May 27th 2017 Nepal Snow falls gently across the Lukla Airport coating the ground with a soft blanket of white. Though it was a smaller airport, it had a constant flow of tourists thanks to the thrill seekers that looked to climb the worlds highest mountain. On the runway the sound of mechanical whirling fills the mountainside that the airport was nestled into. A twin otter begins their last check to make sure they’re ready for takeoff. Weather conditions seemed to be good, and the twin engine plane took off down the runway. A young man Looked out the window solemnly as they began their ascent. miles of treelines forked up the mountains clouds wisped by their peaks. He traveled alone aside from the charter, aside from their initial greeting neither of the pair spoke more than a few words. The passenger had enough from looking at the mountains, as if they were taunting him with failure. He decided to clear his mind in the back of the plane, shutting all the windows and turning to the solace of music. He had come searching all this way for something only to go home empty handed. He met some stupid monks that just taught him some dumb ways to sit and breath. Nothing they taught him ever seemed to work, but he tried now anyway. sat down in the center of the isle and crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and opened his mouth "Siri, play Rose Golden by Kid Cudi" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFZUOmYpL0 * means song lyrics *Two, three, four *Ohhh-oh-ohh *Oh, since I was young, been grooving to my own drum In the cockpit, the radio began to cut in and out *Ain't that many teachers show me my potential *Felt like a failure, momma said you know better The weather report had no storms sited in the area *Future in my hands, God, she had a plan But the winds only picked up, chuncks of ice from the blizzard pelted the engines *Stronger than I know, soon I'd understand *The power I possess, the story of the Chosen The turbulence shook the entire plane as the left engine failed *Oh, since I was young, been grooving to my own drum In its tailspin the plane frame of the plane splits in two before crashing *Ain't that many teachers show me my potential *Felt like a failure, momma said you know better In the mountains of YakYakistan, a young Yak, finds an earthpony half buried in a snow bank *Future in my hands, God, she had a plan *Stronger than I know, soon I'd understand *The power I possess, the story of The Chosen Though unresponsive he feels a pulse, he ties the earth pony to his sled and begins his journey home *Hmm, hey *Hmm, hey, na-na-na-na-na-nah *The story of The Chosen, Rose Golden 1 August 2, 2018 Perched along the mountainside of the yakyakistan ranges sat a temple made up of all yaks from different backgrounds, all come together by choice in pursuit of self knowledge and discipline. In a side room of the great hall, Swaddled in blankets, an earthpony lays there amongst a sea of pillows, though he was unconscious. The room was lively, the scent of sage and medicinal herbs filled the room with a cleansing odor, meanwhile the foreigner was being tended to by an array of healers, their hooves outstretched above him, all working seamlessly together in a incomprehensable chant. A cool towel placed upon his forehead. The healers ears perk up as they hear a soft jingle, the curtain of beads that separated his medical room from the main hall of the temple opened and a very large yak entered the room. His dark brown mane stretched down below his forehead blocking his eyes yet he seemed to see everything in the room. A large ring hung from his nose, his immense horns were banded in silver and gold. following behind him was a striped stranger to those in the room, he looked at them with striking purple eyes. Immediately all the healers stopped what they were doing, giving a small bow to the pair Though the hair covered his eyes, he took in the room. “Your work is done. Leave us.” Though his words were soft, they held an ominous weight to them, and at once the healers filed out of the room. As they stood over the stallion, he turns to his zebra associate “Tell me, what do you see.” The zebra looks back at him, confused for a moment before looking down at earthpony, observing the stranger. His mane would be a golden coat, if he weren’t so pale, looking more like a dingey yellow. His golden mane fell limp and lifeless against the pillows. “I see an explorer, lost in the mountains who now barely clings to life because of his carelessness.” The only sign of life coming from him was the small rise and fall of his chest as he took hallowed breaths. The wise yak responded unsatisfied with his answer “An explorer that was traveling in a harsh terrain with no supplies and yet no sentry up the mountain reports seeing anyone of his description.” Caught off guard by his response the young zerba knew he was missing something. As time passed without the healers keeping him in stasis, the ponies forehead began to furrow in pain as a crimson hue returned to it. A grunt escapes his unconscious lips as bright tendrils of crimson branched upward from his very core toward the top of his head. The hair it touches standing straight up as it travels along the strands of hair, staining his dull gold mane with streaks of crimson. “Master Bamba, what is this? I’ve never seen an illness like this” Bamba nods slowly, looking down at him “His mind and the body he’s taken are not compatible, look how it tries to escape out through whatever point it can, the way a lightning strike would find the quickest way to the ground.” “I…I see” The zebra looks with a much more concerned face “Is there anything we can do?” Bamba gives one last look to the pony before turning to leave “Come. We will prepare the kurultai ritual for him tonight, it may be his only chance to survive the night.” The pair walk back out through the bead curtains to prepare, as Bamba gives a nod and the healers enter once more. They raise their hooves and resume their chanting, causing the red tendrils begin to retreat back to his forehead. Putting him at ease for the time being.