(Third-person narration; location: Everfree Forest)

In that forest so terrifying for the ponies lived all kinds of beasts, some very curious like the timberwolves and others very dangerous like the mother bear and her cub; but it was also the home of a zebra named Zecora.

Somewhere not very precise in that forest was his humble, though curiously decorated, dwelling. That tree-like dwelling was in a mess, as if a tornado had struck it.

The zebra was arriving at its dwelling with two saddlebags full of various items, but upon seeing the state of its home, it quickly dropped them on the ground and ran inside; it wasn't difficult to enter since the front door had been brutally knocked down.

Inside her house, there was an even greater mess, it didn't compare to the one outside; but what caught the zebra's attention the most wasn't the disorder... but rather... the absence of...

-Zecora: Drex...

It was the only thing that could be heard, first as a whisper, and then...

-Zecora: Drex!...

In the form of a heart-wrenching scream... that lament echoed throughout the Everfree Forest, for she already knew what had happened to the poor Changeling... after that... nothing...

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SEASON 1: THE ADVENTURES OF ALEX IN EQUESTRIA

(Narration by Alex Tools)

Hello, it's me, the human; this story won't start like it usually does, because first I want to tell you something, something important; but for that, we need to go back in time a week.

It all began the same night Twilight had returned and Princess Celestia had healed my wounds; I was lying on my makeshift bed made of clouds on the floor of what would be my cloud house in the future, trying to sleep but it was in vain as I was having a horrible nightmare.

(Third-person narration)

Inside the human's head, one could see how the lavender unicorn known as Twilight was being kidnapped by that changeling known as Drex. The human tried to follow them with all his strength, but it was useless, as they were getting farther and farther away from him until they finally disappeared into the darkness of that dream. Alex fell to his knees in that black void, lamenting between sobs.

...Pathetic...

"...You can't save anyone..."

"...You are weak..."

Those words echoed throughout the dark void in which the human was, making him feel even worse... since it wasn't the first time something like this had happened to him...

-Alex: I'm sorry... Twilight... mom... I'm sorry...

While he repeated those words to himself, a large presence appeared and began to approach him from behind. Upon noticing the presence, he stopped lamenting and quickly turned around, but as he turned, he only managed to see the fangs of that giant bear that had left him badly wounded, about to devour him. Just before that happened, he woke up with a piercing scream.

(Narration by Alex)

My body was sweating, my breath was ragged, and my eyes wouldn't stop crying. "It was just a dream," I told myself, trying to calm down as I wiped my tears. Once I was calmer, I lay back down to try to go back to sleep, but it wasn't long before I woke up in the same way again. Repeatedly, I tried to rest but always got the same result.

After an hour of trying to sleep without success, I decided to take my sword and shield and fly straight to the Everfree Forest. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, and that's because it is crazy, but at that moment I needed something to distract me from that dream, and let's just say that when I get desperate I don't think things through clearly, but don't worry, I wouldn't be telling you this if it had ended badly, on the contrary, I learned something important that night.

After a few minutes of flying, I finally arrived at the entrance of that forest into which I had ventured without thinking. Once inside, I didn't take long to come across a pack of timberwolves, who looked at me with hatred, and rightly so, as you may know, the forest wolf race and I don't have the most friendly past in the world, but even so, I was glad to see them.

-Alex: Hi guys, I know you and I don't have the best relationship, but I need to ask you for a favor... -I unsheathed my sword and took my shield while assuming an attack stance, waiting for one of them to try something - I'm weak, and I need to get stronger, and an undead race made of wood like the timberwolves sounds like the best option for training, what do you say?

At that moment, two wolves lunged at me with the full intention of devouring me. Seeing them close to me, I smiled and said:

-Alex: I'll take that as a yes

I began to spin rapidly on my axis with my sword drawn and my arm extended to execute a spinning attack that many of you will already know where I got the inspiration for, with that attack I managed to destroy the heads of both wolves without any problems, their bodies fell inert to the ground, shattering into pieces. After that move, I switched to a defensive position as the timberwolves began to surround me. I couldn't take my eyes off the wolves because at any moment one could leap at me and bite me or use its foul breath to neutralize me, but I was ready for anything, well, except for what would happen next...

