Why didn’t I bring a fan? Twilight thought to herself as she looked hopefully down the road again. The midday sun was beating down on her head and back, making the lavender mare get much sweatier than she was used to. Twilight Sparkle sighed, wishing she had thought to bring a jug of Applejack’s cider with her as she waited. Do I own a fan? Why don’t I own a fan? Twilight tried to wave the wind towards her face a little. Where are they? she asked herself for the thirtieth time. She had been sitting on the uncomfortable dirt that marked the path considered the entrance to the Everfree Forest, waiting for her friends to come, for fifteen minutes. The good mood she had had when Mayor Mare announced earlier that reconstruction had gone far enough that the civilians didn’t need to help anymore, and in fact weren’t allowed to under union rules, was severely diminished.
Twilight wiped some sweat off of her face and looked down road again, this time seeing a blue image appear down the road. As it got closer, Twilight could make out the profile of Trixie running towards her.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Trixie said as she reached her friend. Twilight looked up at her tiredly. “I would’ve come sooner but Mayor Mare wanted to thank all of us for how big of a help we were and it took forever!” As Trixie rambled a burst of yellow energy came out of her ring and formed into a fan that began flapping vigorously in Twilight’s face.
Twilight let out a long sigh of relief. “Thank you,” she said to the mare standing over her. “And don’t worry about, I know how long official ceremonies can be.”
Trixie smiled. “And don’t worry, Pinkie should be here soon. She said she just had to rush home real quick and setup something,” she said.
“Oh good,” Twilight said as she closed her eyes and let the cool air of the fan wash over her, Trixie moving to sit next to her. After a couple of minutes Trixie spoke up.
“There she is.” Trixie pointed at a pink outline rushing towards them. The unicorns stood up, Twilight shaking out her hind legs.
“HI!!!” Pinkie said as she ran up. “Sorry it took me so long, I had to rush home and ask Mr. Cake if I could throw a party to celebrate tonight, but he said no and then I had to get Gummy unstuck from the sink again but once I did I ran right here!” Pinkie Pie, now done with her apology, turned away from the mares and started heading towards the Everfree Forest. “Come on, let’s go!”
Twilight immediately followed her but Trixie hesitated. “Trixie?” Twilight asked.
“So, we’re really doing this? Going into the depths of the Everfree?” Trixie said as she nervously eyed the treeline.
“Yep!” Pinkie said.
“Don’t worry,” Twilight said. “Between your and Pinkie’s rings we’ll be fine.”
Trixie looked down at her ring. “Yeah.” She looked up with a determined look on her face. “You’re right.” Trixie began moving and the three mares entered the Everfree to begin their attempt to find out what happened to Card.
Eventually they began moving among the thick trees, following a narrow path. Twilight was overwhelmed with relief to be in the shade, but once that passed she began to notice something strange. “Hey, look around,” she said.
The other mares didn’t stop moving, but they did glance around. “What?” Trixie asked.
“Remember when we came here a while ago? The place was wrecked, but now it seems just fine.” Twilight said. “What happened?”
Trixie got a thoughtful look on her face but Pinkie immediately spoke up. “It’s the Everfree, silly! The trees fixed themselves!”
“What?” Twilight turned to look at Pinkie over her shoulder.
“It’s possible. All kinds of weird things happen in these woods. In fact,” Trixie said as she began whipping her head around, trying to keep an eye on the entire forest at once, “Pinkie!”
“Huh? What is it?” Pinkie Pie stopped. “Did you see a bear? Or an alligator? Ooh, or a chocolate river?!” Pinkie said with a smile.
“What? Uhh, no,” Trixie said.
“Aww. Are you sure you didn’t see a chocolate river?” Pinkie asked hopefully.
“Sorry.”
“Awwwwww.”
Trixie shook her head. “Pinkie, could you make a shield around us so nothing can attack us? I mean, I’d do it myself but a green shield would be a lot harder to see in the forest than a yellow one,” she rushed out.
“Oh, is that it? No problemo!” A green thread came out of Pinkie’s ring and expanded into a bubble that covered all three of the girls.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, thanks Pinkie,” Twilight said. “Good idea Trixie. Now come on, let’s keep going.”
