//------------------------------// // Beginnings // Story: Awakening // by punisher143 //------------------------------// ‘Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to start. My name is Twilight Sparkle and I’m starting this journal in order to get my thoughts down somewhere. I guess in order for anypony to understand what I’m talking about, I guess I should start at the beginning.’ -excerpt from the journal of Twilight Sparkle, dated 5 years ago. ---------------------------------------- The town of Ponyville was experiencing a bright and sunny day, like usual. The marketplace was bustling with ponies looking at the wares, parks and other popular hangouts were also filled, and the local bakery, Sugarcube Corner, was filling its general area with the smells of sweets. In the middle of all this was Twilight Sparkle, who was trotting back to the library where was staying. She had just finished grocery shopping and now was mostly focused on the current situation. It wasn’t as serious as an Ursa Minor or rogue entities of chaos, but it was still unusual. A few days ago, Twilight and almost every other unicorn in Ponyville started feeling a tingle at the back of their heads. Twilight, being the scholar she is, decided to get to the bottom of this new phenomenon. As she was thinking on this, she was startled by a flash of blue. “Hey Twilight.” Twilight let out a small shriek and calmed down enough from it to find Rainbow Dash with a joyful smirk. “Ah, Rainbow Dash, don’t spook me like that,” Twilight said. Rainbow couldn’t help a chuckle. “I’m sorry, Twi. Anyway, what’s up?” Twilight continued to the library, Rainbow Dash flying alongside her. “Well, I was just going home to do some studying.” “Ugh, again,” Rainbow Dash asked and landed in front of Twilight, “No offense Twilight, but you’ve been studying a lot lately and you only leave for food and Pinkie Pie’s parties. Why so serious?” Twilight sighed. “I’m sorry Dash, I guess I’ve just been busy... did you really just say that?” “Say what?” “Why so serious.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I really said that, but it doesn’t matter. What’s got you so worked up?” Twilight shook her head and smiled at her friends antics. “It’s this tingle in my head. It’s been bugging me for a while and I can’t let it go. I’ve been studying it for the past couple days and the best I can come up with is it’s the result of some kind of magic, but it’s a kind of magic I’ve never seen or heard of before. I think I can figure out where it’s coming from if I modify a tracker spell to find the source and,” Twilight sighed, “I’ve lost you haven’t I? “I blinked out around the part about magic. Well, good luck with that. If you need help, you know where to find me.” With that, Dash took off and left Twilight to herself. Twilight continued on her way to the library, and when she got there, she went inside and set her saddlebags down. “Spike, where are you?!” Twilight called into the library and heard a rustling from one of the bookshelves. “I’m here,” Spike said from atop a ladder, where he was busy putting some books away. “Hi Spike, is that book on magic still on my desk?” Spike climbed down. “Yeah, it’s right where you left it. You need any help up there?” “No, I should be fine,” Twilight said and started walking the stairs to her room, “I’ll finish up what I’m studying in a bit, so can you get dinner started please?” “Alright Twilight; What are you working on anyway?” Spike asked. “Hopefully nothing,” Twilight said and closed the door to her room. Twilight walked over to her desk where her latest book lay. She opened the book to the page she was last on and re-read the spell she hoped would help her. ‘Hm, if I use this seeker spell and modify it a little bit, it just might be able to track this magic right to the source. Or it could do something entirely different, but the chances of that are small.’ Twilight nodded with confidence, took a few steps back, and spread her legs in a more stable position. She closed her eyes and reached out with her magic. The spell she would use was a standard seeker spell, which would send out a ball of light to aid in finding an object. However, a source of magic may not be entirely tangible, and Twilight couldn’t be sure it would be close by. But whatever this magic was, it was around her, flowing like waves of water. If she focused enough, she thought it was calling to her, pulling her somewhere. She shook the feeling off and used that pull as a direction for the spell. It was the closest thing she could find to an actual source. Twilight focused on the spell and relaxed once it was cast. The light in front of her circled in the air a bit before moving to the balcony door. It passed through it like it wasn’t there and Twilight followed it. Outside, she saw the ball circle a bit more and it started moving again. ‘Oh no, don’t go where I think you’re going,’ Twilight thought to the ball of light. Unfortunately, it went right to where she thought it was, or at least the general direction of it. She lost track of it as it went to the Everfree forest. “Oh hayseed,” Twilight whispered. She almost left to follow it before she looked at the setting sun. The Everfree forest was dangerous enough during daylight, so going in at night was almost unthinkable. Twilight sighed, “I’ll just have to go tomorrow.” With a plan churning in her mind, she walked back inside, looking forward to both dinner and tomorrow. ------------------------------- The next day after breakfast, Twilight left Spike to tend to the library