//------------------------------// // Food // Story: The Green Room // by Toodle Flip //------------------------------// Hearing her stomach rumble again, Ginger thinks, I need to find a steady supply of food. The occasional flower just won’t do it. It seems like almost everything here is either painful, or I can’t eat it. I know there is a castle ruin somewhere in here, so maybe there are ruins with food, or edible grass. Ponies that lived there are sure to have something I can eat… All I need to do is find those ruins, wherever they are. Ginger moves through the forest, looking for ruins. She spots the blue flowers, waterfalls, giant caves, and even a rope bridge at one point. Coming back to the bridge by luck, she thinks about what to do. I haven’t seen anything that looks remotely pony built, except this bridge. Since there is nothing on this side, something must be on the other side that is pony built. Moving closer, she inspects the bridge, which is falling apart. I know it could barely hold a big pony, but a filly like me is sure to get across. This might actually be fun. After all, at least nothing is trying to eat me. That is always an improvement. Ginger peers through the fog that lingers on the bridge. For a moment the fog clears giving Ginger a brief view of the other side. On the other side of the bridge is a large set of double doors leading into the Castle of the Everfree. The bridge wobbles as she takes her first step, and Ginger begins walking across, with a look of concern on her face. I don’t think this was such a good idea. It is much wobblier than the bridge back in Ponyville… of course, that one is made of stone... I have to keep looking up no matter what. I will do this! In her focus, she begins to gallop across the bridge; being the only way she can avoid looking down. At the last plank of the bridge, she jumps, and makes it to the other side. For a split second, she feels exhilarated, having made it across an unstable bridge like Daring Do would have. She looks back at the bridge, expecting it to have fallen, but sees it intact. Ginger looks at the entrance to the castle, which is surprisingly still open. Well, here goes nothing… Ginger enters the castle, and begins checking to make sure it is safe. I can still hear animals around and that is a good sign; I don’t see anything that would say that this place is evil or full of monsters. I guess it is time to look around. Ginger begins climbing the stairs, her stomach grumbling louder. I know stomach, but I need to look around. You never know where we might find food! After searching through the entire castle, she returns to the front gate. Alright, there is nothing save a couple of flowers above ground. I cleared those out, but I need more. Maybe there is something underground. She spots an entrance, and peers in. There is no noise, but there are strange floating orbs of white light, dotted throughout the area she can see. Alright, so long as I don’t touch them, I should be fine. Moving through the underground of the castle, Ginger looks at the suits of armor, and eventually reaches food. She looks around, to make sure that nopony is home, and begins eating. Eventually satisfied, she continues exploring. While it is probably safer to leave, this might be a good place to stay for now. Besides, if a real pony lives here, they might be able to help me. I know the monsters don’t live here. It isn’t gross enough. Ginger continues wandering until she reaches a well-lit library, where she can hear chanting. Looking inside, she sees a strange stallion chanting in an even stranger language around a circle. What is he doing? It looks like unicorn magic, but… I need to find out more. Maybe there is a book nearby? Ginger creeps into the room, using the sound of the ritual to mask her movements, and she looks at an open book on the desk. Alright it says… Silly children like you should know when to stay at home. What kind of message is that? Oh right… it is a trap… and I fell for it didn’t I? Ginger turns around, expecting somepony to be there, and simply sees the ritual continuing. I think that silly fillies would probably have spoken that… Ginger notices a dark cloud begin to form in the circle and the unicorn begins chanting louder. A sickening laughter that would only come from nightmares begins to emanate from the circle. The stallion moves closer to the circle, and enters it, still chanting in his strange language. Ginger panics, and throws a random book off the shelf into the circle, and with a flash of light, the strange unicorn was gone, and only a book was left. Where did he go? Where is that scary cloud? Well, it’s gone now so I everything is good. I wonder if I can find some new saddlebags in here? I could use that. Ginger looks deeper into the castle, and eventually finds a bedroom. It only has one bed, a diary, and a wardrobe. She opens the wardrobe and takes a small pair of saddlebags. Why is it that he liked black so much? I mean really? This would make Ms. Rarity have a fit! Well, time to gather useful supplies. I can grab some food, and look around the library for a book or two. It will be some form of entertainment... Ginger moves back to the food, and sees that the orbs are slowly dimming out. I think the stallion