File: mayor_mare__by_aquaticvib(...).png (1.77 MB, 3072x3072)

1.77 MB PNG

While the thread were on vacation, AWF put the next part up!
From https://ponepaste.org/11514#95 to https://ponepaste.org/11514#213

File: 3658337.png (13 KB, 800x600)

13 KB PNG

Aplmaid!

File: 711620.png (493 KB, 1200x1200)

493 KB PNG

>>42831836
>fresh green
thanks awf

File: 11327657981357651.png (5 KB, 518x455)

5 KB PNG

>>42832011
The shortest maids can tackle the biggest of messes

>>42831836
>>42832023

Sure did! There's more where that came from, too! I'll do a bit of light editing and drop both updates in this thread, so they're preserved.

File: 117457943523488.png (272 KB, 639x790)

272 KB PNG

>>42832027
Might need a stepstool.

> The walk was wet, and cold, and miserable. Exactly as she remembered it, except that this time they weren't looking over their shoulders, expecting an attack at every moment.
> They also weren't rushing so fast that people were falling behind. It was an orderly, almost stately, trip and they knew the way. She'd been on the same path several times, so this time she could estimate how much was left.
> If only the persistent slow drizzle wouldn't keep finding ways through her cloak. If the thick, cloying mud wouldn't tug at her hooves. If she had something better to eat than the occasional spruce tip or a few blades of brown grass.
> Still, the feeling of relief and triumph was keeping her warm, despite Janus' heavy cart tied to the crude harness around her barrel. She'd won and Darga had given in! Both Salki and Darkhan had spoken in favor of Thistle's suggestion to escape into Equestria. For a while it looked like Intor would argue against, despite what Willow had promised, but even she agreed once she'd heard the others.
> Harder to believe was that Saule seemed mostly ambivalent with the idea, although her opinion didn't matter as much as the others. She did not yet have quite the same clout as the older two women.
> It was decided and Thistle almost couldn't believe it. The tribe would camp near the place where the worlds touched. In a few weeks it would be the fall equinox, at least as far as Thistle could determine simply by observing each sunrise and sunset.
> Then her hardship in this cruel land would be over, and she would get to see her friends and family once more. She would get to enjoy the modern Equestrian conveniences!
> Even better, she would be able to introduce those same pleasures to the nomads. Doubtless they would thank her once they saw what she could offer!
> She glanced at Janus, who was plodding on beside her and keeping an eye on his most precious possessions. He'd entrusted her with his best anvil and the selection of his favorite tools. His apprentices had harnessed a few of the donkeys to move the ore, and the ingots, and the half-finished lumps of metal.
> That was another small victory! Janus had some of the younger men build makeshift wagons. They were crude and laughable, and they broke down every day, but some of the other nomads, Thistle couldn't help noticing, were surreptitiously watching this new invention. They'd seen this before, each time they managed to waylay travellers from the far West, but not until they'd seen other nomads use the invention did the people consider it might be useful.
> Perhaps the difference was that the foreigners' wagons were large and bulky, suitable to live inside, and couldn't move very fast or tackle the rough terrain nomads often travelled.

>>42832123

> The small wagons clearly allowed them to move larger and heavier items than donkeys alone. The beasts complained about the unusual burden, but the young boys drove them expertly with supple leather whips, and the procession moved at a sedate walking pace.
> The people were beginning to see the advantages of embracing change. If only she managed to maintain that momentum in Equestria!
> Janus sensed her looking and turned his head to face her without breaking stride. She gave him a bright smile, which made the man chuckle. "[You are happy, but you look like drowned rat.]"
> It made her laugh, too. 'Rat' was a word from Janus' own, eastern language. It was slightly easier for him to pronounce than the nomad word or the Equestrian word, so he simply used that. She'd adapted, and some of the other nomads had picked up the term, too.
> She wondered which word would ultimately survive. Perhaps Equestrian? Aside from a few individuals, there wasn't much interest in learning her native language, but once they were surrounded by ponies it would become inevitable, and useful.
"I am happy because I am going home!"
> As if in honor of the occasion, she'd started using her language a lot more, especially around Janus and Salki. It earned her some confused or displeased looks from the other nomads, but she paid them no mind. One hot shower, she reckoned, and they'd be singing her praises in any language she asked for!
> She was going home!
> Her smile slipped when one of the wheels of her little cart caught on a root, nearly tossing her into the mud. The leather straps of the harness bit into her shoulders and she hissed in annoyance.
> Janus was with her in two steps, but he walked right past and went to fuss over his precious cargo. That was much more important even than her. She stuck her tongue out after him and took a few careful steps back.
> She was used to the maneuver by now. Back a little, left two steps, then forward again. Nine times out of ten the cart would come free and she could continue on her way.
> The forest really wasn't the best place for this, but there wasn't any choice. The contents of that wooden box were the clan's most valuable belongings.
> In a way, it was a mark of honor that Janus had decided to trust her with it. Yeah, that was how she could see it! It wasn't a chore, it was an important responsibility.
> Once she'd freed the single-axle wagon she waited for the blacksmith to finish his inspection. He came back past her and patted her side. "[Good,]" he told her.
"What?!"
> "[Good!]" he spoke louder, thinking she might not have heard in all the noise of the people walking through the wet, muddy forest.
"I can't understand you," she repeated, carefully lowering her face to hide her mischievous smile under her hood.

>>42832128

> Janus caught on quickly and groaned. "I say good! You done good! Cart is good. Go!"
> As if to mock-punish her for recalcitrance, he smacked his hand on her rump. A quick and hard open-palmed hit, making her squeak in surprise and indignation. It got her moving, though, out of sheer pony reflex.
> "I thinking," Janus said in his broken Equestrian, "after- later- Bah!" he gave up and switched to a slightly more familiar language: "[After done walk, you and me, we are even. No more owe for knife."
"[Are you sure?]"
> She held her breath. She'd promised herself she would labor until the full price of the dagger was paid off, and only later realized she had no real concept of how much that would be, or even how much her work was worth. She'd been silently hoping Janus would say something.
> Now that it was happening, she nearly said the opposite, out of some twisted desire to be appreciated, to be considered honorable and fair. She bit her tongue and told herself to accept the verdict.
> "[Yes. You have help me a lot. I make many arrow and knife, and thing for Darkhan-]" he said the name of the instrument in his own language, since the people didn't yet have a word for it. It was like a curved knife with two handles, and could be used to strip fur from leather, which made it a lot easier to work with.
"[I know. Okay, thank you. I liked helping you!]"
> She could say that, now that the monotonous and backbreaking work was over. Carrying water, charcoal, or ore. Pumping bellows until her eyes watered and her fur singed. Making food for the blacksmith, and taking his products to people in the camp.
> They didn't have a system of payment, and the tools were distributed based on need, but more often than not the people expressed their gratitude by sending Janus a bit of dried meat, or a small bag of salt, or some yams.
> Many times those were the exact ingredients she later cooked for him in a stew, and Janus had never begrudged her a small taste before she added the meat.
> She would find a way to repay the favor, somehow. In fact, an idea occurred to her.
"[Janus? When we get to Equestria, I will introduce you to pony blacksmiths. They will teach you how to do new things. A new kind of metal!]"
> "[Yes?]" he asked, mildly intrigued. "[I will learn new things, yes. It will make the clan more powerful. We will have best weapons than all!]"
> His enthusiastic statement got her to chuckle again.
"[You won't need weapons in Equestria. Well-]" she paused in though. "[You might, if you stay in the forest. If you move closer to pony village, you will be safe. I promise.]"

>>42832129

> The man gave her a dubious nod, not completely convinced, but not willing to insist. He could read her conviction just as she could his. She would be proven right, and then he would admit his mistake.
"[How much further today?]" she asked.
> There wasn't a lot of land left between them and the special place. She thought some of the nearby, forested hills looked familiar, and by sheer reckoning she knew they weren't far off. More importantly, none of the scouts Salki had sent ahead had come running back with news about the hole to Equestria, which meant they hadn't missed it.
> She was *fairly* sure they hadn't, based on the lengths of the day and night, but it was good to have confirmation.
> Janus looked around, and tried to estimate the position of the sun behind the clouds. "[Some further,]" he said. "[You can pull cart okay?]"
"[I'm fine. Give me a drink of water, please.]"
> He unslung the water skin from his shoulder and she stopped so he could pour some of the warm, stale liquid into her mouth. It wasn't the freshest, but it served its purpose. At the same time, she lifted her tail and relaxed the other end of the same process.
> Janus glanced over at the splashing sound, but didn't comment on it. It wasn't like it would make the mud any worse, and there weren't a whole lot of nomads walking behind them. The donkeys certainly wouldn't mind.
> Once she was done, both with her bladder and her thirst, she nudged Janus' hand away with her nose and began pulling the cart once again. That first step was the hardest, to get it unstuck, then it became routine again.
> Boring, repetitive, dull. Routine.
> Another trickle of cold water wormed its way between her hood and trickled down her shoulder and foreleg. Thistle ignored it, already dreaming of stretching out in front of a hot fire that night. Perhaps she would get Rangi to spoon her from behind, and her entire body could get warm.
> Besides, the work kept her from feeling the chill too much.
> She soon began to smile again.

> ~~~~

> The air of the nomads' new camp felt like it was charged. This was their second winter in the mountains, and this time the people knew what to expect. Several of the more inventive families had pitched their tents against or around thick thee trunks. Someone was even building a small sitting platform in the branches of a big oak tree - a rarity in the largely coniferous forest.
> Most importantly, word had gone out that they were waiting for some magic to happen. Rumors abounded and some of them shocked even Thistle with their ingenuity.
> The current favorite was that more ponies like Thistle would appear and give them new gifts, even better than bread and archery, with which the Borchi-Quin would then retake their lands and drive out the pesky Ulan-Zuk.

