//------------------------------// // The Everfree Forest // Story: The Legend of Lightning Ace 2 : Rise of Storms // by LightningAce7 //------------------------------// "Elements, Elements, ELEMENTS!" Twilight yelled as she tore through the bookshelves in her search. "And just what ARE the Elements of Harmony?!" A very pissed Rainbow said to Twilight. "What are you? Some spy?" As she got in Twilight's face. "Simmer down Sally," Applejack said as she pulled Rainbow back by her tail. "She's no spy, but she does know something." She then looked at Twilight. "Don't you?" Twilight then looked down at the floor in worry. "I've read all about the prophecy of Nightmare Moon...who she is, how she returns, and how to stop her...but the only way seems to be a vague reference to some artifacts called the Elements of Harmony." She looked up to a window framing the moon. "I really don't even know what they do..." "The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide-" Pinkie was interrupted by Twilight shoving her out of the way. "How did you find that!?" Twilight was surprised. "It was under 'EEEEEEE'!" Pinkie teased. The front door to the library then swung open as Flash and Moonlight carried Lightning inside. Everypony was surprised to see Lightning not in a stretcher considering the beating Nightmare gave him. Applejack trotted to Lightning giving a worried and stern look. "Shouldn't y'all be at Ponyville Hospital sugarcube? Yer hurt pretty bad..." "I'll be fine Aj...just really want to stop Nightmare and...urgh...pay her back for what she did..." Lightning sounded winded as his every breath stung. "I j...just need a healing spell and I'll be fine." He then had a look in his eyes of determination. Twilight looked over and then looked at Moonlight. "I can heal him but I need another unicorn's help." Twilight said. "Me?" Moonlight said, taken off guard, "Why me?" "Because you are a talented mage studying magic like me. If you know as much magic as the Princess says you do, than you'll do fine. Now, are you ready?" She asked Moonlight. "Er...yes...I'm ready." Moonlight said nervously. Though true he was a talented mage-in-learning, he mainly studied the forces of destruction and advance telekinesis...and VERY basic medical...first aid...magic. "Then let's get started." Twilight then levitated Lightning onto the table in the center of the room. "Now let's have a look at him..." Twilight said as she powered up her horn and used it to scan for broken bones. "Good news everypony! No broken bones! In fact, he's mostly just bruised and has a couple of dislocated joints. He's quite the strong stallion for having such a small frame." She then looked down at Lightning's face. "You may want to take a deep breath..." As she motioned Moonlight to power up his own horn. Lightning looked up at them half confused. "Deep breath? What do you mean by-" He was cut off by a cringingly loud snapping sound as Twilight and Moonlight used their magic to force his joints back in place. The pain was even worse than the beating he got from Nightmare. The other ponies around him had fear in their eye's for how much it likely hurt. They then levitated Lightning off the table back onto his hooves an released him, causing him to stumble like a foal learning to walk for a moment. "How do you feel, Lightning?" Moonlight asked Lightning. He anwsered with a deadpan, electing a few giggles from Pinkie. "Now that that's out of the way."Twilight said as she levitated the tome "Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide" off the shelf and opened it. She then flipped to a page describing them. "The Elements consist of 6 elements, five of which are known...kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty, and loyalty. The sixth one is a complete mystery, as nopony knows what it may be." Outside an ominous dark presence watches from a window, listening intently. "The last known location of the elements are supposidly resting in what is now known as..." Twilight took a deep breath. "The Everfree Forest..." This news racked everypony in the room with fear and worry, but more so Lightning and Rainbow Dash, who have witnessed it's horrors in pony and know just what lurks in the shadows. It is also here where Lightning and his father and friends passed through to Ghasly's Gorge... Lightning then stepped forward into the group. "I...I can guide us there," Lightning said with a tinge of fear in his voice. "Lightning's right..." Rainbow Dash said, joining him in front of Twilight. "I've been there too...and you won't make it five hooves in before you're Timberwolf food! I'm coming with!" She