//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Everfree 
// Story: The Dividing Line 
// by Rakoom 
//------------------------------//

(Acorn) "So, we're goin' through the Everfree Forest eh? Let's take a stop here first," Dice said as we took a look over the map before we would depart again. He pointed out a tiny unmarked circle on the map for some reason. "But there is nothing there but a open field," I pointed out. Dice smiled and looked at me. "Yeah, but this map is outdated," he said. "The area around there has changed a lot," "Hm. Friends or relatives there?" Breeze asked; he catched up on Dice's smile. "Some. Now let's go. Ain't got time to fool around ya know, this ain't a fieldtrip," he said. But StaleMate on their side hadn't listened at all, because they were pretty busy getting a tiebreaker between them with a stare-contest. Dice trotted over and sat next to them for a second. "So, how are your little contest working out?" he asked them. "We're pretty close no-" the started. But they couldn't finish what they were doing due to the large amount of grass Dice shoved into their mouth. "Amazing, now let's go," he said before trotting off. Breeze broke down into laughter.



"So, who do you know there again?" StaleMate asked. "Oh, just a couple of ol' friends. Ya'll get to meet 'em soon enough, we could get somethin' good to eat as well," he said. StaleMate and Breeze flew above us, but they immediately lowered their altitude to just above him when he said that. "Good food?" StaleMate asked. "Y- Yeah," Dice hesitantly answered. Dice quickly realised their point when they lifted him off his feet. "Let's go then! Acorn, see you by the finish-line," they yelled towards me as they accelerated over the trees. Breeze however kept close. He shook his head. "Enthusiastic as ever those two," He said. "But I really can't tell any difference between them at all yet, can you?" 



I shook my head; neither of them had changed a bit. Figuring out wether the Shadow recided within Stale or Mate would be troublesome, but that was really half the point with this entire trip: To stop the Shadow. "We'll try to figure it out when they don't think equally," I said. We couldn't figure anything out while the Shadow hadn't made his move. Suddenly Teddy growled. "What's wrong," I asked him. "Hey," Stale said. He had stopped up, flying on the same spot. "Do you hear something?" Teddy stopped as well. But before I could hear it, I could see the cloud of smoke ahead of us.



Breeze reacted so swiftly I could only catch a glimpze of his tail as he dashed off ahead. Teddy stormed after him, and I had to hold on to stay on top of him. We got closer to the could of smoke, hoping we weren't too late. As I entered the scene, Breeze had already found Dice. Or... Well... Dice had ambushed Breeze. "What are you doing!?" I yelled when I saw Dice hold Breeze down, he looked at me with a bedazzled look before letting Breeze go. He was obviosly not at his best, so I went over to him and took a look at him. He was badly hurt on his backside for some reason, and he couldn't speak all clearly. I tended to him as Breeze looked after StaleMate. There was smoke everywhere, but only a couple of small fires. "What in Equestria happened," I said. Breeze landed next to me. "Neither Stale or Mate is here," he said to me, clearly with a little panic in his voice. I grabbed Dice and stared into his eyes, the panic got hold of me too. "Dice, where are they?" I asked him. To which he replied with a shivering voice: "Boom."



(Stale) I'm shaking my sleep away, then moving on to my insane headache. I'm rubbing my forehead, but my entire body aches like never before. I just can't seem to remember what happened. I and Mate carried Dice through the air, while talking about something. Then why in Equestria am I stuck in a frikkin' iron CAGE!? "Okay no problem, I'll forgive the cliché that so obviously present. I'll just have to find Mate and Dice before finding out what happened. Who knows, maybe this is all a misunderstanding and we'll get out just fine!" I said and laugh a little. But I swallow as I understand what I just said out loud, this can easily end in another wacky cliché. So I'll have to watch what I say from now on.



(Mate) The room is poorly decorated, to say the least. A broken stool here, another one there next to a dusty corner. I can barely see anything at all, only a little light shine between the planks on the walls. And I'm numb all over, why were we so stupid as to go ahead? We should have gone with the others. Breeze and Acorn is probably worried now, who knows where we are? And are the others safe? "I've been such a fool, why can't I just cool down a bit and be careful?" A door opens and two very big and strong earth ponies step inside, one is yellow while the other is more dark-blue. But they step aside and let a smaller, thinner, white male unicorn through. He walks up to the cage he has trapped me inside. "So, why am I here?" I ask him. "SILENCE," he bursts out, effectively silencing me. "How rude, introductions first. Don't you agree?" he says with a lower, controlled voice. This is cleary his field of work, the other guys just want to look cool.