>>42832130

> Some others said the same thing, except it wouldn't be ponies. Instead, it would be Janus' old people, the mighty blacksmiths.
> Among the younger nomads, especially children, one popular belief was that Thistle would perform some feat of magic which would remove winter from the land forever, and they would be able to play in the constant summer.
> There was some truth in what the people whispered to one another. More than one of the myths claimed that the people would travel, by some magical means, to a richer land. A few of those said they would go to the West, where the villages were rich and ripe for plunder, and where no one really knew how to fight.
> Another, whispered quietly and more fearfully, was that Salki and Darga were taking the entire clan into the spirit world, to live with their ancestors. That one had actually gotten Thistle to roll her eyes in exasperation.
> She had tried to tell people the truth, and one of the wild theories was indeed the right one - that they would go and live in the land of the ponies - but even with her patient explanations there were some scary variations. A few of the hunters were convinced they would *plunder* Equestria and bring back more ponies to serve like slaves.
> Some of the older women said the ponies would, in turn, enslave *them*.
> Thistle really didn't like either of those, not least because they reminded people that she was, technically, a slave, even if one with extra privileges. Her recent servitude to Janus, which had been very public due to his work around the forge, had revived that sort of talk.
> Her best hope was that a stroll through the wonders and dangers of Everfree, and the sight of flying ponies and some unicorn magic would shut those people up. The majestic structure of Canterlot, visible from most of the western Equestria, would surely help, too.
> If all that failed, meeting Celestia ought to cement the obvious pony superiority in the nomads' minds.
> Having Intor and Darga face off against the Royal Sisters promised to be quite the spectacle. In a way, Thistle was both fearing it and looking forward to it. Talk about powerful, overbearing personalities!
> In a good way, of course, for Celestia and Luna!
> She couldn't help the sudden bubble of excitement as she thought about her home land, and her hooves started a small prance all on their own, even as she walked through the mud of the camp. The fact that her steps landed with wet thuds didn't dampen her spirit.
> Everything was covered in sticky sludge this time of year, it was either get used to it, or go mad.

>>42832134

> She made it to the clearing, which had been kept clear of tents by the simple expedient of posting a few of the younger hunters there as guards. They served a dual purpose; to watch for the opening in the air, and to keep other nomads away.
> Thistle wasn't sure what would happen to a person if they happened to be standing where the way opened, but the sheer cut on the dead logs and the rocks told a particularly grim story.
> It wouldn't be a lot longer, not now. She'd been observing sunsets and sunrises, and she was convinced they were about equally far apart.
> The anticipation was making her giddy. If her guess about the equinox was correct - and she was *sure* it was - then the opening would happen at noon, the same as it had that spring. Erlan and Izzet had been very sure about it.
> That meant that Thistle spent every evening with the watchers, and most days she managed to scrounge up a few treats for them. This time she had freshly-baked bread, courtesy of Mitra, and a few strips of dried meat, grudgingly donated from Salki's personal stash by Saule.
> The young men lounging around the empty space spotted her and one of them - Yasin - raised his hand. He was easy to identify at a distance thanks to his unfortunate birthmark.
"[Hi. It is almost time!]" she announced.
> The goodies were bundled in a leather sack, draped across her back. By now, everyone was used to her little midday ritual and they helped themselves. There was a bit of grumbling as the men snatched the sack from each other and rummaged in it for food, but these things usually resolved themselves.
> Thistle was aware that the hunters had some kind of a pecking order, with Willow right at the top, and Erlan somewhere at the bottom. Age had something to do with it, but it wasn't everything. As best she could understand, daring - or rather *foolhardiness* - during hunts played a major role, as did luck.
> Skills with weapons probably also figured in there somewhere, but those seemed to hold less value than she would have expected.
> Whatever the hierarchy, she'd brought enough snacks for all three nomads and they soon had their hands full. She sat on a dry log, next to Yasin.
"[Anything change today?]"
> He shook his head. "[No. Izzet said it would happen when the sun is behind those trees,]" he explained and pointed with a piece of dry meat. Its sharp aroma entered Thistle's nose and she blew air out to clear it.
"[I think he is right. I guess we will see soon.]"
> The sun wasn't quite there yet, but it wouldn't be long.

>>42832135

> She examined the scars on the vegetation, and the clean slice through one of the rocks, and wondered if she would feel something. It would have been right for her to sense that her home was near, but the pragmatist she'd become said there likely wouldn't be anything.
> After all, she hadn't felt any real loss when she'd been brought through the first time.
> "[What do you think we will find on the other side?]" Erlan, sitting opposite the small clearing from her, asked.
"[If it opens to the same place, and I think it does, we will go into a forest. A scary one, full of beasts and dangerous plants. You will have to make sure the people stay together and don't touch anything. I will guide you out of the forest.]"
> They looked eager to try their hunting skills against said monsters. She saw how Yasin was gripping his spear, and how Erlan had surreptitiously touched his belt where he kept his knife.
"[We will not fight any of them!]" she said sharply. "[People would die if you tried to fight these beasts. We will move quickly and quietly on the shortest path out of the forest, understand?]"
> The two younger hunters looked a little crestfallen, and she thought Bulat, who was crouching off to one side, seemed relieved. Perhaps he was the only one among these who was thinking clearly.
"[You'll obey me, or I will tell Willow. If any of you try to do something stupid, like hunt a dangerous beast, and you lead it back to the people, it won't end well for you!]"
> That threat seemed to work, and some of the eagerness went out of the two wool-headed youth. Thistle nodded to herself in satisfaction.
> "[What is after the forest?]" Bulat asked.
"[We will go and make our camp in a field I know. It will be close to a farm - a place where ponies grow food in the ground. Like the farms we have seen in the West. I will make sure we have enough food for everyone.]"
> Yasin grinned fiercely and lifted his spear a little. "[If they do not give it to us, we will go and take it!]"
"[We will not!]" she retorted in a heated voice. "[Ponies will do the right thing, you can count on it! I will make sure. There will be no fighting!]"
> "[Okay. Where will we hunt?]" Bulat asked. "[If your people make farms, they have captured animals, like we have seen. There is no hunting those, we can simply pick and slaughter, like the donkeys.]"
> That was a more problematic topic, and Thistle was hoping she wouldn't have to deal with it for a while yet. It would come as a cultural shock, but she was sure once everyone had experienced the peace and prosperity of Equestria, they wouldn't insist on the violence of hunting animals.

>>42832136

> If not- Thistle bit her lip as she imagined Fluttershy's reaction. That one was quiet, but she had a lot of authority, what with her status, and her Equestria-famous sanctuary. She could be *fierce* when it was important to her.
"[You may not need to hunt anymore,]" Thistle said.
> She saw the skeptical look on Bulat, and the disappointment on the others, and quickly added:
"[If you want to hunt, there are places in Equestria which are dangerous and full of wild animals. Maybe we will find a way.]"
> "[Like this forest you mentioned!]" Erlan said triumphantly. "[It will be close! We will hunt the dangerous animals in the forest.]"
> That could work, she thought. It would serve as a proving ground, maybe even as a kind of sport for the reckless young men. Perhaps they would tame the forest with their fierce strength, or perhaps the forest would subdue them.
> Maybe, if she was really lucky, they would negate each other!
> She glanced at the sky and saw the sun was poking out from behind the pine's branches. She looked at the place in their midst, but there was no change.
"[Erlan, what did the place look like when the way opened?]"
> He followed her gaze, then shrugged. "[It is not today,]" he said, with disappointment. "[There is a shimmer in the air, like when it is hot in summer. There is a breeze, warm and dry. You will see it.]"
> The mare slid from the tree and stood up. She went to fetch the empty sack and swung it across her back again.
"[Maybe tomorrow,]" she said.
> The men murmured agreement, and she left them to their watch.

> ~~~~

> Of course it had to happen right when she was indisposed! She'd wandered out to where the camp people had dug their latrines. The whole business took no more than a few minutes, and yet right in that time she heard someone shouting in the camp for her. It was a woman, but the urgency could mean only one thing.
> It shouldn't have been the time! Surely the sun couldn't be in its zenith *yet*, could it? Maybe she was just bad at judging its height?
"[Damn it, I thought I had time!]"
> She shuffled her hooves in a hurry to get it over with. A moment of strain, then she was galloping for the camp, not even looking back. It didn't matter, not if they were moving!
> She ran into Aina, who was the one shouting her name. "[Hurry! Zaur said to get you! It's happening!]"
> Thistle didn't need to ask what. She knew Zaur was one of the hunters watching the clearing. His squeeze must have been visiting him, or perhaps she'd taken some food to the man. The two had been pretty much inseparable lately.
"[Good. Find Salki and Darga. Tell them the people need to go. Now! There isn't much time!]"

