”

He gave a scornful scoff, “Yeah, until you let slip your biggest secret, which you hardly share with anypony.”

Yearling smirked, “Oh, don’t worry.” She pointed to Sunset and said, “She already knows my secret.”

He sputtered in surprise before he asked while pointing to the royals, “Well, what about these guys?! Do they know?!”

The royals nodded in affirmation, which surprised Quibble further.

Yearling smiled, “I can trust royals.” She then whispered knowingly to Sunset, “I knew you would’ve told them by now.”

Sunset smiled back, “No secrets.”

Quibble said in an angry shock, “I don’t believe this! I’m going back to my tent!” He then began to stomp his way back to the ledge.

When Quibble disappeared into the woods, Sunset asked Yearling, “He knows you’re Daring Do?”

She nodded, “Yep, like the rest of your family. Unfortunately, the pony who talked to me when I arrived here probably doesn’t know, so I might have to keep my disguise on for the whole trip.”

“You might also have to keep it on around her brother, Timber Spruce. They practically run this campsite.”

Soarin’ asked, “So, what are you doing here in our neck of the woods?”

The guys snickered as Discord chuckled, “Good one, Soarin’.”

Yearling sarcastically said, “Ha, ha, ha. Very funny.” She then explained as she pulled out a piece of paper from her cloak, “I’m looking for seven legendary crystals called Gaea’s Geodes.”

The royals oohed and Rainbow Dash said, “You don’t mean –“ She then said spookily, “- Gaea Everfree…Everfree…EVERFREE!”

The others laughed at that amusement.

Yearling said, “The very same. It is said that when Celestia and Luna lived in the Everfree Forest, they sealed her away in seven geodes and hid them away from the world. Legend has it that if someone wears the geodes for three days and three nights, Gaea will be free to take over the wearer’s body.”

The royals oohed again.

Soarin’ said, “You really should’ve saved that as a scary story for the campfire.”

Spike said hopefully, “Maybe Timber and Gloriosa will want to join us this time.”

Sunset smiled, “That would certainly be a nice thought.”

Discord shrugged with a grin, “Never hurts to ask.”

At the arts and crafts table, the other royals were making their works when Gloriosa and Timber checked up on them.

Timber asked, “Hi, guys! What’s up?”

Cotton Candy exclaimed, “We’re having tons of fun here! Look what I made!” She showed him and Gloriosa a drawing she made with macaroni for the sun and colored beads glued as a rainbow.

Gloriosa praised, “Why, it’s so colorful, dear! Such wonderful craftsmanship!”

Rarity said, “Indeed!”

Dignity said, “That’s nothing! Look at mine!”

When he showed his artwork, Gem chimed, “Mine, too!” She lifted her drawing up as well.

Rarity chastised, “Now, children, we mustn’t be competitive.”

Gem asked in confusion, “’Competitive’?”

Timber clarified, “It’s when you and another pony think one of you is better than the other. In this case, you and your brother think that your art is better than the other’s.”

A male voice then asked, “Then tell me, o wise word wizard, what’s the definition of ‘fun’?”

Timber turned back to see Sunset and Discord coming up to them. He grinned when he saw the amber unicorn. He put a hoof to his chin and said, “Fun is…Fun is…” He turned around as if in thought. Moments later, he faced them again, wearing prop glasses, fake bushy eyebrows, and a fake mustache. He then said in a funny accent, “Fun is when ponies enjoy amusement and sometimes laughter.”

When he twitched his fake mustache, everypony laughed.

Gloriosa chuckled, “Oh, Timber!”

Discord chortled, “He’s a hoot!”

Cheese Sandwich added, “He’s hilarious!”

Pinkie enunciated to Sunset in a whisper, “He’s a keeper!”

Sunset blushed as she whispered back, “Pinkie!” Once the laughter calmed down, she asked Gloriosa and Timber, “So, guys, are you going to join us by the campfire tonight?”

When Timber took off his prop accessories, Sunset saw a regretful look on his face. He explained, “Sorry. As much as I – I mean, we would love to hang out with you, it’s just that we have to look for the Two-Legs again.”

Gloriosa said, “We’re worried that since it’s been appearing closer and closer to the camp, we have to make sure nopony gets harmed or anything.”

Sunset explained, “But I was rescued by the Two-Legs just last night. I don’t think it’s dangerous.”

Gloriosa and Timber gave a surprised look, though each expression was slightly different. Gloriosa said while she dug her hoof in her ear, “I’m sorry. Am I hearing that clearly? Did you say that the Two-Legs saved you?”

Sunset nodded in affirmation, “Yes, I did.”

Timber suggested to his sister, “Well, then, there could be two of the Two-Legs.”

Gloriosa gave an irritated scowl as she jabbed her brother with her elbow.

Zip it!

Sunset didn’t know how, but she thought she heard Gloriosa say that. The Earth mare’s lips weren’t moving, but Sunset could’ve sworn that was her voice. She asked in confusion, “What was that?”

Timber asked, “What was what?”

“I thought Gloriosa said something.”

Gloriosa denied, “I didn’t say anything.”

The unicorn asked, “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive I didn’t say anything.”

When the siblings turned to leave, Timber faced Sunset and asked in a hopeful tone, “So I’ll see you tomorrow morning?”

Sunset smiled, “We’ll be here for the next five days. You’ll see plenty of us around here for a while.”

He sighed in what seemed like relief, “Good.” He then corrected himself, “I mean, that’s great! You’re sure to have tons of fun here!” He then began to walk away with his sister.

There might still be a chance.

Sunset heard Timber’s voice that time, but decided to not bring it up. What did he mean, though? A chance at what?

Author's Note

CartoonNerd12 was the one who thought up of Timber making Sunset’s family laugh. It was inspired by a blooper from Legends of Everfree where Timber makes Sci-Twi laugh during the party. I suggest you check out the bloopers on YouTube for clarification and laughs. :twilightsmile:
The song Sunset sings at the beginning of the chapter is "I Remember" from The Phantom of the Opera.

Strange Happenings

Once the sun went down, the campfire was lit again. This time, Quibble Pants and Daring Do – free to take off her disguise – joined the royals. Even though the two were reluctant to be near each other, they only did it for their friends.

Rainbow Dash said spookily, “…And they were never heard from…ever AGAIN!”

Discord saw the shocked silence as an opportunity to make some mischief. He swayed his tail behind him and caused the fire to crackle. The kids – and Fluttershy - screamed in fright before they hugged their loved ones and chuckled.

Rainbow whispered to her brother-in-law, “Nice touch.”

Discord smirked as he fist-bumped with her, “I aim to frighten.”

Whirl Wind, having been scared with the rest of the kids, composed himself and said, “That was a really scary story, but I wasn’t frightened. After all, my mother’s the best at telling ghost stories.”

Discord asked slyly, “Ooh, is that a challenge I smell?”

Quibble chuckled, “You better believe it, and I’m taking it.” He then asked the royals, “Do you know the legend of the Two-Legs?”

The family nodded and answered, “Uh-huh. Sure. We’ve heard of it.”

“Oh. All right, then. Do you know what it looks like?”

This intrigued the kids and one of them asked, “You know what the Two-Legs looks like?”

“Well, I may not have seen it, but other ponies have. This is what they saw.” He gave a growl and some of the kids shrieked at that. He gave a few more growls and scared the other kids and some of their parents. He began to sing, “Like yellow parchment is its skin…a great black hole serves as the nose that never grew…You must be always on your guard…or it will catch you and keep its tight hold on you…”

Many of the royals oohed at that, but Sunset felt uncomfortable hearing such things about the creature that saved her life.

Daring Do saw this and sang to Quibble as she approached him, “Those who speak of what they know…find, too late, that prudent silence is wise…Quibble Pants, just hold your tongue…” When her face met his, she then hissed with a creepy smile and widened eyes, “…or it will burn you with the heat of its eyes!”

The kids both gasped and laughed.

Gemstone asked in worry, “Does the Two-Legs really burn ponies with the heat of its eyes?”

Daring Do said as she stepped away from Quibble, “Not that I know of…” She turned to face Quibble as she continued, “…but it’s better not to add anything to legends when you don’t even know them.”

Sunset gave a small smile, reassured to hear that.

Quibble scowled, “Yeah? Like I don’t know you the way I thought I did?”

Daring Do gave a scowl and slapped him with her tail.

After she left the group, Discord muttered, “Ooh. Major tension between the two. No wonder they broke up.”

The others who didn’t know that Daring Do and Quibble had dated turned to Discord and said in confusion, “Huh?”

“Long story.”

At Sunset’s insistence, Daring Do had moved her bags into the unicorn’s tent to be tent buddies.

The Pegasus growled as she paced back and forth, “Aargh! That colt is so insufferable! He’s loud-mouthed, bigheaded, know-it-all…”

Sunset asked, “If you think he’s that bad, then why did you date him in the first place?”

Daring Do pointed at her and scowled, “If you’re thinking of matchmaking me with that pompous, smart-aleck chatterbox and make us a couple again, don’t.”

Sunset threw her hooves up in surrender as she said, “Okay, I was just wondering.”

“Wondering what?”

“What happened between you two.”

Daring stood silent for a few moments until she scoffed, “That doesn’t matter now. You can’t change the past. What’s done is done.”

Sunset softly said, “I’ll let you cool down for a few minutes.”

After she was outside for a few moments, Sunset heard grumbling near the forest. She turned to see Quibble Pants muttering angrily while kicking a pine cone with his hoof.

The unicorn came up to him and asked, “Hey, Quibble. Is something wrong?”

He scoffed, “There are lots of things wrong, especially with her books and Daring Do herself.”

“What happened between you two anyway?”

He put his hoof near his eyes and said, “Please don’t ask that. I don’t want to talk about it. If I do, I’ll just go on another long-winded, needless rant like she says I do.”

“She said that?”

“Yeah!” He sat down and continued, “She also said that I was big, stupid, ugly…”

Sunset pointed out, “And you’re sitting in poison ivy.”

His eyes widened as he looked at his flank. He began yelping as he ran back and forth. He asked in alarm as he scooted on his rear, “Are you sure that’s poison ivy?!”

Sunset lit up her horn and inspected the leaves. “’Leaves of three, let them be.’ Yep. It’s poison ivy.”

Quibble groaned, “Oh, terrific. This was supposed to be a relaxing trip for me, but everything just went downhill like my relationship with Dare!”

Sunset was surprised by what Quibble had called Daring Do. “’Dare’? Is that your nickname for her?”

“It was, but that was when we were dating. It doesn’t matter anymore.” When he was walking back into the forest, he said, “I’m going to bed now. Good-night.”

Before he disappeared into the woods, Sunset waved her hoof and said politely, “Good-night, Quibble.”

She was concerned about her friends’ emotional welfare, but if they didn’t want her doing anything to help them, then she was at a loss. She went back into her tent in defeat and climbed into her bed.

Just as Sunset was pulling the covers over her, Daring Do – who was already in her bed – said softly, “For the record, I never said that Quibble was big, stupid, or ugly.”

Sunset was surprised that Daring Do could’ve heard the whole conversation the unicorn had with Quibble. She was about to ask something, but decided against it. She chose to wait with the topic and went to sleep.

The next morning was so peaceful and serene that almost no pony wanted to sleep in. The sun’s rays glistened on the lake and a gentle wind softly blew through the grass and trees. Sunset thought everything was beautiful in the bright morn, but her heart felt somewhat heavy knowing that Quibble and Daring Do still had some serious hurt between them. Why did they break up? And why did they fall in love in the first place? Sunset wished she knew.

Just then, she saw Timber Spruce sitting at the end of the dock. He looked downtrodden, so she decided to go to him.

She asked, “Hey, Timber. What’s up?”

Timber sighed, “Nothing, really. My sister is kind of mad at me.”

“Why?”

“She…doesn’t think the Two-Legs is all that good.”

Her brow furrowed and she asked, “Why? It saved my life the other night.”

“I know. You told me, but Gloriosa doesn’t believe it.”

“Why wouldn’t she?”

Here we go.

There it was again. Timber’s voice. Sunset knew that his mouth definitely didn’t move that time. For her sake and his, she didn’t bring it up.

Timber answered, “She’s afraid that the Two-Legs is going to come out into the open and hurt somepony. But the truth is she doesn’t really understand the Two-Legs. I’m not sure if she wants to.”

Sunset consoled, “A lot of ponies are afraid of things they don’t understand. They’re even afraid to the point that they’re angry. Gloriosa might just be afraid of getting to know the Two-Legs because she’s worried it might be dangerous instead.”

“But you know that’s not true, right?”

She chuckled, “Yes. I know for a fact that the Two-Legs might just be good. I don’t suppose you’re going to go look for it again tonight, are you?”

Timber flashed a small smile, “Yes, and maybe if I find it, I’ll prove Gloriosa wrong.”

Sunset smiled as she stood up, “Okay, then. I wish you the best of luck tonight.”

As she left the dock, Timber looked down at the water. He looked at his own reflection and wondered what Sunset would think of his other side.

“Hi, Timber.”

The voice broke his trance and he turned to see Twilight Sparkle coming onto the dock with fishing gear.

He stood up and bowed before her as he said, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Twilight chuckled, “You don’t need to do that. I came here for a vacation, not a royal summit.” Suddenly, one of the boards gave way underneath her hoof. She yelped as she began to fall, “Whoa!”

Timber caught her as he said, “Gotcha!”

Twilight said as she stood upright, “Thank you. I don’t know what happened there.”

“Well, the dock could use a little bit of fixing after so many years. Sorry you almost got hurt because of it.”

“That’s okay. You did catch me before I fell. You’re a good colt, Timber Spruce.”

He blushed at the compliment and said, “Oh, wow. No one ever said a nice thing like that to me before. Thank you, Your Highness.”

Twilight gently told him, “Please, just ‘Twilight’ will do. I want to treat you like a friend, not a subject.”

“Right. Sorry.”

As she sat down at the edge of the dock, she asked, “Why don’t you fish with me? It’ll give us a chance to know each other.”

“Okay.” He then sat down beside her.

After an hour of fishing and talking, Twilight said, “You’re a really interesting colt, Timber Spruce. Any mare would be lucky to have you.”

Timber nodded, “Yeah. Too bad that mare isn’t you.”

She nodded in understanding, “That’s true. I’m very content with how my life has turned out. I’ve got a wonderful husband, two sweet children…”

“And now you’re the queen of Canterlot.”

“Well, yes. That, too. But being a queen isn’t easy. Luckily, I have my sisters, brothers-in-law, husband, and kids to help me out.”

“Whoa. That tough, huh?”

Twilight nodded again, “Very. Uh, Timber, if you want to look for somepony to share your life with…” She eyed Sunset and said to Timber with a smirk, “…I think Sunset would be a good mare to include in your love life.”

Timber chuckled, “That’s a really good idea, Your – I mean, Twilight. I’ll hang out with her for a while.” In truth, he was chuckling because he had planned to get close with Sunset. He had already felt the spark when she first came here, so maybe it was some sort of sign.

“We’re only here for less than a week now, so I suggest you spend as much time with us – and her – as possible.” The reason she said she wanted Timber to also spend time with the family was because she wanted both sides to be close if the Earth colt was indeed the one for Sunset.

“Oh, don’t worry. I plan to. Gloriosa wants the campers to have fun while they’re at Splendor Woods, but she forgets to have fun herself.”

“Well, maybe we can help her have a good time with us.”

Timber gulped and thought to himself, Oh, boy. Gloriosa said not to get attached. But I don’t want to disappoint the royals, especially Sunset. He found himself looking at the amber unicorn when he thought about her. He was becoming certain that she would be his world, the world he wanted to see ever since he was a small child.

Just then, Gloriosa came up to them and said, “Hey, you guys! How’s it going here?”

Twilight answered, “We’re having a great time, Gloriosa! Your brother even taught me a few tricks to get more bites.”

“That’s wonderful! I’m glad you two are having so much fun. Oh, say! Why don’t either of you try out archery for a while? The others are doing it.”

Twilight said, “We’ll be along.”

Timber nodded, “Yeah. We’ll definitely try it next.”

Gloriosa smiled, “Great! Maybe Timber can give you some tips. After all, some of Equestria’s greatest archers have camped here before.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up as she said, “No kidding!”

Timber rose up and then helped Twilight stand up as well. He said to her, “Yeah. Would you like me to show you?”

“Sure. I’ll get Sunset, too.”

At the glade where several targets were set up, some of the royals were already there shooting arrows. They were also arguing about what the best way to shoot was.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “Nuh-uh! You gotta use your wing to draw the arrow back and your hoof to hold the bow.” She demonstrated this as she said that. “Then you let her fly!” She released the arrow and it hit the bull’s eye.

Applejack rolled her eyes and said, “Yeah, if you’re a Pegasus. The best way for us Earth ponies to get a bulls’ eye is to put the bow on the stand and pull the arrow back with your mouth.” She did so and then released the arrow, which hit the bull’s eye as well.

Fancy Pants said, “If you think that’s how unicorns should do it, then you are sadly mistaken. We just use our magic to take the bow and arrow and then shoot the target.” He used his magic to levitate the bow and arrow and drew the arrow back. The arrow then flew into the bull’s eye like the previous two.

Discord chuckled, “No, no. I’m sorry, but you’re ponies. You have hooves. I, however, have hands, so that makes me a master marksman.” He flashed on Robin Hoof attire at that moment.

Rainbow patronized, “Oh, really? Well, master marksman, show us what you’re made of.”

“Gladly.” He drew his arrow back until the tuft reached his face. The feathers on the back end of the arrow then tickled his nose. “Ah…ah…ah…AH-CHOO!”

To his surprise, his sneeze blew down many trees behind the targets. The ponies and even he were shocked that this happened.

Applejack asked, “Discord, what did you do?”

He sputtered, “It was an accident! I swear! My sneezes are usually much more controlled than this!”

Whirl Wind said as he pointed to Discord’s arrow, “Well, at least he got a bull’s eye like you guys did.”

Discord leaned haughtily on his bow and put one hand on his hip. “Ha! And I did it while sneezing. Try to beat that.”

Before Rainbow Dash could retort, Timber, Twilight, and Sunset arrived at the glade. The three were in shock of the fallen trees before them.

Timber asked in alarm, “What happened here?!”

Discord raised his paw and admitted, “My fault. I accidentally sneezed the trees to the ground.”

Fancy Pants affirmed to Timber, “He’s right, old chap. When he usually sneezes, it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

Timber sighed, “Well, I suppose I can let this slide for now. I don’t know how to clean up the mess, though.”

Discord said, “Well, I would help, but I’m afraid that my magic might be acting a bit wonky at the moment. I don’t want to take any chances until I know what’s going on.”

Sunset volunteered, “We’ll help.”

Twilight raised her hoof and said, “Count me in.”

The twin sisters lit up their horns and began lifting a few trees.

Timber said in awe, “Wow. You girls are amazing!”

Suddenly, the rest of the fallen trees began levitating with either Sunset’s or Twilight’s auras enveloping them.

Whirl Wind said breathlessly, “Whoa. Now that’s really something.”

Sunset grunted uneasily, “It isn’t us!”

Twilight agreed, “Our magic’s getting out of control!”

Discord said, “Well, don’t stop now! Plant the trees in the ground while you’re still levitating them all!”

As per Discord’s suggestion, Sunset and Twilight thrust the trees into the ground and re-weaved the roots through the dirt. Unfortunately, it got out of control when the roots made their way to the targets and wrapped around them. The ponies and draconequus were astonished by this unforeseen event.

Discord chuckled to lighten up the mood, “Well, heh, at least I’m not the only one with wild magic now.” He then muttered, “Thankfully.”

In the cafeteria lodge, Sunset apologized as she grabbed the cocoa Timber gave her, “I’m so sorry about the roots. I don’t know what happened. My magic seemed perfectly fine when my family and I got here.”

Timber said as he sat down beside her, “I know you weren’t trying to do what you did. You just wanted to replant the trees, that’s all. It’s not like you were trying to show off.”

“Neither was my sister. She’s looking through every book on magical fluctuations in her tent right now. She had Discord teleport them here, but then she got buried in a pile of books.”

Both of them laughed at that.

Sunset said, “Thanks for finding cinnamon for my hot cocoa.”

Timber shrugged, “No problem. My sister and I always do our best to make sure our campers have a good time here.”

“Then do you know what’s happening with our magic?”

He shook his head, “I honestly don’t. In all my years at Splendor Woods, nothing like what happened this afternoon ever really happened before.”

“How long have you been running this campsite?”

“Practically my whole life. Well, it was my parents and then Gloriosa and me. The point is we lived in Splendor Woods all of our lives.”

“Do either of you get the chance to go traveling while the other runs the camp?”

