A few hundred feet back into the forest, the group quickly began interviewing each other. The sudden grouping and agreement to all venture out on a journey with little to no preparation led to discussion forming fast.

“We’ll head back to my cottage before we leave. I’ve got plenty of rations and ingredients for healing potions in case we get sick,” Irradiance explained as he led the group toward his home. “How long is the journey going to be?”

Emerald Shield perked up at the question directed toward him, “Oh, a few days I think. The Everfree Forest has expanded over the years, so reaching the edge will be a tough trip,” Irradiance couldn’t help but feel skeptical of this pony’s sudden appearance. Convenience wasn’t something that Irradiance often dealt with. He’d fought and traded for everything in his possession. Nothing real came easy.

“Right,” The purple Unicorn just nodded, voice laced with mock belief. “Well, then you’ll all need saddlebags. I have a few but I’m not sure I have four…”

“I’m carrying mine already,” Hibiscus piped up, and Irradiance noticed that she was, in fact, carrying a brown bag across her back, already packed with a few books.

“You can leave your books in my house and refill the bag with supplies instead, then. Maybe you can pack some stuff for Cobalt, too.”

The blue Pegasus looked up at the mention of his name. “How did you know my name? I don’t know if we actually told you.” He gasped suddenly. “Are you a witch!?”

Green eyes rolled in their sockets for the nth time. “No, I’m not a witch. I heard you and Hibiscus refer to each other before I showed you the way out of the forest.”

“That makes more sense,” Cobalt nodded, expression far-off. Irradiance got the sense he wasn’t the brightest bolt in the sky.

The four ponies continued onward, approaching the familiar cottage lodged between two large trees. Irradiance smiled at the arrival back at his home. He opened the door and allowed the guests inside, stopping them before they could get very far. “I’ll hand you what you need. No need for you to rifle through my things and ruin the organization I have going on,” He stated, walking into the wide living space and retrieving food from a root shelf and some bottles from another corner.

“Right,” Emerald Shield chuckled, looking around at the unlabeled, crowded shelves, where nothing was color coordinated. “I’d hate to ruin your expert organization!”

“I have the option of using a truth spell on you, you know,” Irradiance called from his location, face buried in another shelf of items. “Make you tell me where this monument is and leave you here.”

Emerald Shield snapped his mouth shut, cheeks flushing red. “Sorry, I was just amused! At the… irony.” He trailed off at the end, clearly unwanting of Irradiance’s threat to be true.

Irradiance let out a small laugh as he turned around to face the trio. “I don’t actually know a truth spell. But glad you’ve changed your tune!” Emerald Shield’s face fell, blue eyes darkening in annoyance. The dynamic forming between the duo was getting tiring already.

Irradiance had three bags in his home, one for himself, Emerald Shield, and Cobalt. Since Hibiscus brought her own bag, there was plenty of room for a bag for each person. In each saddlebag was three days worth of food and water, as well as a few salves for poison ivy and other common irritants found in the forests. Within Irradiance’s saddlebag were ingredients for potions that might be needed for any injuries the group suffered from, as well as medicine for common colds or allergies.

“All set to go?” Hibiscus asked, looking around at the small group. Irradiance nodded.

“We’re set. I’ve packed all your things. Lead the way, Emerald Shield.”

The four ponies set off, leaving the small cottage and descending further into the dark forest. Irradiance felt his eye twitch as the pink Unicorn spoke up again.

“We should all properly introduce ourselves!” Hibiscus exclaimed, looking around at the others. “Emerald Shield is the only one who actually said who he was at first. You only knew our names through overhearing us!” She looked toward Irradiance who just shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Ponies were difficult.

“I’ll go first!” Cobalt excitedly said, wings fluttering. “I’m Cobalt Breeze and I’m training to be a Wonderbolt at the academy in Cloudsdale!” He flicked his mane out of his face, grinning with pride. Irradiance would find it attractive if the stallion wasn’t so ridiculous-looking as he puffed out his chest.

