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// The Hypothisis 
// Story: Magic Corrupted 
// by BookWyrm 
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Thanks for the support everypony, this chapter is a little short but the story is progressing really well.  hope you like it, please comment.


The Everfree Forest

The Hypothesis

The Forest is every bit as frightening as I remember.  As a foal I always avoided this place.  The trees are tall and black.  We can hear the sounds of feral beasts coming from just beyond our line of sight.  The most frightening thing is the sky.  It peaks through the trees occasionally.  But it is partly cloudy, even though today was meant to be clear, I swear I saw a cloud creep across the sky with no Pegasus to aid it’s doing so.  My guard escort and I arrive at a Zecora’s hut after about twenty minutes of walking.  The building is most certainly Zebafrican in architecture.  I recognize several traditional welcome masks out front, which I had just learned about only a few months earlier.  Zecora was an intimidating figure when we first met at her door, but after a short conversation she invited us into her shadowy home and agreed to speak with me over herbal tea.  

I find out that Zecora had been working as an emergency medic during the crisis.  Manufacturing medicine or teaching others how to cure certain ailments was a blessing after the hospitals where destroyed.  Zecora also did some work with hiding ponies in the Everfree forest.  Certain arias where less dangerous than others and were used as shelters for refugees during the height of the fright.  Our Interview was short, but very informative.    

(note: Zecora observes the Zebafrican custom of poetry speech.  She talks in rhyme and riddles.  This custom was started 
during early herbalist pilgrimages to increase proficiency in foreign languages.)

“So what happened after the Alicorn Amulet was taken from Trixie?”

I took the Amulet and locked it away. I hid it under my floorboards, and there it would stay.

“So you hid it under your floorboards, did you use it for anything?”

-Zecora smiles and walks over to a large bubbling cauldron- 

Zebra magic isn’t like Equestrian styles.

-Zecora adds a dash of red powder to her brew, a lingering purple smoke erupts out and fills the room-

Unicorns focus their spells through their horns but only maintain it for a while. 

-A unicorn silhouette appears in the smoke, its horn glows white as it casts a shooting star across the room- 

Pegasus Ponies use passive spells.  But the winged ponies’ magic only works on themselves.

-the unicorn turns into a pegasus.  It takes to soaring around the room and then lands on a new green cloud that has 
started to puff out from the pot.  The pegasus stomps its hoofs down making the green smoke rumble and flash like a 
brewing storm-  

Earth ponies too have a magic amount.  They maintain a constant stream of low level magic that radiates out. 

-the green smoke spreads out and the Pegasus silhouette becomes an earth pony.  The green smoke begins to glow slightly.  The glowing goes brighter until the smoke began to sprout little vaporous flowers-    

Zebra magic is channeled through an herbal brew.  An increase of raw power wouldn’t help what I do.

-The smoke dispelled and Zecora canters back over to us and pours some more tea-  

“So what happened then? How did Twilight come to possess the Amulet?”

Twilight came to me with ideas for study and test.  I trusted her not to use it…well… you know the rest.

-Zecora looks pensive-

That one little mistake is a burden I bare every day.  Had I simply said no, things may have been okay.  In the end it doesn’t change.  My friend is gone and I’m to blame.

-The Zebra stares into her tea and sighs-

“Did Twilight show any indication of mal intent?”

That is the most disturbing thing to me.  Twilight’s goal was to help her fellow pony.  I wish I had been more attentive to my friend.  Had I seen the changes I may have been able to change her end.  

“Was there anyone close to Twilight, someone who might have noticed her acting strange in those first weeks?” 

Twilight was in town on friendship studies.  Still… your best bet is with Spike, they were best buddies.

…

We left Zecoras soon after, we had to hoof it out of the forest, the sun was beginning to set.  We stay the night in the local barracks tents.  Tomorrow I will begin my search for Spike, whoever he is, I hope he can provide some answers.