//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: A New Day 
// Story: My Little Pony: Apocalypse 
// by Randepic 
//------------------------------//

Golden Oak Library, Ponyville
10:25 hours

Twilight Sparkle drowsily flipped through yet another of her books.  She had been desperately searching for any possible clues as to what her nightmares had meant.  She had witnessed - so to speak - Equestria being attacked by some unknown life forms.  Both Ponyville and Cloudsdale had evidently been destroyed, most likely by the fast flying objects. ‘What could those things have been?’ she asked herself yet again.  As soon as they had appeared they began to strafe the landscape with energy weapons no one has ever seen before.  Immediately after, the giant “insect” descended upon Canterlot, moments before setting the entire city ablaze.  ‘They did not look organic in nature.  Could they have been some type of artificial creations?’  As she pondered her books all she could muster were more and more questions, and not a single answer.  
Twilight slowly yawned.  Ever since her second nightmare, she did not sleep at all.  Her clock had read 3:02 when she awoke for the second time.  She’d refused to go back to sleep in the fear that she would have another nightmare.  All she did was sit in her bed and think.  Her second nightmare was not as bad as the first, but it gave her the same feeling as the former.  Princess Luna had assured her the first nightmare was only a bad dream.  A unicorn having a single nightmare was one thing; two was far from coincidence… especially when they each featured creatures giving the same cryptic warning.
Twilight scanned the last page in the book before adding it to the growing pile on the floor.  She snatched another book off the shelf and started to skim the pages.  She wasn’t expecting to find any answers but that didn’t stop her from searching.  Principally, she wanted to discover the identities of the strange, bipedal beasts.  They had to be as tall as a Minotaur, maybe even bigger.  The multicolored outfits they wore covered most of their bodies; the few exposed spots revealed thick fur and ape-like qualities.  Several of them were wearing ornate headpieces that completely covered their faces, with the exception of the bronze-covered one.  Its headpiece only covered the top of its head; its face was completely exposed, revealing an eerie, pale face that would surely scare away any pony.  ‘Fluttershy would undoubtedly have run after merely glancing at the monster,’ Twilight thought.
That creature in particular stood out the most.  Judging from its appearance, Twilight concluded that it must’ve been the leader of the group.  It had threatened her that Equestria would be destroyed and that ponykind was to be extinguished.  It possessed a giant hammer-like object that was easily twice her size.  ‘It lifted it into the air and then – what? – conjured up those storm clouds?  Was it controlling them?  Each time it appeared in my dreams the storm clouds materialized shortly after.  Perhaps there’s a connection?   Could it have also been controlling the flying objects with that “hammer”?’ she asked herself.  She had noticed the “hammer’s” head was emitting some type of energy field.  ‘If the “hammer” was able to do all those things, then it must be powered by magic,’ she concluded.
As she scanned her more of her books, the violet unicorn thought about the horror she saw in Carousel Boutique.  Rarity’s beautiful shop was full of corpses: the foals of Ponyville.  Each of them had been mutilated in such horrible ways; Twilight couldn’t bear to visualize them again.  She shuddered when she thought of Scootaloo.  The little Pegasus had still been alive, even after her torso had been dissected.  She begged for help… which Twilight was powerless to give.  Out of all the foals, Scootaloo’s fate disturbed Twilight the most.  ‘Who could do such a thing?  What kind of monster would murder anypony in such a way?  On second thought, what monster would even consider murdering another pony?’ she mentally demanded.  There was only one answer she could think of: the “ape” creatures.
Twilight tossed another book to the floor and sighed.  “If my dreams were a warning of things to come, I pray that I can do something to prevent them,” she whispered.  At that moment, her assistant Spike strolled down the stairs carrying an armload of books.  Sleepily, she watched him add the books to the pile she still had to search through.
“This is the last of the ones up stairs,” the baby dragon said.  He picked up one of the books and flipped through the pages.  Twilight had asked him for help in searching for the answers she sought, and being the dedicated assistant he is, Spike was all too happy to oblige.  “I still haven’t found anything on green storm clouds, Twilight,” Spike added while scanning the contents of the book in his claws.
Twilight loudly sighed, “Just keep looking.  There has to be something in one of these books.”  Spike shook his head in annoyance and continued to look through his book.  Twilight returned her attention to another of her books.  She hadn’t told Spike explicitly what she was looking for or why.  She felt that if she told him anything of her dreams then he would just lecture her about worrying over nothing as she’s done in the past.  However, she had been correct before about the comings of great evil, namely the return of Nightmare Moon.  She was confident that evil was drawing near once again.  Until she found definitive proof that there is nothing to fear, she would not rest.
Spike slammed his book shut.  “Twilight, don’t you think we’ve been at this for long enough?” he asked.
“No,” the violet unicorn quickly responded.  “It’s imperative that we discover the source of green storm clouds.”
“We’ve been doing this for several hours.  Why are you even stressing out over the weather?” Spike asked in irritation.  “Not even Rainbow Dash would stress this much over the weather.”
“She never stresses about anything, Spike,” Twilight commented, unable to look away from the book in front of her.
“Yeah.  Unlike somepony I know,” Spike remarked.  He walked over to her and looked at the book she was anxiously reading.  “I don’t think you’ll find anything about storm clouds in The Encyclopedia on the Beasts of Equestria,” he blatantly explained.  
Twilight didn’t answer him.  She was looking for any information on the “ape” creatures she could find.  ‘Chimeras… Dragons… Hydras… Ursas… No!’ she mentally screamed in aggravation.  “Ugh!  There’s absolutely nothing on them in here!” she loudly groaned.  That felt like the millionth book she checked relating to the life forms found within Equestria and neighboring regions.  Twilight tossed the book aside and closed her eyes in thought.  
“See, what did I tell you,” Spike casually acknowledged, not at all comprehending Twilight’s true motives.
‘There’s nothing like them in the world,’ Twilight told herself, slapping her forehooves to her face in frustration.  She slowly lowered her hooves and opened her eyes coming to a disturbing realization.  ‘What if that’s because they are not from this world?  What if they’re from a different planet altogether?  Then that means they’d have to be… aliens!’
“What was that?” Spike inquired, unsure if he heard her correctly.
Twilight realized she had said that last part out loud.  “Uh, nothing,” she quickly lied.  Spike looked at her funny but didn’t say anything.  ‘That’s ludicrous!  There’s no such thing as aliens,’ Twilight corrected herself.
“Can we stop now, Twilight?” Spike complained.  “We’ve searched these books a thousand times.  We’re not going to find anything on these 'green storm clouds' of yours.  And you look like you could use a break.”
Twilight yawned again.  She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.  She’d been speed-reading all her books for nearly six hours straight; she even reread several of them a second or third time.  Normally, this would just be a common occurrence for her.  But seeing as she hasn’t really slept since Luna’s visit, she couldn’t argue with Spike’s suggestion; she felt exhausted.
“Perhaps you’re right, Spike,” Twilight finally agreed with the scribe.  “I think I do need a break.”  Her stomach started to growl.  For the first time all morning she realized she didn’t have breakfast.  She honestly did not even notice her hunger; for she was too busy reading.  “How about we have breakfast now?” she suggested.
