The sun rose gradually over the tree barrier of the great forest as the wildlife began to stir, eager to begin the natural morning routine. The resident pegasi among them, shook off their stupor and began to prepare the forest’s weather according to their schedules, after some breakfast of course.
However, deeper within, at the forest’s heart, the very state of the world was under the scrutiny of a mighty, ancient being.
“Are…you certain it’s time, old friend?” spoke a figure obscured by the forest’s shadows.
In response, came a deep, booming voice that echoed through the vale.
“Yes, young one. We have known each other a very long time, and you should know that I am certain when I say so. There is one who is meant to save our land from this growing darkness, and their time is swiftly approaching, as mine fades away.”
The other nodded, their head bowed in sorrowful recognition.
“Good. Then please send the messenger, my dear. She must see to our only hope’s success.”
The other figure nodded once more, and flew away, her wings carrying her swiftly to the populous section of the forest.
The great voice let out a heavy sigh, and a rustle of leaves whistled in response.
~~~
A young foal awoke in a wave of green. Around him there was nothing but green fields, accentuated by a solitary tree upon a hill of the same green. The tree had a very simple coloration, from dark brown bark to a bouquet of typical green leaves that seemed to stand upright upon it’s limbs.
The foal, a light brown Earth Pony with a simple blond mane, looked around in confusion, his brow arched and eyes trying to keep his surroundings within sight and drink in all that was happening at once. His senses finally registering his surroundings, he decided on his course of action, and took off at a brisk pace towards the center of the vale, hoping to find answers. Something just seemed inviting about that tree..
However, as the foal reached the hill that held the tree, a loud crack tore open the sky and thunder and lightning boomed and stuck all around him.
The foal jumped back in horror as the tree was struck with a crackling bolt of lightning, and in an instant burst into flame and the flames started to spread.
The foal galloped away, attempting to escape the burning field, but with nowhere to run, he quickly found himself encircled by flame. And he wasn’t alone.
The young foal turned, eyes full of fear as he turned to see a figure behind him, broad-shouldered and shrouded in black, his cloak billowing in a sudden burst of wind, and his hooves pawing gently on the ground as he stared down at the cowering foal who had now backed up to the edge of the wreath of fire.
The figure threw back his head, cloak remaining in place, and started to laugh as he moved towards the foal, cackling in a low, pitiless tone.
The foal looked on helplessly as the stallion drew closer, and, lowering himself to look into the foals eyes, slowly slid off his hood. The foal tried to let out a scream, but no sound could be heard.
“Uh-oh!” WHAM! The foal jolted upright in his bed as a loud crash hit his door, followed by the scream of a mare as a figure slammed into him.
“Oh dear! I’m so sorry! I just…can’t help but crash into things sometimes, I’m not the best at seeing where I’m going, y’know?”
The foal, addled and visibly shaken stared over at the mare who was still entangled with him. Her mane was blond and perky, but her eyes seemed to not be sure either where he was in the room, or where to focus at all!
She stared at him, an embarrassed look still on her face as she untangled herself from the foal and his furniture. She righted herself and then saluted the foal matter-of-factly, a determined look in her good eye.
“Anyway! Hi! My name is Derpy Hooves, and I have a super-important message for you from the Great Deku Tree! You are…um…” Derpy put a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment, her wonky eye darting in and out of focus as she did so. “Aha!”
She pointed a hoof at the foal in triumph, who jumped backwards in shock, smacking his flank against his bedside.
“Chainhoof”, right?”
The Earth Pony colt nodded, massaging his now-sore flank gently.
“Hooray! I knew fourth time was the charm! Those other ponies seemed a lot angrier about me crashing through their wall, and I’m super sorry, but I’ve gotta get you to the Forest’s Heart immediately!”
Without wasting a second, she took hold of the extremely-confused foal’s front hooves and flew out the broken doorway, carrying an actively-protesting foal down to ground level. Once there, Chainhoof finally squirmed out of her grip and trotted a few yards from her, glaring at Derpy with suspicion.
Derpy looked happily in his direction, trying to assuage the building tension.