and went to find her friends. Her first stop was Sugarcube Corner. Inside was the standard fare of sweets on display, several ponies enjoying their treats, and behind the counter was Mrs. Cake. “Hi Mrs. Cake,” Twilight said when she walked up to the counter. “Hello Twilight, what can I do for you?” Mrs. Cake asked. “I’m just looking for Pinkie Pie. Is she around?” “Hi!” Twilight jumped nearly three feet (hooves?) into the air in fright. Twilight looked to the source of her fright, which was her friend Pinkie Pie, who was smiling as if she didn’t just scare Twilight. “Hi Twilight, what are you doing? Are we going on another adventure? Maybe we should make some cupcakes before then. I’ve had cupcakes on the mind a lot lately, like the different kinds of frosting and flavors you can use. That reminds me, I need to get those muffins for Ditzy done soon. You don’t want to know what she’s like when she doesn’t get her muffins. Where was I? Oh yeah, it was about cupcakes.” “PINKIE!” Twilight yelled, drawing a couple stares from some of the other patrons. “Yes?” “Are you free today?” “Nope, we got a whole bunch of orders to get to, plus the plot says I can’t go with you. What are you doing anyway?” Twilight ignored Pinkie’s little outburst, being used to how her mind works. “Well, I wanted to go investigate something in the Everfree forest. I’m not too keen on going alone, so I was hoping you and the others could go with me.” “Sorry Twi, but if you want I’m free tomorrow so we can go then.” Twilight shook her head. “No, I would much rather deal with it now before it becomes a real problem. I’ll just see if the others will help. Thanks anyway Pinkie.” Receiving a nod from Pinkie, Twilight left the bakery. Her next stop was Carousel Boutique. She was almost there when she glanced up and saw a cloud with a bit of a rainbow colored tail coming from it. “Hey, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight called up to the cloud. The tail disappeared and was replaced by Rainbow’s head. “Hey Twilight, what’s up?” Dash asked and flew down to Twilight. “Well, I think I got a good idea where that source I was talking about is, so I was going to get the others to help. Are you free today?” Twilight asked, nearly dreading the answer. “Yeah I’m free. I already got the weather for today done, so I’m ready whenever you are.” Twilight smiled, glad at least one of her friends could come with her. “Thanks Rainbow, now we have to see if Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity can come.” Rainbow let a smirk slip onto her face, and then started hovering off the ground. “No problem, I can check up on all of them in no time at all! What about Pinkie Pie?” “I already talked with her and she said she was busy. I can talk to Rarity if you can get the others. After that, let’s meet up near the entrance to Everfree,” Twilight suggested. Rainbow nodded and took off. With that, Twilight continued to Carousel Boutique. ---------------------------------- Twilight entered the boutique and, not seeing Rarity at the moment, started looking at the dresses on display. After giving the new dresses a once over, Twilight decided to go upstairs. “Rarity, are you in here?” Twilight asked. She found Rarity at her sewing machine, concentrating intensely on each stitch she made. Twilight walked up to Rarity. “Uh, Rarity?” Rarity blinked a couple of times before shutting the sewing machine off and turning to Twilight. “Oh Twilight; I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. What can I do for you?” Twilight put on a smile. “Well, you know that buzzing we’ve been getting?” Twilight asked. After Rarity nodded, Twilight continued, “Well, I’ve been looking into it and I think I found where it’s coming from. I don’t suppose you can come?” Rarity gave an uncomfortable smile and laugh. Twilight sunk her head and sighed. “You’re busy, aren’t you?” Rarity walked to Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m really sorry Twilight; I just started on this new line. Of course, I can still come if it’s serious.” Twilight shook her head. “No, it’s alright. I’m not planning on doing much more than finding out what that source is, so I’m sure that it won’t be much trouble.” “Are you sure?” Rarity asked. “I’m sure, but if I do need help I’ll come get you.” Rarity nodded and returned to the sewing machine. “Well dear, when your done with this you simply MUST come by soon. Alright?” Twilight laughed a little. “Of course Rarity, I will.” With that Twilight left Rarity to her work and headed to the meeting spot. ------------------------------- Twilight had barely gotten to the spot and sat down when Rainbow landed in front of her. “No luck?” Twilight asked. Dash shook her head. “Nope, Applejack is busy with harvesting and Fluttershy has some injured animals to tend too. I told them we would be fine by ourselves.” Twilight nodded. “Alright, it shouldn’t be too much trouble for the two of us.” She stood up cast the seeking spell. It circled in the air before heading into the forest. “Come one Dash!” Twilight said and went after the light, with Rainbow following. “You’re getting excited about this aren’t you?” Dash asked. “Of course I am! Who knows what this magic is for?” Twilight said. Dash rolled her eyes and silence fell over the two as they entered the forest. ----------------------------------------- I had expected to find a lot of things when we went in the forest that day. But what we did find… I wish we never went in there. But looking back, it was only a matter of time until somepony went to find it.