“And I’m Hibiscus Dream,” The pink Unicorn followed suit, introducing herself similarly. “Cobalt and I have been friends since grade school! We were out here looking for the fabled Crystal Beast when we found you. Obviously,” She let out a small laugh at the end, entertained at the simplicity of her introduction.

Irradiance nodded, realizing the trio was waiting for his introduction next. “Oh!” He gaped, looking around, unsure how to introduce himself properly. “I’m… Clarity. I’ve lived in the forest for thirty years and my favorite color is beige.”

Silence followed the introduction and Irradiance fought off a smile as he watched the other ponies react to his name.

“You said your name was Periwinkle, I thought?” Emerald Shield asked, his head tilted to the side. Irradiance let out an audible laugh at that, looking back in amusement.

“Sorry I’m a compulsive liar,” He excused, not blinking.

“Really?” Cobalt asked, intrigued.

“No.”

A groan followed the joke and Irradiance was drowning in his laughter. Irradiance didn’t know these strangers! He wasn’t going to tell them every detail about his life. He wanted a cure and that was it! Once that was over he’d reenter society and become top of the ranks at Celestia’s Magic Academy fairly, never falling to the hooves of bullies again. In fact, maybe he’d ditch the magic path and become a lawyer! Then he could sue Moonshine and Sunny Daze for attacking him all those years ago.

“What about you, Emerald?” Cobalt finally spoke up, tired of the silence after Irradiance’s antics. Confused, the guard squinted, waiting for further details of the question. “Is that really your name?”

A pink hoof quickly smacked the Pegasus, attached to an annoyed expression. “Of course, that’s his name, idiot!” Hibiscus snapped. “He’s a royal guard! Why would he lie about his name?”

“Maybe he’s a compulsive liar!”

The idle chatter continued, to Irradiance’s dismay. He would have imagined that strangers wouldn’t have much in common. Clearly, his imagination was flawed.

“What’s it like working as a guard, Emerald?” Hibiscus queried. The green Pegasus chuckled, likely in memoriam of his duty to the Princess.

“It’s not too exciting. I’ve never stopped any enemies; I’m just a hall guard as opposed to a personal guard for Princess Flurry Heart or Princess Twilight.”

“Have you met the Crystal Empire’s Princess?” Cobalt excitedly followed up. “I’ve always wanted to meet her. I’ve heard she’s even prettier in person!”

Emerald awkwardly looked away from the Pegasus before responding, “She’s alright, I suppose. If you fancy ponies… like that.” Irradiance smirked at the implication at the end.

Cobalt clearly let the mention fly over his head. “What, Alicorns? Yeah, I’ve heard they’re pretty powerful. But all power to the mares, am I right, Hibiscus?” The pink Unicorn just shook her head and smiled.

Irradiance hadn’t been involved much in pony politics since he’d named Everfree Forest his home. The last news he had heard was that Princess Flurry Heart was set to take the throne in the Crystal Empire soon enough and that Twilight Sparkle was soon to announce her next student. That was nearly ten years ago, though, so Irradiance wasn’t sure if anything had changed. Alicorns were immortal, this was a known fact, so Celestia and Luna were still around. Maybe they were royal advisors? Celestia was still sponsoring all sorts of magic academies and universities throughout Canterlot and beyond. Luna must have her own philanthropic adventures going on in the background of her life, right?

“What’s it like living all alone, Clarity?” Hibiscus asked the purple Unicorn, pulling him from his thoughts.

“It’s quiet,” He snapped, tired of all the small talk. “Oh, look! A sign! Let’s read it and stop bothering each other with fun facts!” There was, in fact, a wooden sign up ahead. Though the forest was dangerous and usually uninhabited by ponies, there were the odd few that put directions throughout, helpful to ponies that got lost on their explorations. An arrow pointed back toward Canterlot, one pointed toward the edge of the forest, and the other pointed in directions that had since been worn down, likely due to ponies warning others not to travel, or a rogue animal using the post for scratching.

“Southern edge of Everfree,” Hibiscus spoke aloud to the group. “Sounds like the right direction to me. Right, Emerald?”

