(Takes place in the middle of Season 2. Consider this story an alternate universe where all lore is subject to change.)
A golden moon hung overhead, the forest moved with the light sway of the wind as light cracks of branches stepped on creaked out to the vast unknown. A bear sniffed absently at the landscape, leaving large prints in the ground as it walked the grassy trail of the Everfree. A wealth of unknowns lingered in the mystery and danger of the night as a distant howl of Timberwolves crooned in the distance. The clop of hoofsteps follow as a purple pony strides in tandem with the prowling bear. Her eyes are open wide and move vigilantly looking for danger. Exuding confidence in both her curiosity and her desire to find their target.
A force had been moving through this forest, a force with no tracks, no howls to mark its presence, and not a scent for the large bear to pick up on. All that was left was the skeletons of animals it had presumably eaten and a faint magical aura that could barely be detected. Twilight had been patrolling the forest for two weeks now. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the storm that raged in this once tranquil, albeit chaotic and dangerous, place.
A bush rustled nearby, causing both the bear and Twilight pause. The purple mare eyed the offending bush with a concentrated stare, hoping to eye out details that she would miss at a glance. Slowly she edged forward, the bush shifting lightly second to second. Sweat beaded on Twilight's brow as she grew closer, closer still. She stopped in her tracks, inches away now, the bush had stopped shifting and had gone dead silent. At a snail's pace she moved the bushes away to reveal...
"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIIIII-"
Our brave hero's companion Fluttershy had found herself a hidey hole behind a nearby tree. She had rooted herself and her bear harry in a crushingly tight bear hug. Twilight dashed towards Fluttershy and silenced her with a quick hoof to the mouth. She groaned.
"Fluttershy, for Celestia's sake, we've been in this forest for twenty minutes. Can you please not scream every time I go to check something?" Twilight asked exasperated. Fluttershy responded with her quintessential eep of confirmation, releasing her bear from his crushed hug position. The bush rustled once more and out hopped a small bunny. Fluttershy, noticing the little rabbit, wormed her way from Twilight's affixed hoof and rushed forward.
"Angel!" She shouted out in surprise. Causing another groan from Twilight as she trotted over, thankful that she used her inside scream this time.
"Oh Angel." Fluttershy nervously spoke with her normal breathy timbre. "You shouldn't be out here this deep in the Everfree! Don't you know what's out here? There's Timberwolves, and Manticores, Cockatrices, poison jokes scarytreesscaryplants—"
Angel decided now would be a good time to forcefully close Fluttershy's mouth. The light murmurs could be heard from her closed maw as she continued listing things out of anxious terror. Angel held for a moment until no words left her mouth before removing his paws from Fluttershy. His expression changing to that of annoyance, the fluffy bunny opened his mouth and pointed.
"But I fed you before I left, Angel. What did I tell you about eating after supper?" Fluttershy scolded in a motherly tone. Angel squinted and began pointing more forcefully at his mouth. Leaving the yellow pony dumbfounded. She put a hoof to her mouth and thought before a shiny lightbulb appeared before dimming and falling on her head.
"Oh Angel I'm so sorry! I forgot your goodnight carrot!" Fluttershy exclaimed. Her hoof automatically reaching over and patting the little bunny's head. Twilight turned away and sighed.
"Fluttershy the nights only gonna last so long we don't have time to go back to your cottage and get a car—" Upon turning back around a carrot had appeared in the hoof of the newly appointed carrot magician. An annoyed real magician groaned as Fluttershy handed Angel his prize.
"I'm so so so so so so-" Once again Angel closed Fluttershy's mouth, taking a moment to chew as his owner rambled on. With a quick swallow, Angel sighed and released his owner.
"-sorry that I forgot your carrot Angel! Mommy was in a hurry and forgot all about it, can you ever forgive me ?!" Fluttershy said before giving eyes of pure sorrow and regret. A look of pure sadness that would move an ursa major. Angel simply rolled his eyes and outstretched a paw.
"Oh... well I guess I could give you an extra carrot for being so patient with me." Fluttershy conceded. Fluttershy reached behind the side that Twilight couldn't see and pulled another carrot out of thin air. Giving it to Angel.
