Title:           Course of History - Chapter 1
Author:          VisiTi
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/h2urALvK
First Edit:      Sunday 21st of September 2014 09:49:44 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Wednesday 8th of October 2014 11:58:55 AM CDT

Chapter 1: The Visitor
 
~~
>Outside of the village, on the forest green, is where old Ichabod made his last scene.
>The night was pitch black, their torches were lit, and all ponies watched him give his mad fit.
>Ichabod had woken them from their sleep, losing the dreams they had wanted to keep.
>”Listen to the trumpets and their loud cry! Watch overhead as the cannonballs  fly!”
>”Nopony is safe for war has been waged! Do not stand by, lest they make us be caged!”
>“Into the forest where all the brave go! Show them our valor, our courage they’ll know!”
>He’s words roused not nor inspired the crowd, their unhappiness made known plain and loud.
>Their anger rose high and words they did shout, as all the town ponies kicked the bloke out.
>Ichabod needed not one bit of help as he went to the woods with one last yelp.
>He ran through the forest quickly with ease, while the noise in his head was his disease.
>No trumpet did cry nor canon flew by, nor war raged on for the ponies to die.
>All was made false, Ichabod did not know. His escape in the night ended his show.
>An unknown calling beat hard on his head: a vision of war and all it had said.
>He turned round a corner, there was his aim, the thing that was waiting only to maim.
>Into the maw of the beauty made beast, he fed it not but a suffering feast.
>And oh Ichabod, he lived not for long. Indeed everypony has their own song.
~~
 
>The figure stood there staring constantly upwards into the sky.
>After twenty minutes of this, Rainbow Dash began to get confused.
>Of course, she had been confused since she first noticed it on the ground.
>She had never seen anything like it: tall, bipedal, donned in a deep black suit and sporting an expressionless, green face.
>As she looked down on the creature from her position in the sky, she had almost forgotten that she had a job to do.
>Being a weather pony was a logical decision, being as natural a flyer as Rainbow Dash was.
>Moving another cloud over a few wingbeats and busting a few excess ones, Dash was just about finished with her workday.
>If anything else came up later, she’d probably be napping by then.
>Besides, there was an entire crew out and about, so they probably didn’t need her anymore.
>Getting ready to speed off, she caught a glimpse of the unmoving thing once more.
>Curiosity got the better of her as she spiraled down towards it.
>She landed a few paces to its side, not wanting to startle whatever it was.
>It stood there, back perfectly straight and arms held behind its back.
>Whatever it was, it was completely still, seemingly not even breathing.
>The green head just looked upwards, staring at the other weather ponies, but due to its lack of an actual face, Dash couldn’t be totally sure.
>Taking the next step, she spoke out to it.
 
>”Umm, what are you?” she asked tentatively.
>Perhaps it was a rude thing to ask, but Dash didn’t think about that.
“Why do you ponies do this?”
>It’s voice was clear and pronounced as its mouth moved, but it did not turn to look at Dash.
>”What’d you say?”
>She had asked it a question and it had not answered her.
“I said, ‘why do you ponies do this’. I was quite clear. I do not understand how you did not hear me.”
>The way this thing spoke reminded Rainbow Dash most closely of Rarity.
>Still, he, as Dash thought it was, did not answer her.
“Perhaps you should get your ears checked.”
>Rainbow Dash was confused by this odd statement.
>Rapidly she shook her head to get her focus back on the conversation and not on the creature’s weirdness.
>”Do what?” she responded, finally answering its question.
“Why do you move the clouds everyday? If you ask me it seems quite hypocritical.”
>”What are you talking about?”
“I’m not sure actually. I believe there was a point I wanted to make but I have forgotten it now, shame.”
>Finally, the being lowered its head from the sky and turned to face Rainbow Dash.
>Dash assumed it was looking at her of course, but once again, it’s hard to tell when the creature before you is faceless.
“Could you by any chance be able to help me?”
>Once again Dash had to shake her head clear.
>Everything about this guy was distracting.
>”Woah woah, hold on. First of all, who are you?” she asked sternly, not looking to be ignored once more.
 
