private The Seventh Element 1 x 1 with Starforce

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

@Starforce

"Beyond right - doing and wrong - doing,  there is a field.  I will meet you there." -- Rumi

The oak groves on either side of her looked angry, as if they were about to swallow any pony that crossed their path.  Bluebell Shrub whistled to herself to try and lessen the scariness of the place while she carefully pulled her tiny wagon of food and supplies along the worn road.  She heard what sounded like another set of hoof-steps lurking among the trees.  "H-h-h-Who's there?" she said trembling with fear.  "Who's th-th-th-th-there!" Without hesitation her horn flashed, and she vanished in a puff of dust.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

Bluebell looked down from a tree limb that she had climbed into, and watched the pony following her walk by.  The pony looked as stern as the trees looked angry.  She held her breath while the pink pony with the tight bun in her mane walked into the distance.  "She looks like she could really hurt somepony," Bluebell thought to herself, "I had better find a way out of here before she discovers me." She started to carefully climb down the tree, but then her hoof slipped...

 

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

"P-p-please don't hu-hu-hurt me M'am," said Bluebell, "I-I was-was just trying to fi-fi-find m-my way to th-the Fields Of f-f-f-Forever. I d-d-didn't mean to in-intrude." Her body shook while she spoke.  T-tell-tell me which w-way to g-g-go and I will be on m-m-my way.  You w-won't see m-m-me here ag-again. I p-promise."

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

"If you-you must n-n-know, I'm in the emp-employ of Princess s-s-Celestia.  She sent m-me to fi-fi-find a lost, ancient r-relic that may be h-h-h-hidden in the f-fields.  I researched ever-everything I c-c-could find about it, and th-that led me h-h-here.  C-c-can I go n-n-now?"

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

Bluebell looked at Suri for a second.  She wasn't sure of what to think of this stranger.  Suri's stare made her a bit uncomfortable. It felt like she was looking at the face of avarice.  "I-I'm Bluebell Shrub.  C-c-can you lead me t-to Fields Of Forever?" Bluebell asked, hitching herself to her wagon.
 

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

"Legend h-h-has-has it that there w-w-was a sev-seventh Element Of h-h-Harmony that has been lost for th-th-th-thousands of years.  I-I sus-suspected that there-there was ever since I-I started st-studying Equestria's hist-history, so, when p-Princess Celestia decided to send m-me to look for it, I was very h-h-happy to do it.  I love going on j-journeys of mystery and-and dis-discovery."

Edited December 7, 2021 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

Bluebell regarded Suri with a fair amount of suspicion, but nonetheless, gave her the benefit of the doubt.  "Let's do this, then," Bluebell said, adjusting the amber gem hanging from her neck, and started  walking, pulling the wagon behind her, while keeping a close eye on Suri.  "I hope I'm worng about her," she thought to herself.

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

Bluebell let out a yawn.  "Well f-f-f-first, do y-you know of someplace where I-I could t-t-turn in? I've b-been hi-hi-hiking fo-for d-days."  She still wasn't sure if she should trust this mare, given her suspicious demeanor.  What was her angle?

Edited December 8, 2021 by Ragland Tiger

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

Once inside, the house looked obsessively neat and ordered.  It almost looked like it hadn't been lived in.  "N-n-nice pl-place you ha-have here," said Bluebell.  She looked around, apprehensive, and uncertain.  "Where d-do I s-s-s-sleep?" 

Edited December 19, 2021 by Ragland Tiger

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

"Of-of course," said Bluebell, taking off her glasses  and the gem hanging from her neck. She placed them carefully on the nightstand.  "I-I'm just going to ta-take a n-n-nap, if-if that's o-o-okay. It's b-b-been a lo-long journey."

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

@Starforce

When Suri left the room, Bluebell got into the bed being careful to make sure not to muss the blankets too much.   "I hope I can trust this mare," she thought before promptly falling asleep.  "Help me out here, Luna," she mumbled as she drifted off.

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

After a while, Bluebell was startled awake when she heard a loud pop, and a scream.  She sprung up in the bed and looked about.  "S-s-s-Suri?"  She looked at floor and saw her host lying there, deleious.  "Oh d-d-dear!"