"Fluttershy where are you getting these carrots?" Twilight asked. Confusion ran across Fluttershy's muzzle as Angel greedily took the carrot and ate it.
"um... am I not supposed to have carrots?" Fluttershy asked as she pulled out an extra carrot and gave it to Angel.
"Well... I mean... EUGH NEVER MIND" Twilight exclaimed before walking forward, shaking Harry from a light nap he had engaged with and storming off. The confused bear ambling behind her.
"Twilight, wait! Don't leave me here!" Fluttershy quickly patted Angel's head and ran after her friend. Angel shrugged, turning around and hopping his way towards home.
Two weeks it had been like this for the both of them. Fluttershy, being the closest to the Everfree, was the first to discover the phenomenon firsthoof. The first few days had been Twilight shrugging off the various skeletons that Fluttershy would find. Chalking it up to a higher amount of Timberwolf attacks this season. It wasn't until the bones of a manticore had appeared that Twilight had started these midnight escapades. Why they had to be evening rendezvous in the middle of the most dangerous forest in Equestria Fluttershy was uncertain.
In some ways Fluttershy admired Twilight's bravery. With her friends pre-occupied with other activities it left her with only Fluttershy as a companion to investigate. The animals always warned her that the deeper zones of the Everfree were filled with unspeakable monsters that could violently end your happy days with a swipe of their paws. Why could she go through this region without a squeak of terror? Without turning off the glow of her horn and hiding behind a tree until the morning came and the monsters went to bed?
Fluttershy began to realize this feeling wasn't a mere admiration. Jealousy was what crept into her heart as she followed her friend along. The way she maneuvered the forest with no thought for her step. Investigating sounds instead of running from them. Checking hiding places and bushes. Why was she so willing to take on this monster? Why didn't she just wait a few weeks until everyone got back? They could return to take on this threat with numbers! Why in Celestia's name was she willing to be so reckless?!
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR
The very trees shook as a roar of pain sailed through the air. Fluttershy darted backwards and found a tree to hide behind as her ears rang from the deafening howl. Harry dropped to the ground, apparently feigning death. Even Twilight's ears swiveled back in terror. A disturbed calm settled as the world around them reeled in shock. Both ponies knew exactly what creature could make that kind of sound.
"Dragon." Twilight uttered the words on both of their minds. This didn't make any sense, dragons were supposed to leave a trail of smoke wherever they went. How did a dragon manage to stay here unseen without anypony noticing? Even as the moment passed the implications drew out dread in her. She closed her eyes. She could feel her heart pounding, her fur shivering, her hoofs quaking. The frightened little pegasus sat there behind the tree. She couldn't move.
"Fluttershy are you ok?" Twilight's voice rang out from a short distance. To her own frustration Fluttershy didn't move a muscle in response.
Bucking Tartarus did she want to move, she wanted to scream out she was fine! She wanted to jump up and solve the problem herself just to prove that she could! Just to prove she could be brave when the time came. That she didn't need her friends to prop her up when something dangerous was happening. She could hear footsteps, Twilight had gotten up. She could hear her coming closer. If she got up now she could still do it. She could still take the reins just like she wanted. All she had to do was stop shaking! Stand up, look up, something! It was now or never, she was getting closer, get up Fluttershy please just get-
"Oh Fluttershy there you are!" Twilight exclaimed relieved to find her friend in one piece. The shaking mare merely eep'd in response. As was expected of her.
"Come on Fluttershy you know the drill! If theirs anyone who can talk that dragon out of eating animals here its you!" Twilight explained. Meanwhile Fluttershy had now buried her head between her hooves. Twilight assumed this was one of her patented ostrich burial maneuvers. Twilight groaned. Two weeks of fruitless investigation had made her impatient. With the solution to the equation in hand she was not in the mood to wait around.
"Ugh Fluttershy please for the love of Celestia will you get over yourself and get up!" She snapped out. Fluttershy's head buried a little deeper into a now assumed hole her head was burrowing. Light sobs emitted from the pegasus. Twilight realized she'd crossed a line. She sat on her haunches, now angry less with her friend and more angry with herself.