>>42832139

> According to Erlan and Izzet's story, she had estimated the way would only stay open for a few hours, and everyone had to pass through in that time. She knew the Chieftain had ordered for the camp to be ready, but they'd been waiting for over a week and it was too easy to become complacent.
"[Tell them if people can't pack everything, they are to leave it behind. We can't risk splitting the clan!]"
> She barely waited for Aina to acknowledge the instructions before she ran for the clearing. Even if the nomads didn't make it, *she* was going home.
> The thought struck her and nearly made her stumble.
> She was going home today.
> That realization slowed her down to a canter and she looked through the sparse trees at the distant plains. Rainy Day was still out there, somewhere.
"I'll come back for you," she promised quietly.
> Her time for reflection ended when she arrived at the bustle. Following Aina's urgent shouting, a lot of people had gathered around the clearing and they were staring at the join between the two worlds. A hot wind was blowing out from the clearing and the forest on the other side was noticeably different from this one. No snow, for one thing, and the trees were mostly deciduous, with big, lush green leaves. The floor was brown dirt, with patches of grass, and the tree trunks were covered in moss.
> Already Erlan was standing in the middle of the passage. By her estimate, he was half in one world and half in the other. Thistle shuddered to think what would happen if the way shut in that instant.
"[Make way! Let me through!]"
> She pushed gently but firmly between people's legs, until she broke through the front line and ended up in the clearing. The air from Equestria was moving into this world and she raised her head to smell.
> It was hot and humid. There was a scent of rot, and of damp mushrooms, and of swamp. She would know it anywhere.
"Everfree Forest!"
> "[Thistle! Come, walk through with me!]" Erlan said, laughing. "[Come, it's easy!]"
> To prove his point, the young hunter hopped forward and he was entirely in Equestria. Then he jumped back, as if skipping over a rope. The line between the two realities was clearly visible where packed mud met the darker, untouched ground of the forest.
> Some of the more adventurous nomads were moving closer, and the hunters who had been watching the clearing were near enough to the boundary to touch it. She spotted Zaur and Aibek, but neither looked in her direction, so amazed were they by the phenomenon they were seeing.

>>42832143

> Heart hammering wildly, Thistle walked gingerly forward until her nose was almost touching the invisible layer of the portal itself. She glanced around, but couldn't see the edges. There was no glowing circle, nor a line in the air. She only saw how big the opening was because the sky on the other side was different.
> Here, it was a gray mess of clouds, with a hint of the sun's orb above her. On the other side, the sky was blue, with hardly any white cover. Equestria's sun, just barely rising above the trees, was more yellow, she saw. It looked like it would turn into a fine summer day.
> She couldn't see the landscape because the horizon was completely obscured by trees, but even that small glimpse of her homeland tugged at her heart. She wanted to step through and run to Ponyville. Her hoof lifted almost without her conscious control.
> There was some shouting behind her, and she firmly pushed the desire to bolt away. She'd asked the nomads to come, so she had responsibility to see them safe. She lowered her leg, trembling, and glanced back.
> Darga and Salki were both there, staring in a mixture of disbelief and awe. Soon after, Willow arrived with some of his hunters in tow.
> Several of his older men pointed and exclaimed. After all, Willow and a few of the senior men had seen this once before, even if not everyone from that group was still alive. They started talking excitedly among themselves while the Chieftain and his mother approached.
> "[So it is true after all,]" Darga mused.
"[I told you. Willow told you. So did Erlan!]"
> The woman waved the words away, eyes still intent on the forest clearing before them. "[Stories. People lie, and if a lie is repeated enough times it is believed even more strongly. I will step through and see for myself.]"
> Salki reached out a hand as if to stop her, but a sharp glance from the determined, formidable woman stopped him in his tracks. He watched a little anxiously as Darga walked forward and paused just before reaching Erlan. He was looking around at the sky and didn't seem to be paying much attention to the events back in the snowy forest.
> Darga clenched her fists and firmly strode forward. She walked a few paces past the hunter, then slowly turned to take it all in. She ended up facing the collected nomads behind Thistle. "[There is nothing to it. We can simply walk through. Pack everything and come! We will camp on this side for now!]"
> The order was ideally supposed to be Salki's, and Thistle hurried to his side. She tried to give his hand a surreptitious nudge with her muzzle, and when he looked down she hissed:
"[Command them! You're the Chieftain!]"

>>42832145

> He recalled himself and jerked upright. He raised his hand with a spear he'd been clenching and spoke: "[My mother is right! We will pass through into Thistle's world and conquer it! Pack up and move! Move!]"
> This started an outright commotion as the people began to hurry away. A few stayed, faces showing a mix of fear and anger, and it looked like they might argue.
> A new voice sounded from the edge: "[You heard the Chieftain! Let's go! We don't have much time! Anyone who is not ready will be left here!]"
> It was Intor, having been found and informed of the news by Aina, who was standing by her side and staring, wide-eyed at the portal.
> That commanding tone seemed to clinch it. Even the angriest-looking nomads turned and left, albeit slowly and grudgingly. They muttered, and Thistle had no doubt they would complain the whole way, but they were moving.
> She switched her gaze to Salki.
"[Make sure they start going through. We only have maybe two hands-breaths for the sun to travel before the way closes. We should be across as quickly as possible. I will find Rangi and Saule, we'll start packing our tent!]"
> The order had been to only set up the bare minimum number of tents, and not to dig them in too deeply. They were also not supposed to unpack their bags. Thistle felt a guilty pang as she recalled her recent habit of leaving things where she last used them. There would be a lot to pack in a hurry.
> She didn't wait for Salki's response and began galloping back to the main body of the camp. She was already calling for Rangi.

> ~~~~

> They were on the other side! It hadn't gone without a hitch, of course, but aside from a sprained ankle, a few bruises, and a lot of grumbling when things were left behind, all the nomads made it. The injuries would heal soon, and they would get new water bags, or racks for drying meat, or even a tent in one extreme case.
> Thistle stood on the Equestrian side of the hole in space and looked at the snowy forest. Going purely by dead reckoning, the gate had stood open for over three hours already. It was the only guess she could make, because she couldn't tell if the sun had moved any significant distance.
> Something about that made her fearful, but she couldn't quite put her hoof on it. It had surely been *hours*! The morning should have changed to noon by now. The only explanation was that something was badly wrong in Equestria. Maybe Discord had stopped pretending he was good now and had plunged everything into chaos again?
> It would be a strange coincidence for them to return right in the middle of such a disaster, except for the fact that something like it seemed to happen practically every other week lately.

>>42832147

> Thistle kept glancing at the still sun and did her best to ignore her unease. The nomads and the hole to their world were more important right now. Three hours, maybe close to four. Why would that be the time the way remained open? Why would it line up with the equinox on the nomads' side, but not on the Equestrian?
> Whatever the reasons, the time matched Willow's experience when they'd come and snatched her and Rainy Day. The nomads had needed the time to get to the outskirts of Ponyville, grab the two of them, then drag them back to the hole. It must have taken something like three or four hours, at least.
> She wanted to see what would happen when it closed. She'd set Rangi to put up Salki and Saule's tent, gotten Xuan to cook some rice broth without meat, told Willow to keep the young hunters from exploring in the dangerous forest, then sat herself on a relatively dry, mossy stone in the clearing, well away from the line which divided the two worlds.
> The weather on this side was stifling hot. It felt like the middle of summer, and the nomads had quickly discarded their winter clothes. Many hadn't even bothered to put their tents up again.
> They were here! She was home! Everything would be okay.
> She would lead a delegation to Ponyville in a day, after everyone had gotten settled down, she would find the new mayor, and arrange for some land near the town to be given over to the newcomers. Then it would be time for introductions. She would need to send a letter to the Princesses as soon as possible. Maybe Twilight would have a faster way to reach the Royal Sisters.
> They'd have to procure food for the nomads before their stores ran out, and get Salki to agree to some basic rules, especially about hunting.
> Her head spun when she tried to think about all the things which would need organizing! It had been too long since she was in charge of anything this complicated, and it would take all her skill to reach a good outcome for everyone involved.
> For now, she had a few hours of peace while everyone made themselves at home. The camp was secure, and she hadn't heard or smelled any of the dangerous beasts in the Everfree forest. In the morning she would have Willow send out a few scouting groups to make sure, but for now posting men to watch seemed sufficient.
> Her hoof idly scraped moss from the rock in front of her, and she inhaled the rich, green scent deeply. It smelled foreign, somehow more poignant than any of the greenery in the nomads' world. It was the scent of home.
> She'd kept watch on the sky, but with her poor eyesight and the fact that even pegasi avoided the heart of the forest, she hadn't expected to see anypony flying overhead.

>>42832150

> Her gaze returned to the split between the worlds. Air was flowing from Equestria into the other place, so any smells from the snowed forest were lost to her. This suited Thistle fine. She couldn't wait to immerse herself back in Equestria's culture. She missed fried foods, and pies, and coffee.
> Perhaps she would take Salki and whoever was in their entourage to Sugarcube Corner for talks with the new mayor.
> Someone was walking to her and the scent identified Janus before he was close enough for her to bother looking. He came to a stop next to her and laid a careful hand on her back.
> The gesture somehow felt closer, more intimate, now that she wasn't wearing her coat for the first time in months.
> "[What you watching?]" he asked.
"[I am waiting for the way to close. I want to see what it looks like.]"
> He merely grunted in an answer. When he didn't move for long seconds, she glanced at his face. He was staring into the other world, too. "[So this really you-land? Pony world?]"
"[Yes.]"
> "[You say big powerful pony blacksmith. You say I learn new metal. You say you show me.]"
"[I did, and I will. Don't be hasty.]"
> He gave her a blank stare. "[What is 'hasty'?]"
> She couldn't help chuckling at the incredulity of giving an impromptu lesson in the nomad language to a foreigner, while standing deep in the Everfree forest.
"[Hasty means you want to go fast but should not. Don't be hasty is the same as 'be patient'.]"
> "[I understand. I will wait.]"
"[Good.]"
> She returned her gaze to the other landscape. It shouldn't be long now. Janus slid his hand down her back and idly scratched at her fur. It was pleasant. They both watched in silence.
> It happened suddenly, and without fanfare. Thistle almost missed it, engrossed in her thoughts. When she noticed, she jumped up to her hooves, mouth open in shock.
"[It didn't close! It's still there! It changed!]"
> That was all that happened. The forest clearing had been full of mud, now it was covered in snow. It just appeared in an instant! She hurried to the dividing line and stopped a hoof's-breadth away from the barrier.
> The world on the other side looked different, but it was the same clearing. The land looked the same. The mountains, their familiar peaks, were in the right places. All the trees were just as she remembered, identical to before, except for a broken branch or two.
"[What is this?! I don't understand! I thought it would close!]"
> Some of the nearby nomads noticed her standing at the hole and wandered over to see. There was a bit of murmuring, then Thistle turned and pointed a commanding hoof at a young boy.
"[You! Go fetch Erlan and Willow! Run!]"
> The child ran off and the others came closer. "[What is it?]" someone said.