was keeping them working. I guess I can’t stay here after all… She grabs food and fills one of the bags with it. This should last me a while. Now to get to the library for a book. The library seems darker, despite the light filtering from the ceiling. Ginger is careful to avoid the book in the center, and decides that the diary is bound to be more interesting than all the magic books in the room. She looks again at the book in the center of the room, and something begins to press against her mind. A force seemingly telling her to grab the book and take it with her. The book whispers to her, and for the first time, Ginger listens. Ginger walks over to the dark tome, and places it in her saddlebags. What was that about? Well, time to leave. I don’t want to hang around in the dark! Ginger leaves the castle. I’ve finished this portion, but I need to find shelter. Maybe there will be some ruins nearby… I will probably be able to see them from the higher part of the castle. I don't want to stay here in case the scary unicorn has scary friends... Ginger looks out from the castle tower, and spots some ruins. It looks oddly familiar. I will have a look. But, I need a plan. Every other time, I have gone in, and simply hoped for the best, unaware of the true danger. Alright, there are some other ruins nearby. If something goes wrong, I can go there. You know what? I am learning! Soon, this place won’t be a threat, and I can leave once I learn all it’s secrets. But rescue is coming. I know it. I don’t care that they haven’t found me yet. I know they are looking. They will find me before I finish here. Climbing down from the tower, Ginger begins her plan. Making sure to take in every detail of her surroundings, Ginger noted how the forest looked almost the same. Strange how the noises are different. I don’t hear the occasional roar or howl here... Maybe the chasm is too large and prevents them from coming here. But what could stop them? The manticores could probably fly over... Ginger notices the forest thinning, and the tree-line break, as she moves into the ruins. overgrown structures and odd machines dot the tree-line. I wonder what happened here? It looks like there was a large fight... Ginger moves tentatively towards the ruins, and upon entering them, the ruins seem to brighten, almost welcoming her. Yet again, a force presses against her mind, and unfocused, Ginger couldn’t resist. Shapes began to form all over the ruin, and Ginger began to hear the whispers. She sees strange figures in what looked for a short while like dancing... until one stallion lost his head. To Ginger it all began to seem real, as she moved closer towards the head, the level of detail increased, and the murderer moved off, as if he couldn’t see Ginger. A form approaches her, taking the shape of a pony, it’s eyes deep pits of black. It’s mouth opens and closes, as if whispering to her. As they move closer, within thirty feet, they begin to look like ponies she know, and ponies she doesn’t. Among the dozens that have gathered, one who looks like Archer whispers to her, “Welcome... we knew you would make it here. But stay, join us... We need you. Please, help us. We are so cold here... so very cold. You are warm, like a fire. Long ago, while the fires were still burning, we gathered, but they were not warm. No, they were cold. We saw those who were fighting, and they were warm. Please help us become warm... We are so very cold.” Ginger asks, her voice almost feeling awkward after being silent for so long, “What happened to the warm ponies?” The ghosts reply, “Make us whole, make us warm. Embrace us.” One of the ghosts gallops next to her and says assuredly, “Come with me! I want to help!” Ginger follows the ghost, trying to get away from the horror of familiar, and demonic. She follows the spirit to an old home, where one of the walls had caved in. She enters, and looks around for a way to escape. Ginger says warily, “I don’t see any way out of here... Now what? They are right behind us...” The ghost smiles, and tells her, “This is for your own good. If the others had gotten you, you would have been torn to pieces. At least with me, it will only hurt for a moment. It will all be over soon. You don’t have anything to worry about” The ghost moves closer, and it’s jaw unhooks as if it was going to swallow Ginger whole. Ginger turns away from the ghost, not wanting to see her end. The ghost slams against her saddlebags, and is stopped by an invisible wall. The ghost shouts, “What have you got in your bagses, little filly!? What have have you got in your bagses? Only another spirit could stop me... But it can’t stop us all.” Ginger cries, “I’ve got a book! That is all! Leave me alone!” A voice cuts through the screaming, “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” A large stallion wielding a ball of light gallops through the assembling crowd of ghosts. The ball blinds Ginger for a moment, and the ghost screams angrily at the interfering stallion. Following behind him is a seafoam green mare. The large stallion hits the ghost with the ball of light, and once the flare of light dies down, Ginger can see the stallion, and the accompanying mare. Is that Lyra? No, it can’t be. That orb... it must be those monsters... they