Chapter 2: The Ghost of The Jungle
In the present day of Equestria, after three thousand years, the sun slowly began to rise up in the sky with its still lightly dark blue. In a local village somewhere in the south part in a jungle area, a group of local Earth Pony villagers were dealing with a complicated problem with humanoid reptiles in poacher outfits. This was due to protection donations of food, clothing, and bits.
One of the humanoid reptile poachers was dragging an Earth Pony mare right into the center with another poacher restraining a foal.
"Monsters!" The mare shouted as the lead poacher chuckled sinisterly and tossed her to the ground. "No!"
The mare lands on the ground before she looks at the lead poacher, who approached her while holding an apple.
"We appreciate the generous donation for the continuing protection of your village." The lead poacher said while cutting a slice off the apple and tossed it aside while chuckling sinisterly. He then lowers down to the Earth Pony mare and takes a bite of the apple slice from his knife. "After all…" He takes a necklace off the mare's neck, making her gasp in horror while placing a hoof to where it was. "...The jungle can be a dangerous place."
Then he and his fellow poachers chuckled mockingly.
"Mama!" The young foal shouted, getting free of the second poacher's grasp before running over to the mare, who was his mother, and hugged her as she hugged her son back while glaring at the poachers.
"Oh she is dangerous! There's monsters out there!" One of the other poachers said mockingly as he and the others laughed humorously.
They rode on a wagon with two Earth Pony stallions hooked up to it and disappeared into the jungle as dust hit most of the villagers, making them cough. The dust cleared away as they looked at their possessions taken away from the poachers.
(Scene changes)
In the jungle, the poachers continued riding on the wagon with the Earth Pony stallions pulling it. The lead poacher takes a bite on the gem of the necklace and laughs, knowing it was real.
Suddenly, the two Earth Pony stallions saw something that made them widen their eyes as they yelped and immediately skid to a stop, catching the poachers off guard. The lead poacher growled angrily at the stallions.
"Idiots! Watch where you're going." The lead poacher snapped, startling the stallions.
"There's a log on the road, senior." The first stallion said and gestured to a fallen log in the way.
"Well, if you're not too busy… REMOVE IT!" The lead poacher shouted impatiently and angrily before speaking to one of his men in a spanish accent, telling them to get rid of the log.
One of them gets out as he ties some rope to the wagon and goes over to the log, tying it up as well. Suddenly, something grabbed him as he yelped in surprise and the others turned to the scene in alarm. One of the other poachers that was sitting next to his leader spoke fearfully in a spanish accent.
The second poacher jumps out with a crossbow in his hands when suddenly a lasso grabs and pulls him up immediately, making him yelp in surprise while firing three arrows out of his crossbow before disappearing into the trees.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" The lead poacher shouted while looking around for any sign of who was responsible.
"The-the Ghost of The Jungle." The fourth soldier said in fear while getting out of the wagon. "He punishes those who prey upon the week. He's coming!"
He looks around for a bit when suddenly the other soldier fell down in front of him, unconscious as he yelped in surprise.
"I-I just remembered I-I left the stove on and my wife, she hates that!" The fourth poacher shouted in fear and ran off.
"Coward!" The lead poacher shouted while getting out of the wagon with a machete. "Get back here!"
"You're on your own, jefe!" The fourth poacher shouted offscreen while disappearing, leaving the lead poacher to fend for himself.
"Show yourself! Do you realize who you're dealing with!?" The lead poacher demanded as he backed himself up against a large fern bush as he breathed heavily with caution.
As he looked around, a pair of green eyes appeared in the shadow while glaring at the lead poacher, which he took notice.
"What is it…?" The lead poacher said as he took notice of the eyes and widened his own in shock. "WHAT?!"
He jumps and falls onto his back before he got up, running for his life. The lead poacher uses his machete to cut down some bushes, but falls down a slope and lands on his chest with his sword landing in front of him.
