//------------------------------// // Chapter One- Illness // Story: To Escape Fate // by unbounded //------------------------------// In the capital city of Canterlot, country Equestria, two weeks before the events of "Friendship Is Magic"  Twilight was looking around the classroom because they were in silent study time and she was bored. Twilight, as to not be called on by the teacher. She looked around the room and watched as a fellow student was struggling on holding her pencil with her magic. The classmate dropped the pencil by accident.     Why is she struggling to hold the pencil with magic, it's such a simple thing to do, How in Equestria would she get into this academy with magic at this level. Twilight picked up the pencil for the mare because she was struggling to get it off the ground. At a closer look at the mare, Twilight took note of her light red coat and crimson-colored mane. Her cutie mark was a white cross on a red background. The mare made eye contact and nodded as to say thanks, she didn’t seem to want to talk to the teacher at the moment. In the hallway to the eating hall, the same classmate coughed up blood. Twilight couldn’t say anything to the mare that day. For some reason, the school seemed to prevent her from seeking any more information about the matter. At home, Twilight lied in bed wondering if anything was happening to the classmate of hers. Was there anything wrong, how can I help that mare. No... I shouldn't be thinking about her. She's probably fine,    "Twilight! Twilight!" Twilight groggily got up from bed yet the small purple dragon continued. "Twili-"     "WHAT SPIKE!" Twilight shouted, causing the small green and purple baby dragon to jump up in shock.    "Well, you received a letter from Princess Celestia!" A letter from Celestia at this time? Why would I get a letter now of all times? Twilight picked up the letter and read it.  Dear Twilight,   This is not Princess Celestia, but I need your help.   Your classmate, Rosemary Cross.    What? Maybe it's that mare from class yesterday... I have to find her. Twilight waited at the entrance of the school for the mare. She couldn't find the mare. She talked to her colleagues about it and they didn't know who she was either. Twilight looked over and saw some of the people that helped out the mare earlier. "Hi, can you help me find somepony named Rosemary Cross?" The stallion looked at her confused.     "Sorry, but I've never heard of her," Twilight was confused, how could he have never heard of her. She must have not been very social. I can relate at times. The school bell rang, the noise it created echoed along the courtyard of the school.     Twilight walked to her class and saw Princess Celestia waiting at her desk for the class to start. "Oh, you're early, are you ready to learn today's lesson once more?" Twilight anxiously trotted in circles because had something more important to ask the Princess. "Princess? Do you know the student Rosemary Cross?" All that returned was a blank stare from the Princess.    "No, are they a friend of yours?" said the princess.    "I'm not sure... Never mind, Sorry I asked, Princess," She doesn't know her? But she knows everypony in the school. Does she even go here?    The class started filling up with everyone. The last pony entered the room, that mare was, in fact, the one with the white cross cutie mark. The mare was walking towards Twilight. Next thing she knew the mare was at her desk. She pulled out a piece of paper and quill and started to write on the paper.    Twilight watched as the mare write down a letter.     I am Rosemary Cross.   You might be wondering why I am writing instead of talking, and why you did not know my name prior to this occasion. The short answer is because I'm mute, trust me, you don't wanna know the long answer. There is not much time left for me due to a sickness that I have been affected by, so I need help. The sickness is not an infectious one so do not fret. I need you to go to a shop on the outskirts of Canterlot on the west wall, they sell a certain medicine that can cure me. I do not know the location of the shop, but the drug is only sold there due to it being a rare pharmaceutical medicine.   I should be at the Canterlot hospital when you return. At the moment, I don't have any available allies to help me out of my current predicament.    Twilight picked up the quill and started to write back to Rosemary.    Why should I ally with you? I don't even know you. Who are you anyway?    Rosemary picked up the quill and responded.   I am fully aware of the fact that you can refuse. But remember this, if something were to happen that would negatively affect me or my allies, I suspect that strange things will occur. If you do decide you would like to cooperate, we will do our best to make sure the strange phenomena do not occur. I should have at minimum a week before I succumb to the illness    Rosemary carefully put down the quill in the ink jar that was on the desk. Twilight took a deep breath before picking up the quill again with her magic. She carefully debated her words before writing them on the paper.     I will help, after all, I am Princess Celestia's protege. When do you need me to go?   