stomped a hoof. "Really...thanks for the help...but I need to do this on my own and-" Twilight started to say. "Sugarcube, y'all aint goin' in there alone. Y'all might as well accept that were coming with you." Applejack said as she started packing her saddlebag. "And I as well," Rarity said as she donned a olive drab explorer's hat. "You may need me if you have a terrible wardrobe malfunction..." "And you have MEEEEE!!!!!!" Pinkie exclaimed as she shot up into the air. "This could be fun!" "You also have my steel," Flash Firestorm said as he gave his katana another close inspection. "Well if everyponyelse is going then I suppose I could come with...if that's alright with you that is..." Came a wimper of a voice from behind Pinkie. "Fluttershy!?" Lightning was suprised to see a foalhood friend here, even in this dark time. "How did you get here?" "I ah...well...umm...its a long story..." The shy pegasus whispered. "I guess it'll have to wait...cause Twilight is already heading out..." Lightning said, motioning to the door. "WHAT!?" Everyone yelled. With that the eight ponies darted out of the library after Twilight. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ After a few minutes of galloping the crew found themselves at the edge of the forbidding forest itself. Standing at it's edge was Twilight, who was busy checking a checklist of preparations one last time before starting her quest. "WAIT!!!" came the familiar voices of the other ponies as she was just about to enter. "I thought I told you all that I didn't need your help?" The lavender unicorn said to them. "I already said that I didn't ask you to come along! Now go home please! This is too dangerous!" "And we already said that we are going with whether you like it or not," Applejack assured Twilight. "All of us!" Everyone chimed. With that, everypony then started in, much to Twilight's dismay. With Lightning and Rainbow's help, they had planned out the best route through the wretched forest to the ancient castle of Old Canterlot, the resting place of the elements. After a while the group made it to a cliff overlooking an expanse of forest below. "Lightning," Twilight started to ask,"Where's the fastest way down?" She would ask Rainbow but she was occupied with harrasing the others with spooky stories of the forest. They were also not alone... As they were going about their business, an amorphous cloud of dark magic snaked it's way into the very cliff they were all standing on, causing it collapse out from under them. Instintually all the pegasi took to the sky to escape, but the others were less lucky. "Applejack!" Lightning yelled as he darted for his fillyfriend. "Don't worry bout' me hun, Save Rarity!" Aj said as she pointed him to a white unicorn who was about to loose her grip on a rock. She then slid down to Twilight who was just inches from falling to the deep valley below. She then observed Fluttershy and Rainbow nearby. "Twilight listen to me..." She assured Twilight, "Let go and you WILL be fine..." "I will NOT!" Twilight rejected as she looked down, only seeing a straight drop. "What I am saying is the TRUTH...let go..." She gave a very reassuring look. For an unseen reason, Twilight saw nothing but truth in Applejack's eye. With a deep breath, she let go and fell. After a short free fall, she was then caught by Rainbow and Fluttershy. "We've got ya Twi!" Rainbow reassured, despite Fluttershy loosing grip for a moment. "Sorry everypony, I'm not used to holding anything heavier than a bunny or two." The light yellow meek pony said as they placed Twilight onto solid ground. "Everypony OK?" Flash asked nopony in particular. He was anwsered by many nods. "Great! Twilight, where to next?" "Through that opening in the cliffs..." Twilight started as they moved forward. The dark cloud then made it's way to the next clearing and found it's next victim and proceeded to take the form of a sharp object then impale itself into the soft underside of a paw of a great beast. The group then made the clearing as the moonlight revealed a large and very angry beast. "MANTICORE!!!" Lightning said as he immediately drew his dagger, followed by everyponyelse readying themselves as well. Without forethought the beast threw itself at the party in a frenzied rage, causeing the group to split up to dodge it's mighty blow. It missed, shattering a large boulder into dust. Unphased, it flung itself again, this time at Rarity. "Get back you ruffian!" Rarity bellowed as she planted a firm kick to its face, which only enraged it more. It then roared in Rarity's face, ruining her mane. With her mane now in