Timber rubbed the back of his neck while he looked down and said, “Yeah, not really. My sister and I have never left Splendor Woods for…reasons.”

“What kind of reasons?”

He cringed before he said, “Um…Gloriosa…doesn’t like setting a hoof further than the tree line separating Splendor Woods from the rest of Equestria. She’s more at home here than I am. I actually want to see the world someday. It’s a dream I’ve had ever since I was small.”

Sunset smiled in comfort, “It’s my dream, too. You’re actually not the only one who’s been in one place for a really long time. My guardian kept me from leaving the manor for many years until I decided to venture out in secret. That’s how I found my family and rediscovered who I was.”

Timber leaned closer to her as he said, “Okay, now this is a story I want to hear.”

Sunset grinned, “Sit tight. It’s going to be a long one.”

Unbeknownst to them, Gloriosa was outside peering in through a window. She was happy seeing her brother so joyful. She knew that Sunset was the best mare Timber could ever be with, but she felt sad knowing that their future together was impossible to attain.

Author's Note

The song Quibble Pants and Daring Do sing is a tweaked version of “Magical Lasso” from The Phantom of the Opera.

A Blooming Romance

The next morning, Twilight got up bright and early in her tent. She used her magic to grab her checklist and started going over today’s list of things to do. Unbeknownst to her, everything started floating upwards, each with a light brilliant raspberry glow. Even the bed in which Flash was sleeping began levitating with a magic glow. Soon, Flash woke up and gaped at what was going on.

Since Twilight didn’t seem to notice, he called to his wife, “Twilight! Twilight! TWILIGHT!”

That got her attention and her mouth dropped from seeing everything that was floating. She turned to Flash and asked in alarm, “Am I doing this?!”

“You might be…by accident!”

As soon as Twilight’s horn stopped glowing, everything dropped to the floor, including the bed. Flash was thrown into the air by the impact and fell back onto the bed in a daze.

While he was recovering his senses, Twilight asked in concern, “Are you all right, Flash? I didn’t mean to make everything float! It just happened!”

Flash said as he rubbed his head, “That’s okay, Twilight. We don’t know what’s going on, so you don’t need to blame yourself.”

“I would cast the Fledgling’s Forbearance on myself, Sunset, and Discord, but since we’re not little anymore, I don’t know if it would work.”

“We need to see if what’s happening is affecting the others, too. We should tell the others not to use their magic, but we should also have fun so everyone can relax.”

“I agree. We need to think of a way to enjoy ourselves without any magic.”

Flash thought for a while until he suggested, “What about that hike you said we should take? We could ask Gloriosa and Timber which trail is the safest one to go on. That way, we won’t need magic to ward off any dangers.”

Twilight hugged her husband and smiled, “Oh, honey, that’s brilliant! Thank you!” She then kissed Flash on the lips.

Sunset waved to her relatives as they headed into the forest, “Bye! Have a nice hike, everyone!”

Gloriosa and Timber had given the royals a map of the safest hiking route in Splendor Woods and also waved them good-bye. Sunset, on the other hand, was asked to go with Timber and his sister on a special hike of their own. She was surprised by this, but decided to go with it.

As the siblings and Sunset walked in the forest, Timber said to the unicorn, “26 years?” He gave a long whistle before he continued, “That’s a really long time to be in just one place without ever traveling.”

Sunset said, “Well, you’re lucky you spent your whole life here in Splendor Woods. There’s lots of legroom to run around and you get to see natural wonders every day.”

Timber shrugged, “Eh. I pretty much know everything like the back of my hoof.”

Gloriosa turned to face her brother and said accusingly, “Are you saying that there’s nothing wonderful about nature anymore?”

He said defensively, “I didn’t mean it like that, sis! I just meant –“

“Just because you’ve seen it all before doesn’t mean that nothing new will come along. Somehow, a lot of ponies don’t realize it at all.” She began to sing, “Some think we are simple woodsponies…and they’ve been so many places…I guess it must be so…But still, I cannot see…if the simple ones are we…How can there be so much that they don’t know? They don’t know…

“Some think they own whatever land they land on…The earth is just a dead thing they can claim…But we know every rock and tree and creature…has a life, has a spirit, has a name…Some think the only ponies who are ponies…are the ponies who look just like they do…But if you walk the hoofsteps of a stranger…you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew…

“Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon…or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned? Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain? Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

“Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest…Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth…Come roll in all the riches all around you…and for once, never wonder what they’re worth…The rainstorm and the river and the others…the heron and otter are our friends…And we are all connected to each other…in a circle, in a hoop that never ends…How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you’ll never know…

“And you’ll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon…for whether we are light or dark-coated…we need to sing with all the voices of the mountain…We need to paint with all the colors of the wind…” The three of them came up to a spot near the river as Gloriosa sang, “You can own the earth and still…all you’ll own is earth…until you can paint…with all the colors…of…the…wind…”

Timber whispered to Sunset, “My sister is a nature freak.”

Sunset giggled, “I know, but she does make some good points.”

Gloriosa said as she was walking back into the woods, “I’ll be back at the campsite if you need me.”

Sunset asked, “Wait, you’re not staying with us?”

“Why, of course not! This is just for the two of you. Have fun!”

When Gloriosa disappeared into the forest, Sunset smirked at Timber, “You two set this up, didn’t you?”

Timber was setting up a picnic blanket when he innocently said, “Who, me?” He batted his green eyes, but Sunset didn’t take his word for it.

Sunset chuckled, “It’s all right. I like spending time with you.”

They spent their entire lunch by the river that afternoon. They laughed, shared stories, and even gazed at nature’s wonders together. Both of them never wanted this special moment to end.

Sunset said, “…I’ve been to Hollow Shades, Las Pegasus, even to Rainbow Falls!”

Timber chortled, “Wow! You must’ve had quite the adventures, then! I would like to visit them all someday!”

Sunset offered, “Do you want to come with me when you’re ready? You can travel with me and my friends and see everything I’ve seen. A second trip somewhere is only better when you’re with someone who’s seeing it all for the first time.”

Timber smiled sadly, “That is a nice thought, but…” He then sighed, “…I’m not sure.”

“Why? I thought you wanted to see the world. It is your dream, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but…who’s going to take care of Gloriosa while I’m gone? Sure, she can manage the camp okay, but she hates being alone. You saw those Timberwolves the night the Two-Legs rescued you. I’m afraid the same thing might happen to Gloriosa. I mean, she’s the only family I’ve got.”

Sunset sat in silence until she smiled in understanding. “Believe me, I know what it’s like to care deeply about somepony. I was away from my family for a long time. When I finally found them, I almost didn’t want to leave them. But you know what? I chose to follow my dream of seeing the whole world. It wasn’t easy being away from my family again, but when I had the chance to go to far-off places, I couldn’t stay in one place. Do you know what I love the most whenever I would visit my loved ones?”

Timber asked, “Going back home again?”

She chuckled, “No, no. Sharing stories about my adventures. I love how the kids’ eyes would widen with joy, their fidgeting when they’d get excited, and their big smiles when they’re bursting with anticipation.”

Timber smiled, “Sure beats the look of horror kids have when they hear a ghost story.”

She nodded, “Oh, I bet.”

Meanwhile, the rest of the royals had resumed their hiking after a quick lunch. The husbands were looking over the map and quarreling about which way to turn back to the camp.

Soarin’ asked, “Are you sure we’re supposed to be going this way? I thought Timber Spruce said to follow the markers with the yellow ribbons.”

Cheese said in confusion, “Yellow ribbons? I heard ‘yellow paint’. Or was it ‘yellow brick road’?”

Fancy Pants said, “No, no. You’re mistaken. We’re supposed to look for the top of the totem pole at the camp courtyard and make our way there.”

Discord said, “I’ll look for it from the treetops.” He slithered up a tree and reached the top. He said to the royals below, “Hey, guys! There’s a beautiful view of Splendor Woods from up here!”

Flash shouted up to him, “Focus, Discord! Find the totem pole!”

Discord mumbled, “Oh, fine.” He put his paw over his eyes and he scanned the forest until he saw the totem pole peeking from the trees on his left. He slid down as he said, “Good news, ponies and dragon! I’ve found the totem pole!” He then realized that the kids and princesses had vanished. “Hey, where did they go?”

“Psst!”

The guys turned to see their wives and kids peeking over a bush. Rarity quietly gestured for the husbands to join them. She had an ecstatic grin on her face, so they knew that it was something exciting. The guys peeked over the bush and saw Sunset and Timber having a good time.

Rarity gushed quietly, “Ooh! I do believe their spark is growing into a flame!”

Twilight said, “I almost feel ashamed for spying on Sunset like this.”

Rainbow Dash said, “Come on, Twilight. It’s not every day our last bachelorette sister inches closer to taking the next step.”

Spike asked, “Do you think Timber’s going to go first?”

Discord sang, “I can see what’s happening…and they don’t have a clue…”

Flash sang in reassurance, “They’ll fall in love and here’s the bottom line…They’ll make a lucky two…”

Cheese sang, “The sweet caress of sunlight…”

Pinkie sang, “There’s magic everywhere…”

Rainbow sang, “And with all this romantic atmosphere…”

Soarin’ sang, “Flirting is in the air…”

Twilight sang, “Can you feel the love today? The peace the daylight brings? The world, for once, in perfect harmony…with all its living things…”

Timber softly sang as he rolled up the picnic blanket, “So many things to tell her…but how to make her see…the truth about my past? Impossible…She’d turn away from me…”

Sunset sang as she looked at him from where she was sitting beside the riverbank, “He’s holding back, he’s hiding…But what, I can’t decide…Is Timber Spruce the colt I know he is? Is he that colt inside?”

To her surprise, Timber jumped into the river. Sunset peered into the water to see where he went.

The royals sang, “Can you feel the love today?”

Suddenly, Timber grabbed her and pulled her in. She gasped when they surfaced and walked back onto the dry ground.

“The peace the daylight brings?”

When Timber joined her on the grass, she gave a smirk and pushed him back into the river.

Shortly afterwards, Sunset and Timber romped in the meadow as the two of them sang, “The world, for once, in perfect harmony…with all its living things…” Unaware of a slope, they held each other in joy and tumbled unexpectedly. When they landed softly on the grass with Timber on top of Sunset, they sang, “Can you feel the love today? You needn’t look too far…Stealing through…the day’s uncertainties…Love is where we are…”

It was almost sunset when the royals made their way back to the campsite.

Rainbow sighed, “Phew! Glad Sunset and Timber didn’t see us watching them.”

Discord agreed, “Yes. It was a lucky thing my magic was working fine enough to create a bubble of silence for us.”

Pinkie nodded, “Yeah, and we were singing loud enough for the entire forest to hear!”

Soarin’ said, “It sounded weird with the bubble, though.”

Twilight said to the kids, “Now, listen, kids. Don’t tell anypony else what we were doing.”

Starling asked, “Why not?”

“It’s supposed be something special for only Aunt Sunset and Timber Spruce. We don’t want them to know we were watching them.”

Discord pointed towards the forest as he said, “Speaking of which…”

Timber and Sunset had just returned to the campsite and were walking to the royals.

Sunset asked cheerfully, “Hey, guys! Did you have any fun on your hike?”

Cheese smiled, “Yep! Yessiree! We had tons of fun!”

Discord grumbled as he pointed to Flash, “Until Nature Colt here got us lost.”

Flash glared at him, but he knew that it was partially true.

Rarity added, “We were lost in the forest for a long time.”

Sunset said in pity, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

Twilight asked, “So, what about you guys? How was your hike?”

Timber grinned widely, “The best!”

Sunset agreed, “You could say that again. We had a picnic, got ourselves wet, and ran around for while!”

Pinkie said, “Wow! That sounds like super-duper fun!”

Cotton Candy blurted out, “Did you have fun rolling down the hill?”

Sunset and Timber looked at her in surprise.

Cotton knew that she slipped, so she added with a nervous smile, “Cotton Sense?”

Thankfully, Twilight spotted something on Timber and Sunset. She pointed to them and said, “And you also got some grass in your manes.”

The two of them noticed and chuckled nervously as they wiped the grass off their manes.

Timber clarified, “Oh, that was just an accident.”

Sunset spoke up, “A happy accident.”

Timber gazed into her eyes and said, “We should hang out more often.” Just then, sunlight glared in his eye and he turned his focus towards the setting sun. “Uh-oh.” He said to Sunset, “But not tonight.”

Sunset asked with a knowing smile, “Monster hunting again?”

“Yep. Never know if the Two-Legs suddenly decides to show up at the camp.” He then started to leave.

“Well, if you find it, tell it thanks for saving my life the other night.”

Timber looked back at her with a warm expression and said, “I’m sure it knows.” He gave a wink before he left to gather his gear. When he was out of earshot, he sang softly, “And if she feels the love today…in the way I do…”

Unbeknownst to him, Sunset also sang out of earshot, “It’s enough…for this restless wanderer…”

They both sang while far apart, “Just to be…with you…”

Inside the lodge, Gloriosa had just watched the scene between Sunset and Timber from a window. She felt glad that Timber was falling for the mare he was most like, but she was also worried that things might not turn out so well, especially if Sunset could reject him because of his secret. The secret he also shared with his sister. What would happen then? Gloriosa couldn’t bear it if Timber got heartbroken and depressed. Then again, if Sunset did truly love him, would he leave Gloriosa alone just like that? She couldn’t be sure if she could ever leave Splendor Woods even if somepony didn’t love her.

She sighed before she sang sadly, “And if he falls in love today…it can be assumed…these carefree days will be but history…In short, their love is doomed…”

Author's Note

The songs featured in this chapter are “Colors of the Wind” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”. Fun fact: the second song is a mix of both the movie version and the Broadway version.

Mending a Broken Love

Author's Note

Before you read on, I advise watching the Pixar short “Your Friend the Rat” first. This chapter has a reference from it that will be easier to understand if you watch it ahead of time. If you wish to only get the reference and not watch the whole thing, fast-forward to the 10 minute mark.
And, yes, CartoonNerd12 put in some lines that are later in the chapter.

Mending a Broken Love

When night had fallen, Sunset was in her tent disclosing every detail of her hike to Daring Do.

The unicorn gushed, “...After we rolled down the hill, we gazed into each other’s eyes. It was like…looking into heaven for that one moment.”

Daring Do joked, “Since when has heaven become green?”

Sunset chuckled, “Oh, very funny.”

“So I take it you and Timber had a good time?”

“A very good time. It just seemed like he and I had a lot in common.”

Daring Do looked down and said, “Too bad the same thing didn’t happen with Quibble and me.”

Sunset said in pity, “Oh, Daring…”

She put her hoof on Daring Do’s, but when she did, she felt a quick and strange sensation. Her head slightly jerked back and her eyes began glowing white. In her mind’s eye, she could see Daring Do and Quibble together.

“You know, we’d make a pretty good team,” Daring Do said with a smile. “It does pay to have help sometimes.” She held out her hoof and asked, “Partners?”

Quibble shook her hoof and agreed eagerly, “Partners!”

A white flash followed and Sunset now saw Quibble and Daring Do running in the jungle. When they came to a waterfall and a vine hanging near their side, the Pegasus turned to Quibble and said, “You know what we have to do.”

Quibble nodded with a determined look and grabbed hold of Daring Do and the satchel he was carrying. They both gave a yell when they swung to the other side of the waterfall. They then landed roughly on the ground after Daring let go of the vine.

When they recovered their senses, they saw Ahuizotl shaking his fist on the far side of the waterfall. He shouted angrily, “You meddlesome do-gooders! I will get you for this someday, Daring Do! You and your…er…What is he again? Your pet or…?”

Quibble shouted in insult, “Partner!”

Just then, Daring Do gasped, “Where is it?! Where’s the satchel?!”

Quibble then looked behind them and saw a colorful light emanating from the satchel. He got up and said confidently, “Relax, D.D. It’s right here –“

He was about to look at it until Daring zipped in front of him and snatched the satchel. She held it in her arm and covered it with her wing as she warned, “Don’t look at it! They say it’s too sacred!”

“Then let’s get going,” Quibble suggested.

Without another word, the two of them ran deep into the jungle. Sunset saw another white flash before she saw Daring Do and Quibble approaching a very exquisite pavilion with the satchel in their hooves.

Quibble smiled, “I’m glad you documented everything that was trademark of the Rainbow-Eyed Ponies in this part of the jungle.”

Daring agreed, “Yeah. Without you, I never would’ve known that this particular pavilion was a shrine for the Rainbow-Eyes. I knew the dome had their mark, but I thought it was long abandoned.”

“Well, let’s find out.”

When Daring Do tilted her satchel over the stand in the center of the pavilion, a spherical object clothed in burlap rolled out and landed in the bowl. She and Quibble turned to leave, but they suddenly felt a breeze behind them. They faced the pavilion and instead of seeing the covered orb, they saw a token that was in the shape of a pony’s head and had a rainbow-colored jewel for the eye.

Quibble asked as Daring Do grabbed the token, “What does it mean?”

Daring smiled at him, “It’s a sign that we’ve been accepted as part of the tribe.”

Another white flash followed and Sunset now saw Quibble and Daring sitting by a campfire.

The Pegasus pulled out the token from the Rainbow-Eyes and said, “You know how I said that this represents being part of the tribe?”

Quibble answered in confusion, “Yeah. What are you getting at?”

Daring Do looked as if she was just figuring out what to say because it was important. Then she said, “Well…I want you to be a part of my tribe.”

Quibble asked, “Your tribe?”

Daring rolled her eyes and gave a chuckle before she said, “It means I want you to be my coltfriend.”

This surprised Quibble and he sputtered in shock, “What?! You – you mean you…want me to b-be your…?!” He swooned happily and fell backwards from the log he was sitting on. He said in a dreamy daze, “Happiest…day…of…my life.”

Daring chuckled as she leaned over him, “It’s not every day you get to date Daring Do, so get used to it.” She then put the token into Quibble’s hoof.

Sunset saw another white flash before an image played before her eyes. It showed Quibble and Daring Do being cornered against a rock wall by Caballeron and his henchponies.

Caballeron snickered menacingly, “Heh, heh, heh, heh…I’ve got you now, my pretty pony. No one, not even your sidekick, can help you now.”

Quibble scoffed in offense, “’Sidekick’? Okay, one…”

While he was ranting, Daring Do took this chance to find a crack in the wall and struck it. Mud gushed out from the opened crack and began to cover the ground with its thick layer of sludge. Daring then spread her wings and began to fly. She grabbed Quibble abruptly and carried him to safety on a cliff. She looked down the cliff and saw Caballeron and his henchponies becoming stuck in the mud.

She taunted the doctor, “Ha! Better luck next time, Caballeron!”

She then walked away from the cliff before Quibble caught up to her and said, “Thanks for saving my life, Dare.”

“No prob. Your ranting comes in handy sometimes.”

After a few moments of silence, Quibble retorted, “Excuse me? That wasn’t ranting. I was merely stating that –“

Daring interrupted, “No, you were ranting, like you always do.”

Quibble asked in an irritated tone, “Oh? And I suppose that’s why my name is Quibble Pants, huh?”

Daring turned to face him and said, “Well, maybe. ‘Quibble’ does mean –“

“To rant, ramble, talk needlessly? Oh, I see. You go for the strong, silent types, huh? Not the wimpy, rambling talk-talky kind of pony you’re dating right now!”

Daring asked with a raised brow, “Quibble, what’s gotten into you?”

“You know what? You’re not the pony I would’ve wanted to date, either!”

Sunset could feel the words piercing through Daring’s heart as the Pegasus’s eyes widened with shock. Then, Daring scowled as she said angrily, “If you’re going to speak that way about me, then maybe you should go back to wherever you came!”

Quibble shouted, “Fine by me!” He then started to leave.

Suddenly, Sunset’s visions ended and she found herself back in the tent. She put a hoof to her head to ease her newfound dizziness. She kept staring at the floor until…

“Sunset?”

She looked up to see Daring Do looking at her in concern.

The Pegasus asked, “Sunset, what happened? Why did your eyes go white all of a sudden?”

Sunset answered as she tried to recollect what she just saw, “I think…I saw you and Quibble together. They might’ve been your memories.”

Daring asked in growing alarm, “What kind of memories?”

“When you and Quibble decided to be partners, when you returned a sacred object to the Rainbow-Eyes, when you two began dating, and then…” She was almost afraid to say it in fear of triggering a bad response. “…when you guys broke up.”

Sunset braced herself for a blowout from Daring, but the Pegasus sighed, “I’d rather not bring up that day. Quibble said some horrible things to me. It was like…he went all Jekstall and Hide on me.”

The princess raised her hoof and said in comfort, “I know, I know. You don’t need to say anything else. If anything, I’m curious about why Quibble blew up on you. Maybe I can look into his memories tomorrow. That is, if my new ability doesn’t go away by then.”

