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// Prologue- Departure to Everfree 
// Story: Legends of Everfree: Friendship Makes Magic 
// by ImNoPony 
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Our story begins on a bright and sunny day. A large coach bus had parked itself in front of Canterlot High and a fair size of students was waiting in front of it. You see, this wasn't just some ordinary school day. Today was the start for a special occasion.


Today was the start of Canterlot High's annual school camping trip
To Camp Everfree 


All the students were wearing light wilderness clothing and were prepared to spend a week in the great outdoors. They packed their bags and rucksacks with spare clothes, camping essentials and any snack food treats that they can gorge on. Some are coming to spend some time in the wilderness. Others are coming just so they can spend a week away from school. But regardless what the reason may be, everyone was looking forward to some fun and relaxation.

And within the crowd of students, a group of very close friends was standing next to each other with eager anticipation. Rainbow Dash- the athlete, Fluttershy- the animal lover, Rarity- the fashionista, Pinkie Pie- the party animal, Applejack- the cowgirl and Sunset Shimmer- a former bad girl who actually came from a parallel world with talking ponies. These 6 six friends had stuck together through thick and thin and might not actually come on the camping trip unless all of them were going. As they were waiting patiently, they began to chat amongst themselves.

"Ooooooh! I can't wait to get to Camp Everfree!" Pinkie Pie loudly proclaims.

"Why's that?" Sunset asked Pinkie.

Pinkie loudly replies: "Because we can get to roast marshmallows by the campfire, eat marshmallows for breakfast, lunch and dinner and slip on marshmallow pillows when we get tired!"

"Wow. You really like marshmallows, don't you Pinkie?" Sunset sarcastically responded. 

Feeling slightly insulted, Pinkie asks her friends: "Ok, so what are you all looking forward to then?"

Rainbow Dash relaxed stance with her hands behind her head and says: "To try out those fun camping activities. You know, canoeing and rock climbing."

Applejack replies: "I'm just lookin' forward to roughin' it in the woods. I'm gonna make my own shelter, forage for food..."

"Even though they will already provide all that when we get there" Dash responded, much to AJ's anger.

Rarity just calmly says: "Hmm? I think I'm just gonna get some R&R by the lake, get some inspiration from the forest, maybe start a fashion show."

But as everybody was enjoying the moment, Sunset suddenly notices that Fluttershy was looking antsy. She constantly turns her head back and forth and looks down either side of the street. This cause Sunset to become concerned and asks her: "Hey, what's the matter Fluttershy?"

With all of her friend's eyes on her, Fluttershy explains: "Well... Have any of you seen Twilight yet?"

All of them were the hit with a cold blow of realization. None of them had seen Twilight yet this morning and it was getting close for them to go. Worrying thoughts ran rampant in their minds, ranging from sleeping into being delayed on her way to them. But before they get too worried, a familiar voice calls out in the distance.

"Hey, You Guys!"

They all look towards the street, and lo and behold, they saw Twilight Sparkle running towards them with her pet Spike the dog. Relief swept all 6 girls as their dearest friend manages to attend in the nick of time. When she got to them, Twilight took a moment to catch her tired breath.

Twilight tried to explain: "Sorry... To keep you... Waiting guys..." She then took one large breath to properly compose herself. "It seemed like I slept on my alarm clock this morning and didn't hear it ring."

"Ahem" Spike sounded (with the actual sound being a short growl since he's a dog).

Twilight then reiterates: "And if it wasn't for Spike waking me up, I might not have been able to arrive on time."

Rarity rests her hand on Twilight's shoulder and tells her: "Well the important thing is that you arrive just in time."

With her friends looking pleased to see her, Twilight felt pleased in return. If you would ask any of them, they would say that their friendship was thanks to Twilight. Twilight would just give a humble reply and say that she would do what anybody else would do.

But as Twilight and her friends were enjoying their heart-warming moment, a loud and motherly voice shout out to all the students. "Ok, Everyone! Can I Get Your Attention Please?!" When everyone looks towards the bus, they saw the teachers are standing at the ready: Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and Discord- their bus driver.

With everyone's attention on their principal, Celestia says to her students: "First of, let me take a moment thank you all for attending. The campsite there we're going to is very dear to us because it was a place that we went to in our high school."

Vice Principal Luna went further into detail by explaining: "Yes. We went hiking in the woods, spelunking in the crystal caves, interacting with the small woodland critters..."

"And be scared by bears at night."

"Only because it was you in a bear costume Discord!"

Celestia regain everybody's attention by saying: "Well anyway, we hope that you'd enjoy Camp Everfree as much as we did!"

After that, the students gave a reassuring applause to show off their eagerness and to please their principal. With the announcement out of the way, Discord became the center of attention to explains:

"Ok kiddies! Put all your bags and stuff in my little coach's storage compartment and make your way inside my bus."