“Oh, I have forgotten to introduce myself. Apologies, it has been a while since I last did this.”
>He took his arms out from behind is back and outstretched them in an attempt at grandeur.
“I am Anonymous.”
>It fell flat.
>”Uhh, hi, Anonymous, I’m Rainbow Dash,” Dash said, her confusion apparent. “What exactly are you?”
>She sized him up once more.
>He most closely resembled a minotaur, but that was a stretch.
>Minotaurs weren’t green and didn’t wear suits.
>Also, they actually had faces.
“I am Anonymous.”
>Dash wanted to hit herself.
>”I caught that part. WHAT are you?”
>Anonymous tilted his head, if he had a face surely it would read as confused.
“I am Anonymous. Are you sure your ears are fine, Miss Dash?”
>Rainbow Dash let out a deep groan, flustered by the sincerity of his response.
>”Ughh, alright, fine. What is it, what do you want?”
“So you have agreed to help me?”
>”Yeah sure, whatever, we’ll see.”
>She just wanted the conversation to be done with so she could get her nap started.
“Very well. I am looking for somepony. She is purple in color.”
>Dash waited for him to continue.
>After ten seconds, she realized he wasn’t going to.
>”Is that all you know? There are like one hundred purple ponies in Ponyville!”
“Perhaps, but the one I am looking for is also royalty.”
>At that, Dash really did hit herself.
>”Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
>This Anonymous character was truly irritating.
 
“I believe the purple part to be a far more prevalent character trait of hers. Do you know of such a mare?”
>Once again Dash groaned.
>”Yeah, I do. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. She lives in the library, okay?” she said quickly, hoping to get away from the oblivious man.
>He nodded in understanding.
“Ah yes, the library, of course.”
>He turned around, but before Rainbow Dash could take one step he turned back.
“I do not know where that is.”
>”Of course you don’t…”
>Dash didn’t want to get roped along for some kind of journey today, but it looked like things weren’t going to go her way.
>”Follow me,” she said, sighing at the end.
“Very well. Lead me to the library where I shall find this ‘Twilight Sparkle’.”
>Rainbow Dash walked past Anonymous’s side, walking down the road to the library.
>Soon this would all be over with and Rainbow Dash could get that nap she so wanted.
“If you would be so kind, where is it that I seem to have found myself?”
>This question really boggled Dash’s mind.
>”How do you not even know the name of the town you’re in? Did you just fall out of the sky this morning?” she said sarcastically.
>Needless to say her sarcasm went over Anonymous’s head.
“I can assure you no such settlement existed last time I was here.”
>”What?”
>Rainbow Dash stopped in her tracks and Anonymous did the same.
“Please do tell me the name of this town.”
 
>”Woah woah woah. Hold on. What did you say?”
>Anonymous looked at her the only way he could: blankly.
“Please do tell me th-”
>”No no no! Before that! About this place not being here.”
“Oh, that was the statement you were referring to. As I said, this town is entirely new to me.”
>She had to be missing something; there was no way this guy really meant exactly what he had said.
>It must of been one of his weird euphemisms.
>Yeah, that was it.
“And no, I did not fall out of the sky.”
>Rainbow Dash was happy to hear something logical for once.
“I do not know how I appeared here.”
>Dash looked at this stranger, mouth agape.
“So, the name of this town then, please?”
>His question didn’t register as Dash just stared at him.
“Miss Dash, please. You’ll catch flies.”
>Slowly, her mouth closed and she turned around again.
>”Ponyville. You’re in Ponyville.”
“Thank you.”
>And with that, she continued to lead him to the library.
>If anypony could make sense of this guy, it would be Twilight.
>Continuing with the walk, Dash and her new ‘friend’ were attracting quite a few staring eyes.
>Dash almost lost her temper before she remembered it wasn’t her they were gaping at.
>She huffed and walked faster, not liking the negative attention she was receiving due to the oddball behind her.
“These ponies are a curious group.”
>”I don’t think that’s the right word for it,” Dash said in reply.
 
>”So, you see just fine then?” she said, turning her head back to talk.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
>”Well, you don’t have any eyes,” Dash said matter-of-factly.
“Of course I have eyes. They are right here on my face.”
>Anonymous stopped walking and pointed at his blank face.
>Lifting herself into the air, Dash got closer to investigate.
>Upon investigation, Dash couldn’t make out anything distinguishable from the rest of his blank face.
>”I don’t see them.”
“That is no concern of mine.”
>Sighing, she dropped to the ground, furled her wings and continued walking.
>”I really don’t understand you, you know that?”
“Most ponies do not so easily gain that privilege.”
>”Yeah, ‘privilege’,” she said with a roll of the eyes.
>After a boring couple of minutes of walking through town, the two finally reached their destination.
>Dash was ecstatic, if only because this meant she could finally take that nap she wanted.
>Walking up next to the front door, Dash extended her hoof and pointed directly at the door, as if to say to Anonymous “get in there”.
>”Well! Here we are, go get ‘em tiger.” she said with renewed liveliness.
“It’s been an honor, Miss Dash.”
>With that, he unexpectedly bowed before Dash as a sign of politeness.
>”Yeah, yeah, of course it has. Anyways, later.”
>Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and began to trot away, relief coming to her immediately.
>She heard the door open behind her, and Anonymous said something she didn’t catch.
>It didn’t matter anymore.
>What a weirdo, she thought to herself.
>His appearance was one thing, but the entire air about him was just bizarre.
 
