//------------------------------//
// The Big Sleep 
// Story: The Ruins 
// by GoldenGoomba900 
//------------------------------//

	Zecora smiled, looking over her new potion. It wasn't anything special really, being a hair growth potion, but the zebra was proud nonetheless. It usually fetched a fair price on the market, usually from some unfortunate pony who’d wish she’d keep the whole thing hush-hush. She followed their wishes, it would be bad mojo if she didn't. 

Setting down the vial in a large box of others with similar effects she headed out for the market. On her way she spotted something peculiar in the bushes. Something pink and wavy. It must have been that yellow pony she’d met a few months before, Fluttershy if she remembered correctly. She approached the quivering pink fur and gently tugged on it, evoking the pegasus to give out her characteristic ”Eep!”
“Hello pony, so timid and shy.
I do not mind the visit, but I must ask: why?”

Fluttershy gave a sigh of relief having heard a friendly voice. “Oh Zecora, you scared me.” The pink and yellow pegasus said, slowly leaving her hiding place. “Well, I was looking for one Angel. She ran off without any dinner.” She explained in her soft voice.

Zecora nodded.
“Well, why don’t we look together for her?
With more eyes, we’re more likely to spot the fur.”
Fluttershy looked confused. “Angel’s a boy.” She said, but Zecora didn't seem to hear as she led into the forest.

After a few minutes of searching they eventually found the rabbit, having seemingly left just to make Flutter’s life harder. As they bolted through the brush after him the green and red of the flora seemed, for a split second of running, to give way to something white and grey. Although Fluttershy continued after her white rabbit Zecora slowed down a bit and backed up, she didn't honestly know what to expect, but it sure wasn't what she’d found.





Rumors had started going around town about what was found in the Everfree, Fluttershy and Zecora’s description only adding fuel to the fire as to what it was and where it had come from. 

The villagers remembered all the details from the frightened mare and mysterious zebra. The object was described as long and white, it had long objects jolting from the sides, although they were mostly broken off. It seemed to have been painted, as the white was peeling off of the two oddly shaped doors that were coated in rust. Half of it, the back half as they were told, had been badly scorched, as if it had been engulfed in flames long before. There seemed to have been windows on the side but they’d been cracked and broken, spilling glass on the ground around it. They were admittedly too disturbed to investigate further and went to get Twilight and the Mayor to inspect it in greater detail.

Despite this many of the locals found themselves too impatient to get the scientifically confusing description from the local leader and Twilight, although they liked them they had a habit of keeping important information from them, either on accident or through poor communication. Nopony was allowed inside the town hall, supposedly due to Mayor Mare not wanting to panic the town with such things. It ironically only served to stir the pot.