"I'm sorry Fluttershy that wasn't the right thing to say. Could you come out of your um... hole? Please?" Twilight asked diplomatically. A light popping sound could be heard as Fluttershy came out of her heady hole, tears streaming down her face. She sniffled loudly and looked at her friend, gaze swimming with emotions. She looked skywards, the trees parting enough to see the stars.
"W-W-Why am I always like this?" Fluttershy asked the sky. That was the last question Twilight expected. Her mental list of common Fluttershy questions included Are we going home yet? Is that really necessary? And does this necklace make my plot look big? Admittedly she had come up with that last one as the first two were the only common questions she'd ever heard! This was uncharted territory for her official Fluttershy Friend Research. With this in mind Twilight took the time to articulate the best possible argument she could come up with.
"Um... I don't know?" Twilight muttered back in a confused tone. Nailed it! Fluttershy seemed to take the answer as she wiped away her tears and sniffed to clear her nose. Twilight deemed that meant she was at least cognizant now.
"Fluttershy I know that this forest can be scary and I know you have every right to both be scared of it and be mad at me for being dismissive of your feelings. But right now we have a real chance to fix this! I won't let that chance get away from us just because we weren't willing to try." Twilight explained with impassioned vigor. Something in her words thankfully stirred Fluttershy. She rose from her hiding spot. Twilight stood up and followed her. Exiting her hiding spot and turning to where her bear friend had been revealed a saddening sight. Harry had crushed his body to the ground, head buried between his claws as he visibly shook and shivered. It seemed Fluttershy wasn't the only one that was scared this evening.
"You can help Harry, you can help all your animal friends. All you need to do is help me with this dragon." Twilight told her. Fluttershy looked back at her friend wordlessly. The stare that came from Fluttershy pierced her. She took a step back like a scared filly. It took everything she had not to back down and look away. But she wouldn't back down. She needed Fluttershy right now. But the way she was looking at her. The way her eyes viewed her with an edge of judgement. She felt like she could sense hatred. Finally Fluttershy broke her stare down and sighed.
"Ok." She breathed out flatly. Twilight sighed in relief. With her companion now back among the brave twilight quickly cast a spell to track where that sound had come from. With the size and power of the roar it took her mere moments to suss out its general location. Fluttershy trotted over to harry; Lightly prodding the poor bear.
"Its ok Harry. Nothing's gonna hurt you. I promise." Fluttershy soothingly breathed into Harry's ear. Harry perked up at that, as if it was informal confirmation that safety had returned.
"Go back to the cottage Harry, Twilight and Momma have to take care of the big scaly..." Fluttershy shivered
"Dragon that's making everything scary." She finished. Harry eyed her with a look of suspicion and concern. As scared as he was he wasn't letting his friend and caretaker run off with a death wish. The sentiment made Fluttershy smile.
"I promise I'm coming home right after. You have my word." Fluttershy told him definitively. Harry's expression softened at the words and he promptly shrugged. With his heart having now relaxed he stood and began ambling his way home. Passing a now smiling Twilight.
"I figured out where we need to go if you want to uh... get going?" Twilight asked nervously. She was worried that the wind would come out of her friend's sails at any moment. Fluttershy merely nodded.
"Let's go." Fluttershy said definitively. Twilight sighed happily at that. She motioned with her hoof to follow and they took off deep into the Everfree.
The Everfree swayed with the wind as the two ponies traveled along. The moon's yellow glow hung overhead, an unfriendly reminder of the circumstances by which they traversed the eerie forest. Fluttershy could feel her fur crawl as she put one hoof in front of the other. Even so her hoofsteps moved with a certain umph now compared to before. An anger had taken her over; A boiling rage that began growing since they set off again.
The way Harry was shaking had been the last straw. She'd felt that feeling before, terror. Harry didn't deserve that terror. Harry didn't deserve this crippling fright that Fluttershy felt every moment walking through these star forsaken woods. She knew that no matter what happened tonight the Everfree would never truly be safe. If she could stop this dragon however, stop it from raining terror on her animal friends. She'd walk through Tartarus with this fear. And if a dragon stood in her way?
He'd get an earful.