Spike quickly answered, “Oh yes!  It’s about time!  I’ll just whip us up a little something.”  He dashed off into the kitchen.  Twilight decided she would need to search elsewhere for information relating to the things she saw in her nightmares.  Her books would provide no help.  Drawing on her magic, she enveloped the books in a field of pink aura and began returning them to the shelves.  After safely returning each of the books, she slowly trotted up the stairs to return the books Spike brought down.
A few moments later and every book in the library was re-shelved.  Twilight looked at her bed.  Temptation was gnawing at her to lie down and get some sleep.  She rubbed her sleepy eyes and shook off the urge.  ‘The fate of Equestria does not rely on me taking a nap,’ she reasoned with herself.  The unicorn turned away from her bed and looked into the mirror hanging on the wall.  She looked right into her own sleep deprived eyes.  Her thoughts immediately went back to how comfortable her bed looked.  ‘Focus, Twilight.  You have more important things to worry about.’
Her attention was shifted to her mangled mane; it hadn’t been brushed since she woke up.  It surprised her how messed up it was considering how little she slept the previous night.  Floating her brush to her, Twilight set about restoring her purple and pink streaked mane.  Unlike Rarity who would stress over every single string of hair, Twilight brushed her mane rather quickly.  She took a few extra strokes on her bangs making sure they looked nice.  She turned her head to check on her work.  Nodding in satisfaction, she turned her head the opposite way and froze at what she saw in the mirror.
Staring at her with cold, hard eyes was a face she could not forget.  Its face was pale white with a patch of dark brown or black on the chin.  It gave the same evil sneer showing off its many sharp teeth.  She was staring at the bronze-covered beast through the mirror.  The unicorn was petrified with shock.  It smiled an evil, toothy grin in her direction.  She stared into the beast’s devilish eyes for a second longer before turning to look behind her.  The room was empty.  She looked back into the mirror to find that the beast had vanished; she saw only her scared reflection.
Twilight walked away from the mirror quickly trotted back down the stairs.  Her mind was still playing tricks on her.  It was the third time she saw the beast and the first time while she was awake.  ‘I’ve got to find more information on this thing,’ she thought.  Standing in the center of the main room she looked back at the books she just re-shelved.  ‘I’m not going to find anything here.  I have to look elsewhere.’  She began to think of where she’d look next.  She knew if she told any of her friends then they wouldn’t take it seriously.  She began to consider telling Princess Celestia, but she wasn’t sure if even her own mentor would believe it.  ‘I don’t think there’s a single pony who would know anything about this.  But maybe there is some zebra who might.’
Twilight walked to the door.  “Come and get it, Twi,” Spike called from the kitchen.  Twilight heard her stomach growl again.  Once again, she was reminded by her hunger.  She looked over her shoulder to the kitchen and then back at the door.  She almost decided to ignore her appetite.
“Okay.  I’ll quickly eat and then go to Zecora’s hut,” she decided. 

Ponyville
11:55 hours

Twilight stepped out into the bustling town of Ponyville no longer feeling famished.  Breakfast had been to die for.  Spike had made one of her favorite meals: diced apple crisp coated in cinnamon with a glass of warm milk.  Upon seeing what Spike had made she decided to take her time and enjoy the meal.  She delicately savored each mouthwatering bite.  Spike looked at her strangely and commented that it looked like she knew she wouldn’t be able to have that meal again.  Twilight said nothing about the remark, fearing that he may have been right.  After eating, Twilight felt more rejuvenated despite her lack of sleep.  She was determined to get to the Everfree Forest and pay Zecora a visit.  The zebra may be able to shed some light on Twilight’s nightmares… she hoped.
Twilight looked into the sky.  There was not a cloud to be seen.  She was still anxious about there being any strange storm clouds.  ‘If I run into Rainbow I’ll have to ask her about the weather schedule,’ she told herself.
“You still worried about the weather?” Spike asked her.
Twilight quickly looked at her assistant.  “No,” she lied.  “I was just admiring what a beautiful day it is.”  Every day was always beautiful in Ponyville.  Twilight could not recall a day when it wasn’t.
“So what’s on the checklist for today,” the dragon inquired.
Twilight chuckled.  “Aren’t you the one who usually tells me what we have to do?” she said looking at the baby dragon.
“I’m only supposed to remind you of our daily task,” he explained, not that he needed to.  “Which reminds me - you haven’t even told me what we’re doing today.”
“The only thing on our agenda for today is to go and see Zecora,” Twilight answered.  
“Really?  Is that all?” Spike asked in astonishment.  For as long as he’s known her, Twilight rarely went a single day without having a million different things to get done.  He got an excited look.  Twilight knew he had to be thinking how he’d spend the rest of the day, most likely in relaxation.
“Yes.  When we’re done you can take the rest of the day off.  Let’s go.”  Twilight and Spike walked down the street in the direction of the Everfree Forest.  They passed through the town market.  Merchant ponies were selling their wares and other merchandises, some at unreasonable prices.  At one stand in particular a merchant was demanding seven bits for one carrot.  The customer was arguing about the unfair price to which the merchant countered only by raising the price further.  The shopper eventually stomped off mumbling choice words about the merchant.  Twilight heard the disgruntled shopper say something very inappropriate, to which she gave him a stern look as he trotted past.  ‘Do you kiss your mother with that mouth,’ she mentally scolded.  The carrot salespony tried to get Twilight to buy some carrots which she respectfully declined.
At another merchant stand, one which was selling heads of lettuce, they noticed Fluttershy with a saddlebag full of produce.  She was standing behind a familiar grey Pegasus with a yellow mane and bubbles for a cutie mark.  “Hi, Fluttershy!” Spike called.
The yellow Pegasus slowly looked in their direction.  “Oh, good morning, Spike.  Good morning, Twilight,” she greeted.  
Twilight and Spike walked up to her.  “How are you doing, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked her shy friend.
“Oh, I’m fine.  Angel is refusing to eat again unless I make him his favorite dessert.  I’m just buying the ingredients,” she explained.  Angel was hardly an angel.  That rabbit constantly refuses to do all sorts of things for Fluttershy.  One of his favored things is to refuse to eat the healthy food Fluttershy provides him.  This is not the first time he’s had Fluttershy go grocery shopping for something he’d rather have.  That bunny is downright rude to her more often than not.  Being the doormat she is Fluttershy usually gives in to his demands.
“Angel is giving you a hard time again?” Twilight asked.  The yellow Pegasus slowly nodded.  Fluttershy was the epitome of kindness and sometimes Twilight wondered if she was just too kind.  Fluttershy’s three pink butterfly cutie mark represented her love and affection for animals.  She’d do anything for any animal; even go so far as to give a certain bunny just about anything he wanted.  “Well is there anything we could do to help?”
“No, that’s okay.  But thank you for asking.  All I need is lettuce.  I’m just waiting for the pony in front of me to make her selection,” Fluttershy designated the other Pegasus in line.
The Pegasus was goofily looking at the heads of lettuce the merchant had sitting on the stand.  She looked at each one intently as if she were trying to understand what she was looking at.  Her yellow cockeyed eyes focused on multiple heads at once.  “Do you have any in apple strudel?” she asked. 
The merchant gave her an irritated look.  “No,” he sighed.
“What about banana nut?” the Pegasus queried.
“No,” the merchant repeated.  He was glaring at her in clear frustration.  From the sounds of things, Twilight presumed that this had been going on for a while.
