//------------------------------//
// CHAPTER EIGHT 
// Story: Halo: Equestria 
// by xCrossx 
//------------------------------//

Everfree Forest, Equestria, November 23, 2552.

We carefully walk through the darkness of the Everfree, most of us knowing how dangerous it was before Discord probably twisted those dangers when he twisted everypony into humans. I have explained it to the Spartans and they've agreed to take it easy, but I don't think I convinced them that they may need to avoid trouble for their own sake too. Oh well, as long as we all-
"Stop!" I order as I spot the blue vines ahead. No... I shiver visibly. "Kill-Killing Joke!" I indicate the vines.
"Killing... Joke...?" asks Twilight.
"This story by a fan of you guys that takes place 200-some years after normal now had Poison Joke, but it was a worse plant due to the darkness of this forest, growing into those."
"An' what, might ah ask, do Killin' Joke do?" questions Applejack.
"If you have said something rather stupid, then it will grant it to horrible effect. It led to a male Diamond Dog becoming a female pony and FLuttershy..." I glance back at her. "Well, she became a tree for 200 years, watching the Killing Joke use her as bait." I catch a barely audible "Eep!" come from Fluttershy. I nod.
"So, how do they work? How do we get past them?" Rainbow asks bodly."
"They use their roots to touch you for a cruel laugh. Getting past them? Don't know, because this won't be the only patch around; there must be tons of them covering the forest. They have long reach and sense our footsteps."
"Sense our footsteps?" asks Twilight. I nod. Then point at my feet as I recall they had hooves, not feet. "Oh... Then, shouldn't we, you know, move before they pop out of the ground?" I turn around to face her. "RUN!" we yell. And run we do, the blue vines bursting out of the ground where we just were and weave after us.
It's only fear is fire... And we have some! "Spike!"
"What?!" he asks, popping out from behind Twilight's head.
"You need to breath fire at the vines!"
"I can't!"
"Ugh! Then have Twilight turn it into a fire on them!"
"My fire only transports things to Princess Celestia!"
"Doesn't matter! It looks real enough!" He sighs and puffs out fire. Twilight catches it in her magic, expands it and then tosses it behind us. The vines react as predicted, shrinking away from the oncoming flames, returning to the ground before the flames reach them. "Clear!" I inform them as I slow to a stop, gasping from exersion.
"That was too close!" gasps Rainbow. We all nod. I turn to the Spartans.
"Convinced yet?" They shake their heads. "Had they touched you, they would realize your armored, wrap you up, tear off your armor and gotten to your skin." They shrug. Ugh. "Fine. Anyways, let's get moving." I lead the way again, then stop. "Er, which way?"