A FEW MINUTES OF INTENSE FIGHTING LATER (in other words, a free human dragging session later)

I found myself with somewhat tattered clothes, marked with claw marks, covered in dirt, and with a bit of timberwolf breath smell (imagine everything I had to go through in these last few minutes). My breath was ragged because the wolves didn't give me a moment's rest, but that didn't make me let my guard down.

I found myself in front of a large forest wolf, which was the same size as that giant bear that crushed me not long ago; for those who don't know, forest wolves have the ability to merge their bodies with wood remnants to reconstruct their bodies or become even larger, and after destroying them so many times, let's just say the wolves started to get serious.

-Alex: Phew... phew... heh... that was a... great training session, guys... phew... but it's getting a bit late and tomorrow I have to help repair the village, so I'll see you all next time-

I didn't get to finish my sentence when that timberwolf attacked me with its claw. I quickly dodged, reflexively stepping back, but it tried to attack me again with its other claw. I blocked it with my shield, but due to my lack of physical strength, it made me drop it, causing it to roll out of my reach.

-Alex: Hey! I told you it was- Wow!

Once again, I was attacked by the giant timberwolf. This time it tried to bite me, but I tried to stop it using my sword. The wolf took it in its mouth and swallowed it in one bite, leaving me with nothing to defend myself. I began to think about how to get out of this situation, but the only thing that came to mind was flying. However, with its size, it would catch me in a second, and I couldn't return to the village if that thing decided to follow me... I was lost in my thoughts until the beast snapped me out of them, knocking me down and leaving me on the ground, face up, before placing its enormous paw over my entire body, preventing me from moving; I had no strength left, so I definitely couldn't get it off me or even escape. The wolf began to slowly bring its open jaws closer to me to devour me. Seeing that, I started to shake and struggle, trying to free myself, but I couldn't move even a little. In the end, I just closed my eyes, trying not to feel too much pain when that thing bit me... but strangely, the seconds passed and I felt nothing. But the strangest thing came next...

(Third-person narration)

The giant timberwolf removed its paw from the human and spat his sword back at him, which he quickly grabbed to defend himself, but suddenly a very strange voice began to echo in his head, coming from the timberwolves.

-Timberwolves: (As we imagined, both species are weak, living based on comfort... when given a choice, they avoid effort and become increasingly weaker...)

-Alex: Based on comfort? What does that mean? Wait, who is talking to me?

-Timberwolves: (You don't even deserve to be our food, go back to your village and don't return until you are stronger...)

That wolf turned around and began to retreat, but the human was not satisfied with such words; he had come to fight to become stronger, and in the end, they only repeated that he was weak. So he threw a stone to get his attention, and when that wolf turned to look at him, he could see how the human drove that sword into the ground and cracked his knuckles.

-Alex: You say I'm weak? And who decided that? - I said, imitating Escanor's voice -

OKAY NO

-Alex: You say I'm weak? Well, you're right, I am very weak... recently I could do nothing but watch as someone dear to me was taken away because of it... I beg you! I don't plan to return until I'm strong enough to save my loved ones, please! -in his voice, a tone of fear could be heard because he was almost devoured, but also a tone of determination was noticeable in his speech and gaze-

The wolf noticed his gaze and showed him a smile, growled and barked while maintaining that expression, it seemed to want to say something to him but the human no longer understood. Then he thought about touching his sword again, and thanks to that, he began to hear that voice once more.

-Timberwolves: (You have attitude, kid, but your body can't take it anymore... go rest...)

-Alex: What? No, I'm not leaving the way I came!

-ALTRESMIL: Actually you won't leave the same way you came, you'll leave all battered.

-Timberwolves: (Maybe tonight wasn't what you expected, but if you really want to leave with something then remember these words... The true beginning starts when you reach your limit...)

-Alex: "The real beginning starts when you reach your limit"?

-Timberwolves: (Now you are just like the rest of the ponies, but if you stop living without making an effort, one day you will become strong...)

(Narration by Alex)

Those words from the wolves really motivated me, as well as made me reflect on many things in my life.

-Timberwolves: (If you still want to save your people, come back tomorrow... but don't do it unless you are willing to die to achieve your goal...)

