Guiding Light

Guiding Light:

CHAPTER II -

Misery Loves Company

* * *

I couldn’t think of a single moment in those past few days where I’d felt truly happy.

I’d felt gratitude and welcome from Twilight, but the weight of my troubles had brought my spirits down. All that changed when I decided to just not worry about anything. I stopped desperately trying to search for scraps of information or to wonder to no end who I was before three nights ago. I had simply accepted everything that had happened, and that was that.

Not to say that I had quit with my attempts and put out my inquisitiveness like a candle; heavens no. I still wanted to find out what had happened to me, and know everything I once knew. I also wanted to rid myself of the perplexing and misleading tidbits of information that sent mixed signals every which way across my mind.

All that could wait until later, however. The only things I concentrated on were the here and now - I did not want to judge myself or feel anxious any longer. I knew I fit in, and I was happy with that.

That morning, I decided to wake up earlier than normal for some groceries. I had slept soundly the past night, and I felt the need to stock my fridge for later.

I grabbed my bits and tried to make my unkempt mane as presentable as possible before stepping out. Routine was setting in and abolishing the confusion.

As always, the vendors were out earlier than anypony else would wake. A handful of other ponies had the same idea as myself, and a couple of them left with enough food to last them a week.

With the amount of bits I had, it was enough for only one or two days worth of food, maybe three, if I rationed properly.

Good thing about vendors was that most were cheap. I bought myself a bag of carrots, some potatoes, apples, and a couple of muffins, and still had quite a few bits left over.

After I had brought the groceries back to my house, stored the food in the pantry, and ate the muffins for breakfast (Which were not on the level of those from Sugarcube Corner at all). I grabbed my beginner spellbook, read a few pages, practicing levitation and other sorts of telekinesis. I stowed it and my bits in my saddlebags, and set off for the library.

More ponies were on the streets now; the sun rising over the hills, and drowsy fillies and colts awoke from their comfortable slumbers to go to school. Life was good. The beckoning calls of confusion were shut up.

That is, until, a bale of hay, wearing a jacket, a baseball cap, and a pair of Groucho Mare’s glasses trundled up next to me.

“Hey, stranger!” It talked. My head started to pound.

“Um... Hello?”

“Welcome! You new to these parts?” It was clearly another pony inside the bale.

“Well, no, but... it’s a long story, sort of. Um, yes, I guess?”

“Well, every new pony in town gets a greeting from Mister Hay! What’s your name?”

I resisted the urge to ask just what the hay (No pun intended) was going on.

“Steel Tempest,” I managed to say, not hiding my dumbfounded-ness.

“Well, welcome to Ponyville, Steel Tempest! NowexcusemeIhavetogopreparesobye!”

The bale darted off.

I just stood there, agape, for a solid ten seconds.

After I closed my jaw to avoid stares, I decided that I just couldn’t fathom some things, and that I should’ve made no attempt to.

Arriving at the library on the dot, Twilight and I greeted each other warmly, and the day progressed much like it did yesterday: sweeping, dusting, and cleaning up Twilight’s mess of books, strewn all over the place.

Then, near noon, there was a knock at the door.

Continuing with my work, Twilight answered it. To my surprise, it was the pink pony I had seen at Sugarcube Corner the day before.

“Hi, Twilight!” The pink pony quipped.

“Hey, Pinkie,”

“There’s a party tonight at this address,” She handed Twilight a card of some sort. “I’m throwing a party for a new pony in-”

And then she took notice of me. Like before, she gasped, but she didn’t take off like a balloon venting air, this time. Instead, he smiled sheepishly and waved a hoof in my direction. I waved back.

The pink pony now spoke to Twilight in hushed tones that I couldn’t hear. Twilight sounded like she was suppressing a giggle.

The two said their good-byes and Twilight shut the door. I didn’t bother to ask. Like I told myself before, It’s better not to know, sometimes.

At that point, my stomach growled, begging me for food. I told Twilight that I was going to get some lunch, and went back to the marketplace.

It was a beautiful day, not like the last, skies clear and warm sun gazing upon the town and setting a pleasant temperature. The air was fresh and clean. The ambience was euphoric.

Suddenly, I bumped into a small, unicorn filly, nearly knocking her over.

“Sorry,” I said, putting on the cheesiest smile I could muster. “I should have been paying more attention.”

