//------------------------------//
// Ch 3: Explanations 
// Story: Out of the Darkness 
// by SergeantShenanigans 
//------------------------------//

As Zecora trotted towards Ponyville she couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong. Usually along her trip to ponyville she would see many a creature along the way, but for some reason there wasn’t a creature to be found. ‘The animals are gone, this is strange. Perhaps they scattered when one caught the mange?’ She wondered. ‘Perhaps I shall ask dear Fluttershy where the animals have gone and why,’

After a moment she let out a drawn out sigh. ‘Great, now even my thoughts are rhyming as of late.’

As the town of ponyville came into view something seemed off about the usually bustling town. As she got close enough to make out the streets and buildings she finally noticed that the town seemed to be deserted, just to add to the effect a tumbleweed slowly blew across the path as she entered town.

On any normal day she might've thought that the ponies were just avoiding her again, but today was different. Besides the pony now residing in her hut she had seen no sign of life all day. "It seems the town ponies are gone too, I wonder what fate has thrown into this brew?" she remarked idly before picking up her pace and heading for the library, hoping that Twilight Sparkle could shed some light on the situation.

She quickly found the building she was looking for and knocked on the door. It was quickly answered by a very paranoid sounding voice. "Who’s there! I have a broom and I'm not afr-" was all she could make out before she heard a series of loud thumps that was followed by one loud crash followed by many smaller crashes. Curiously Zecora knocked on the door again but this time, her knock was answered by a much calmer, lighter tone than from before. "Please come in and watch your step."

When she walked into the library the scene before her made her extremely curious. Directly in front of her she saw the broom she was threatened with was broken in half and just to the right of it was Spike, his head sticking out of a pile of fallen books. 

Spike was a small bipedal creature standing at Zecora’s back in height, he was purple all over except for his head and his chest, he had green scales pointed up from his head to his tail that looked like spines, while his chest was a yellowish white.

Now standing at the end of the stairs was Twilight Sparkle a lavender colored unicorn with a cutiemark that resembled a pink directional star surrounded by sparkles and a dark blue mane that had a pink and purple streak in it. "Please explain the scene as I walk in the door, I see books scattered and a dragon on the floor!" Zecoracommented with an amused tone.

"I sent Spike down to answer the door, and when he began walking down the stairs he tripped over the broom, breaking it and sending him toppling into that book case,” Twilight explained gesturing to the fallen bookcase.
Zecora looked over at the dragon, who was now dusting himself off, then back to Twilight, before she fell to the floor in laughter shortly followed by Twilight and Spike. After the laughter died down Zecora decided to ask. "Enough delay to my business, where are all of the other ponies in all of this mess?"

"Well, Applejack is back at her farm, Pinkie pie is at Sugar cube corner, Rainbow dash is probably napping somewhere, Rarity is at Carousel Boutique, and Fluttershy is at her cottage taking care of animals."

"About your five friends is not what I meant, I wanted to know where all the other ponies have went," Zecora asked gesturing broadly out the door towards the rest of ponyville.

"Oh, right, it happened only yesterday, so of course you wouldn’t have heard," Twilight hesitated before continuing. "Yesterday an ancient evil was brought upon all of Equestria, this evil was known as Discord. He used to be a statue in the Canterlot gardens, but for some reason he escaped his prison. After being put in a very difficult trial, my friends and I trapped him back in his stony prison using the elements of harmony," Twilight explained. "As for the whole town being empty, everypony is being paranoid and thinks that bits of Discords magic is still in the town, so everypony is reluctant to leave their homes."

"Of this ancient evil I did not know, he sounds as though he was a dangerous foe," Zecora said more to herself than to Twilight.

After a brief pause, the silence was broken. "Why are you here anyway?” Twilight asked. “Not that I don't enjoy your company!" She added quickly. "It’s just that, you had enough food to last you another few days, what happened to it?"

"At midnight last night an injured pony I did find, but let his troubles be the last of thoughts in your mind."

Twilights eyes widened suddenly "You found an injured pony last night? I have to talk to him immediately!" she almost shouted at Zecora

Zecora looked taken aback at this comment. "Why do you worry about this pony, when the one taking care of him is me?"

"I’m sorry Zecora, but if there is any chance that him arriving is related to Discord, then I have to check on him," Twilight explained resolutely.

"The extent of his injuries you do not know, if you stress him his health will not grow," Zecora said just as adamantly.

"Alright,” Twilight conceded.“I will wait until he is recovered, but you have to tell me when he does so that I can question him!"

Zecora said her goodbyes and headed into town to get more supplies. ‘Even my actions are beginning to rhyme, is this how it’s been all the time?’

After buying her months’ worth of supplies and then some, she began her long walk home.