Twilight had just gone into the Everfree Forest to visit Zecora. She hadn't meant to see a rare type of fern off the path and hurry up to it to make sure it was what she though and revel in her luck of finding such a rare plant. She had though, and now she couldn't find the path again. At first it hadn't been too big of a deal. She had thought she could just trot back the way she came and find the path again, but the Everfree Forest wasn't going to allow her to escape so easily. Now she was lost.
Twilight was beginning to panic, a bad thing since when she panicked she tended to lose quite a bit of her common sense. Her violet eyes darted around in a panic and her horn glowed with an illumination spell to make sure she didn't lose herself even more. Wait, had she passed that tree before?
"Hello? Anypony?" Twilight called, hoping to alert some benign creature, or Zecora if she was extremely lucky. What she hoped didn't happen, but was probably more likely, was that her yelling attracted a timber wolf or some other predator. Twilight gulped, dimming her light a bit and slowing, staring at a large twisted oak she was sure she had passed before. She hurried on, taking a sharp turn to get away from the tree.
Twilight's ears raised when she saw a dim light ahead. Sighing in relief, she hurried forward. Her hopes dropped when she saw a simple blue mushroom glowing on the forest floor. She huffed and went past it, but stopped when she saw the oak again. The twists in its large, dark branches were exactly the same.
"Oh come on," Twilight groaned. She stomped a hoof and plopped down in front of the oak, turning away from the tree. She began to shiver, wondering if she would be stuck here until she died of starvation or dehydration or some animal finished her off. Which would be less painful? What was really the best way to die? Sweet Celestia, she didn't want to die at all! "Help!" she cried, leaping to her hooves. "Please! Anypony!" Twilight stopped, breathing heavily as her heart pounded against her ribcage and her legs shook like the leaves of the trees around her.
"Ooh, lost are we?" Twilight leapt about a foot in the air when a voice cooed behind her, up in the twisty oak. Twilight whipped around, horn sparking in case it was some sort of enemy. The magenta sparks faded when she saw what looked like a stallion lying relaxed on one of the oak's branches.
One of the strange pony's purple front hooves was dangling over the edge while the other was tucked in front of his chest. He was covered in stripes a shade lighter than the rest of his coat, but one could tell he wasn't a zebra since a horn stuck out of his forehead. He had no cutie mark that Twilight could see, the only designs on his flanks were more light stripes. His eyes were yellow and cat-like, seeming to glow in the natural darkness of the forest. A grin stretched across his face, looking almost abnormal with how wide it was. His mane and tail were a dark violet with lighter highlights, and his sleek tail swished back and forth as he grinned down at Twilight.
"Y-Yes," Twilight breathed, not sure whether to be relieved or wary. "Are you from around here? Do you know which way it is back to Ponyville?"
"How curious you are," the strange unicorn murmured, rolling lazily onto his side and somehow managing to stay balanced on the branch. "You'd trust a stranger to give you directions?" Twilight narrowed her eyes. He had a point, there was no way of telling whether he was lying or not if he did give her directions.
"Well I'd appreciate if you'd be sincere. We're both ponies, and we've never met. You have no reason to lie to me."
"Unless my heart is black and I will find your untimely end rather entertaining. That's a possibility." The stranger rolled his r's, making it sound like he purred each word.
"Why would you be evil?" The stallion's grin widened and his yellow eyes narrowed.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"What's your name?" Twilight asked. She was annoyed, creeped out, and wanted to get away from the subject of this random pony being a threat.
"Hm? Oh. My name....Well, I suppose you can call me Cheshire; Cheshire Cat being my full name. A pleasure to meet you, dear." His horn glowed a deep indigo and he levitated himself down from the tree to land in front of Twilight. He bent his head in a little bow, the grin never fading.
"Well, Cheshire, my name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle." She nodded her own head to him. "Now, could you please tell me how to get out of the forest from here?" Cheshire's already narrow pupils dilated and he leaned closer.
"Still trying to get out, hm? Well, you could go this way." He tilted his head to the left. "That way." To the right. "Or, if you're in the mood, you could go that way." Upwards.
"I can't fly," Twilight said flatly, unamused, "And you're just giving me options, not directions."
"Well maybe I did give you the correct way," Cheshire chuckled, tail flicking. "You won't know until you try them all, Miss Sparkle."
"Unless I go the right way on the first try."
"Then you'll never know where the other ways will take you. Your loss. I don't really care." He sat back on his haunches then laid down in front of her, crossing his hooves. "I've already been every direction myself, so I won't be missing anything."
"Why are you so calm? Unless you live in this Celestia-forsaken forest." Twilight winced at her own agitated tone. No, she couldn't let this unicorn get to her. She had to remain calm. Not as calm as him, but calm.
"Celest?" Cheshire's pointed ears twitched upwards. "And who, pray tell, is this pony by the name of Celest?"
"Celestia. She's the princess of all of Equestria! How could you not know who she is?"
"I don't get out much." Cheshire shrugged. "And as for your previous question; no, I do not live in this forest. I don't live in any particular place. I go anywhere I want as long as it's the color green."
"Green?"
"Red. Open your ears."
"But..."
"No, you're right, green." Cheshire snickered and levitated himself back into the air, not even bothering to stand. "It's my favorite color."
"But, you said you don't get out much. If that's so, then why do you say you go everywhere?"
"Anywhere, not everywhere. Please try to pay attention, Miss Sparkle."
"I am paying attention!" Twilight huffed. "You just keep confusing me and contradicting yourself!"
"I have not contradicted myself. Anywhere, not everywhere. There's a difference you know."
"I know."
"Oh, good. There are too many in this world that get them confused. Sad, really."
"You know what? Forget it! I'll find my own way out." Twilight turned and stomped off, leaving the grinning unicorn behind. She didn't care what happened to him, and if he could go anywhere then he didn't need her help. Twilight sighed as she prepared to begin again the boring and lonely trek through the forest, but stopped when she saw light up ahead. Tentatively, the mushroom incident still fresh in her mind, she trotted towards the tempting light. When she reached it, her jaw dropped. Here lie the edge of the Everfree Forest.
"How did I miss this before?" she muttered, quickly leaving the forest. She thought of Cheshire Cat, but quickly shook the thought. "No, it couldn't have been him. He wouldn't..." Then again, how did she know what that creepy unicorn would do? Twilight was content to move on not knowing, deciding further thought about the subject would be a waste of time. Maybe she would see him again and ask, though she doubted he would answer in a way that made sense.