The guard nodded simply, confident in his leadership. “Yep! Onward toward the edge of the forest!”

“I spy… something green!”

“Is it a bush?”

“...yes.”

The trip had grown long and the sun was coming to a set over the horizon of trees, already encompassing the small group in darkness thanks to the large canopy of trees overhead. Irradiance could have marched for several hours more, but the Canterlot ponies seemed to be getting tired. Apart from Emerald, of course. Likely due to his royal guard training.

Cobalt and Hibiscus had been playing “eye-spy” for the better part of two hours now and the other two ponies were growing tired of the repeated clue of “something green.” It had been a bush for the last five guesses.

“We’ll rest for the night,” Irradiance decided for the group, stopping his walk and looking around at the surrounding trees. “We can put up a shelter beneath those trees over there and keep walking in the morning. Sound good?”

The other three just nodded, easily agreeing with the native Everfree resident. Setting down their packs one by one, each pony retrieved their ration of food and water for the night, watching as Irradiance picked up leaves and branches, weaving them together to make a makeshift tent for the night.

“Should we share tents?” Hibiscus asked, genuinely making a suggestion. “Boys in one, me in another? I don’t want you to go through the trouble of making one giant tent. I can make another for myself!” Irradiance appreciated the suggestion but found himself against the idea.

“I was planning to make individual shelters,” He responded simply, face twisting in uncomfort at the idea of sharing a space.

“I’ve heard it gets really cold at night, though,” Cobalt mentioned. “Shouldn’t we all sleep together to share body heat and prevent hypothermia?”

Irradiance was silenced. It wasn’t untrue; at night time in the forest, the temperature often fell nearly below freezing. It was something related to the magic within all of the flora and fauna, he supposed. Preparation for his cottage usually meant shutting the windows tight and barricading himself in his room beneath a few blankets before bed. This was why he never invested in plants or pets. He was worried the cold might get them.

“You make a decent point, Cobalt,” Irradiance surrendered. “I won’t share with all of you, though. Two tents, two ponies in each. Draw straws for who shares with who.”

“Straws? But we’re in the middle of the forest,” Cobalt said back.

“Sticks! Draw sticks! By Celestia,” Irradiance was growing tired of the Pegasus’s dumb responses. How was he training to be a genuine Wonderbolt with this IQ?

Hibiscus collected a few sticks and then broke them at random, shuffling them in the air with her pink magic before hovering them before the group, waiting to be taken. “I’ll just take whichever stick is left. Two shortest room together, two tallest room together. Fair?” The others nodded and the drawing commenced.

Irradiance went first: a very, very short stick.

Then Cobalt: a long stick. Definitely not one of the shortest. Thank Celestia! Irradiance could not go with listening to his dumb remarks all night.

Emerald went next: he pulled a medium-sized stick. Irradiance wasn’t sure if it was closer to his or Cobalt’s but he really didn’t mind sharing with the guard or the pink Unicorn. As long as that blue Pegasus stayed away.

“Alright! Everyone drew and mine is… long!” Hibiscus smiled, holding out all the sticks and showing that hers was, in fact, longer than Emerald’s but shorter than Cobalt’s. She’d share with her friend, then, and Irradiance would get the guard.

“Great,” Emerald smiled, eyes growing heavy as the forest got darker. “Now can we head to sleep, now?”

Irradiance finished up his and the green Pegasus’s tent and Hibiscus built hers and Cobalt’s fairly quickly as well. Soon enough, the four ponies made their way inside their respective shelters for the night and bid farewell until morning to the others.

“Night, Clarity. Or whatever your name is,” Emerald said sleepily to his roommate, but Irradiance was already fast asleep.

Author's Note

yay! another chapter! i never was one of those wattpad authors who wrote authors notes halfway through the story, so ill be honest and say I'm loving writing these notes at the end. i liked this chapter and i LOVE emerald/leviathan! he's like almost another main character. he was supposed to just be on the side but you know what they say. sometimes the stories write themselves