An Epic Adventure

After a day out with Bluebell, I was exhausted. I ate the hearty meal she gave me that evening and then retired to my room, where I sprawled on the bed and gazed up at the ceiling.

"Finding this hero is going to be one hell of a task, Cap." I mused aloud. "I mean, original or alternate version, Equestria is huge. Where am I supposed to find one, single creature in this place? And when I do, what do I say?"

'You will know who they are when the time is right.'

"Yeah, ok, but how?"

'Liz. Do you trust me?'

"I kinda don't have any other option except to trust you, Cap."

'Fair enough. Listen to me, Liz. I told you that you will know the hero when the time is right, and you will. Just follow your instincts, your guidebook, and what little input I give you now and then, and you will be fine.'

"If you say so." I rubbed the bridge of my nose with one finger. "I should rest, I guess. I need to head out tomorrow."

'Yes, you should. Get some sleep.'

I yawned and shut my eyes, soon drifting into a peaceful slumber.

The morning came and I awoke to discover a weight had settled on my chest and was making breathing hard. Without opening my sleepy eyes, I started shouting in panic.

"I'm dying! Help! Cap!"

'Open your eyes.'

I forced my eyes open and blinked a few times, before a familiar face came into view, grinning widely at me. It was Bluebell, and from the feel of it, she was practically sitting on me.

"Aah!!" I shrieked, somewhat stunned.

"Aah!" She shrieked back, then giggled. "Why are we screaming?"

"Bluebell. You're sitting on me."

"Oopsies! Sorry!"

She moved off of me and I slowly sat up, breathing deeply...now that I actually could.

"I've been waiting forever!" Bluebell sang out. "I had some super duper exciting news and I couldn't wait til you came down for breakfast, so I thought I would come tell you, only you were asleep still, so I thought I'd sit next to you and wait, so I did and you finally woke up and then you went 'AAH' and then I went 'AAH' back cause it was fun, and then I told you why I was in here!"

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Why is what?"

"Why are you in here?"

"I just told you, silly! For something exciting!"

"And what is it?"

"It's exciting!"

"What is exciting??"

"My news!!"

"Bluebell..." I was starting to get a headache now. "What exciting news did you come in here to tell me?"

"Oh! I'm coming with you on your super fantastic, really fun and awesome adventure! Isn't that exciting??"

Exciting was not the word I would have chosen. I liked Bluebell, but she was so much like Pinkie Pie it was almost eerie. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I nodded a little.

"Yeah, it's really...exciting."

"Yay! Roadtrip!" Bluebell squealed. "I have a knapsack and my saddlebags packed up with yummy stuff for the trip too! Come on, slowpoke, let's go, go, go! Wheeeee!"

She whooshed out the door and I sighed.

'Cap. Help?' I thought desperately.

'Sorry, Liz. No help here.' Cap was actually laughing now. 'Bluebell will be a valuable asset on your journey.'

'More like a pain in the ass-et.'

'That was terrible, Liz.'

'Its too early for me to tell good jokes.'

'Cheer up. You'll feel better if you do.'

I groaned, then slowly slid into my sneakers and headed downstairs to meet Bluebell. She gave me a giant blueberry muffin and bestowed a rather large knapsack on me before whisking me out the door. We walked along the main street and out of the small town, me munching my muffin while Bluebell talked a mile a minute.

"This will be so fun! Can you imagine! Finding a hero! Saving Equestria! Beating that mean meany Chrysalis and all her mean friends!"

I shook my head as we got further and further from town, listening to my companion's ramblings while staying alert to our surroundings. I tuned her out for a bit to converse with Cap.

'So what's the logical next step here? Where to?'

'I would head in the direction of Canterlot. Which is the way you're going now. But use caution. You are still in territory that is not exactly safe.'

'I figured. What's the next town?'

'Check your guidebook.'

I did as instructed and checked the guide. According to the map inside it, the next town was Ponyville, but it was located a good two day walk ahead of us. That was going to be fun. I returned my book to the knapsack.

'Alright, two days. I've never walked that far in my life, but I guess it won't kill me.'

'Now that is the right attitude to have, Liz!'

'It's either that or I gripe at you all the way, Cap. I'm sure I could manage to do that.'

'Very funny, young human. Good joke.'

'Who said I was joking?'

I snickered quietly as I heard indignant sputtering.

'Chill, Cap. I'm not gonna gripe at you.'

"Thank Celestia for that!'

'I have another plan.'

'...what?'

