First on my list of supplies to get was food. I'd never travelled far from Ponyville before, but I knew it wouldn't do to be miles from civilization and starving. Some apples, biscuits, a canteen or two of water, I knew to pack healthy and light. Sugar Cube Corner was near my house, so I decided to start there with some biscuits and crackers.
"Morning Pinkie!" I declared as I stepped through the front door.
"Good morning Miss Hooves!" replied a deeper voice than I expected as Mr. Cake stepped out of the kitchen "I'm afraid Pinkie Pie is up in her room. She's sick with the flu, and totally not simply down with a tummy ache because she gorged herself on pastries. Again. Her words, not mine."
I suppressed a giggle as I looked over the display counter. There were some granola bars, some scones, a few brownies... but my eyes lit up as I saw what Mr. Cake had just brought out: A big plate full of muffins. He noticed the look in my eye instantly, and set the plate down.
"Looking to buy some muffins today? They're as fresh as can be!" he said with a hint of pride.
I shook my head. "No, I'm packing for a long trip, so I think I'll just pick up some granola today, maybe a few scones."
"Are you sure?" he pleaded "I know how much you love our muffins, it would be such a shame not to get them while they're warm..."
Next thing I knew, I was standing outside the shop with a couple canteens and two bulging saddlebags. One had a single granola bar in it. The other a single scone. The rest was filled with muffins. That conniving pastry pusher had done it again, taking advantage of my addiction to peddle his wares! I took a blueberry muffin out of my bags, figuring I may as well enjoy what I had.
Half of it was gone in a single bite, leaving me in pure bliss as the sugary bread practically melted on my tongue, each blueberry an explosion. My wings couldn't help but flare up as I chewed my morsel, in complete and total bliss. For a second, I thought maybe I didn't need to go on this journey: I could just stay here and eat muffins... but this was nowhere near as satisfying as the Storm. Besides, I didn't earn nearly enough to eat nothing but sweets. I finally swallowed, my eyes closed, savoring the last of the flavor replaced by a warmth traveling down my neck and settling in my chest. I repeated with the other half of the muffin, wishing I could just simply savor it all day as I swallowed the rest and opened my eyes.
I was suddenly aware that I had attracted a crowd. I wasn't moaning that loudly was I? A mother was leading her child away, trying desperately to cover the little filly's eyes. Maybe I was. A furious blush overtook me as I examined my flared wings, forced them back down, and trotted over to Twilight's library.
My remaining supply was knowledge. I'd never ventured further north than Canterlot, and seeing as I could SEE the city from Ponyville and there wasn't a cloud in sight, I knew I had to go further. I gave the front door a few short knocks, and when I didn't receive a reply I let myself in. The main room of the library was a complete and utter mess. Books were stacked up in piles, apparently by subject, and in the middle was Twilight Sparkle, taking books off the shelves and sorting them.
"Excuse me, what are you doing?" I asked.
"Oh, just sorting the books again," she said, and I noticed her give a slight twitch. "I saw a few books in the wrong spot, and I figured better to be safe than sorry."
"That's... nice." I added "I was wondering if you could help me. I'm going on a trip, and I was wondering what sort of places were north of here."
"Oh there's lots," said Twilight "Especially if you loop up past the north pole and continue south down the other side. How far north were you going to go?"
I paused. Of all the ponies I knew, Twilight Sparkle was one I could trust not to jump to conclusions. She believed in logic and evidence, so if there was one person I could talk to, it was her. "Well, I'll tell you what's going on, but you have to promise not to think I'm crazy." She nodded, and I told her about the Storm, about my dream the previous night, and about my unexpected vacation. Throughout it all, she gave me her full attention.
"So... do you think I'm crazy?" I asked.
Twilight shook her head "Not in the slightest. If anything, this is the most lucid I've ever seen you! Perhaps your time away from the storm has been a good thing, maybe you should find something else to enjoy and stay clear-headed?"
I gritted my teeth, and didn't say anything. She just made a slight mistake is all.
"I mean, really, getting electrocuted constantly can't be healthy, even if you enjoy it. It's probably going to kill you someday, you know."
She. Knows. Nothing.
"Maybe we can find some things that can help you relax. I know some great meditation techniques, maybe have a chat over tea. Oh, maybe we can find you a nice coltfriend..."
In an instant I'd tackled Twilight, pinning her to the ground and quivering with fury. "I. Need. This." I said, spitting out each word. Twilight looked absolutely terrified, and after a moment I'd realized just what I'd done. I'd just assaulted the prized pupil of Celestia herself, and one of the elements of harmony! I backed up off the librarian, worried for my fate: Would the element holders turn me to stone? Would Celestia banish me to the moon? Would Luna banish me to the SUN!? "I... I'm so sorry." was all I could say as my fury turned to fear.
"It's alright, I probably deserved that. You told me how much the storm means to you, I shouldn't have suggested you just forget about it," admitted Twilight, though she still sounded quite shaken. She looked pensive for a moment "Besides, looking back on your dream, I realized something there: You hurt me there too, didn't you?"
I flattened my ears against my head in embarrassment "That was an accident..."
"Yes, but afterwards I told you where to go. It's possible that was a premonition."
"So, does that mean you're going to help?" I asked.
"I dunno, I could still refuse and see what happens if I try to change fate. I'm betting the universe explodes." she said, awfully calmly.
"You... you wouldn't." I stammered
"I'm just kidding, of course I'll help. Even if Equestria didn't hang in the balance," said Twilight, pulling out an atlas "Now, I know you've been as far as Canterlot, since you were so kind to help us at the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant, so I'll skip over that part."
I nodded "Every so often I take mail up there too, so I'm well used to the trip."
"Further north of Canterlot is the Wild Woods," continued Twilight. "Much like the Everfree, they're untamed, so be careful going through there. You won't be able to use the weather to your advantage, so if you run into any dangerous animals, my advice would be to just run or fly away."
"What sorts of creatures live in those woods?" I asked, with a touch of concern
"Oh, the usual. Bears, manticores, hydras, fire breathing dragons..." she rattled off with casual ease. Part of me wished I would never have to deal with these kinds of creatures enough to consider them "the usual".
"Now, in the middle of the woods is Lethean Bog. The less said about that place, the better. That place will eat your mind. You'll want to take a detour around it."
"...eat my mind?" I asked "You mean like zombies?"
"Not eat your brain, eat your mind. That place is full of intoxicating fungi, their spores fill the air and make you see hallucinations. Some are also rumored to affect your behavior. Long story short, you'll go crazy in there. Don't go there."
Twilight continued "If you make it all the way out of the forest and still haven't found the Storm, you'll be entering griffon territory. I wish I could tell you more about what to expect there, but we're still on uneasy terms, so there's not a lot of information going back and forth. What is known is that they enact a lot of ridiculous laws up there, and change them frequently. Combine that with the lack of information coming out of there, and the result is that any pony going up there runs a high risk of going to prison."
"Crazy laws? You mean like making it illegal to own a muffin?" I asked
"Sure. Of course, it's just as likely that they'd make it illegal to NOT own a muffin. Your best bet is probably to avoid the cities entirely if possible. Past that, I'm afraid I can't help you much more. The griffon republic is huge, and I don't have a lot of information outside of border maps and outdated rumors. If you manage to get all the way to the other side, you'll be in the arctic circle, where there's no food or people, and that's as north as it gets." She paused in thought before continuing "I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you come back safe."
"I hope so too," I replied "Thank you so much for the advice."
I waved goodbye as I left the library. The sun was already approaching noon by the time I set off on the trail. With any luck, I'd be in Canterlot before nightfall.