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

Bluebell got up and helped Suri onto the bed.  She then went pulled a clean rag from her saddle bag.  She dipped it in the cold water basin, and then went over and placed the cold rag over the bruise on Suri's forehead.  "H-hold that there,"   Bluebell said, gently taking Suri's hoof and placing it on the rag.  She sighed, knowing what really happened. She went and picked up the gem from the floor.  "This-this isn't j-j-just an-any gem.  It fell from the tr-tr-Tree of h-Harmony,  right at m-m-my feet."  She looked up at Suri with sad resignation. "It-it can't be p-pilfered."

Edited December 29, 2021 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

Bluebell couldn't lie about it.  "It's s-something of a m-m-mystery to-to me, but it does h-help me keep my fee-fee-feet on the gr-ground," she said.  "You're n-not feeling extr-extremely dizzy, are-are you?"

Edited December 30, 2021 by Ragland Tiger

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

"It pr-probably was a w-w-warning.  I've gotten th-those from it, t-t-too, though n-n-not as severe as wh-what you got. I admit.  I-I-I didn't ch-choose it.  It-it chose me.  Come n-now, l-lie down, I'll be kee-keeping an eye on y-you, just in case you-you need to see a d-d-doctor." 

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

"We will st-st-start on our way-way tomorrow morning, p-p-provided you're okay to tr-travel.  You took a hard f-fall on your h-h-head.  J-just re-re-relax for now, and let me n-n-know if you're not-not feeling w-well."

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

When Suri drifted off to sleep, Bluebell got her bed roll, laid it out on the floor and got into it to sleep for the night.  "Poor thing," she thought, "She's been hurt in more ways than one."  She hoped Suri would be okay through the night.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

The next morning, Bluebell rose from her bed on the floor, well rested.  First she went over to Suri who had thoroghly mussed the covers of her own bed.  It looked like she had a restless night.  "S-Suri," she said in a gentle voice,  "Suri, are-are you o-okay?"  She then saw the irritated look on Suri's face.  Suri seemed perfectly fine.

Edited January 9, 2022 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

Bluebell smiled a knowing smile.  She went and folded up her bed roll, and after getting herself and Suri some breakfast,  went out and loaded her cart with supplies for the journey.  When they were ready to go, Bluebell debated with herself what she would say to Suri about what her boundaries were.  She stood there looking at Suri, a bit unsure, but decided it would be best if she were honest. She took a deep breath and said, "Suri, I'm-I'm taking the ch-ch-chance of trusting you to d-d-do the right th-thing, but if I fee-feel that I have to le-le-leave you b-behind --- I will."  It felt painful to say that.   Bluebell took another deep breath.  "Lead the way."

Spoiler

 

 

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

What treasure is there and not there at the same time, unborn, yet alive under the weight of having two?

 

Bluebell mulled the riddle over and over in her mind, the only sound being the steady clop her own hooves, along with Suri's.   "Un-under th-the weight of having two...," she whispered to herself.  "T-two what?" She continued to repeat herself, lost in her own thoughts. The woods started to get thicker and darker the further they went.

[Bluebell A. Shrub]

"It's-It's a riddle. It m-m-may be a cl-clue to find-find-finding the element. 'Wh-what treasure is there and n-n-not there at the sa-same time, unb-unborn, yet ali-alive under the w-w-weight of ha-having two?"

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

@Starforce

Bluebell stopped in her tracks when she heard the faint sound of howling in the distance.  "D-did you he-hear that?" she said in a hushed voice.   "Timber w-w-wolves. Th-they must be on our-our trail.  We need to f-f-find a way to l-lose them."  She started looking about.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

@Starforce

"The gem d-d-doesn't work like th-that," said Bluebell.  She saw a small tree branch on the ground.  She picked it up in her mouth, and started agitating the sand and soil on the ground with it.  After vigorously beating and scraping a large area of the trail behind them, she tossed the branch aside and said, "Let's g-g-get m-moving.  I hope this w-w-works."  She started moving fast, with Suri in tow, close to an all-out run.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

@Starlight

Bluebell led Suri to some brush that they could hide under.  She ducked under it, pulling Suri down with her.  "St-st-stay still," she whispered.  She looked and listened for any signs of the wolves that might be nearby.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Ragland Tiger

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

"O-okay let-let's go carefully,"   Bluebell said, slowly crawling out from under the brush. When she made it to the clearing she looked around, and then looked behind her and saw a pair of ferocious eyes over her traveling companion.  "Look out!" Bluebell shouted.  She leapt and shoved Suri just before she felt the timber wolves' paws strike her to the ground.  Her horn flashed and blasted the monster's head into a thousand pieces of twigs..  "Suri!  Run!"

Edited January 19, 2022 by Ragland Tiger