“Apple strudel?  Banana nut?  I didn’t think lettuce came in any special flavor,” Spike said in an aside to Twilight and Fluttershy.
“They don’t,” Twilight answered matter-of-factly. 
The Pegasus looked at the lettuce more closely.  Nodding, she looked back at the ticked off merchant.  “Do you have any with blueberries?” she innocently asked.
“NO,” the merchant all but shouted.  The Pegasus looked unoffended by the outburst and resumed looking at the same three heads of lettuce.  The merchant looked more infuriated and Twilight could only assume he was about to explode.
The Pegasus started hopping up and down in excitement.  “Oh, oh, oh, oh.  Do you have any chocolate chip muffins?”
The merchant slammed his forehooves onto the stand and screamed, “NO!!!!!”  Fluttershy, surprised by the screech, leaped a few feet back from the Pegasus in front of her; her teal eyes went wide.  Twilight did her best to stifle a laugh.  Nearby merchants and patrons all turned their attention towards the commotion.
The grey Pegasus gave the steaming merchant a quizzical look.  “Well,” she said, “what kinds of muffins do you have?”
The merchant stared at her for a few seconds.  “For the last time, Derpy…” he said, his voice low.  “I DO NOT SELL MUFFINS!!!” he shouted again.  Derpy looked back at the lettuce on the stand to make sure.  
‘Well that was rude of him,’ Twilight thought.  ‘Would it have killed him to be a little more polite about it?’
While Derpy continued to ponder the lettuce before her the merchant glanced at the numerous pairs of disapproving eyes looking his way, Twilight’s included.  “What?” he shrugged.  “She does this all the time.  Seriously.”  Twilight found that a little hard to believe, it still didn’t change her opinion of him.  The other ponies in the market only shook their heads in discontentment before returning to their own business.
Derpy looked back at the merchant.  It was really hard for Twilight to tell exactly what she was looking at; the goofy Pegasus’ yellow eyes seemed to be fixed in multiple directions.  “Are you sure you don’t have any muffins?” she cheerfully asked the merchant.  Twilight took back that last thought.
The merchant facehoofed.  He muttered, “Oh for the love of…”  Twilight didn’t catch the last part.  Frankly, she wasn’t certain she wanted to know what he’d mumbled.
Twilight returned her focus to Fluttershy who had returned to her place in line behind Derpy.  “This looks like it may take a while.  We’ll talk to you later, Fluttershy,” she said to the yellow Pegasus.
“Okay, goodbye, Twilight.  Goodbye, Spike,” Fluttershy said to the two.  Twilight and Spike walked away from merchant stand just as the pony unsuccessfully tried to explain to Derpy that he wasn’t selling muffins.  The violet unicorn found it hard to believe that anypony could mistake lettuce for a muffin.  Then again, Derpy wasn’t exactly the brightest pony in Ponyville.
Twilight and Spike left the marketplace and continued to proceed to the opposite side of town.  They were approaching Sugar Cube Corner.  Twilight’s thoughts began to drift back to her first nightmare the previous night.  The dream had begun inside the store.  Was there a purpose to it?  She couldn’t be certain.  All she knew was that Ponyville had become a smoldering ruin shortly after a party thrown by Pinkie Pie.  That got her thinking.  Perhaps her dream, if it was a vision of the future, has something to do with one of Pinkie’s parties.  ‘I should make sure that Pinkie is not having any parties anytime soon.’     
At that moment, a bright pink earth pony came happily bounding down the street towards them.  “Well speak of the devil…” Twilight said as the pony came to a halt before them.
“Hiiiiiiii, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie greeted while still hopping up and down.
“Hello, Pinkie,” the unicorn returned the greeting.  Pinkie continued to hop up and down, her eager blue eyes fixed on Twilight and Spike.  “How is your day?”
“Ooooh, I’m having the best day EVER!” Pinkie Pie shouted in joy, while still hopping.  “But wait.  Yesterday I said I was having the best day ever.  Now I’m saying I’m having the best day ever right now.  That can’t be right.  Can you have two best day evers and still have the best day ever?”  Pinkie stopped bouncing and held a contemplating hoof under her chin.  Twilight and Spike glanced at each other for a few seconds before looking back at the strange pink pony.  “Oh wait!” Pinkie exclaimed.  “That’s right!  Today’s best day ever hasn’t happened yet!”  She resumed happily hopping up and down. 
“Okay,” Twilight said rolling your eyes.  “And what’ll make today the best day ever?”
“I’m going to meet a new friend!  I’m going to introduce him to everypony, then we’ll have a party, and then we’ll become best friends!” the bouncing pony exclaimed.  She suddenly stopped and her eyes went wide.  
‘A party?’ Twilight thought about the dream.  “Uh, actually Pinkie I wanted to talk to you about…” she started.
Pinkie Pie gasped, “That reminds me.  He’s in trouble!  I have to help him.”
“What?” Spike asked.  “Help who?”
“Vergil!” Pinkie Pie answered.  “I have to help Vergil!  He’s in trouble!  I have to help him!”  Twilight and Spike looked at one another again.
“Umm, who’s…?” Twilight began to ask.
“Sorry, gotta run!” Pinkie interrupted again before dashing down the street and disappearing around the corner in the blink of an eye.  She moved so fast, all Twilight and Spike saw was a pink blur.  Twilight always wondered how she could just sprint so fast in an instant.
Confused, Twilight looked at Spike.  “Do you know anypony named Vergil?”
Spike shook his head and shrugged.  “I’ve never heard of him.  Maybe he’s new to Ponyville?” the baby dragon suggested.
A moment later Applejack came around the corner that Pinkie zipped around.  Upon seeing Twilight and Spike, the orange mare trotted up to them and, in a heavy country accent, gave a big, “Howdy!”  Twilight and Spike returned the greeting.  “Whoowee!  Didja see Pinkie take off like that?  Where do y’all s’pose she’s off to in such a hurry?”
“No idea,” Twilight answered her friend.  Applejack looked over her shoulder in the direction she came.  Her bow tied yellow mane dangled across her back.
“All she said was she had to help somepony named ‘Vergil’,” Spike added.
Applejack returned her attention to her friends.  “Vergil?  Who in the hay is that?” she asked.
“Again, I have no idea,” Twilight repeated.  “There’s no use figuring out Pinkie Pie.”  Twilight still remembered the trouble – not to mention the pain – she went through just trying to understand Pinkie Pie’s uncanny predictions of the immediate future dubbed “Pinkie Sense”.  From time to time she could still feel the aches and pains from all the things that happened to her specifically, from the falling anvil to all the random opening doors.  Just thinking about it started to give Twilight a headache.  Too bad “Pinkie Sense” would be unable to tell her if her dreams were predictions of the future. 
“Ain’t that the truth,” Applejack agreed.
Twilight changed the subject.  “Hey, isn’t it almost zap apple harvest time?” she asked.
Applejack proudly nodded, “Yessiree!  Them zap apples are a-comin’!  Granny Smith says they should be good and ready for pickin’ tomorrow.”  Out of all of Applejack’s favorite times of the year, zap apple time was one of her favorites.  Zap apples are rare commodities that only grow from the strangest circumstances.  Perhaps one of the most perplexing things about them is that they are rainbow in coloration when ready to be picked.  Any apples still left in their trees after one whole day vanish into thin air.  “Once the final storm clouds come them zap apples will be nice and ripe,” the orange cowgirl mare finished.