“Yeah. I kinda want to know why Quibble acted the way he did. I mean, I was just stating the obvious.”

Sunset said as she climbed into her bed, “Well, maybe he just doesn’t like the hard truth.”

“No duh.”

When her mother’s sun rose again, Sunset had just walked out of her tent when…

“Sunset! Sunset!”

She turned to see Timber running up to her with a smile on his face. She asked, “Yeah? What is it?”

Timber panted happily, “Okay, you gotta see something. It’s where we had our picnic yesterday.”

This raised Sunset’s curiosity and she said, “Oh, really?”

“Yeah! Come on!”

When they neared the spot by the river, Timber covered Sunset’s eyes with his hoof.

He said as they inched closer, “Okay, just a little bit farther…Farther…”

Sunset chuckled, “Timber, what’s all this about?”

“Hang on…And…Here we are!”

As soon as he removed his hoof from her eyes, Sunset gasped in amazement. There was a tiny flower that was white and had pink splotches. A pink outline of a heart encircled the golden center of the plant and the shape of an arrow ran diagonally from one petal to another, as if piercing the heart.

Sunset walked up to it with enraptured eyes and breathed, “A Cupid’s Arrow orchid. But…that wasn’t here before.”

Timber said, “I know, right? But I’ve seen flowers like this pop up when two campers are in love.” He gave a playful smirk.

Sunset blushed and turned to him as she said in surprise, “Oh, Timber…”

She thought she would never feel the intoxicating sensation of her own heart pulsating with delight until that moment. To finally find somepony who loved her for her was truly a great joy. Maybe there was a chance the rest of her dreams could come true. Timber gazed into her cyan eyes and saw the ocean he always wanted to see. Why travel the whole world when it was right there in front of him? But was it impossible? After all, she had to pass the ultimate test.

Unbeknownst to Timber, Sunset suddenly got an idea about what to do with Daring Do and Quibble.

“It’s breathtaking up here, huh?” Quibble said as he and Sunset looked out over the ledge.

Sunset agreed, “You’re so lucky to camp here, Quibble. Ponies would envy getting a view like this.”

“Yeah, but considering where I’ve been, this is nothing.”

“Oh? Well, I have this new ability to see what you’ve seen, so maybe I could look at where you’ve been to see if you’re right.”

Quibble was a little surprised to hear that Sunset had a new magical ability, but when Sunset implied she wanted proof of the places where he had been, he smirked, “Of course I’m right. Take a look.” He then asked in trepidation, “You will only look at the memories of where I’ve been, right? Nothing else?”

Sunset nodded, “Only what I need to see.”

Before she could touch his arm, Quibble asked, “It’s not going to hurt, is it?”

Sunset smiled in reassurance, “No, Quibble. You’ll be fine.” She touched him and experienced the same reaction as before. In her mind’s eye, she saw Quibble carrying a pack of books and grumbling to himself.

He muttered angrily, “Why Daring Do isn’t the same anymore is beyond me. I like the smart Daring who solves puzzles and thinks a lot, not this new Daring who’s all about action, action, action! As soon as I reach the convention, I’m going to give A.K. Yearling a piece of my mind.”

Just then, a cloaked pony with a hat raced out of the alley besides the building. He knew at that moment that it was none other than Yearling herself!

He tried to catch up with her as he shouted, “Hey! Hey, Yearling! Hold up! I want to discuss something very important with you!”

Suddenly, Quibble was scooped up in a burlap bag. Caballeron chuckled as he spoke to the colt in the bag, “Heh-heh-heh-heh. Well, well, well. What have we here? A fan of Yearling’s work? Well, if there’s anything Daring Do can’t resist, it’s rescuing somepony.”

Quibble added in the bag, “And raspberry ice cream with hazelnuts. Book Six.”

“Well, let’s see if she’ll rescue you in the deep dark jungle. I hope you’re not frightened.”

As Caballeron and his henchponies hauled their captive away, Quibble said, “No, fortunately, I’m not.”

After another white flash occurred, Sunset saw that Quibble was tied to a pole and screaming at the top of his lungs. Spiders were crawling towards him and began chewing on the pole.

He screamed, “Okay, I take that back! I’m frightened! Very frightened!”

Just before the spiders could crawl up to him, a blur suddenly zipped over the pole. It wasn’t long before a lasso flew into the air and tightened itself around the top of the rod.

A voice then shouted, “Hang on!”

Suddenly, the pole was pulled out from the ground and rose into the air. Quibble screamed as his mysterious rescuer continued to drag the pole through the treetops. When they reached a clearing, the rescuer let go of the rope and let the pole crash and slide onto the ground. Quibble was shaking from the whole ordeal until he looked up to see…Daring Do! His heart skipped a beat, his eyes widened, and his mouth dropped in surprise.

After she cut the ropes, Quibble stood up and stammered in amazement, “D-D-D-Daring Do! Y-you’re real?! Like, ‘for real’ for real?!”

Daring Do tipped her hat in confidence and said, “Yep.”

Quibble said to himself in conflicting glee and doubt, “Wow…I…I can’t believe this is happening! The one and only Daring Do! But, wait. What if she’s just an actress sent here to rescue me? Pfft! Don’t be ridiculous, Quib! Only Daring Do would know to use a rope to drag a 10-foot pole through the jungle. But if…”

Suddenly, he heard a shriek and turned to see Daring Do getting freaked out.

She flew up in the air as she yelped, “I hate spiders, I hate spiders, I hate spiders!”

Quibble was confused until he felt something crawling up his hind leg. He looked to see a spider and shook it off of him in terror. He said, “Yeah, I hate them, too. I’m not gonna lie, they’re very hairy and they have eight legs! That’s more legs than they would ever need!”

Daring Do said as she landed back on the ground, “Please, can we not talk about spiders?” She gave a shiver before she explained, “They give me the creeps. Besides, I can’t let it distract me from my mission.”

“A mission? What kind of mission?”

“A very dangerous one. In fact, too dangerous for a pony like you.”

He scoffed, “’Too dangerous’? For your information, I read books about you since the beginning. I learned a lot from them and I could survive out in the wilderness for weeks!”

Daring Do said dubiously, “Yeah, right. Just like when you were tied to that pole and freaking out about the spiders?”

Quibble blushed and rubbed the back of his head. “Okay. Point taken.” He then asked her, “But couldn’t I help you just this once? I mean, maybe you could reuse your brains again like you did in the first three books.”

“Oh, like I’m not using them enough?”

He denied while waving his hooves in nervousness, “No, no! That’s not it! I was just wondering what happened to that pony after the third book.”

“Well, for your information, maybe she’s still here. You just don’t realize that.”

She turned to leave until Quibble quickly said, “Wait, wait, wait! I’m sorry I offended you. Please let me make it up to you by going on this mission with you.”

Daring faced him with a smirk and said, “Admit it, you just want to go on an adventure with Daring Do.” When Quibble blushed and stammered, she said, “I don’t blame you. I’ve had help in the past, so there’s nothing keeping me from accepting it this time.”

Quibble’s eyes widened with joy as he said, “You mean you will?”

“Of course. But you’re only helping me, not bossing me around.”

“Got it.”

Another white flash appeared and it faded to the same scene of Daring Do and Quibble being cornered by Caballeron and his henchies.

Caballeron menacingly chuckled, “Heh, heh, heh, heh…I’ve got you now, my pretty pony. No one, not even your sidekick, can help you now.”

Quibble scoffed in offense as Daring slipped away from view, “’Sidekick’? Okay, one: I am not her sidekick. Two: she and I are equals. And three: I don’t need rescuing like other sidekicks do.”

Suddenly, Daring Do grabbed Quibble and carried him to safety on a cliff. She looked down the cliff and taunted, “Ha! Better luck next time, Caballeron!”

When she walked away from the cliff, Quibble shouted to a now-stuck Caballeron, “Yeah! We totally kicked your flanks today!”

Caballeron mocked in a derisive tone, “Sure, stallion-in-distress.”

When he and his henchponies laughed, Quibble felt embarrassed and decided to catch up to Daring Do. He told her, “Thanks for saving my life, Dare.”

“No prob. Your ranting comes in handy sometimes.”

Quibble stopped with a slighted expression on his face for a few moments before he retorted, “Excuse me? That wasn’t ranting. I was merely stating that –“

Daring interrupted, “No, you were ranting, like you always do.”

Sunset then saw the fight unfold like in Daring Do’s memories. When Quibble began to walk away, she returned to the real world.

Quibble asked, “So, what did you see?”

She answered, “Oh, the jungle, the city, everything. It’s really quite fascinating.”

“Need more proof that I’ve been to places you never went to before?”

Sunset began to walk away as she smirked, “Yes, but I’ve traveled across Equestria in one night.”

When she entered the forest, she heard Quibble shout, “No fair!”

Discord pleaded, “Oh, come on, Tim!”

Timber refused, “No, and that’s my final answer.”

Cheese said, “Then how can you have a moonlight romance with Sunset if you’re chasing a monster all night?”

Spike agreed, “Yeah. If we do the monster hunting for you, then you can get some rest and probably have some quality time with Sunset.”

Timber said, “Nice try, guys. Besides, you’re royals. I’m a peasant. The arrangement will never work out.”

All three in-laws gave out a long “Uhh…”

Spike clarified, “Um, actually, we were all peasants before we married our wives.”

Timber was intrigued by that but surprised all the same, “Say what?”

Discord said, “Well, technically, I was the Lord of Chaos, but I still wasn’t an actual member of royalty, mind you.”

Timber said, “Even so, I’m not going to let you go out in the forest tonight. It may be too dangerous. I’m sorry, but it’s N-O. No.”

As the Earth colt walked into the forest, Spike asked, “Now what do we do?”

A sly grin then spread across Discord’s face and he said to his two in-laws, “What if we made a little arrangement of our own?”

Spike said, “You mean if we can catch the monster behind Timber’s back…”

Cheese smiled, “Then Sunset can have the colt of her dreams all to herself!”

Discord winked, “Exactly!”

All three cheered as they high-fived, “Let’s do it!”

At the recreation hall, Sunset met up with Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.

The amber unicorn asked slyly, “Hey, guys. Do you want to play a little game of ‘Matchmaker’?”

Pinkie Pie jumped up and down as she squealed in excitement, “Ooh! I love that game! Who are we gonna matchmake?”

Sunset explained, “Well, you know how Quibble and Daring Do are having trouble getting along? Well, I thought we could rekindle that flame.”

Rarity gasped, “Oh, darling, this is quite risky of you.”

Rainbow Dash said, “Hey, if Sunny’s anything like Twilight, then there’s a good chance her plan will work. Besides, I’m up for anything with Daring Do in it.”

Pinkie smiled, “If she’s in, then I’m in, too.”

Rarity sighed, “Count me in. I’d actually like to see a romance being rekindled.”

Sunset said as she huddled her sisters together, “Great. Now here’s the plan…”

That night, a campfire was set and Quibble was the only one there. He thought it was odd since Sunset had invited him in the first place.

“Hi, Quibble!”

He turned his head back when he heard Sunset’s voice, but he was surprised to see Daring Do with her.

He breathed, “You.”

Daring Do echoed, “You.”

Sunset could feel the tension growing between the two, so she said, “You two haven’t been having much fun since you got here. Why don’t you relax a little by the campfire? I’m sure you two have some funny stories to share. Oops! I forgot the s’mores! I’ll be right back.”

When she left, there was only silence between Quibble and Daring Do. After several moments, Daring deadpanned, “Sunset set us up, didn’t she?”

Quibble sighed, “Yeah. I really should’ve seen that one coming.”

Just then, Rarity came up to them with two cups and asked, “Hot cocoa?”

Quibble asked, “You’re not trying to feed us love poison, are you?”

“Why, I wouldn’t dream of it! I thought hot cocoa would be perfect for relaxation.”

Daring Do said as she took a cup, “Forgive him, Your Highness.” She glared at him as she gritted her teeth, “He always thinks the worst of everything.”

Rarity saw where this was going, so she said, “I think I’m going to see how Sunset’s doing with the s’mores. Excuse me.” She then left the two alone.

Quibble said accusingly to Daring, “Oh, I think the worst of everything?”

Daring said, “Yes, everything. My books, my adventures, even me!”

Quibble sputtered, “What? I never said anything like that!”

“No, but you always implied it.”

He scoffed, “’Implied’? I always thought you thought that I ranted.”

Daring Do groaned in exasperation, “You know what? I’m outta here.”

She was about to leave until Quibble chortled wryly, “Oh, no. Oh, this isn’t over yet. Oh, no, no. Daring Do, how many times did I say you would always deflect every question?

“What? I –“

“Look, now you’re doing it. Now, look at this.”

“Quibble, just –“

“It’s like it’s in your DNA!”

“Is it in my DNA to try to keep ponies safe, even when they’re ungrateful like you?”

“I, I, I’m uh…I’m surprised, I’m surprised. Ugh! You know, it’s typical. Business as usual. But you know what? You know what? My voice will not be ignored!”

“You’ve had your say.” Daring Do turned to leave again.

Behind the bushes near the campfire, Sunset and her three sisters were watching the scene.

Pinkie fretted in a whisper, “Uh-oh. We got mayday. We got mayday!”

Rainbow said, “Don’t worry. I can handle this.” She inhaled deeply and let out a huge roar that startled even her sisters.

Quibble yelped, “What was that?!”

Daring crouched with her backside towards Quibble and spread her wings to protect him. She told him, “I don’t know. Could be a Timberwolf.”

“What?!” He was scared for several moments until he realized that Daring Do was protecting him. “Wait, why are you protecting me? I’m not somepony worth saving.”

Daring Do said, “You’d be surprised at how many ponies I save at times, even when they’re ungrateful.”

“Like me?”

“Well, something like that.” She then sighed, “Look, I’m sorry I called you ungrateful, pompous, smart-aleck, loud-mouthed –“

Quibble chuckled as he held out his hoof to stop her, “Okay. So maybe one of those things is true. Yes, I can be loud-mouthed, but I can’t help myself sometimes. When I want to say something, I just say it.”

“Like the day we…?”

He sighed, “Yeah. That was really dumb of me. I shouldn’t have said that you weren’t the type of pony I’d date.”

Daring asked, “Then…what would be the kind you’d date?”

“Like you, but smarter and…” He put a hoof to his head and confessed, “Okay, I don’t want to date anypony else but you. Like you said, it’s not every day you get to date Daring Do.”

“But…should we try being marefriend and coltfriend again? I mean, it all came apart really badly the last time. I’m not sure if I even want to try again.”

“I don’t blame you. I really don’t. When we…you know, broke up, I was high-strung about being called a stallion-in-distress by Caballeron and his henchponies. I wanted to prove that I wasn’t a sidekick, but when I said I didn’t need rescuing and you rescued me anyway…” He then chuckled, “Well, I call that bad timing.”

Daring reassured, “You know, even powerful and heroic ponies need to be rescued from time to time. Do you know what happened when Sunset and her friends first accompanied me on an adventure? I was captured by Ahuizotl and…”

He finished for her, “…rescued by Night Glider? Wow. I thought that book was fiction.”

“Believe me, all of my books are true, even that one.”

“So you didn’t just write that story to please a princess.”

She chuckled, “Hey, I didn’t even know Sunset was a princess until after the ring was stolen.” When her mind dwelled on something for a few moments, she said, “I missed you since the day we went our separate ways. Did you feel the same?”

“Oh, definitely. I couldn’t help but moor over the fact that we were done. I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t want to believe it. Every day that I was away from you, it was torture to not be able to feel your lips once more.”

Daring Do gazed at him before she said softly, “Quib.”

Hearing that nickname spring from her lips again made him shiver with both ecstasy and surprise, “Dare.”

“Is this torture?”

“The worst.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Quibble said in surprise, “What? No! Don’t be!”

“What?! Why not?!” She then said with a bewildered smile, “Oh, I’m so confused!”

He chuckled, “Me, too!”

“Well, this…this is good. We’ve got one thing in common.”

Daring lifted him into the air and they both laughed as they twirled around. Meanwhile, the four sisters watched in content from behind the bushes.

Pinkie cheered, “Yes! We did it!”

Sunset smiled as she high-hoofed her sisters, “Mission accomplished.”

Rainbow agreed, “It’s a good thing, too, or else Pinkie would’ve been Plan D.”

Rarity asked, “May I ask what this Plan D was?”

The Two-Legs Revealed

Spike asked, “Are you sure Timber isn’t going to catch us doing this?”

Discord said as he set up a rope for a trap, “He won’t. Our camouflage outfits make us invisible to anyone but ourselves and the Two-Legs.”

“But should we even be doing this?”

Discord got up and faced his in-law, “This is for his own good and Sunset’s. Trust me, he’ll thank us.”

Cheese said, “And if we’re not doing it for Sunset, we’re doing it to get an actual photo of the Two-Legs.”

Spike said, “I’d rather do it for Sunset. Besides, why are we going through all this trouble if Timber wasn’t the one for her?”

Cheese agreed, “Yeah. They can’t fool us. Their eyes are telling us they’re in love.” He batted his eyes for emphasis. He then started chanting, “Timber and Sunset, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!”

Discord clamped the stallion’s mouth shut and shushed harshly, “SHH! Quiet! We don’t want Timber to know we’re here! No matter what he says, we’re going to catch this creature even if we have to stay up all night!”

Hours later, the three of them were sleeping on the ground. They had grown tired of waiting for the Two-Legs and dozed off without another thought. Suddenly…

“AAAHH!”

The abrupt scream awoke the brothers-in-law and they got up in a startled manner.

Discord asked, “What was that?!”

Spike said, “It must be the monster!”

Cheese declared while he held a stick, “Let’s get him!”

The in-laws gave a war cry as they charged towards the trap Discord had set up earlier that evening. When Spike angled the flashlight at the creature caught on the rope by its ankle, the guys yelped in terror at the sight of the Two-Legs. It was a creature unlike anything they had ever seen before. It had a lean frame with a built-up chest and a slim stomach. It wore a red shirt, khaki pants, and a hat that was similar to Timber’s. It also had five-fingered hands and odd-shaped feet with what appeared to be toes. But the strangest thing of all was that it shared many traits with Timber!

Discord exclaimed in shocked disgust, “Good gracious! He’s even ghastlier than I thought!”

To their surprise, the creature said, “Guys, it’s me, Timber Spruce!”

When they heard Timber’s voice, the in-laws yelped again.

Cheese cried, “He ate Timber Spruce!”

Discord said as he flashed on surgeon’s attire, “Stand back! This could get very messy!” He put his hands around the creature’s upper body and began performing the Heimlich maneuver. “Don’t worry, Sprucy! We’ll get you out of the foul beast in no time flat!”

The Two-Legs grunted between squeezes, “But I *Hngh!* really am *Ugh!* Timber *Blugh!* Spruce!”

Spike cried, “Guys, wait, wait! I think it’s really him!”

Discord scoffed as he kept squeezing the Two-Legs, “Ha! Likely story!”

Spike said as he pointed to the creature’s features, “Look at the eyes and the hair and even the hat!”

Discord stopped what he was doing as he and Cheese looked closely at the Two-Legs. They then realized that Spike was right: it really was Timber Spruce!

Timber said in an irritated tone, “Now that everyone’s convinced, can you please let go of me before I lose my dinner?”

Discord gagged as he let go of Timber, “Ugh! I don’t want to have anyone puking on me. It’s just plain gross.”

He then used his talon to cut the rope. Timber grunted when he landed on his head.

As the camp guide rubbed his head, Spike asked, “What happened to you, Timber? Were you cursed?”

Timber confessed when he sat up, “I was born this way.”

The three in-laws stood there in silence for a few moments before Cheese said in confusion, “We’re…not following you.”

Timber said as he stood up, “My mother went to another world and accidentally brought magic with her.”

Discord said in an intrigued tone, “Another world? Do tell.”

“The world Mom went to was home to humans. That is, creatures that look the way I do now. So anyway, when Mom got there, she became a human herself. Dad was already a human living there when he fell in love with Mom, even though he knew she came from Equestria. They got married and had my sister and me. We were born at home at night, so our folks couldn’t tell that there was something different about us until the next morning. Thankfully, our parents were the only ones who knew about it.

“For everyone’s sake, Mom took us and Dad to Equestria. They had to keep us hidden, though. When they died just after Gloriosa and I turned sixteen, we had to rough it out here.”

Spike asked, “So how come you’re human now and pony during the day?”

“I’m only human when the sun’s not out.” Timber then faced the moon and said as he put his elbow against a tree, “‘By night one way, by day another. This shall be the norm until you find true love’s first kiss and then take love’s true form.’”

Discord said, “That’s very charming. Who knew you wrote poetry?”