>Anyways, it wasn’t any of her concern anymore.
“Miss Dash?”
>And just like that, her good mood was spoiled.
>”Yes?” she asked in a drawn out manner.
“Miss Sparkle does not appear to be home.”
>That was just her luck, she thought.
>Her nap was going to have to wait.
>”Not home? How do you know?” she said whilst trotting briskly to the door.
“This small dragon told me so.”
>There at the door was Spike, looking inquisitively at the figure that towered over him.
>”Hey Spike,” Dash said casually, “we’re looking for Twilight. Where can we find her?”
>”Hi Rainbow Dash. So, who’s your friend here?” the dragon replied, obviously confused by the green man’s presence at his doorstep.
>”Oh him? Just ignore him. Now where’s Twilight?”
>”She went shopping about ten minutes ago, sorry.”
“It appears that we have just missed her. We should go to the place of shopping immediately.”
>”Can’t you just, stay here and wait for her?” Dash almost asked beggingly.
“No. I must find her as soon as possible.”
>”Why are you looking for her?” Spike asked the stranger.
>This was something Rainbow Dash had not asked Anonymous yet, and she was actually quite interested by now.
>After all, for all she knew, she was leading an assassin straight to her best friend.
“I do not.”
>The letdown of an answer did not come as a surprise to Rainbow Dash as she almost expected it by now.
>”What do you mean you don’t know? Why are you looking for her then?” Spike asked, obviously new to the way Anonymous answered questions.
 
“I am looking for her because it is what I must do. Once I find her I shall know more.”
>”That… doesn’t make any sense. You’re really weird, y’know that?” Spike said in response.
“Yes I am quite the spectacle. If you wish you may have my autograph.”
>A moment of silence passed.
“That was sarcasm.”
>”Alright then! Thank you Spike for that information, Anon and I will be on our way now!” Rainbow Dash said hurriedly, looking to get moving along once again.
“‘Anon’? That is not my name. My name is Anony-”
>With a tug of the arm, Dash pulled Anon away from the door and down another street.
“Have you already forgotten my name?”
>”No you doof. Anon is just easier to say is all.” she said, still dragging him along.
“Anon. Hmm… I have never had that nickname bestowed upon me before.”
>”You’re welcome,” Dash said jokingly.
>As the two moved quickly into a more populated part of town, the attention they were receiving multiplied substantially.
>Some ponies stared in complete confusion at the sight before them, others moved to the side of the street, and a select few squeamish ponies left the area entirely.
>It was almost as if the sea of ponies parted for the two when they reached the town marketplace.
>Rainbow Dash was guiding him to a specific apple cart in the area, hoping that maybe Applejack had seen Twilight.
>The two approached the stall where the orange pony was stationed.
>At the sight of her friend, Applejack began to wave happily, only stopping when she saw the thing behind Dash.
 
>”Hey AJ,” Dash said as she propped her hooves up on the stand.
>”Dash,” Applejack said, a tip of the hat accompanying her words. “What can I do for you and your friend here?”
>”We’re looking for Twilight. You seen her?” Dash responded plain and simple.
>This day had really dragged on for long enough.
“Yes, actually. She came to me a while ago askin’ if I’d heard any ‘marketplace gossip’.”
>Rainbow Dash found that odd, if not annoying that they’d once again missed Twilight.
>”Gossip? Why would Twilight want to hear about gossip?” Dash questioned.
>”That’s what I asked! I said, ‘Twi, I’m the element of honesty, not gossip! If you want any of that, go see Rarity’. And then she left.”
“Honesty?”
>At the comment, the two ponies turned their attention towards Anonymous.
>Dash figured he must not know what the Elements of Harmony are.
>”Yeah, Anon. AJ and I are embodiments of these things called the-”
“Elements of Harmony.”
>She was wrong.
>Anonymous put his hand up to his chin in an inquisitive manner.
>”Interesting. Oh how the times do change. Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, is she also a bearer of an Element?”
>”Yeah, good guess,” Dash said, surprised that Anon new what the Elements were.
>”This is very fascinating to me. Now I am most curious about what importance this Twilight serves. We must find her immediately.”
>”I’m doing my best here, alright?” Dash stated. Turning back to AJ, she asked “Twilight went to Rarity’s, right?”
>”Yup. She should be there right now I suppose.” Applejack responded.
>”Thanks.”
 
