Apple Bloom was, Zecora decided, entirely too eager to learn potions the old fashioned way.
“Ah’m sorry!”
“I am only glad you are safe, my little friend My hut we can rebuild…” She gave a small sigh and shook her head. “...again.”
“Well you said it made things react quickly, so I thought-”
“React it did, and very fast.” She swept some of the debris into a bucket. Thankfully it was really just a few shelves reduced to kindling. She’d learned early on that taking an apprentice required more… precaution. And a forgiving heart. And, sometimes, ear plugs. “It was the catalyst of that blast.” Although, truth be told, she had expected this particular lesson would occur eventually. But she’d taken precautions. Not enough, it seemed, but her hut wasn’t on fire this time. Her mother had been quite cross with little Zecora’s experiments, and a certain zebra filly had learned a healthy respect for phosphor.
Meanwhile the formerly yellow Apple filly tried to wipe the ash from her coat, and succeeded only in smearing it across a rug that had amazingly been unharmed until this point. Zecora doubted any sort of beating would free it, but Rarity had been amazingly adept at removing all sorts of stains from fabric. Her explanation was usually ‘Sweetie Belle’. The little unicorn had also wanted in on these potion classes, but after setting a pot of boiling water on fire, even the normally patient zebra had admitted some things were just not meant to be.
“Ah know, but you said it would take days for that potion to brew! I only put a little in-”
“And the reason it takes so long is for safety’s sake. To alter a recipe on a whim can turn out to be a fatal mistake. That reaction can be very hot, the ingredients we chose were to keep it not.”
“How am Ah supposed to learn all that? Everything mixes with everything and does other things, how do you keep it all straight?”
“Alchemy is a complex art, one you cannot expect to know by heart.” She reached up, bringing a heavy tome down. “Many charms and spells I repeat every day, routine and practice are the truest way.”
"‘A wise mare knows she has much to learn, and mastery you must daily earn’.” Apple Bloom quoted morosely. “Ah just don’t like messin’ up your things as a lesson.”
“Better things than ponies, Apple Bloom. A little mishap will not seal our doom.” And it was true. The ’blast’ had been a little larger than she’d even expected, but the charms to contain it had done their job. Unfortunately the carbon soot was going to need a fair bit of work to clean up. In truth, she’d made sure that the little filly would need to go far beyond her instructions to actually be at risk. And she’d been keeping an eye on her, besides.
“Wolves are outside again.” Apple Bloom muttered, putting her nose against a window to peer at a set of glowing eyes. “It’s the mean one again, I think.”
That was unusual. Most animals fled from loud, strange noises. She’d probably have to chase it off with a few illusions, perhaps a small light show. The youngest member of the Apple family was probably going to be late getting home. Zecora would almost certainly be without her apprentice for several days as Bloom would have to do chores to make up for her lateness, but she wasn’t about to send the little pony out with a predator waiting so close to her hut. And that was only the one.
If it had been the older one, that wouldn’t have been so much of a concern. Zecora had an understanding with the old brute, and he seemed very tolerant of ponies in general. She’d love to know the story behind that, though she couldn’t imagine any timberwolf as a pet. The smaller female, however… it was trouble. If the older was present, a growl could bring her back in line. But Zecora had run across it once before while walking back from Ponyville… and the chase had taken a few years off the back end of her life that no pony was glad to offer. There was malice in the beast. Malice thwarted somehow by the elder, but why it was so interested in her Zecora couldn’t guess. Their mad rush through the forest had scattered much more traditional prey, but for reasons Zecora couldn’t begin to understand, it had followed her exclusively… and then wandered off come daybreak, as if it had utterly forgotten her. And truthfully, it hadn’t been the last time it had come to call on the darker nights.
The wards would hold, though. And if Apple Bloom were to spend the night and the two were to weather the wrath of the rest of the Apple family in the morning, then they’d deal with that fallout when it happened.
