//------------------------------// // Into the Woods // Story: Everfree Quest // by CartsBeforeHorses //------------------------------// The unicorn Twilight Sparkle sat reading a history book in her treehouse library one day. She turned the page with her magic and saw a chapter called "The Everfree: Then and Now." Curious, she read the passage. "The city of Everfree, located in what is now the Everfree Forest, used to be the capital of Equestria instead of Canterlot. It still contains the ruins of the Palace of the Royal Pony Sisters on the south side of the Everfree River." Ah, well I knew that already, Twilight thought, recalling her first-ever adventure. Two years ago, she had retrieved the Elements of Harmony from the old castle and stopped Nightmare Moon with her five friends. "1,300 years ago, Princesses Celestia and Luna relocated their capital city to Canterlot, for reasons that historians aren't quite sure of. Legends tell of many treasures still hidden deep within the catacombs that the Princesses left behind in their hurried relocation: gold, silver, rubies, sapphires, and mystical artifacts such as idols and stones. "One such stone, the Nirucon stone, is said to contain mysterious magic-altering properties. Legends tell that unicorns wielding this stone could cast spells that they otherwise could not." Twilight's ears perked up. Magic enhancement? If she had that stone in her possession, she would be even better at magic than she already was! Though it was just an old legend and might not even be true, Twilight was feeling rather adventurous and decided to see if she could recruit any of her friends to go with her. It's not like she had anything better to do. All she had been doing that day was reading history books, anyway. ***** Thankfully, all of Twilight's friends were also feeling adventurous. Other than Spike, who was taking a nap after eating five pounds of gemstones. The six ponies stood outside the western entrance of the forest. The morning sun was just rising over the trees in the east, casting light into their eyes. “Are you guys sure you all want to come? I mean, the Everfree Forest is pretty dangerous," Twilight asked. "There's a pretty stone to find, right?" Rarity asked. "Yes." "And adventure?" Rainbow Dash and Applejack asked. "Yes." "And fun?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Yes. Well, hopefully." "And animals?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, yeah, the Forest is full of them." "Then we'll do it!" the other five ponies exclaimed. With that, they all walked into the forest. The Everfree Forest during the day was not nearly as imposing as it was at night, when all of the dangerous creatures came out to feed. However, the ponies still kept their wits about them as they followed the trail south towards the Everfree River. They passed the time by chatting, singing, and playing road games until they were about halfway through the forest. By this point, it was well into the afternoon when Rainbow Dash pointed out what everypony had been thinking but nopony had been willing to say. “Well that was a letdown. I was expecting to run into a manticore or a timberwolf or something!” she lamented. “All the better we don’t,” Applejack said, “If we can just get the stone and leave, that's fine by me. And don’t jinx us, R.D.!” Soon, they came upon the Everfree River. Weeping willow trees and ferns crowded its banks. The rapids wildly churned as they cut across rocks, and a repeating crashing sound could be heard as the water spilled off of a waterfall some three hundred feet away into the gulch below. “Well, we can’t cross here, it’s too dangerous!” Rarity said. “Why don’t we try walking further upstream, we can find that nice river serpent who helped us out last time.” “Oh, I think we’ll be fine…” Twilight started, “I’ve been working on a group teleportation spell. I’ve never used it before, but it should be able to get at least four of us across this river no problem. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy can fly across and meet the rest of us on the other side.” Applejack said, “Well Twilight, if it’s all the same with you, I’d rather you test it on yourself and a few of these rocks first. I mean, seein’ as how you never used it before, and sometimes your magic's a bit... unpredictable.” Applejack bucked a few pony-sized boulders towards the riverbank. They rolled for a few feet and stopped on the riverbank. “That’s probably a good idea. I’ll know for sure after I’ve crossed this river, but I don’t think there will be a problem. Here goes…” Twilight’s horn glowed a bright purple as she extended a magical aura around the three boulders. In a sudden flash of light, Twilight and the three boulders disappeared. Suddenly a loud splashing sound rang through the air. “AAAHHHH!” Twilight yelled. Her teleport had misfired and she had fallen into the river. She frantically shot off bursts of magic from her horn, teleporting in quick spurts and moving a few feet up the river at a time, but it was no use against the powerful current which was quickly carrying her towards the waterfall. She was unable to teleport back onto the bank. “Hold on, Twi!” Applejack removed her lasso from under her hat and twirled it in the air. The coil wrapped around Twilight’s soaking torso. Applejack pulled on the rope and dragged Twilight out of the river. She shivered, dripping wet with water and shaking, both from the cold and from her near-death experience. “Thank you so much, Applejack! You saved my life!” Applejack blushed. “Aw, it was nothin’. You woulda done the same for me. Shoot, you’da probably been fine anyway. I mean, you woulda just teleported back onto the bank in time.” “That’s the weird part,” Twilight began, “I couldn’t. There was some powerful force blocking me from teleporting back to the bank. All I could do was try and teleport up the river, against the tide.” “Now what on earth could that force have possibly been?” Rarity asked. The other ponies nodded in agreement. Twilight’s jaw dropped. “I think… I think it’s right behind you, Rarity.” The other five ponies turned behind them to face the direction Twilight was facing. They directed their gazes upwards at a fifty-foot tall blue-skinned creature. The beast stood on all fours, with its front legs ending in four-fingered hands and its hind legs ending in paws. It had a massive tail which ended in another hand. The beast’s piercing fangs and pale eyes gazed down at them from the end of its long muzzle. The beast spoke in a devilish, rumbling voice, with a thick Latin accent, “Hello, ponies. I am Ahuizotl. I do believe you have stumbled upon MY river.”