disarray, she bested a retreat. "wait..." Came a small voice from the side. Moonlight then stepped forth to challenge the beast. "How do you like a taste of Fireball!?" He yelled as his horn powered up, unleashing a few fireballs at the creature. The impact slowed it, but could not stop it's approach. "How about some Frost!" His horn lit with a white hue, followed by a spray of sharp icicles...that shattered on impact on the Manticore's thick fur. It reared up to strike when an orange pony lept onto it's back. "Wooo-we! Get along lil' dowggy!" Applejack exclaimed as she tried to beat it rodeo style. It took her for a wild ride as it tore through bushes and trees and rocks in an attempt to scrape her off. After another minute of this imprompto rodeo show it finally managed to force her off, sending her flying past Rainbow. "All yours sugarcube!" She said as she landed on Lightning's back. "wait..." Came the small voice again, though alittle louder this time. Now it was up to Rainbow and Lightning. They decided to try to phase it with a highspeed manuver...to get smacked by it's tail and land at Flash's hooves. He looked up and saw it's gaping maw open and bellow a mighty roar, sending him into the others like a bowling ball. Unphased, the group regrouped and formed a line to try for yet another assault on the beast. They needed to get past, which ment going through the raging monster. Twilight stomped at the ground and let out a small steam cloud out of her nostral as the beast did the same. Then, both the Manticore and the group began the charge. "WAAAAAIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Fluttershy yelled into the frey, this time causing everyone, including the manticore, to halt the attack. She then approached the enraged beast and beheld it. It reared up as if ready to score a one hit ko on the fragile Fluttershy. Instead, it presented it's foreleg to her, and to her surprise, there was a rather large jagged thorn embedded into it's paw. "Shhhh it's OK..." She nuzzled the creature in agony. "Oh you poor poooor little baby," She cooo'd to it. "Now this may hurt for just a second..." She then pulled the invasive thorn out of the beast's paw, causing it to roar in a short lived agony as everyone thought for sure that this was the end for Fluttershy. Instead, it held her in it's forelegs and proceeded to show her it's gratitude with a deadly barrage of licking and purring. As Fluttershy left the beast and passed by Twilight, she couldn't help but ask, "Fluttershy, how did you know about the thorn?" "I didn't," Fluttershy answered, "Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness." /////////////////////////// The group left the opening behind as they entered a particularly dense part of the forest. "Is it just me or is it a little more...wild than when we last came through here Rainbow?" Lighting asked as the moonlight overhead dimmed out. "Like I remember-" Rainbow started as there was a shriek of terror from ahead. It was only a second before the rest saw what gave Fluttershy a scare...the trees had come alive! Soon enough even Lightning, Moonlight and Applejack were completely frozen with fear. "You don't scare me!" Flash yelled as he drew his sword and lunged at the closest tree. He then got caught on a root as his sword impaled into a nearby knot in the tree, just out of his reach. The more he twisted and pulled to get free the more entangled in the roots he became. More roots then began to fall upon him as he flailed even more to get free. "noo....NOOOO!!!" He began to scream as he then lay still, frozen with fear now himself. Then there was laughter... "Pinkie are you insane!?" Twilight yelled to the pink pony, certain that all was lost. "RUN AND GET HELP!!!" "Silly Twilly...there's nothing to fear here!" She exclaimed as she broke out in even more laughter. The others merely looked on with fear and confusion...was she totally insane!? Inches from death and she laughs!? Then one of the trees ceased it's terror, and was no more than an ordinary tree again. "There really is nothing to fear! It's really just crazy to fear what isn't real!" Pinkie said between giggles. "What do you mean NOT REAL!?" Lighting said bewhildered, still frozen with fear. "When I was just a filly, my granny told me that hiding and cowering isnt' the way!" "Then what is!?" Rainbow asked, also petrified from fear. "Face your fears and laugh in their faces! They aren't real so it's just so silly that I can't help but laugh at how rediculous they are!" She then continued laughing at the strange trees, which in turn caused more of them to revert to normal