>>42832151

"[The snow! The clearing was mud, now it's covered in snow!]"
> Janus had joined her at the barrier, careful to stay on the Equestrian side. He asked: "[Snow fall?]"
"[No. I didn't see snow falling. It was too quick.]"
> She experimentally reached a hoof and pushed it past the midpoint. It felt the same as always, except, she though, this time the air was blowing from the nomad side into Equestria. It was icy cold. She gingerly took a half-step forward, until her head was through.
> The danger of the situation struck her and she hurriedly pulled back a solid few paces, just to be safe. Maybe it was just a weird thing the portal did before it closed? She didn't want to be sliced in half.
> Some of the hunters came running with Willow at the head. He was asking what had happened even before they stopped. When he saw her, he came over, with Bulat and Buygra in tow.
> She explained, in a few short sentences, and the three stared at the forest clearing in bewilderment. Eventually, Buygra gave a chuckle and jumped through the hole.
"[No! It may close any second! Come back!]" she yelled after him.
> The man ignored her and took a few steps forward. He turned around in a circle, then faced the group on the other side. He was smiling in disbelief and his eyes were wide and full of wonder. "[It is spring!]" he said. "[The sun is up highest, like it was when the way opened, but the winter is ending. You can smell it in the air!]"
> Thistle lifted her nose and inhaled. He was right! The wind carried scents of fresh, young growth, of green things waking up, and of melting snow!
> Something made her uneasy, and she took another step back. Why had the portal changed? What did this mean? How was it spring on the other side?
> Did the way switch to other worlds, ones where the seasons were different? Maybe it touched several, and maybe they were similar to each other. Buygra had said the sun was at its peak. Perhaps another cycle had started and connected Equestria to yet another, different place.
> Would it have nomads, or would even stranger creatures inhabit this new land?
"[Can you see anything?]" she asked. "[Any people? Any things made by people?]"
> Buygra ran to the edge of the clearing for a better look. It was probably safe, she though. Maybe this new connection would remain open for four hours, too?
> After a while, the man shrugged and walked back. His foot struck something and he crouched down to examine it. She watched him dig around in the snow until he lifted a large stone.
"[It's just a rock.]"
> He went back to digging through the snow with his hands, and after a few minutes her mouth went dry. There were more stones, placed in a rough circle.
> It was a fire pit.

>>42832152

> "[This has been abandoned for a long time,]" Buygra determined. "[The stones have dirt on them, and grass was growing from it before the snow covered it.]"
> Perhaps, in this new world, nomads or creatures like them, who used fire, came this way, but moved on. If they hadn't figured out when the way opened, they wouldn't have placed any special significance on this clearing.
"[Come back, Buygra. I don't like this.]"
> She looked up at Willow and said:
"[We should watch this. I want to know if it changes again. If it stays open for the same time, it will change when the sun is-.]"
> Her words faltered when she glimpsed at the sky. The yellow orb was still behind the same cluster of trees.
"[Never mind. How long it was open when we crossed, it will be the same time again. Someone should watch it. I need to go eat something, but I will be back after.]"
> If it really was open for four hours at a time, it would be afternoon when the way closed, or changed again. The sky still looked like morning, though.
> Perhaps he was spooked by her unease, or maybe the chill was getting to him, but Buygra gave up looking at the firepit and hurried back. He was shivering when he rejoined the group, and Thistle sensed that his skin was cold.
"[Let's go and eat something warm,]" she told him. "[Xuan is making broth for me. Come.]"
> The man nodded and began walking away, leaving a few snowy footsteps in the warm mud of the Everfree. She nudged Willow with her nose.
"[Have some men watch the hole, but I don't want anyone to go over. It may change suddenly and leave someone stranded.]"
> He nodded, but kept his eyes on the other clearing. "[I agree. I will watch it myself for a while.]"
"[Thank you.]"
> His hand went to her head and she waited barely long enough for him to give her a pat, then she hurried after Buygra, stomach already growling at the thought of hot food.
> She hardly felt the hunger. The mystery of the endless day was bothering her too much. She wanted to gallop all the way to Ponyville and ask what was happening, but the forest was dangerous for a single earth pony.
> She needed at least a few hunters with her, but they were tired. She remembered that it would be afternoon for them, and the people had been busy packing up and moving, not to mention setting up the camp once again.
> They'd need to rest, at least for a few hours. Maybe sleep. After that she would take some of the strongest warriors and guide them to the town. She was sure they would get some answers there.

>>42832155

Well then, there's some mystery afoot! Any guesses? Discord? Some Twiggle's spell gone awry? Glimglam had a resurgence of evil and messed with time again?

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514

What if ponies are dumb animals and able to learn to talk but not to think? How would society treat them?

>>42832155
>escape into Equestria
Rainy Day rescue mission when?
>hardship in this cruel land would be over
For some. Plus she brings hardship to many ponies who will need to deal with the humans.
>what she could offer
She? She would not do much, instead expect the humans to know/appriciate the things what others will provide. She barely made any "innovations" on Earth. Nor did she act like a politician.
>They were crude and laughable
I bet she has contributed absolutely nothing to making the idea a reality.
>they broke down every day
What broke down in them? These are nothing more than four wheels on a plank of wood. Do they even need four wheels? Two is enough. Makes it more agile and easier to pull on rough terrain.
>If only she managed to maintain that momentum
If only she managed to gave the momentum a year ago.
>his precious cargo
Will they even need it if they get to Equestria?
>single-axle wagon
Umm that's a trailer or a cart. A wagon has two axles.
>It will make the clan more powerful.
I have a feeling that the best thing that could happen to them is if they were split to smaller groups. Like 4-6 people at most.
>I promise
Last time she promised a catapult/trebuchet. Instead she managed to start a war.
>she lifted her tail and relaxed the other end
She embraced how to be a true nomad. Just piss whenever and wherever. Preferably right next to a tent.
>get Rangi to spoon her
Heh.
>belief
At least the people are looking forward to it.
>taking the entire clan into the spirit world
I doubt either is planning a massacrer of their own.
>ponies would, in turn, enslave *them*
I bet a few from the clan will soon end up in jails.
>promised to be quite the spectacle
Especially with the language barrier.
>It is almost time!
Time for what? Mid day snack?
>and don't touch anything
Poison joke shenanigans incoming.

Cont.

>>42832969
>There will be no fighting!
Oh there will be fighting. Just with words.
>Maybe tomorrow
If for some reason it won't open this fall, Thistle will be crushed.
>Damn it, I thought I had time!
Pinch it and finish it in Equestria!
> A moment of strain, then she was galloping for the camp
Heh. According to some research nearly all living lifeforms take on average 12 seconds to defecate, no matter the species.
>We can't risk splitting the clan!
But the last person loosing a leg or something would be funny.
>I'll come back for you
Sequel when?
>Come, it's easy!
What was not easy is surviving for this long.
>Then he jumped back
If there is time to fool around, the people are not moving fast enough.
>turn into a fine summer day
Finally, she won't be cold and will have a proper roof over her head.
>People lie
There is a literal talking horse in front of her. What more proof did she wanted?
>and conquer it
Oh boy, this is how the trouble starts.
>They were on the other side!
Yay, she can relax for a moment!
>should have changed to noon by now
Or she misjudges things as usual.
>She was home!
Well, she is at least in Equestria. In the middle of a dangerous forest.
>Everything would be okay.
Her optimism does not know bounds. Neither does her sadness when proved wrong.
>It smelled foreign
Would be funny if it turns out that the portal opens to different worlds every time. Or at least a few worlds on a cycle.
>It just appeared in an instant!
Hm, so the Equestrian side is always open and time is continuous but the other side skips half a year? Does that mean she aged a year or two in a matter of a few hours of Equestrian time? Does this mean that the blacksmith ponies who were long dead were only went missing a few days/months ago in Equestria? My theory of different worlds every time it opens was wrong it seems.
>What did this mean?
Does it matter now? I mean now now, not does it matter in general.
>Did the way switch to other worlds
Oh maybe I was correct?
>It was a fire pit
If its a different world, at least it has intelligent life of some kind. That means food too, if it comes to that. Did they leave behind anything? Is there signs of those things? She said it seems like the same clearing. Maybe it switches between different timelines? Or just different times? Like now it opened let's say a thousand years back. Maybe the blacksmith ponies were the rescue group for Rainy Day but arrived in the wrong time?
>The yellow orb was still behind the same cluster of trees.
Hm, maybe they are not in Equestria either?
>wanted to gallop all the way to Ponyville
If they are in Equestria, then Ponyville can't be more than two hours of walking away.
>but they were tired
No adrenaline?

Thanks for the update!

File: 1748351734496444.png (95 KB, 706x745)

95 KB PNG

>>42832710
Basically the same.

>>42833454
Cats cant speak.

File: 3655108.png (251 KB, 1054x917)

251 KB PNG

Anon got transported to Equestria and turned into a Anonfilly. Later Earth invaded Equestria and brought back ponies as slaves. Anonfilly was one of them, and she has trouble explaining that she was a human. She even has the birth certificates and everything.
What about a story about Anon's relatives trying to get ownership of Anonfilly?

File: 3713594.jpg (130 KB, 873x963)

130 KB JPG

Office pone!

