The Badlands: Outskirts Daring Do and the Draconic Doom (StaticPinks, SuperSaiyanMeg, & Guest Starring Bellosh101)

[Bellosh]

Throughout the years, Daring Do had managed to assemble quite a long list of foes in her rogues’ gallery. There was the franchise-classic Ahuizotl, fondly remembered for being the villain in the first back. And there were foils to the heroic adventurer like Dr. Caballeron, only interested in archaeology for the money. Others too existed, like the shadowy international criminal organization WRAITH, a group interested in the use of artifacts to supplant harmony with tyranny.

And then there were individuals like Galzra; a rather nasty drake of legend. According to myths, he had been the most powerful dragon who ever lived, and he felt more than happy to irresponsibly utilize his great power to wipe entire cities off the map. Around a thousand years ago however, it was said that this cruel destroyer perished; how exactly nopony knew for sure. Regardless, the legend of Galzra passed out of the memory of most beings.. . but not all of them.

Over in forgotten corners of the world, a small amount of dragons still fondly exchanged tales of Galzra’s exploits. A few of these admirers even believed to have found a way to bring their idol back into the world of the living. Some others also held out hopes that a resurrected Galzra could prove useful for their own nefarious ends. Naturally, word of these terrible rumors reached A.K. Yearling, who took to her alter-ego and started an investigation. Her eventual destination: the dangerous Everfree Forest, believed to house a secret stronghold for the Cult of Galzra.....

​

*EXCERPT FROM ROUGH-DRAFT MANUSCRIPT*

.....

Daring Do crawled through the thorny undergrowth, sneaking ever closer towards the youthful dragon on watch. This creature was all that stood in the way between the adventurer and the cult’s hideout. All Daring needed to do was knock out the draconic guard, and she’d gain entry into their base undetected. She’d then snatch the Key guarded by those cultists, thus preventing Galzra from ever being resurrected!

But before the scratched-up Daring Do could make her next move, the bushes over to her left gave way, revealing the terrifying reptilian head of another dragon, a female one to be exact. Daring Do had fallen right into a trap! Startled, but not shaken, our heroic pegasus only had mere seconds to quip “Clever girl” before the dragoness opened her mouth, revealing the burning hot flames ready to incinerate anything into a burning crisp!

*WHAT HAPPENED TO DARING DO? DID THE EXPLORER MAKE IT THROUGH THE AMBUSH OK? KEEP TUNED TO FIND OUT!*

[StaticPinks]

Fable Weaver had never been more excited in his entire life. Everything that he had ever learned over all his years of living have come to this final cornerstone that will determine his worth in the world, along with living his dream as one of the character's in his mystery novels. He was not going to mess this up, and hopefully he would be on to something and not catch a red herring.

Fable had found something very peculiar in his attic at his new house in Fillydelphia while exploring it. He was on the brink of total boredom and wanted something to do to alleviate it, so he had decided to look for any secret rooms or compartments. He had only lived there a few weeks and hadn't really looked at every room in detail, only passed over most of them except his kitchen, bedroom and workroom, where he could normally be found. He hadn't found anything out of place in any of the rooms of his house or anything that resembled a secret button or lever that revealed a new discovery, from his closet to his cellar. Before giving up and heading outside for some fresh air and maybe some vanilla ice cream, he noticed a hatch on his ceiling on the second floor, opened it up, and proceeded up to his attic.

What he found had made him rush out of his home and proceed to locate some kind of historian or artifact appraiser to tell him exactly what he found.

It was a sort of badge, or insignia showing a dragon with a few symbols Fable couldn't decipher as he didn't know if it was a language or simply a collection of symbols. Fable had wondered why the original owners had this in their attic, along with the fact of what was told to him about the owners living there for only a month before moving out with no real explanation. The final piece of motive for Fable was how strange the owners acted as recounted by the pony who sold him the place. He was told strange noises and voices were coming from the house at night, sometimes in a language nopony could understand, the owners seldom left the house or talked to anypony and always wore long cloaks as if to prevent ponies from approaching them. Fable just thought the owners were a little different and thought little of it, but with the strange insignia he found, his curiosity and imagination got the better of him and he made his way down to the local library, hoping the librarian or some kind of history buff could help him out in any way.

Fable hurried over to the library, prospects of adventure and mystery on his mind, and headed inside. Sparing no time at checking the area out or who was inside, as he was dead set on figuring out what the badge was, he made his way to the desk where the librarian was. She looked a little bored at the desk, and was reading a book of her own to pass the time until she was needed. Making haste, Fable slammed the insignia down in front of the mare, making a loud clang on the wooden surface, and looked her straight in the eye, showing her he meant business.

"Good day madam, I see you are quite busy with your work, but I really need your expertise right now with something I found not long ago, and I need answers. I want to know what this is and where it came from."