trees. Lighting then looked more closely at the trees and saw then that they weren't even moving. He then giggled a little to himself after realizing that they were in no danger at all. Without warning he broke out in a laughing fit. The others soon followed the pink pony's example, and laughed all the 'monsters' into oblivion. They continued to laugh even after there were no more ghosties to be seen until they came across a raging river. "How are we supposed to cross THIS!?" Moonlight said as the river raged before them. Time was running out and the day had to be restored soon. "Wait...what's that?" Twilight asked as they saw the source of the rapids...a depressed river serpant. "OOOOHHHHH WOE IS ME!!!" The large purple serpent cried as his tail sent waves crashing into shores and rocks. "What's wrong with you?" Rarity asked the ruffled creature. "Well I don't know...I was just minding my own business...when a tacky purple cloud of smoke whizzed past and tore half my mustach clean off my beautiful face!" The serpent complained. "I can see why you'd be so upset..."Rarity started. "I mean you've got those amazing scales..." "I know!" The serpent boasted. "Your perfectly groomed mane..." "I know! I KNOW!!!" He was getting excited. "And your perfictly manicured claws...all of it ruined without your mustache!" "I KNOW! I'm hidious!!!" He then resumed crying again. "I just can't allow such a crime against fashion go unpunished!" Rarity said as she then tore a scale off of his belly. "Owww! What did you do that for!?" The serpent asked. She then used it to slice off her own tail much to everyone's astonishment. Even causing the serpent to faint. She levitated up her tail and used her magic to fuse it to the serpent's face, repairing his mustache. He was now so happy that he stopped his tantrom and thus the river was now calm enough to cross. "Rarity your tail!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Not to worry...it'll grow back...short tails are in this season..." Rarity bargined. "So would his mustache..." Rainbow retorted. "Look! We can now cross!" Twilight said as she started across. She was then lifted out of the water and found herself on the serpent's back. "Allow me!" He said before diving in, bridging the river for the nine ponies. //////////////////////////////// After several long hours of bush-whacking and path-finding, the group made it to the gorge that separated them from their destination. Twilight, seeing posts for a bridge in the fog, made a run for it, only to half fall over. Thankfully Rainbow caught her. "What is with you and falling off cliffs today?" She asked her. Then it hit Lightning and Dashie as to why there was no bridge. Lightning's father had to cut it down as a safety precaution as they camped...for all the good that did. Lightning then trod up to the edge of the pit. He could barely make out the edge of the end of the fallen bridge. "Rainbow...lets get the bridge up..." Lightning said as they both dove down into the fog and came up with the rope ends. They landed at the far end and brought up the ropes to tie them to the opposite posts. There was then an eiree laughter from the forest. "Raaaiiiinnnnnnboooooowwwww...." The voice said. "Who's there?" Rainbow asked into the nothingness. "Who!?" Lightning joined in. "It is us...the Shadow Bolts!" The voice said as three pegasi entered the clearing before them. "The Shadow Bolts?" Lightning was skeptical. "We are the most talented fliers in all of the Everfree...but there is a problem..." The leader of them said. "What's wrong?" Lightning asked her. "We may be the best...but we need a leader...and another new member too if you're interested..." She started to fly circles around the duo. "We need the most powerful..." Into Lightning's ear, "Fastest..." Into Rainbow's ear, "And most fearless ponies in all the land..." The others caught on..."Rainbow! Lightning! It's a trick and-" Twilight's voice was dampened by a sudden shroud of mist. "Sooooo," She landed in front of them, "Join us?" "Sure...we'll join up, just let us finish tieing this bridge and you've got a dea-" "NO!!!" the leader snapped. "It's US or THEM!" "You..." Rainbow started, causing the trio to smile sinisterly, "No thank-you I mean..." They weren't happy... "Alright...Let's finish the bridge and...Lightning!?" Rainbow looked but both he and the Shadow bolts were gone. "How DARE you interfere again!?" The lead Shadow Bolt bellowed as she plowed him into Flash, then both into the forest. With the Shadow bolts now gone and the way forward now clear, the remaining group entered the dark halls of the old castle.