>>42833877
*picks her up and place her ass on top of the copy machine then press start*

File: 1731164486007374.png (2.24 MB, 2251x2400)

2.24 MB PNG

Winter time arrived, the house poni seeks warm places.

File: 3282489.png (19 KB, 1440x1640)

19 KB PNG

>>42832065

>>42834584
Shes going to be jingling around all December isn't she....

>>42832160
>Twilight's magic experiment causing untold suffering for mehrmehr
You know this isn't that far fetched if you consider EQG canon.

>>42834835
ponies LOVE holidays
ponies LOVE songs
christmas is basically equestrian culture

>nobody is talking about Meyermer making back into Equestria

>>42834950
I'm a few chapters behind

File: pet_her____by_sinrinf_dkj(...).jpg (72 KB, 894x894)

72 KB JPG

Very needy

File: 1762393535894119.jpg (123 KB, 720x566)

123 KB JPG

>>42836366

>>42836366
Must not give in... but her brattiness could deserve some correction

File: 11375265711657657.png (873 KB, 1280x859)

873 KB PNG

>>42836461
The poners demand attention

File: 7383852.jpg (423 KB, 2824x2800)

423 KB JPG

>>42837977
Collar the bats

File: 3625145.jpg (145 KB, 1152x1200)

145 KB JPG

>>42838163

bump

File: 3354565.png (346 KB, 829x784)

346 KB PNG

>>42841279
I am in danger

File: 3486558__suggestive_artis(...).png (3.75 MB, 3695x4436)

3.75 MB PNG

How fast would lawmakers catch up after ponies appear?

>>42841578
20 years, minimum
t. burger

File: IMG_0322.jpg (3.21 MB, 3024x4032)

3.21 MB JPG

Extremely soft pillow

File: 2431431.png (1.3 MB, 1500x2000)

1.3 MB PNG

>>42841905
This is why most states require car seats.

>>42841939
>most states
You mean most countries.

>>42841796
And it has a rhythmic sound generator and self warming.

File: 1223391.gif (87 KB, 800x548)

87 KB GIF

>>42837264

>>42843295
those are some big wings for a tiny pone

>>42843343
When you put your face in her floof she can wrap them all the way around you for maximum hugs

File: 1760810047073421.png (1.01 MB, 2190x3032)

1.01 MB PNG

>>42843941

>>42844435
What will her punishment be?

>>42844435
Banishment from cuddle time for a week. If you can last that long.

>>42844999
Lappony

File: 3713553.png (1.57 MB, 3000x3000)

1.57 MB PNG

Pone doesn't like when you have guests

>>42845126
I like the alternative version of this image more. The one with two yes as an option.

File: 1697751311815528 (1).jpg (275 KB, 1275x1275)

275 KB JPG

>>42845366

>>42846182
>very tiny sun
>rides on your shoulder while you do errands

File: 290573.png (56 KB, 279x282)

56 KB PNG

snugg

File: 3666220.jpg (159 KB, 2048x1941)

159 KB JPG

Poner is not amused by her new chewtoy

>>42847191
Wash your celly

>>42847949
her wings look fluffy

>>42848176
They are extremely soft and very warm.
Pegaponers are the most popular housepet for a reason.

File: 1483042421569.png (154 KB, 700x700)

154 KB PNG

>>42848484

File: sanctuary__commission__by(...).jpg (666 KB, 2400x1800)

666 KB JPG

Ponies helping to unload the car.

>>42849436
So this is why my chair is constantly full of fur!

Whats the equivalent of cat bongos for ponies?

File: 7316409.gif (774 KB, 900x900)

774 KB GIF

>>42850045
Pony is the bongos

>>42832155

> They chose six fighters to go with her. After all, the delegation included both Darga and Salki, both of whom needed protecting. Willow had to come, obviously, otherwise Intor would never have shut up about it. Beyond them, there were Buygra, and Janus, and Darkhan, as the representatives of the clan.
> It was a sizeable delegation, but not an overly large one, or so Thistle hoped. She didn't want to frighten the ponies with an army of nomads marching on the town.
> They set out after they'd slept and eaten, when their inner clocks insisted it was morning. They weren't bearing any gifts, or peace offerings, on Thistle's advice. She only had them bring a bit of food and water for the long trek through the forest. They were, however, wearing their best clothes, despite the summer heat.
> She herself had decided to wear her nice wolf-skin cloak, not so much to impress the townsponies, but to reassure the other nomads that she was taking the solemn occasion seriously enough. To complete the picture, she'd even clipped a spear to her side, ready to hoof. That last part was mostly for protection in the Everfree forest, but it also served the purpose of making her look more official in the nomads' eyes.
> The sun was still frozen in the sky and Thistle was really starting to worry. Something was very badly wrong in Equestria! It almost made her postpone the visit until it was fixed. She didn't like the idea of springing something so controversial and complex as the nomads and their arrival on any of the alicorns during a national emergency.
> Darga wouldn't be kept waiting, however, and the people needed to get out of the Everfree forest as soon as they could. No dangerous beasts had shown up anywhere near the camp yet, even with scouts venturing out significant distance to look, but surely it was only a matter of time. More importantly, their stores of food would run out and hunting in the forest would be exceedingly dangerous this far in.
> The trip out was just as eerily quiet as the camp. They saw no other living being, as if the beasts themselves were scared of the new, tall strangers. Thanks to Hisein's tutelage, Thistle could hold her own in navigating, especially now that she was in her own world. She led the little party. Pride, if nothing else, demanded that she find the way on her own.
> Some nomads with her were expert trackers, which reassured her, as did the fact that the sun was an immovable waypoint in the sky. She kept nervously glancing at it as she scanned the horizon for that all-important landmark.
> It finally came in a small clearing and they could all see it through a break in the treeline. She halted and stared, eyes filling up with tears at the welcome, familiar sight.
> The others stopped around her, followed her gaze, and-

>>42850491

> Reactions were different. Salki gasped in shock, and Darga froze, stunned into motionless silence. Darkhan swore under his breath and Janus exclaimed in delight. Some of the others fell to their knees, and Zaur looked like he was about to be sick. Only Willow was unaffected, having seen this particular sight once before.
> "[How is that possible?]" Darga asked, the first to overcome her shock. "[How did you get it up the mountain?! I have never seen mountains so tall and steep!]"
"[I told you Equestria is full of wonders.]"
> She walked over to Salki and pressed her side to his calf.
"We call it 'Canterlot'," she told him.
> Increasingly she was talking to him, and to Janus, in Equestrian. Perhaps it was the fact she was home, or an effort to accelerate their learning the language.
"I will take you to see it someday. We should keep going. There are monsters in the swamp."
> It took a few nudges and a gentle, surreptitious kick to snap everyone out of it. They began walking again, but she held back to peer at the distant blur. Her eyes couldn't make out detail, but the memory was razor-sharp, like an image captured in a crystal. The parapets, the tiny, dark windows, even the flags and banners flying in the breeze all over the city - it was all there in her mind's eye.
> No wonder it was such an impressive sight to people who hadn't seen anything larger than a stone hut, or - most of them - not even that.
"[When we get to my town, I think only Darga and Salki should go with me. I promise you ponies are not dangerous.]"
> There was no reply to her suggestion, but she attributed that to quiet awe.
>...
> They stopped for the last time on a small hill, overlooking the village. It was away from any of the paths and roads, so they hadn't encountered any ponies yet. Now they could see them, going about their business on the outskirts.
> "[So many colors,]" Darkhan murmured.
> If anything, the nomads seemed even more worried with the sight of the town than they had been when looking at Canterlot in the distance. She thought she understood. After all that time, even *she* was worried about meeting her kin. How would they see her? How would they react to the tall, nearly hairless barbarians among them? To the sight of all that leather, animal fur, and spears?
> For that matter, what would the ponies say about her wolfskin cloak? The thing still had the head attached!
> The others probably weren't worried about *that*, but she saw how tightly they were gripping their spears, and how Salki was standing in a near-crouch, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

>>42850492

> She walked over to him and laid a comforting hoof on his calf. She had to reassure him, but also remind him that he was in a new land and he should be on his best behavior. She chose Equestrian and even translated his name. The added benefit was that his mother wouldn't understand any of the words.
"Relax, Wind. It will go well, I promise."
> For a moment, the unfamiliar sound of his name in her language made him stiffen. His muscles stood out just under his skin, but then he translated the words to himself and looked at her strangely. She'd never called him using the Equestrian word before.
> She gave him a nod, and saw him relax.
> "[Are you sure the three of us will be able to defend ourselves?]" Darga asked.
"[Yes. The ponies will not fight you unless you attack them. Stay calm and do what I do. Don't try to grab, or hit, or spear anyone, and you will not be harmed. Ponies are a friendly bunch.]"
> She was banking on Princess Twilight's friendship lessons to have had time to spread through the community and take deep root. Even so, Ponyville didn't have guards, and the ponies didn't have weapons. There were a few unicorns, and - notably - the Princess, if things got really out of hand with the delegation, but they certainly wouldn't attack the strangers preemptively.
"[Remember that our ways are different.]"
> Darga didn't look convinced, and the others looked relieved they would be staying there. Only Salki seemed impatient to get going. "[I remember how you fight when you are cornered, Thistle,]" Darga said. "[That is why I worry.]"
> The mare stared with incredulity. That had, very nearly, been a compliment!
"[It will be fine. Let's go.]"
> At her words, Salki straightened up and began walking, trying for his most imposing, chieftain-like walk. To her eyes it looked as if he was constipated, but Thistle didn't comment on that and fell in step with the youth. She heard Darga following a few steps behind.
>...
> It was a stroke of luck, but Thistle didn't question it. A few ponies were working their garden behind their house on the town outskirts. No one else was around. This would be a good, gentle introduction for her new friends, and she could send someone ahead with the news to prepare the rest of the townsponies.
> Lilly Valley, Roseluck, and Sweetie Drops. Thistle knew they were friends, but the garden was attached to Roseluck's house. Well, she owned it, but all three flower ponies shared it. Maybe Daisy had moved out and Sweetie had broken up with Lyra and was now living with the other two?
> Even after all that time, Thistle found herself easily falling back into the old, gossipy habit of trying to understand the constantly-shifting relationships of her friends and neighbors.