Twilight briefly looked away in concern as Applejack mentioned the storm clouds, once again thinking about her dreams.  Applejack looked at Twilight peculiarly.  “Is everythin’ all right, Twi?” the country pony asked.  “Ya look a little stressed.”
“She must be,” Spike spoke up.  “She’s only been awake nearly all night reading through her hundreds of books.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow and looked at Twilight in surprise.  “Ya sure take yer studies far too seriously, sugar cube,” she said in a pitying tone. 
Twilight looked back at Applejack and Spike.  “I was NOT studying,” she assured them while stomping her hoof for emphasis.  “I was looking for information.  That’s all.”
“Information on what?” Applejack questioned.
Twilight thought for a moment before answering, “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Are ya sure?  Maybe Ah could help.”
The violet unicorn politely shook her head and said, “Thanks, AJ.  But I need to figure this out for myself.”
Applejack gave her a sympathetic smile.  “All right then, sugar cube.  Ah’ve gotta git on back to the farm.  Ah’ll see y’all later.”  Applejack trotted down an adjacent street away from Twilight and Spike.  The two companions continued to walk through town towards the Everfree Forest.  They briefly stopped outside of Sugar Cube Corner.  Twilight stared at the delectable-looking confectionery shop for several moments before Spike urged her onwards.   
“Why didn’t you want to tell Applejack about these ‘green storm clouds’ of yours?” Spike queried after a few minutes of silence.  
Twilight said the first thing that popped in her head, “Because that would be more of Rainbow Dash’s field of expertise.  Don’t you think?”
Spike gave her an unconvinced look.  “Oh come on, Twilight.  You just didn’t want her to tell you what I’ve been saying all morning: There is nothing to worry about.  You are getting yourself worked up over nothing,” he criticized.
‘Perhaps I am,’ she mentally agreed.  ‘But that doesn’t change my determination to find answers.’  The two continued walking through Ponyville without speaking much.  Eventually, they could see the edge of town and the Everfree Forest beyond.  Located deep within the spooky forest was Zecora’s hut.  The zebra came from a distant land where strange beliefs and bizarre rituals are common practices.  Zecora possessed more knowledge about the unknown than anypony Twilight could think of.  Several times in the past Twilight found herself seeking Zecora’s wisdom and expertise for all types of problems she, or Ponyville, was having. 
They passed by the town’s jewelry shop.  A rose-colored earth pony waltzed out covered in an assortment of gems and other expensive pieces of jewelry.  The pony was too preoccupied admiring her purchases that she didn’t see Twilight as she walked out the door.  The two collided in the street, causing the jewel-covered pony to drop several of her jewelry.  “Oh goodness, I’m sorry,” Twilight apologized.  “Let me help you get those picked up.”  She immediately began to pick up the gems.  
The earth pony gave Twilight a severe scowl.  “Why don’t you look where you’re going,” she snapped.
Twilight stopped gathering the dropped jewels.  She stared back at the mare and was about to protest but Spike beat her to it.  “Hey!” Spike shouted.  The mare shifted her cold stare to the baby dragon.  “She had her eyes open the whole time.  Unlike you.”
The mare eyed the challenging dragon.  “I don’t believe I was speaking to you, dragon.  How about you mind your own business,” the mare countered, her voice threatening.
“What’s your problem?” Spike challenged.
“My problem?” she said in disgust.  “My problem is that I had to come all the way from Canterlot to this dump of a town and spend several hundred bits for these fine pieces of jewelry.  Only for a careless little pony,” the mare said shoving a hoof in Twilight’s direction, “and their pet to ruin them!”
“PET!?” Spike yelled.  “I’ll show you.”  Spike snatched one of the larger and more expensive gems – a large sapphire – off the ground in his claw.  He narrowed his eyes and waved it back and forth like he was challenging the earth pony to take it.
“Give that here!  Now!” the earth pony demanded, holding out her hoof.  Spike defiantly shook his head and instead opened his mouth wide.  He stuck out his long tongue and wrapped the obviously priceless gem in it.  Seeing a little dragon threatening to eat her jewel further aggravated the earth pony.  “What on earth do you think you’re doing?  Don’t you dare eat my sapphire you insolent cur!”
Spike only continued to taunt her by licking the gemstone all over.  As much as Twilight felt that the ill-mannered mare deserved it, she knew better than to provoke a fight.  “Spike, just give it back to her,” she said to her assistant.  The baby dragon looked at her before reluctantly returning the sapphire to the earth pony.  The mare seized the sapphire and disgustedly wiped the off the saliva before storing it in a saddlebag.  Twilight attempted to pick up the remaining jewels but the rose earth pony brushed her off.  She hastily picked up all the gems and other jewelry before arrogantly trotting away with her head held high.  She bumped into another pony and hollered at them for not paying attention.  ‘Maybe I should have let Spike eat that sapphire,’ Twilight thought.
“I absolutely do NOT like Canterlot ponies,” Spike growled once the earth pony was out of earshot.  “They think they are so much better than everpony else.”
“Uh, Spike.  We’re from Canterlot.  Remember?” Twilight reminded him.
“Oh, right,” Spike admitted sheepishly.  “What I meant was: I don’t like snobbish Canterlot ponies.  You know, ponies like her.”
“Yeah, the feeling’s mutual,” Twilight added.  She may have been a resident of Ponyville for quite some time but she was still a Canterlot pony.  Growing up in Canterlot she came to know that there were plenty of elitist ponies who considered themselves above virtually every non-Canterlot pony.  There were even those who believed they were superior to other Canterlot ponies.  Most of those ponies label places like Ponyville as backwoods towns they should never associate with.  Twilight wondered why a stuck-up pony like her would come all the way to Ponyville just to buy some jewels she could surely get in Canterlot.        
A second pony trotted out of the jewelry store and hurried down the street in the direction of the train station.  “What?” a very sophisticated – and quite heated – voice cried from the shop.  “What do you mean you have no more gems?”  Twilight instantaneously recognized the voice.  “This is an outrage!  What kind of jewelry shop has no jewels?”  After a brief argument, an ivory coated unicorn with a curled purple mane and tail angrily barged out of the shop.  She turned around and pointed an angry hoof at the shop.  “You can say ‘adieu’ to my patronage with your establishment!” 
Rarity began to ramble incoherently to herself and did not seem to take notice of Twilight or Spike.  “Hello, Rarity,” Twilight greeted.  “Is there something wrong?”
“I need to get more gems or my ensemble will not be finished by tomorrow,” Rarity said aloud, not hearing Twilight.  She began to pace back and forth in front of the shop – and in front of Twilight and Spike – with her head lowered.
“Umm…  Rarity…  Hello,” Twilight tried to get her attention again.  Twilight waved at the distraught unicorn.  Again, Rarity did not notice Twilight.  A common occurrence for Rarity is that she has a tendency to not take notice of things around her when she’s upset over something, despite how insignificant the problem is.  Rarity can turn any small inconvenience into a huge problem.
“I know,” Rarity said lifting her head up, still not acknowledging Twilight or Spike.  “If I can’t purchase any gems then I’ll find some.”
“Rarity?” Twilight asked.  She was becoming annoyed by the ivory unicorn ignoring her.
