Twilight Sparkle did not judge a book by its cover. A book needed extensive analysis, long hours of thought, and a lot of coffee before it could be judged. And she would never judge a book by cover alone. Though the same lesson needed to be applied to ponies too. When Twilight had first encountered Zecora she'd been just as superstitious as the rest of Ponyville once the effects of the poison joke had set in, and she'd made a fool of herself because of it. But she and Ponyville had learned a good lesson on assumptions and prejudice thanks to those events. Never again would Ponyville judge a book by its cover, right?
Which was why a pegasus flew over Ponyville and dropped fliers that promised a reward for the capture of the 'beast of the Everfree'.
The strange bug-pony had shown up one day, scared Fluttershy so badly that she'd fainted (even though that was an easy task), and terrorized the market with a cursed pebble. Though Twilight hardly saw anything sinister with the described interaction. Silver Wind had even said that the bug-pony paid extra. The only reason ponies were scarred was because Spoiled Rich had gotten them worked up about the bug-pony's scary appearance. The fliers were set up by her and promised a monetary reward for the capture of the bug-pony. Twilight could still feel the headache she'd gotten from when she'd tried to convince the stubborn mare to take down the fliers. Spoiled had refused. The guards had not been helpful either as they seemed equally suspicious of the bug-pony. It seemed that if a solution was to be reached without the bug-pony being dragged into Ponyville by fortune seekers Twilight would have to talk to it herself.
Now, Twilight wasn't stupid. She'd asked Fluttershy for help since the yellow pegasus would be helpful with the wildlife and possibly knew something about what kind of creature the bug-pony was. Yet all Twilight had received for an answer was Fluttershy once again out cold on the ground. Much to Twilight's concern and continued frustration.
Her other friends had also been unable to help.
Applejack refused to go near the forest. She cited some old farmer's legend about shapeshifters and evil spirits that haunted the Everfree. Once Twilight had tried to explain that there was no such thing as shapeshifters or evil spirits, at least not in the Everfree, Applejack had just shut the door. Rainbow and Rarity had done the same once she'd tried to recruit them for the mission. Rainbow had used the excuse that she had to practice her flying (very convincing as her legs shook while she did so) and Rarity simply admitted she wanted nothing to do with the creepy bug-pony. And Pinkie... Pinkie had started with preparations for a 'Welcome-to-Ponyville' party and was very busy. Though Pinkie had given Twilight an invitation aimed at the bug-pony and pebble. Twilight wasn't sure as to why Pinkie assumed that the bug-pony lived near Ponyville. Or that it had recently moved in, but Pinkie had been persistent with Twilight giving the bug-pony the invitation.
Twilight had finally conceded and ventured into the Everfree alone. Spike had volunteered to go with her, but it was hardly safe for a baby dragon to walk around the Everfree. It was hardly safe for Twilight to do so but she needed to get to the bottom of the strange event. For all she knew, the fliers would lead some fool into the Everfree and get them hurt. It could also lead the bug-pony to get hurt. She would not allow it.
So Twilight walked into the Everfree. She entered where the bug-pony had last seen exit it and from there she followed what overgrown paths the forest provided. It was never easy to navigate the Everfree. Dangerous beasts like timberwolves, bugbears, and cockatrices all roamed the unfettered woods. The weather was unpredictable and there were no roads maintained in the forest. It was chaos personified in nature, and that made it dangerous. There was a reason so many creatures and problems flowed into Ponyville from the Everfree after all. There never seemed an end to the antics and dangers the forest could create. This bug-pony was just the newest issue that it had created, and Twilight hoped she would be able to resolve it just like they'd done with Zecora. A new friend did sound nice, especially one with such a strange magical artifact.
Twilight did prepare her laboratory before she set out after the bug-pony. And she had read up on geology and magical ores in preparation for her encounter with the talking pebble. She may have also brought with her some examination tools. she knew it looked bad! But the prospect of examining an entirely unknown species and a sentient piece of stone made her heart soar!