“I uh…yeah, sorry about your door…and your furniture…and the whole “snatching you out of your own house” thing. I just get a little carried away sometimes when I actually get to do something that feels super-important. I get that you’re probably a little skeptical, but it’s very important that we go to see the Deku Tree, and I don’t like being late with deliveries…of any kind! So…please?”
She shot a wide, apologetic smile in Chainhoof’s direction, and his grimace faded. His shoulders slacking, he trotted slowly over to her and together they began to walk towards the town center and the pathway to the Forest’s Heart.
~~~
The town center of Evergreen Village was a bustling bevvy of activity, for such a small town. The large Evergreen trees that created a border around the village accentuated the quiet feel. Birds and animals of all types meandered along wooden buildings of various sizes. At the very center of the town square sat a bazaar filled with ponies of all kinds and vendors that sold an astounding variety of odds and ends. Fruit vendors and vegetable purveyors bickered back and forth at one another, each trying to heckle customers away from the other.
“Hey buddy, why don’tcha come try summa my new Golden Delicious stock?” One of the vendors, a Unicorn with a bright red coat and green mane pointed at Chainhoof. “They’re a whole ton better than what my competitors say about them. They’ll put the moves in your horseshoes and keep your thumper thumpin’. You getting’ my meaning there bud? Apples are great for ya!”
“’Oy, Vineripe! Would’ja stop tryin to take my customers over there? Every foal knows you’re supposed to eat your vegetables to grow big and strong like me! Right son?” The azure-maned pegasus glanced down at Chainhoof, Derpy smiling politely at his side, and flexed his muscles, chuckling.
Chainhoof gave a confused look, and simply nodded.
“Tuber, you pile of horseapples! I thought I told you to quit scaring the foals away!” The unicorn known as Vineripe suddenly leapt over his table and charged at a now-shocked Tuber, who had just looked up from Chainhoof in time to get a face full of hoof. Tuber hit the ground hard and snarled at Vineripe.
“Hah! Finally shown your true colors, eh fruit vendor? I always knew you were no good, and now, with all these witnesses, I can take you and your no-good apples down a peg.” Tuber took a moment to spit, and turned to buck Vineripe in the face.
Vineripe attempted to dodge, but got smacked square in the chest by Tuber’s hooves and flew backwards, hitting his cart hard and spilling the contents upon the ground. All of the ponies present, including Chainhoof and Derpy gasped in shock and awe.
Vineripe righted himself, and the pair charged at one another again, only to both crash headfirst into a large wooden board.
“Would the pair of you stop this madness already? What’s wrong with you? Fighting like a pair of schoolchildren over your fruits and vegetables that both sell well every day? Have you forgotten what principles this village was even founded upon? Fools…”
Between them, holding a massive two-by-four stood an elderly Earth Pony. His mane and tail were matted and a faded dark grey, while his coat was a more clean shade of brown. He had a medium-length beard that was as matted as his mane beneath his chin. His cutie mark was a cutting block, and he wore an incredibly sour expression as he glared at the previously-dueling duo who just seemed to stare back up in dismay.
“Now then! You both ought to be ashamed. Bringing such strife to our peaceful village! What’s the world coming to? Disturbing all the kind ponyfolk of the village because you finally felt like settling a grudge? Bah. What kind of barbarous idiot…nevermind. Just get back to your business, stop scaring children and leave the fine people to their day! I have carpentry to attend to…”
Vineripe and Tuber stood up and brushed themselves off before returning quietly to their booths, muttering “Apologies, Woodblock…won’t happen again.” Vineripe then began to quietly repair his stand with magic and replace apples that weren’t worse for wear.
Woodblock chuckled and made his way over to Chainhoof and Derpy, now lugging a hefty cart behind him filled with all variety of wooden plank.
“Well now! You doing alright there, young one?” He smiled warmly at Chainhoof, who simply nodded calmly.
“Good, good! Wouldn’t want anypony getting flustered because of those two hardheads.” He shot a glance back over at Tuber and Vineripe who simply grimaced in shame and recognition and continued busying themselves with work.
“However, I fear I might be interrupting something. It’s not often a foal who doesn’t come to town very often like yourself gets an escort from our number one delivery mare! Or did you think I hadn’t noticed? How are you today, Miss Hooves?”
