finding usefulness

Heartspan shook his head in vigorous opposition to any thing that would go into his stomach.
" No thanks...and as far as what next, we continue on. I want to at least reach the ruins before nightfall and hopefully with enough time to set up camp, then we can explore it during the day. " he remarked seriously " As long as we don't run into anything else like that." he finished with a gesture to the statue " we should be able to hold to that time frame, of course we will have to eat while we travel."

He stood up slowly and gathered his supplies. he was eager to forget the last moments but he found the skirmish and belle's eagerness had only made him more intent on the his destination. His magic needed just a little more time to recharge and so he hoisted the heavy saddle bags onto his back. It had been years and years since he had carried anything manually and he sagged a little under it's weight.

" hahah Celestia be damned, this pack is something else now that i am not lifting with magic " he laughed as he started off rather slowly down the path. " i think i may have to adjust our time frame to lets hope we make it to the ruins before dark and lets take plenty of breaks." he joked.

he took one last look at the statue then as he waited for belle. No it was not a pony of any sort that he knew, and that left it as an unknown in his mind. perhaps one of the forests unnatural denizens. he determined to look it up in the Canterlot library when he returned home. whatever it was other ponies should be made aware of it's danger and if any place would have knowledge of it then Canterlot was that place, he would be sure to donate what he found to Ponyville's little library.

" I am ready when you are miss Belle." he said

Belle let out a short laugh, but covered her mouth immediately, not wanting to attract anymore danger.

"I'm ready." she nodded, starting on down the path. "You comin' or what slow poke?" she called over her shoulder. She trekked through the trees, barely noticing her stinging hooves.

heartspan nodded and started trotting to catch up to her. he could feel his energy returning and though it was like slave labor to carry his bags he found his mood had much improved over what it had been when he first entered the forest. Though he kept quiet for a long time, since he did not want to attract any more of the forests denizens.

After about a half hour or so he felt himself safe enough and ventured to make a little joke.

" So, do many models carry knives about? " he asked innocently " or am i just lucky in finding the only one that does."

he wasn't very good with jokes, but his mood was good and he really couldn't help himself, plus it was so quiet he just wanted to break the silence.

Belle laughed again, "Nah, you're just lucky to find the only one."

She grinned and continued up a long hill, stopping at the top for him to catch up.

"Woah, is that it?" she asked, pointing to a large ruin down the hill and then some.

At the top of the hill Heartspan wiped the sweat from his forehead as he looked out over the tops of the trees to the ruins belle pointed at. Even with the crumbling towers it still looked both ominous and majestic. He sat his bags down and sat for a moment.

" yeah i think it is." he said as he caught his breath. " You thirsty?"

he took out a bottle of water and took a deep drink.

" it won't be long before we reach it." he said casually as he pulled out a sandwich. " we might as well take a break here, and i am tired of lugging these Celestia forsaken bags. I don't know how the earth ponies manage it, i suppose it is something you get used to."

Belle chuckled, taking the bottle after Heartspan finished with it. She took a long sip, enjoying the cool liquid sliding down the back of her throat.

"I could carry some stuff if it's that heavy." Belle offered, digging through the bag and taking out an apple. She took a small bite and grinned at Heartspan.

She gazed out across the land at the beautiful, crumbling building. She could hardly wait to go out there.

heartspan laughed a little

" Well to be honest, once i have something in my stomach i should be able to lift it with magic ...mmm beautiful, beautiful magic." he sighed contentedly.

Then very suddenly he rummaged through his saddle bags pulling out a rather poorly made silk sack. he held the sack toward belle.

" I don't know if you are fond of homemade hard candy, but my sister makes these and they are to die for. she made the sack too, so don't get any idea like i don't know how to make a sack." he teased as he offered the candy. " Personally i don't really like candy and sweets these are the exception. In fact i am hoping to find a lil something i can give her as a gift in those ruins. "

Belle tilted her head, a bit confused as to why he sighed. She shrugged and shook it off.

He randomly held up a sack, offering candy.

"Oh, candy. I haven't had sweets in forever!" she said, happily reaching into the bag and pulling out one of the sweets. She popped it into her mouth, chewing slowly.

"Wow, that's good." she stated, "Here," she pulled something out of her bag, "I nearly forgot, I packed these in case I got hungry while writing." she held out a cinnamon roll to Heartspan.

Heartspan took the offered cinnamon roll politely.
" Thanks." he said kindly.

he ate a small piece as he looked around.

" You know i kind of like it out here, even if it does have it's not so great parts." he said as he thought of their earlier adventure.

Then he turned to belle.
" so, where do you come from?" he asked

Belle nodded, "It is beautiful out here."

"I'm from Manehatten, but I travel all around. I don't really have a permanent home." she explained, taking another candy. "What about you?"

" I am from Canterlot originally, and now Ponyville. Though sometimes i have to travel to find work." he replied as he ate his cinnamon roll

he watched Belle for a moment
" It must be hard not having a permanent home. " he commented

Belle shrugged again, "Not really. I mean, sometimes it's hard not having a place to go home to, you know? But other than that, it's actually fantastic. Nothing tying you down, no one expecting your return or calling you every five minutes. It's great." Belle sighed, taking another bite out of the apple.