Timber said as he turned to face the in-laws again, “Give all credit to the zebra. He told my parents that rhyme when they brought Gloriosa and me to him.”

Spike asked, “So if you and your sister get true love’s first kiss, then you can be ponies 24/7?”

Discord said cheerfully to Timber as he clasped his mismatched hands together, “That settles it! Sunset’s going to kiss you and break your dreadful curse!”

Timber stopped him, “Hold on, hold on! I’m not even sure if Sunset will like my other form. I mean, she might reject me because I’m part human, a creature nopony else understands!”

The three in-laws gave him smirks as Cheese said, “So?”

Discord explained, “I’m a creature made up of all sorts of animals, but that never stopped Fluttershy from loving me and even marrying me.”

Spike said, “I’m a dragon, but I got a wife and kid anyway.”

Cheese said, “We know our Sunset, Timber, and if she’s anything like her sisters, then there’s a good chance she’d love you no matter what form you take, day or night.”

Timber was filled with hope, but another worry crept into his mind. “But…what about Gloriosa? She doesn’t have a significant other.”

The three in-laws uttered as they realized that, “Oh…”

After thinking for a few seconds, Discord suggested, “How about this? After we leave Splendor Woods, we’ll find the perfect pony for your sister to marry.”

Timber’s eyes widened as he said, “Really? You’d do that for her?”

Discord nodded, “Absolutely.”

Cheese agreed, “Yes, siree!”

Spike said, “How can we say ‘no’?”

Timber smiled, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

The alarm clock buzzed and the three in-laws and Timber groggily woke up in the forest.

Discord groaned, “Is it that time already?”

Timber said as he stood up, “Yep.” After he yawned and stretched, he said, “It’s almost sunrise. Time for the big show.”

The draconequus muttered grumpily, “Remind me again why we agreed to wake up early to see this.”

Cheese smiled, “Come on! It’ll be fun!”

Timber shared the Earth colt’s smile, “Yep, you won’t be disappointed.” When he faced the direction where the sun was about to come up, he slightly spread out his arms and said, “Here we go.”

The in-laws watched as Celestia’s sun began to rise and flood the land with its radiant light. Just then, yellow clouds and sparkles began to envelope Timber. After several moments, the clouds and sparkles died down and Timber landed on his front hooves as he had done so many times before. When he turned to see the in-laws again, they had astonished expressions on their faces.

Timber asked with a smirk, “So?”

Cheese said, “That…was…awe-some!”

“Thanks. Now I need to show Sunset when the sun goes down tonight and explain everything to her.”

Discord said as he held out his hand to stop Timber, “Hold up. Why do ‘show-and-tell’ when you can just show her?”

Spike realized what he was getting at and said, “Oh, right! Sunset has that new ability now!”

Timber asked in surprise, “She does?”

Cheese said, “Of course! She can touch ponies and see their memories and feel what they feel!”

Discord suggested, “So you can let your memories do the explaining for you!”

Timber asked in concern, “What if she’ll be afraid to touch me? I don’t know how she’ll act when I’m in human form.”

Cheese then grinned widely, “Who says it has to be at night? You can take her on a romantic boat ride on the lake…before the sun sets!”

Discord smiled sneakily, “Ooh, soften her up so she’ll be more accepting of him. Good idea, Cheese Sandwich!”

Timber said with a hopeful smile, “You know what? I think it might actually work!”

When the guys returned to the camp courtyard, Gloriosa walked up to them. She greeted them in a tone that sounded cheerful, “Hi, Timber! Have you been having fun with those three?”

Timber rubbed the back of his neck as he explained with a smile, “Well, actually, I kinda got snared in one of my traps. Thankfully, the guys were hiking through and found me.” At that moment, he noticed something around her neck. “Say, where did you get that necklace?”

Gloriosa put a hoof to her necklace and explained, “Oh, these were just some colorful geodes I found near the rock quarry. I thought I’d loop them together into a wonderful necklace.” She then whispered to her brother, “Meet me in the woods at sundown.”

When she left the guys, Cheese said to Timber, “Well, you better ask our girl out on a date before the sun sets.”

Discord said as he and his in-laws walked away, “Don’t disappoint us, Sprucy!”

Timber gave a small grin before he began searching for Sunset. Luckily, he found her at the campfire pit, peering at something below a log.

When she saw him, she smiled and waved him over as she said, “Hey, Timber, look at this!”

To his surprise, there was another Cupid’s Arrow orchid where the log and ground met.

He chortled in amazement, “Whoa-ho! How did that get there?”

Sunset smiled innocently as her eyes looked up in a playful way and her head swayed from side-to-side. “I may have brought two pals of mine back together again.”

Timber chuckled as he playfully hit her arm, “You sly pony!” He then said slowly to ease his nervousness, “Say, would you…be interested in having…a date…this afternoon?”

Sunset said with no expression, “A date?”

“Um, yeah?”

Suddenly, Sunset threw her arms around him as she cried, “Yes! I would love to go out with you!” She pulled back to face him again and asked, “Where should I meet you?”

“Right here at the campfire pit. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”

“I’m sure I won’t.”

Meanwhile, Daring Do and Quibble were at the ledge. Quibble had just gone inside his tent to retrieve something. After a minute, he came back out with…

“The token from the Rainbow-Eyes,” Daring’s eyes widened. “You kept it?”

Quibble gave a small smile, “I forgot to give it back to you when we separated. Since then, it was a reminder of what we had.”

“You mean you didn’t hate me all this time?”

“I hated myself even more than I could ever hate you. Look, if you want the token back, then take it.”

Daring Do looked like she was considering the offer for a few moments, but she surprised him by pushing his hoof back towards him. “Considering how we patched things up last night, I think our relationship is still good.”

Quibble asked with an amazed smile, “You mean we’re still…?” When she nodded, he squealed happily, “Oh, Dare!” He wrapped his arms around her and held her in a tight embrace. She mirrored his very actions by hugging him in return.

Daring Do then said with a smirk, “Besides, I got some nice artwork from the Rainbow-Eyes.” This surprised Quibble and he faced her with a stunned look. She said, “Yeah, I found them first, so I won the bet.”

Quibble looked as if he was offended by this, but then he smiled, “I knew you’d find them, Dare. After all, you’re Equestria’s most famous jungle adventurer.”

“Don’t ever forget it.”

They chuckled before they locked lips and fell into a deep kiss.

Sunset wore a blindfold as Timber led her towards the dock. She said with a smile, “I can’t wait to see what you have as a surprise for me.”

Timber told her, “It’s going to be worth it. Trust me.”

When they stopped on the far end of the dock, he let go of her hoof and removed her blindfold. Sunset gasped in amazement when she saw a decorated boat waiting for them at the end of the dock.

She breathed, “Timber…it’s beautiful.”

Timber smiled, “Yeah, although I had a little help on it.” He pointed to the lifejackets in the boat and said, “Don’t forget to put on your lifejacket before we sail.”

Sunset joked as she saluted him, “Yes, sir.”

They both chuckled before they got on the boat and donned their lifejackets. Once everything was prepped, Timber hoisted the sail and steered the boat around the lake. When the sky began to show tints of orange and purple, Timber angled the boat so Sunset’s head was in front of the bright sun and let the vessel stop at that spot. Having the sun’s rays surround Sunset’s head like a halo was even better than he imagined. She was like an angel, a dazzling, beautiful angel with all the colors of daytime in her mane, coat, and especially her eyes. He wondered if she could be his nighttime angel, too.

Sunset couldn’t believe how striking Timber looked with the sunlight radiating his face. The light seemed to bounce off his green eyes and make them more brilliant. They were so captivating to her that she almost didn’t hear him ask something.

“Are you enjoying the boat ride?”

“Hmm?” She snapped out of her trance and said embarrassedly, “Oh, I was thinking about how fun this boat ride was.”

He smiled, “Yeah, it is great.” Now it was time to let her know his deepest secret. But how was he going to bring up such a shocking topic? Then, it came to him. “So…I hear you have a new magical ability.”

Sunset was surprised that he knew, but she assumed that maybe everypony knew by now. “Yeah! I can touch ponies and see their memories.”

“I think that’s pretty cool.”

“Wow. Thanks. Ponies would freak out if they knew that I was looking into their minds.”

“So is this only going to be at Splendor Woods or is it permanent?”

She shrugged, “I wish I knew, but I think it’s only going to be here. I don’t know why, but the magic has been strong ever since my family and I got here.”

“So why not use your new ability to learn my secret?”

Sunset was confused by that and asked, “Secret? What secret?”

“Why you never see me at night.”

“But…aren’t you usually hunting for the Two-Legs at that time?”

“I can’t tell you that…But I’ll show you.” Timber outstretched his hoof and said, “Touch my hoof and you’ll see what I mean.” When Sunset hesitated touching his hoof, he added, “Please, trust me.”

The soft, pleading tone in his voice finally convinced Sunset to do as he said and touch his hoof with hers. As she expected, her mind’s eye saw an image playing before her. A young Timber Spruce and Gloriosa Daisy were playing catch in the camp courtyard and the sky was a bright mix of orange and purple. Amazingly, Timber looked pretty much the same but without the hat, but Sunset was surprised by how Gloriosa looked. The young Earth filly had pigtails akin to braids, a single daisy in her mane, and a missing tooth.

A female voice then called, “Kids! Time to go inside!”

The kids groaned before Timber asked, “Do we have to?”

“Yes!”

The twins walked to a cabin as they dejectedly said with their heads down, “Okay.”

After their mother closed the door, Timber grumbled, “Stupid curse-at-night thing.”

This surprised Sunset. What curse at night? Then, in the vision she saw, the sun went down. When yellow clouds and sparkles surrounded the twins, Sunset watched in astonishment and anxiously waited to see what would happen. Her heart skipped a beat as soon as she saw the twins as creatures she had never seen before. They still looked like themselves, but in a different form.

Gloriosa asked her parents sadly, “I don’t get it. Why are we like this at night?”

The parents looked at each other with uneasy looks, but then they nodded, as if they decided it was best to tell their children now.

Their father came up to them and said, “I’m not from Equestria. I was born in a world that can only be reached by a crystal mirror.”

Timber asked with wide eyes, “So are you a human, too?”

His dad nodded, “Since I was born in the form you guys take at night, yes, I’m a human.”

Gloriosa asked, “Then why aren’t you human at night like us?”

Their mother explained, “You two are only half-human and half-pony. I’m 100% percent pony, but when I came to your dad’s world, I became a human. Likewise, when Daddy came here, he became a pony. But no matter which world we were in, we were still our true selves on the inside.”

Her husband said, “So when your mother came into my world, she lived there with me until we had you guys.”

Gloriosa said in an incensed tone, “Well, I would think that having kids who are one form during the day and another at night would count as odd.”

Her mom agreed, “We thought so, too, when we found out you were ponies by day. You see, you guys were born at night, so we thought that there was nothing unusual about you.”

The dad chuckled, “Boy, were we wrong!”

“So to avoid any attention by the locals, we went to Equestria with you guys. That way, you could be out and about during the day and stay somewhere safe during the night. When we arrived here, we sought the help of a wise zebra to hopefully break the cycle you guys were in.”

Her husband shook his head sadly, “Nothing.”

She corrected him, “Nothing but a rhyme. A very useful rhyme, no less.” She then recited, “’By night one way, by day another. This shall be the norm…’”

The twins then droned with her as if they had heard it countless times before, “’Until you find true love’s first kiss and then take love’s true form.’”

Gloriosa asked worriedly, “But will anypony love us, both in this form and our pony form?”

Her father wrapped his arm around his wife as he told his daughter, “If it’s true love, it can defy all odds.” He then remembered something and said, “Oh, I almost forgot something!” He trotted to the closet and brought out a cap. He said as he walked to Timber, “Your mom and I made this for you.”

His wife pointed to an image printed on the rim and smiled, “And look at this! It even matches your cutie mark!”

“It’s yours, my boy.”

When Timber grabbed it, he beamed, “Whoa! Thanks!”

As soon as he put his new hat on, Gloriosa whined, “Why didn’t I get a cool cap like his?”

Her mother explained, “Trust me, Glory. It wouldn’t be your style. Besides, I got something that will fit you to a T.” She grabbed a box and gave it to her daughter. “Open it.”

When Gloriosa did, her eyes widened with joy and she beamed, “Wow…A daisy chain!” She said as she held it in her hands, “I’ve been trying to make one for years!”

“Well, then I guess I’d better teach you.”

After Gloriosa put her daisy chain on her head, she teased Timber, “See? Now I got something to wear, too.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

Her father admonished, “Gloriosa, that’s not very nice.” When Timber was about to stick his tongue at his sister, their dad warned, “Don’t you dare, mister.”

Timber flashed a sheepish grin.

Both twins said, “Thank you for the gifts, Mom and Dad.”

Their parents answered when they hugged them, “You’re very welcome.”

Sunset loved looking at the happy scene, but suddenly, a white flash appeared, signaling the transition to another memory. Unfortunately, this memory was gloomier than the one before it. A now-teenaged Gloriosa and Timber were standing in front of two stone markers that stood in a secret place in the forest. Judging by the writing on the markers, Sunset assumed that the monoliths were gravestones for their parents.

Gloriosa sniffled, “How will we ever live without them? It’s not fair!”

Her brother nodded sadly, “I know, but I bet they’re watching over us at this moment.”

Gloriosa choked through tears, “What will we do now, Timber?”

After staying silent for a few moments, Timber answered, “We’ll run the camp, just like Mom and Dad would’ve wanted.”

“Until one of us finds a true love and breaks the curse?”

“Hmm…Yeah. Until then.” He then faced her, “But right now, let’s just take care of each other and Splendor Woods.”

Another white flash occurred and Sunset saw the moment the Two-Legs brought her back to camp safely.

Her memory self said, “Thanks for…”

The image then cut to the silhouette swinging from branch to branch until it landed on the ground. When it stepped into the moonlight, Sunset couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The Two-Legs was none other than a grown-up Timber in human form! He looked so strange but so entrancing as his night self.

Timber fretted as he looked behind him, “I hope Gloriosa won’t find out about this.”

After a white flash, Timber and Gloriosa were quarreling in their human forms.

Gloriosa reprimanded, “Why did you save her?! You could’ve given away your identity!”

Timber rebuked, “Should I have just left her to be eaten by those Timberwolves?!”

“No! That’s not what I meant!” She calmed down and sighed, “Look, I don’t want her to know who you are at night. Ponies in this world have never seen humans before.”

“I know, but if she’s the one for me, she’ll love me no matter what form I take.”

“And if she’s not?”

“Look, I’ll know either way. Please trust me.”

Gloriosa sighed sadly, “I just don’t want you getting hurt because of this.” She gestured at herself when she said that last word. “What if she rejects you and reveals our secret to all of Equestria?”

Timber put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Somehow, I don’t think she will.”

“What? Reject you or expose our human forms?”

“Neither.”

When Timber said that, Sunset found herself back in the real world again. She looked at Timber – still a pony - and found it strange to see one form in a vision a second before she saw the other in reality. Still, she couldn’t believe that a daily cycle of transformations was behind Timber’s nightly disappearances, but she knew she couldn’t blame him. Timber was anxiously waiting for Sunset to say something when her eyes had returned to their normal, beautiful color.

After several moments, Sunset overcame her initial shock and began to say, “Timber…this explains everything. You’re not searching for the Two-Legs, because you are the Two-Legs.”

Timber added, “My sister is, too.”

“But you were the one who saved me from the Timberwolves that night.”

He rubbed his hoof against his chest and said proudly, “Yep, that was all me. You can give your thanks now.”

Sunset chuckled before she said, “Thank you. And now I expect your thanks in return.”

“For what?”

“Accepting you for who you are, pony and human.” She gave him a warm smile as a sign she meant what she said.

Timber’s eyes widened with joy as he hugged her and exclaimed, “Oh, Sunset! Thank you! I told my sister you were the one for me! I just knew it!”

When he pulled back to face her, Sunset nodded, “I knew it, too. At first, I was convinced that I couldn’t marry and start a family, but then I found you. You gave me new hope.”

Now with the sunset coloring the sky and illuminating the lake, the amber unicorn sang, “All those days…watching from the windows…All those years…outside looking in…All that time…never even knowing…just how blind I’ve been…Now I’m here…blinking in the sunlight…Now I’m here…suddenly I see…Standing here…it’s, oh, so clear…I’m where I’m meant to be…

“And at last, I see the light…and it’s like the fog has lifted…And at last, I see the light…and it’s like the sky is new…And it’s warm and real and bright…And the world has somehow shifted…All at once…everything looks different…now that I see you…”

Timber then said to her, “You know, all my life, I’ve been afraid that no one would love my human form along with my pony form. But when you came into my life, I felt like there was a chance that things could work out. I’m really glad that I met you and that you chose to love me despite what I became at night.”

He started singing, “All those days…chasing down a daydream…All those years…living in a blur…All that time…never truly seeing…things the way they were…Now you’re here…shining in the sunlight…Now you’re here…suddenly I know…If you’re here…it’s crystal clear…I’m where I meant to go…”

They both sang as they held hooves, “And at last, I see the light…”

Timber sang, “And it’s like the fog has lifted…”

Both sang, “And at last, I see the light…”

Sunset sang, “And it’s like the sky is new…”

Both sang, “And it’s warm and real and bright…And the world has somehow shifted…All at once…everything is different…now that I see you…Now that I…see you…”

With the two of them very much in love, they touched muzzles and enjoyed this beautiful moment.

Author's Note

Just to clarify, they did not kiss. I’m saving that for a very special moment.
The song is “I See the Light” from Tangled. I even added the boat as part of the reference. :twilightsmile:
In case anyone didn’t know where I got the Cupid’s Arrow orchid from, it’s Gnomeo and Juliet. Sorry I didn’t explain sooner.

Midnight Scare

When Sunset and Timber got back onto land, they headed to the forest as the sun dipped lower into the horizon.

She told him at the edge of the woods, “You know, I’m glad we’re waiting with any kissing. We wouldn’t want to leave your sister in the dark if our kiss did work.”

He chuckled, “Yeah. I sure hope she doesn’t leave me in the dark about anything she knows.”

Sunset asked in concern, “Why? What’s wrong?”

Just then, Gloriosa’s voice called out, “Timber?! Where are you?!”

Timber turned back to his sweetheart and said, “I gotta go. I promise I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

Sunset nodded, “Okay.”

He sprang for the woods and disappeared from sight. When the sun went down, a flash appeared behind Sunset. She turned to see Discord floating in mid-air in a peeved way.

He scowled, “What was that all about?! I thought you would be all -” He batted his eyes and put his hands together as he continued, “- mushy and lovey-dovey -” He then transformed into Sunset, save for his yellow-and-red eyes, bushy eyebrows, and snaggletooth. “- and all over your -” At that moment, a mannequin of Timber made out of ragged cloths appeared in a white flash. “- special somepony.” He then pretended to kiss the mannequin passionately.

Sunset shouted in an annoyed tone, “Discord!” When he turned to face her, she asked, “Why do you care if Timber and I get together?”

When Discord transformed back into his regular self, Cheese Sandwich and Spike came up to him and Sunset. Cheese answered, “Oh, come on, Sunset. You can’t hide your feelings for that guy. Not since we –“

He was cut off when Quibble rushed towards the four of them. Quibble panted in a panicked tone, “Guys, we have a situation!”

Without another word, the four royals followed him to the ledge where Daring Do was looking down at something with her binoculars.

She gave Sunset the binoculars and said, “You won’t like what you’re gonna see.”

When the princess peered into the binoculars, she looked all around the forest until…

She gasped, “Caballeron!”

Daring surmised, “He must be here looking for Gaea’s Geodes!”

Quibble pleaded, “Please tell me you found them already.”

His marefriend shook her head, “I haven’t. I’m trying, though.”

Spike said, “Even without Gaea’s Geodes, we still need to drive Caballeron and his henchponies away.”

Cheese said, “Well, too bad Timberwolves are out of the question. They could scare that band of baddies so they’d run for the hills without a second thought.”

Just then, Discord got an idea. He said sneakily as he rubbed his hands together, “You’ve got the right idea, Mr. Sandwich, but it’s not going to be Timberwolves.”

In a glen surrounded by trees, Sunset asked Discord, “Why couldn’t you have just sent Caballeron and his henchies to some far-off place like, I don’t know, the Badlands?”

Discord explained, “FYI, my magic has been working long-distance. I can summon things that are miles from us, but I can’t send them away. And besides, you know my plan’s going to work.”

“How is turning into a…” She chose her words carefully before she said, “…a Two-Legs going to scare Caballeron off?”

“Oh, I know from experience how terrifying humans can be.”

“Wait. How did you know about humans?”

“Oops,” Discord uttered as he realized his mistake. He tittered, “I may have gone looking for the Two-Legs last night and found Timber in human form.”