The librarian slowly looked up from her book, the bored expression still displayed on her facial features. With a tone of exasperation, she told him to wait there while she took the strange insignia and made her way to the back, where Fable assumed was her catalog for all the books in her quaint little library. Although he was eager to solve the mystery of the badge, these kinds of things take time. Fable stood by the desk with an air of impatiences, waiting for the librarian to return with his artifact and info he desperately needed. This was his only shot at living his character's life, and he was not going to let it go to waste.

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

Snowstorm was looking through her log book at the recent notes she made on cyclones when she noticed an impatient pegasus walk over to the librarians desk. She thought nothing of it at first and went back to her book. As the pegasus asked the librarian for help it caught Snows attention. It seemed he was asking for help on a artefact of some sort. The badge itself made Snow nosy, the designs and symbols on the badge were peculiar and distinctive but looked like they had some sort of story to tell. Curiosity got the better of her and she stood up before making her way over to the desk. She was hesitant when approaching the pony hoping he was not another rebellious type like her sister. She shook her head and pushed away any ambivalent thoughts and spoke to the pony.

"Excuse me...I couldn't help but notice that badge you have. It looks very, how should I put this, unique. When on Equestria did you find it?" Snow asked the small pony in hope of enlightenment.

[StaticPinks]

Fable Weaver was never an impatient fellow, in fact many ponies he knew from back in Manehatten would say that he was the most relaxed pony there was! He managed this state of mind in many ways. He could lose himself in his personal notepad, forever taking the time to clean up his notes on the next book he could write, or jot down interesting things he could see that might contribute to his job the same way, or to figure out what makes a pony a pony.

This was exactly the perfect time to do just that, but he was beyond impatient. He hadn't even begun to think about his trusty notepad, nor the pegasus mare that was approaching him that very second. No, he was too focused on the situation at hoof to bother himself with meager ways to distract himself. He was not going to be dissuaded from his dream to be a real detective! He was not going have it all crumble down in front of him if the badge was nothing but discarded piece of metal! He was NOT-

"Excuse me...I couldn't help but notice that badge you have. It looks very, how should I put this, unique. When on Equestria did you find it?"

If it was impossible for a stallion to emit a yell that could shatter windows, Fable would have nearly proven all the skeptics wrong right there on the spot. Fable let out one of girly-est shrieks ever heard by pony ears, the mare completely catching him off guard while he was on one of his deep, inner monologues. He even leaped into the air and hovered for a bit on his wings before plummeting to the ground on his face. It was a miracle that his glasses didn't shatter due to the impact, and the fact that he even flew at all.

Fable Weaver immediately looked up to find a bright blue pegasus mare with a darker blue mane and tail with streaks of lighter blue in it. It took him a few seconds to gather his situation and what the mare asked before leaping up off the ground with incredible speed that would rival the Wonderbolts despite how little he exercises. His hoof went straight to his glasses and signature bow tie, straightening them both and coughing a few times before acknowledging the mare.

"Ahem... Quite sorry about that, my dear, you... startled me a bit there. Now, umm, you asked about a badge...? Oh yes, of course! How could I forget, it's only the most important artifact I have ever acquired in my life and will lead me on a journey of adventure, self-discovery and maybe even romance! Indeed is it unique, at least that's what I'm hoping it will turn out to be. I found it in my attic back at my house, and thought it had something to do with the previous homeowners. The pony who sold me the house had some tales to tell about them, and perhaps the strange badge I found could perhaps solve this mystery. I don't have it right now as the lovely mare in charge of this establishment is on her way to tell me what exactly it is! At least I hope she is, she has been gone for a quite a bit. I wouldn't mind if you wanted a quick peek at it when it returns to me, miss...?"

Fable extended his hoof out to the mare, expecting her to introduce herself to him. He always loved meeting somepony new and forming logical conclusions about who they might be! That was the life-long, eternal test for a mystery writer and wannabee detective!

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

She watched as the colt regained himself, he extended his hoof in which Snow took gladly. He seems like an nice pony Snow thought to herself. Remembering that the colt has just asked her something she quickly shook her head and escaped her day dream.

"I'm Snowstorm. I just came here from Cloudsdale actually hoping this library would have something on typhoons. I'm sorry for startling you. Perhaps when the librarian comes back you could tell me about it. I always look forward to good adventure. It helps me see the world"

Just as Snow finished finished she saw the librarian emerge from the back. Snow hoped that she had found something on this strange artefact. Its too much of an opportunity to pass up, she couldn't stop thinking of all the possibilities this badge hold. Over and over again she thought of different scenarios that could bring about a story connected to it. The drama that could be created because of this one artefact was enough to stir any ponies mane.

"It looks like we're going to find out what that strange badge is. This looks so exciting" Snow exclaimed flapping her wings a bit at the excitement.

[StaticPinks]

Fable Weaver shook hooves with the mare in from of him. She seemed quite well mannered and quite the charming young lass, by the looks of her. The hoof shake seemed genuine enough to Fable, and regarded her with a quick grin.