Twilight's horn glowed brighter as her arcane mana directed them towards the dragons location. Darkness would have engulfed them had it not been for the glow of twilights eyes and the bright glow of twilight's horn. Fluttershy could barely see where they were going, only able to see at best 10-15 feet ahead of them. Light poured out of random holes in the tree line illuminating random sectors of the beyond. They dodged branches and massive roots to avoid an unfortunate trip. Even the moon in its intense and ominous yellow coating seemed welcoming compared to the oppressive darkness that surrounded them.
Slowly but surely the tree line became more sparse. More and more room could be found to place their hooves as the ground under them was no longer covered by roots and branches but instead flat ground. The glow on twilights eyes grew brighter. As her companion followed her diligently, the tension in the ponies muscles grew more and more. Finally a break in a forest opened from their current dark landscape into the comparatively bright moonlight.
They had entered a ravine. Its cavernous walls reached up high; Its rocky heights relatively the same height as Twilight library if not taller. Its length going far into the distance before curving to the right. Up above the Fluttershy noticed the leaves of trees on on the left side but considerably less trees on the right. Indicating that on the right side led to a sort of clearing. It was only until Fluttershy saw a familiar plank bridge further in the distance did she realize where they were.
"Um... are we near the old castle?" Fluttershy asked openly. Twilight nodded besides her friend and began trotting forward.
"If my calculations are correct we are currently nearby the Castle of the Two Princesses. This ravine must be the one we needed to get past when we took down nightmare moon." Twilight affirmed. Stopping for a moment, the purple mare squinted her eyes as the magical aura surrounding them pulsed quickly at the speed of a resting heart.
"We're close, but what would a dragon be doing out here in the middle of a ravine?" Twilight pondered.
"And aren't they supposed to leave giant trails of smoke wherever they go? A-and how could it have been eating all those cute little animals without being seen or leave any clues?" Fluttershy said keeping the questions rolling. Twilight sighed and scratched at the dirt below her.
"Beats me, but do you have any idea what could have killed a manticore besides, I don't know, a dragon?" Twilight asked her friend. Fluttershy shrank at the question.
"N-n-no..." Fluttershy whispered out.
"Well then that settles it! It has to be the dragon or my name is Princess Twilight Sparkle! Come on Fluttershy, there's a dragon in those hills!" Twilight exclaimed and stormed off. Fluttershy merely shook her head, they weren't even near a hill it was a ravine for Celestia's sake!
The terrain of the ravine was jagged in nature. Often the two would have to climb small cliffs ranging for 4-10 feet in size as the chasm's floor pitched and shifted like the earth under them had a drunken evening making the ground they walked on. Nevertheless thanks to better light and a clear straightforward direction the pace quickened measurably. Fluttershy's heart began beating faster as her anger began to grow step by step. She had managed to bury it well when speaking to her friend before but as she and her friend drew closer it was becoming unbearable. In some way she was grateful that Timberwolves weren't here to interrupt her. Otherwise she would have laid into them as well, and that wouldn't be fair to them.
Finally in the distance, near where they had initially seen the curve of the ravine. Fluttershy could see it. A massive cave who's entrance was almost size of half the ravine stood. The light barely penetrating its depths. Fluttershy's pace quickened. When they finished climbing the latest cliff they had found. Fluttershy would walk off without her friend in tow rather than waiting patiently for her to get up. Her light walk moved to a brisk trot and she found muscles she hadn't used in quite a while to get up and down cliffs faster.
"Fluttershy wait up your going too fast!" Twilight called out from behind as she panted. Her friend looked back at her with burning eyes. Twilight took a step back; Aghast at the mare's sudden drive. The butter colored mare's wings unfurled and she took off from the spot. Flying off towards the cave on her own.
"Fluttershy wait! Where are you going!" The librarian yelled exasperated. But by the time she called out her yellow friend had already soared off. Twilight quickly tried to take stock of her friends state. She wasn't anywhere near like this the last time she took on a dragon. Perhaps she'd (somehow) garnered an overzealousness regarding her abilities on taking on dragons? And perhaps her speech earlier had convinced her that she was not only capable of handling it on her own but she needed to save her friends and... oh dear.
"Stupid Twilight!" Twilight voiced her thoughts openly "Now your friend's gonna end up a skeleton too because you overencouraged her! Darn it, I'd be able to catch up if I galloped there but the terrain is gonna slow me down! If only I had some way to just magically telepor—"
Twilight facehooved at her own stupidity.