“It’s okay, I do that all the time,” She replied cheerfully.

She turned her head as her friends called out to her.

“C’mon, Sweetie Belle! At this rate we’ll never get our Everfree Explorers Cutie Marks,” said an orange pegasus filly, about the same age. A yellow earth pony with a red mane was also nearby.

“Sheesh, I’m coming,” The unicorn filly said, and took off in the direction of her friends.

Everfree? I thought. Do they mean the Everfree Forest? Isn’t it dangerous in there?

I’d seen the Everfree marked on my maps of the town, inscribed with blatant warnings to ‘keep out.’ Were these fillies heading into trouble?

I dismissed the notion. I had forgot everything I knew. The fillies probably knew more about the Everfree than I did. Besides, the maps were dated.

Continuing to the market, I purchased a sandwich from a vendor, and ate on my way back to the library. I was getting the hang of my magic now. I had even dipped into the advanced spellbook when I got bored of the beginner's book.

After my return to the library, the day went by similarly to the last - finishing my work, and studying for an hour.

However, mid-paragraph in the advanced spellbook, Twilight approached me with my daily salary.

“I have to go somewhere, and I won’t be back before you leave for the day. Here are your bits for today.” She slid the bits over to me and produced a key. “I also need you to lock up for me when you leave in half-an-hour. Put the key under the mat, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Alright, thanks, Steel. Bye!”

“Bye.”

She shut the door. Now, I had the library all to myself. With the resulting silence, I got through more of the advanced spellbook than I thought I could read in thirty minutes.

Alas, the end of the day came, I packed my things, and left the library. I locked the library door, and slid the key under the front door mat, just as I’d been instructed.

Walking briskly through the marketplace once again, I noticed that the traffic of ponies among the vendors and their carts was significantly less than it was yesterday, at this time of day. In fact, nopony was on the streets at all. Where were they?

These thoughts quickly vanished as I strode up to my street. I smiled. This was what I’d been waiting for for most of the day. I approached the front door to Sugarcube Corner and twisted the handle.

But it wouldn’t budge. It was locked. I huffed, confused and distrodden. I had really hoped for another muffin.

Shrugging, I slowly shuffled down the empty street to my musty old home. I really needed to clean it up. There was dust everywhere.

Climbing up the porch steps, I opened the door. I was not prepared for what was next to come.

“SURPRISE!”

My house was absolutely filled to capacity with strangers. Streamers floated around in the air and party favors littered the floor. Confetti was everywhere. A banner that read, ‘Welcome to Ponyville, Steel Tempest!’ hung from the ceiling. What the hay was going on?!

I stood there, without words. How should I react? What should I do? Who were all these ponies? Why was I being welcomed to a town I had lived in for six years?

And then, at least a single part of my day started to make sense, as a certain pink pony popped in front of me from nowhere in particular.

“Surprise! Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you,” she happily quipped.

“Um, that’s great, but I-” was all I could manage before the hyper pony cut me off.

“Remember when I first saw you? I was all, ‘Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie!’ Then I went-”

She gasped like she had when I had seen her in Sugarcube Corner and at the Library.

I couldn’t manage a word before she hit me with a whole damned speech.

“See, I never saw you before, and if I never saw you before that means you're new, 'cause I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville, and if you're new, then it means you haven't met anypony yet, and if you haven't met anypony yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, so I just threw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invited everypony in Ponyville! And now you have lots and lots of friends!”

Oh, great. A welcome party. Because I’d just moved into town a few days ago. Thanks, Pinkie Pie, for giving me yet another thing to tear my mane out over.

“Um, thanks... I guess.”

“No problemo! I just hope you have a super-duper awesome time!” And with that, she bounced off into the crowd.

I sighed, trying to make my way through the crowd myself. For a welcome party, the other ponies just seemed to ignore me; like I was just another pony amongst the ones who’d been invited. I guess that’s kind of what I was - I would be after that night, anyway.

Sampling the confectioneries and the punch - both of which were absolutely delicious and mouth-watering - I eventually found Twilight with some of her friends near the back of my home, around my desk. I didn’t take anypony here to be the thieving type, but prior to greeting my friend, I checked the drawers for my portfolio - which was still there, thankfully - as I put my saddlebags away.

“Hey, Twilight,” I piped up.