“But I’ll need help in recovering a sufficient amount of bedazzling gems,” Rarity continued, ignoring Twilight further.
Twilight had had it.  “RARITY!” she shouted.
Rarity finally looked at Twilight.  “Twilight, darling, it’s rude to shout,” she scolded.  “If you want somepony’s attention, all you need do is ask.”  Twilight sighed and facehoofed. 
“Hi, Rarity,” Spike happily greeted.
Rarity’s blue eyes widened upon seeing Spike.  “Ah, Spikey,” she excitedly said, fluttering her eyelashes.  “Thank goodness you’re here!  I need a favor from you.”
Spike’s irises practically turned into hearts as soon as Rarity spoke to him.  “Sure, Rarity.  I’d do anything for you,” he swiftly agreed.  Spike has had a crush on Rarity since first laying eyes on her on his first day in Ponyville.  Though it is well known around town, Spike still likes to consider it a secret.
“Hold on,” Twilight interrupted before Rarity lead Spike away.  “What exactly do you need help with, Rarity?”
“Oh, Twilight.  It’s horrible!  The worst possible thing has happened,” Rarity exclaimed in a melodramatic tone.  Rarity threw her hoof across her forehead in a clichéd damsel in distress fashion.  Another one of Rarity’s classic behaviors: she’s a total drama queen. 
‘If I had a bit for every time she’s said that…’ Twilight sarcastically thought.  “And what’s so horrible this time?”  Twilight knew she needn’t ask it was pretty obvious what was troubling her this time.
“The jewelry shop has run out of gems!” the ivory unicorn exclaimed.  “I can’t complete my latest designs without more gems!”
“How did they run out?” Twilight asked.
Rarity’s pitiful attitude suddenly changed; she became enraged again.  “It was those two Canterlot INGRATES who took the last gems!” the ivory unicorn erupted.  Twilight and Spike both took a cautious step away from her.  “I was standing in line at the jeweler’s for what seemed like an eternity!  I normally envy every pony from Canterlot, but I now DESPISE TWO OF THEM!  The front one whined and complained the entire time in the shop!  She kept saying, ‘That one’s not the right color!  This one’s not shiny enough!  That’s too shiny!  This one’s too hard!’ ” Rarity said in a mock accent of the jewel encrusted pony who bumped into Twilight.  “Too hard?  It’s a stone for goodness sakes!  OF COURSE IT’S HARD!”
A third trait of Rarity’s: she can turn volatile when she’s irate.  In those situations, it was usually best to give her a wide berth.  Rarity continued her rant.  “Each and every gem the jeweler brought for her was just not enough in some way!  They all had to be perfect for her to accept them!  There wasn’t even a second line today!  Of all the days the jeweler’s assistant had to be out of town, he chose TODAY!  I know they must’ve planned this!  They don’t want me to finish my fabulous dresses!”  
Twilight was unsure if she should interrupt Rarity.  “Eventually,” Rarity continued, calming down in the process, “she made her decision and took all the best gems.  AND THEN THAT OTHER PONY TOOK ALL THE REST IN THE STORE!” she whined and shouted again.  “I only needed a few, but they took them all!”
As soon as Twilight was sure Rarity had finished she unemotionally remarked, “That sounds horrible.”
“It was!  Those were the worst hours of my entire life!” Rarity exaggerated.  Twilight slightly chuckled at the thought of Rarity standing there for several hours listening to that Canterlot pony gripe over every single gem in the jewelry store.  She could somewhat understand that pony only taking the best of the gems.  She then thought of what possible reason the second pony would need to take all the rest of the gems.
“Do you know why they needed all of them?” Twilight queried.
“No,” the ivory unicorn grumbled.  “I don’t know.  But now the store’s empty!  And I need more gems before the end of the day!  So, Spikey,” she said rather seductively, shifting her attention to the love-struck dragon, “that’s why I want your help.”  Spike straightened himself up expectantly.  “Could you be a dear and help me find more in the nearby valley?  I’ll let you have the biggest one we find.”
Rarity didn’t need to offer Spike a reward.  He would do anything for her.  “Oh yes, Rarity!  I’ll gladly help!” he eagerly agreed once more.
“Now wait a minute,” Twilight interrupted again.  “You plan on getting these gems from the valley?”  Rarity nodded.  “Have you forgotten what happened last time you did that?”
“Oh, right,” Rarity slowly said remembering her hostage experience.  “Well, I’m sure the Diamond Dogs won’t be a bother.  If they try to hassle us I’ll just have to remind them of who I am,” she proudly declared.  By “reminding” them, she undoubtedly meant she would start whining and complaining.  That was the only reason the Diamond Dogs released her in the first place.  “So, do you mind if I borrow Spikey-Wikey for help,” Rarity asked.
“Oh, all right,” Twilight accepted.  In truth, she did not need Spike’s assistance for today.  Twilight’s only intentions were to visit Zecora and make sense of her nightmares.  “Just be careful you two,” she urged.  With that, Rarity lead Spike away leaving Twilight alone in the street.  ‘Okay, Twilight.  Let’s get to Zecora’s now.’ 
Twilight walked onwards and reached the outskirts of Ponyville on the edge of the Everfree Forest.  Glancing several hundred yards away she saw Fluttershy’s cottage.  Plenty of Fluttershy’s woodland friends were gathered around the small bungalow.  There was no sign of the Pegasus, however.  Twilight concluded that she was probably still grocery shopping.  Taking a few steps in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage, she was stopped in her tracks by an approaching voice.  “Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, Twilight,” the voice repeatedly recited her name.	
Giving an about-face, the violet unicorn could see Pinkie Pie bounding her way in a hurry.  Twilight sighed, “I’m never going to get to Zecora’s hut, am I?”
Pinkie came to a sudden halt a foot in front of Twilight.  “Twiiiiiiilight!  Can I use your techno-thingamajigs?” Pinkie requested.
Twilight gave her a confused look.  “My what?” she questioned.
“Your electronic doohickeys!  You know the ones that go BEEP-BEEP-BEEP and BLEEP-BLOOP and VZOOOOOM!” the ecstatic pink pony clarified.
Twilight, still perplexed, scratched the back of her head.  “Huh?  Do you mean my laboratory equipment?”
“Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!” Pinkie enthusiastically hopped up and down.
“Why do you need to use my lab?”  Knowing Pinkie Pie, she could want her lab equipment for any reason.
“I need to help Vergil.  Duuuuuhhhhhh,” Pinkie explained as if it were common knowledge.  “I need to use your whatchamacallits to help him.” 
Twilight just stared at the strange pink pony.  Pinkie impatiently stared back at her with her big blue eyes.  After a moment Twilight asked again, “Who is Vergil?”
“He’s my newest best friend!  Or at least he will be!” Pinkie joyfully replied.
Twilight thought, ‘That doesn’t answer my question, Pinkie.’  “Could you be a little more specific,” she said aloud.
“He’ll be my newest best friend after I help him!” the pink earth pony answered.
The violet unicorn shook her head, “No.  I mean could you be more specific about whom Vergil is?”
“Oh, well why didn’t you say so?  He’s like a big floating purple and pink octopus from outer space.”