“So you were the one who told him about my new magical ability.”

“Actually, Cheese told him about that. I merely implied it.”

“Cheese went with you, then?”

“And Spike, although he was willing to back out if possible.”

She waved her hoof as she said, “We’re getting off-topic here. Are you going to change me into a human now?”

Just then, a metal bar flashed out of nowhere. Discord said, “Just hold onto the bar with both hooves.” After she did so in confusion, he wrapped a pink ribbon around her stomach a few times until he almost ran out of ribbon on his end.

She asked, “Okay. Now what?”

He then flashed a wicked grin, “Try not to puke.”

At that moment, he grabbed the metal bar while pulling the ribbon at the same time. The quick motion of the ribbon getting pulled sent Sunset spinning around the glen rapidly. The fast-twirling princess gradually grew taller and taller until she eventually slowed to a dizzy stop in human form. All lightheaded, she dropped to the ground.

When she regained her senses, she put her newly-transformed hand to her head and chided Discord, “Was that really necessary?” She then looked at her hand and put both it and its twin side-by-side. “Whoa…It feels so…” She then wriggled her fingers. “…weird.”

Discord shrugged, “Eh, you’ll get used to it.” He showed off his own hands and said, “I already am.” He wriggled his fingers to tease her.

Just then, Sunset’s six sisters came into the glen.

Twilight asked, “What’s going on here?”

Rainbow said, “We got the news about Caballeron and…” She trailed off as she and her sisters were in shock seeing the new creature in front of them.

Rarity shrieked, “Aahhh! It’s the Two-Legs!”

Sunset held out her hands and said, “No, no, no, guys! It’s me, Sunset!”

Pinkie screamed, “Aahhh! It ate Sunset!”

Discord sighed in agitation as he put his claw over his face and shook his head, “No, Pinkie. It really is Sunset.”

Sunset nodded, “Yeah. Look at the hair.” She grabbed a tuft of her hair and tugged it to prove her point.

Twilight came towards her and asked, “Sunset?” She then turned to Discord and said angrily, “All right, what did you do to my sister?!”

Her twin calmed her, “Twilight, it’s okay. This is actually part of the plan to scare Caballeron off.”

Applejack chuckled, “Well, ya sure scared us. We’ve never seen a creature like…you are now.”

Pinkie suggested cheerfully, “Ooh! Can we be like Sunset, too?!”

Wanting to see how this would play out, Discord said, “Your wish is my command!” He lifted his hands over his head and yellow magic began glowing on them.

Twilight cried, “Wait, Discord!”

KA-ZAP!

After the smoke cleared, humans were now standing where the princesses once were. Their hairs were longer and more voluminous versions of their manes and the princesses were wearing camping clothes like Sunset was. Since they weren’t adept at standing on two legs, they yelped as they fell down.

Discord couldn’t help but laugh raucously at the scene. “Oh! Oh! That was just too priceless!” He conjured up a camera and said, “Let me take a picture of it!” After the camera flashed, a picture rolled out of the bottom slit. He laughed again when he looked at it. “It’s even funnier when it’s documented!”

Sunset grunted as she tried to stand up, “Discord…this is no time to play jokes.”

Flash then came up to them and agreed, “Sunset’s right. We need to get down to business and soon before –“

Unbeknownst to him, Discord flashed another wicked grin when his back was facing Flash. He then interrupted him mid-sentence by snapping his fingers and transforming Flash into a human.

Shocked, Flash cried, “Discord, what did you…?!” He began to topple. “Whoa, whoa…whoa!”

As the newly-transformed human began falling, Discord took a photo of it. He chortled, “That’s another one for the album!”

Twilight rushed to her fallen husband on her new hands and bare feet, asking in concern, “Are you all right, Flash?”

Flash grunted as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah. I’ve had worse.”

Sunset suggested as she prepared to walk on her two new feet, “Let’s try to master the art of walking on two legs before we do anything.” She put one foot in the air, but felt like she was wobbling already. She yelped as she tried to walk, “Whoa…Whoa!”

Just then, Discord had a photographer’s camera and took pictures of Sunset every few seconds. He smiled, “Go, girl! Go, girl! Work it! Nice little pose there!”

Sunset growled, “Discord, stop it! It’s not easy walking on two le…”

She felt herself toppling and would’ve fallen if her twin sister hadn’t outstretched her hands and caught her sister in a magical aura. Everyone was agape seeing this happen.

Sunset asked in a stunned tone, “Twilight, how did you…?”

Twilight stammered, “I…I don’t know!” When she turned her palms toward her, the aura disappeared and Sunset fell to the ground with an “Oof!” Twilight said, “I don’t have my horn, so how is it possible?”

Discord, also shocked, sputtered, “I have no idea! Usually, I’m the one who does magic with my hands! How is it that you…?”

Sunset suggested, “Maybe it’s because the woods are affecting our magic. It’s happened before, remember? Maybe Twilight’s magic is so strong that it needed another outlet, like her hands.”

Twilight said, “Well, whatever’s happening, I do not want to be like this longer than I have to.”

Rarity said, “I quite agree. These new appendages are…not the norm for us.”

Pinkie said as she pulled her own fingers, “I could get used to this!”

Fluttershy said her husband, “Okay, honey. You had your fun. Now please turn us-“

Suddenly, Cheese ran up to them and cried, “The gold diggers are coming! The gold diggers are coming!” He skidded to a stop and looked with wide eyes at the transformed royals. “Whoa! What happened to you?”

Pinkie waved cheerfully, “Hi, Cheesy!”

He yelped before he looked closer and asked, “Pinkie? Is that you?”

“Uh-huh. You like my new look?”

“Uh…It’s…it’s…you?”

Rainbow interrupted, “All right. Enough with the flirting. You were saying about the gold diggers, Cheese?”

“Oh, right! Caballeron and his henchies are coming this way! In fact, they’re close to the camp right now!”

Discord told Fluttershy, “Sorry, my dearest. It’s time for you and your sisters to put on a show.”

At the camp courtyard, Daring Do and Quibble Pants stood their ground as they waited for Caballeron to make his appearance.

Quibble told his marefriend, “Dare, if it all goes down in flames, I want you to know that I love you.”

She grabbed his hoof and responded, “I know.”

Their romantic moment was short-lived when a familiar cackle cut through the air. They turned to see their arch-nemesis entering the camp with his henchponies.

Caballeron said with a malicious smile, “Well, well, well, Ms. Do. I expected to find you here…” He then chuckled, “…but it surprises me that he’s here with you.”

Quibble scowled, “I made the mistake of leaving her side once. That’s something I’ll never do again.”

Caballeron mocked, “How romantic, but too mushy for my tastes. Give us the geodes and we’ll leave you two lovebirds to live another day.”

Daring Do said, “I may not have them, but you’re sure not going to get them!”

“Brave words, but futile. Henchponies, grab-“

He was interrupted by an eerie howling. Shivers went up the henchponies’ spines and Caballeron’s fear slowly crept in. Still, he kept a straight face and demanded in a soft voice, “What is that?!”

Daring Do and Quibble stood by each other as their eyes darted around nervously. The Pegasus looked decidedly calmer than her companion, who started shaking. Daring then said, “They might be Timberwolves.”

“Timberwolves? Ha! No pony or animal is going to keep me from obtaining the magical geodes!”

Suddenly, a strange creature burst from the brush and snarled at them. This was anything unlike Caballeron had seen before. Its skin was the color of light amber and it had red and yellow stripes in its long hair. It bared its sharp teeth at them and its claws were ready to slash at something. Caballeron and his gang gave frightened screams and ran off. The monster chased after them before they ran into six more monsters like the one behind them. When the creatures gave menacing growls, the treasure hunters ran the other way. Unfortunately for them, they ran into yet another monster, this time with blue hair and pale, light grayish amber skin.

“No! Don’t eat us!” Quibble cried as five of the monsters surrounded him and Daring Do.

Caballeron and his henchies watched in horror as the monsters huddled together to munch on the two. At that moment, Daring Do grabbed her companion and said, “Hang on!”

In a split-second, Daring took to the air and landed on a treetop with Quibble.

When the creatures started crowding Caballeron and his henchponies, he called out to Daring Do, “You haven’t seen the last of me! We will meet again!” Without another word, he and his gang ran off.

The creatures just stood there until a laughing Discord came out of the brush with a camera and chuckled, “Oh, this will make a great memory to remember! I’m glad I got it all with this baby.”

Sunset spat out her fake fangs and said, “Gotta hand it to you, Discord. This was a brilliant plan.”

Discord said proudly, “Thank you. I do have quite the brains, don’t I?”

Just then, Daring Do lowered Quibble onto the ground as the Earth pony remarked, “Heh-heh. We sure got them good.”

Daring said, “The way Caballeron and his guys were running off, they probably won’t come back to Splendor Woods for about a year!”

Applejack said to Discord, “All right, Discord. You can change us back now.”

Her brother-in-law said as he cracked his fingers, “Okay. Here goes nothing.” He snapped his fingers, but there was only a fizzle. In growing panic, he snapped his fingers on both hands and even an artificial one on his tail. “Uh-oh.”

Sunset asked in concern, “’Uh-oh’ what?”

“When I said ‘Here goes nothing’, it was literally.”

Author's Note

Yes, CartoonNerd12 contributed many lines to this chapter and a plot twist to the rest of the story. The end of the chapter is that plot twist.
I thought this was a good place to leave a cliffhanger, just to drive you mad. *evil cackle* I’m just kidding. I’ll have the next chapter out soon anyway, so I won’t keep you waiting for long.

Gaea's Geodes

Rainbow shouted, “What do you mean you can’t change us back?!”

Discord rebuffed, “It’s like I told you: my magic’s acting wonky left and right! How was I supposed to know this would happen?!”

Twilight chastised, “You should’ve thought of that before you turned us into humans!”

He tittered, “It must’ve slipped my mind.”

Fluttershy said, “All right, let’s calm down, every…one. I’m sure once we find whatever’s causing all this, we can turn back to normal.”

Quibble said after some thought, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure the Gaea geodes are behind this.”

Daring Do agreed, “You know, I think you’re right. The reason I came to Splendor Woods looking for the geodes is because of rumors of magical surges here. Some of those who camped here have said that they saw a bright glow in the rock quarry. When they tried to go near it, the ground near the quarry became like quicksand.”

Discord said as he scratched his head, “Oh, that’s odd. Gloriosa said she went near the rock quarry and collected some geodes to make her necklace.”

Daring’s eyes widened as she asked, “Wait. Geodes?” When Discord nodded, she asked urgently, “Were they arranged in an hourglass shape?”

“Uh, no. Not really.”

She stomped her hoof in frustration and grunted, “Darn! If I knew what colors the geodes were, it would be easier to find them!”

Twilight said, “We’ll try to go to the rock quarry to see what we can find.”

Flash pointed out, “If we can avoid the supposed quicksand trap.”

After agreeing to send out a team to the rock quarry in the morning, the royals, Discord, and ponies all got some shuteye before the sun rose again. In the morning light, the humanized royals walked up to the tents, knowing that it was minutes before their family members would wake up and see them. The night before, the three other husbands stayed behind to watch the kids and were sleeping at the time of the transformation.

Twilight said to the rest of her family, “You know the plan, right?”

Discord nodded, “Right.” He then went up to one of the tents and prepared to duct-tape the tent folds shut.

His humanized relatives shouted, “Discord!”

Sunset said, “That is not the plan! The plan is we talk to our relatives before they come out and convince them to not be afraid when they do.”

Her twin nodded, “Exactly. Sunset, you, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and I are going to go to the kids’ tent. Rarity, your tent. Rainbow Dash, yours. And Applejack…”

Applejack said, “My tent. I get it.”

When the kids were waking up, Whirl gasped as he saw four unfamiliar shadows outside the tent. He whispered to his cousins, “Guys! Do you see that?”

The other cousins were startled by the strange figures and were becoming fearful of what laid outside.

Cotton asked, “What is that?”

Screwball whispered, “I don’t know!”

Gem shrieked, “It’s the Two-Legs!”

Dignity added, “Only there’s four of them!”

The kids screamed until they heard their Aunt Sunset’s voice say, “Calm down! Calm down! It’s us! Aunt Twilight, Aunt Fluttershy, and even Aunt Pinkie!”

Pinkie’s voice then said, “You forgot yourself, Sunset!”

Sunset sighed, “Yes, Pinkie. It’s me in this form, too.”

The kids gasped when they heard that. Fire Spark asked, “Wait. ‘This form’?”

Twilight explained, “Long story short: your father, aunts, and I got transformed into creatures unrecognizable to ponies.”

When the kids didn’t get it, Fluttershy clarified, “Um…it means we got turned into something no one’s seen before.”

This got the kids interested and they poured out of the tent to see. They were stunned to see their mothers and aunt in such a strange form.

They breathed, “Whoa…”

A voice then said, “’Whoa’ indeed.”

They turned to see Fancy, who just got out of his tent and was now looking up at his wife in astonishment.

“Rarity?”

The once prim and proper unicorn turned towards her husband with an uneasy smile, “Oh, Fancy, darling, there’s something I must tell you.”

Just then, Spike and Soarin’ came out of their tents and gasped at the sights before them.

“Applejack?”

“Dash? Is that… you?”

Both wives gave cheesy grins with AJ saying, “Hi, hon. Um, Discord needs to tell you boys something. Isn’t that right?” She glared at the draconequus.

That caused the rest of the husbands to glare at him as well. Fancy demanded, “Discord, what have you done to my wife?!”

Spike declared, “Yeah!”

Soarin’ noticed Flash, who gave a timid wave, and gestured, “And what did you do to Flash?!”

Discord held his arms up in defense, “Hey, hey! One little mishap and you think I did it on purpose! Okay, sure, I was using Sunset to scare off Caballeron by turning her human. But when I saw the rest of the girls and Flash, I thought ‘Why not?’ and transformed them, too!”

Cotton raised her hoof, “Question. What is a hu-man?”

Pinkie jumped in front of her daughter while wiggling her fingers, “It’s what we are right now, sweetie!”

Starling asked, “But why haven’t you changed back?”

Twilight replied, “Something strange is happening in this forest and it’s making my magic and your uncle’s go awry.”

“So, like, is the Two-Legs real then because it’s a human?” Whirl asked.

Sunset answered, “Well, yes, but there are two of them. Turns out Timber Spruce and his sister are really half-ponies, half-humans. Their mother found a crystal mirror that teleported her to another world where humans live.”

Cotton spoke again, “So, wait, does that mean humans are aliens?!” She shrieked.

Screwball silenced her with her front hoof and turned back to their aunt, “You were saying, Aunt Sunny?”

Sunset gave a nod of gratitude and continued, “When Timber and Gloriosa’s mom met their dad, they fell in love and had them. But because of the Equestrian magic that was brought by their mom and their pony heritage, they were humans at night, but ponies during the day. They came to Equestria where it would be easier to hide their curse. Thus, the legend of the Two-Legs was born.”

Apple Jewel asked, “But how will Mom, you, Uncle Flash, and the rest of the aunts become ponies again if Uncle Discord can’t turn you guys back?”

Twilight responded, “By finding Gaea’s Geodes, we can set the magic straight and Discord can finally turn us back to normal.”

Sunset rubbed her chin and said, “If Gloriosa has the geodes, we’ll know for sure. But you better check the rock quarry just in case.”

Rainbow nodded, “Got it.”

“I think Timber’s going to be very surprised when he sees me like this,” Sunset said as she walked up to the lodge with Discord.

Discord tried to comfort her, “Relax. If anyone knows what it’s like to be a freaky human, it’s him.”

Sunset glared at him. She then took a deep breath and walked up the stairs, thinking, Well, here goes nothing.

When she knocked on the door, she heard a voice on the other side saying, “I’m coming, I’m coming.” She heard a yawn before Timber opened the door and literally jumped in surprise. “Whoa!”

Sunset sheepishly waved, “Hi, Timber.”

“Sunset? Is that you? What happened?”

Before Sunset could say anything, Discord filled in for her, “Baddies came here, I turned her and her sisters to humans, scared them off, and now I can’t turn them back.”

Timber blinked his weary eyes before he asked, “What? What do you mean by ‘scared them off’?”

Sunset clarified, “The bad guys. We scared them off in this form.”

“Oh-ho-ho. I’m sorry. I thought you meant…” He gave a yawn before he could finish his sentence.

“Are you okay, Timber?”

He rubbed his eyes as he answered, “Oh, yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”

Sunset said dubiously, “You don’t sound fine to me.”

Timber sighed before he explained, “Okay, you win. I had trouble getting to sleep last night because I’m worried about Gloriosa.”

Discord groaned, “Not this again!” He gestured at Sunset while he said, “How many times has she heard that excuse?!”

“But it’s the truth this time! Honest! I think something’s wrong with Gloriosa. Ever since she started wearing those geodes, she’s becoming a strange wood spirit at night.”

Sunset held out her hands and said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you saying that she’s wearing Gaea’s Geodes?!”

“Gaea’s Geodes?”

She explained, “They’re seven geodes that serve as a prison for Gaea Everfree.”

“But why would a forest spirit be trapped in seven geodes? What gives?”

“I don’t know, but my mother and Aunt Luna put her there in the first place. Maybe she did something bad to –“

A voice abruptly called out, “Oh, my!”

The three of them turned to see Gloriosa in shock.

Sunset knew that Gloriosa was surprised to see another human, so she explained, “Don’t worry, Gloriosa. It’s only me, Sunset Shimmer.”

Gloriosa put a hoof to her chest to calm her rapid heartbeat as she sighed in relief, “Oh! Thank goodness! But…why are you like this? You shouldn’t be this way.” Just then, a terrible thought crossed her mind. “Oh, Sunset. Were you cursed?”

“Huh?” She chuckled as she explained, “Oh, no! No! This is something my brother-in-law did.” Her face grew serious as she said, “But…I do know about why you and your brother disappear at night.”

Gloriosa stood silent for a moment until she stomped her hoof and muttered, “I knew it!” She pointed at Discord as she said, “You told her, didn’t you?!”

Sunset was confused by this and asked, “Wait. How did you -”

At that moment, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash came out of the forest. Twilight called out to Sunset, “Sunset! We couldn’t find the geodes!”

Rainbow concurred, “There were only red crystals in that cave!”

Unbeknownst to them, Gloriosa’s irises began to glow green when she saw Fluttershy.

Fluttershy…

The strange, whispery voice caught Sunset’s attention and she saw Gloriosa beginning to float up.

Disturbed and confused, Timber asked, “Gloriosa? What’s happening to her?!”

Sunset stammered, “I – I - I don’t know!”

Unsure of what to do, the three of them watched as Gloriosa floated towards the team that came back from the rock quarry. The three humanized sisters also stood there as they watched her coming at them.

Fluttershy…

The whispery voice, louder this time, made Sunset aware of Gloriosa’s intentions. She breathed, “Oh, no…” She warned Discord, “Discord! It’s Gaea! She’s after Fluttershy!”

Just then, brambles began to grow out of Gloriosa’s mane as she neared Fluttershy. Fluttershy whimpered, “Oh, dear…”

Suddenly, Discord grabbed Gloriosa by the tail as he grunted, “Oh, no, you don’t!” He spun her around until he threw her into the forest.

Timber ran into the woods, calling out, “Gloriosa!” Sunset ran after him.

When the two of them entered the forest, they searched for Gloriosa until Sunset found something unusual.

She pointed at something and said, “Look!”

When Timber came to her side, his eyes fell on a strange cocoon made of brambles.

Sunset asked, “Timber, what is that? It wasn’t here before.”

Timber explained, “It looks like a cocoon made of rubus fruticosus. You know, blackberry brambles.”

“I’ve heard that they were a trademark of Gaea Everfree.”

Timber said in an almost-downtrodden way, “Well, there’s a pretty good chance that Gloriosa’s wearing the geodes now.” He grunted in frustration, “Ugh! I knew those geodes were bad news since the moment I saw her wearing them.”

“But how did she get them? The rock quarry was rumored to have ground like quicksand that prevents anyone from going near it.”

“I don’t know if it will work, but maybe you could touch the cocoon to try to see Gloriosa’s memories.” Secretly, he wanted to see if Gloriosa was still there, that Gaea hadn’t completely taken over yet.

Sunset wasn’t sure if it would work, but she had to try…for Timber’s sake. “All right.” She reached towards the cocoon as she thought, Please, Gloriosa. If you’re still there, show me how you got the geodes.

She took a deep breath and touched the cocoon. To her surprise, her mind traveled in a multi-colored tunnel of light as it did whenever she was about to see someone’s memories. Thankfully, an image of Gloriosa played before her eyes. She was in her human form and gazing down at a pond formed by a waterfall.