Of course, one did not corner an alchemist in their own hut. Professional pride was at stake, and Zecora was having none of it. Her apprentice had places to be, and she hadn’t meant for Bloom’s spirit to take such a blow. A simple effort to repel the beast and they could simply walk right out.
“Get my pestle and make it quick. We’ll not be contained by a beast of log and stick.”
Apple Bloom blinked, looking back at her, then grinned hugely. That was one of the more enjoyable parts of having an apprentice. Someone to show off to who would truly appreciate the talents.
“First,” She began, scooping some willow bark, peppers, and a number of other herbs into a bowl and grinding them together. “We should only make it want to leave us be. To cause it great harm would make us a threat, you see?”
“So we don’t want to actually hurt it, just make it uncomfortable so it knows we aren’t food.” Bloom noted, cheerfully.
“But we must make it stick, so hourglass sand will do the trick.” A large hourglass, filled with pure white sand, was tilted into the bowl.
“Why does it matter if it’s sand-sand or hourglass-sand, again?”
“Essence and intent, is what you must find. One part pain and another part time.”
“So it comes from an hourglass, that makes it… last?” Not a perfect attempt, but an appreciated gesture. Pony speech was so rude at times. Rhyming, or at least attempting to, showed you thought about your words.
“And of course, we must be sure. So what do you recall of the distillation of pure?”
Apple Bloom paused, deep in thought. “‘Metal flake provides essence pure, two parts in gold and silver four. Platinum provides all that plus four, and mythril is all that again twice more’, right?”
“And which of these will we use and why?”
“Silver. Gold’s too expensive, platinum’s worse, and Ah don’t think you even have mythril.”
“If I did, I wouldn’t even try. We’d need to make an entire tub or the waste would be much too high. Silver flake is on the shelf, can you get it or must I reach myself?”
She needn’t have bothered. It was actually somewhat amazing watching one of the Crusaders clamber so nimbly up the ladder to exactly where Zecora had left the fine dust. Apple Bloom gave the vial a gentle shake onto a scale, and Zecora motioned her away when there was enough. She combined the sand, the silver, and the other herbs in her bowl, carefully dabbing a bit on a piece of cloth. No reaction, good. “Now, for something a little weird. Aconite shall make us feared.”
“It’ll what?”
“It can cause numbness and hallucination, and no beast would want to twice risk that situation. We do not do this with ease or lightly, but I shall not have a predator coming by my door nightly.”
“So.. um… how do we get it to take it? Do we throw it at it? I don’t think I can reach.”
Zecora nodded. “Within our reach is indeed too near. But a pouch and a sling will let us apply from here.” She scraped the mixture into a packet, bound it loosely, and offered Apple Bloom a corded piece of fabric and the substance. “Now, if you miss, we must begin anew, but I have faith your aim will be true.”
Applebloom nodded as Zecora opened the window, now very careful not to reveal that they were attempting anything out of the ordinary. A few twirls of the sling, a release, and the beast gave a startled yelp as the pouch bounced off of it. covering it in a small cloud. This was followed by a startled whimper, and it began backing into the forest.
“It will do nary else than itch and burn, but that should be enough to make it turn. It shall feel strange and not quite right, enough to curb it’s hunger for at least tonight.”
The whimpering, at that very moment, became a sharp yip, and then a howl of agony as the beast flung itself into… and past Zecora’s wards. It kicked, rolling in the soil and trying to rub the sticky dust from it’s body. That was not right, but Zecora had never seen such a violent reaction to something so simple. Apple Bloom looked stricken, but there was nothing to be done for it… and somehow the creature was past the first set of protection, the little filly was absolutely not leaving her hut now, for any reason.
The howling changed, the pitch raising, and for a moment, it seemed like screaming. Like someone being tortured.
And then it was screaming, the sound of leaves rustling, dry wood snapping and green wood splintering punctuating the sound.
What lay in front of Zecora’s hut was now a pinto mare in all earth tones, unconscious and battered, sprawled in the pile of bark and leaves that nearly concealed her.