Derpy perked up and chuckled, both of her eyes attempting to focus on Woodblock. “Oh I’m doing excellent, Woodblock! Thanks for asking! I’m just trying to get Chainhoof here to his important meeting with the Great Deku Tree! And as you can guess, this little distraction…well, hasn’t helped us be any more punctual.” She chuckled.
Everypony in the square gasped and turned their gaze on Derpy and Chainhoof, except for one. Woodblock now stared at the pair of them with an intense, wizened gaze. His eyes seemed, to Chainhoof, to read into his soul.
“So, going to see the old barker eh? Well this is certainly a surprise. He must feel it too…” Woodblock trailed off for a moment, and trotted over to his cart, returning a moment later with what looked, to Chainhoof, like a rounded and carved wooden slab.
“This shield is something I’ve been working on especially for the forest’s guardian. She requested it more as a decoration for her home than anything else. I was planning on delivering it to her myself, but it seems since you’re heading that way, you may be more qualified for the job. I have quite a lot of work to get to today, and would hope I can leave this task in your younger, more capable hands.”
Chainhoof nodded and accepted the shield, placing it carefully upon his back. Derpy floated over to give it a better look.
“Oh! Three butterflies on the front! It has our village’s sigil on it! Very impressive work as always, Woodblock!” Derpy gave the old stallion a friendly salute.
Woodblock chuckled. “Why thank you, Derpy! It was far more intricate to design than it seems. I made sure to be very precise with all of the fancy little designs that adorn the front, not simply the butterflies. I do hope you’ll take good care of it? I need to be on my way, my workbench is calling me, you see. Good luck!” The old stallion gave a friendly laugh and trotted past them along the path.
“Well, I guess we’d better get going!” Derpy said animatedly as the duo continued along their path towards the Forest’s Heart.
~~~
After about half an hour of walking through the quiet peaceful vale of trees, the pair stopped in their tracks as they stepped into a large clearing with an enormous tree seated in the center.
Chainhoof stopped as he entered the clearing and gazed at his surroundings, the breathtaking visuals of the surrounding vale causing his jaw to drop. He’d never even been near this section of the forest before, although he knew that ponies occasionally came to pay tribute to the forest’s guardian and the Great Deku Tree. The vale itself was quiet, and empty, save for the large tree. There was a faint glow about the place that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere. Birds and squirrels and even a rabbit danced around the tops and bottoms of trees, as if this place were something sacred, special.
“We’re here, Great Deku Tree, sir!” Derpy had flown forward and, paying no heed to Chainhoof’s mystified staring, had moved forward to speak to the large oak.
The tree rumbled to life in response, and spoke in a deep voice that shook the vale.
“Ah…hello to you, Derpy Hooves! I see you’ve brought our friend safe and sound! Very good…”
The Great Deku Tree turned his gaze on Chainhoof
“And you are young Chainhoof then, yes? I sense great potential in you, young one…and that is why I asked Miss Hooves to bring you here today.”
Chainhoof looked down, his eyes full of uncertainty.
“C’mon Chainy, no need to look so down! I’m sure whatever the Great Deku Tree has planned will be all kinds of fun!” She took a moment to look from Chainhoof to the Great Deku Tree. “I’m sorry, Great Deku Tree, Chainhoof isn’t much for words from what I can tell. I’m not sure he’s spoken to me since I found him, but he’s a nice enough foal.” She smiled brightly at Chainhoof, her bad eye losing focus once again.
The Deku Tree let out a chuckle, and sudden caught sight of Chainhoof’s baggage. “Hmm…that shield is Woodblock’s work, yes? I’d recognize his handiwork anywhere, an old friend of mine, you see. Always comes to visit me on his days of. For him to have given you that shield, young one, is no mere coincidence, he must have seen the same potential in you.” He suddenly drew his gaze to his upper branches and shook slightly.
“My friend, I believe your delivery is here…”
“Oh ok…I guess I’d better come say hello…”
Derpy and Chainhoof watched as a yellow Pegasus descended from the tops of the tree and landed gracefully in front of the pair.