Twilight stared confounded at Pinkie yet again.  Pinkie hopped into the air – somehow remaining afloat – and wiggled her legs about like they were “tentacles”.  She reasoned it was her imitation of Vergil’s appearance.  She did not give a decent impression of any type of octopus.  ‘A floating octopus from outer space?  That’s preposterous!’  Twilight frowned as she began to lose her patience with the energetic pony.  “Fine, Pinkie Pie.  Don’t tell me who he is.”  Pinkie opened her mouth to say something but Twilight cut her off.  “How do you know this ‘Vergil’?  I thought you said you were going to meet him today.”
“I am going to meet him, silly,” Pinkie re-clarified.
“Then how could you possibly know somepony that you haven’t…” Twilight trailed off as she remembered who she was speaking to.  She sighed, “Never mind.  There’s no point in trying to understand your logic, Pinkie Pie.”  Again, she recalled the pain from attempting to disprove the existence of “Pinkie Sense.”  She rubbed her forehead feeling a headache coming on.  “Okay, what do you need?”
“I need to use your techno doohickeys in your lab!  Were you not listening?” Pinkie restated.
“Pinkie, now is not the best time.  I need to get to the Everfree Forest and I can’t just leave you unsupervised in my lab,” Twilight serenely refuted.
“Aww.  Please?” Pinkie pleaded while dropping to her knees.
“Pinkie, I said…” Twilight tried to respond.
“Pretty please?” the earth pony begged.  Her eyes widened hopefully.
Twilight was beginning to find it hard to refuse.  She knew Pinkie Pie would not give up easily.  “Well…” she said.
“Pretty please with sugar on top?  And ice cream in the middle?”  Pinkie leaped to her feet and got a big grin on her face.  “Oh, and top of the ice cream will be chocolate fudge and a cherry!  Oh, and then there’s a big banana!  And next to the banana is a big apple!  Or maybe a kumquat!  Yes, a kumquat!  I just love saying kumquat!  Kumquat!  Kumquat!  Kumquat!  Kumquat!  Kumquat!  Kumquat!  What was I saying?”  Pinkie stopped briefly and held a hoof under her chin.  “Oh, that’s right!  Pretty please with sugar on top, and ice cream in the middle with a big kumquat and…”
Twilight slapped her hooves over her ears and shut her eyes as Pinkie continued to ramble about other ingredients added to her “pretty please”.  “Ugh!  I can’t take it!  Fine, Pinkie!” Twilight nearly shouted.  Pinkie stopped talking and widened her eyes and grin further.  “I’ll let you use my lab,” Twilight relented.
“Yippee!” Pinkie cheered, hopping up and down once more.  “Don’t worry, Vergil.  Your newest best friends Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle are coming to save you!” she said in a heroic sounding voice.
‘Save?  What an overactive imagination you have, Pinkie.’  Twilight lead Pinkie back towards Golden Oak Library.  The violet unicorn frowned the whole way; this was not how she planned on spending the day.  Along the short, yet annoying, walk back to the library they passed through the market.  Surprisingly, Derpy was still debating with the lettuce merchant about the existence of his “muffins”.  The merchant looked even more annoyed than when Twilight first happened by a short while ago.  Fluttershy was still patiently waiting behind the clearly confused Pegasus.  Twilight didn’t know who to feel sorry more for: Fluttershy for having to wait on Derpy’s inane shopping, or the merchant for having to put up with Derpy. 
“Derpy!” the merchant yelled.  “These are not muffins!  They’re lettuce!  Get it through your head!”
Derpy picked up one head of lettuce and held it up to her ear.  Amusingly, she tried to shove it into her ear for several seconds before giving up.  “It can’t fit inside my head,” the weird Pegasus proudly established.  The merchant slammed his head against his stand.
Turning away from the merchant stand, Twilight and Pinkie quickly walked through the marketplace and reached the library.  This was taking far longer than she like.  She set off to the Everfree Forest a few hours ago and she still hasn’t accomplished anything of importance.  ‘Let’s just get this over with,’ she said to herself.
Twilight proceeded down the stairs into her basement where her laboratory was set up.  Pinkie joyfully bounded down the stairs.  The lab was full of all sorts of equipment: monitors that took all sorts of graphical data, scanners for brainwave functions, and virtually everything else that a unicorn could need.  Twilight was no scientist and so therefore she did not have much use for her laboratory.  The only time she could think of when she took much interest in her equipment was when she tried to study “Pinkie Sense”; a task which only resulted in being a complete waste of time and adding further injury to Twilight.
Pinkie trotted over to one of the lab’s monitors.  She began to sing – at least Twilight assumed it was singing – some sort of song that Twilight’s never heard before.  It almost sounded like a melody that pious monks would chant in a monastery somewhere.  “That’s an interesting tune, Pinkie.  What are you singing?” Twilight asked.
Pinkie stopped “singing” and shrugged, “I don’t know.  It just sort of came to me all of a sudden.”
“Hmm.  If you say so, Pinkie,” Twilight said.  She powered on the laboratory equipment.  The monitors whirred to life; the containers and tube of liquids began to bubble in their beakers; the multiple colored light bulbs aligning several pieces of equipment flashed on and off.  Without hesitating, Pinkie Pie set upon the tech, fiddling with several of the instruments.  The pink earth pony pulled several wires out of the largest monitor with her mouth.  Twilight’s mouth dropped in shock.  She held her hoof out to block Pinkie.  “Hey, what are you doing?”
Pinkie dropped the wires out of her mouth.  “I’m helping Vergil, silly.  Did you forget why we’re here?” Pinkie needlessly reminded Twilight.
“How is pulling out wires ‘helping’?” Twilight demanded.  Pinkie stopped to think about that one.  ‘Please, Pinkie Pie, don’t say…’ 
“I have no idea,” Pinkie happily explained.
‘… And you said exactly as I feared,’ Twilight internally affirmed.  “Pinkie, I can’t just let you destroy my lab equipment,” Twilight lectured.
“But Twilight,” Pinkie pleaded, her blue eyes growing wider in a look of sorrow.  “I have to help Vergil.”
‘WHO IS BUCKING VERGIL?’ Twilight psychologically snapped.  Sensing that she was becoming too stressed, Twilight held a forehoof up to snout level and took a deep breath.  Slowly, she extended her hoof in front of her while exhaling.  “Okay, Pinkie Pie.  I’ll leave you to whatever it is you plan to do.”  The pink earth pony became jubilant once more.  “Just promise me you’ll be careful with my equipment.”
“Okey dokey lokey!  Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Pinkie promised, covering her eye with a hoof.  Twilight knew she could trust Pinkie once she’s made a “Pinkie Promise”.  Of all ponies, Pinkie takes those promises very, very seriously.  Oddly enough, Pinkie has strange ways of checking on individuals who’ve made a “Pinkie Promise”, just to make sure they aren’t doing anything to break it.
Twilight slowly walked up the stairs leading out of the basement.  She took one last look at Pinkie Pie who was rapidly removing wires and cables and reattaching them elsewhere.  In mere seconds, Twilight’s lab had become a jumbled mess of eviscerated monitors.  ‘I just know I am going to regret this,’ she complained to herself.  ‘Pinkie had better not destroy anything important.’  Twilight returned to the first floor of the library and exited the hollow tree back out into Ponyville.  