A dense green smoke began to envelop that wolf, it was his breath, until nothing of him could be seen. After a few seconds, the gas dissipated and the timberwolf was no longer there. At that moment, I thought many things: the first of all was "no way, I almost died," the second was "how did they do that disappearing thing with their breath? I want to learn," and the third... "Thank you."

I picked up my sword and shield from the ground and stored them away to fly back to the village. I was tired and wounded, but also very excited because tomorrow would be the day. It may sound crazy, but I was dying to fight like that again, and also... I wanted to be stronger, to protect Twi- I mean, all the ponies equally.

After arriving home, I collapsed dead on my makeshift bed, and the rest of my week was very similar to what I experienced that night; during the days of that week, I helped repair the village along with the royal guards, and in the process, I learned about construction, as well as made friends with many ponies; and at night, I went to train with the forest wolves. On many occasions during my battles, I was on the verge of dying, whether from fatigue or from the wolves themselves, but I didn't give up; I kept pushing myself to achieve my goal. It should be noted that the timberwolves, my new masters, decided when I should fight and when I should stop. No matter how much I wanted to continue or stop, they were the ones in charge. Sometimes I stayed up very late, but without a doubt, I felt like I was getting stronger. Finally, that very special day arrived, the day when the village was completely repaired and the night when...

IN THE FOREST

I had defeated all the timberwolves with just my fists, my feet, and my wings, in short, without my weapons; as the wolves regenerated, they looked at me without a scratch and with almost all my strength, so they smiled at me, which to me meant they wanted to tell me something, so I touched the hilt of my sword which was on my back, still sheathed.

-Timberwolves: (The little pup who entered our forest without knowing how to hunt, has now become a true alpha wolf worthy of leading...)

-Alex: Thank you guys, I don't deserve your praise, you are the ones who made me who I am now.

-Timberwolves: (You are already worthy of wielding our ex leader...)

-Alex: "To wield"?

That reminded me that my sword had been made from the remains of a timberwolf, I would have never imagined it was the leader of the pack; but it also made me think... "ex-leader?"...

-Alex: So he used to be her alpha wolf? - I drew my sword and showed it to them -

-Timberwolves: (That's right... I used to...)

-Alex: But if it's no longer him (for obvious reasons) then who...

Upon asking that question, the wolves bowed to me. At first, I didn't understand why, but then I realized that by defeating their leader, I had also become their alpha. So all this time, they hadn't been training me to be a good hero, but to be a worthy alpha (no wonder they let me live the first night). I raised my sword towards the sky, pointing at the full moon, making it enveloped in its lunar rays. The wolves began to howl fiercely at the sky, and so did I; I started howling along with them because I was now their leader. After that kind of ceremony, the wolves disappeared deep into the forest, and I flew back home very happily howling, without a doubt it had been a week of madness, but it had also been the best week of my life.

(Third-person narration)

And so that week of recovery ended, both physical and mental for the ponies and the human; as well as structural for the town itself, it seemed that from that moment on everything would get better... one couldn't be more wrong...

Chapter 11: Shadows of the Past

(Narration by Alex)

Everything begins on a beautiful morning in the town of Ponyville, more specifically in a little house on a cloud floating in the sky of the lovely town (we are picking up again where the last chapter left off, summarizing for those who don't remember: I had learned about structures and finished building my house, after that I went to the market day to get the necessary furniture to live, as well as meeting Zecora, becoming friends with my arch-nemesis Drex, and helping him defend himself from his former companions).

IN THE CLOUD HOUSE

I, just like my pet-slash-companion Trueno, was languidly resting in my bed; yesterday had been quite a long day for me. Sadly, the sleep didn't last long; barely at 7:00 a.m. an alarm clock started ringing, making me get up very reluctantly. I turned off that annoying alarm clock, got dressed in my usual clothes (that includes my wooden sword and shield), and left home to head to my job scaring off pests at Sweet Apple Acres.

During the journey to the farm, I was able to see several ponies, some of them greeted me from the ground while others just looked away (there are still ponies in the village that don't accept me, I don't know if it's because I'm different or for another reason, but that's how things are). After about a minute, I reached my destination.