"I am not afraid of a myth." The lead poacher said, picking up his machete and held it in his right hand, ready for a fight. "I'M NOT AFRAID OF A GHOST!"
Suddenly, a cloaked figure lands ten inches away from the lead poacher, making him turn to face him. The poacher lightly gasps with his eyes slightly widened as he noticed the figure standing up right, a glowing light hidden in his hood, and aura hands replacing his front hooves.
The figure takes out one of his katana swords with his right hoof, seemingly challenging the lead poacher.
"What are you?" The lead poacher asked the figure, who didn't reply back.
Rather than study the figure up close, the lead poacher let out a battle cry and charged at the mysterious hooded one, who charged back at him.
The view shows the jungle as the lead poacher let out a scream of fright as birds flew off into the distance.
(Scene changes)
Back at the village, chickens were seen pecking the ground for any source of food while the Earth Pony villagers still moped around, feeling they have no hope left for food.
Then the chickens noticed something and scattered somewhere offscreen while clucking as the villagers turned to see the Earth Pony stallions arrive back with the wagon filled with their valuable food, clothes, and possessions.
The two Earth Pony stallions skidded to a stop as their fellow villagers approached them with surprised looks of seeing their stuff back as the mare from before gasped in joy and surprise.
"It's a miracle." The mare said as she and her son turned to each other with looks of happiness.
Then her son heard something hit the ground as he turned around to see his mother's necklace right behind him. Shocked and speechless, he rushed over and picked it up in his hands as the rest of the villagers cheered for joy with their stuff back.
Curious of who brought it back, he turns to see the same cloaked figure on a branch, watching the scene.
"The Ghost of The Jungle." The foal said in awe and amazement.
The hooded figure continued to watch the villagers get their stuff back before he disappeared into the jungle.
(Scene changes)
Later on, towards sunset that day, the foal walked over to a clearing of the jungle and came to a stop towards some trees.
"There. That's where I saw him." The foal said while pointing at the tree in the middle as somepony came over to him.
It was none other than to be Princess Twilight Sparkle, who had arrived at the scene with a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. She removes her sunglasses with her magic and places them in her saddlebags.
"Thank you, little one." Twilight said as she eyed the tree and pressed onward. "You better get home now to your mother."
"Do you know the ghost?" The child asked as Twilight turned to him and shook her head with a soft smile.
"He wasn't always a ghost." Twilight said as she continued to walk into the jungle.
Once Twilight managed to cut her way through some bushes with her katana, she came into the clearing of where the fight with the poachers took place with the 'ghost', and placed her sword in her sheath.
Twilight then places her right hoof on the crossbow and rubbed it a bit before she retracted her hoof back.
"Hello?" Twilight called out cautiously while looking around the place. The wind gently blows some ferns a bit as Twilight moved forward to some bushes. "Is anypony here? Hello?"
As Twilight took a few steps forward, a twig was heard snapping and she fell down a hole, making her yelp in surprise. She desperately tries to grab a hold of something, but was unable too.
Just as Twilight was about to hit the ground, somepony caught her and held her in a bride holding position.
"It's a long way from home just to drop in, honey." A familiar voice was heard as Twilight turned to see who caught her.
To her surprise, it was none other than her husband, Chase Young as he looked at his wife with an amusing smile.
"Chase." Twilight said with a happy smile as Chase puts her down before they shared a loving hug and kiss on the lips.
(Scene changes)
Towards nighttime from outside, Chase had just managed to make a fire for him and Twilight as he puts some wood in it.
"So you came all the way down here to look for me." Chase said with a knowing smile as Twilight was sitting down on a rock.
"Actually, honey. I was already here on business, but then a local legend started sounding familiar so I decided to snoop around." Twilight said as Chase sat down on the other end on a rock.
"What kinda business?" Chase asked curiously.
"Ancient powerful crystals. Kon said that he sensed something going on down here and asked me to check it out." Twilight answered as Chase chuckled.
"Well, you and I always did run with a strange crowd, Twilight." Chase said with a smirk.