She turned. “Oh, hi, Steel. Enjoying your party?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I mean - I really appreciate the gesture, and the welcoming, but that’s just the thing; Pinkie Pie said she hadn’t seen me before, yet I’m supposed to be a six-year resident. All this confusion just bothers me.”

“Don’t worry about it for now,” she giggled. “Trust me, it’s better that you enjoy yourself now - I wasn’t so lucky at my welcome party.”

I didn’t press. “Okay, I’ll try my best,” I said, the sarcasm nearly tangible.

I was about to turn and walk away to ‘enjoy myself’ when suddenly, a white-coated, purple-maned unicorn burst forth from the crowd and confronted Twilight with worry etched upon her face.

“Twilight! Have you seen Sweetie Belle? I can’t find her anywhere,” she said, her voice regal, but nervous.

An orange earth pony, wearing a stetson, whom Twilight had been speaking with before my greeting, butted in before she could reply.

“An’ ah haven’t seen Apple Bloom ever since the two of them an’ Scootaloo left their treehouse,” she drawled in a thick accent.

A lightbulb went off as some memory click-ed in my mind. Sweetie Belle. I’ve heard that name before...

“I don’t know where they are,” Twilight replied to the both of them. “I hope they haven’t gone into the Everfree Forest...”

“They wouldn’t be so foolish to do that again,” The white mare suggested.

It was Stetson Pony’s  turn. “They’re prob’ly wanderin’ ‘round the town somewhere.”

It wasn’t a click this time, so much as a thud. The realization hit me, and it hit me hard.

Sweetie Belle was that young filly I bumped into this afternoon. She was with two others - most likely her friends just mentioned right now - and they had in fact gone into the Everfree!

“Twilight-” I started to say. But, I didn’t finish. The three mares were gone - vanished into thin air.

They had no idea of the fillies’ real intentions and whereabouts. Even if they did eventually figure it out, who knows what kind of danger the three young friends were in already?

That left me with one option. Twilight had gone off looking for the fillies in the wrong place. I was the only pony here who knew where they were. So, out of the guttural instinct that had done me well so far, my mind was set on just one thing I could do at that moment.

Silently cursing myself, I grabbed the candle off my desk, which was still lit, and pushed my way through the crowd of guests, not bothering with the simplest ‘excuse me.’

I was, so to speak, ditching my own party.

I exited my modest house, leaving the heat of the party and the blasting techno-polka music behind. The night was chilling, and the slight breeze made me shiver. I had to concentrate with my magic harder than I normally would to keep my candle from going out.

The town was dead. Nopony lingered this late at night - not that anypony would actually be on the streets anyway, they were all in my house. I looked up towards the cloudless sky, as the full moon shone down upon the cheerful, yet silent town below it.

Exhaling heavily, I galloped as fast as I could toward the forest, going faster than what I was normally capable of, thanks to the adrenalin coursing throughout my system. The candle did not go out, not even so much as flicker.

I passed rows upon rows of houses for what seemed like an eternity before coming to the forest’s edge. It was ominous - the rolling grassland of Ponyville stopped suddenly, not even bothering to slowly transition to the tree-laden area. The line of trees just started where the grass stopped, and continued on for miles.

To be honest, I really did not want to go into the forest. But, I felt like I owed it to myself to do the right thing for once and save those fillies.

The first thing I did was enchant the candle so I could find it wherever I had placed it. Reading up on those spellbooks had just found their purpose. With the candle enchanted, I dripped some of it’s still-enchanted wax onto the ground just outside the forest. I don’t know how I knew to do that, but I pinned it to being a quick thinker, something I hadn’t yet defined myself as being.

With a marker set, I swallowed, and took my first steps into the Everfree Forest.

The shadows seemed to consume all bravado. I instantly wanted to turn around. My will was stronger than that, though, and I pushed my shaky knees onward, deeper within the forest.

I heard twigs snapping and strange, non-pony growls that made my hair stand on end and by brow start to bead with perspiration. Apart from my own hoofsteps and the threatening sounds of whatever monsters lurked within this hellish place, everything was utterly silent. This wasn’t a quiet-library silent, however; this was a mentally degrading and dementing silent. My ears rang from nothing in particular, and as my pace sped up, my mind droned out all senses, even my frantic breathing and the feeling in my hooves. All I could hear was the constant ringing of mental warnings to turn around, lest I collapse. My vision was a blurry haze, and I was barely able to make out the outlines of trees before I crashed headfirst into them. My entire body was numb.