>>42850499

> Figuring out all the little social changes in Ponyville would have to wait, however, as the three mares became aware of the newcomers and drew closer together, watching the unusual procession with wide, disbelieving eyes. Only the fact that a pony was leading the group kept them from running away in terror, screaming.
> Even so, Thistle saw how tightly they pressed against each other, and the small tremble in Roseluck's hind legs.
"[Walk slowly. Don't threaten,]" she ordered in a whisper.
> A bit louder, she called out to the trio:
"Greetings! It's okay, they are friendly."
> At the sound of her voice, Sweetie Drops took an incredulous step forward and ventured: "M-Mayor?! What are you doing- um- dressed like that?"
> Beside her, Lilly gasped: "Is that a *wolf*?! You're carrying a spear! You all are!"
> For a moment it looked like the three would bolt, so Thistle stopped. The nomads also came to a halt just behind her. A quick glimpse showed that Darga had a white-knuckled grip on her spear, and Salki was clutching his dagger under his cloak. She let out a small growl in her throat and the two relaxed, though they kept an easy hold on their weapons which they had been using as walking sticks on the way over.
"The place I come from is very cold and dangerous. It's either this, or freeze. Oh, but don't worry, the animals there aren't intelligent like the ones in Equestria. It's all right!"
> Having a conversation was helping, even with the strange, imposing presence of the tall barbarians, and the three mares were walking slowly closer. Obviously despite the time which must have passed, they trusted their mayor quite a lot. They stopped, still in a tight group, a few hoofsteps away, staring at the new creatures.
> Suddenly Rose gasped and pointed: "Mayor! Your mane is pink! So short! What happened?!"
> It was bound to come out, and some of the townsponies did know, especially after that dreadful Gabby Gums incident, but Thistle still groaned as the secret came out fully. She hadn't thought of that, and even if she had, there wasn't much she could do about it.
"Yes, yes, it's pink. I dyed it white because it went better with my coat."
> That was not *completely* a lie. She simply omitted the other fact, that a gray mane gave her a certain gravitas in her political dealings.
> "And, um-" Rose went on, her nose wrinkling. All three of them flattened their ears and stepped back. "I'm sorry, but, um- you smell," the mare finished.

>>42850502

> Surprised, Thistle bent her head and inhaled, but her own scent was nothing unusual. Was it possible she had gotten so used to the omnipresent stink of a nomad camp? She hadn't bathed in months, and even then it had been without soap. A strong blush colored her entire muzzle and her ears crept back. She couldn't meet the other's eyes.
"I have been gone a long time," she finally murmured, "and the other world is nowhere near as advanced as Equestria. There are no showers or baths."
> The mares looked at one another, then Sweetie asked: "Uh, what are you talking about, Mayor? What other world? Where were you gone? We talked just the other day, remember? Lyra wants to move her garden and you approved the new zoning. We were both in your office..."
"What!?"
> The bad feeling she's had since they'd crossed over into Equestria flared up strongly, and Thistle glanced at the sun. Was it just her, or had it moved higher up toward noon?
"Uh, Mrs. Roseluck... what day is it?"
> "August twelfth. Mayor, is everything alright?"
"What year?!"
> The three mares took a half-step back at the fierceness of the question. Only after did Thistle realize she'd dug in her hind legs, as if she was about to charge. Behind her leather creaked as the nomads shifted to uncover their weapons.
> "[What is happening?!]" Salki asked urgently. "[Is that yellow one threatening you?]"
"[It's fine. Settle down!]"
> Luckily neither he nor his mother argued, but they kept a close watch on the new ponies and Salki didn't remove his hand from his dagger this time. She didn't tell him off, not with the monumental urgency of her question.
"What year, please?" she repeated.
> "I don't know the number the unicorns use."
"Tell me!"
> It was Sweetie who answered in her stead: "Storm King's attack was last year. Mayor, you know what year it is! What's wrong?"
> Her rump hit the floor. Maybe she'd somehow suspected it, but hadn't allowed her conscious mind to fully grasp the idea.
> Time flowed differently.
> The reason the sun was stuck in the sky in the nomad camp was because the forest messed with time and it was flowing much more slowly than in the rest of Equestria. There was no disaster, no Discord-style chaos. At least not outside the forest.
> She had been gone for years, but in the town only a day had passed.
"[Fuck!]"
> Even in a foreign language, the mares knew it was a bad word, merely from her tone and the feeling with which she'd sworn. They cringed, and Sweetie began to glare. "Mayor, I don't know what you're-"

>>42850505

"No time. I need you to hurry. Find Princess Twilight and have her call Celestia and Luna! There are more nomads with me. We'll need a room where we can talk in private, I guess in the Town Hall. One of you go to the Apple farm. Tell them we will need a wagon and a lot of food. Oh, and a few ponies to pull it!"
> Salki placed a hand on her withers, even if he had to bend down a little to reach. "[What is it? What's wrong?]"
> She shook her head and tried to get her hind hooves under her to stand up again. After a false start she gave up on that and remained sitting. Her mind was racing through the implications. The anomaly meant that if they spent any significant time in Ponyville the camp would feel it as a lot longer. The sun hadn't even moved in the day she'd spent there!
"[I will explain later. We will talk with the leaders, but we have to be quick. Someone will need to go back to the camp and tell them. We'll need to take food to them!]"
> Darga stepped in front of her so she could look at Thistle face to face. "[What are you talking about? Explain!]"
"[I- time is moving differently in the forest! The camp will think we are gone many days, but we will only be here a few hands-breaths of the sun! We have to bring the people out of there, quickly!]"
> The two looked at one another, then Darga took charge: "[Salki, go back to the hill. Send Buygra and two others with news to the camp so they know what is happening!]"
> Unfortunately, the boy shook his head. "[Mother, I am not sure I understand what's happening! How will I explain it to them?]"
> The woman sighed and lifted her spear. "[Then I will go. I think I understand. A little time passes in this pony village, but a lot of time passes in the camp. It is some strange magic. Our people will starve if they do not come out. They will run out of game, and out of edible plants. The supplies will run out. All the while, only a few days may pass here for us.]"
"[That's it exactly! Send people to the camp and bring the rest with us. We're going in.]"
> Once again Thistle was in awe of the ex-Chieftain's quick wit, and she was reminded just how this formidable woman had managed to keep a firm hold on her clan until her son could take over. She watched her walking away, and then break into a gentle jog.
> Hopefully the time discrepancy wasn't too large, and no more than a few days might have passed in the camp. Thistle really wished that.
> She saw the three mares were still staring in dumbfounded surprise at the exchange. "What is that language? How do you know it, Mayor?"
"Never mind that now! Go and find the Princess! Don't forget the food from the farm! Go!"

>>42850511

> At her urging, the three finally turned and cantered away. She'd have preferred a bit more urgency in their step, but at least they were moving. Between the three of them, they would have a better chance of actually finding Twilight.
> In the meantime, it sounded like she was still the Mayor. That meant her decision to use the Town Hall to house the nomads for a while was official. There would be some snacks in there, and some water. She looked at Salki.
"[As soon as the other hunters arrive with your mother, we'll go into the- in the- among the buildings. You did good, but you need to lead by example. The ponies will not attack us. Take your hand away from your knife. We are guests to them!]"
> He stared after the retreating mares. "[You told them to find someone? You said they need to get us food and water?]"
"Yes. Good."
> She realized she was still sitting after the shock and stood on uncertain, wobbly legs. As soon as Darga was back, they would need to move through the town as quickly as possible, to upset as few of the townsponies as they could. She'd forgotten just how grotesque the sight of dead animal fur would be to them.
> For a moment, she considered discarding her wolf cloak and her spear, maybe have one of the hunters carry them for her. Her lips pressed together in determination and she shook her head to her own silent question. No, this was who she had become. The ponies would simply have to get used to it.

>>42850514

Welcome home, I guess? Things are about to get heated in Ponyville. Everyone got their popcorn?

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514

File: 1132767981635461.png (597 KB, 1850x2030)

597 KB PNG

>>42850522
>home at last

>>42850522
>Welcome home, I guess?
I am scared, honestly.

