A Sparkle of Love.
Chapter 1: Everfree confrontation
Deep within the Everfree Forest, Echo Specter, a black unicorn stallion with an electric green mane and similar green eyes toils away at his potions and arcane arts. He has never gone into Ponyville and never left the dark forest since he had arrived in it. Echo preferred to be on his own, It had been that way for years after ‘the accident.’ Echo studied different ways to combine magic and potions and the Everfree Forest is rich with ingredients. One day he ventured out and came across a strange object, a pony-sized stone lawn ornament. As he drew closer he realized that it was a unicorn mare trapped in stone.
Hmm. Looks like a cockatrice got her, oh well.
Echo decided to continue on his way, as he gathered some maple root and poison joke extract he made his way back to his home. As he began to mix the ingredients his mind kept going back to the mare trapped in stone. No matter how hard he worked he couldn’t stop thinking about the pony.
Go back and help that pony!
What? Why?
Because it’s the right thing to do!
When has that ever mattered?
Shut up! You know you should.
Why? What has she ever done for me, I’m better off on my own. You know me.
Yeah so?!
Then you should understand where I’m coming from.
Ugh! You are such an ass-hole! I give up! Fine let another pony perish in this damn forest!
Fine you win, I’ll do it if it’ll get you to SHUT THE BUCK UP!
Good. Now hurry!
Echo decided to venture out into the forest once again looking for the stone encased pony as he made his way there he saw a cockatrice running away in fear. As he got to the clearing he saw five ponies standing in a circle he recognized the lavender one as the one who was trapped in stone. Seeing that she was fine Echo decided to go back to his cave. As he trotted back into his home his brain started to talk again.
See, she’s fine!
She was kinda cute.
Shut Up!
Suit yourself. But you have to admit it was kinda nice to try and help some-pony.
Ugh! If it’ll get you to shut up, the next time some-pony gets caught by a cockatrice I’ll help them out, deal?
Deal.
I still doubt that any-pony would be stupid enough to fall for that twice.
Nine months later, Echo was looking for some more tap root when he stumbled upon a familiar stone figure in the forest.
“You’ve got to be BUCKING KIDDING ME!!” Echo said as he face hoofed, he began to walk away until he remembered his deal. With a reluctant sigh his horn glowed and lifted the stone encased pony and brought her back to his home. He set her to the side and trotted over to his book shelf to look for a de-stoning spell. Once he did, he trotted back over to the mare his horn began to glow and slowly the stone started to disappear from the mares lavender body. Echo trotted back over to his potion mixing, he spent the next few hours recording his notes and experiments, until he heard a strange noise. Echo trotted over to where the mare was lying down and saw that she was awake.
“Ugh...my head. What happened.” the mare said as she noticed the masked pony. “Who are you?”
“Seriously? You don’t remember? You got turned to stone by a cockatrice. I happened to find and cure you.” he said as he trotted back to his book shelf and picked up a book.
“Oh, well thank you. My name is Twilight Sparkle and I-” she was cut off by the masked ponies voice.
“Where do you live?” he said with a commanding voice.
“In Ponyville I’m the-” she suddenly felt her body began to tingle and felt herself being pulled through a vortex. Twilight found herself on the outskirts of Ponyville with a confused look on her face. After Echo had sent the mare home he returned to his work. He began to mix the ingredients in the bowl. Echo spent hours making the concoction, until he finally laid down to sleep.
Back in Ponyville Twilight made her way to the library, her thoughts were consumed by the strange stallion that saved her. She was surprised when she saw all of her friends in there. As Pinkie saw her she leaped and tackled Twilight in a hug.
“Twilight where have you been? We’ve been worried sick.!”
“Get off me Pinkie and I’ve only been gone a few hours. Right?” Twilight said as she looked around at her friends.
“A few hours? Try four days!” Rarity said as she trotted in front of her friend.
“What! Four days!” Twilight said as a look of worry spread across her face. “Oh No I’m so behind on my studies.” she said as she rushed towards her book case but was stopped by Applejack grabbing her tail in her mouth.
“Whoa there sugar cube, yer studies can wait! Right now you need some proper food in ya.” the orange mare said as Twilight’s stomach let out a low growl.
“Heh-heh, I guess your right.”
“Come let’s go to Sugar Cube Corner. We’ll treat you.” Rarity said as she trotted out the door along with the other ponies following close behind her. After the friends trotted to Sugar Cube Corner they sat down to eat their food, soon the mares wanted to know what happened to their friend. Twilight told them about the cockatrice and the strange unicorn that had saved her.
“You got turned to stone by cockatrice again? HA!” Rainbow said as she rolled on the ground laughing.
“It’s not funny Rainbow! The Everfree is a very dangerous place.” Applejack said as she frowned at her friend. “So what about this unicorn that helped ya, who is he?”
“I don’t know after I woke up, I told him my name he asked if I lived in Ponyville and then he transported me on the outskirts of town.” she said as she took a sip from her drink.
“Well, we gotta go find him!” Pinkie said with a smile.
“Um Why?” Rainbow asked as she eyed the pink mare.
“Duh, so we can trow him a party for rescuing Twilight!”
“Good idea.” Applejack said with a grin. “But how do we find him? The Everfree is huge.”
“I think I know how.” Twilight said with a grin. “Transportation spells take a while to wear off if we go back to the spot where he transported me then I should be able to track it.”
“Sounds like a plan, lets get going.” Applejack said as she got out of her seat. The others followed Twilight to the spot where she was transported too. Twilight’s horn began to glow and a beam shot out in front of the ponies leading into the dark forest. The six ponies took a look at each other and ventured into the forest. The trail seemed to go on forever, until they saw a massive cave in front of them. Twilight and Rainbow Dash entered while the others stayed outside to keep watch. As they began to trot inside, they heard noised coming from the bushes as Twilight went to investigate they were bombarded by a flying green object. Echo got to his hooves and charged back into the bushes. As Twilight regained her balance her friends came to her side.
“That was him!” she said as she raced over in the direction that the stallion came from. The five ponies soon chased after her only to be stopped by a magical aura, they look over and Twilight pointing with her hoof at the stallion facing a manticore.
Echo was getting tired of this overgrown cat. All he wanted was a poison sample from the manticore’s tail, he knew it was going to be chore but not this big of one. He calmed down and his horn began to glow, three trees nearby he changed into restraints then wrapped themselves around the manticore restraining it. Echo then took out a syringe and proceeded to extract poison from the manticores tail. Suddenly the restraints came loose and sent Echo flying back against a tree. As he got to his hooves he noticed a familiar lavender unicorn pop out from the bushes, he then noticed five other ponies do the same. The manticore fled knowing that it was completely outnumbered. The six ponies then raced to Echo’s side.
“Are you okay?” Twilight asked. Echo didn’t respond and proceeded to put the syringe in his coat pocket and walk back towards his cave until he was stopped by a cyan hoof.
“Hey! My friend just asked you a question.”
“So?”
“What the hey is your problem? In case you didn’t notice she just saved you and your not even gonna thank her?” the cyan mare said with across look.
“Why should I? I saved her and she saved me, we’er even. I owe her nothing.” he said as he side stepped the mare. He then felt a rope around his legs and was being tied by the orange mare.
“No wait just one minute-” Applejack froze as she saw the rope she had just used had come alive and untied itself, the stallion then trotted away. Rainbow then charged at the stallion, tackling him to the ground. As Echo lifted the pegasus off of him he noticed a sharp pain in his leg. He looked down and noticed that the syringe holding the manticore poison had pierced his skin and began to flow into his blood stream. Echo then felt woozy and soon passed out.