"Hey Bluebell!" I called to my companion.

"Hey Liz!" She returned.

"How about a song?" I asked.

'Liz...?'

"Ooh! Song! Yes! Which one? Which one??"

Grinning, I drew a deep breath and started singing.

"Ohhhhhh, one hundred bottles of milk on the wall, one hundred bottles of milk..."

'Oh no. No. Liz, no. Not that one. WHY?'

Giggling, I ignored Cap and sang on, Bluebell joining me on the next verse. It took a while, but we finally made it to zero bottles of milk on the wall. Only then did I hear Cap again.

'Are you done?'

'I'm done. For now.'

'Good. Because you have company.'

I looked up in time to see a shadow breeze over us. I watched as it circled and zoomed over again, closer this time. Bluebell had trotted on ahead a bit to look at something, and I glanced her way before the shadow all but knocked me over. I caught a flash of blue before I found myself suddenly snared by a rope and flat on the ground.

"What are you and who are you with?"

The shadow, no longer a shadow, landed neatly and stood over me. A pegasus, which I had already guessed. Her cyan coat was sleek and smooth, and her wings flared slightly in what I assumed was an intimidating manner. A rainbow colored mane and tail shone brightly in the ray of sunlight that hit her. Magenta eyes glared suspiciously at me.

"I'm not in the habit of answering ponies who attack me." I retorted.

"Now see here."

A brownish orange face framed with goldish hair styled in a braid, was pushed close to mine, as green eyes stared me down.

"We ain't takin' no chances. You're a mighty strange looking creature an' for all we know, you're with the enemy! You could be spyin' for those low down varmints!"

"Wha-?! Me?! A spy?? Oh for crying out loud." I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "I'm not a spy. I'm a good guy, just like you. I'm on your side!"

"A likely story!" The other pony stomped a hoof in the dust. "Applejack! I say we haul her off and lock her up as an enemy!"

"Well now, Ah don't know, Rainbow Dash. Supposin' she's tellin' the truth. We'd be lockin' up an ally." Applejack peered at me.

"Oh, come on, Applejack! Does she look like an ally to you?! She looks more like a spy!" Rainbow Dash huffed.

Applejack looked uncertainly at me.

"You're kidding, right?" I said. "Guys, look. I'm not the enemy. I'm here to help!"

"Save it, spy!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "We're locking you up! Tie her up, AJ!"

"WAAAAAAAAIT!!!"

Both ponies and myself looked up in confusion as Bluebell charged up.

"She's not an enemy! She's Liz! She's a friend! And she's here to bring us the leader from the prophecy!"

Clearly they had heard of the prophecy, because they both gasped.

"Tarnation!" Applejack spluttered. "Why didn't ya say so?!"

"She just did." I muttered, as I was released from the lasso.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa...hold on." Rainbow Dash frowned. "Who are you??"

"I'm Bluebell!" My cheery companion announced.

"How do we know you're not a spy too, and trying to save both of you from being locked up?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

Bluebell let out an astonishingly loud gasp, and stared at me.

"Liz! Am I a spy too??? Are we undercover?? Oooh! This is so fun! What's my codename?? What's my codename???"

"Bluebell." I responded, drily.

Another loud gasp. "Oooh. Bluebell. I loooove it!!! And it's exactly like my real name! How cool is that??"

"Pinkie Pie?" Applejack asked, confused.

"Nope." I responded. "They're enough alike that its uncanny, but no, this is not Pinkie Pie. Just Bluebell."

"Ok, ok, could we just get back to the important stuff?" Rainbow Dash interrupted. "Who are you loyal to? The princesses, or Chrysalis and her side?"

"I'd rather eat bad cotton candy than be on that mean meanie's side!" Bluebell huffed.

"I'll second that...I think." I said. "I'm not loyal to Chrysalis. And I never will be."

"Then denounce her right now." Rainbow Dash glared at me. "Look me in the eye and denounce her with the worst insults you can think of."

I raised an eyebrow. "Rainbow. As much as I'd like to play your little game, there isn't much time for it. Look, I am not a follower of Chrysalis. I hate Chrysalis. Always have, always will. Trust me."

Rainbow Dash glared harder and I held her gaze, unwavering. Finally she nodded.

"Ok, I'm convinced. Come on, we'll take you two with us. We were actually on our way to mess with some of Chrysalis's group. They were spotted not far from here. You in?"

"Count me in." I responded.

"I'm in!" Bluebell announced, grinning.

"Then let's go kick some changeling flank!"