File: su.png (24 KB, 129x122)

24 KB PNG

>>42850522
Shits bout to get weird

File: 113276987651357.gif (2.81 MB, 720x608)

2.81 MB GIF

>the hassenfeld company's conquest of equestria
>2015 colorized

>>42851042
got me thinking about the hassenfeld pony stuff..was there ever more than a small handful of fics with that premise? felt underrealized

>>42850514
>when their inner clocks insisted it was morning
If the sun is still in the same place, they are in trouble.
>long trek through the forest
Is it long? When Willow snatched her, he had about 4 hours in total. So let's say two hours of travel one way and two back. Plus he did not know how long the portal stays open, so we could say he played it safe and he only spent an hour or two in Equestria.
>wear her nice wolf-skin cloak
The ponies will freak out. Does she wear the wolf's head as a cap too?
>sun was still frozen in the sky
Something is definitely wrong.
>alicorns
Oh somehow I forgot that Celestia controls the sun and she could have decided to keep it up.
>familiar sight
Good, so they are indeed in Equestria. It's a relief.
>ponies are not dangerous
Tell that to Starlight or Cozy Glow.
>How would they see her?
With a dead wolf on her back and a spear? Threatening.
>Stay calm and do what I do.
Maybe make them put the weapons down and leave it behind once they exit the forest.
>I remember how you fight when you are cornered
Ah yes. She plans and executes a genocide.
>A few ponies
Ponies!
>Lilly Valley, Roseluck, and Sweetie Drops.
Oh no. Two will faint and one will attack the new monsters. Especially since they won't recognize Thistle as Mayor.
>M-Mayor?!
Oh they do recognize her.
>What are you doing- um- dressed like that?
Ah! My theory was correct and only a few hours or maybe a day or two has passed in Equestria! Else they would have opened with something like how she was missing for more than a year.
>We talked just the other day
I was right! Yay! This mean that the blacksmith ponies were only went missing maybe a few months ago like I said previously. And Rainy Day might die from old age before they can rescue her.
>Mayor, is everything alright?
Seems like Rainy Day will have to wait a year or two.
>I need you to
She sure snapped back to being an authoritative figure quick.
>so they know what is happening
I doubt any of them understood.
>I think I understand
That's a first. I mean that she listened to Thistle immediately without objections.
>She'd forgotten just how grotesque the sight of dead animal fur would be to them
Did she? She was questioning herself a bit about it earlier.
>The ponies would simply have to get used to it.
Strange train of thought.

Thanks for the update!

File: 7386935.png (101 KB, 517x576)

101 KB PNG

>hugg

>>42851560
Cutie.

File: 436432__safe_derpy+hooves(...).gif (27 KB, 400x400)

27 KB GIF

>>42850514
Almost there, i can feel it

File: sniffnoi.png (73 KB, 401x486)

73 KB PNG

She can tell you have treats in your pocket

>>42852351
She would go crazy in a candy store!

>>42852792
Do ponies get used to wearing maid outfits? Or do they feel embarrassed constantly?

>>42852951
They get used to it fairly quickly but the blush stays

>>42853188
When they get used to it, just remove it so they feel naked without it.

>>42856351
No poner deserves such a fate

>>42855457
She still getting used to the whole slave things(like the baths)

File: 11327687321657.png (618 KB, 1577x2000)

618 KB PNG

>>42857450

File: 1227149.png (24 KB, 832x815)

24 KB PNG

Ponny is for carry

File: 2431430.png (1.03 MB, 2493x1400)

1.03 MB PNG

snugs

>>42859154
Do not the filly I just washed her

File: 1764378042162200.png (648 KB, 2085x2188)

648 KB PNG

>internet privileges revoked

File: 1752585855685036.png (125 KB, 1013x1211)

125 KB PNG

https://ponepaste.org/1669
I like this a lot.

File: 1759899664224372.png (13 KB, 1764x66)

13 KB PNG

>>42862153

File: 1725701766678089.png (3.06 MB, 2000x2000)

3.06 MB PNG

Majestic swanhorse

>>42863810
nooo the vacuum monster!

File: twi_caress.png (1.4 MB, 1800x2400)

1.4 MB PNG

Velvety-soft poner cheeks

File: 1734053798457525.png (5 KB, 500x500)

5 KB PNG

>>42860898
You have to monitor their activity. Ponies are very vulnerable to social pressures and group behavior since they're herd animals.

File: 113276579891481.png (3.09 MB, 1536x1536)

3.09 MB PNG

>>42864320

>>42850514

> Roseluck's reaction wasn't unique. Now that she was aware of it, Thistle saw many ponies wrinkle their noses and step back when they met her. Even her aides!
> It made her feel dirty and want to take a bath, but there was no time! As it was, she had her hooves full trying to prevent a panic when the rest of her nomad group showed up near Rose and Lilly's house. A couple of overly-dramatic ponies had ran for their homes, which nearly started a stampede.
> Only by been pure luck did she make it there in time to defuse the situation and reassure her citizens that the newcomers weren't dangerous. Well, at least to ponies.
> On the other side, her guests seemed even more tense and wary than the townsponies. Even Salki, who had been to the far East, hadn't seen buildings that big, or paved streets, or any of the simple, everyday things which Thistle hardly thought about. She'd thought Willow would be taking it better, but despite glimpsing the town from a distance, he and his hunters had never actually entered it when they'd grabbed her and Rainy Day.
> One of the shops had a lighted sign outside, which prompted a barrage of questions from both Salki and Buygra. It wasn't the only such item which sparked lively discussion. Too many times she simply had to say that it was magic, or that she would explain it later.
> Their bewilderment reached a breaking point when she ushered them into the large meeting room in the Town Hall. Per the orders she'd sent ahead, a few pitchers of water were ready on the big table, and several trays of fruit and snacks had been arranged among them.
> She instructed the nomads to sit, but all they did was stand in a tight group, staring at her.
"[What's wrong?]"
> Darga took charge when her son didn't react quickly enough, and stepped forward, fists on her hips. "[We should leave this place! It's dangerous.]"
"[No it's not!]"
> "[Did you see how the ponies were looking at us? They were afraid. People who are afraid will go get weapons. Then one idiot will shoot a bow, or throw a rock...]"
> Her intuition was good, Thistle knew, but not for ponies. If they'd entered a village back in the nomad's world, and gotten a reaction like this, she would be very afraid, too.
"[No one will attack. Most ponies don't even *have* weapons!]"
> "[I don't trust them. I never though there would be so many,]" Darga continued. She walked over to the window, stared at the glass itself in amazement for a few seconds, then peered out. A sizeable group of curious citizens had gathered in front of the Town Hall, and the susurration of their conversation was audible even inside.

>>42867167

> A moment later Buygra joined her, followed shortly by Salki. The other two stared at the opposite wall of the room instead. Thistle followed their gaze and saw the paintings hanging there. She hadn't paid attention to them in *years*!
> Most depicted Equestrian landscape and iconic scenery, from Canterlot, to Las Pegasus, to Cloudsdale. A few showed prominent ponies, both modern and ancient. The nomads carefully approached the former, and Willow reached out a finger to touch the canvas.
"[Don't!]" she nearly yelped as she hurried closer. "[You'll make it dirty!]"
> She strategically placed herself between them and the art.
> "[What is this?]" Willow asked. "[It looks like it is places, but it is here. How can it look like a different place?]" He leaned closer, trying to look behind the painting, and murmured to himself: "[It is not a hole...]"
"[It's complicated. It is many different colors, um, touched on fabric. Please, let's just sit down. We need to talk!]"
> A faint noise caught her attention and she turned to see Buygra tapping at the glass pane with a fingernail. Beside him, Darga had picked up a vase with a flower inside it, and was turning it over in her hands. Before Thistle could say anything, the woman tipped it and splashed a bit of water on the floor.
> She didn't much care about a bit of moisture or a broken vase, so Thistle instead looked at Janus, who seemed to be taking it a little better than the others. He, at least, was used to living in a village, so Ponyville was less of a shock.
> Before Willow could smudge the art, she pushed past him and bumped him back toward the table.
"[Come on. There is food. You should try this food!]"
> That got their attention and the nomads focused on the offerings. "[What is that? Is it safe to eat?]" Willow asked, with faint murmurs of agreement from some of the others.
"[It's good!]"
> To prove it, she hurried over and picked up a slice of apple with her mouth. She bit into it, and her entire body shuddered. It was perhaps the sweetest, juiciest thing she'd eaten in *years*. A little moan escaped her, and some apple juice leaked down her muzzle before she remembered to close her mouth.
"[Fee? If 'oof!]"
> Following her example, Salki picked up a piece of pie and carefully sniffed it. "[What kind of bread is this? It is red inside!]"
> Just seeing it made Thistle's knees weak and she swallowed the half-chewed apple in a hurry.
"[Try it!]"
> She didn't have time to say anything more because she was already stuffing her face with the culinary explosion that was Mrs. Cake's cherry pie. She heard, more than saw, Salki take a small nibble, exclaim, then shove the whole piece in his mouth.

>>42867172

> The others, seeing their expressions, were encouraged to sample some of the laid out dishes. In moments, no one was wondering if the ponies were hostile, or looking at the strangeness of the room. They were busy eating.
> Their table manners were abysmal, but Thistle hadn't expected any and besides, her own conduct left much to be desired. She hadn't realized just how hungry she had been, and how much she'd missed *real* food.
> Her face was smeared with filling and cream, and her tongue felt stiff and numb with the overload of pure flavor.
>...
> That was how Princess Twilight Sparkle found her when she entered the room.
> Her horrified expression gave Thistle a pause, and she reflexively pinned her ears back, but it didn't stop her from pushing that last piece of the tart in her mouth and thoroughly licking her muzzle clean as far as her tongue could reach. She chewed hastily and swallowed too quickly, which got the food nearly stuck on the way down. Only an urgent gulp of water dislodged it.
> She was panting from the effort, but recalled herself enough to hurry around the table to the entrance.
"Princess! I'm glad you're here! Something horrible has happened!"
> "I don't doubt it," Twilight Sparkle said, staring suspiciously at the mare before her. "This isn't possible, Mayor. I saw you just the other day, but now-"
> Her scrutiny went down, then back up. Despite the wolf skin she was still wearing, Thistle felt utterly naked before that alicorn gaze.
> Twilight shook her head in bewilderment, then asked: "What happened to you? You look so thin, but so muscular! And - no offense, Mayor - you smell."
"I know. It's a long story. There's this whole other world. *They* live in it it."
> She pointed a hoof at the nomads, who had stopped eating and were staring at the newcomer. They were still standing at the table, having never seen chairs before.
"It's horrible, and the animals can't talk, and I nearly died! Oh, the way through is in the Everfree forest, and there's something wrong with time, and Rainy Day is still stuck on the other side, so we have to get some ponies together and go rescue her! Please, Princess, you gotta help me!"
> Thistle was faintly aware that she was babbling and that her story was borderline incoherent, but she had *years* worth of trouble to explain in mere seconds, so she let her mouth jump from point to point with no real structure. In moments, Twilight was utterly bewildered and pressed Thistle's mouth closed with a wingtip.
> "Hush. Let's start from the beginning. Come, sit down. Tell your friends to sit down. They can continue eating."