"I'm Snowstorm. I just came here from Cloudsdale actually hoping this library would have something on typhoons. I'm sorry for startling you. Perhaps when the librarian comes back you could tell me about it. I always look forward to good adventure. It helps me see the world"

Fable regarded her enthusiasm with admiration. He hadn't really known many ponies with a likeness to a bit of adventure. Sure, on most days he would prefer to rest on the slope of a hill admiring nature, or even polishing his treasured bottle collection, but he always had a bite for adventure after writing his first book and could mostly share that sentiment with others.

His enthusiasm grew when he he fully took in what Snowstorm said, and what that could entail. She had a thirst for adventure like him, albeit for a different reason, and if the insignia was actually something that could lead him somewhere on a journey, who knows what might happen on it? Fable was torn on two possibilities. He could bring a complete stranger along on a potentially dangerous quest in hopes of gaining one of his first new friends in this town, or he could invite her to join him, completely unsure what she could bring to the table, and if she would only hold him back. He would have to talk to her some more about how she can prepare for a journey before he decided on what to do with her.

Fable stared off into space for a bit, on one of his long, droning monologues before snapping back to reality, noticing Snowstorm was waiting for a response.

"Well it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Snowstorm. I am Fable Weaver, or just Fable if you prefer short names. As it would be fun to journey across Equestria on a grand mission, I still don't know if that badge could give it to us. Hopefully we'll find out soon, then we can talk about adventure! Oh, and no need to apologize, my dear, mistakes happen."

As soon as Fable finished speaking, the librarian finally returned from the back, badge in hoof along with a rather dusty looking book and what seemed to be a rolled up scroll. Her bored expression still plastered on her face, she dropped all the objects on the table in front of the two ponies unceremoniously.

"It looks like we're going to find out what that strange badge is. This looks so exciting"

The librarian gave Snowstorm a stern look and put a hoof on her lips, while pointing to a sign above the desk hanging from the ceiling. "Silence is Golden, please respect your fellow ponies" could be made out on the sign.

Afterwards, the librarian briefly explained to both of them that the dragon etched onto the insignia bore a likeness to an ancient, evil dragon known as Galzra and a symbols represented the language of the dragons, and translated to "The world shall know fire and fear". The book she brought had a detailed history of the reign of Galzra, along with the creation of a cult of dragons and ponies who eagerly followed in his footsteps who used a kind of crest to represent themselves that looked very similar to the insignia Fable had found. It was told that the followers had disbanded long ago, and never seen again. The scroll was actually a complete map of Equestria with a large circle over top the Everfree Forest.

Not much else was given to the two ponies, and she resumed back to lounging in her chair, reading her book. Fable turned to Snowstorm and gestured to the objects given to them.

"Well then, I hadn't expected that. This badge had apparently belonged to a cult gathering that disbanded a millennium ago, but if that was the case, what was it doing in my basement? How strange... I have to study this map and book a little more to get the full picture to know what exactly is going on. Would you like to accompany me while I do so, Miss Snowstorm?

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

Snowstorm muttered an apology to the librarian before turning to the artefacts. She admired the objects that were placed in front of her with glee. She was looking forward to this, it seemed very exciting to her.

"Well then, I hadn't expected that. This badge had apparently belonged to a cult gathering that disbanded a millennium ago, but if that was the case, what was it doing in my basement? How strange... I have to study this map and book a little more to get the full picture to know what exactly is going on. Would you like to accompany me while I do so, Miss Snowstorm?"

A cult? Snow thought to herself. A grin appeared on her face and she nodded at the stallion.

"Of course, after all I am quite good around a map. I have to say this whole cult thing sounds very dangerous...but that's what makes things exciting. Life would be boring with out a little bit of danger dropped in"

Snow walked over to where she was originally sat and placed her log book in her bag. She turned back to Fable and smiled.

"Where are we off to?"

[StaticPinks]

"Of course, after all I am quite good around a map. I have to say this whole cult thing sounds very dangerous...but that's what makes things exciting. Life would be boring with out a little bit of danger dropped in"

Fable beamed at Snowstorm, once again surprised at the sheer amount of bravery she had. She wanted adventure for the thrill, and Fable could admire that. He also completely agreed to there being at least a little danger in life. Fable Weaver wanted adventure for the same reason, it was his dream, yet he was unsure about the amount of danger he could take, and how far he would be willing to go. Fable would just have to see how this played out, where the book and map told him to go. He didn't like the prospect of fighting it out with a bunch of cultists, but maybe he didn't have to.

"I couldn't say it better myself, Snowstorm, a little adrenaline is healthy for you, but I'm not sure how much you could take, no offense of course. The notion of cultists and evil dragons, and who knows what else, could be a little too dangerous, I need to know how you can protect yourself if you were to come with me if things don't go well with this dragon cult. Then I can consider bringing you along. The drive is a good trait to have, of course, but you need to be able to back it up with something."