I was galloping like a maniac. I had lost control over myself. Fear had conquered courageousness, and everything around me spun, like I was in the middle of a whirlwind. And, without warning, my head hit the dirt-covered ground, sending a sharp smack of pain reverberating through my skull. I kept my eyes shut, not willing to give into the sheer terror of what I would see coming to feast upon my defeated body.

I could feel the warmth of the candle nearby, still lit, on my sweaty face, but everything around me felt miles away. I had given up. I couldn’t continue. I had doomed myself.

Then, the  ringing in my ears stopped like a gramophone needle picked up off the record. Through the deafening silence, I heard something that made me open my eyes.

The soft whimpering of a few young fillies.

No, I told myself. I am not defeated. I got to my feet, my knees still shaking. I’ve done it - I’ve found them. I’ve saved their lives.

I picked up the candle, deep orange flame not even wavering, and held it in front of me.

I walked forward, my strength returning as my confidence rebuilt itself and chased fear from my mind.

I called out to the fillies, trying my best to remember their names.

“Sweetie Belle?”

I approached the source of the whimpering, and I found three young fillies, a unicorn, an earth pony, and a pegasus, silently bawling, huddled against each other, between a bush and the trunk of a tree.

I had found them.

Setting the candle down next to the trio and moving in to console them, I did my best to be calm and caring.

“Shh,” I comforted them, wiping the tears from their red-rimmed eyes. “There’s nothing to be worried about. I’m here - I’ll protect you. I’ll bring you back to Ponyville, safe and sound. Your families are so worried. Don’t you worry now, I’m here for you. Shh...”

It took a few minutes to get them to stop whimpering so they could form words. The yellow earth-filly spoke in a similar accent to the orange stetson-bearing mare at the party.

“Wh-w-who a-are y-you...?” She stuttered.

“I’m Steel Tempest, a friend of Twilight Sparkle’s,” I reassured the weeping filly. “Come on, you three can hop on my back. We need to get out of this forest before your older counterparts get any more nervous than they already are.”

With that, I kneeled down, and let the three teary-eyed fillies climb onto my back; I was sure they were in no condition to just walk back on their own.

Heading out of the forest took longer than essentially bolting in, but galloping out would mean sending three traumatized fillies flying off my back and into the cold mud, in the middle of an evil-possessed forest.

It was nearly midnight now, and I could barely see. The candle was my guiding light. It hadn’t gone out before and it wouldn’t now. I’m sure it was the reason no Hydra or Ursa Major had attacked me. The candle was my weapon, and I was a warrior, conquering all evil that lay withing this forest.

Still, the three compromised little ponies on my back whimpered and teared up with every growl or alien sound that emanated from somewhere nearby. I kept my own head held high, and banished the thoughts of attack from my conscious mind. My strength - my bravado - had returned, and it was surely not going to leave me now, not at my moment of triumph.

Following the direction of where the enchanted wax had been left, I could soon see the lights of Ponyville, and I could feel the relief of the fillies as we exited the forest.

I had no idea where Twilight or her friends might be, so I brought the fillies - who were still on my back, albeit no longer whimpering, to the town square, and waited. I got fed up after ten minutes, and decided to go wait in the Library instead. I turned to leave the square, but before I could take even a single step, one of the fillies gasped and pointed a hoof to the sky.

“Look, it’s Rainbow Dash,” She cried, awfully cheerful.

A rainbow-maned pegasus zoomed down from above and stopped right in front of me, blocking my path.

“Where’d you find those fillies?” She snapped.

Most likely one of Twilight’s friends, I deduced.

“They were in the Everfree Forest. Where’s Twilight?”

“I’ll go get her now,” Said the pegasus, and took off in a blink. It wasn’t long before Twilight, the white unicorn, the Stetson Pony, and a red-orange pegasus galloped up to us at full throttle.

“Rarity!” Called out Sweetie Belle, jumping off my back. The other two followed suit, each galloping to their respectful companion, as the three mares comforted them.

“Apple Bloom, what did ah tell ya about goin’ into the forest?” The Stetson Pony sighed.

“We w-were trying to get our e-Everfree Explorers Cutie Marks...” Stammered the pegasus filly, as the red-orange mare stroked her mane, cuddling her.