“...W...Was that s’posed to happen?!”
Oh wonderful. This can only end well.
Huh. So that's what happened to him. Or her. Pronouns are confusing.
(ridiculous fanboy squealing)
Ahem. Sorry, I'm actually just really happy to see a sequel/side story to "Changeling of the Guard."
I haven't read it yet, but I'm intrigued to see how this plays out. I'll be sure to leave a comment once I've taken a look!
Ooooo I cant wait to read the rest of this.
Well, this was unexpected.
...Seems like quite an interesting start, though! :)
You have the popular interest. Continue.
Ohhhhhhhh WEREWOLVES. Okay. Let's see where this goes.
Now that just raises a bunch of questions about how timberwolves actually work.
*later*
*pondering story in the shower*
*realization smacks in face*
WAIT.
THIS IS APPLE BLOOM AND ZECORA
IDOL'S STORY IS HAPPENING LIKE PROBABLY BEFORE APPLE BLOOM WAS EVEN BORN
HOW LONG HAS MERRY BEEN A TIMBERWEREWOLF
6962748 She isn't. It's more like she figured out how to armor herself like one and went feral.
MEESA SO HAPPY!
6962981 Hmm, interesting theory. I'll want to see the verdict, though; the synopsis makes it clear that Merry doesn't want to stay in the Everfree, and I figure Zecora would be smart enough to tell a real Timberwolf from a pony playing dress-up, esp. if said timberwolf is regularly following her home and getting really close. But! Perhaps you're right. We shall see!
Timber-werewolves? You have my undivided attention, good sir!
You have my attention.
Okay, NOW I actually sat down and read this. And what an interesting beginning indeed! I'm with the other commenters on this... it looks like it takes place well after "Changeling of the Guard." So, Merry's a Were-timberwolf (and still gender-swapped, it seems) and has perhaps been lurking in the woods all this time? What an intriguing twist!
While the chapter was short, the interaction between Zecora and Apple Bloom was pretty great. Zecora is known to be pretty hard to write, but you're doing a great job with her character.
I look forward to the next chapter when it arrives!
6962748
Assuming that Twilight doesn't have her Cutie Mark yet in Changeling of The Guard we're looking at 8-12 years. Easy.
6964487 Yeah that's about what I was thinking, an average of around ten. That is a looooong time to be running around in the woods as a carnivorous wood-based monster.
6961584 IT'LL BE WONDERFUL!
Oh yes, MORE!
Cant wait to read more!!
Oh my.
I never knew I needed this story until I read it just now.
Oh wow this is very interesting! A timber wolf turn into pony? That's new and yet haven't seen yet.
I hope to see more!
This looks good.
6964487 Hmm why presume that? It seems that Shining is old enough, I guess that it can easily be just a couple of years before Nightmare Moon Return. Shining is both quite capable and has enough connection to get up the ranks quickly [the capabilities to get high on his own merit and the connection to PREVENT other bumping him out on connections.]
7543093
That's true, but we also have to take into account that Twilight does not have her Cutie Mark at the time that Shining joins the guard, and she also has to go through a full school career to get to the point where season one begins. I would assume that Twilight, as well as the rest of the mane six, are in their late teens to mid twenties at the beginning of season one, although I always believed Twilight to be about twenty-three at the oldest. Assuming that Twilight was 10-12 years old when she got accepted into Celestia's tutelage, and given Apllebloom's suspected age which I would say is about eight to ten years old, I would be left with a time gap of 8-12 years, possibly longer depending on what season this story takes place in, and how you interpret the passage of time within the seasons of the show.
EDIT: Now that I've thought about it even more, I'll have to say that 8-12 years is the bottom end of my estimate; the very least number of years that could have passed. In this story Applebloom is already Zecora's student, and she already has her cutie mark. I'd have to say that this could have taken place as late as season four, or possibly even season five. So I'd say that depending on your interpretation of the passage of time within the seasons of the show Merry could have been a timberwolf for as long as fifteen, or possibly even twenty years.