Fable then walked over to where Snowstorm was sitting before and plopped the book, badge, and map on the table, took a seat, and started flipping through the book, hoping to come up with some semblance of what he could be up against, who the strange past residents of his abode were, and if this cult was still thriving somewhere close by. From the circle over the Everfree Forest, and a nagging feeling that was where the cult was, he was simply buying a little time to let Snowstorm prove herself to him. Then he would tell her where they would probably need to go.

Even as he tore through the new information, somewhat hoping to find some other explanation to this insignia, deep down he knew what the truth was, and what he had to do with that truth if his gut instinct was correct. No-one he knew from Fillydelphia could take this challenge from him, it was only him and Snowstorm who knew what could lie ahead, and now he had no choice but to accept his fate.

If he had confirmation of his suspicions, he had to go through with it no matter what. It was his responsibility now, and it wouldn't hurt to have another pony shoulder that with him, even if he did meet them minutes ago, but first, he had to make sure he wouldn't regret taking her along if things got bad.

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

"I couldn't say it better myself, Snowstorm, a little adrenaline is healthy for you, but I'm not sure how much you could take, no offence of course. The notion of cultists and evil dragons, and who knows what else, could be a little too dangerous, I need to know how you can protect yourself if you were to come with me if things don't go well with this dragon cult. Then I can consider bringing you along. The drive is a good trait to have, of course, but you need to be able to back it up with something."

"Oh none taken. I understand if you need to see what I'm made off but I promise you. I'm not the kind of pony who can't handle herself in a difficult situation"

Although Snow could be a bit scared at times, she knew when things got tough she's be able to make it through. It was how she got cutie mark after all. After watching Fable sit down at the table she sat herself opposite him and looked at the various objects.

"Just out of curiosity, what do I need to do to make you see I can protect myself?"

Snow didn't want to be a burden on the stallion. The last thing she wanted to do was cause someone else to get hurt. If Fable didn't think we was able to continue, she would be fine with it. Its only natural of course, it did seem like a dangerous situation with cults and dragons involved, of course you would want someone who would be able to take care of them self otherwise you wouldn't get very far. But then Snowstorm thought, isn't it teamwork that helped them move on...She shook her head and looked back at the objects. Once again they seemed to prove that this whole ordeal was full of danger and risks.

Coming back to the problem at hand, how was she going to prove she was brave enough to help on this journey. That she could hold up on her own if the situation demands it. Hopefully she would be able to show him she can endure many ordeals.

[StaticPinks]

"Oh none taken. I understand if you need to see what I'm made off but I promise you. I'm not the kind of pony who can't handle herself in a difficult situation"

Fable looked up from his book, took his hoof and started rubbing his chin while he took a long, hard stare at Snowstorm, sizing her up. She was a pegasus, which was obvious by her wings protruding from her sides. Fable was a pegasus as well, but by no means a good flier. Heck, he was a terrible flyer that would sometimes be embarrassing for him when he saw somepony take to the sky. She didn't look like she practiced flying everyday, but she looked more capable then Fable when it came to aerial advantages. Perhaps she can use that to her advantage, but if there were dragons, they could probably fly too.

The girl had spirit and flying capabilities, not much but he didn't even need that much. It wasn't as if they were going to storm the place and expose to cult in under a minute. They had the element of surprise, and the ability to hide in the trees of the Everfree. He also took the saying, "Two is company, while three is a crowd" to heart. With two of them, they had a better chance at sneaking in while more would just cause noise and complications to the whole thing.

"Just out of curiosity, what do I need to do to make you see I can protect myself?"

Fable sighed, got up from his table and walked up to the desk where the librarian still was. He passed the history book silently to her and returned back to the table. Fable looked at the mare in front of him once more, making sure he knew what to do with her before speaking.

"You don't need to prove anything. I've seen plenty in this short amount of time we met, and I've seen how big your spirit and determination really is. It doesn't matter if you can't shoot laser beams out of your eye sockets or capable of knocking ponies out with a flick of your hoof. All that matters is if you have the willpower and drive to pull through and frankly, I don't know who else I can turn to for help, except you. You said you were capable of handling yourself fine, and I'll take your word on it."

Fable picked up the map and dragon insignia off of his table and got up, a fierce look in his eyes. One of determination and excitement at what he, and his new friend, were about to do.

"Now then, I have gathered enough information and read enough of that history book to confirm my suspicions that the cult of Galzra from centuries ago is still thriving today in solitude. It had said that the main hideout of Galzra was located deep up north in the mountains, but requires a special kind of key in order to unlock it. It was said that the key was lost long ago, but I'll bet my prescription spectacles that the cult is keeping it locked up in one of their larger settlements. The largest one is hidden deep in the Everfree Forest, so I think looking there for the key is the best plan I got. From there, we could either be completely insane and try to stop the cult ourselves by unlocking that door, or we could turn to the princesses, show the key and insignia as proof, then let them deal with it."