“Sweetie Belle, you had me so worried!” The white unicorn said, anxiety still present in her voice. “We thought you learned the last time to stay out of that dreadful place!”

“We were chased by a manticore!” Sweetie Belle explained. “We hid from it, and we were too scared to move...”

Twilight turned to me. “Thank you so much, Steel. How did you know they were in the forest?”

“I bumped into Sweetie Belle when I was taking my lunch break. They were heading into the Everfree. I really didn’t think much of it - I should have warned somepony.”

“Nonsense, sugarcube,” said the Stetson Pony, looking up from Apple Bloom. “Twilight’s told us all about you. Ya didn’t know that the forest was dangerous.”

That was half-true. I didn’t want to have to do any more explaining today - especially not after my exhausting feat of heroism. I let them believe what they wanted to. I simply nodded.

“I can’t thank you enough,” the white unicorn piped up. “I don’t believe we’ve met - I’m Rarity.”

“Ah’m Applejack,” drawled the Stetson pony.

“Autumn Wind,” said the red-orange pegasus. “And you are...?”

“Autumn, this is Steel Tempest,” introduced Twilight.

“Thank you so much, Steel Tempest,” Autumn wind continued. “Our little sisters get into trouble all the time.”

“No problem, really,” I said. I had no intention of ever going into that forest ever again, so I was basically a one-time hero.

“Oh, but we owe you more than just our gratitude,” Implied Rarity. “These three fillies could have gotten themselves killed if you hadn’t saved them.” She took out a pouch. “This is for you. I can’t thank you enough.”

The pouch was full of bits - way more than enough for a train ticket, maybe even two.

“Thank you, Rarity, but I can’t accept this. I was just doing the right thing.”

“I insist. I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Alright, thank you, Rarity. Remind me to pay you back, one day.” To refuse her gift would have just been rude.

“You’re a stubborn one, Steel Tempest.” She smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I know you’re short on bits. Saving my little sister is more of a gift than anything I can give you.”

“Thank you, Rarity, I appreciate it,” I bowed my head.

“You have mah gratitude,” said Applejack.

“And mine, as well,” Autumn Wind added. “It was nice meeting you, Steel Tempest.”

“Likewise, Autumn, Applejack, Rarity. See you later.” I bid them farewell as they departed.

The rainbow-maned pegasus playfully punched me in the shoulder. “Nice work, hero. Maybe I oughta give you some lessons sometime.” She smiled and took off.

I rolled my eyes and Twilight giggled.

“Rainbow Dash will always be Rainbow Dash,” she said. “Come on, your party’s probably already over. So much for ‘enjoying it’.”

It was my turn to laugh.

* * *

My house had never looked messier.

Confetti and streamers coated the ground, food and drink was spilled everywhere, and party favours covered every surface.

All of the other ponies had gone, so I was in no rush to tidy up the place. I stumbled my way to the living room, on the verge of passing out. I collapsed onto the sofa, the candle I was still holding clattering onto a nearby table. Twilight followed, frowning a bit at the state of the solemn house.

Pinkie Pie peeked her head into the room.

“Oh, hey, Steel! Hi Twilight!”

“Hey, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said, matching her usual tone.

“Hello, Pinkie,” I groaned.

The energetic pony bounced up next to the sofa.

“I can see you’re super tired from all the partying! But don’t worry! Pinkie Pie always cleans up her messes, no matter what! I promise - Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

I only grumbled in response.

And with that, Pinkie Pie set off, sweeping, dusting and cleaning up the house at impossible speeds. I was too tired to care that the laws of physics were being broken.

It was when she was taking down the ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ banner that I remembered what I needed to clue her in to.

“Um, Pinkie Pie? You do know that I’ve been a resident of Ponyville for six years, right? I appreciate it, but I don’t really think I needed a welcome party...”

She laughed. “Don’t be silly, Steel. I know everypony in Ponyville, and I’ve never seen you before.”

I glanced over, and took note that Twilight had fallen asleep on the opposite couch.

“Don’t you think you might’ve missed just one pony?” I tried.

“If you’ve been here for six years, then what were those two ponies that brought you here on the carriage doing?”

I froze. Every single thought on my mind vanished, and were replaced by a thirst for knowledge.

“Pinkie Pie, I want you to tell me everything you know about those ponies. Right now.”