Gloriosa sighed as she swept her hand across the water, “What’s going to happen between them? What if Sunset rejects him? Or what if she accepts him and…takes him?”

Suddenly, a reddish wisp of magic appeared over her head. She looked up and saw it slink above the trees. She followed it to the rock quarry and ran up to the huge boulders at the entrance. She didn’t notice that she had just walked across the white ground until she made it to the opening. She looked back in amazement and wondered how she could’ve made it without sinking. Before she could ponder on it further, a red glow of light in the cave caught her attention. With curiosity controlling her every move, Gloriosa squeezed past the boulders.

When she got inside, she fell to the ground and coughed from the dust she had disturbed. She looked up and uttered a word of amazement when she saw a ray of light shining on seven beautiful geodes that rested on an almost-halved stalagmite. She slowly walked up to the crystals to get a better look at them.

She uttered with wide eyes, “They’re…gorgeous.”

She reached out to touch them, and when she did, the geodes gave a flash of light. She gasped as she was suddenly seized by a strong magical force. She was lifted into the air as the geodes began to float and arrange themselves in an hourglass shape. When they neared Gloriosa, a green vine like a string wrapped itself intricately around the geodes and her neck. Then, brambles began to entwine themselves on Gloriosa’s feet and body until her transformation was complete. When Gloriosa opened her new eyes, she became shocked at her new body.

She breathed, “Wha…? What happened to me?”

When she tried to walk, she floated instead. Being inept at this new ability, Gloriosa slowly floated her way out of the cave. When she came up to the boulders, they magically rolled away. She was surprised to see that happen and attributed it to the geodes she was now wearing. She made her way to the pond by the waterfall and looked down to see her reflection.

“Aah!” she cried as she jumped back in shock. She was surprised that she now had green hair and black sclera in her eyes. “How can this be? Have I become someone like Gaea Everfree?” Just then, an idea struck. “Hey…In this new form, I can easily be seen by the campers during the night. I can act as a wood spirit who roams these woods and never have to worry about what ponies think of me!”

Suddenly, she heard a yell in the distance. She uttered, “Timber?”

She floated between the trees until she found her brother hanging by a rope on his ankle. She recognized the other three who were with him as part of the royal family. She watched from the bushes as they released Timber and he explained everything to the brothers-in-law. Sunset could feel betrayal rising in Gloriosa’s body as Timber told the others their secret. After Timber explained that a wise zebra told their parents the rhyme, Gloriosa left the scene and disappeared into the woods.

Sunset saw another white flash and the image was now of Timber and Gloriosa in the woods in their pony forms.

Timber asked, “Okay, Gloriosa. What’s this about?”

Gloriosa stood tall as she said, “Watch.”

When the sun went down, Timber transformed into his human self the same way he always did, but Gloriosa morphed into the superpowered version of her human side without the clouds and sparkles. The geodes hanging from her neck rearranged themselves from a row to an hourglass shape. After the clouds died down for Timber, he opened his eyes and yelped at seeing his sister’s new look.

He put his hand to his heart and gasped, “Gloriosa, what happened?!”

Gloriosa explained, “Oh, nothing big. Just put on seven geodes and voila! New me. You know, it works out better this way, don’t you think? I mean, I can act as a wood spirit who lives in Splendor Woods, and if I’m seen by other ponies, they won’t call me a monster.”

Timber stood there in silence for a few moments until he shook his head and said firmly, “No. No. This is insane, Gloriosa. You have to take those geodes off right now.”

“Oh?” She then said in rising anger, “And did I tell you that it was insane to just blab our secret to three royals we hardly know?!” She twitched at that.

Timber’s eyes widened as he asked, “Wait. You were there?”

“I saw everything, Timber. When you told them about our parents, when you told them about what happens to us every day, and even that little rhyme that defines our very lives! Well, guess what, Timber? It’s not going to come true.”

He protested, “You’re wrong, Gloriosa! Sunset and I were made for each other!”

“What about me, huh? Little old me? No stallion would want me if I told them I was half-human! But after last night, I don’t think it will be a problem finding a colt to break my curse.” She fingered the geodes as she continued in a silky tone, “Not if I have these geodes to keep me in this form at night.”

After Gloriosa said that, Sunset found herself in the real world again.

Timber asked hesitantly, “So…is Gloriosa wearing Gaea’s Geodes?”

Sunset nodded sadly, “Yes. Yes, she is. Gaea might’ve thought that she was the perfect candidate, so she allowed Gloriosa to enter the cave. She’s been wearing the geodes for two nights and two days now. After tonight and tomorrow morning…” She sighed heavily, “…Gaea will take control of her body and mold it into her own.”

Timber stood in silent thought for several moments before he said, “Sunset, you have to get out of here.”

Sunset disagreed, “No, I’m not leaving you in Gaea’s hands.”

“Listen to me. She’s controlling my sister, and she’ll make sure the geodes aren’t taken from her before the time limit is up. Please, Sunset. I don’t want your life to be endangered if you stay here. Take your family and leave Splendor Woods before it’s too late.”

“But what about you?”

He sighed before he faced the cocoon and said, “I’ll stay here and hope I’ll get through to my sister somehow. I don’t want to lose her forever.” His eyes shimmered as he said, “She’s the only family I’ve got.”

Sunset wanted to change his mind, but she knew just how important family was to Timber. After all, she almost lost her family all because of a pony’s bad choice. With a heavy heart, she hugged Timber and whispered, “I love you.”

Those three words caused Timber’s heart to leap in surprise. Before he could say anything to her, she stood up and went back to the camp.

Rainbow reprimanded Sunset, “You’re not going to leave him here in Splendor Woods, are you?!”

Sunset explained, “He told me to get everyone out of here before it’s too late.”

Rarity said, “Darling, I must agree with Rainbow Dash. Why are you leaving the one colt you ever loved in the hands of that monster?”

Discord gestured at Fluttershy as he agreed, “She nearly got my wife!” He crossed his arms and asked, “Have you thought of what might happen to your lover-colt?”

Twilight said, “He’s right, Sunset. We can’t leave Timber or Gloriosa behind. We have to help them.”

Sunset asked in a tone almost devoid of hope, “But how?”

Daring Do said, “Think about it. Gaea’s only powerful when she’s got a body. Her main power source lies in the geodes, so if we take them from her…”

Sunset finished with a hopeful smile, “She’ll lose her power and set Gloriosa free! Daring Do, that’s brilliant!”

Daring Do smirked at Quibble, “See? I told you the smart Dare was still there.”

Quibble chuckled, “You got that right.”

Author's Note

CartoonNerd12 wrote the section where Fancy, Soarin’, and Spike reacted to their wives’ transformations. I knew that she would handle the scene better than I could, so I let her – pardon the pun – take the reins for that part.

Peril in the Forest

When the sun was almost down, a group of humans and ponies – armed to the teeth - slowly walked into the forest. The others either volunteered to stay behind or were forced to. Discord, Daring Do, Soarin’, Flash, Spike, and four of the sisters – Twilight, Sunset, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack – carefully neared the spot where the cocoon was resting. Only…

Sunset gasped, “There’s another one!”

Soarin’ cringed, “I hope it’s not who I think it is.”

“It better not.”

Discord, who was wearing policeman attire, demanded to the cocoon with a megaphone, “All right, Gaea! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands in the air!”

Just then, the sun set and the cocoon started glowing green.

Utterly surprised, Discord let the paw holding the megaphone drop to his side and remarked, “Wow. Fast response.”

Preparing themselves for the worst, the group pointed their weapons at the glowing cocoon.

Sunset warned the cocoon, “Gaea, if you can hear me, I want you to let Gloriosa and Timber go! We don’t have to fight! You’re outnumbered!”

Suddenly, the cocoon burst open and the force of it flung the group members to the ground. When they looked up, they saw Gloriosa as she was the night before, but this time, she had a few red jewels in her hair and brambles sprouting from her green locks. When she spoke, two synchronized voices came out of her mouth: one was her own and the other was a deep, hollow voice like Gaea was said to have.

Gloriosa said menacingly as she floated upwards, “I may be outnumbered, but you’re out of your depth!” She gestured to a human Timber, who was unconscious from being trapped in the second cocoon, and said, “He knew what he was getting into. You should do the same.”

Daring Do said as she readied her whip, “Not if I have anything to say about it!”

The Pegasus flayed her whip at Gloriosa, but the latter caught it as if it was just a stick. Brambles then sprouted from her clutched hand and spread down the whip. Daring Do let out a yelp as she let go of the whip before the magic could touch her.

Gloriosa chuckled at that before a row of flowers began rising from the ground. She told the armed group, “Do you really think you can stop me? All of you? Let this be the moment you learn that you cannot stop Gaea Everfree!”

When the flowers rose to her height, their petals burst open and spewed pollen at the group. They coughed and fanned the pollen away before they saw that Gloriosa had vanished.

Rainbow Dash said as she ran deeper into the woods, “C’mon! We can’t lose her!”

Twilight tried to stop her sister, “Rainbow, wait!”

Sunset put her hand on her twin’s shoulder and said, “She’s right. The farther Gloriosa gets away from us, the less chance we’ll have of catching her. You go on ahead. I’ll join you in a sec.”

Twilight nodded and went with the others to track down Gloriosa. Sunset stayed behind to kneel beside Timber and stroke his hair. She whispered, “Please be safe, Timber.” She then got up and ran off to join the group.

After an hour of searching, the group found that the forest got denser.

Daring Do said, “Thick shrubbery. Must be a sign. Gloriosa might be here.”

Spike corrected, “I don’t think she’s Gloriosa anymore.”

Discord asked, “Well, what do you suggest we call her?”

Soarin’ proposed, “Gaea-osa?”

Spike suggested, “Glori-free?”

Discord then gasped as he snapped his fingers, “I know! Glaea!”

His two bros-in-law looked at him uncertainly as Soarin’ asked, “Glaea?”

“Yes!” He used his hands to represent Gloriosa and Gaea, “‘Gloriosa’ and ‘Gaea’ make –“ He meshed his hands together as he said, “- ‘Glaea’! Get it?”

Spike and Soarin’ stood there in silence until the dragon said, “That sounds close to ‘glide’, if you ask me.”

Daring Do harshly whispered, “Shush! You don’t want Gloriosa to hear us, do you?”

Discord corrected, “Glaea. Her new name is Glaea.”

Before Daring Do could say anything, Twilight said to her, “Don’t ask.”

Suddenly, a bramble shot from between the trees. Rainbow rushed to Sunset, crying, “Look out!” Involuntarily, she used super speed to push Sunset out of the way.

When Sunset saw the bramble wrapping around the tree she was standing in front of, she said to Rainbow, “Thanks, Rainbow Dash.”

Applejack then pointed to something and cried, “Look! Green eyes!”

The green eyes had already disappeared, but the group carefully spread out to different parts of the area and prepared themselves for an attack.

Just then, two voices echoed in synchronization, “You should have listened to my twin brother from the beginning, princess.” Cackling resonated from all directions before the voices continued, “He was right…to stay here with me.”

When the cackling resumed, Applejack, Flash, and Soarin’ huddled together with their backs towards each other. Then, the cackling got louder like it was descending upon them. The three of them looked up to see a silhouette jumping down from the trees! They leaped out of the way before Glaea could land on them. She now had a white face, a slightly longer skirt that had become as dark as wood, brown shoulders to match her tree-colored arms, more red jewels decorating her hair, and a six-pointed leaf resting above her chest.

She said as she floated up again, “He’s mine forever.”

Rainbow Dash shouted, “Get her!”

But no matter how hard the group fought her, Glaea only laughed at their futile efforts. She used a wall of brambles, attack flowers, and even made it shower pinecones to deflect and strike.

Daring Do panted, “We’re not getting anywhere with her!”

Discord told her, “I got an idea, but I’ll need you to create a diversion.”

Daring nodded her head, not questioning what Discord was getting at. She flew up and started circling around Glaea. She taunted, “Hey, plants-for-brains! Over here!”

Glaea shot brambles at Daring Do, but she missed every time. When Discord saw the perfect opportunity to grab the geodes, he lunged at Glaea.

He said, “Hasta la vista, Gaea!”

As soon as he touched the crystals, however, an electric shock ran through him. He then crumpled to the ground with a burnt paw.

Sunset gasped when she saw this, “No!”

Glaea chuckled maliciously, “Poor fool. He never knows when to give up.”

Sunset gritted her teeth in rising anger, “And neither do I!” She jumped up, landed on Glaea’s back, and wrapped her arms around her.

Glaea grunted, “Think you can grab the geodes this way? You saw what happened to your friend.”

Sunset retorted, “I’m not trying to grab the geodes! I’m trying to make you release Gloriosa!”

“Glad it wasn’t Timber, huh? I bet you’d fight harder for him.”

This gave Sunset pause for a moment, but it was a moment Glaea used to her advantage. She summoned brambles to wrap around Sunset’s ankles and pull her from Glaea.

Sunset yelped, “Whoa!”

As the princess was hanging upside down, Glaea told her, “Let’s see if my lovesick brother can save you now.” She motioned for the brambles to throw Sunset at the bramble wall.

Twilight cried, “Sun-Sun!”

After crashing through the plant wall, Sunset tumbled onto the ground on the other side. When she looked up, the hole in the wall patched itself with new brambles. Now she was completely alone without her family by her side. Just then, she heard a low growling and turned to see green eyes peering from between the trees.

She whispered, “Oh, no…”

She slowly got on her feet and then dashed off before the Timberwolves could get her. The ravenous pack gave chase and snarled at their running prey. Sunset ran as fast as she could in the woods, but since she was new to being on two legs, it was difficult for her.

When she nearly tripped, she muttered to herself, “I bet this is a piece of cake for Timber.” Then, she saw a bramble hanging over a ravine. She said, “Okay, if I can grab that bramble, I can swing to safety on the other side.” Although she was a little hesitant about this plan, she had to muster the strength to make it work. When she neared the ravine, she told herself, “You can do this, Sunset. One, two, three!”

She jumped off the edge and reached for the bramble. Suddenly, something swung in and grabbed her by the wrist. She looked up to see…

She gasped in delight, “Timber! You’re okay!”

He smirked at her, “Yep. Saving my fair lady again.”

He then swung up above the trees and tossed Sunset into the air as he leaped for the ledge where Quibble’s tent was. After he had landed safely, he caught Sunset in his arms.

When he set her down, she remarked, “Wow. Those were some pretty cool moves back there.”

Timber said proudly, “I’ve had a lifetime of practice, so yeah. I’m really good at that stuff.”

She smirked, “You’re telling me.” She then said to him, “Now we need to save your sister.”

He said worriedly, “I hope she’s not too far gone by the time we reach her.”

At that moment, they heard rustling in the woods behind the tent. Suddenly, fanged rabbits with antlers burst forth from the trees.

Sunset cried, “Vampiric jackalopes!”

Timber lifted her up quickly and said, “Time to go!”

As Timber jumped back down into the forest below, Sunset let out a “Whoa!”

When they burst through the treetops, Timber landed on a long, gnarled bramble and started “surfing” on it with his bare feet. The jackalopes were not too far behind and they gave chase as Timber navigated his way on the bramble. He then leaped onto a set of twisty brambles and his feet were like one with the curvy boughs. After he made his way over the twisty brambles, he jumped onto another one that seemed to follow the design of a roller coaster.

Sunset asked Timber, “Have you ever done this before?!”

Timber answered with a smile, “No! First time, actually!”

“What?!”

Before she could say anything else, a pack of vampiric jackalopes headed straight for them. Sunset knew she had to do something, so she began trying to use magic with her hands.

When he saw magical auras flickering on her hands, he asked, “What are you doing?”

She grunted, “Trying to save our necks!”

Just before the jackalopes could touch them, Sunset managed to conjure up a magical domed force field. It shielded them from the savage creatures, and each jackalope flew off to the side when the force field impacted them.

When the jackalopes were gone, the force field vanished and Timber complimented, “Nice.”

Suddenly, a Timberwolf jumped in front of them!

A split-second before the beast could get to them, Timber apologized to Sunset, “Sorry, Sunny!” After he threw her into the air, Timber wrestled with the Timberwolf. He grunted, “You’re not having us for supper tonight, pal!”

Meanwhile, Sunset was flying in the air until she caught a bramble. Unfortunately, one side of it snapped in half, causing Sunset to dangle from the bramble. She yelled out, “Timber!”

That caught his attention and he wasted no more time with the Timberwolf. He smirked to the beast, “Looks like we need to play some other time, buddy.” He plucked the Timberwolf’s eyebrow, causing the animal to howl in pain and shake its head violently. The force of the motion enabled Timber to leap up and grab a bramble to swing on.

Sunset tried to use her magic to repair the bramble. She grunted, “Come on.” When the bramble she was holding onto threatened to break, she cried, “No!” When the limb did break, she fell and screamed, “AAAHH!”

Luckily, Timber grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him as he swung from bramble to bramble. The Timberwolf giving them chase had only a second to see the branch in front of it before the beast shattered upon impact. Sunset yelled as Timber flung her into the air again. His feet landed on opposite edges of the hollow tree that laid above a ravine. When Timber caught Sunset, his legs spread apart under the weight.

“Hngh!” he grunted in discomfort.

Sunset gasped as she pointed to something, “More jackalopes!”

When hordes of the creatures scampered towards the human couple, Timber leapt down the hollow tree with Sunset in his arms. It wasn’t long before the jackalopes followed suit. However, the increasing weight on the tree became too much and the hollow trunk abruptly splintered, letting the couple fall down the ravine. It wasn’t long before the tree broke in half, taking the jackalopes down with it.

Sunset shouted as she and her beloved fell, “Timber, do something!”

He reassured her, “Don’t worry! I got this!”

He grabbed a bramble that was dangling down the rock wall and clutched it with every bit of strength he had. The friction from the bramble burned his hand, but he wasn’t letting go. Thankfully, the bramble sprung the couple back upwards until they landed on a small ledge. When they heard a crashing sound above, they saw that the top half of the hollow tree was about to fall down on them!

Sunset shouted, “Look out!”

In a matter of seconds, Timber grabbed a bramble and swung the both of them to a tunnel opening. However, the falling tree caused the bramble he was holding to break. Luckily, the couple managed to fall into the opening, nearly avoiding being hit by the hollow trunk. They held onto each other as they lied on the tunnel floor until the danger had passed. When the noise died down, they lifted their heads to see if it was all right now. They looked over the edge to see how far down the ravine was.

Timber sighed, “Phew! Glad we didn’t go down there.”

Sunset nodded, “I know. This has been one crazy camping trip.”

He shrugged, “Hey, a camping trip gets a little crazy once in a while.”

She chuckled before she said, “Come on. Let’s find another way out of this tunnel.”

Author's Note

Name the references!

The Wedding

Author's Note

If you skipped ahead to this chapter, go back and read the one before it!
Just to clarify, the Mane Six will be in the Crystal Gala gowns they wore in Legends of Everfree. Sunset will be wearing a white wedding gown that’s close to her Gala dress and has some elements from that dress. Her manestyle will be pretty much the same hairstyle she wore at the Crystal Gala.
The songs featured in this chapter are “Just a Little Kiss” from A Monster in Paris and “I’m a Believer” from Shrek.

The Wedding

*Months later*

Rarity was just finishing creating her chandelier masterpiece made from the six-sided gems she conjured up.

She said proudly, “There! Once the bride and groom say their ‘I do’s’, blue light will fill the cave with a romantic atmosphere.”

Discord waved his paw as he dismissed, “Uh, no, no, no. I’m sorry. It just simply won’t do.” He then gasped, “I know! Let’s have pink light to shake things up!” He snapped his fingers and the chandelier instantly became pink.

Rarity gasped and snapped at him, “Discord! This is to be my sister’s wedding, so she must have respectable lighting in her ceremony! Hence, the light must be blue!” She shot her magic at the chandelier and made it blue again.

“I say it should be pink!” He snapped his fingers and the chandelier became pink.

“Blue!”

“Pink!”

“Blue!”

“Pink!”

“BLUE!”

“PINK!”

Just then, Sunset entered the cave and saw them quarreling. She shouted to get their attention, “Guys!” When the two of them faced her, she stated, “I don’t think it should matter what the light’s going to be when Timber and I say ‘I do’.” She then smirked, “But if you want to mix it up a little, I suggest making the chandelier multi-colored.”

Discord clapped his hands as he said, “Ooh! Like a disco ball!”

Rarity said, “A past trend, mind you. But I trust your judgment. After all, it is your wedding.”

To make Sunset happy, Rarity and Discord both aimed their magic at the chandelier, making it multi-colored. The result was so dazzling to their eyes.

Sunset breathed, “Wow…”

Rarity then declared, “Sunset, you are never wrong!”