Twilight eventually came across Zecora's cabin. She knocked on the door twice and waited, but as no zebra answered the door she eventually looked in through a window. The cabin stood empty. Bummer. Twilight had hoped that Zecora could provide her some tips on where the bug-pony could have gone, but it seemed she would have to look for it by herself. Hopefully, the bug-pony stayed close to the river, as that would help her narrow down the search. Though as she pondered on the whereabouts of the bug-pony she heard a series of repeated knocks on wood. At first, she assumed it was a woodpecker, but as the sound traveled across the forest she soon recognized it as the sound of a hammer. She pushed through some bushes and followed the sounds to their source.
"The fir is a dangerous trend, stop before it becomes your end!" Zecora's voice echoed over the woods.
"I beg your pardon? My compatriot has acquired material to his exact specification for the best structural and aesthetically pleasing palace! Every plebian merchant this side of the Ryne river has bled us dry of our precious reserves to allow us to build this grand testament to piety and glory! Do you have no sense of taste or mind for ruling? How shall my compatriot and I be true lords without a grand palace!?"
Twilight did not recognize the second voice, but it did sound a lot like what Silver Wind had described the pebble's voice to be. Haughty and filled with self-importance. It also mentioned its 'compatriot', the bug-pony. She hurried towards the noise.
"Palace this be in your mind alone, the chance for taste and decore has flown!" Zecora's voice echoed over the forest.
"Oh, such insults upon our efforts! My compatriot and I have dedicated ourselves to the construction of our fine home with every bone in our bodies! Yet you still insult us so? I excepted as much from the plebians of Ponyville but not from a fellow denizen of the royal forest! How can one such as yourself not be ashamed as you tear down your fellow nobility? We must stand strong against all those that would ail us, or we shall surely fall into irrelevancy and lose our royal prestige!"
Amongst the argument, there was the constant 'twack' of a hammer. As Twilight finally made it through the bushes she stared at the scene with much confusion. She looked downright offended at the sight before her. Zecora stood next to a stump, upon which was a pebble that was on fire. Zecora argued with the pebble about the viability and aesthetics of 'the grand palace'. The normally calm and collected zebra argued with a rock. Yet that was not the most offensive thing to Twilight's mind. No, that was the bug-pony which stood on a tree. An upright tree. The bug-pony stood glued to a ninety-degree vertical drop on a large oak tree. Said tree was riddled with bent nails, planks of different kinds, and a silver necklace that hung from a branch. Furthermore, the bug-pony had a hammer in its mouth, and its neck was bent back. Twilight watched with her mouth agape and eyes lidded in bewilderment as the bug-pony began to violently bash its head back and forth as it hammered the tree. No, not a plank or nail on the tree, he hammered the tree itself.
The clearing was cluttered with construction materials as well. Piles of planks, windows big and small wrapped in cloth, a multitude of tools, large stone blocks, two large golden bells, nails and screws, and black roof tiles. It was a mess that covered the entire area.
"What is going on here?..." Twilight asked and stepped further into the clearing.
"Aha! Look my fellows, a plebian has come to bask in the greatness of the grand palace! Bow down and despair before the first temple and home of the lord of cinders!" the pebble shouted triumphantly.
Twilight looked at the tree, and then back and the pebble, and then back at the tree, and then back at the pebble. "That is your grand palace? No, wait! What I am doing I am talking to a pebble! How can you talk? What are you? What is a lord of cinders?"
"All in due time, my loyal plebian! Wait for my compatriot to join us so we may discuss the term of Ponyville's vassalage!" the pebble said.
Zecora gave Twilight an amused smile. "I now have neighbors two, neither wants to build the house anew."
The pebble gave a scoff. "It is perfect!"
"Why are they building here? What are they building?" Twilight asked Zecora.
The zebra just shrugged.