A short and brisk trot brought her back through the marketplace.  She looked at the lettuce merchant and noticed that both Derpy and Fluttershy had moved on.  She immediately wondered how long it took Derpy to finally accept the fact that the merchant wasn’t selling muffins.  Then she wondered if the salespony had sold her some lettuce and said it was a muffin just to get her to leave.  Putting aside that thought, she hurried on towards the Everfree Forest.
Several minutes later the violet unicorn once again reached the edge of town near Fluttershy’s cottage.  The Everfree Forest was just past the small hut.  The massive forest borders the western edge of Ponyville.  The primary entrance is just past Fluttershy’s cottage, though it is possible to enter from other locations as well.  Twilight usually does not like to enter the forest do the abundance of dangers within.  Zecora’s hut was located along a fixed path deep within the forest.  Twilight could not imagine why anypony – or zebra – would want to live in such a hostile place.
As Twilight approached the entrance to the Everfree Forest, she spotted a small cloud hovering a dozen yards overhead.  Relaxing on it was Ponyville’s weather mare, Rainbow Dash.  At first Twilight thought she may be napping, as she often does while off duty.  The look of the cloud reminded Twilight of her lack of sleep.  She often wondered what it felt like to sleep on a cloud, something only Pegasi could do.  The cyan Pegasus shifted her position on the cloud and Twilight saw she was actually reading a book.  “Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight called.
Rainbow leaned over the side of the cloud and waved.  “Hey, Twilight,” she called back.
“What are you up to?” Twilight called.
Rainbow Dash silently stared at her for a moment.  “Was that supposed to be a joke?” she chuckled.
Twilight scratched her head.  “No.  Why do you ask?”  Then it hit it her.  ‘What are you up to...  No pun intended.’ 
“Because if it was, you could’ve said something like, ‘How’s the weather up there?’” Rainbow cited.
“No, it wasn’t intended to be a joke,” Twilight stated.  “So what are you doing?” she asked again.
Rainbow waved the book she was reading back and forth over the side of the cloud.  “I’m just reading the latest ‘Daring Doo’.  This one is ten times cooler than the last one.  Not that I’m saying the last one was bad or anything,” she added.  That reminded Twilight that she has yet to purchase a copy of the book.  As soon as she was done at Zecora’s she’d head right over to the bookstore and pick up a copy.
“Oh, yeah.  That came out just today, right?” Twilight inquired.  Rainbow Dash excitedly nodded.  “Well I haven’t gotten my copy yet.  So no spoilers!”
Rainbow gasped.  “What?  How could you not have one yet?”
“Well, I have a lot on my mind at the moment,” she reasoned, conjuring up images of the bipedal beasts and flying objects.
“Seriously?  On something other than Daring Doo?” Rainbow said aghast.  “So what is it then?”
“Oh, I’m just going to see Zecora.  That’s all,” Twilight answered half-truthfully.
“That’s it?” Rainbow probed.  “What are you going there for?”
“I just need her opinion on…” Twilight trailed off.  Her eyes glanced down to her hooves and more specifically her shadow being cast by the sun.  It was much larger than it should have been.  She then realized that her shadow only appeared to have two enormous legs.  The rest of the body extended several feet away from her.  Twilight looked over her shoulders to see the hideous bronze-covered beast.  It clutched the magical “hammer” in its two paws.  Wickedly smiling, it lifted the colossal instrument and swung it right at her.  Twilight threw her forehooves in front of her in defense.  Shutting her eyes and tumbling to the ground she shrieked.
“Twilight, what’s wrong?” Rainbow called in alarm.
The violet unicorn opened her eyes.  The beast was gone once again.  ‘Why do I keep seeing it?’ she asked herself.  ‘What is the reason for its presence?’  Twilight slowly got back on her hooves and brushed herself off.  She looked around for any sign of the creature though she knew she’d find none.
“Twilight?” Rainbow called down to her.  “Is everything all right?”
“Y-y-yes,” Twilight stuttered in response.  “It’s nothing.”
Rainbow Dash stood up from her cloud and flew to the ground, landing next to Twilight.  The cyan Pegasus gave Twilight a suspicious look.  “Are you sure?  You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
‘I just might have,’ Twilight mentally conceded.  Rainbow Dash was still giving her an impatient look awaiting a response.  “Yes, I’m fine Rainbow.  Don’t worry.”
Rainbow narrowed her rose-colored eyes in further doubt.  “If everything is fine, then why in the world of Equestria did you just scream?” she interrogated.    
Twilight nervously looked away.  “I screamed because I fell,” she lied for the third time.  “I tripped and fell.  It took me by surprise, okay?” 
Rainbow shook her head unconvinced.  “Has anypony ever told you what a bad liar you are?”  Twilight flushed as she turned back to the Pegasus.  “Did you forget that I was watching you from up there?” Rainbow asked while pointing a hoof at the cloud above.
“Oh… right,” Twilight sheepishly admitted. 
“You looked like you were trying to protect yourself from something.  But I didn’t see anything.  So what happened?” Rainbow further questioned.  Twilight scratched the back of her head thinking of the best answer to give.  She knew Rainbow Dash would only mock her if she said she saw a huge gold or bronze-covered beast swinging a giant “hammer”.  “Are you feeling all right?  You look beat,” the cyan Pegasus commented on her overall appearance.
Twilight finally responded, “I am beat.  I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Were you studying all night again?” Rainbow asked akin to Applejack.  “You really need to take it easy with your books.  Don’t be such an egghead.”
“I was NOT studying,” she told Rainbow as she told Applejack earlier.  “I just couldn’t sleep, that’s all.”
“Then maybe you should consider taking a nap,” Rainbow Dash recommended.
The violet unicorn considered that option once again.  But as tempting as that was, she had her priorities set.  “Maybe later.  For now I’ve got more important things to do.”
“Okay, then.  I’m gonna get back to reading,” Rainbow said.  She flapped her wings and began to ascend to the hovering cloud.  Midway there she stopped and gained an excited expression.  “This book is so awesome!  Daring Doo was just captured by the dreaded…!” she began to explain.
“Hey, what did I say about spoilers!” Twilight scolded and pointed a hoof at the Pegasus.
“Oops!  Sorry!” Rainbow Dash apologized.  “It’s just getting so intense with all the ponies trying to get Daring Doo and then…” she went on again.
“RAINBOW!” Twilight shouted.  The Pegasus apologized for a second time before returning to her cloud.  Settling into the cozy looking cloud, Rainbow picked up her book and resumed reading.  Twilight began to walk away.  She stopped in her tracks as she remembered something she had wanted to ask.  “I got a question for you, Rainbow Dash,” she called to her friend.
Without looking down, Rainbow replied, “Shoot.”
“You don’t have any storms expected in the weather schedule, do you?” Twilight hesitantly asked. 
“Let me see,” Rainbow said.  She set down her book and pulled out a weather schedule.  She started flipping through the sheets on a clipboard.  After a brief moment she said, “Not until a week from next Tuesday.”
“Okay that’s all I wanted to know.  Thanks.”  Rainbow Dash waved goodbye as Twilight proceeded to the entrance of the Everfree Forest.  That gave her some respite knowing that no storms were scheduled in the near future.  Still, Twilight felt apprehensive about the possibility that things could change within the next two weeks.  She concluded that the beast with the “hammer” had to be controlling the weather in her nightmares.  If it was real and was to reveal its existence in Equestria then it would almost assuredly manipulate the weather and bring forth the green storm clouds.  ‘But what reason would it have to create such bizarre weather?  Could the storm somehow act as a means of summoning great power?’ she pondered.