"Yeah, well, our strange crowd hasn't been the same without you." Twilight said with a soft smile as Chase turned to her with a surprised look before he turns his attention back to the fire as he held a stick in his right hoof to turn the wood around the pit. "Things aren't looking so good back at home in Canterlot."
"Ah, how bad could it be?" Chase said as he turned his attention back to Twilight. "Jade's probably got everything under control with Sokka."
(Scene changes)
In a small working spot in the Canterlot throne room, Jade and Sokka each had wireless headsets for communicating with other ponies as they were trying to keep some customers in tow, which they had problems with their house units.
"Sir? Sir. Sir." Jade said tiredly as a gibberish voice was heard on her headset.
"Did you turn your back generator on?" Sokka said, annoyed as another gibberish voice was heard on his headset. "Have you plugged it in?" The voice replied back seemingly frustrated as Sokka had a flat look on his. "Yeah, that would help."
"No, I'm not playing hard to get! I'm telling you, sir, it's not that kind of power failure!" Jade said frustratingly on the headset.
"I'm not your enemy." Sokka said tiredly as he sat on a chair with a tired yet annoyed look on his face. "I'm just Sokka your friendly house support helping you twenty four hours a day, sir." A female gibberish voice was heard on Sokka's headset, making him widened his eyes as Jade turned to him with a stunned look. "Yeah-I'm sorry, ma'am."
Sokka nervously laughed as Jade placed a forehoof to her head and slightly moaned tiredly.
(Scene changes)
Back in the cave, Chase just looked surprised after Twilight had told him what his younger sister and friend were up to.
"But Jade's a genius." Chase said as he sighed. "Why would she and Sokka take a job like that?"
"At least they're keeping busy." Twilight said with an unsure smile.
"Well, if they're doing that, who's keeping an eye on Antonio and Pinkie Pie?" Chase asked, almost afraid of what his cousin and the pink pony were up to.
(Scene changes)
At a local house in Ponyville, Pinkie had just brought a wagon with her as Antonio jumped down to join her.
"Pinkie and Antonio have gotten into the, um…" Twilight's voice said as Antonio and Pinkie put on two dragon costumes, blue for Antonio, and pink for Pinkie. "Entertainment business."
"Yeah." Antonio and Pinkie said as they hoof bumped each other.
(Scene changes)
They were soon in a living room with nunchuck toys in their hooves.
"Happy birthday from Pinkie Pie and Antonio!" Pinkie and Antonio said as a group of foals and fillies came in while cheering.
They all began to whack Antonio as he grunted a bit until some piled on him, making him fall to the ground.
"Take it easy, little dudes! Ow! I bruise easily!" Antonio said as Pinkie gave some of them candy while the others kept on hitting him with toy ninja weapons. "Hey black and blue clashes with yellow, dudes! Hey, that's-" That's when a foal whacked him in the face with a pair of nunchucks as the screen turned black. "Ooh!"
(Scene changes)
Back in the cave, Twilight had just explained the whole story of what Pinkie and Antonio were doing for birthday parties.
"They're a big hit." Twilight said with a smile as Chase smirked amusingly.
"I always told Antonio that parties with kids bring nothing but trouble and he just went on with it to hang out with Pinkie." Chase said as he and Twilight shared a laugh they settled down as Chase used his stick to move the wood in the fire a bit. "And how's Trini doing with teaching the class with Rarity and Fluttershy at the School of Friendship?"
(Scene changes)
At the School of Friendship, some young foals and fillies were practicing some katas with Trini observing them.
"Now, remember, everypony. Be as sharp as your mind and body. The life of a ninja or samurai must be one with discipline and order. Ninjas must constantly improve their skills to ready themselves in battle." Trini said when she noticed some colts staring at her with mooning looks.
"Hi, Miss Trini." A colt said as some of them waved at Trini.
"I love your dress, Miss Trini." One of them said as well.
Trini sighed with a shake of her head as Rarity and Fluttershy were helping some other students fit into their karate gis.