"Earth to Twilight! Teleportation!" The purple mare quickly ditched the tracking spell and the minor illumination spell and charged a teleport. Her purple aura surrounded her and in a burst of light she teleported up the latest small cliff. Now she was off to the races teleporting up and the down indents and sheer cliffs following her friend. Thankfully for the unicorn Fluttershy was not a rainbow maned pegasus allowing her to keep a fair pace with her sporadic teleportation.
The wind parted as Fluttershy thumped onto the ground mere feet from the dragon's lair. The cave's opening was massive, its structure like that of an open maw waiting to swallow its victims. The pale moonlight illuminated only the faintest hint of what was inside; As if a black hole that consumed Luna's gift to walkers of the evening breeze. As twilight made one minor teleport to catch up with her friend the only scientific observation that she could make was that this cave was bad news. Among the two of them, now she was the one who was afraid. Fluttershy moved first, stomping her hooves as she trotted inside.
"Alright Mister, you better have a darn good explanation for all this. Why I swear of all the mean things I can possibly think are mean. Killing innocent cute creatures for sport has got to be the meanest of the mean! You should be ashamed that—" Fluttershy's ranting quickly became incoherent murmurs as she drew deeper into the cave alone.
It took Twilight a moment to realize that she hadn't followed. It appeared her long looks at the cave's size, random claw marks she spotted around the caves interior and pure darkness of its depths had paralyzed her. She shook it off.
"Fluttershy for crying out loud wait for me—" A yellow fur ball shot out of the cave at rapid speed. Crashing directly into the purple fur ball and causing both fur balls to careen into the opposing wall of the ravine. They slowly slumped down as Twilight felt her butter coated companion shake violently and uncontrollably. The ball rolled over and became a frozen mare on her backside, her hooves rigid and reaching to the heavens. It seems her courage had finally been sapped.
"Uh Fluttershy are you ok?" Twilight asked as she prodded her friend. Fluttershy didn't say a word. Her muscles appeared to have been stuck into place like glue. In Twilight's medical opinion, her friend had fainted. She sighed. Having not heard another massive roar or anything specifically dragon related Twilight surmised that her brave friend had seen a bug that looked at her funny and had panicked. Considering this Twilight figured the cave was deeper then it looked; Going further she surmised that the dragon was most likely asleep considering that it had not responded to Fluttershy's cutting accusation of meanness. Most likely leaving them the element of surprise. She grabbed Fluttershy with her magic and slumped her over her back and began slowly ambling her way inside the cave to explore.
"Another fun day in the life of Twilight Sparkle's Merry Band of Mares. Who's greatest achievements include me causing an entire town to go nuts over a doll; Causing my assistant to grow to full size and rampage through Ponyville; And my personal favorite crashing The Grand Galloping Gala by having THIS little pony right here run a hoard of upset animals through it. Not entirely her fault but YOU GET MY POINT" Twilight shouted to no pony in particular. Grunting every step or two at the brick of a pony she lugged along the way. With a small spurt of magic her horn illuminated the damp cavern.
Not a sound came from the cave itself. Twilight was surprised by how quiet a sleeper this dragon was. Beyond the occasional brush of outside wind or a stray water droplet dripping in the distance this cave gave off nothing other than ominous calm. Dragons were massive creatures. How could it stay this quiet?
Twilight got her answer faster than she expected. Without warning she bumped into something white and smooth. The small light that lit her general area made this surface look like a wall in front of her. Upon further inspection the only thing she could describe this as was, well, bone? Realization dawned on the purple pony as she charged her horns magic. Aiming directly above she shot a quick bolt of energy to the roof of the cavern. Lighting a large portion of the cave like a small lantern. Upon the lighting of the cave Twilight took a few short steps back in horror. Seeing the last thing she expected.
In front of her was the massive skeletal remains of a dragon. Its sheer size tripled that the dragon they'd faced a year ago or Spike in his state of greed. The remnants of the wings, now unfolded, stretched out across the entire caves length. Even with the ravines size it appeared the dragon had to squeeze its body physically just to fit in here. The scope of this dragon's body was immense in scale. Two things rang out immediately in Twilights head. Number one, how had this been under there noses for so long. Then number two.
