Alpha's Sojourn

Alpha ran through the forest as glorious golden chains pulled at his wrists with every stray twig and jagged rock. Only when his mind demanded rest and peace of mind did he finally stop and think. He took in his surroundings and tried to convince himself that he had done the right thing, and failed. Reluctantly he found the largest oldest tree he could and sat at its' base begining to meditate, wich he had learned to do (early?) during his imprisonment. He sat and absorbed the very essence of the forest, the deep earthy smell wich came from his freshly carved trail of destruction, far off crys of timber wolves and the chirping of returning birds punctuated the monotonous drone of the cicadas in the trees. The deafening forest timbre set Alpha at ease with himself and knew that he had done all he could to help Zecora avoid an unsavory fate at the hand of the corruption and its agents. As Alpha sat lost in thought his subconscious mind took hold and began to bring back the life he had once known.

Alpha and Chrysalis raced down the well worn dirt streets that comprised the town's transportation system, after several minutes of catching up and passing one another up they came upon their destination a building scarcely larger than the others with a shining bronze plaque that read "Town Hall: please leave complaints within box above furnace".

"Here we are... town hall... home to the towns' leader and chief decision maker my dad," said a somewhat cheerful Chrysalis between raspy breaths.

"Kickass so's the old guy in or what," Alpha said, his own chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Yes I am youngster," came voice as smoothe as low grit sand paper, emanating from a face just as pretty, "so you just here to hit on my daughter or is there something you needed."

Alpha looked over to Chrysalis who was red faced and twiddling with her hooves,"Yes sir I have been sent by minotaur high command to deliver a gift in order to harbor peace and friendship between our two nations." Alpha smiled smugly inwardly as he recounted word for word the speech he had been given.

"So what is it," asked the changeling elder clearly bored with Alphas' performance.

"Oh right," said Alpha as a palm met his forehead. Reaching within his satchel Alpha pulled out a small, black crown inlaid with emeralds and set with polished ebony inlay, it appeared to absorb the very light around it and sucked the very heat out of the air. It exuded royalty and demanded respect in otherwords. "Crafted by our finest smiths over the course of two years, I'm sure you'll be pleased with it."

"Ha, that things looks more fit for show than anything else. Give it to Chrissy finish your business and be on your way, we dont need anymore troublemakers about town," he stated as he shot a glare at Chrysalis, who was still enthralled with her hooves," now goodday I have many important mayoral duties to attend to."

Alpha stared at the closed door for a few minutes before Chrysalis came over and picked his jaw up off of the floor(figuratively of course). "I-I'm sorry if he offended you but he usually means well, and he accepted your gift so thats a good thing isnt it."

"What do you mean 'accepted' he slammed the door in my face," replied a now slightly infuriated Alpha.

"You shouldve seen what he did to the griffin ambassador, lets just say its a good thing that we're vegitarians. His name's Carbon by the way one can only pray that he would get some manners at his age bit unfortunately it doesn't look like thats going to happen." Chrysalis punctuated her last statement with a chuckle prompting a similar response from Alpha.

"So its not just me, and I was starting to feel special too. Anyways how do you know he didn't reject our offer of peace 'Chrissy'." Alpha felt a small warmth in his chest as he placed the small crown on top of Crysalis' hole filled brilliant green mane.

"Trust me mostlings don't even get that courtesy much less so quickly, you must have been really impressed by your speech. Which by the way, how many times did you recite it to yourself."

"Only from the mountains and across the Everfree." Replied Alpha automatically.

SNAP. A sharp twig snapping in the distance caused Alpha to jerk back to reality. The the air around him had grown cold and the forests' din had changed considerably, it was now nighttime in the Everfree forest. Before him piercing the darkness two pairs of pearly white orbs stared at him.

Chrysalis stomped through the obsidian halls of her ebony castle until she finally reached her destination, a large white door in stark contrast to she surrounding walls imprinted with a large red cross, the infirmary. "Tell me nurse at what time was Chitin admitted?" Chrysalis asked in a flat tone.

"He was admitted two hours your highness. He has only just now regained consciousness and it would do him well not to get too excited." Replied the changeling nurse, visibly shaken at the sudden appearence of royalty.

Disregarding the protests of the healthcare staff QUEEN Chrysalis stepped in to the chambers currently occupied by a clearly exhausted changeling. "M-m-my queen w-what b-brings you here?" Stammered the bed-ridden changeling.

"Tell me Chitin what brings you here to the hive all the way from your post across the Everfree forest."

"My queen I am here because a chamber had opened and I saw a creature escaping where I had been posted, should we mobilize for a strike against the creature."

"No that won't be necessary, but be glad that you wont have to guard that door anymore. Now if you'll excuse me I have some matters wich demand my immediate attention. Oh and be sure to take a few days off. With a smug smile Chrysalis trotted down to her own private chambers and called in a scribe to take note.