>And with that, the unlikely duo were off once again, walking the streets of Ponyville to reach their destination.
>It seemed to Dash that the more the day dragged on and on, the more questions she had about Anonymous.
>Meaning more answers she’d probably never get.
>Rarity’s boutique wasn’t terribly far away, but it left enough time for Dash to make small talk.
>”So, you knew about the elements?”
“That is a statement of fact. Why would you phrase it as a question?”
>Suddenly, Dash remembered why talking to Anon was such a chore.
>”What I mean is, how do you know about them?”
>Anonymous remained silent for time, pondering over how to answer this question.
>It was only polite to answer ponies when they asked you things after all.
“Last time I heard mention of the Elements, they were in different hooves.”
>”Whose hooves?” Dash questioned?
“Princess Celestia.”
>This statement surprised Rainbow Dash.
>She vaguely remembered Twilight mentioning this before, but she had likely  forgotten.
“Does that name still hold meaning for you ponies? It’s so very hard to tell.”
>”Yeah, Celestia’s our Princess and Twilight’s teacher.”
“This information never ceases to be interesting. These connections… so very curious.”
>”Uhh… what are you talking about exactly?”
“Nothing to trouble yourself over, I assure you.”
>”You’re not some kind of foreigner, are you?” Dash asked, hoping to make sense of Anonymous’s ramblings.
>He thought it over for a bit.
“In a way, yes.”
>It was a typical answer.
>Rainbow Dash didn’t expect to hear much else.
 
>At last, the two reached where Twilight had to be.
>Dash sighed in relief at the sight of Carousel Boutique in front of her.
>Walking up to the front door, she knocked loudly on it twice.
>After a few moments, the doors opened up to reveal Rarity.
>”Well, hello Rainbow Dash, what a surprise. My oh my. Who’s your friend here?” Rarity said, taking great notice to Anon’s presence.
>”Rarity, please tell me Twilight is here,” Dash groaned.
>If she had to go looking one more time, somepony was going to get hurt.
>”Yes actually, she is. Why do you ask?”
>Rainbow Dash’s face lit up in victory.
>”Finally!” she shouted out.
>Swooping behind Anon, she began pushing him through the door and into the boutique, much to Rarity’s surprise.
>There, sitting in a chair in the main room, cup of tea in hoof, was Princess Twilight Sparkle.
>”Rainbow Dash? what are you-” Twilight began to say after she heard Dash’s voice.
>However, once she looked over to the door, she saw only a green figure being pushed into the room.
>Once Dash had pushed him into the center of the room, she slumped over from the exertion.
>Twilight got up from her seat and walked over the man standing before her.
>He was unlike anything she had ever seen or read of before.
>”Hello,” Twilight said cautiously to the stranger, “what’s your name?”
“Greetings Twilight Sparkle, I am glad to finally meet you.”
>Giving a repeat arm-spreading gesture, Anonymous declared his name to Twilight.
 
>It was not met without some ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ from Twilight as she looked at this new creature.
>Dash sighed from her position on the ground.
>After closing her door, Rarity rejoined the group.
>”Rainbow Dash, please do explain what’s on.” Rarity asked, perplexed by the presence of Anonymous.
>”Fine,” Dash replied indignantly as she got up from the floor.
“This is Anonymous, I met him today and he said he was looking for you Twilight,” she explained
>”Really?” Twilight questioned.
>”Yeah, so we went all over town just trying to find ya! But here we are now, mission accomplished.”
>With that, Dash was done explaining the situation to the girls.
>Twilight turned her attention back to Anon.
>”Why were you looking for me?”
>He stood there, looking down with his empty face staring at Twilight as the seconds ticked by.
>Twilight grew slightly nervous as time passed.
>Rarity was still confused by this stranger, if not impressed by his formal attire.
>Dash just wanted a nap.
>And finally, Anonymous straightened out his back, fixed his tie, and broke the silence.
“I don’t know.”
>Rainbow Dash groaned and fell back down.
>”I’m sorry?” Twilight asked.
>Maybe she misheard him.
“I don’t know. Are ear infections contagious?”
>”What?” Twilight said, confused by the irrelevant question.
“You see, I was hoping the reason would come to me. It always does. However, this time it seems to have escaped me. My apologies.”
>”Are you kidding me?” Dash complained from the floor.
>”We did all that for nothing?”
 