Once I arrived at the farm, I started to scare away various pests, among them were the recurring fruit bats, a type of grasshopper (I mean the insect, not the crustacean) but bigger that ate the apple tree leaves, among other smaller pests like apple tree termites, fruit caterpillars, among others; as far as I understand, the apples from the Apple family are free of pesticides, insecticides, and any other chemical products, but don't you think these are too many pests? (Although, the apples from the farm are a delicacy worthy of Celestia). I didn't know it at the time, but it turns out that the farm only gets infested with pests during certain seasons of the year, when the apples grow tastier and the apple trees are more nourished. The rest of the year, you still have to deal with pests, but not as many—just the occasional bat looking for a snack or something like that, small things. Luckily and unfortunately, I had to work as an exterminator right in the middle of pest season.

After several hours of scaring away all kinds of pests, it was lunchtime, a common hour to rest for both us and the pests (yes, during that hour we let the bats have some fruit, since they also eat grasshoppers, termites, and almost all pests in the "insect" category, except for the twitermites, but we don't have to worry about those, they only come during zapapple season); today it was Applejack's turn to prepare lunch. The rest of the Apple family and I waited eagerly at the table; after Big Mac, Applejack is the best cook on the farm, and her apple rolls are the glory wrapped in dough.

-Alex: I hope Applejack makes her apple rolls.

-Applebloom: I hope so, my sister makes the best rolls in Equestria.

-Big Mac: Eeyup

While I waited for the food, I decided to observe the apple orchard. You could see how several fruit bats would stick their heads into the holes in the trees and come out with their mouths full of worms, while others would take an apple and offer it to another, something like a male bringing a gift to his female; it was a touching scene that made me think that bats weren't so different from us, too bad we have to fight over the apples.

-Grandma Smith: It's a beautiful view, don't you think, Alex? - she asked me, looking at the same landscape as I was -

-Alex: Yes, it's beautiful... Why do we fight with bats if we can share the apples? They and us are not so different, we could get along well, besides I see that they help us with other pests.

-Grandma Smith: That way of thinking seems very familiar to me - without being able to remember who it reminded me of - but let me explain to you

Grandma Smith began to tell me how a member of the Apple family also wanted to ally with the fruit bats and work together to take care of the family orchard, but when he tried, not everything went as expected.

-Grandma Smith: Every certain season of the year, a very special plague arises among our apple trees: "the devourers." They are like worms but much smaller. These devourers eat the entire tree from the inside and kill it without us noticing. Luckily for us, fruit bats eat them very easily; for them, the devourers are a much more delicious delicacy than our apples.

-Alex: So why don't we let them live in the orchards?

-Grandma Smith: Because the devourers don't live long; they leave their eggs deep in the roots of the apple trees and even the bats can't eat them from there, and since the devourers only live during this time of year, it would be a problem to have the bats in the orchard without food. So, if we let the bats roam freely, they would end up eating all the apples, and without apples, they would eventually look for other types of food until they finally leave us with nothing, that's why we call them a plague...

I was astonished to hear all that, at first glance the fruit bats seem like fruits with wings and faces, but they are capable of wiping out the entire pony race slowly and discreetly (this really makes you think, doesn't it?). Thinking that the fate of the ponies is in my hands, if I let the pests do whatever they want, everyone could eventually die of hunger.

-ALTRESMIL: Then Equestria is doomed.

-Grandma Smith: Although of course not everything is as bad as it sounds.

At that moment, I fell backward off my seat in a very comical anime style.

-Grandma Smith: As you can see, we give them an hour a day to let them eat some of our apples so they can feed themselves, take care of their families, and want to come back to the farm, this way we maintain a balance.

-Alex: (Balance... heh, I've heard that before) So that's why they don't use pesticides on the trees?

-Big Mac: Yes and no, we don't use chemicals in our crops because they ruin the sweet taste of the apples.

-Applebloom: That's why we hired pest control.

-Alex: Had they done it before?

-Applebloom: Many times, but they all left after a few days, you are the one who has stayed the longest.

-Alex: Wow, hehe, thanks

-Grandma Smith: Just don't let that fame go to your head.

-Alex: I'll do what I can

I'm still a kid, I promise nothing.

-Applejack: Winona! Drop that! -it was heard from the barn-

After that shout, a dog with light brown fur and a red collar ran out with a cowboy hat in its mouth while the farm pony, better known as my boss, tried to follow it but couldn't because she was carrying a tray with apple rolls in her saddlebags.