Derpy immediately lowered herself to the ground, and stumbled, hitting her chin on the forest floor. “ Ouch! Whoops! Oh wow! Fluttershy! I didn’t think we’d be getting to see our Guardian today!” She blushed at her own clumsiness and righted herself.
Chainhoof simply stood there, unsure of what to do.
“Chainy! Bow! It’s not very nice to be disrespectful to our Guardian!” Chainhoof gasped and hit the floor in a hasty bow, almost following Derpy’s clumsy example.
Fluttershy immediately blushed beet red. “Oh my! You…you don’t have to…not for me…”
Suddenly the booming voice returned as the Deku Tree spoke.
“My dear, I feel…” His speech was suddenly interrupted by a fit of coughs. “That time is of the essence, perhaps you should explain to them in greater detail why I have asked for the young one to be here today."
Fluttershy’s blush vanished, and she assumed a serious face and tone. “Well, you see, I asked Woodblock for that shield specifically because of today. I…told him it was a decoration, and I feel terrible, but I…if I I had told him anything else, he would’ve probably not...” She bowed her head in sadness for a moment.
“The…the Great Deku Tree needs help. There’s something…tearing him up inside. And he says that the…the only one who can help him is the one he believes to truly be a hero, even if they may not know it yet. That’s you, Chainhoof.”
Chainhoof’s eyes shot wide open, as if hit with sudden realization, and he looked to Derpy for help.
“Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea for a foal to do anything that sounds dangerous like this does. I mean, the word “tearing” used in the same sentence as “inside” never really means good things. Especially that time I ate that bad hay…oh boy, I was out of work for a week!”
Chainhoof gave Derpy an incredulous look, and made to protest as Fluttershy spoke up again.
“I…I know it sounds ridiculous. But after all these years, I’ve learned to trust the judgment of the Great Deku tree. He wouldn’t want any harm to come to anypony of the forest.”
The booming voice spoke up again. “Well said, my old friend. I know this sudden task and assumed bravery sounds daunting, but you will not be without aid, little one. I have a gift for you.”
With another rustle of his branches, something heavy dropped from the tallest heights of the tree. Before Chainhoof and Derpy sat a large, ornate wooden chest. Chainhoof approached it gingerly and pushed the lid open, pulling the sole contents from their hold. He held the item high above his head, to the point where it seemed to be floating above his left hoof.
Derpy’s mouth was agape. “How…how are you doing that!?” She flew over to Chainhoof and examined his hoof, and the object, a small, well-crafted sword, with confusion. Her bad eye was spinning out of focus as she tried to figure out the secret to Chainhoof’s anti-gravity item collection.
He sighed, and shook his head, before attaching the sword to his back behind the shield.
“Now then” came a booming voice. “This sword is an artifact handed down by ponies of the forest for generations. It is the Blade of Evergreen. You may be wondering what a village founded on the ideas of kindness and peace would need of a sword in the first place, but everypony needs some way to defend themselves and those they care about. There is no dishonor or unkindness for fighting for what you believe is right. Fluttershy here has many a story of when that very principle saved herself and her own friends.”
Fluttershy simply nodded.
As such, it is with great honor that I bequeath this sword to you now, as a token of my trust in your ability to carry out the task I have lain before you. You may doubt yourself and your abilities now, but I’m sure you will find your way to true belief soon enough.” The Great Deku Tree slowly began to open his mouth, revealing a cavernous entryway. “I bid thee good luck…”
Chainhoof stared hesitantly at the path before him, before he felt a hoof nudge him in the side and looked to see Derpy smiling wide at him.
“It’s alright! I’ll go with you! We’ll be fine, it’s an adventure! Derpy Hooves is always ready for adventure!”
Fluttershy piped up as they started to move toward the mouth. “Oh yes, that’s a great idea, Derpy. That way, you can keep each other safe! But…but do be careful. The Deku Tree made it sound like there are an awful lot of very scary monsters trying to hurt him in there…”
Chainhoof gulped, and started to shiver as Derpy smiled and started pushing him towards the entrance.
“Alright, sounds fun! Let’s go!”
Together they stepped into the maw of the Deku Tree and their figures were quickly swallowed up by the darkness.
