>>29607648 At first, of course, ah thought that stallion was damn well full of it. But, the stone was at least a novelty, so ah kept it with me, and ah never got rid of it. It was just for a lark at first, but then there seemed to be a little something more to what that stallion told me as the years passed.
Y’see, years later a sickness spread through the town. Nopony knew exactly what caused it or where it came from, but see, despite my family, friends, and neighbors getting’ sick, ah was perfectly healthy the whole time. At first it seemed a blessing, as ah could help out with chores while m’family were all restin’. Unfortunately, th’ blessin’ quickly turned sour when m’neighbors got wind of my seemingly unnatural health. Long story short, ah was driven out by miserable loved ones who blamed me fer their ills. Callin' me all sorts of things as they drove me away. Devil, changeling, or what-have-you. Anything they could to blame their problems on the one pony who wasn't currently as miserable as they.
So ah was cast out, and as ah left behind everythin’ ah knew, ah remembered my lucky charm. My adder stone. Ah remembered what that stallion had told me so many years past, and ah turned and slowly brought it up to my eye as ah gave my home one last look goodbye.
Through that stone ah saw the cause of our troubles, and it left me convinced that there was more to th’ world than ah previously believed. Some sort of spirit. Tall, thin, black, and terrible, were gathered in the town, leapin’ to and fro about the houses, terrorizin’ the livestock, wiltin’ the greenery, and afflictin’ the good ponies who lived there.