"Now, we have go pack up then get on the train to Ponyville as it's the quickest way to get to the Everfree Forest. Do you have an abode in Fillydelphia you can go to get ready? If not, you can accompany me back to my home, if you wish."

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

"Now, we have go pack up then get on the train to Ponyville as it's the quickest way to get to the Everfree Forest. Do you have an abode in Fillydelphia you can go to get ready? If not, you can accompany me back to my home, if you wish."

Snowstorm had just arrived so she didn't have a place to go. She was just planning on staying a hotel or just visiting for the day but this whole event has got her on a new adventure. She stood up and faced the colt.

"I don't I'm afraid so if its okay with you I'll you to your place"

She already had enough packed in her bag for travelling so she needn't worry about going all the way back to Cloudsdale for any necessities that may be needed. She quickly checked bag just to check she had everything...Just as a precaution. Money, Check, Logbook, Check, Jacket, Check, A few snacks, Check, Book, Check. She looked back at Fable and saw the determination in his eyes and grinned.

"I am so ready! This adventure is going to be so exciting, I can feel it"

[StaticPinks]

"I don't I'm afraid so if its okay with you I'll you to your place"

Fable nodded to show he understood, and gestured to the door out of the library.

"That sounds reasonable, Snowstorm, I just have to go inside, grab a few necessities for a couple of days then we can board the train to Ponyville."

Fable Weaver nodded to the librarian to thank her for her assistance, but she looked like she was passed out on the desk, her personal book lying on top of her head. Fable was never one to judge another pony by what they considered to be hard work, but this pony certainly didn't seem like the... hard working type. Fable shook with head with a slight grin on his face as he stepped out of the library and started the short trek back to his house, Snowstorm in tow.

It was only a ten minute trot from Fable's house to the library, so there was a little bit of time to chat and get to know his new friend and partner. Fable could hardly believe he had managed to find someone he could call a friend in Fillydelphia, as he was too preoccupied with his books and settling into his new place to meet some of the residents around his area. Even if he did have more time, he always found it hard to start conversations and "keep the ball rolling" despite his colourful vocabulary and social quirks.

"Sooo... you said you were from Cloudsdale, was it? Never been there myself, as I was never a good flyer. What do you do there, are you some sort of typhoon specialist, if I may ask?"

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

"Sooo... you said you were from Cloudsdale, was it? Never been there myself, as I was never a good flyer. What do you do there, are you some sort of typhoon specialist, if I may ask?"

Snow looked at Fable and smiled.

"Actually I was part of the weather team. I just like to look at all the types of weather. That's actually why I'm travelling. I want to see each types of weather in lots of different environments and record them in my Log Book. Although winter is my forte"

It was true, winter was her absolute favourite thing. It was during winter that she had got her cutie mark. Her main goal is to actually go to a tundra like place and see the weather there but she also wanted to see it all. Typhoons to Cyclones to Snow Storms. It was her dream, her one true ambition. This adventure was going to help her massively. Not only were there going to be lots of interesting things to record, but think out all the weather they were going to see. It just made her excitement grow.

[StaticPinks]

As Fable and Snowstorm continued down the street towards the former's house, they managed to strike up some small talk, hopefully getting to know each other a small bit more before officially starting their journey. Fable was pleased to actually make a friend in a new place, despite the sky-born pegasus living elsewhere. Fable had never really known true friendship in his years of living. Sure, he had a couple of good friends from school, or around his area back in Manehatten, but he could never find the appropriate time to make an honest effort. Perhaps he could try now, the sudden meeting over a potentially world-ending scenario providing an awkward way to make new friends, but a way nonetheless.

"Actually I was part of the weather team. I just like to look at all the types of weather. That's actually why I'm travelling. I want to see each types of weather in lots of different environments and record them in my Log Book. Although winter is my forte"

Fable Weaver nodded, showing his understanding of the subject and why she was even here. She loved to travel and visit different places to record their weather patterns and environmental oddities. He also noted the fact that she enjoyed the company of cold weather, which could provide useful if they decided to go all the way and open the door up north if the princesses couldn't help.

The notion that she had a passion for different types of weather and a hobby of recording them in her logbook made Fable remember he sort of did the same thing. He liked bringing along with him a personal notepad whenever a potential book topic might present itself. It was definitely one of the necessary possessions he was planning to bring, the adventure being a metaphorical gold mine for a new mystery series he could write.

"Quite peculiar, I do the same thing in a way, yet for a different purpose. I tend to carry a notepad for whenever an idea pops in my head for my next book. You see, I'm a writer of mystery novels. One of my most popular series is "The Closed Cases of Professor Hoof Print". Maybe you've read it before, not to inflate my ego or anything, I simply don't find that appealing to me."

The two started to pass by what Fable could presume would be the halfway mark. Another turn down this street and they would be able to spot his house close by. Then he could pack whatever he needed and hop on the first train to Ponyville with Snowstorm.