have come for me. If I panic, they will surely get me. Besides I am still trapped here, if I can get outside, and attract more of those ghosts, they will probably be more interested in those two monsters. “Wha-wait! We’re just here to help out!” said Lyra’s imposter. The strange stallion called out second, “there’s something really wrong here... come on, we can’t let her wander off!” Ginger moves around the two in their moment of distraction, and begins to run towards the castle. I can lose them in the castle! Using her agility and small size to her advantage, she begins galloping towards the forest, and towards the castle, while the two other pony’s figures followed suit. Buildings began to blur by, and Ginger watches the sad faces looking towards her, begging for her to return. The forest was much harsher, and Ginger was careful to avoid tripping on roots, though behind here, the stallion failed to avoid the roots, and toppled over, while Lyra’s body tripped over him. Ginger could not hear if anything was coming because of the blood pumping in her ears, and the protests of Lyra’s imposter and the stranger went unheard. The castle door was still open, and she rushes inside. She hides in the darkness of the basement, waiting for the two to leave. She makes sure to peer outside, so that she can see what they do, and if they will follow her into the darkness. Of course, they were back on the hooves, and on her tail, though farther behind than they were before. The two ponies enter the castle, and look around hoping to find Ginger. I won’t let them take me. I will do whatever it takes to keep out of their hooves. If I am caught by them, rescue will never find me... “Lance... I think that was the Filly of the Forest I came for...” “The filly of the what?” “Filly of the forest.” Lyra’s doppelganger slowly trotted towards the basement’s entrance. Ginger backs deeper into the basement, fear plastered on her face. “Legend has it that there was a filly, long ago, who ventured into the Everfree forest, and became lost, and alone. she never found her way out... and she eventually found her way to the old Canterlot Castle, after fleeing from the ghostly spirits that haunted the ruins. She made the castle her home, and continued to live there until she died. Nopony knows how she died, but they say the spirit is still around, haunting the forest, looking for a way home... Waiting for the search party that never came. That was... a couple hundred years ago, as the legend tells. There’s a memorial to her somewhere in the basement. some ponies would come here and leave her offerings of food, so that her spirit would be better at peace...” The doppelganger and it’s accomplice moved into the basement, with the latter summoning an orb of light. Ginger moves into the library, and hides in the shelves. She watches as the duo move up to the small table where the food was located. Lyra’s form removed a few apples from her saddlebag, some berries, and a couple of carrots, adding them to the previous food. “Rest In Peace, sweet filly...” The stallion spoke up, “I think... I can feel something. Again. just one this time. it’s... in this very room... angry... and full of sorrow...” “Then... it’s true? I definitely need to tell this to Bon Bon... you’ve been really helpful, Lance...” “Um... you’re welcome, I guess? But... can we please get out of here? You might get the rattles, but dang, these spirits are freaking me out!” a silent nod of agreement from the seafoam green mare, and the two made their way out of the castle. Ginger begins to shiver and says, “So very cold...” Outside, the two hear this, and begin to run, wanting to avoid the angry spirit that lay within the castle. Ginger notices that the two have left, and she goes to investigate the statue again. She stumbles on a strange glass ball, and upon touching it, the basement lights up. The orbs begin to glow, and eventually return to the strength like from when the mage was living there. Ginger looks at the statue, which resembles her. She looks and sees an article. It is a recent paper from Ponyville. Ginger looks through, and sees a small article towards the end of the paper. Obituaries: The filly Ginger Snap, age 10 died after disappearing on a recent Filly Scout hike. She is presumed to have fallen off a mountain, and into the Everfree forest. Ginger Snap was an example to all Filly Scouts representing what one should be. She is missed by all of Ponyville. She lives on in our hearts. Ginger looks at the obituary with her hooves shaking, her confidence broken. They think I am dead? They... they aren’t looking? She begins shaking more, a new emotion coming to mind, screaming to be released. Ginger looks up and begins to scream. A scream that hasn’t been heard in centuries in all of ponydom. One of sadness and rage. Ginger lays on the stone floor, hugging the paper, crying. I’m alone here... No way out. Abandoned. I can never leave can I? I dreamed of adventure. I dreamed of finally getting my cutie mark, and now all I dream of is silence, and hope not to be eaten by monsters... Now, I have to find my way home. Ginger didn’t even hear the pressure against her mind, or the cackling in the back of her mind, a whirlwind of darkness, looking to be released...