Under Pinkie Pie’s protective… Uh… Something that starts with P and means shield, the mares continued their long sojourn into the depths of the Everfree.
-----Meanwhile, At the Sweet Apple Acres Produce Stand-----
Fluttershy walked up the roadside stand, muttering under her breath. She stopped muttering, took a deep breath, and got in line behind a stallion who was buying a jug of cider from Applejack.
“Thank yah! Have a nice day!” Applejack said, waving off the customer. “Howdy, Fluttershy. What kin Ah git yah?”
“Hi,” Fluttershy said quietly. “C- can I have an apple, please?”
“Well, shore.” An orange glow manifested around one of the apples behind Applejack and floated over to Fluttershy.
“Thank you.” Fluttershy placed a bit down onto the counter.
“Uhh, sugarcube, it’s two bits now, remember?” Applejack said.
“Oh! Uh, sorry, I- I forgot,” whispered the flustered mare as she took out another bit. “Sorry.”
“Hey, no problem!” Applejack smiled at the pegasus as she scooped up the coins. Fluttershy stood and stared at the apple for a few seconds, chewing on the inside of her mouth.
Applejack noticed this and asked her friend, “Is somethin’ wrong?”
“Huh! Oh, uh, no, I- I was j- just wondering if Big Mac needed anymore help?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yah know, as it turns out he does,” Applejack said. “Darndest thang too. Ah could’ve swore yesterday that we were all done with th’ replanting but I came out this mornin’ and almos’ half the dang thangs had gone an uprooted.”
“R- really?” Fluttershy asked from behind her hair.
“Yea.” Applejack nodded her head. “Ah guess there were some pretty bad winds las’ nigh’ or sumthin’.”
“Yeah, I- I- I- felt it too. When it’s like that I have to come out and change all the animals straw and calm them down and there’s this one little beaver I have to hold because he lost his paw in a storm and so he gets really nervous,” Fluttershy said quickly.
“Huh. You know, it’s weird though,” Applejack said as she placed an elbow on the countertop and propped her head up on her hoof. “Usually if the wind’s real bad this bad shutter we have keeps on slammin’ against the frame, but not tonight.” She humphed and stood back up. “Either way, Big mac’s busy putting alla th’ saplings back inna the ground so firm they’ll snap afore they uproot. Yah could help him with that.”
Fluttershy perked up. “R- really?”
“Shore. It won’ take too long, should be done by tonight,” Applejack said.
Fluttershy said something under her breath.
“Wha’ was that?”
Fluttershy’s eye got wide. “N- nothing!” Fluttershy’s eyes got wide. “I- I’ve gotta go. Sorry, bye!” She spread her wings and a violet energy came out of her ring and began pushing her up and away towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack looked at her friend take off for a second before shrugging and looking down, seeing that the pegasus had left her purchase behind. “Hey!,” she called. “Hey! Yah forgot yer apple!” But Fluttershy didn’t turn around. Applejack looked at the apple on her counter and shrugged. “Well, ifn it’s already been paid for…” She picked up the apple and ate it in three bites.
-----Back in the Everfree-----
By now the mares had managed to get quite deep into the forest, guarded by the mystic power of the green ring and driven by a desire to see their friend.
This drive did nothing to stop them from getting bored by the trip.
“You know,” Twilight said, looking around at the thick, green trees and foliage, “I don’t think we had to walk this long when Card took us to his house.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Trixie said as she looked at the only non-green thing, the path they were walking on. “Pinkie, are you sure you know the way?”
“Abso-posi-tutelutely!” Pinkie said.
The unicorns shrugged. “Well, that’s good enough for me,” Twilight said. “Besides, the first time we went, we were a little preoccupied, remember?”
The mare collectively remembered the sight of one of their friends convulsing, covered in bruises and hardly breathing as they tried to get her to Card’s house before she succumbed to poison.
Shaking the bad memory away, Twilight tried to change the subject. “Anyways, we’re probably almost there.”
“Yep!” Pinkie said.
“Wait!” Trixie said as she suddenly stopped.
The other mares stopped as well. “What is it?” Twilight asked.