Rainbow Dash took to the sky, while Bluebell, myself, and Applejack followed on the ground below.

'This will be fun!' I told Cap.

'Indeed. Just be careful.'

'No worries, Cap. I got this.'

***

The four of us were all but inseparable the next couple days, after a very successful suprise attack on some of Chrysalis's loyal followers...including a few changelings. We also crushed our enemy after they lauched a retaliation attack on us, much to their dismay.

On the third day, I led an attack on a small changeling hive discovered in the woods outside Ponyville, and together we captured all but one, and we sent that one back to his queen as a message that we were not as easy to defeat as she thought.

"That was so awesome!!!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed excitedly as we returned to the camp she and Applejack had set up not far outside of town.

"Heck yeah." I answered, grinning at the pegasus I'd become good friends with the last couple days.

"Did you see that? Did you see it? Wheeee! That changeling was all 'I'm gonna eat you!', and then I was like 'AAH!', and then Liz was all 'Oh no you don't!', and I was all 'YAY LIZ!', and she knocked him down and I was all 'Not so tough now!' And BAM! Blasted him right into a tree with my cupcake slingshot!"

Bluebell was going through the motions as she talked.

"We know, Bluebell." I said, grinning. "That was an epic cupcake attack. Nice job! He'll probably be wearing some of that frosting for a week."

Bluebell burst into giggles. "Yeah!"

We sat down around the fire and ate a fairly hearty meal of grilled hayburgers followed by some of Bluebell's cupcakes...and I couldn't figure out how she had any left. We also broke out a bunch of candy bags and ate a good deal of that too, celebrating our victory earlier that afternoon.

"So." I finished off a chocolate bar and looked over at the others. "It's been awesome here, and I've enjoyed it. But I think Bluebell and I will head out in the morning."

"Awww. Do we have to?" Bluebell asked.

"Well, you can stay if you want. But I need to get going. I have a search for a hero to conduct."

"Ooh. No, no. I'm coming with you!" Bluebell exclaimed, sitting up next to me and throwing a foreleg around me. "We're BSFFs, together forever!"

"We're what?" I asked, frowning.

"BSFFs!"

"What is that?"

"Best Spy Friends Forever, silly!"

Rainbow Dash snorted and Applejack grinned. I just rolled my eyes.

"I will stay right with you!" Bluebell announced. "And defend you! With CUPCAKES!"

I laughed. "Thanks. So, we'll head out in the morning then."

"Liz." Rainbow Dash leaned towards me. "Be careful. The way you're going to go, is very dangerous. There are spies of Chrysalis's close by in those woods. They won't use thier magic on this side without any reason to. It draws attention to them. But if they can get you to thier side, then you're in trouble."

"Got it. Thanks, Rainbow." I smiled slightly.

"Eh, don't mention it." She answered. "I'm telling you mainly for selfish reasons anyway."

Her smirk indicated she was teasing, and I played along.

"Oh really? What's that?"

"I want to see if you can beat me in a race."

"Ha! I can't fly."

Rainbow Dash laughed. "I'm kidding." She sobered. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. Or worse."

"I know. I'll be careful."

'Liz, its late.'

Cap. I hadn't heard alot from him the last couple days.

'Yep.' I answered inwardly.

"I'm going to head to sleep." I told the others. "Its late."

"Ya'll should rest. You got a long trip ahead. Ah'll wake ya early." Applejack offered.

"Thanks." I said.

Bluebell and I retired to the extra tent set up for us and I collapsed on the sleeping bag I'd been using. Bluebell flopped next to me and yawned loudly before she plopped her head on me and started snoring. I snickered and closed my eyes, soon joining her in sleep.

True to her word, Applejack woke us early and we gathered our bags and took a seat to eat a quick breakfast of hot oatmeal topped with fruit. Once we finished eating, we said our farewells to our friends.

"Watch your backs, ya'll." Applejack warned. "An' travel safe."

"Will do." I said.

"Remember what I told you." Rainbow Dash reminded me. "And be careful."

"Got it. Thanks, Rainbow. We'll see you guys soon hopefully." I stated.

"Byeeeee!" Bluebell squealed as we walked away from camp. "Yay! Back on the road!"

'Next step, Cap?'

'I would suggest Twilight next, but it is up to you ultimately.'

"Straight ahead, Bluebell." I told my companion.

"Right behind you!!"

We walked deeper into the woods, and I could only hope we wouldn't have any problems, Rainbow Dash's warning still echoing in my mind.