The leaves of the oak tree suddenly rustled and Twilight looked towards the bug-pony. He spat out the hammer in his mouth and walked down the tree trunk. He then trotted over to them and picked up the pebble with one hoof. The bug-pony held up the small rock in front of Twilight's face and blinked slowly. Twilight looked him over and felt a shudder as she noticed his long fangs. The bug-pony did not seem to notice or mind her fear, as he just rolled his neck with some satisfying pops.
"You... You said something about vassalage Mr. pebble?" Twilight asked slowly.
"Mute and I have taken these woods for ourselves! You would not understand the old laws, but we hold the right to any land we see fit as lords of cinders! It all belongs to us! As such all plebians who live upon the land become vassals under us! This excludes the charming Zecora, for she such as us, has built herself an abode in the royal woods. She is exempt from taxes and the laws of the pristine alicorn! For such is the old law! All hail the old laws!"
The bug-pony attached a small flag to his cracked horn and waved it around as if he cheered on the pebble. Zecora looked off into the distance, most likely her mind was occupied with the glories of tax breaks. The pebble seemed to shine with pride at his words. Twilight just felt a worse headache form as she thought about the numerous modern laws that would immediately put a stop to a new duchy or principality's formation. Not to speak about this plebian business or lord of cinders stuff. That just sounded downright menacing.
"Would you mind not referring to me or anyone else as a plebian? It is not nice," she sighed. Twilight closed her eyes as her headache flared and she rubbed her forehead.
"Hum... Your request shall be considered, plebian! Come, Zecora, Mute, we must discuss such a law change at once!" the pebble said.
Zecora yelped as the bug-pony grabbed a hold of her and dragged her away a few meters until they stood by the oak tree. They formed a group huddle and urgent whispers filled with the clearing. Twilight eyed the display with a frown and sighed in annoyance as all three of the 'lords' discussed her status. They all craned their necks to look at her for a second, or in the case of the pebble the bug-pony held up his forearm higher so he could see her, and then they returned to their huddle. After a few minutes of discussion, they returned with satisfied smiles. The pebble had a satisfying fire, maybe? Twilight could not make any sense of it.
"You shall no longer be considered plebians by the lords of cinder! You are now only to be referred to as subjects! Rejoice, dear subject! You have won a huge victory for the common mare today!" the pebble said.
Twilight just shook her head and rubbed her forehead with a hiss. She pointed to the bug-pony who froze under her gaze. "You said his name was Mute?"
"Tis' more than a mere name! It is a title, an endorsement! It is my recognition of his ability to remain quiet in the presence of his lord, and my reward for him becoming a lord! Oh, it was a marvelous moment! All of our loyal pleb— subjects attended his coronation as Lord of cinders! All five of them! The family of rabbits must have been very proud to see such a historic moment! Also, he can't speak, so it is a very suitable name."
"...Right. And this Mute and you, and Zecora I suppose, are all 'lords of cinders'? Whatever that may be?" Twilight asked.
"Oh no, Zecora is merely a Lord, or rather a Lady, of the royal forest! It is only I and Mute that holds the distinguished title of lords of cinders!" the pebble responded.
The zebra bowed her head in thanks to the pebble and then looked to the sky. "I must go, it is almost noon, and I need to brew a potion soon. Watch my neighbors and help them in their precarious labor."
"Then farewell, Zecora! May the dying embers light your path!" the pebble shouted.
Twilight waved farewell as Zecora left and then turned to look at the pebble. Her head pounded like it was hit with a hammer, a much larger one than the one Mute used, but she composed herself with a strained smile. "And what is a 'Lord of cinders'?"
"My title! And the title I have bestowed upon my loyal compatriot! Lords of rebirth and fire, of change and renewal! Powerful creatures that determine the march of nations and fate of kings!"
Twilight stopped rubbing her forehead and gave the pebble and bug-pony an unimpressed look. "Powerful, huh?"
"You dare make fun of our great power and destiny?! Mute! Place me in her hoof I must reprimand this subject for such disregard of our station!" the pebble yelled.