Twilight trotted past Fluttershy’s cottage.  The yellow Pegasus had finally returned to her home with a saddlebag full of produce and other treats; all of which were most likely for Angel.  Twilight came to a halt in front of the Everfree Forest.  She felt herself tense up as she took a step towards the dangerous forest.  This was a new sensation for her; she’s never felt so anxious about entering the Everfree Forest.  Trekking along the path to Zecora’s hut was an almost frequent occurrence and it wasn’t like there was necessarily anything to fear as long as she remained on the pathway.  She felt her hair stand on end like there was a static current flowing through her mane.  She sensed an unseen presence.
The wind began to howl and blow in strong gusts.  The trees of the Everfree Forest swayed in the strong breeze; leaves and branches broke free and hurled through the air.  Several trees immediately toppled to the ground, their roots ripping through the soil.  As Twilight struggled to remain on her hooves in the intense wind she could hear panicked calls of animals dwelling in the forest.  Sticks and twigs from the trees came hurling in Twilight’s direction.  She held a hoof in front of her face only for the small branches to scrape and scratch her foreleg.
Twilight turned and ran from the Everfree Forest’s entrance.  Seconds later, the sky darkened as thick clouds materialized from thin air.  Twilight halted and stared in horror as the clouds turned into an eerie shade of green.  Thunder boomed and lightning arced across the sky.  ‘This is how it begins,’ the monster had said in her first nightmare.  
“No,” Twilight cried.  “No!  This can’t be happening!”  Twilight spotted Rainbow Dash’s cloud a short distance away.  The Pegasus was frantically zipping around in the sky as the storm became more severe.  Twilight dashed towards the cloud where Rainbow had been.  “RAINBOW DASH!” she shouted over the howling wind.  The cyan Pegasus quickly lowered towards the ground.  She came to a stop a few feet above Twilight, struggling to flap her wings; the wind was incredibly strong.  “WHAT’S HAPPENING?” Twilight yelled.  “I THOUGHT YOU SAID THERE WOULD BE NO STORMS!”
Rainbow Dash shouted, “I DON’T KNOW!  I’VE NEVER SEEN WEATHER LIKE THIS!  IT DOESN’T EVEN LOOK LIKE EVERFREE FOREST WEATHER!”  Lightning arced across the sky followed by a loud boom of thunder.  The green storm clouds completely enveloped the sky, totally blocking out the sun.  The wind picked up speed nearly blowing Rainbow Dash away and knocking Twilight to the ground.  “I’LL FLY TO CLOUDSDALE AND SEE IF THEY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!” Rainbow screeched.
“BE CAREFUL!” Twilight cautioned.  The cyan Pegasus flapped her wings as fast as she could and dashed across the sky.  Despite being one of the fastest – and possibly strongest – flyers in Equestria, Rainbow Dash struggled against the unnatural storm.  Twilight galloped back into Ponyville.  Several townsponies were staring in scared awe at the storm; nopony has ever seen such weather in Equestria before.  Most residents were scurrying to find shelter.
Twilight cut through the now deserted marketplace to get back to the library.  Merchant stands were toppled over, goods and other products spilled all over the ground; none of the merchants cared to save their wares from the storm.  The only positive thing about the storm that Twilight could think of was the fact that it wasn’t raining.  Still, she did not want to remain outside for long.
She exited the market and sprinted to her library.  She reached out with her magic and opened the door several yards away from it.  The wind picked up again and lifted the violet unicorn off her hooves.  A second later, the strong gust propelled her through the door and into the hollow tree.  Books, scrolls, and other papers flew in every direction in the library.  Twilight quickly slammed the door shut behind her with her magic.  The room fell still.
Twilight took a deep breath and slowly exhaled in a sigh of relief.  Outside, the wind continued to howl followed by the crash of lightning and thunder.  She looked around her disorganized room.  It almost looked like a twister had come through, which, in a manner of speaking, did happen.  She’d worry about reorganizing the library later.  “Spike,” she called.  “Are you home?”  She got no reply.  She felt worried and hoped that Spike and Rarity had managed to find shelter from the storm.  Out in the valley there wasn’t much that could provide protection with perhaps the exception of the Diamond Dogs’ tunnels, and they would undoubtedly not provide Rarity or Spike refuge.
She heard a loud sound coming from the basement.  Twilight remembered that she had left Pinkie Pie to work with her equipment.  She swiftly opened the door to the basement and trotted down the stairs.  Twilight froze in her tracks at the mangled mess that the pink pony had made of her laboratory.  All her monitors had been stripped clean and reassembled into what looked like an electronic scrap heap in the center.  Wires crisscrossed the room connecting the pile of computer parts to the few pieces of equipment that Pinkie neglected to touch.  A white field was pulsating around the scrap heap.  Brief bursts of static electricity emanated from Pinkie’s “creation”.
Pinkie Pie was joyfully hopping up and down and watching in absolute amazement at the computer parts.  Each time a volt of static electricity shot out of the pile Pinkie’s grin grew wider.  The pulsating light increased from the pile of scrap.  The pink earth pony only took further delight from the spectacle.
“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight shouted.  Pinkie looked up at Twilight still standing on the staircase.  Her expression grew even more joyful.  “What’s happening?” Twilight shouted again.
“It’s working, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.  “I’m saving them!  Vergil and his friends are coming!”  The pulsating light intensified in the room.  Outside the library the sounds of the storm became much more intense.
“What?  What do you mean?” Twilight panicked.  Pinkie Pie gave no reply; she only continued to hop up and down in anticipation.  As the light grew brighter Twilight was forced to shield her eyes.  Pinkie merely pulled out a pair of sunglasses and placed them over her eyes.  More electricity burst from Pinkie’s “invention” just as thunder boomed outside.  The light grew brighter.  Twilight could see an object begin to materialize near the center of the room.  She felt the room go cold at the thought of what was appearing.  The light slowly began to dim.  Twilight opened her eyes wide as the object began to take shape.  
It hovered in the air briefly before falling to the floor.  Pinkie Pie stopped hopping and removed the sunglasses.  Her expression became one of complete awe and surprise.  The thing wasn’t the bipedal beast Twilight feared it was.  She didn’t know what it was.  As far as she could tell, it was covered in some sort of black and dark gray carapace.  It had four appendages sticking out from it; Twilight could only assume they were either arms, legs, or a combination of both.  She cautiously stepped down the stairs to get a closer look at the creature.  She stopped a few feet from it.  “What is it?” she asked, fearing she would not like the answer.
The creature shifted on the ground.  Twilight jumped away from it.  Pinkie Pie remained where she stood.  The creature sat up and seemed to look around.  Its “head” was unlike anything Twilight expected.  It was round-shaped with a slight indentation near the top.  Its “face” was far more mysterious.  She could not see any indication of eyes, snout, or mouth.  In fact, the entire front of the creature’s “head” was a shade of bluish-silver.  As Twilight stared intently at the strange life form before her, it raised one of its appendages and planted what looked like a hairless paw on the back of its “head”.
Twilight hesitated before asking, “What are you?”
The creature shook its “head”.  “That’s an odd question,” it said back to her in a perfect dialect.  Twilight and Pinkie both took a step back.  “Haven’t you ever seen an ODST?”