Partheus

Partheus gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in anger. "It's none of your business! Whatever reason I have for travelling through Everfree Forest is no one's concern, especially you! The last thing I need is for you to write some insipid gossip story about me in the daily digest, making me the laughing stock of Ponyville! I've only been here a week, and you are already doggedly determined to slander my name to earn a few more bits? HOW SHAMEFUL!" The ground began to shake violently, and a strange wind was blowing from Partheus' direction. Noticing this, Partheus became unsettled and immediately calmed down, and the ground ceased to vibrate. "Oh no... it's happened again... hasn't it?"

"Haven't I told you already?" Partheus looked up at the sky and sighed heavily. "We are travelling through the Everfree Forest because I want to learn more about this country first-hand, instead of reading it out of a book. On top of that, you wanted to interview me for your column in the Ponyville Express. So, I decided to combine the two activities together to save time. Additionally, in the unlikely event that we were to run into any trouble, at least it would get me road-ready faster. The sooner the better, considering the importance of the message I must deliver."

""Forest Dwellers", you say? There's a group of human bandits who go by that very same title around the forests of western Taiga... No, I'm certain it's merely coincidence. Anyway, let's see what this letter says." Partheus took the letter back out of his satchel and opened it, being careful not to tear it or create any more holes. It read: "Dear "hooman", You are not welcome here. Leave Equestria now or we will be forced to take action. This is your one and only chance; refuse to leave, and we will have our finest warriors hunt you and your friends down. And don't think we won't know. We have our ways..." At the bottom of the letter, there was an imprint of a hoof made with black ink, with the words 'We know' written beside it. "Strong words for a group of cowards. Why not fight me like a man... mare?" Partheus handed the letter to Newsworthy, who began to study the letter in detail. "Hmph! Joke's on them anyway. I happen to be an accomplished scout, so I know a thing or two about bush craft. If they think they can out-scout me, they've got another thing coming!" Newsworthy folded the letter up and gave it back to Partheus. "So, what do you make of it?"

Partheus looked at the letter he was handed. It was a dirty brown piece of parchment, with stained corners and small holes in places. Not risking to damage it any further, Partheus carefully placed the letter into his satchel and gazed at the spot from where the mysterious pony came from. His instincts were to pursue the stranger, but instead opted to inquire Newsworthy, just in case it was some social norm Partheus was unaware of. "Well, that was strange. Is this how residents of the Everfree Forest usually greet one another?"

I'm currently writing a story about a human messenger who stumbles upon Equestria while travelling back to Hominopolis, his native country, to deliver some vital information to the king. It keeps the original show's light-hearted humour and wit, while expanding on the mythology and world of the show and asking important questions about the cultures and ethical practises of both Equestria and Hominopolis, the latter of which mirrors our world's morals. There's also plenty of action near the end, so it's not all ponies and Plato. Anyone interested in sampling the first chapter?

One thing I'd love to see is the inclusion of other countries besides Equestria, with their own landmarks, dominant species, mythology, and political structure. For example, the Mane 6 could travel to Venator, a vast savannah dotted with small tribal zebra villages. It's where Zecora was originally from, and by talking with the locals, the Mane 6 learn more about the culture and mythology of the various tribes that populate the country, as well as learning more about Zecora and why she had to go to Equestria in the first place. The country itself has no unified ruler; instead, all of the different tribes are locked in a power struggle for territory, and as a result, are almost constantly at war with one another. The Mane 6 have to try to help the warring tribes come to an agreement with one another, and unite them somehow. Alternatively, the Mane 6 could go to Terra Antiqua, the oldest and largest empire on their planet. It's mostly a barren wasteland, with ancient ruins of a former civilisation scattered throughout the landscape. The only place with anything resembling life is a giant futuristic floating city, situated right in the centre of the country, populated solely by humans. They operate under a similar political system as we do, as opposed to a monarchy, which comes as a big shock to the Mane 6. Although they are far more advanced than the other nations, the humans that live there are immoral and have no concept of friendship whatsoever, so it's up to the Mane 6 to teach them.