The bug-pony grabbed Twilight's foreleg, slowly placed the pebble in her hoof, and then he returned to the oak tree. Twilight watched as Mute once again picked up his hammer, walked up the tree, and began to whack his hammer against the trunk once more. She then looked to the pebble and examined the fire that surrounded it. Magical in nature. Ethereal and felt more akin to a gust of wind than a solid object. It reminded her of Celestia's mane.
"Now I shall present your vicious crime before the grand court! This unicorn stands accused of belittling the lords of cinders and not submitting to their rule! How does the defendant plead!?" The pebble shouted.
"Um... Not guilty? You can not vassalize anyone! Only princess Celestia holds the deed to the land in the Everfree and you can not just put up a shed because you feel like it!" Twilight stomped her hoof onto the ground and huffed at the audacity of the pebble.
The small rock gasped. "Shed!? It is the grand palace! Our humble abode that is not actually humble! It shall contain a thousand servants, a hundred concubines, and treasures from the world over! All shall worship it as the place of power it is! It is indestructible! Its mighty walls will never fall!"
"What do you mean concubines!?"
As if triggered by Twilight's scream the many planks and nails that had been hammered into the oak tree just fell down into a pile of debris. Twilight watched as Mute opened his mouth in horror at the sight, and the hammer soon joined the pile as well. The bug-pony then repeatable slammed his head into the tree in frustration and made gargled noise of loss and anger. Twilight then looked at the pebble with a quirked brow.
"Its walls will never fall, huh?" she said.
"...Horseapples! Mute, fix the damages! May none see that the grand palace can fall into disarray!"
The bug-pony wildly gestured to the pile with an exasperated look.
"Canterlot was not built in a day! Chop chop my loyal friend!" the pebble said.
Twilight smirked. "Actually the main structure was created by Celestia during the course of a day—"
"No one cares! Help us rebuild the kingdom or leave! Your presence is no longer required, subject!"
"Kingdom? I thought this was a barony or a county! You are a lord, not king!"
The pebble huffed. "The land will be whatever the venerated lords of cinders say it is! For such is the law!"
Twilight rolled her eyes and held out Pinkie's invitation. "My friend wanted you to have this. You are formally invited to your very own 'welcome to Ponyville' party. Both of you, she included you in the invite, Mr. Pebble."
"Of course she would include me! I am Zarathon! The rightful ruler of all the royal forest and denizens of it! My powers are unmatched! My fame is wildly known! There is no one more splendid, more honorable, more upstanding than me! Well, Mute comes close, as a fellow lord must, but not even my most loyal compatriot has reached my level of splendor!" the pebble shouted.
"Well, at least I know your name now. Now when I know your name I'd like to ask you if I can do some tests on you? I've never seen a pebble before that can talk nor one that is constantly on fire," she asked with an excited smile. Maybe she'd get something more than a headache out of this.
"No. You may not. My royal visage is not to be maimed by a subject's dirty hooves. You can take your experimentation elsewhere."
Twilight took in a deep breath and exhaled in frustration. "Very well."
As Twilight and the pebble spoke Mute began to gather up and different materials and slowly assemble something. Though Twilight watched the pebble and hardly noticed the bug-pony's attempts to build a 'grand palace'.
"Could I perhaps examine you with a spell at least? I'd like to know what your composition is and maybe what spells created you—"
"No! No! No! I refuse to undergo any examination from you. I am Zarathon, lord of cinder, and I will not let you know my secrets or power! I have a right to not reveal anything to you, and I do not desire to give you any information," the pebble huffed.
While the two discussed there was a constant bang from hammers and rushed hoofsteps across the grass.
"Well if I can not do that then I suppose my visit is over. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Zarathon, Mr. Mute, but I should be going back before my headache gets any worse..." Twilight trailed off as her gaze shifted to the oak tree. Her eyes widened. Her jaw hit the floor.
Zarathon laughed in triumph. "YES! Mute, you shall be granted a family crest made by my own hands for this! All hail the grand palace! Bow and despair before its beauty!"