(edited) thinkeyes August 7, 2017 Bamba the elder yak looks upward to the equestrian northern lights, though to the outsider with all locks of hair blocking his eyes maybe he wasn’t appreciating the view as much. From the temple you could see the light greens and wisps of blue dance along the dark purple canvas of the night sky. But enough time had passed and he slowly rose to his hooves. Dressed in a ceremonial white robe, from right to left, a black and gold stripe stitched diagonally across the front. As Bamba entered the ritual room, it was clear that someone would need to change. Four yaks stood in the corners of an ornate stone table clad in the same garb. Sprawled upon this table was the dull gold earthpony. Sage and incense filled the room with a cleansing aroma. A small chime rings out as Throth the zebra enters the room, in his hooves is a small vial filled with a murky white liquid that he takes over to Bambra. Wordlessly they nod and exchange the vial and lower it toward the earthpony. He looks to the four healers surrounding them as they get into position, letting out a low hum from the back of their throats as Bamba pours the contents of the vial into the earthponies mouth, lifting his head to allow him to swallow. The chanting picks up in volume and the ritual begins. The young man moved to the back of the plane, sat down in the center of the isle ,crossing his legs, pressing shuffle on his phone and closed his eyes taking a deep breath. The darkness of his closed mind quickly swirled around him as he began to slip from his consciousness, falling asleep…..In the distance the pilot was calling out for help. That was the first sound to hit his ears “Hello?” He called out, slowly opening his eyes. When he got no response he called out once more. “Hello…hello…hello” “ECHOooooo… ECHooooo…ECHOooooo.” The human looked around the room he was in. It seemed to stretch white endlessly in every single direction. His eyes widen in realization, those Tibetan monks were right, he’d achieved tranquility or some shit like that. He looked around at the nothingness around him…..Now what… He sat puzzled for a while, trying to entertain himself now that he was here. He found no ends to the white plain in front of him. “Oh god, what if I can’t get out of this now.” He starts pacing in circles, his emotions beginning to spiral out of control. Though he can’t tell why, a bitter taste fills his mouth as the panic begin to set in. His mind is filled with feelings of cowardice, and self doubt, an unfinished promise. Above his head the ceiling begins to crack silently, tendrals of red begin to seep into the space like vines in a untended garden.In the temple the earth pony begins to thrash about. Locks of his mane begin to turn a deep blood red crimson. He continues pacing in circles, but now the entire room begins to shake. From below his feet he sees something rising to meet him, he backs up quickly as it rose past him into the heavens. But for a moment he was eye to eye with a four legged figure, he could have sworn he was shining with golden brilliance, there was something in its gaze that caught his eye. It filled him with a sense of hope for a split second, that he had the answers to the questions he sought. As he watched the rest of the mountain rise his head was tilted upward, the peak lost in the clouds. Once it finally stopped and the shaking stopped, he looked forward at the behemoth of stone that lay before him , a wooden gate rose from the ground directly in front of him. He could feel the weight of tendrils pulling down upon his legs as they refused to move forward. “You wish to meet him yes?” A voice cuts through his train of thought. He looks around bewildered for a moment, deciding nervously to answer the phantom voices question “Yes, I need to see him again. But im not strong enough to climb this alone.” He says looking toward the wooden gate, looking past it the terrain of the mountain looked dangerous, jagged with sharp rocks “The path ahead is harsh, your journey requires a new form, one of unwavering strength and sturdiness, but for this to begin that is a step only you can take.” A gentle breeze blows open the wooden gate. The man pauses for a moment, looking behind him he sees nothing but whiteness…then takes a single step, the tendrils hold to his legs for a moment longer before they break free, the jagged stone path makes way as it forms into a smooth staircase. Step by step he begins to climb, a new stair appearing after each one. With each step his body slowly morphs, two feet turn into four and he begins the ascent. In the temple the chanting begins to die, the earthponies tantrum had begun to die as his chest rose and fell softly, the tendrils begin to recede and shine, as the golden color returned to his coat, the only traces of it left now were in his mane, where the color had drained, leaving his mane streaked with soft pink highlights. The room began to calm, until finally. His eyes opened