What had killed it?
Fear overtook her fast. She was severely outclassed. If whatever had killed this dragon was nearby she, and by proxy her friend, were history. She had expected this to be some monster going around eating animals for food and sport. But this felt different, with the skeletons. With their being no bodies left behind. With the slight magical aura that even now she could sense. This was surgical, purposeful, it seemed to hold intent. And if the intent was to scare away or send a message it was felt loud an clear.
Twilight turned around promptly. She floated her friend's passed out frame with her telekinetic magic and galloped out the way she came. Upon exiting she floated Fluttershy to the top of the ravine and teleported up with her before she promptly fell to the ground panting heavily at the stress and exertion. The yellow pony took this opportune moment to wake up.
"Ugh... what happened..." Fluttershy whispered out as she rubbed her head. She looked over to find her friend panting and shivering next to her.
"Twilight! Are you ok?" Fluttershy jumped up and ran over to her friend. Lightly combing her hair with her hoof.
"I'm fine Fluttershy I'm... fine. Just uh, I'm beginning to think my name's Princess Twilight Sparkle" Twilight raggedly told her friend.
"W-What?"
"Ugh nothing just uh... give me a minute" Twilight breathed out tiredly. Tonight had been full of ups and downs. And it had almost ended right there in that cave. She couldn't do this, not with just her and Fluttershy. Tartarus she wasn't even sure if she could do this with all of her friends here. She needed more, she needed someone smarter and stronger than her to take whatever this was on. She needed...
She needed Celestia.
Twilight took a few more moments to breath before shaking off her friends odd but admittedly nice petting and got up. She shook herself to get any dust and dirt off herself. She needed to go, she needed to write a letter, she needed Celestia and fast.
"Fluttershy thank you for your help these past two weeks but I don't think it'll be necessary anymore." Twilight told her friend evenly.
"Why?" Fluttershy asked.
"Because whatever's here in the Everfree is far stronger than me, far stronger than you, FAR stronger than all of us combined. And I only know one pony who would know what's going on and be able to stop it. And that's my teacher." Twilight explained seriously. Fluttershy gasped in surprise.
"Celestia?! Are you sure she'd be willing to jump into this?" Fluttershy questioned openly. Her friend shook her head.
"If my teacher isn't willing to help us take on something that can kill dragons the size of an entire Canterlot block then I would be seriously surprised Fluttershy. This is the exact kind of thing she gets involved with." The student affirmed. Fluttershy didn't seem convinced.
"Even if we get her involved, are you sure even she could help? Are you sure she'd be enough?" Fluttershy grilled further. Twilight lowered her head, now looking dreadfully somber.
"If Celestia can't help us, then no one can." Twilight muttered out morbidly. A chilly air rolled through their manes, silence held between them. Twilight turned towards the nearby bridge and began trotting away.
"I want to keep helping." Twilight jumped and turned around to face her friend at this statement.
"EXCUSE ME?" Twilight yelled out in shock. This was more to add to her Fluttershy Friend Research. Fluttershy stood firm.
"M-my animal friends are in danger Twilight. And I... I won't just sit by while they cower in fear! I'm their caretaker, and I will help them no matter the cost. I'm going with you and that's final!" Fluttershy practically barked out the last of it. A fire in her gaze that made it clear she meant business. Twilight was floored, this was the last thing she expected. But the more she thought about it maybe having her friend along for the ride would be for the best. As scared as she was of it, her friend had more experience than her on the subject of this forest. Perhaps that would prove useful for Celestia in some way. Twilight sighed and nodded with a smile.
"Ok Fluttershy, I won't stop you." Twilight softly replied. Fluttershy smiled and hugged her friend deeply.
"Thank you Twilight, it means a lot to me." Fluttershy whispered in her own characteristic manner. Twilight smiled and hugged back.
"No need to thank me, I should be thanking you." Twilight said.
With that they broke from their brief hug and smiled with each other. They turned and trotted across the bridge. Today had been tough, and for all they knew tomorrow would be tougher. But for now they were on their way home for rest and recuperation. They would be back in this forest sooner rather then later. And this time they'd have help.