“No. Tell me Miss Sparkle, what are you doing here seeking rumors?”
>”Rumors? Twilight, is that really what you came here for?” Rarity said from her position in the circle the four had formed.
>Twilight was embarrassed at this.
>Surely she wouldn’t normally be doing something like this.
>”Well… would you be mad if I said yes?”
>”Twilight! A lady does not gossip!” Rarity stated proudly, swinging her mane to the side.
>After a few moments however, the urge to talk overcame her.
>”But sharing information is another matter. What did you want to know?”
>Twilight looked at Anonymous and Rainbow Dash, and that decided whatever she was going to ask didn’t necessarily need to be done in private.
>”It’s about Turbine.” Twilight asked solemnly.
>Dash’s ears perked at this.
>”Oooh, that’s an interesting topic.” Rarity replied, ready to say everything she knew.
“Excuse me, but what is this Turbine?”
>”He’s a weather pony,” spoke Dash as she once again got up from the floor.
>”Or, was a weather pony. Two days ago he vanished, and no pony knows what happened to him.”
>Of course this was something Dash knew, she was Turbine’s supervisor.
>He hadn’t shown up to work in the past two days, and that’s when the rumors started.
>Dash looked from Anonymous over to Twilight.
>”Why would you ask about him?” she asked.
>”Because, Dash. Disappearances are not just an ordinary occurrence. I wanted to look into the matter and figured somepony might have heard something about it,” Twilight responded coolly.
>”Well Twilight, you certainly were right!” Rarity said, excited for the ‘information sharing’ to start.
 
>”Here, let me get us some tea and somewhere to sit!” and with that, Rarity went around her house, getting a spot set up where they all could talk.
>It took the unicorn only a few minutes to get everything ready, but by the time it was done, she was ready to burst.
>Four chairs were arranged in an open circle, and everyone had a cup of tea, courtesy of Rarity.
>Dash was long past her scheduled nap time, and was now curious about what Rarity knew regarding Turbine.
>After taking a slow sip of tea, Rarity faced the group and began recounting what she knew.
>”We are all aware that two nights ago, Turbine disappeared from Ponyville without a trace. He was a weather pony, and gave no notice that he would be going anywhere.”
>These were things Dash already knew, after all, she was his squad supervisor.
>Twilight was anxiously writing down notes, trying to get every detail.
>Anonymous drank his tea and waited for a sign.
>”Now, that would be the end of the story, but, word on the street is that somepony else saw him the night he vanished.”
>And with that bit of information, their attention was hooked.
>”You see, Honey Sickle says she saw Turbine staggering through town the night he disappeared. And the place he went?”
>She let the silence drag one, hoping to accentuate the gravity of what she was about to say.
>”The Everfree Forest!”
>These words shocked every pony in the room.
>Twilight found this to be incredibly concerning.
>No pony in their right mind would willingly enter the Everfree.
>”Is that everything, Rarity?” Twilight asked.
>Rarity finished her tea and set her cup down.
 
>”Word on the street is that Turbine’s best friend, Willow Wisp, might know something about the whole thing,” Rarity calmly stated.
>”Thank you, Rarity.”
>Twilight got up from her seat, and took a step towards the exit.
>”What are you planning on doing, Twilight?” Dash questioned, seeking an answer.
>”It’s been two days since Turbine went missing and there’s not a single guard in town. I’m not going to wait for some to be sent out here when I’m perfectly capable of handling this myself!” Twilight said firmly.
>”Come on, Twi. It’s not like it’s your job or anything,” Dash pressed.
>”I am the Princess of Ponyville, meaning it’s my duty to keep my citizens safe, okay?” she retorted, unmoving from her position.
>”Alright, whatever floats your princess-y boat,” Dash said in surrender.
>While this was happening, Anonymous sat in his chair, waiting.
>When Twilight once again moved for the door, he stood up.
“Princess.”
>She turned her head to look back at him.
“If you would so graciously allow me, I’d be honored to accompany you on your investigation.”
>Twilight didn’t know what to do with this strange offer from an even stranger creature.
>She didn’t know him, and this was going to be an important investigation.
>For a moment she considered refusing him, but something came over her.
>He was so unique.
>She decided that not only could she solve the missing case of Turbine, she could also solve the mystery of Anonymous at the same time.
>Kill two birds with one stone.
>With uncertainty, she answered him.
>Come with me and we’ll talk.”
>Anonymous smiled and followed her out the door.