General Thorax I request that you send the elite tracking squad to follow the beast previously contained within the post Chitin was formerly posted at. It is of course imperative that this task be completed quickly so have them leave before sunrise.

-- Queen Chrysalis

With that she sent the scribe off to deliver the note and began to chuckle inwardly knowing that the fogs were finally folling into place.

Twilight and Fluttershy ran torwards Zecora's home deep within the Everfree forest the package given to them by Ditzy floating gingerly besides them. It had gotten late by the time they had arrived at the hut and not a soul could be seen in the vicinity, upon closer inspection they could see what appeared to be a struggle take place. Two large scars in the earth broke the trees leading to the Zebras home and ended abruptly at her door, wich had visible scuff marks on it. Within the domicile of their striped comrad was a shattered plate decorating the floor and a burnt loaf of what they could only deduce to have once been banana bread. Within a large pot, sitting on a fire, twilight noticed a strange grayish goo that seemed to dissolve any substance placed in it, after having experimentally poked it with a stick as well as several other objects. "W-what do you s-supposed Zecora was doing with this stuff," asked a curious/frightened Fluttershy while simultaneously poking the grayish slime.

"It looks like she may have been trying to remove something pretty big, or somepony." Said a concerned Twilight examining the tracks twin trails of freshish earth leaving the zebra's home. "I'm pretty sure that if we follow the these trails we'll find our zebra and, with luck, whatever or whoever else she had with her."

With that, the pair were off careful to have turned off all flames within the zebra's home with Fluttershy leading the way, surprisingly enough.

"Fluttershy how do you know that this is the right way,"

"Oh little things like how the branckes are broken away from Zecora's, or how the dirt is slightly fresher here not to mention were following Zecora's hoofprints."

The nerdy librarian could only stare slightly slack jawed as she marveled at the pegasus' powers of observation. After several minutes of travel the two found it, a clearing, within they found the half dissolved remains of what had once been two very large rocks.

"Hmm. So do you think that whatever it is that Zecora did worked?" Asked the perplexed purple pony.

"I dont know. I haven't been able to tell what she was doing in the first place."

While Twilight and Fluttershy were examining the still dissolving rocks a soft moan pierced tho otherwise quiet evening air drawing a frightened, "Eep," from the pegasus and a similar reaction from the unicorn. Cautiously the two wobbled over to the source, a trying task as they were also struggling to keep their bladders in check. Slowly was Twilight able to pick herself off of the terrified yellow winged pony and canter over to the low moaning, that is untill a manticore roar broke the evening air in the distance, and her legs finally gave out. Fluttershy simply braced herself and proceded to pick up Twilight. Together again the pair continued torwards the low groans eminating from a rather large tree. Laying there, moaning was Zecora whom they had thought ill of, needless to say they were both horrified to see their friend in obvious pain. With more effort than she thought possible Zecora was able to open an eye and utter a single word, "Home."

An hour of levitation later the three arrived at Zecora's home. After carefully placing the injured zebra inbetween the both of them the two ponies proceeded to help their injured friend, Twilight with healing spells, and Fluttershy with herbal medicine. For what seemed hours the two sat in the zebra's house waiting as she tossed and turned, mumbling and groaning in pain. Eventually though Zecora awoke and began to ask why she was in her bed at home. Twilight explained the circumstances in which they found her, that they had brought her home, and nursed her back to health. When either of the two tried to inquire as to how they found her in such a state they were met with only silence. Despite her silence her eyes said it all, deep pleading pools into her soul saying far more than words ever could, begging the two to stop asking and trust that this had been for the best.

Hesitantly the two departed after making sure that Zecora was okay.

"Twilight."

"Fluttershy."

With a silent nod the two were off in the direction that they had found Zecora. Going was slow as the darkness impeded their every step, more then once had they stumbled onto each other. Eventually though the both of them had reached they had found Zecora in.

"So Fluttershy do you see anything."

"I'm trying but its too dark to really see anything I dont suppose you know a light spell."

"I do but its too big of a risk to take with all of the predators out tonight."

"Oh. Well at least help me get some of these branches out of the way and let the moonlight through."

A soft magenta glow rose from Twilight's horn and moved several branches out of the way allowing the gentle silver moonlight to wash over the scene. Soon enough Fluttershy found a trail of broken twigs and disturbed earth that led away from the spot where the zebra had been found, with a slow canter both of them took off down the trail.

"S-s-shouldn't we go for help before we go see w-whatever hurt Zecora."

"No if we do that it ma be too late for us to bring IT to justice."

Eventually the duo reached a spot where soft steady breathing took hold. They darted for a nearby bush quickly not knowing what would happen next. There, in the darkness, they saw a pair of horns one reflecting gold the other silver they were the only visible thing belonging to the creature the rest of it obscured by the shadows. For what seemed like hours the two watched the creature with held breath, with tension that could be cut with a knife. Eventually though a pair of eyes slowly opened up to greet them.