And with that, Discord open up the storage compartment and open up the coach's door. There was a steady line of students who put away all of their bags and eventually went onto the bus. There wasn't much of a hassle and so there wasn't much of a problem. After all of her friends put their stuff into the storage, it came time for Twilight to put away her stuff along with them.

But as she was about to do so, Twilight accidentally bump into somebody as she was about to put away her bag. "Oh sorry" she sounded, acted quickly to apologize."

"Nah, that's ok. I think I may have bumped into you."

When Twilight looks at the person that she bumped into, she realizes that it was somebody new. Somebody with a light pinkish skin color, a blue highlight in her purple hair and a student who hadn't been at CHS for very long.

When she finally recognizes her, Twilight happily exclaims: "Hey! You’re Starlight Glimmer, right?"

Surprised, Starlight replies: "Oh! You know who I am!"

"Yeah well, I was in your class on your first day of school and so I remember your introduction. My name is Twilight Sparkle by the way."

"Well nice to meet you Twilight"

Both girls then give each other a friendly handshake. But as they did so, they soon heard the annoyed sounds of the other students who hadn't;t put their stuff away yet. Embarrassed and frightened by their angry looks, Twilight and Starlight quickly get out of the way and join the line to get on the bus. With no annoyed teenagers behind them, they continue their conversation.

"So how are you finding CHS?" Twilight asked her.

Starlight replies: "I think I'm actually fitting in quite well. Everybody seems really  nice and the classes aren't too hard."

"Well, that's great. Hey, do you know that I was the "new transfer student" before you?"

"What! No Way!"

"Yes, Way!"

As they were enjoying their conversation, both Twilight and Starlight was making their way up the bus stairs. As they were getting into the bus (with Spike still close to her side), Twilight had remembered that she might sit next to her friends. However, since she was having a nice time talking with Starlight and she might not have many friends yet, she got an idea.

"Hey Starlight, if you haven't made any friends yet, do you want to sit next with me and my friends?"

Starlight took a moment to way the option, but she soon replies: "Thanks for the offer Twilight, but I have to say no. I actually promised to sit next to a person that I know."

Twilight was initially annoyed at first but soon got over it. That just means that Starlight had made a friend already. However, when she thought that she would be bothered by it, she soon finds out who that friend is.

"Starlight! Hurry-Up and Sit Next To Me!"

"Coming Trixie!"

"Trixie!!"

Twilight then watched as Starlight slowly moves through the bus and sat next to Trixie. When she sat down, they looked happy at one other since they are together... but then Trixie made a quick smug look towards Twilight. Twilight, on the other hand, was left shocked that Starlight had picked Trixie over her. While they are still on (somewhat) friendly terms with one another; Trixie tries to enact a rivalry with her and her friends that get pretty annoying.

However, despite how much she might not like it, Twilight has to respect Starlight decision. At least she can still sit next to her friends at least. She moves down the bus where all of her friends occupy one portion of the coach. They all seemed busy interacting with each other but still take the moment to address Twilight when got near.

"Hey, Twilight. Where have you been?" asked Applejack.

Twilight explains: "Oh, I was just speaking with Starlight Glimmer."

"The new transfer student?" Pinkie inquires.

"Yes and she seems really nice. And it seems like she's already acclimated into CHS."

"Acclimated?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity explains to Rainbow: "It just means that she has gotten used to studying here."

"Oh ok. Then why didn't she just say that instead?"

As things were getting along, Twilight decided to sit next to Sunset since she was sitting on her own. But once she sat down and buckled into her seat, she then notices that Sunset was staring off into the window. She seemed like she was deep in thought and looked very troubled as she does.

Concerned, Twilight asked her: "Are you alright Sunset?"

Snapping back into reality, Sunset realized that Twilight had asked her a question and so she replies: "Oh! I was just deep in thought. Wondering... what we might find at camp..."

Sunset froze before she could finish saying that camp's name. Confused, Twilight says: "Camp Everfree?"

"Yes! That's it!" Sunset sounded, trying to act brave and unconcerned. "I just forgot what it was called. That's all."

"Ok then?" Twilight replied, not believing that response for a second. However, since Sunset still looked so troubled, she thought that she won't dig any deeper.

However, she did dig any deeper, she might have found out some of the fears that were plaguing Sunset Shimmer. She was constantly thinking about the word: "Everfree" and the terrifying things that are associated with that word. For you see, Sunset already knows a place that got "Everfree" in its name and it's a place that she does not like. A place, in her home world of Equestria, that houses many dangers and monsters that lurk within it.

However, whatever worries that she might have, Sunset says to herself that she's overthinking it. There's no way that the place that they're going to camp at is anyway similar to the place that she's thinking of. Right?