“Didn’t you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“...There it is again!” Trixie said as she looked around nervously. Yellow tentacles began extending from her ring. “Don’t you hear it? Listen closely.”
Twilight focused her ears and soon she heard a loud crack and few bashes as well. “Okay, I hear it now,” she said. “What is that?”
“I don’t know, but let’s get moving.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie said as she began moving towards the sounds.
Twilight followed her, certain in the power of the ring to protect her and curious what was making so much noise, eager for anything to break up the monotony.
“Wait, what!” Trixie said. “Where are you going?! Guys? Oh… Fine!” Trixie said as she followed along.
They didn’t go very far before they saw red light. They went towards it and saw a cyan pegasus swinging a red rod made of light at a tree trunk with several deep gouges in it.
Trixie heaved a sigh of relief. “Rainbow Dash!”
The pegasus heard her and turned around, stopping her assault for a moment. “Oh, hey guys. What are you doing here?”
“We’re looking for Card,” Trixie said. “What are you doing? I nearly attacked you!”
Rainbow Dash smiled grimly and opened her mouth, but got cut off by Pinkie Pie.
“Dashie, you’re being really, really, loud! I think you’re bothering the animals, because I haven’t seen a single one near here!”
“Huh,” Rainbow Dash said. “You know, Fluttershy said the same thing last night. I was doing this near the outside of the forest and she said that all the sounds were spooking her patients. I was pretty far away from her place though, but I guess sound travels really well on a still night.”
“Yeah.” Pinkie said. The ponies stood around awkwardly until Rainbow Dash made her lightstick disappear.
“It’s about time for me to move anyways. See you all later.” With that, Rainbow Dash spread her wings and took off.
“...Why aren’t we flying?” Trixie asked. “I mean, Pinkie and I can levitate with these,” she shook the hoof with her ring on it, “and I’m sure we could lift you up, Twilight.”
“I don’t know how to get there from the sky,” Pinkie said. “Besides, the house is right over there.” Pinkie jerked her head to left.
“What?” Trixie asked. Her and Twilight walked over to where Pinkie gestured and walked past a thin line of trees to be greeted by the door to Card’s manor.
“What?” Trixie repeated. “That’s not where it was!”
“Yep!” Pinkie said as she joined the unicorns. “Come on, let’s go in.”
Twilight shrugged and opened up the unlocked door. She walked in first, then Trixie, then Pinkie.
Following a series of open doors, taking care not to close any of them, the group maneuvered through the massive, quiet mansion. However, the quiet didn’t last forever. The mares soon became aware of the sound of someone raspily speaking. As they went through open door after open door, the voice got louder but they were still unable to make out what it was saying, along with the occasional growl and scream.
They reached a point where the source was clearly just around the corner, and they could hear exactly what was being said.
“....Ysoge,ou whhat atveis noout fureof n heasomy re exn theactly o ead i meaxist,don youjusn’t don’tt givgo tse e em hertoup e ndo malreo pleauchady a and thernd lse don’ reall esy nothinget t noherme te f orake yople fun on th ase.is planeu you st anhouldd you have no fn’t exisuc t kbuusjt ddy so I clet man’t ie hamagive yoneu...” the voice rambled, switching between being bored, desperate, and demanding.
The mares all pulled back and looked at each other. Whatever it was wasn’t visible from the doorway. Twilight swallowed hard and peered around the doorframe.
She saw Card, brown jacket and all, leaning against the wall, chest heaving, seemingly using all of his strength to keep himself propped up as the back of his head bounced off of the wall. His eyes were closed but fluttering, but that wasn’t the part of his face that she noticed first. His mouth was moving at a mile a minute, making the rumbling sounds she had been hearing. It seemed to switch its position midway through a letter, bending and curving like it was being pulled by a thousand tiny strings.
In the two seconds since she had first seen him, the steady stream of words had begun to be broken up by heavy gasps as Card’s rocking intensified. Suddenly it stopped entirely and Card peeled off the wall. His eyes screwed up as he began to scream, a pathetic raspy sound coming from a heavily damaged throat. His hooves sprung out of his jacket and clapped over his ears. Hooves decorated by two glowing rings.
One blindingly white, and the other suffocatingly black.