"Should we get moving?" she asked.

" Sure." Heartspan replied.
he gathered his things and levitated his bags. He was glad to have the use of his magic again and smiled to himself as he strolled down the long hill.

Belle was an odd one he thought. A model that carried knives and clearly did not like attention focused on herself. She clearly enjoyed adventure, even if it was only in travelling to different towns. Like him she didn't like being tied down and enforced but he imagined they were worlds apart in personality, but at least he was beginning to understand her. Though in his humble thoughts she would make a far better explorer than a model.

he looked at belle and thought that maybe he really didn't understand her so well as he thought.

Belle nodded and followed Heartspan down the trail, dodging rocks popping up into the path.

Heartspan was strange, of course, Belle couldn't really judge. She barely knew anything about him, sans his skill with magic.

"That was a fairly advanced spell you used back there." she pointed out, "where'd you learn that type of magic?"

She hoped to learn about him, perhaps he would be willing to share.

Heartspan looked ahead of himself for a long time. He never really liked to talk about that particular skill, let alone use it in front of other ponies. pressing danger had made it a necessary choice but now she was asking about it and he felt shy and uncomfortable. Of course it was already to late for that and so he chose to answer her.

" Well, you could say it is my special talent. Though the spell itself i learned in magic school. It sort of runs in the family. everyone in my family so far has the ability to change something about their environment more or less. I just happen to have the best talent for change but i had to sacrifice learning just about every other spell to able to do this one properly and if i want it to work i have to practice daily or it doesn't work properly and that is pretty dangerous. " he replied shyly. " so that and telekinesis sums up my magical abilities."

"Oh, wow, that's interesting." Belle said, sensing he didn't like talking about it. She stopped talking for a while, instead focusing on the task at hand. She walked along the path quickly, being careful not to stumble.

"Do you think we're almost there?" she called over her shoulder quietly, "I sure hope we don't run into any more trouble."

She continued down the dirt road, taking in all the scenery around them. She finished the apple and threw the core into the trees, hearing it land on the soft moss.

" yeah we should be pretty close" heartspan replied as they continued walking.

he was glad she had dropped the subject, though he felt bad that she had remained so silent afterwords. he kept walking quietly until at last they emerged from the treeline and out to the little cliff edge that lead to the ruins. Across the short bridge the crumbling towers cast their shadow . Up close it was impressive to the stallion and he took in a small breath in awe of it. Forgetting all about safety and uncomfortable conversations he rushed to the bridge checking to see if it would hold their weight.

Belle stopped dead right before the rickety bridge. Ever since she was a little filly, she had been terrified of rope bridges.

"Um," she called nervously to Heartspan, "is there another way besides this bridge?"

She hoped there was, she knew she probably wouldn't be able to cross it. She gazed behind it at the ruins, they were beautiful, in a way. She wanted desperately to get there.

he gazed down at the rickety nearly broken bridge and then at belle.
" Well of course. I can easily levitate you across the chasm." he offered very seriously. " just let me get across so i am not just standing here."

Belle nodded gratefully, "yes, if you could do that I would very much appreciate it." she replied nervously, staring at the bridge again. She blinked and liked away to the sky. It was getting dark, she knew they should be in the ruins before it got too dark.

Heartspan nodded once in understanding before darting across the bridge. The bridge bobbed, and creaked, and shimmied dangerously but heartspan made it across without incident.

" I'm going to start lifting now!" he shouted

then very cautiously and carefully he began to lift belle with his magic. he drifted her carefully across the chasm setting her gently on the ground near him.

" There you go." he said warmly.

Belle squeezed her eyes shut as the magic surrounded her, lifting her into the air. She didn't open them until she felt the ground beneath her feet. She let out the breath she had been holding.

"Thanks." she said to Heartspan when she reopened her eyes. "I-I have a thing with rope bridges."

It happened when she was a little filly, and the bullying was at its worst.

" No need for thanks, Belle." he replied kindly as he walked up to her. " Well, we made it. Shall we go in?"
He looked at the imposing ruins and his eyes lit with excitement. Then without thinking he began trotting toward the ruined entry way.
" Isn't it magnificent?" he asked in wonderment.

Belle gazed up at the beautiful ruins.

"Yeh. It is." she replied, staring in aer at the wondrous, collapsing building.

"So, shall we enter?" she asked, shaking herself out of her trance. She began walking towards the entrance.

Heartspan pushed open the doors with his magic and stood to the side allowing Belle to enter first. Then he too stepped beyond the doors and into the entry hall.

The entry hall was bare save for the alter that had once held the elements of harmony, and covered in the debris that comes with time. Spiderwebs clung to the dark recesses of the oval chamber. The muted oranges and violets of dusk fell through the hole where once the roof had stood proudly. Here and there forest vegetation had begun to reclaim this once grand palace.

Heartspan gasped involuntarily like a foal getting their first taste of candy. In his entire life he had only been overwhelmed with emotion one other time. He let his bags settle on the ground and walked out into the center of the room. He spun in one full circle.
" To think we are standing in the very place that Nightmare moon once roamed." he spoke with wonderment. " She faced down the elements of harmony here."

He suddenly grew a little sad, his tail drooping.
" Of course she was betrayed here too.....what an unforgivable crime." he said sadly.