An hour later, as Rarity was fitting her sister into her wedding dress, Twilight and Fluttershy led their mother into the cave, which now had a purple carpet with golden swirls in its design.

Twilight said as she pointed to the geodes on the crystal spire, “Well, there she is.”

Celestia felt uneasy encountering a foe she imprisoned many years ago, but she wanted to clear the air before she and her family could get on with their lives. She said to the geodes, “Hello, Gaea. I’m very sorry I broke my word to you a long time ago, but you see, I had to. A threat was made against Canterlot and I couldn’t leave my husband and daughter in danger. I was going to tell you, but then you kidnapped Fluttershy. I wanted to forgive you, but you wouldn’t stop, so we had no choice.

“I realize that my actions caused things to be this way, but you shouldn’t harm other ponies who are innocent. I know that you are very protective of nature, but I am also protective of every living being in Equestria. Perhaps we can find common ground through that. If I release you after my daughter gets married, you have my word that I will not allow anything of nature to be harmed. However, you must also promise to never threaten the life of an innocent being, pony or beast. Do I have your word?”

After a few moments, the geodes glowed.

Twilight said, “I think that’s a ‘yes’.”

Celestia nodded, “Good. Thank you, Gaea.”

Timber panicked as he was pushed into the cave, “I can’t do this! I can’t do this!”

Discord, who was pushing the groom, grunted, “Oh, stop being a baby! You’re marrying our sister-in-law and that’s final!”

“But I’m nervous! Have any of you felt this way?”

The brothers-in-law, sans Discord, answered, “Yes.”

Discord said, “Well, I didn’t. In fact, I remained calm and collected throughout the ceremony.”

Soarin’ scoffed, “Are you kidding? You wanted to bail out at the last minute!”

Spike agreed, “Yeah! You were shaking from head to toe and you were like ‘Oh, I can’t do this! Get me out of here!’”

Discord, peeved by this, admonished, “Oh, shush!”

Flash put his hoof on Timber’s shoulder and comforted, “It’s going to be okay, Timber. You’re not making a mistake here.”

Fancy agreed, “He’s right, old fellow. This will be one of the best times of your life. Embrace it!”

Timber looked towards the crowd split by the carpet and Twilight Sparkle in front of the crystal spire. She was wearing her mother’s crown to show she was taking her job of officiant seriously.

The groom took a deep breath before he walked towards the queen as he muttered, “Okay. I’m embracing it. I’m embracing it.”

A few minutes after Timber took his place next to Twilight, the processional music started playing. He grew nervous as the ceremony began.

He gulped and panicked softly, “I can’t believe I’m doing this!”

Gloriosa – who was Timber’s best mare – then walked down the aisle and the ring bearer and flower filly followed behind her. When Timber saw Sunset walking alongside her father, his heart began beating wildly and his eyes widened. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she was in her white wedding dress with flame designs and a teal gem on her waist.

He spoke softly and happily to himself, “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

When Sunset touched his hoof, he trembled at the feeling. All anxiety melted away and was replaced by pure ecstasy.

They turned to face Twilight and she said, “Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here to witness the union of Sunset Shimmer and Timber Spruce. I consider it an honor to preside over my twin sister’s wedding. She has found a true love to cherish her forever and always. Their destiny together is marked by a single kiss, a blessing my sisters and I are glad to have with our husbands. Let us begin with the vows.” She said to Sunset, “Do you, Sunset Shimmer, take Timber Spruce to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, to cherish each day together, to be faithful forever till the end of your life?”

Sunset nodded, “I do.” She gave a loving glance to Timber, who felt more confident because of her love for him.

Twilight turned to Timber and said, “Do you, Timber Spruce, take Sunset Shimmer to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, to cherish each day together, to be faithful forever till the end of your life?” She then whispered to him, “And take good care of my twin, so help me, Faust?”

Timber smirked at her, ready to rise up to the challenge, “I absolutely do.”

Twilight then levitated the rings – one of which was on a chain – and declared, “Then by the power vested in me, I now happily pronounce you husband and wife.” After she put the rings on the couple, she said, “You may now kiss the bride.”

When Sunset and Timber kissed, everybody cheered as the chandelier began to shine with different colors. Suddenly, vines began to grow around the cave. The royals gasped, worrying that Gaea might be wreaking revenge. To their relief, the vines only decorated the cave in a romantic way, with flowers dotting them and heart shapes made by several pairs of the plants. The guests took great joy in this.

At the reception in the camp courtyard, everypony danced to the lively music DJ Pon-3 was playing.

Just then, the newlyweds got up on the stage and Timber announced, “Hi, everypony! We want to thank you for coming to celebrate this special time with us. Now, Sunset and I want to do something for you.”

Sunset said, “We’d like to sing a song for you before we leave for our honeymoon. We think it describes us and a few close ponies perfectly.”

Timber called out, “Hit it, DJ!”

When DJ Pon-3 put on the music, the couple vocalized and stomped their hooves rhythmically until they sang, “To feel unbearable never again…Even if I change, deep inside I’ll be the same…We have a tendency to be ashamed…Let me tell you how to help me break out of these chains…” They vocalized before they sang between verses, “Just a little kiss will do…Just a little kiss from you…”

They stopped vocalizing when they sang, “Don’t you know that it’s enough to believe…that every glass of water will return to the sea? It’s very easy and it’s apropos…It’s not more complicated than a simple hello…So why not and why not? So why not can it be? To be to be enough? One day, two days, three days, for everyday…”

At that moment, Pinkie tossed sprinkles onto the stage and they exploded into a cloud of dust. This didn’t faze the newlyweds and they kept on performing.

Timber sang, “Just a little kiss will do…”

Sunset sang, “Just a little kiss from you…”

“Just a little kiss will do…”

“Just a little kiss from you…”

“Just a little kiss will do…”

“Just a little kiss…” She then kissed Timber on the cheek.

“Just a little kiss will do…”

“Just a little kiss from you…”

“Just a little kiss will do…”

“Just a little kiss…”

While everypony was dancing to the instrumental score, Starlight and Sunburst went to the base of the stage and called out to Sunset above, “Sunset! Congratulations on getting married!”

Sunset said as she danced on the stage, “Thanks! Congrats on breaking your spell with true love’s kiss!”

“Thanks! You know, we’re thinking of holding an engagement party when you guys get back.”

Sunset cried in happy surprise, “What?!”

Timber exclaimed, “Whoa-ho! Glad you guys are getting married, too!”

Sunset suggested, “Why don’t you come up onstage to sing with us? It’s almost the end of the song.”

Starlight refused, “Thanks, but no. This is supposed to be your day. Enjoy it!”

Sunburst said as he wrapped his hoof around his love, “Besides, we have ours coming up. We don’t want to steal the limelight from you guys.”

Timber shrugged, “Well, if you insist.”

He and Sunset then sang together, “Just a little kiss from…Just a little kiss from…Just a little kiss from you!”

As the song ended, the newlyweds embraced each other and kissed. The crowd cheered at the kiss before the couple left the stage.

Discord then suggested to his brothers-in-law, “Say, why don’t we play a little parting song before they leave?” He snapped himself and the guys onto the stage and began to play with the instruments they held.

As they raced towards their carriage, Sunset and Timber sang, “I thought love was only true in fairy tales…”

The six husbands sang, “Oy!”

“Meant for someone else but not for me…Love was out to get to me…That’s the way it seemed…Disappointment haunted all my dreams…”

When the newlyweds got into their ride, Sunset sang, “And then I saw his face…Now I’m a believer…”

She threw the bouquet at the mares, but one Pegasus in particular got it. Even though she was wearing a blonde wig and glasses, the couple knew who it was since she landed next to Quibble Pants.

Sunset sang, “And not a trace…of doubt in my mind…”

Timber sang, “I’m in love…”

The six husbands vocalized, “Ooh-ahh…”

Timber then sang, “I’m a believer…I couldn’t leave her if I tried…”

As Troubleshoes pulled the carriage away, Spike clacked his drumsticks as Discord shouted, “Come on, guys!” The draconequus then sang, “Then I saw her face…Ha-ha! Now I’m a believer…Listen! Not a trace…of doubt in my mind…I’m in love…”

Fluttershy lovingly put her back against Discord’s neck as he vocalized, “Ooh-ahh…I’m a believer…I couldn’t leave her if I tried…Then I saw her face…Now I’m a believer…Hey! Not a trace…of doubt in my mind…One more time!

“I’m in love…I’m a believer…Come on! I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe, hey!” Discord said to the ponies, “Guys, sing it with me!”

The crowd sang with him, “I – believe!”

The five other husbands sang, “I’m a believer!”

“I – believe!”

Discord pointed towards the back as he said, “People in the back!”

The crowd sang with him again, “I – believe!”

“I’m a believer!”

The five other husbands then sang with everyone else, “I – believe! I – believe! I - belieeeeve!”

Splendor Woods

“…And they all lived happily ever after.”

Many of the kids cheered and clapped while a few of the colts sat there bored. They had stopped at a little town after Fluttershy saw a cute lost puppy. She and her sisters were now trying to find its owner while Sunset volunteered to watch over the kids and the husbands looked over the map of Splendor Woods.

Whirl Wind yawned, “Well, that’s certainly a predictable fairy tale.”

Gemstone said angrily, “I beg to differ! It was quite a romantic story!”

“A bit mushy, if you ask me.”

Sunset said, “Well, let’s see if we can find any fairy tales in here that everyone can like.” She flipped the pages and soon caught a glimpse at the words “Splendor Woods”. She came to the story and the title read “The Legend of the Two-Legs”. She told the kids, “Hey, guys. Check this out. It’s about a creature that roams around Splendor Woods.”

This caught the kids’ attention very quickly and soon, they focused only on the story.

Sunset read aloud, “’The Two-Legs is a creature that roams Splendor Woods. It is only seen at night, when it is enshrouded in darkness. The Two-Legs was first spotted when King Sombra of Canterlot had disappeared. There were rumors that Sombra had turned into a hideous creature of night, but sightings of the Two-Legs still persisted even after Sombra returned as king. Still, some claim that a hidden side of the unicorn separated from him and took on the appearance of the Two-Legs.

“’Despite conflicting stories of origin, the Two-Legs was given that name because it had no tail, like other bipedal creatures did. With its legs as its only prominent feature, it was hence named the Two-Legs. Even today, monster hunters come from all around to either photograph or capture the elusive beast.’”

The kids just sat there wide-eyed and silent until Apple Jewel said with a shiver in her voice, “You don’t think it’s going to grab us and eat us, do you?”

Sunset skimmed the words as she said, “Well, it says nothing in here about ponies disappearing because of the Two-Legs.”

Whirl said in determination, “If I ever find the Two-Legs, I’m gonna give it a sound whoppin’!”

Discord asked as he and the others came up to them, “The two-legged what now?”

Spike said, “The girls helped the shelter find homes for their animals after they reunited the puppy with a little filly.”

Flash Sentry said, “Let’s get a move on before it gets dark.”
After the royals traveled a long way, they finally arrived at the wondrous Splendor Woods. The kids immediately jumped out of their carriages and whooped in delight.

Twilight tried to tell them as she got out of her carriage, “Now, kids, don’t get too rambunctious and end up getting lost in the woods.”

Discord said as he stepped out of his coach, “Don’t worry, Twilight. I’ll lasso the kids in faster than you can say ‘Rawhide’.” As he said this, he conjured up a lasso.

Fluttershy admonished, “Discord!”

He shrugged innocently, “What? I was trying to make a statement.”

Flash Sentry said, “I think we can lasso the kids in without the rope.”

Discord grumbled as he made the lasso disappear, “Oh, you’re no fun.”

Sunset said, “Why don’t I survey the wilderness while you’re busy either catching the kids or setting things up?”

Rainbow said as she wrapped her hoof around her sister, “Why don’t I come with you? Gotta make sure nopony gets lost in the woods.”

Rarity agreed, “Yes. We’ve already lost you once. We certainly don’t want to lose you again.”

Sunset chuckled, “Guys, you won’t lose me that easily. I’ll always come back to you. But if it makes you feel better, Rainbow Dash can come with me.” When she and Rainbow started to leave, Sunset waved her hoof and said, “See you later!”

Halfway down the trail, Rainbow took a long sniff and sighed in content. She asked Sunset, “Isn’t it great to go exploring in the wide, wide open?” She grunted as she stretched in mid-air, “Gives the ol’ limbs and wings a chance to spread out and go wherever they like.”

Sunset chuckled, “Not much free time between royal duties and raising Whirl, huh?”

“Hardly! You’re really lucky, Sunny. You don’t have to be tied down by royal obligations and all that paperwork.”

The unicorn pointed out, “Yes, but that’s because I wasn’t raised a princess like the rest of you were. I’m more used to helping ponies hooves-on and…” She gave a sly smirk as she said, “…I like to think of myself as a meetable representative of the Canterlot royals.” She and Rainbow laughed until Sunset caught a glimpse at a beautiful bunch of bluebonnets. She said as she stopped, “Hey, Rainbow? Why don’t you scout out the rest of the trail while I look at the bluebonnets?”

Rainbow smirked, “Stopping to smell the roses, huh? Okay. See you back at the camp courtyard.”

When her Pegasus sister flew off, Sunset stepped towards the bluebonnets and sniffed them. She then sighed, “Oh, these bluebonnets are pretty.”

A voice behind her surprised her by saying, “I know, right? They’re Genus Lupinus, in case you didn’t know.”

Sunset turned to face the stallion and asked, “Are they related to silvery lupine?”

The Earth colt had a light tangelo coat and a dark aquamarine mane with lighter streaks of the same color. He also had very deep reddish brown eyebrows, a hat with his cutie mark imprinted on the rim, and two brown wristbands on his front hooves. The stallion couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The amber unicorn before him had dazzling moderate cyan eyes and her mane was radiant with brilliant amaranth and light apple green. The sun’s rays peeking through the forest enhanced the mare’s beauty.

Still dazed, he answered, “Uh…Yes! Yes, they are! Silvery lupine and bluebonnets both belong to Genus Lupinus. Did I say Lupinus already?”

Sunset chuckled, “Yes, you did. It’s…”

The colt said absentmindedly, “Lupinus.”

She chuckled again, “No, I meant your name.”

Realizing his error, he corrected himself, “Oh! It’s Timber. Timber Spruce.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Sunset Shimmer.”

Shimmer…Oh, how every aspect of that was true in his eyes. Before he could get lost in a daze any further, he cleared his throat and asked, “So *ahem* do you need somepony to escort you back to the campsite?”

“That’d be nice. I told my sister I was meeting her there.”

Timber said as he reached for her hoof, “Let’s take the scenic route, then.”

When they touched hooves, they could feel a spark between them. They drew their hooves back in surprise and saw each other blush.

Timber apologized, “Sorry. Did that make you uncomfortable?”

Sunset shook her head, “Um, no, no. It didn’t, actually.”

When she followed him through the forest on the left side of the trail, she thought that the spark was odd. She only felt it before with Twilight and Pinkie as a sign that they were sisters. She wondered if Timber Spruce was a long-lost brother or…something more…

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash gazed all around the woods while flying. She then began to fly backwards when she suddenly bumped into something.

The Earth colt with shades of black and gray in his mane turned to her as he said angrily, “Hey!” His face then dropped with shock when he realized who he was speaking to. “Princess Rainbow Dash?!”

Rainbow said as she flapped in one spot, “Um, yeah?”

The stallion then bowed before her and said, “My sincerest apologies, Your Highness! I didn’t mean to bump into you like that!”

“Really? ‘Cause it seemed like I was bumping into you. Who are you, anyway?”

He stood up and put a hoof on his chest as he said, “I am Quibble Pants, Your Highness.”

“Yeah, you don’t have to call me ‘Your Highness’ all the time. Just ‘Rainbow Dash’ is fine.”

He looked at her in confusion as he asked, “Really?”

Rainbow smiled in reassurance, “Yes, really.”

Quibble stood in silence for a few moments before he said, “Wow. That’s really big of you. I assumed that ponies of royalty and nobility would want to be referred to by their title.”

Rainbow pointed to herself proudly, “Well, I’m not like other royalty. Neither are my sisters, for that matter. So, what are you doing in Splendor Woods?”

He answered, “I thought I needed to get away from my problems for a while, do things I’ve always wanted to do.” He then had a rueful look on his face as if he was thinking of something sad.

Rainbow became concerned and asked, “Hey, Quibble? Are you okay?”

He snapped out of his trance and said, “Huh? Oh, I’m fine.” His tone then changed as if he was thinking something up, “I was just sad that…I…haven’t seen the red-tailed hawk yet, and I’ve always wanted to see one.” He flashed a cheesy grin.

Before Rainbow could say anything, somepony said, “A red-tailed hawk?” The voice then chuckled, “I doubt you’d find it in these parts of the woods.”

She and Quibble turned to see Sunset Shimmer and another stallion coming up to them. Quibble was absolutely surprised to see another princess in the woods.

Rainbow said to Quibble and Sunset, “Quibble Pants, meet my sister, Sunset Shimmer. Sunset, Quibble.”

Sunset smiled as she shook hooves with him, “How are you doing?”

Quibble said in an amazed tone, “I’m…fine. Wow. It’s just…so amazing that I’d meet princesses in the woods.”

Timber chuckled, “Yep. And priceless treasures, too.” He and Quibble broke into laughter.

Sunset whispered to Rainbow, “I don’t think Timber knows that we’re actual princesses. Maybe we should keep quiet about that until he meets the rest of the family.”

Rainbow winked, “Gotcha.” She whispered to Quibble, “Hey, Quib –“

He spoke up uneasily, “Um, could you please not use that particular nickname?” He toed his hoof and looked to the side as he said, “It’s kind of personal.”

“Sorry. So, Quibble, maybe you can lay off the whole ‘princess’ thing for now. Sunny and I would like to be treated like regular mares. When other ponies are being formal around us, it tends to make us uncomfortable.”

“As you wish…Rainbow Dash.” He gave a wink before saying to Timber Spruce, “Could you show us where red-tailed hawks usually roost?”

Timber nodded, “Sure. Follow me.”

The four of them eventually got to a ledge with a view of the entire valley. Quibble, not having chosen a campsite yet, thought it was the perfect place to set up his tent. The four ponies then made their way back to the camp courtyard so Quibble could get his gear and the sisters could rendezvous with their family. Twilight and the others had just rounded up the kids – who were now playing quietly – and took inventory of their camping gear.

The alicorn queen turned to her sisters and grinned, “Sunset! Rainbow Dash! How was checking out the woods?”

Sunset replied, “Oh, the best! We met these two colts, Quibble Pants and Timber Spruce.”

Quibble was grinning widely from ecstasy while Timber said in a calm, friendly voice, “A pleasure to meet you all.”

Twilight introduced herself, “I’m sure. I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

Timber said softly, “Wait. I think I know that name. A lot of ponies who come here would mention it.”

Finally, Quibble could take it no more and practically shouted, “Seriously?! Do you not know who Twilight Sparkle is?! She’s the queen of Canterlot!”

Timber’s eyes widened and he gave a shocked expression. After several moments of stunned silence, he breathed, “You mean…there’s royalty in…?” Suddenly, he began to chuckle in amazement and smile broadly, “I’ve…I’ve got to tell Gloriosa!”

When he ran for the lodge, Sunset and Rainbow giggled to each other. Twilight smirked, “How do I know you kept your status a secret from him?”

Sunset said, “Well, I wanted to know if he’d like me for the mare I am, not the princess I was born as.”

Rainbow said with a smile, “Yeah, we’ve all been there. We want others to see us for us and…” She then trailed off when she realized something. “Hold up. ‘Like’?” A smile then began to spread across her face, “Do you…?”

The amber unicorn quickly denied it, “What? No, no, no. I’m not exactly into him. But…when we touched hooves, I felt something like…a spark.”

Pinkie squealed, “Ooh! I think you like him!”

Discord chuckled, “I don’t believe this! Our little Miss Sunny Patch is falling in love with a woodspony!”

Rarity asked, hungry for juicy tidbits of info, “What’s he like, darling? Intrepid? Bold? A true gentlecolt? Please say ‘a true gentlecolt’!”

Twilight calmed down the chatter and said, “All right, all right. I think Sunset will tell us everything tonight by the campfire. We really need to set up our tents first before anything.”

Meanwhile, Timber had just barged through the door and shouted, “Gloriosa! Gloriosa!”

At that moment, a pale amaranth Earth mare with eyebrows and a daisy chain in her moderate raspberry mane leaned out of the pantry doorway and asked, “Yeah?”

Timber said excitedly, “Okay, you’re not gonna believe this, but there are royals in Splendor Woods!”

Gloriosa gave an expression of disbelief and said, “You’re right. I don’t believe it.”