"By the by, your affinity for winter could come in handy as if we decide to fully complete this perilous journey, our final destination seems to be up north in a tundra-like area. If winter is your forte, it could definitely be useful further down the line."

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

"By the by, your affinity for winter could come in handy as if we decide to fully complete this perilous journey, our final destination seems to be up north in a tundra-like area. If winter is your forte, it could definitely be useful further down the line."

Snow squealed when she heard him say they were travelling towards a tundra. She apologised for being to loud but her eyes still glistened with contentment. It was her time to really see the harsh conditions winter could bring. She was already familiar with regular snow storms but to actually go somewhere where they are frequent is her dream come true. She turned back to Fable as they turned down the street.

"Oh you're a writer. That sounds really nice. I would love to read your books, I never back down from a good novel"

Snow loved to read, apart from her cooking and weather books she had a soft spot for adventure and comedy. Every time she read it made her feel she was in the adventure herself, like she was a part of the team, whether they were slaying dragons or just trying to cook a steak. She always felt what the characters felt, their hopes and dreams, when they were sad, anxious, happy or angry. She was always reading as if she was the character themselves.

[StaticPinks]

Fable Weaver was momentarily deafened and winced a little when Snowstorm made a high pitched squeal right next to him after announcing the possibility of going to a snow-ridden area. After hearing about how passionate she was about observing different kinds of weather and her love of winter, he couldn't really blame her. He was the exact same way after possibly living his dream and going on a wide-scale adventure when he found that strange badge, except he wasn't so... vocal about it. He normally tried his very best to keep his emotions inside at all times, as to not draw too much attention to himself, but sometimes he could go very over the edge if pushed. Terrible memories of getting lost in the Everfree Forest outside of Ponyville made him shudder, remembering how he had acted after finding the strange hut that zebra lived in.

"Oh you're a writer. That sounds really nice. I would love to read your books, I never back down from a good novel"

Fable beamed at the fact that Snowstorm enjoyed reading, even possibly considering to read his books. It seemed like his new friend seemed to be very alike to the bespectacled pony, something that made Fable feel very lucky he met someone like her simply by chance.

Fable then got the best idea he could have made at that time. What do good friends do after they find out what the other likes? Fable ran in front of Snowstorm with a wide, clever-looking smile on his face. The timing couldn't be more perfect as they had arrived at Fable's bland looking two-story house.

"Hold on one second my dear, we have made it to my humble abode and I have something that you might like. Just let me go ahead and pack for the trip and grab your gift and I'll be back faster than you can blink!"

Without waiting for Snowstorm to respond, Fable rushed into his home and closed the door. He quickly managed to gather everything he would need for an adventure. It was like packing for a camping trip or even a sleep over at your friend's house. After about ten minutes (nearly forgetting about the pony outside waiting for him, and taking up time to locate a sleeping bag), Fable had gathered together a canteen of water, the sleeping bad, a few boxes of miscellaneous food and produce, his trusty notepad and pencil, and a few books he had been meaning to read for the train ride, all packed in his heavy duty canvas saddlebags. He had also brought along his gift for Snowstorm, hoping it was enough to show her that he wanted to become friends after this whole adventure was over.

As a last minute decision before leaving, Fable brought along Winston, his trusty pet mouse he had gotten from Ponyville in the past, in an open flap in his saddlebags. Fable then raced out the door to the waiting Snowstorm and gave her his friendly gift. It was a signed copy of the first addition to his most popular series "The Closed Cases of Prof. Hoof Print".

"You did say you wanted to read one of my novels, so why not do just that during the ride to Ponyville? You'd better keep it safe, some collectors out there would pay dividends for this! Hahaha... Ah... I'm joshing you though, I'm not that popular."

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

"You did say you wanted to read one of my novels, so why not do just that during the ride to Ponyville? You'd better keep it safe, some collectors out there would pay dividends for this! Hahaha... Ah... I'm joshing you though, I'm not that popular."

"Oh my! Thank you so much" She smiles and placed the book in her bag. It had been a long time before she had gained a new book to read. Snowstorm was glad she met this pony. She usually said something that was either insulting or rude. But she thought to herself that she would try her best to make friends with Fable. He even gave her a gift, not many ponies did that.

She noticed something small move around in a pocket. She frowned at the sight.

"Excuse me if I'm sounding rude but...what is that moving around in your bag?"

[StaticPinks]

Fable was glad Snowstorm appreciated his gift, and even a little surprised. Fable was sort of rusty to the whole friend-making scene, not sure what would be a good way to let a pony know that he wants to be friends, especially if it was a mare. He just got something off the top of his head based on Snowstorm wanting to read his novels. Nevertheless, he could add a plus one to his relationship with the pegasus.

"No problem at all my dear, I'm glad you like it!"

Fable was just about to announce that their adventure could finally go underway, but his faithful pet Winston was squirming a little too much in his saddlebag's front pouch. He had forgotten that the little guy liked it better to perch on Fable's shoulder than to stay cooped up in a small, dark place.