>>42867174

> Someone taking charge! It felt wonderful after the last couple of hours, and Thistle gratefully collapsed into a chair. Per the Princess' instructions, she waved a hoof at the nomads.
"[Please, sit. Like I am. You can continue eating and drinking. I will explain to- uh...]"
> She grasped for a suitable translation, then gave up and simply used the Equestrian word.
"[I will explain to Princess Twilight what has happened! She will help us.]"
> Darga looked skeptical, but even as she approached the pair, the Princess asked: "What is that language? How do you know it? Did I hear my name there in the middle?"
> At the same time, the woman started talking, too: "[Is this one important? We have to speak with your chieftain! We will discuss where our people will live. We must establish a treaty!]"
> Even over her, Willow was pointing at the alicorn and speaking to Salki, loudly enough for Thistle to hear: "[Keep an eye on that one - with the horn. He looks dangerous. You remember what an angry elk can do, and that looks sharper.]"
"[Hush! Please!]" Thistle raised her voice in desperation. "[Darga, we will discuss the treaty once I've explained to the Princess what has happened and who you are! Please, trust me!]"
> The woman didn't look satisfied with the answer, but there was a language barrier. She suddenly got an idea and motioned the others over. "[Salki, come here. You too, Janus. You can both speak the pony language. Listen to what Thistle is saying and tell me. We need to make sure she is not setting a trap for us.]"
> Before Thistle could react, indignantly, Salki came to her defense: "[Mother, that is Thistle! She is with us. We should trust her!]"
> She found herself nodding, but was interrupted by Twilight laying a hoof on her back. "What are they saying? What's going on, Mayor? Is this- is that a *wolf* head?!"
> The explanation and the negotiation would be a long and arduous process, that much was obvious. Thistle shut the murmured conversation between the nomads out of her mind, turned to the Princess, took a deep breath, and began.
"I think it was yesterday morning by your time. I was out jogging, and these- creatures grabbed me. It turns out they come from a different world than ours."
> Those few word were sufficient to take Twilight's mind off the new language and she stared at Thistle with wide, incredulous eyes.
"Well, from my perspective, that was over two years ago, Princess. Time moves differently in the Everfree, and in their world where they took me."
>...
> "So, let's see if I got this," Twilight said, not for the first time. To Thistle's either side, the nomads were getting increasingly bored, even Salki and Janus who could almost follow the conversation. "You were taken by these-"
"Willow, yes. Him," Thistle pointed a hoof.

>>42867176

> Twilight rolled her eyes and repeated: "You were taken during your morning jog, and dragged into a different world, together with Rainy Day. You lived there for over two years and managed to become these people's leader-"
"Actually, Salki is the Chieftain. Well, and his mother still has a lot of say. She's standing just behind him, there."
> "Anyway!" the Princess snapped, "you're important enough to their group so they listen to you. You had to survive in deplorable conditions, you've had a war, and now you've brought them all to Equestria, but there is something wrong with time in the Everfree forest. Does that cover it?"
"Basically, yes. We need to find a place for the nomads to make their camp, and we need to sort out some food. Oh! We also need to send a rescue party for Rainy Day!"
> Twilight glanced over the group standing around Thistle. "Right. They can't feed themselves because - they primarily eat meat. Mayor, I know it's been a long time for you, but ponies *don't* - as a rule - eat meat. We don't have anything to feed them *with*!"
"Vegetables and fruit will do! I thought- maybe. Um-"
> Her ears went flat as she considered the idea with fresh eyes. It was remarkable how quickly she was coming back tot he pony way of thinking, now she was home.
> "Yes?"
"I thought they could hunt in the Everfree forest."
> The idea made the Princess physically rear back, eyes wide and wings shooting up in sheer surprise. "Absolutely not!" she said. "For one, it's incredibly dangerous. For another, we don't do that sort of thing in Equestria!"
"What else can we do? They can live on their stores for a while and they will eat vegetables and fruit."
> Her eyes went to the desolation on the table, where the trays and dishes had been licked clean. A small hint of red entered her muzzle when she remembered that her nomad friends didn't do all of the licking.
"Fruit will work for a while, yes, but they *need* meat. They are omnivores. There are other creatures in Equestria who eat meat! Beasts in the forest, for one!"
> "Yees," Twilight admitted, "but those can't think."
"What about the griffins, and the dragons then?"
> "Those, Mayor, are not in Equestria."
"So we send the nomads there!"
> Twilight, who had finally settled back down, let her head lower in thought. "It may not be easy. You said these people are violent and war-like. We can't just dump them on one of our neighbors!"
> It was obvious, and Thistle had known it. A part of her had, anyway. She was hoping that by speaking it out loud, Twilight would help her find a way past the diplomatic nightmare if they tried something like that with either the dragons or the griffins.
"I know. I'm sorry."

>>42867179

> "In short," the Princess concluded, "you have delivered to us quite a conundrum. There was no way for you to leave them in their own world? It sounds like they were doing quite well for themselves."
"The war has weakened the Borchi-Quin. They have more enemies out there. Princess- some of the people are my friends."
> The other mare gave her a cold, piercing stare. "Mayor, they *foal-napped* you and used you as a slave!"
"I know! I know. It doesn't change that some of them are good people. We became friends."
> "I see."
> A hand touched her withers and Thistle turned her head to Salki. "[We should go back. Darkhan must have returned to the camp by now. We have to wait for them when they come out of the forest. Where will we set up?]"
> His mother jumped in immediately: "[I am not leaving until we have decided on a truce with the pony chieftain! Where is he?!]"
"[Twilight here can speak for the ponies! She's a- a leader among us]"
> To the Princess, she said:
"Do you know when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are getting here? Darga would like to negotiate a truce with the ponies and they're asking for a place to put their camp, at least for a while."
> The alicorn leaned her head to one side and blew air out through her nose. "I have not yet asked the Sisters to come here."
"What?! Why not?"
> "I am not convinced we need them yet. Okay, here is what we'll do. The land just across the stream from the Apple farm is not being used and belongs to the town. Have your friends settle there. It will also make it easier to get them food from the farm. I'll discuss this with Applejack and it will be paid from the town's treasury."
> This was at least some good news, and Thistle quickly translated the gist of it for the nomads. Twilight, however, was not done, and she went on as soon as there was silence: "Furthermore, I need to see this place in the forest where the time doesn't work right. Not that I don't believe you, Mayor - you've obviously experienced a lot longer than the day you were gone. I will need someone to guide me. Once I see what's happening, we'll decide how to rescue Rainy Day."
> Thistle spun around to the others.
"[Some of us need to escort Twilight to the camp. She needs to see how the time is wrong. Janus? Buygra? You know some of the pony language.]"
> "[Agreed,]" Darga said. "[You two will take the horn-pony to the camp and back. Make sure she is safe.]"
> The admonishment to protect Twilight - one of the most powerful mages in the land - nearly made Thistle chuckle, but she kept a lid on it and merely nodded her head.

>>42867182

> Darga continued: "[In the meantime, the rest of us will go and see this place the ponies are giving us to live. Once we know where it is, Willow will go to where we came out of the forest and wait for Darkhan and the others to lead them there. We will discuss what to do next once we are settled.]"
> No one commented on the fact that she was giving orders, pretty much like a Chieftain would do. Even Salki smoothly deferred to his mother's experience and authority.
> The Princess was staring at them expectantly, so Thistle quickly translated what they'd decided. At the mention of the blacksmith and the hunter who would accompany her, Janus said: "Guide pony to people, happy honor. Come!"
> Despite her stern demeanor and annoyance in her voice, Twilight couldn't quite keep a small quirk of her lips at the mangled Equestrian. "Very well, let's go," she said and led the pair out of the room.
> That left Thistle with the three remaining nomads.
"[I will show you where we can camp. Come.]"

>>42867183

Don't worry, Twiggle Spriggle will have this licked, lickety-split!

Seriously though, I anticipate a bit of a culture shock for a lot of people. Ought to be fun!

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514

>>42867185
Twiggle Spriggle will return with bags under her eyes lower than her elbows and grey hairs

>>42867185
Can't wait for Twiggie to btfo Meyermers language skills with magic.

>>42869347
That's a damn smug pone.

>>42869355
She is extremely spoiled.

>>42869355
She is looking at Limey, who got the noble and pure master who doesn't lay a finger on her

File: 7147314.jpg (653 KB, 2000x1660)

653 KB JPG

oops

File: 1744442319943731.jpg (416 KB, 2048x2048)

416 KB JPG

>>42869886
How unfortunate.

>>42838782

File: cuteponederpy.png (754 KB, 1261x1438)

754 KB PNG

Treats received, engage happy dance!

>>42874918
>the fur on the clothing

>>42875212
Ponies shed twice a year: the first six months, and the last six months.
That's why the constant brushing is so important.

File: 1739809103047629.png (28 KB, 235x250)

28 KB PNG

She wants pets

File: 113276857616574.jpg (19 KB, 240x529)

19 KB JPG

>>42875230
By the crate full

File: GpnU8odWQAAk673.jpg (37 KB, 600x600)

37 KB JPG

skritchies

File: 2646327.jpg (396 KB, 2048x1250)

396 KB JPG

Firehorse insists on going walkies even in the winter.

>>42878448
How do pony zoomies look like?

10