The Last Journey

by Fritz

First published 31st of March, 2012

Life in Ponyville changes when a strange traveller arrives in the town.

A strange stallion arrives in Ponyville... or rather falls down on the librarian's door beause of exhaustion. What will six mares have to do to help him get back in his old shape? How will it change their friendship? And will there be muffins at the end?

Current Cover: Bobeh

The Newcomer - Prologue

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Pain. Pain was what he felt as he walked down the dirt road, iluminated by the moonlight. He felt pain, tiredness, but on the other hand, satisfaction, as he did what he was meant to do. And above all, he wanted to sleep, but he didn't allow himself to close his eyes for more than a second. He's been through this before - if he would close his eyes, it would've been the last thing he done in this life. So he struggled to go on, pulling his back left hoof behind him.

'One more step... just one more...' he kept saying to himself 'you've been through worse, you pathetic bastard, just one...more...step...'

As he approached the town, he thanked Luna for making it bright enough to light the surroundings - without it, he would've wandered for much longer, and probably wouldn't make it even that far. Yes, Luna... he will thank her later, now it was his life at stake.

'Yes, keep going... one more step... just get..to..that bloody tree...' Pain. He would get to that tree, rest for a little moment, then continue down the main road. Pain, so much pain. 'Just a few.. more.. steps...' He would've groaned, but he didn't had enough strength to do so. Besides, the tree was so close - vision of getting some rest gave him a little bit of energy, just enough to get there. 'just six..more..steps, ybastard...'

The pain... it was so strong, he couldn't go on like this anymore... Just get to that tree, there will be rest there..wait, I can't rest, I must go on, in his mind a seed of panic was sown it's okay I won't rest, just lean on that tree, that's all, I'm not gonna rest for a moment! He felt even more and more pain as he walked one, and it forced him to let out a quiet groan.

Yes, the tree, now I can just lean on it for a moment, not gonna close my eyes for a second, just take a deep breath... he did so, and closed his eyes in progress. He then hastily remembered what he was NOT suppoused to do, and with great effort he looked at the world again. In the east, he could see the sun raising, sky going from dark blue to bright orange, he thought 'I've seen what I've seen, beautiful and dark things in my life, I guess I could die in peace now.' Remnants of his common sense were getting more and more quiet in his mind, and then he couldn't hear them. He stomped as hard as he could on the tree he was leaning on, and noticed that it was as giant as the trees in Zebras's homeland. 'Well that's a nice last thought' he thought for a moment, and then he fainted.

A loud knock coming from the outside. Then another, and silence. Ugh, who would need a book so early, it's not even dawn yet! purple unicorn thought, rubbing her eyes with her hooves as she slipped out of her bed and walked downstairs, to the doors. 'I'm coming, I'm coming...' she said sleepily and yawned. As she approached the door, she heard a loud thud from the outside, which awakened her up a bit. He opened the doors, curious to see what pony would wake her up so early, and froze in shock.

Behind the door, was laying a light brown stallion, with green mane, wearing tattered vest and cape. His left backhoof was sticking out at a wierd angle, his head was bandaged, and she could see several bruises through the clothing.Omygoshomygoshomygosh what should I do omygoshomygosh Twilight panicked at first omygo- no, Twilight, calm down. This pony here needs help, and you are the only one nearby that has awakened. she calmed down, and picked the stallion up with her magic. It was unnaturally hard to lift him up, even though he was a bit less than the average build. She gently put him down in the middle of the main hall, and then ran off to the bookshelves. Healing spells, healing spells, healing spells... where in Celestia did I put them?! she didn't had time to look for them, she will just have to do it from the memory. She knew them pretty good anyways, as Cutie Mark Crusaders kept getting bruised, as well as five of her friends, who trusted her more than the hospital ponies. She stood by the injured stallion, noticing his well-kept, though battered-up now mane, and lowered her horn. Purple unicorn's horn glew as she casted a spell, healing all the stallion's serious bruises, and stopping the bleeding from few wounds. She again felt that it was harder than usual to use her magic on that pony, but she didn't had time to think about that. She sighed and turned around to grab a blanket to cover the pony, and as she turned back around to the stallion, she saw his green eye open, looking at her. She froze, looking at him, then she smiled.

'You're awake! That was fast, I didn't quite expect that. My name is Twilight Sparkle, I found you lying by my library. Where did you even get those wounds?' she looked at the stallion, who breathed deeply few times, and shook his head.

'You.. don't want to talk about it now?' unicorn asked.

Wounded pony nodded.

'Well... that's okay. You must be either very tired, or lost a lot of blood, and I guess it's the former, as I checked up on you, you seemed pretty okay, you see I know these handy spe-'

'Thank... you.' stallion said with difficulty. And then, he fell asleep.