"Excuse me if I'm sounding rude but...what is that moving around in your bag?"

Snowstorm had apparently noticed Winston as well, which gave Fable the perfect opportunity to introduce his partner to her. Fable glanced down to his saddlebags and let a grin stretch across his features, remembering how he had met the mouse. Fable then opened the flap to his pouch and took out his white coated, furry partner and placed him on his shoulder. Nothing was too different about him than other mice, except for a solitary thin grey line running across his back.

"Ah, you seem to have noticed my intrepid assistance! Snowstorm, this is Winston, Winston, this is Snowstorm. I decided to bring him along instead of leaving him with my neighbor. In fact, he might be handy as he was a pretty keen sense of smell, and can reliably do what I ask of him. I hope he won't be a problem for you?"

Winston regarded Snowstorm with a studious stare, sizing her up and silently judging her from Fable's perch. Winston wondered what kind of mare she was, was she a brave type of pegasus or was she one that had a certain... problem with his kind. There was only one way to find out, really.

Without a second thought or obvious intention, Winston launched himself off of Fable's shoulder and flung himself straight at Snowstorm, aiming for her head!

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

Snowstorm flinched as the small mouse flung itself at her. The mouse, called Winston, was now perched on the end of her nose. Her face scrunched up as she tried to hold back a sneeze as Winston's whiskers tickled her.

"Well hello Winston. That was a good jump you did"

Snowstorm had no problem with small animals, it was just insects that creeped her out. Give her a mouse any day but insects were a definite no no. In fact she had always wanted a pet, maybe she would be able to find one on this adventure. A snow fox perhaps, or even something like a polar bear! No no...they were to big and her neighbours back at Cloudsdale certainly would not be happy if they were to find a animal of that size terrorizing their flower beds. The thought of a snow fox as a pet was nice, they were cute and adapted to winter. What more could she ask for? It was a pet perfect for her.

Returning her attention to Winston she watched him look at her, like he was making sure of something.

"Where did you find him?"

[StaticPinks]

Fable cringed and brought up a hoof as if to shield himself from whatever fury Snowstorm might have towards Winston. The image of him getting clobbered by a frightened Snowstorm made him visibly shudder. He had his fair share of mares from Manehatten who responded negatively to any sort of small creature or insect, and had been on the receiving end of the kind of vocal capabilities females had. What had actually happened surprised Fable, yet had known better than to judge a pony by what he had learned during school, something that he had learned during one eventful visit to his local museum in Manehatten.

Winston had thrown himself off of Fable's shoulder towards Snowstorm and landed on the tip of her nose. She didn't seem all too much shocked or like she was living her worst nightmare, despite flinching slightly at the action, as she greeted Winston with a friendly hello and let him hang there.

Fable jumped on the spot and quickly scooped up Winston in his hoof, and placed him back on his shoulder. After giving a stern, yet friendly glare, he proceeded to apologize to the pegasus.

"Terribly sorry about that! I don't know what got into him, but I'm surprised that you didn't react as much as I thought you would. Female's I knew would already be half a mile away by now!"

Fable chuckled at the thought of seeing a fleeing Snowstorm, screaming and running away, but he knew that from the time he has spent with her, she seemed more brave and sturdy than to run away from a tiny mouse. That was another skill that could really help them out if she were to come across something large and dangerous. He assumed she would stare it down and have a solid plan at how to outsmart it.

"Where did you find him?"

"I didn't really find him, so to speak, as much as he found me. I took a small jaunt to a town called Ponyville and I heard whispers of this pet adoption fair. The mare running the event, Fluttershy I believe was her name, not certain if you know her or the settlement, but she offered me Winston as my partner and friend and I said yes, simple as that. He's been with me ever since."

Fable nuzzled Winston shamelessly, as the mouse did the same. They haven't been together for too long, but he felt that their bond was as strong as it could be. Winston helped him gather small supplies when he was writing or brainstorming, as well as being a very attentive friend for whenever Fable was feeling lonely.

Fable reached into his saddlebags and took out a small piece of cheese from his food supplies and offered it to Snowstorm.

"You may feed him if you wish, I'm sure my intrepid partner would enjoy that very much!"

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

Snowstorm took the cheese out of Fables bag and gave it to Winston. She smiled when the small mouse began to munch on the small yellow food. It was nice to see how happy Fable was when he talked about the little critter, she could tell that they had a good relationship.

"So where are we going to first? What does it say on the map"

Snowstorm was quite good at reading maps, seeing as she always moved around it kind of came naturally to her. Her father was the one that got her into travelling in the first place. When she was younger they would go on small adventures to who knows where while her mother and sister stayed at home. She learned all the necessary skills when needed in different environments. What to do when you lose your compass and what stars marked north. The first constellation she learned was the big dipper which would often help her navigate when lost.