"Rarity, Fluttershy, can you lend me some help?" Trini asked impatiently.
"Sorry, darling, but I must make sure these karate uniforms are fitted enough for the students." Rarity replied back.
"Oh, sorry, Trini. I will be over to help you out." Fluttershy said before she turns back to some other students that were struggling to put on their uniforms. "Right after I help these students put on their uniforms."
Fluttershy went over to the group as Trini just sighed tiredly.
(Scene changes)
Back in the cave in the jungle, Twilight smiled nervously.
"Well, you'd be surprised at what Trini has to deal with since colts their age wouldn't listen to her while she teaches." Twilight said sheepishly as Chase smirked in amusement before he sighed.
"Alright, and what's Sunray up to?" Chase asked, wanting to know what his youngest brother was doing.
"He's been practicing at the new dojo for a couple of hours a week to blow off some steam." Twilight answered as Chase then thought of something.
"Well, how's he holding up Dad's blacksmith shop with Clay, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash?" Chase asked curiously.
(Scene changes)
At a blacksmith shop in Canterlot, Sunray was making a sword that was burning hot with a bright orange color while Rainbow Dash brought some wood and metal in, putting them in barrels. Clay and Applejack were stationed at the cash register to take the bits the customers would pay.
"To forge the perfect weapon, you first need the right metal and plenty of heat." Sunray said as he held the handle of the sword and placed it in a barrel of water. "Cool it off and… presto!"
Sunray brought the sword out, only that it was bent up and he sighed in disappointment as Rainbow laughed at the sight.
"Nice one, Sunray! What do you know? That's the fifth time you made a sword bent that way." Rainbow said with a chuckle she and Applejack shared together while Sunray just glared at them before tossing the sword aside.
"But seriously, Sunray. You made it too quickly. Look, be patient. If Santos was still here from dealing with politics, he'd say-" Clay was about to finish when Sunray cut him off.
"I know." Sunray said with a sigh. "No matter how much fire you have experience isn't something you learn overnight. That may work for you guys, but I'm gonna be a better blacksmith than Dad ever was."
"Just try not to get carried away with your ego, Sunray. Try to take it easy for a while." Applejack said as she pushed some barrels of metal over to a shelf and put some of them in a cabinet.
Sunray sighed before he went back to work on some other weapons.
(Scene changes)
Back with Twilight and Chase, they laughed so hard from hearing what Sunray did as they knew he was still one step behind becoming a blacksmith.
"Sunray never learns anything with blacksmith materials." Chase said as Twilight giggled in agreement.
Soon they settled down as Twilight went back on another topic.
"Your training period ended a year ago. And Santos and Jewel said you don't write anymore." Twilight said, knowing that Chase hasn't come back for a long time.
"Mom and Dad sent me down here to become a better leader. I can't go back a failure." Chase said as he went back to moving the fire around a bit. "Besides, these ponies need me more than our family and friends do."
As Chase moved the fire a bit, Twilight then thought of something and turns back to her husband.
"If your grandfather Darius' spirit was still here, he would ask you this. What is your heart telling you?" Twilight asked her husband, making Chase turn to his wife before he sighed.
"I don't know, Twilight." Chase said as he stood up and tossed his stick in the fire. "I just know something's missing after Discord impersonated Grogar and brought our worst foes back."
Twilight looked at her husband sympathetically since she knew her husband was still feeling conflicted after the Quinkan invasion from what Discord had done after he pretended to be Grogar and brought back Cozy Glow, Tirek, Chrysalis, and King Sombra.
"Your family and friends need you, Chase. All of us need you." Twilight said as she closed her eyes. "We're lost without you, honey. Darius and Nyx need you more."
When Twilight opens her eyes to face Chase, realized that her husband had mysteriously vanished with little to no trace and she gets up from her rock.
"Chase?" Twilight called out, but there was no response.
The only sound was a bat screeching in the cave as Twilight sighed since she knew Chase had to continue on with his training until he was ready to come back home.