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// Chapter 2: The Assignment 
// Story: Corners of the Earth 
// by raven618 
//------------------------------//

Twilight took a deep breath and walked over to red-haired Elf as she was taking her bag down. “Miss Moondancer?” 

“Um, yes.” 

“I- that is we,” she said, looking back at Lyra, “would like it if you-“ No, that sounded too demanding. “I mean, would you like to share a room with us?” 

“Oh!” she held her bag close to her chest, “Well, I… Yes, I would like that. Thank you.” She held her hand out and Twilight met it in a very light handshake. 

[Party member added: Moondancer]

The girls went up to the adults and informed them of their rooming group. Cupcake gave them each a copper room key as Celestia took notes. “You have room number seven. Pinkie Pie will show you up. Pinkie!” 

A human girl with soft curly pink hair hopped out of the inn. She was dressed in a pink dress that ended above her knees. Over that she wore a white apron that had been stained sometime in the past. Her eager eyes were a bright blue. “You called, Mrs. Cake?” 

“Please show these girls to Room 13. And all of you come back down once you do.” 

“Aye-Aye, Captain!” The girl saluted and led the three girls inside. Inside the establishment, the three were accosted by the smell of fresh bread and other baked goods. A few patrons sat at small tables, drinking and eating being the most common activities. “Your room is this way.” Pinkie said, leading them up a flight of stairs. 

Room 13 was a small room with two made beds and a cot. The soft orange curtains over the window were drawn back to reveal the sweeping view of the Greenvale rooftops. 

“I’ll take the cot.” Lyra said as she dropped her bag down on the temporary bed. Twilight and Moondancer also put their bags down and returned downstairs, passing another group of students being led upstairs by Mrs. Cake. The girls each took a seat in the parlor as the rest of the students deposited their bags and used the restroom again. Trixie made a big show of pulling out a chair and putting her boots up on the table. Twinkleshine, Lemon and Minuette all sit down together. Sunset Shimmer can be seen standing behind the rest of the students, leaning against a wooden beam. 

Celestia steps up in front of the assembled students. “Thank you all for accepting my offer. As I said, the Elven Council ordered me to investigate a magical phenomenon happening in this area. The Council had received three letters describing an unidentified magic in the river that, according to the reports, were having an affect on the local wildlife and plant-life.” Celestia handed out a stack of papers to the students. “You may proceed with your investigations however you please. You must stay with your room-mates for this project, and you are encouraged to work with the other rooms.” Moondancer took the sheets of paper, with Twilight and Lyra reading them over her shoulders. 

The first letter was from a local miller, who had noticed an increasing number of fish in the river and who’s daughter apparently said that she could taste a weird magic in it. 

The second letter was from a girl named Fluttershy. She said that she had felt a strange magic flowing upriver against the current for the last few days. She then said that the animals had been acting very scared, many had disappeared, and that the plants were changing. 

The third letter was from a lumberjack named Burnt Oak. He too said that the local plant life was changing. He described trees with blue leaves and green wood, and grass that looked yellow and sickly. 

“Sounds like some kind of mutation.” Moondancer pondered. “What do you girls think we should do?”

[Talk to the miller. His seems to be the first letter sent. Also if his daughter could taste the magic in the river, she definitely needs to be looked at.]

[Talk to Fluttershy. If she was able to determine from which way the magic was flowing, then she might be a valuable resource of information.]

[Talk to the lumberjack. His description of the changes to the plants are very thorough. And it would be a good idea to get a first hand look at these plants.]

[Investigate the river. Lets head straight to what appears to be the source of the problem.]