Why haven't I discovered this sequel/side-story until now? Better late than never. It'll be interesting to see how it goes.
So the poison joke decided that turning Merry into a mare wasn't funny anymore, and turned him into a Timberwolf instead?
Nah, if that was true he wouldn't still be a mare after turning back. Hmm.
7543152 Hmm I think I've missed where it is said that Twilight does not have her cutie mark yet.
7544466
It's never outright stated that Twilight doesn't have her Cutie Mark yet but seeing as it's been stated that she has yet to pass Magic Kindergarten and she's still living with her parents I find it highly unlikely that she would have:
1. Gotten her Cutie Mark yet. Remember, she enters into Princess Celestia's tutelage directly after obtaining her Cutie Mark, so her still not having graduated from Magic Kindergarten makes it highly unlikely to me that she would have gotten it yet.
2. Gone through Clestia's training.
3. Defeated Nightmare Moon.
4. Settled into Ponyville.
It just doesn't check out to me.
7546472 hm the kindergarten comment can be an exaggeration, it is not clear from the show that at the beginning of her studies with Celestia that she went full board with her and it seems a bit extreme...
7547087
So I went ahead and shot out a PM to vdrake, as I figured this would be the quickest and easiest way to get a definitive answer. He sent this back to me:
ME LIKE A LOT NEED MORE MUST
*tap* *tap* *tap*
Hello? Is there another chapter in here anywhere?
Man, this story has potential to be great but sadly no news on a chapter yet... Is it still alive?
7926529 It is, but certain events are going to tie in with Changeling. I'd rather let the 'prequel' catch up a bit more before I get too far.
That said I could and should do a chapter or two for this.
7926649 ok, I hope to see more soon!
Before I read this, what is the Dark tag for ?
And how bad does it get ?
7982971 It's going to be a bit more grim than Changeling of the Guard, and focus on Merry's various issues with having been a violent carnivore for all that time.
Really, after I do a timeskip in Changeling I'll come back to this.
This was realy intersting.
I realy looking forward to it when you continue it.
what the actual fuck you make a sequel spinoff and you haven't even finished the first one for real wtf are you giving up already if so say yes ill stop reading so i want be disappointed on down the line
Snrk, that chapter title.
8173616 Think of this as a teaser for future events. People really wanted to know what happened to Merry. :D
8173774 future events come in the future, it would be better to finish the story and make a time jump in the next one to see the future plus i haven't read the tone deaf chapter and im not going to until i can see this start back on a somewhat regular basis. you have no idea how much it pisses me off to see people start on a new story because 9/10 times they get bored of the old story and quit
8174271 gonna be a while then. The first chapter of this one came out like a year ago. And it's going to touch down on some stuff I need to do some real research into.
Beyond that, Idol's story is an absolute blast to write. Merry's tale... Is going to be less cheerful. I thought I could write them in tandem but I'm focusing on Idol until the timeline gets caught up, and even then, Merry and Idol aren't going to travel the same roads. More sidequel than sequel, and I'm going to need a different mindset to write this one.
8174469 lol 2016 i did not see that, i only saw the sequel like 2 days ago so yea lol but i do hope that i get to see more of idol in the near future but like i said im not gonna start back reading till i can see the chapters come in more frequently i had enough of one chapter every 2 months wile reading FOE PH lol
8174626 fair enough. I can't dedicate as much time to write as I'd like. Have to focus on licenses and my PE, and work calls for a lot of travel.
Wait, is the 'old brute' Merry's old pet?
Also, yay! Merry! Everyone's favorite trans guard who never got any screentime! Time to start tracking this.
Interesting premise even with all his complications of being a predator for a while. coming back from the dead not necessarily an easy thing especially when your legally declared dead after a great amount of time it sounds like
7926649
Please, sir, could we have some more?
This will be interesting. I will follow this as much as the main story.