[StaticPinks]

Fable smiled endearingly at both Winston and Snowstorm, as the latter was busy feeding the cheese to the former. He really did enjoy the company of his pet, and was glad that Fluttershy had introduced Winston to him.

"So where are we going to first? What does it say on the map"

Fable snapped out of his stupor, completely losing track of what they were doing in the first place. It was as if the fate of Equestria wasn't in peril and could simply wait until the two got to their destination! It was also Fable's secret fantasy dream, so how could he lose himself like that? Without a second thought, Fable grabbed the rest of his cheese and threw it in his saddlebags as he practically dragged Snowstorm along the path towards the train station, muttering to himself along the way.

"How could I have let my dear pet Winston distract me from my dreams...? I have wanted this for so long, and here I am chatting away while a potential disaster is ahoof... What would your mother say, Fable...?"

Within no time, the two pegasi arrived at the train depot. Hurriedly, Fable dropped his saddlebags, Winston and Snowstorm at the platform with complete abandon while he rushed off to get his and Snowstorm's tickets. He ran off while shouting behind him at the mare.

"Be a dear and watch my possessions for me, will you!? I'm going to get tickets to Ponyville before Equestria gets plunged in disaster! I will tell you the details afterwards!"

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

"Be a dear and watch my possessions for me, will you!? I'm going to get tickets to Ponyville before Equestria gets plunged in disaster! I will tell you the details afterwards!"

Snowstorm nodded to the colt and sat down next to the bags with Winston. She looked around and took notice of the different types of ponies wandering around, off and on trains, hugging their friends or families. There was a mixture of noise, bags being pulled, ticket masters calling, trains stopping and starting. Snowstorm never really like crowded places, she enjoyed being out in the open. The isolation of the wilderness. It was what she enjoyed. Making sure no one could get near the bags she leant against them and pulled out the book that Fable had given her and started to read it. She had totally lost track of what was going on in her surroundings that she didn't notice that Fable had returned with the tickets.

[StaticPinks]

Fable rushed over to where the ticket booth was, hoping that there was enough time to catch the next train to Ponyville. The last time he had managed to miss the train on another trip to Ponyville had cost him nearly half an hour, something that was completely scandalous and had nearly made Fable write a letter of complaint to the ponies running the hunk of metal. This time was more dire, as a crazy cult of ponies trying to resurrect their lost ruler of Equestria a thousand years ago was apparently still alive and kicking and so far only Snowstorm and Fable knew of it. If he missed this train, who knows what else that insane bunch of creatures could do next?

Fable skidded to a stop at the ticket booth, panting and heaving all the while, as Fable rarely ever exercised, trying to get his message to the pony running the booth.

"Two...(cough) tickets...to... (wheeze) Ponyville... kind sir... (hack)"

The ticket pony gave Fable a very confused look, out of both bewilderment and shock. The pony hesitantly pulled out two ticket stubs and told him that he still could give him his tickets, but didn't think they would mean anything considering that the train was already here and Fable didn't look like he could make the trip back to the platform.

Fable scoffed at the pony and told him that he was perfectly fine and he definitely had the juice to run before the train left. It took Fable all of two seconds to let the gravity of the pony's words seep in, along with the fact that he had left all of his stuff, including his bits, with Snowstorm all the way at the other end of the platform as the train to Ponyville started to pull up.

"Why, oh why does this happen to me now, Celestia?"

With a heaving sigh, Fable Weaver promised the stallion that he was getting on that train no matter what, and would return with the money for the tickets if it was the last thing he would do.

Fable once again bolted down the platform, noticing many ponies line up to present their already purchased tickets and board the vessel. He would have next to no time to pull this off right and get on the same train. He was not going to waste more time trying to save the world! He would have to ask a certain pegasus to hold the train for him as Fable gets the money and returns with tickets.

Fable skidded to a stop in front of Snowstorm and all their belongings and started riffling through his saddlebags for his sack of bits he brought while Winston aided him as well as any mouse could. Completely out of breath, Fable gasped out instructions to Snowstorm and hoped it would all work out.

"Miss... Snowstorm... train is here... stall the conductor until... I get the tickets... for as long as you can..."

[SuperSaiyanMeg]

Snowstorm quickly looked up as Fable rushed over.

"Miss... Snowstorm... train is here... stall the conductor until... I get the tickets... for as long as you can..."

She nodded quickly and ran over to the conductor.

"Excuse me sir I have a problem in which I really need your assistance"

The conductor turned to Snowstorm and gave her a strange look.

"Listen, we have a strict schedule. I can't stop for any problems"

Snowstorm thought for a minute to see what kind of excuse she could come up with. Come on come, she thought to herself, I have to think of something.

"My younger brother ran off ahead of me and I don't know where he is. He's rather clumsy and if he's fallen off onto the tracks..." Snowstorm made her eyes start to water to give the effect that she was telling the truth. The conductor seemed to flinch as Snowstorm said 'fallen off the tracks'. He quickly turned to the train driver.

"Stop the train! We have a lost pony!"