Her brother groaned, “Oh, come on, Gloriosa! If this is about that prank I pulled a few years ago –“

“You know, that prank was pretty convincing until the paper wings fell off that unicorn.”

“I promise there’s a real alicorn out there this time! I promise!”

Gloriosa then sighed, “You better not be kidding.”

Timber led her outside and upon looking at Twilight’s wings, Gloriosa gasped and her eyes widened with shock. He knew he got to his sister, so he gestured towards Twilight and said, “Your Highness…” He then looked at Sunset and the others and added, “…and family, may I introduce my sister, Gloriosa Daisy.”

Twilight smiled, “It’s great to meet you.”

Gloriosa only uttered sounds of incoherence before shaking her head to snap out of her trance. She then said embarrassedly, “Sorry about that. It’s so wonderful to have royals like you here in our neck of the woods.”

Soarin’ nodded, “Yep. Just grabbing some good ol’ R & R before we get back to our castles.”

Timber and Gloriosa asked in confusion, “Castles?”

Twilight clarified, “Oh, you see, my husband, kids, and I used to live in the Everfree Castle before I got coronated as queen. Afterwards, we moved to Canterlot while my sisters and their families stayed in the Everfree Forest.”

Timber said slyly, “The Everfree Forest, you say?”

Gloriosa warned him, “Now, Timber –“

He shrugged playfully, “What? Is there any harm in mentioning the legend…” He then said to the family spookily, “…of Gaea Everfree?”

Sunset asked, “Who’s Gaea Everfree?”

“Well, you’ve lived in the Everfree Forest, haven’t you?”

Sunset glanced to the side sadly, “Not really.”

Timber rubbed the back of his head while saying sorrowfully, “Oh…Well, I’m sorry to hear that.” He then asked the rest of the family, “What about you guys?”

Applejack said, “Well, we sure ain’t heard of this Gaea Everfree. I bet it’d make a good ghost story fer when we sit around the campfire this evenin’.”

Gloriosa and Timber exchanged discomforted glances and the mare said awkwardly, “Um…Sorry. No can do. We’re sort of busy tonight.”

Timber added, “Yeah! Gotta track down that monster that’s rumored to live in these woods.”

The kids gasped and Gemstone asked in fright, “The Two-Legs?”

“Yep. That’s the one.”

Gloriosa said, “Why don’t you all set up for your sure-to-be-fun camping trip? You can come to us if you need anything.”

Twilight said, “Will do.”

Timber eyed Sunset flirtatiously and said to her before he and his sister left, “And I’ll be seeing you around, Miss Shimmer.”

Sunset couldn’t help but blush at that and put her hoof to her mouth to partially cover her smile.

True Love's First Kiss

They crawled for a few minutes until Timber said, “So…this is what it feels like to be a human with another human. Well, besides my sister, at least.”

Sunset smiled, “Don’t worry. I know what you’re getting at. We were both ponies, and then one of us was a human while the other was a pony. Now, we’re both human.”

“You know…you’re beautiful when you’re a human.” He then stuttered, “I mean, you’re beautiful as a pony, too. You know, I like you either way!” He blushed as he hoped that Sunset would accept his words.

She chuckled, “Thanks. I know you’re being sincere. And I was being sincere when I said the same thing to you on the boat.”

Timber smiled and then asked, “Hey, Sunset?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think that if we can get Gloriosa back, we can – you know – have our first kiss and live happily ever after?”

“How do you know if it’s going to work?”

Timber looked into her eyes and held her hand as he answered, “Because I know I’ve found the one I’m meant to be with. I’m sure of it.”

Sunset smiled sweetly at him before she said, “Well, if you’re sure, let’s go save your sister and earn our happy ending.”

Another minute later, they saw a light at the end of the tunnel. They scurried towards it and leaned out of the tunnel to see what was outside the small passageway. There were red crystals dotting the rock walls and stalactites and stalagmites all over the place.

Timber breathed, “Whoa…I don’t think I’ve ever been here before. This must be the rock quarry.”

Suddenly, they heard two voices laughing as one. Sunset recognized it in an instant.

She whispered to Timber, “Come on.”

They quietly moved to the stalagmites situated a few feet from the tunnel. They peeked over the rocks to see the rescue party all tied up in brambles and near the crystal spire where Gloriosa had gotten the geodes. Timber and Sunset gasped when Glaea entered the cave. She now had jagged rock teeth and a cleft on her chin. Her hair had gotten more wild and bejeweled with red crystals. Her head brambles had now sprouted leaves and her arms and fingers had gotten longer with leaves wrapping around her wrists. Even her skirt had become longer and woodier.

Timber uttered in shock, “Gloriosa?”

Sunset shook her head, “That isn’t your sister. It’s someone who’s been consumed by Gaea Everfree.”

Their hearts skipped a beat when new captives wrapped in brambles floated behind Glaea.

Sunset whispered, “No…It’s everyone from the camp.”

Discord exclaimed, “Fluttershy! Screwball!” He growled, “Let them go, you crazy, tree-hugging, plants-for-brains!”

Glaea wagged her finger, “Ah, ah, ah. Remember who you’re talking to.” She booped his nose when she said that. She then said to everyone, “Or do I need to remind you all who I am? I am Gaea Everfree, the forest spirit those back-stabbing alicorn sisters trapped in these geodes! But…thanks to the pathetic girl who wandered into my cave, I will have my body restored when the sun comes up for the third time!” She cackled madly.

Timber was so filled with rage and worry that he stood up before Sunset could stop him. He shouted at Glaea, “No! You won’t!”

Glaea turned to face him and then chuckled menacingly, “Oh, look who’s here. It’s the brave little brother who’s come to the rescue.” She reached out to him as she said in a threatening way, “But who’s going to save you?”

Suddenly, Sunset rose up and answered with a determined face, “I will.”

“You, little princess?” She cackled before she said, “Oh, don’t make me laugh!” When she lifted her finger, brambles burst from the ground near the couple’s feet and wrapped the two very quickly. Glaea said as she used her magic to lift up her new captives, “Now I have two lovebirds to complete my collection.”

Twilight grunted, “’Collection’? What collection?”

Glaea pointed to her, “Why, you, my dear.” She then gestured to the rest of the sisters, “All of you. I recognized the spawn of Celestia when you first came here. My rage at being trapped at the hooves of your mother and aunt has fueled my powers enough to lure Gloriosa to me and strengthen your magic as well. That was how I could confirm that you were indeed Celestia’s daughters. Though, in truth, I am surprised about his magical surges.” She pointed to Discord as she said that. “How did you come to be part of this family, the same family whose matriarch had gone back on her word so many years ago?!”

Sunset asked, “What do you mean our mother went back on her word?”

“Oh? Didn’t she tell you? Oh, I see. This is just another one of those things she counts as insignificant. Well, no matter. I will tell you the truth about her.”

She conjured up a circular screen above the crystal spire and an image began to play before the captives’ eyes. It was of young Celestia and Luna with Star Swirl the Bearded.

Glaea recollected as the events played on the screen, “You see, Celestia and Luna were just fillies who had lost their home and family to a blizzard and they sought shelter from their bitter enemies. Star Swirl foolishly suggested bringing them into my forest and calling it their home. I was ready to defend my domain just as I had done for countless years.” The images of Star Swirl and Gaea battling played out before Celestia and Luna appeared again. “The sisters pleaded for his life and told me their little sob story, so I offered them sanctuary in the forest. There was, however, a condition. They could not bring Star Swirl or anyone else in the Everfree Forest.

“Of course, when the sisters became princesses on the ponies’ behalf, I let their visitors pass through my home so they could see them. As long as the ponies came into the forest on their own free will, my deal with the alicorns had not been broken…until that day.” She waved her hand to change the image. The ripples on the screen calmed down to reveal Celestia, Sombra, and their infant daughter arriving at the castle on a chariot. “Luna was detained from a broken leg at the time, but I saw no reason for her elder sister to bring her precious husband and daughter into my forest! She could’ve come by herself, but no! She chose to ignore our deal and completely walk all over it!

“As compensation for breaking her word, I took her little daughter Fluttershy from her parents.” The screen showed a vine creeping through an open window and wrapping itself around baby Fluttershy as Glaea said her words. “They did not take it so well, so we battled until Celestia and her sister imprisoned me in seven geodes and hid me away in this cave. Over 30 years of being trapped inside this dank place, all because of a deal broken by Celestia!” The screen disappeared as she shouted the former queen’s name.

Twilight countered, “Our mother may have broken her word, but she would never do so willingly!”

Glaea scoffed, “Oh, please. Spare me your daughterly affection for her. I spoke the truth and nothing more.”

Applejack spoke up, “And here is the truth in my words and my sisters’: our mother raised us with wisdom and compassion and ruled her country the same way. She did some hard things in her life, and the proclamation was no exception. She beckoned suitors for us because she wanted to protect us from a curse. But deep down, she wanted us to marry out of love. Even though things turned out for the better, that proclamation was still a hard thing for her to do, and I’m sure she did other things she regretted, too. Mother may not always be perfect, but she tries her hardest and does whatever needs to be done, even if it means doing something against her will.”

Glaea mocked, “’Against her will’? Do you suppose it was ‘against her will’ to just bring her husband and daughter into my forest?”

Sunset answered, “If our mother had a promise to keep, she would keep it unless she was forced to break her word.”

Glaea scoffed, “Ha! I don’t believe you! How would you know what your mother is really like unless you’ve lived through what I’ve lived through?” She then chuckled menacingly, “And now you will. Once this body is mine forever, I will wreak revenge upon Celestia by imprisoning her and taking everything she loves! When I am rid of these geodes at sunrise, I will be forever free.”

She began to sing, “I have waited for the day…to finally come out and play…Now the magic is my salvation…All plants are in my protection…Soon...I’ll…be forever free! Behold the beauty of nature in all its glory…No need to fear the vultures at the door…When I imprison the lot of you…within these walls of thorns…I will be free forevermore!”

Unbeknownst to Glaea and her trapped captives, Quibble rushed up to the boulder-blocked entrance of the rock quarry outside. He was the only one who managed to escape capture when Glaea took his friends at the camp.

He tried to push on the boulders as Glaea sang inside, “They had come into my domain…And then they sealed me in chains…”

Exhausted, Quibble stopped pushing on the boulders. As he panted, he heard Glaea’s voice echoing from the side of the rock quarry.

As he went to check it out, Glaea’s voice sang, “But I’ve been around for generations…”

When he saw a pony-sized hole above a rocky slope, he knew that he just found a way in.

Glaea’s voice sang as he ran up the slope, “This is just a complication…I...will...be forever free!”

Inside the cave, Timber grunted, “Let my sister go, you crazy forest spirit!”

Glaea merely faced him and sang in a sickly-sweet tone to mimic his sister, “Trust in me, this is for your own good…Don't be afraid, nature is our friend…All of this beauty that surrounds us…Every lovely bloom…” Her deep, hollow voice took dominance again as she sang, “…designed to defend…

“Let them come, just let them try! I'm not about to say goodbye! Gaea will be here throughout the ages…written into the history pages! I...will...be forever free!”

As she sang the last verse, a burst of green magic morphed some of her features. Her freckles became elongated but not exactly the teardrop shapes Gaea usually had under her eyes. She now also had a red gem on her forehead, a leafy collar around her neck, and pointed cheekbones. In addition to her skirt being longer, a curvy branch now wrapped around her waist and its end was looped between her thighs.

Daring Do could not get out of the brambles that bound her. She could only sit there and watch until –

“Psst!”

She heard the voice and turned her head to see her coltfriend hiding behind the rocks. She whispered in surprise, “Quibble! Thank goodness you’re safe. When I didn’t see you with the others, I didn’t know where you were.”

Quibble said, “Seems to me I would’ve been no better off coming with you.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t.” She grunted as she struggled with her bramble bonds, “Quibble, I need your help. We need to get the geodes off Glaea’s neck.”

He asked in confusion, “’Glaea’?”

She sighed agitatedly, “Just go with it!” She continued more calmly, “Look, the Gaea side is very protective of the geodes, but the Gloriosa side might want to give them up.”

“So…how are we going to get both sides to take them off?”

“That’s the thing. Gaea’s taking over Gloriosa every second she’s wearing the geodes. Soon, Gloriosa will become a monster like she is.”

Just then, Quibble’s eye caught something. He noticed that Daring Do was leaning against a big red crystal and the surface was reflecting her backside. Seeing this, he got an idea.

He asked with a smirk, “Has she looked at a mirror today?”

Daring asked in confusion, “What are you getting at?”

“Just get her to see her reflection.” He nodded his head towards the crystal Daring was sitting against as he said that.

After he ducked behind the rocks again, Glaea came up to Daring and said, “So, I heard you came here looking for my geodes.”

Daring shrugged, “They’re nature’s treasures, after all.”

Glaea said in rising anger, “Oh? And I suppose you came here to steal them away so they would be forever displayed in a museum?!”

“Hey, you’re lucky I got here first! Other treasure hunters would want to sell your precious geodes to the highest bidder! I want to keep them here in this cave so ponies could be safe from you!”

Glaea shouted, “I am the protector of nature, and not even Celestia herself will keep me from regaining all that is mine!”

“The body you’re controlling is not your own!”

“It shall be mine! I will mold it into my image!”

Daring then smirked, “Well, are you doing your job right? Then look in a mirror!” She lunged to the side so Glaea could see her reflection.

Her reaction upon seeing her transformed face was that of shock. Timber knew then that Gloriosa’s consciousness was surfacing.

Glaea dug her hands in her hair and crouched down in sorrowful shock. She murmured in her synchronized voices, “No…No…”

Timber had to act quickly before Gloriosa’s essence would possibly be lost forever. He shouted out, “Gloriosa! If you can hear me, fight Gaea for as long as you can. Please, Gloriosa! I need you to come back to us even if it’s only for a few seconds. You can do it, sis! I believe in you!”

Glaea grunted as both essences fought within her. Her voices alternated as she muttered, “No! You cannot! I can and I will! I will not have it! Sorry, Gaea! This is a battle you can’t win!”

She jerked her head violently before she became calm again. The captives were unsure which side of Glaea was in control now. Just then, Glaea outstretched her hands and the brambles around Timber receded from his body.

He slowly went to her as he asked, “Gloriosa?”

When he touched her shoulder, she looked up at him with sad eyes. When she spoke, two voices still came out, but this time, Gloriosa’s was the more dominant one. “Timber…” She put her hand on her face as she regretted, “Oh, Timber, I made a huge mistake. I thought I could fit in this land better if I became something ponies were more familiar with at night.” She sighed as she continued, “What a fool I was.”

Timber comforted her, “Hey, it’s okay. We’re going to fix this. And even if I get true love’s kiss and you don’t, we’re still going to be brother and sister. Nothing can ever tear us apart.”

Glaea smiled at that before she shook. She then said, “But Gaea might. Please, take the geodes off before it’s too late. I’m afraid I may not be able to hold her off for long.”

Timber nodded and grabbed the geodes around her neck. Suddenly, Gaea’s voice shouted, “NOOO!!!”

This surprised Timber and the geodes flew from his hand and onto the spire where the crystals were originally. When all seven of them landed back in their rightful holes, a flash of magic occurred and filled the cave with its bright light. When everyone opened their eyes, they were ecstatic to see that the brambles had disappeared and the humanized royals were back to their true pony forms!

Rainbow cheered as she flew around, “All right! I got my royally rad body back!”

Twilight said, “It must’ve been the geodes! I think they reversed Glaea – I mean, Gaea’s magic and the effects it had on others’ powers!”

Fluttershy asked her husband, “One question: would you have loved my human form as much as you do my pony form or more?”

Discord said as he wrapped his arms around his beloved, “Well, your human form would’ve made embracing easier, but…” He eyed her romantically as their faces touched. “…you know I love the real you, the one I married.”

She giggled, “Oh, Discord!”

When her parents kissed again, Screwball covered her eyes and muttered, “Not again!”

Timber then caught the group’s attention when he said, “Gloriosa’s okay, guys!”

Gloriosa, back to her regular human self, managed a groggy smile, “Hi, everyone.”

Whirl then flew up to Daring Do and gushed, “That was so cool with the mirror bit! You were like, ‘Look at your ugly face there’ and pow! Gaea’s defeated!”

Daring chuckled, “Thanks, but it wasn’t all me.”

The group looked at her in confusion and some said, “Huh?”

Daring started to explain as she slowly backed up against some rocks, “Actually, it was…” She then called out, “Hey, Quib! Come out and meet your new fans!”

At that moment, Quibble appeared from behind the stalagmites as he blushed and said with an embarrassed smile, “Dare, I don’t think that was necessary.”

She said as she wrapped her hoof around him, “Sure, it was. You were the brains and I was the one executing the plan. Why else would I have you as my coltfriend?”

He sputtered in surprise, “Uh, Dare? Are we supposed to say that out loud?”

“Hey, I may be Daring Do, but that doesn’t mean I can’t say whatever I want to whoever I want.” She gestured at the group, “I think these guys are good.”

Gloriosa nodded, “And so is Sunset.” She then sighed sadly to Timber, “I’m sorry I almost ruined your relationship. I guess that deep down, I was just afraid of losing you to someone you hardly knew. But I realize now that you have good instincts when it comes to the ones you love, and Sunset is definitely the right choice for you. I should be like a good big sister and let you go free to live out your future…with her.” She gave him a kiss on the forehead, causing tiny sparkles for only a moment.

She then urged her brother, “Now go on. You know you want to.” She smirked at him as her head nodded towards Sunset.

Timber chuckled softly, “My sister, the matchmaker.” He then crawled to Sunset so he’d be at eye level with her and asked, “Hey, Sunset?”

She turned to him and asked, “Yeah, Timber?”

He blushed as he spoke, “I…I love you.”

Her eyes widened as she breathed, “Really?”

He smiled in confirmation, “Really, really.”

She chuckled as she blushed, “I love you, too.”

They leaned towards each other and shared their first kiss. Sparkles then began to dance around Timber.

The group looking at the scene gushed, “Awww…”

A few seconds into the kiss, the sparkles began to lift Timber into the air. Even though his mouth didn’t move, his voice echoed out, “Until you find true love’s first kiss…”

Surprisingly, Gloriosa also had sparkles surrounding her and lifting her up. Her voice then joined Timber’s echo, “And then take love’s true form…”

When the twins were side-by-side in midair, more sparkles erupted. Then, their hands, feet, and faces began to glow. The group had to close their eyes as the twins’ silhouettes vanished in a bright light akin to a star. Suddenly, a ring of yellow mist burst from the light and broke many crystals off the rock walls with powerful force. The light began to die down as clouds surrounded it.

As the clouded ball of light descended to the ground, Sunset could hear the twins’ voices echoing out, “And then take love’s true form…And then take love’s true form…true form…”

After the light faded away and the mist began to dissipate, Sunset slowly walked forward, asking softly, “Timber?”

Timber groaned as he opened his eyes and saw the lovely sight before him. He asked groggily, “Sunset? Did…did it work?”

She smiled, “See for yourself.”

He looked down and saw…hooves! He chortled in delight, “I…I don’t believe! It worked! I’m a pony!”

A female voice also exclaimed, “So am I!”

Timber turned back to see that his sister was also a pony now! He smiled widely and said, “This is great! Now we’re both ponies at night!” He then thought of something and asked, “It is night, right?”

At that moment, Discord flashed out of view until he came back a few seconds later. He said with a smile on his face, “The moon’s still out, so you and your sister are officially free of the curse!”

The group cheered until Gloriosa asked, “But I didn’t even have a stallion to love. How could I be free?”

Sunset explained, “You do have a stallion to love: Timber.”

The siblings both uttered, “Huh?”

“You see, true love can come in many forms. It can be romantic or even family-related. I’ve seen how close you two are, and even if Gloriosa doesn’t find a stallion to marry, she’ll always have her brother in her heart.”

Something then dawned on Gloriosa. She said, “I think I know what you mean now. When I told Timber to live out his future with you, I was acting out of true love. I think it’s true love to let go of someone you really care about so they could be happy. I love my brother enough to let him go adventure the world like he’s always wanted to. Now, he has that chance thanks to you, Sunset. I couldn’t be prouder of Timber for choosing the right mare.”

Timber and Sunset embraced until he asked, “So, where to first on our Equestria tour?”

Sunset tapped her chin as she answered, “I’m thinking…” She then shrugged happily, “…Baltimare?”

“Good choice!” He then whispered to Sunset, “But, uh, could you help me get around Baltimare since it’s going to be my absolute first time in a city?” He smiled sheepishly.

She chuckled softly, “Sure.”

Author's Note

The song featured in this chapter is a very tweaked version of “We Will Stand for Everfree”.
Fun fact: This chapter and the previous one were originally going to be one chapter, but it got too long, so I decided to split it into two chapters.