A Great Quest and a Walk in the Park
Holiday was walking down the street on a beautiful spring day. Lofty was taking care of selling their old house while Holiday had stayed in Ponyville to unpack. She had finished early and was heading back from the market. She had bought fresh greens to make a nice meal for her, Lofty, and Scootaloo to share that night.
As she was walking along she saw a small blue-gray rock that was darker than the rest. It seemed oddly out of place on the road. She sat off to one side of the road and picked up the pebble. It was a smooth circle on the bottom, and almost flat on top. It had a small cleft on one side of the place where the top and bottom met. “Well now, I wonder what a little thing like you is doing in the middle of the road. Better make sure nopony trips on ya.” She gently tossed the little rock over her shoulder into the bushes and continued on her way.
Once upon a time, a noble knight was separated from his liege. He had spent all night trying to return to the castle, where he knew she would be anxiously awaiting his arrival. Alas he was very slow, and so he had made little progress. Then, as he was crossing a barren stretch of hot, unbroken stone, a figure stood over him and blocked the sun. She asked him how he had come here, but he was a mute and thus unable to explain it to her. Nevertheless she took pity on him and carried him off. He knew not where they were going, only that it was in the right direction.
Holiday opened the door to the new home. She and Lofty had chosen a small house towards the edge of Ponyville. True, they had decided to move to Ponyville, but it was a big step from their cabin in the woods. So they picked a nice house away from the downtown bustle. Holiday set her saddlebags on the table and began to empty them. She took out her map of Ponyville and set it aside. Under it she found the pebble she had examined on her way home. “That's odd. I thought I tossed this into the bushes.” She set it next to the map and went about putting away the groceries.
After she brought the knight to her abode, the kindly mare gave him a map of the area to help him return home. She even offered him food, although he declined. He would not eat or sleep until he returned.
After she had put away the groceries she didn't need for dinner she made a salad big enough for all three of them to enjoy. She put it in the refrigerator. Then she looked at the little rock that had followed her home. She was sure she had put it next to the map, but now it was on the edge of the map. She walked over and saw the little rock was on a spot in the woods only about fifteen minutes away. “Do you want me to take you there? I suppose I don't have anything else I need to do until this evening. If nothing else it will be a pleasant walk.” She tied the pebble up in the tip of her scarf. “Let's see if that keeps you snug.” She wrote a note that said she was off on a walk and grabbed the map, marking the spot the pebble had been on. Then she headed out the door, going at an easy trot.
The knight showed the generous mare where his liege was waiting for him. She agreed to help him on his journey, asking for nothing in return.
When she got to the spot marked on her map Holiday wasn't expecting much. The pebble's apparent movements were probably just her imagination. And even if there was something to it, she figured it would merely lead her to other rocks of the same sort. What she was most certainly not expecting was a mailbox and stone path. At the end of the path was a hole in the ground big enough to fit a pony. “I'm sure I would remember if Scoots had told me about this.” She looked down at the little rock in her scarf. “Did you know about this?” The rock did not respond. “I don't know which is crazier, finding this place by chance or a thinking rock.”
The strong and courageous mare lead them all the way to the castle's entrance. She expressed surprise and wonder at the castle. It was rather new, so she'd probably never heard of it before.
Holiday peered down into the pit. There was a sandy slope offering a fairly easy path up and down. “Hello? Is anypony home? I brought you a rock!” After waiting for an answer she made her way down the sandy slope. Once she was at the bottom she noticed a light coming from up ahead. She walked forward until she found a beautiful cavern lit with gemstones overhead. In the transition between the dark but gem-filled cave behind her and the bright grassy miracle ahead of her somepony had set up an open sided tent. Inside the tent were a bed and table. It looked as though somepony lived down here. Thunk. Holiday looked down at the table where the little rock had fallen. “Nice place you've got here. I'll be sure to bring Scootaloo and her mates down here sometime soon. Maybe you can bring your mate, have ourselves a bonzer day?” The little rock did nothing, but Holiday was sure it was listening. “See ya round then.” Holiday began heading back home.
The mare called out, but there was no answer. His liege must have been out looking for him. No matter, he would wait for her return. The mare who had helped him return to his home said she would bring others to meet his liege. He hoped they would meet again soon, so he could tell his liege who had helped him return to her.
“Wow Aunt Holiday! How did you find this place?” asked Scootaloo when they reached the mailbox in the woods.
“Well, as crazy as it sounds, a little rock told me,” answered Holiday. “I've never known anypony to say so much without speaking a word.”