Meeting the others - Chapter 1

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Darkness. He was there, somewhere in the darkness, laying on the ground. Pain, he should feel pain? No, wait, he did, but why was there so little of it? He should be dead by now, and, well - if he wouldn't feel anything, darkness obviously showed that he was deceased. But dead ponies don't feel pain, do they? Wait, there's light, somewhere above... faint, but still, light... someone's lifting me... faint light, give me more light, I don't want to stay in darkness...
'Hey, Spike! He's waking up!'
Spike? Didn't he hear that name before?
He tried to open his eyelids, but in vain, he was too weak to do even that. He tried again, only exhausting himself. He took a deep breath, and tried again, successfully.
'Hello! Can you hear me?' the same voice asked.
He saw wood. Wooden roof, to be exact, bookshelves around him, and round windows. He had enough strength to do something that was barely called a nod.
'Oh my, you must be very weak! Wait, let me get you something...' the voice went off. He managed to tilt his head to the right, and there he saw a wooden railing, the main room, filled with bookshelves as well, althrough some books were laying on the ground, not shelved yet. He holded his breath for a short moment, and listened.
Hoofsteps. Birds chirping. Magic. Magic...?
'Ah, there!' he heard, then "magical" sound again. And again the same noise, when the unicorn appeared before him. He breathed in an out again, preparing for the question.
'Let me give you some food, as I don't think you are strong enough to take it on your own.' He felt rather than saw a spoon, going in his direction. He opened his mouth, ate the contents, and swallowed. Tasted like oatmeal... funny. Oatmeal was easy, quick, and cheap to make, and he had enough of it in his life, why couldn't they give him, say, hay fries?
After he finished eating, he felt a bit stronger, but just barely.
'Are you feeling better now? At least a tiny bit?' voice asked worried
He weakly moved his head in direction of the voice, and saw her.
Purple-coated unicorn, indigo hair with pink and purple highlights. Purple eyes, staring at him with almost motherly care, a lot of curiosity, and several questions. He tried to say something, but his mouth was too dry, and he coughed instead.
'Oh, silly me, let me get you some water.' she lifted a glass filled with the liquid, and moved it towards his mouth. He slowly, and carefully took a sip. ugh... the first sip is always the worst, he almost spat it out. After he finished drinking, he coughed again, but it was better than the hacking cough a minute ago. He licked his lips, and let out weak words.
'Who... are you?' the unicorn smiled a little
'My name is Twilight Sparkle' she replied 'I'm the librarian in Ponyville I found you at my doorsteps, you were very injured and tired, so I looked after you.'
'Pony..ville? Library..?'
'Yes, I moved in few months ago, I was pretty surprised that the library was situated in a tree, too.' unicorn smiled 'but I guess I got used to it.'
That could be correct, it's been some time since he was here, and he never entered the village from this side. Mayor Mare told him that library was in an "unusual" place in Ponyville, but he had plenty of books on himself back then, so he didn't care. Still, something was familiar in that unicorn... way of speaking? How she casts her spells? Care for an unconsious, injured stallion on her doorstep, waking her up before dawn?
'Who... are you?' her face switched from a smile to a frown.
'I.. told you, my name is Twilight Sparkle' her voice was filled with worry 'Ponyville's librarian, remember?' oh yes, she thinks I have an amnesia.
'Yes, but... who exactly are.. you? Why are... you.. familiar to me?'
'Hmm... I do not know, maybe we've met somewhere before, but I cant quite recall that...' she scratched her head 'No, I don't remember you from anywhere.'
'Okay... do you.. have a parchment.. and a quill? I need... to write... a letter.' he coughed again. He had to write to her, she must know about the danger. Actually, he managed to delay it - at a cost - but she need to be told about it anyway.
'Yes, I do have a lot of parchments, and some quills. Who do you need to write to?' she already went towards a shelf, on which the items were laying. Then, he realized that there was no need to hurry, and he was too weak anyway.
'Nevermind that, the letter... can wait.'
'Do you need anything else?'
'No, just... rest.' he put his head on the floor, and closed his eyes. Adventure, journeys and danger were his bread and butter, they followed him on every step of his life. He always wanted to just sit down for a moment, have a well-deserved vacation, but he would never get one. Why does he feel so incomplete, now that he is resting? He opened his eyes again, to look at the unicorn that saved him. She was laying on a couch, reading a book. She saved him... if not for her, he would probably bleed out and die - he realized. He was too tired to think about that few moments ago, but now it came to him. He looked at her again, and sighed. In his journeys, he made a lot of friends, some of them were good friends, while others were... "partners in the buisness", he would call them. He never met a mare that he would like more than the others, and he sometimes thought about it, then realized he can't - he is always travelling, always on the road, a relationship like that wouldn't hold for long. Well, now? He was grounded for at least a month, and that was plenty of time.
'Uh... Twilight?' he said.
'Yes? Do you need anything? Something hurts?' she immeadietly stood up and trotted over to him.
'No. My name... is Qui-'
His statement was cut short by the doors slamming open against the wall.
'Howdy, Twi!'
'Hey there, Twilight!
'Uh, hello?'
'You look as good as always, darling!'
'Well hellloooooo there, Twilight! Why did you guys stop? huh huh huh?! Oh I know! You must be playing a ga-'
All five mares froze, looking at the stallion. He couldn't help but grin at their shock.
'Hi there.'