Some days later in the Rv as they rolled.
Applejack was laying on the couch and said," ah's board. So board." She said crossing her legs.
Pinkie pie then sat down beside her, "Really? I mean we went form finding discords origins, to lich, to that thing we are not a library to talk about, To Zombozo trying to drink Rainbow's soul!" she said pointing to rainbow who was shaking and crying out, "I WILL EVER TRUST A CLOWN AGAIN!"
Applejack was playing around with a rubix cube as she said " yeah but that's was days ago we've been stuck in this tin can for toos longs I say!" that is when they stopped as Carl said, "And we are here!"
Applejack rolled her eyes as she looked out the window as she got out smiling, they were in a forest, "A forest?" She said blinking as she head out to see black wood and leaves making her eyes widen as she looked down at Black grass and Black flowers.
Pinkie pie walked out and point an a black dove, "…. Mother nature went Emo!" She said stunned as a Crow fly by saying, "nevermore!"
Pinkie pie jumped and hide behind carl shaking as Fluttershy, "Pinkie pinkie crows and ravens can mimic langue like their cousins the parrot!" She said with an eye roll.
Twilight blinked as she poked a black mushroom with her hoof and said," learn something new everyday… now were are we? Did we travel dimensions or planets or something?"
Ben's car pulled out as he got out, "No we are still on earth, Welcome to the shadow woods!" he said putting a hand on a tree, "this is more cryptic then alien so we are crossing on the lines of the red spot secret scientist agreement but we are all cryptical creatures so we can come visit. This secret location hidden away in the middle of Louisiana is our next stop!"
Pinkie pie blinked as she jumped at a black Pidgeon and she said," … why are we in the land of Emos… I mean I get why it's hidden but still!? What is this!?"
Applejack was eye widen at a black Apple as Ben said, "it's safe to eat Ah, And simple we are looking for family we have a cousin who became a secret scientist instead of a plumber So we are hear to lend him a hand just stay mindful of the locals if anything offers you something take it, don't say your name! don't ask for a name! nothing has a name got it!"
They all nodded.
that is when Applejack blinked and Pinkie pie screamed to see it was now just them as ben's voice came," this is the forest effect don't worry!" he said stepping out appearing like he was walking through a wall when he was just taking a step, "See some spots of the forest won't let you see others soo step forward!"
The two sisters did so returning to their family as Applejack bite the apple nervously, "what in tarnation!" Carl point to Aj, "that's what you need to do eat any of the fruits the forest effect doesn't work it's how you don't get lost!"
Later on when the sun was setting
Pinkie pie and Aj where on a trail. As Pinkie pie point with a flash back, "Relax Aj we just keep eating the fruit we can't get lost so come on let's look for our adopted cousin.
Aj was behind her shaking, "I take it back I would rather be's bored!" she said as they came to what looked like a house in the middle of the trail and Pinkie pie knocked.
that is when what looked a silhouette answered and asked, "What can I do for you ladies?"
Aj's eyes widen while Pinkie said, "your house is in the middle of the trail so instead of getting lost can we just walk through to your back door!"
the shadow stepped to the side letting them do that.
when they followed the trail then came to something creepy in the middle they came to what looked like a human explore who looked up he had no face and he cried saying, "I said my name and they took it!"
Aj then screamed and woke up on the Rv it was all just a dream as she blinked and said, "what did ah's eat?"
Sandra then held up a hand, "Dark woods dream?" Aj's eyes widened as her adopted mother said, "it means you it's here and looking for you!" She sounded sad and worried as they pulled off.
Ben parked coming out omnitrix on his wrist as he head down a trial as everyone who was confused followed they came to what looked like a patch of black forest black grass black trees like in the dream with a crow saying," turn back."
Fluttershy point at it," I know they talk like Parrots' but still creepy and unsettling!" Aj was eyes widen as she yelled out, "OKS THIS IS TOO MUCH LIKE MY DREAMS WHAT IS GOING ON!"
She said scared hugging Pinkie pie who hugged her back pinkie's mane and tail fell flat as she cried. The pink pony girl then said," yeah what is this!"
Ben looked through his aliens as he hit it turning into goop as became Swampfire now fully bloomed as he said, "unfinished business! I REMEMEBR YOU COME OUT!"
the trees rearranged as Ben walked in the others want to leave but carl and Sandra stopped him, "this is between Ben. And his …. Cousin!"
Jessica then blinked and said, "ok mermaid wants to know what's going down in this emo forest!"
Sandra sighed, "my mother told me stories of a beast in the woods that would replace anyone who said it's name before it and make it the new monster I told the story then Ben, then when he was six before he had the omnitrix my family met the monster his young male cousin we can't even remember him he said his name in panic when it asked and became it! this is a personal stop for ben! There is no way to return the poor boy to normal but the curse can be ended"
Pinkie pie then felt light headed, "it's a mercy killing!" she said fainting on to Aj.
On the trail Swampfire went ultimate it still looked the say way just bigger and wider.
As it came to a humanoid black tree that walked no face mouth a wide ways mouth in it's stomach that went, "name say it!"
Ben held his hands together and fired off one massive fire bomb destroying the monster making the forest turn to natural colors as he said, "good bye cousin!"
Later on in the Rv the girls where looking at an old photo album with ben and a boy with no face as Carl sighed, "Ben and his cousin were so close at least that is what the pictures show with is all we have left of him but at least the curse is over no one else can be hurt by it!"
Pinkie pie blinked, "Wait so the dream meant our cousin was going to try and replace applejack and make her the tree thing or what ever?"
Sandra nodded and Aj fainted and she won't wake up anytime soon.
the world is full of mysteries the universe more so, Not all of them are good so one must learn sometimes the hard way what answers to chase after and with things to leave alone.
A listen the Tennyson clearly learned the hard way.
in his car while driving Ben shed a tear as she said," We don't even know his name just he was family.
to be continued.