Twilight handed the quill back to Rosemary.     Preferably, as soon as possible. I fear that as soon as I kick the bucket the spell that I cast will lose effect.    Rosemary Cross took the quill and put it in her saddlebags. Her steps as she exited the room felt silenced, nobody noticed, not even Twilight noticed until she really thought about it. Nobody except for Twilight even acknowledged the presence of the mare in the classroom that day. She was like a ghost, solely appearing to fulfill a single mission. It was worrisome, so much so that Twilight had chills run down her mane. The ringing of the bell echoed throughout the school. Twilight was in no rush to get the medicine for the mare. But she didn't want to know what would happen if she shouldn't. She walked along the outskirts of the city along the west wall, not finding any type of shop that fit the description.  Some time later, Twilight came across a store that had no buildings surrounding it, the store looked unkempt and messy on the outside. There was no writing on the building to indicate what it might be. Twilight trotted inside the building. She was met with the sight of hundreds of glass containers lining the walls containing various liquids and physical substances.    There was a middle-aged pony at a desk at the back of the room. The stallion seemed to be sleeping. Twilight approached the desk that the stallion resided in. "Ahem." There was no response from the pony.     "AHEM," Twilight said louder this time, yet still no response from the colt. Twilight raised her hoof and punched the stallion. He woke up instantly and started hysterically shouting.    "Sorry boss! I know I shouldn't sleep but we haven't had customers in forever- Oh wait, are you a customer?" Twilight nodded her head.  "Do you sell medicine here?" The colt put on some round glasses.    "Yes we sell medicine, I usually don't get many customers anymore due to all the sophisticated magic here. What brings you here? You look rather healthy yourself."    "Thanks?"    "What type of medicine do you need?" Wait a second. Rosemary didn't tell me what type of medicine she needed. I'm sure I can make an educated guess about what she wanted.   "Umm, I don't know the exact type. But I need something for an illness that isn't contagious and is pretty rare." Twilight said.   The shopkeeper smiled. "I think I know what you're talking about, but sadly we are out of the medicine," said the shopkeeper.   "What can I do to get the medicine?" Twilight asked. The stallion tapped his head in thought.   "I tell you what kid if you can get the flower I need, I'll make you the medicine. The flower is small and purple, you will know it when you see it," he said.  "Do you promise?" The shopkeeper nodded his head.  "If you can get one of those flowers I will have the ingredients to make the medicine that you need," the stallion said with a grin.    Twilight found herself at the entrance of the Everfree forest. There was a sign at the entrance of the cave, it said, Warning, dangerous magical creatures ahead. Proceed with caution.    Twilight gulped in nervousness. But she knew that she was a good enough magic-user to hold off any monster she came across. She trotted inside the forest. She thought back to what the colt had said before she left.    "You do know that this illness comes from a spell right?" Twilight turned around.  "Really? What type of spell difficulty is it categorized as?" Asked Twilight. "It's a triple S tier spell." He said nervously.  "Seriously? Spells in that tier can take a decade to use each one at the minimum for normal unicorns!" "This spell takes even longer to learn. On average it can take 50 years." "Whoever cast this forbidden spell must have been extremely talented to pull off a spell like this. Yet also very old and capable of advanced magic. Do you know who this might have come from?" Twilight shook her head.  "I don't know where it could have come from... All I know is that I need to save someone who is in danger." Twilight said with the sound of resolve in her voice.   "Ok but first let me tell you about the flower, it's strange in the fact that it seems to cancel out magic when within three inches of a pony. You should find it relatively close to the entrance of the everfree forest." Twilight felt some sort of presence beside her. She turned to the side and saw a small purple flower. It was emitting a small purple aura around itself. She plucked the flower and started walking back. Well, that was easy. She thought to herself.   Twilight heard a noise behind her. It was a low growling sound that she did not want to look at. She turned her head and saw a chimera ready to swing at her. She jumped, barely dodging the claw swinging at her. She ran as fast as she could away, surprisingly the chimera didn't pursue any further. It just disappeared into the canopy.   Twilight was exhausted from running all the way back out of the forest. She was so tired that she reckoned she could fall asleep right on the spot. Color started to fade from her vision until she only saw the color black. Twilight laid on the floor of twigs and leaves below her.