-Applejack: How many times have I told you not to play with my hat!

Winona kept playing and running around with Applejack's hat in her mouth, at first I didn't pay much attention, I thought: "She's just bothering her owner a little, no problem with-... but when I turned to look at Applejack, I noticed her eyes were glassy, almost about to cry, I didn't know at that moment but that hat means a lot to her. Without thinking any further, I got up from my seat and flew towards Winona. She jumped to avoid being caught, which she succeeded in doing, but as soon as I touched the ground again, I started circling her, hoping to take the hat.

Seeing me try to take Winona's hat, Applejack went and left that tray of food on the table and came to try to help me. Meanwhile at the table, Big Mac was looking at the food while moistening his lips with his tongue, trying to grab one with his hoof, but Granny Smith gave him a tap with her hoof as if to say, "Wait for the others."

That pet was surrounded by Applejack and me, it had nowhere to go. We jumped towards her to catch her, but Winona jumped high, avoiding us and causing us to collide with each other. When she descended, she stepped on my head and ran towards the apple orchard. We didn't hesitate much and went after her. Meanwhile, at the table, Big Mac could be seen being scolded again for trying to eat an apple roll, but what no one noticed was that little Applebloom was already discreetly eating one (I don't even know how she managed to do it).

BACK IN THE PURSUIT

-Applejack: Winona, come back here!

-Alex: Winona!

We had been chasing her for a few minutes since we entered the apple orchard, Applejack was following her, running as fast as her hooves would allow while I flew beside her. I tried to speed up and catch Winona, but she kept running faster.

-Alex: (What the hell do they feed this dog, how the hell can it run so fast?)

-Reader: You need to exercise more.

But after a while, it stopped in a flat, round area where there were no trees, only around the edges; there was nothing else but a monument in the shape of an apple wearing a cowboy hat, it really looked very funny, an apple with a hat (there was no grass, just some weeds).

Applejack approached the monument where that pet was sitting, wagging its tail with the hat in its mouth. She snatched the hat off in one go, shook it to remove the saliva, and put it on, all without taking her eyes off the monument with a melancholic expression. It didn't take long for her to also sit in front of that monument and start sobbing.

-Alex: Applejack? Are you okay? - I started to approach, and when I was by her side, I managed to see an inscription on that monument, it said: "Here lie Bright Mac and Pear Butter, rest in peace... we will miss them." That last part seemed to be written with a pencil, unlike the rest which was engraved in the same stone; now I understood Applejack's sadness, this is not a monument... it's a grave... - Applejack... - I sat next to her and hugged her, I didn't know who Bright Mac or Pear Butter were, but if it makes her this sad, they must have been important people to her -

-Applejack: They... are my parents... *snif*

-Alex: Your parents? - that made me feel very bad for her -

-Applejack: Bright Mac and Pear Butter... they are my parents... they died in a big accident that happened here on the farm... they-

At that moment, she was silenced by a finger on her lips, that had been me. If anyone understands how horrible it is to grow up without parents, it's me. And judging by her tone of voice and the way she said things, I deduced that she wanted to tell me how it happened, but I didn't want to reopen old wounds.

-Alex: You don't need to tell me, I understand -I looked into her eyes, those lovely emerald eyes she has, she looked at me too and threw herself at me to hug me while crying loudly, in that place they couldn't hear her cry so she decided to let it all out; I hugged her and tried to comfort her with a few pats on her back. Winona just stood there, observing that stone statue. I don't know if it was just a coincidence that it brought us here, or if something called her -

A FEW MINUTES LATER

Applejack had calmed down a bit, we were eating a couple of apples that I had picked to cheer her up (besides, I was hungry). She was still determined to tell me how everything had happened, so after she tried to recount it again, I didn't stop her. I thought that if she wanted to tell me, it was because she needed to.

-Applejack: It all happened many years ago, a few weeks after my little sister was born. My brother and I were in the orchard with our father, Bright Mac, practicing apple harvesting. Back then, we couldn't knock down as many apples as Dad... still, we gave our best effort every day, Mom watched us from a distance, cheering us on with little baby Applebloom in her hooves...

-Alex: (I'm sure he would be proud if he saw you now... Dad... what would you think of me if you saw me now?)