While Twilight and Zarathon had spoken Mute had been hard at work. The grand palace stood completed, a wide two-story building that had the oak tree in the middle of its structure. There were two towers on each side of the building, both of which held a bell, and attached to the oak tree was a wooden tablet that bore the symbol of a double helix inside a circle. The 'grand palace' was also covered with a shiny green substance that rounded the windows and doorways. It looked hard as crystal. Finally, the palace had a large glass window above the front door that depicted a creature much like Mute, but who was much more slender with a long neck. The creature had four legs and hooves, but it also had four long protrusions from its back which reminded Twilight of spider legs. The large bug-pony held an ember in one hoof and a green crystal in the other, while tears of silver poured from her milky white eyes.
Mute laid next to the building and wheezed for air.
"HOW!? How did you build that in less than five minutes! I looked away for a brief moment and you managed to do this?! How! Tell me how!" Twilight dropped the pebble and rushed up to the bug-pony. She shook him in desperation, frothing at the mouth.
"Unhand my compatriot, subject! Let him bask in the glory of his work! Look upon the artistry of that window! And on the beautiful carvings on the bells! Oh, it is a palace and place of worship for his goddess! And even the ember was included in the window! A true master knows his details!" Zarathon yelled from the ground.
"It is not possible! It is not possible, do you hear me?!" Twilight seemed to finally have broke as she shook Mute and screamed in frustration.
Mute just yawned and blinked lazily at the pony which shook him. He then sniffed the air and opened his mouth. Twilight then understood why Mute was a mute, he missed at least half his tongue. She blinked in confusion as red whisps flowed from her chest and head into Mute's mouth and slowly her snarl and glare turned into a confused stare. The anger and frustration just... disappeared. Mute proceeded to close his mouth, chew, swallow audibly, and then he gagged not unlike a cat, and spat up a red goo onto the ground.
Twilight looked at the red goo in horror. Also in fascination. Scientific fascination. "What was that?..."
"Mute is one of the most graceful and venerable of creatures on Equus! He is a changeling! He ate your anger and spat it back out, just to showcase how distasteful it is! Look at him! He feels naught but disdain for your anger!" Zarathon yelled.
Mute did not look happy nor angry with the act. He just tilted his head at the purple pony and blinked in the same lazy manner that he always did. Mute mostly just seemed tired. If he was tired from the conversation, the impossible house building, or from his 'meal' was unclear. Twilight did pry open his jaw with magic, which was surprisingly easy, and Mute did not seem to mind. The changeling just looked at her in confusion as she eyed the insides of his mouth. His sharp fangs made her shudder, the green insides of his mouth made her fascinated, and his damaged tongue made her cringe. Yet, she saw nothing else of note that would explain how the changeling ate her anger.
The pebble watched the entire interaction from the ground. "Mute! Do not let her know your secrets! Our subjects must be left in ignorance so we may rule without opposition!"
Mute grunted in response and pulled away from Twilight. He worked his jaw with a hoof and smacked his lips. He then slowly pushed Twilight away from him and walked over to pick up Zarathon. The pebble laughed and burned brighter for a second. Mute just yawned again and placed the pebble into his shirt pocket.
"What!? Pull me back out at once! We have unfinished business with this rude and treasonous subject! She put a hoof on her lord and can not go unpunished—" Zarathon's voice was muffled in the pocket and Mute ignored his cries.
The changeling walked up to Twilight, took the invitation to the party, and then walked into the grand palace. He shut and locked the door after him, which left Twilight alone in the clearing. She blinked for a second and then shrugged. She needed to hurry home and prepare her laboratory for an examination! It was possible that whatever magic Zarathon was made from would stick to her, and that meant she could research it! And she needed to look up information on changelings and on the name 'Zarathon'. Surely the princess would know what to do with the strange pebble and changeling. After all, Celestia knew everything.
Author's Note
I hope you enjoyed the sequel! I decided to expand on who the changeling and pebble are and added some canon characters for once. Hopefully, they did not feel too out of character. I hate writing rhymes, I am incapable of doing it.