"Sure," I slowly and hesitantly say. I can't really tell whether these guys are going to gut me or serve me tea in the afternoon. But I'm still grumpy, and why should I let them enjoy this? "My name is Mate, who might the little prince of polite interrogation be?" I say with a hint of sarcasm. I'll play his little game a first to find out how the others are doing. "Mate? What kind of name is that," he says. Clearly mocking me with a short and light laughter while his big boys maintain their poker-face. "You've probably met my twin, Stale. Darker mane, but otherwise the same," I say. "Yes, but I don't get what that has to do with..." he started. But he got the joke and did a facehoof. But now he suddenly decided to get serious. "Great, a joker and his twin brother. Tell me. What do you think were doing carrying around a wanted criminal?" he said while walking towards me a step at the time. But now I have had enough. So, what can I take advantage of here? Hm... Clothing. Definitely. "None of your business. Tell me, who dresses you in the morning? You mother or her sister?" I said. I can pay any price just to see that face again. "YOU TWAT!" He snapped at me. He is almost making this way too easy for me. And WAY too amusing!



(Stale) The door opens, and in comes a little filly. She is probably my age, but I'm in a cage so she may be planning to murder me for all I know! Her soft and silky-smooth white coat looks beautiful with her long, soft, light-blue mane. But I shake my head, I've got to focus! "H-hi, where am I. And who are you?" I ask her. Her reply is a soft giggle. Damn she is cute. And I'm usually not at my best when a cute girl smiles at me from less than fifty meters away. "My name is Whitesong. What's your name?" She asks me with her bright and soft voice (which has almost enough d'aww to stop a heart). "S-Stale," I stuttered out. "Well Stale, you are currently in Everfree outpost. Your twin is here as well, but we need to know something from both of you before letting you go," she said.



"Ask away," I replied. "Okay, first off. Neither you or your twin is normal, our sorcerers can sense that. You carry something powerful and evil with you. What is it?" she said. She had taken a step forward and lost some of the softness in her voice, now using a more blunt and direct method I guess. "I'll answer you if you tell me where Mate is," I say. But suddenly I hear some muffled voices through the wall to my right. Suddenly a large metal sound echoes, followed by shouting and lots of other noises. "Wait here," she said over her shoulder. "Can't do much else," I yell after her. She rushes through the door and leaves me to listen as her hooves gallop through. I let out a sigh. A gush of wind pours over my face, stronger than you could expect to come through a simple doorway. And with good reason; Mate stood before me with a key in his mouth.



He spits the key on the ground and smiles. "Need a hoof?" He asks me. And I choose to shrug and lean back and say "Nah, it's gettin' comfy in here." He smiles for e second, but clearly he isn't in the mood for thos. "Too bad, lets go," he says while opening the gate. "Do you know where the exit is?" I ask him. "Nah, just follow a general direction and you should find a wall to break. This entire place is made from old wood. You would have thought that they would use stone on an entire prison," he says and dashes out the door and waits for me. "C'mon," he says. But a shockwave knocks him to the side. I dash out the door and to the left after him. I help him up, behind us is Whitesong, galloping towards us while charging up for another spell. "The exit is behind her," Mate said before jumping into the air and shooting towards her. She shoots her ball towards him, but he elegantly dodges along the floor before headbutting her in the chest. I'm a little shocked over what he just did, but I follow after him. After a few turns I ask him. "Where is the exit?" "I don't know, I just needed an excuse to knock her out I guess."



"WHAT!?" I say. Something isn't right here. "Look, I've had it for today. I didn't exactly get a cute little filly to ask me about my name, let's just get out of here and find the others. These guys didn't bring Dice in, and they didn't know about anypony else. So we'll just get out of here," he said to me. "Sure," I replied. We continued through multiple more hallways and corners. We dodged guards as we passed them, even though one rather huge pegasus almost lifted off in time to catch my hooves as we passed. But we are more than just getting the hang of speeding now, we could probably race towards other pegasi some other day! We pass another corner, but a shimmering light struck my eye for a split second. 



I stopped Mate. "What is it?" he asked. I flew back and noticed a trapdoor in the ceiling, probably for emergencies. "Hurry," I said and went inside bright and open space. Just as the sound of blowing wind intensified, Mate flew through as well. I closed the trapdoor just as the pegasi guards flew under us. "Lucky us that speed isn't their stron suit," I Mate said. "Lucky us that we are so awesome," I said. We gave each other a brohoof. The trapdoor led to the roof, so escaping now will be a cakewalk as long as they don't get any pegasi out soon. "Hey, remember that mountain over there?" I Mate said. "Yeah, we passed it when we flew with Dice," I said. "Yeah, but since it is standing right there... We must've passed this place as well!"