-Applejack: One day, when my brother, dad, and I went to pick apples, mom stayed at home with my little sister; we have no idea how or why, but it happened... the barn was on fire and mom was on the second floor with my sister, as soon as we saw the fire, we ran to the barn worried. Upon arrival, we saw that the door had been blocked by pieces of wood that had fallen inside due to the fire. Mom peeked out of a window, and Dad got agitated upon seeing her so scared. He was in such a hurry that he kicked down the door with his hooves. Dad ordered my brother Big Mac to get us away, but I tried to follow him. I was immediately stopped by my brother who took me far away while Dad went in for Mom. As soon as my brother let me go at a certain distance, I ran back to the barn, but when I got there... everything exploded... the barn was torn apart in a huge explosion, surely caused by the apple cider we had stored in the basement, although we are not sure yet; I was pushed by the shockwave of that explosion so I didn't suffer any harm... but... my parents...

-Alex: Applejack... - upon hearing that last part, I decided to hug her to comfort her - but then, how did Applebloom survive?

-Applejack: That's what I was getting at... *snif* after everything burned down, we found my parents under a pile of wood with many stakes driven through their bodies, however, my sister was unharmed because they protected her with their bodies. When we found them, they were still alive, very injured but alive. Sadly, their injuries were too severe, and we couldn't get them to the hospital in time... before they died, they entrusted Applebloom to us, whom I take care of with great care, and also, Dad gave me his hat - with his hoof, he took off his hat and placed it on that grave - it had burned and was in tatters, but over time I repaired it, it's the only thing I have left from my parents... some time after the accident, we built the new barn where it is located now, far from this place since the land was ruined and we could no longer plant anything else. After that day, we decided never to store cider in the barn again.

-Alex: That's why they prepare it every now and then.

-Applejack: Yes...

After that, silence filled the air, only the faint sounds of birds singing in the surroundings could be heard, until...

-Applejack: Alex...

-Alex: Yes?

The farm pony began to pounce on me while slowly closing her eyes, I had no idea what she wanted to do at that moment (although now I understand)... once the mare was close to me... she pushed me, making me fall backward onto the ground with her on top of me (it's not what you think, perverts). I looked at her somewhat surprised, but before I could say anything, a lavender-colored magical energy bolt passed near us, hitting the cowgirl's hat. If it hadn't been for her, it would have hit us.

-Applejack: That was close (I'll hit whoever ruined this for me)

...Or maybe it was what they thought, perverts 7w7

-Alex: Applejack, your hat!

-Applejack: Don't worry, I can fix it, are you okay?

-Alex: Yes, thanks to you, where could that have come from?

-Applejack: Judging by the trajectory, I would say it's from Froggy Bottom Bog.

-Alex: Swamp Froggybottom? But then... oh no... Twilight!

As soon as I remembered what was happening in the mentioned swamp, I stood up and took flight towards that swamp very worried, considering that Twilight wouldn't shoot, and even less miss, a bolt of that kind, I quickly assumed I was in danger...

IT WILL CONTINUE...

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... darkness... all there is is... darkness... shadows... screams... In the darkness, a pair of bright green eyes could be distinguished, constantly closing, like when you have a headache and close your eyes trying to make it hurt less.

-¿?: Very well, we've caught the traitor. Now what, are you going to execute him?

-¿?: No! I don't plan to execute my own son... Ahhh my head!

-¿?: You have a heart of glass just like your mother Kris, you'll never be able to kill the human and conquer both worlds.

-Kris: I don't want to conquer anything or kill anyone, you're the one who wants to force me to do that! I just want peace for my children.

-¿?: And do you think you'll have it by letting that disgusting race live? Have you already forgotten who sealed us here?

-Kris: That's all in the past now, besides, you were the one who brought it on yourself.

-¿?: What an ungrateful son...

The eyes in the darkness closed tightly, his head was killing him, you could hear him scream in pain.

-¿?: I just want to help you give your children a peaceful world to live in...

-Kris: No! STOP! Ahhh!

-¿?: But you leave me no choice, if you don't take control of Equestria and the human world, then I will.

The screams stopped being heard... darkness... all that was there was... darkness... shadows... and... blood-red eyes shining in the darkness... an evil laugh was heard in a sign of victory... after that... nothing...