//------------------------------//
// Chapter One 
// Story: A Major Threat 
// by DuhBankz 
//------------------------------//

	Have you ever wondered deep into the forest? The dense greenery towering over you keeping the surroundings dark and ominous. The sounds of all of the creatures staring at you wondering why you are trespassing in their homes. When suddenly you hear an unidentifiable screech in the distance and what sounds like twigs snapping under the hooves of a filly running. You approach the direction in which you heard the sound from hoping not to see the worst. You see a flash of yellow and red zoom by your line of sight and another screech is let out much louder than before. You hear booming sounds starting very quietly but approaching and getting louder and louder and louder until you are facing something that towers over the trees in the forest you never imagined seeing the top of. You  take off your hat and look down to your hooves as a single tear rolls down your cheek and you whisper to yourself goodbye.

It was a normal day in Ponyville, the cider sales were booming keeping Sweet Apple Acres in business. "Why this is the best cider season we've ever had Big Mac." Applejack said excitedly.
"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied.
The cider season had made the Apple family nearly triple the profits it has ever made them since they first started the business. As the last drop of the last barrel of the season shot into the mug of the last lucky pony there the Apple's felt more successful than they had ever before. "Congratulations on this great cider season Applejack!" Pinkie Pie said.
"Why thanks Pinkie, you sure were a good customer like always. We made you nearly twenty cups!" Applejack said in reply.
"Actually it was twenty-six, and I've still got much more at home!"
"Why Pinkie if I'm not mistaken, you're definitely our best customer!"
"Eeyup." Big Macintosh said joining the conversation.
"Oh, you two are too nice! Do you need any help getting all of this stuff back to Sweet Apple Acres?" Pinkie Pie asked generously.
"I think we've got it from here Pinkie but thanks for offering, that's  mighty kind of you."
"Okay, then I think I'm going back to Sugar Cube Corner. The Cake's might need me!"
"See you later then Pi-"
Pinkie Pie started hopping hurriedly home before Applejack even had time to reply.

The cider season was wrapped up and a party was help at Sugar Cube Corner as a congratulations to the most successful season of all time. Ponies from all across Equestria were showing up, Pinkie Pie welcoming them in one by one. Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Rarity were all sat at a table together talking about the recent news in Ponyville. "Did you hear that  an actual living breathing Ursa Major was spotted in a forest between here and Appleoosa?" Twilight asked her friends with a tone of both shock and fear.
"I hope that barbaric creature stays far away from here, I don't want Ponyville to be in danger like it has been ever again!" Rarity replied while checking her hooves for dirt.
"Yeah it better not come anywhere near here! It'd be putting itself in great danger coming anywhere near Rainbow Dash!." Rainbow Dash said heroically.
"Rainbow you're in way over your head, you would be hiding under Ponyville if that thing came anywhere near here." Twilight said laughing at Rainbow's false bravery.
"You don't know that." Rainbow replied in annoyed tone.
"Oh Rainbow don't try to fool me and Twilight, we know how yo-"
"Twilight! Twilight Sparkle are you here?!" Spike interruptedly yelled.
"Yes, of course I'm here Spike. What's wrong?" Twilight replied curiously.
"Princess Celestia sent this letter to you and it reads." Spike cleared his throat and began to read out the letter "Dear Twilight Sparkle, It has come to my attention that the people of Equestria have spotted an Ursa Major. Due to your great duty of saving Ponyville from the previous Ursa Minor attack I'm am kindly asking for you to have the responsibility of keeping Equestria safe from this possible threat. Please be careful Twilight Sparkle. Your faithful mentor and Princess, Celestia."
Twilight was stunned by the assignment she had just received from Celestia herself and nearly fainted. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie had all three came to her to help her calm down but it was of no use. Twilight Sparkle walked home with her head hung in shame because she knew she couldn't do what the Princess had requested.

"Twilight,  come out of there please, we all miss you and want to help you through this as well as we can." Fluttershy said in a caring tone.
"No Fluttershy, I can't face this world anymore." Twilight replied.
Her five friends continued to try to get her to come outside but it was just wasted time. They were going to have to wait for her to come out in her own time. "The party must go on!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she ran to Sugar Cube Corner. 
After the first attempt of the party being crashed by Spike's bad timing to give Twilight the bad news it was back on. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity were all at the same table they had reserved the day before. They were trying to keep off the topic of the approaching Ursa Major but their fears continued stayed the same. The party was interrupted by the door being slammed open emitting a sound louder than a Sonic Rainboom. A pony wearing a brown hat with orange mane walked into Sugar Cube Corner with a look of fear greater than even Twilight's upon receiving Celestia's request. "Braeburn, is that you?" Applejack asked.
"Yeah it's me cousin," Braeburn walked to the table Applejack and her friends were sat  at. "Cousin, it's terrible what happened up there in Appleoosa, the whole orchard was swept away and all of the town's stores and homes are up in flames. I'm one of the only ponies that made it out alive."
"What happened?!" Applejack asked with an expression of absolute shock.
"That Ursa Major finally found us."
"I don't know what to say Braeburn, you can stay with us at Sweet Apple Acres for now."
"Thank you cousin, that's mighty nice of you to lend me your home." Braeburn tipped his hat to Applejack and headed out of Sugar Cube Corner.

Chaos had reached Equestria, a threat even worse than Discord himself was slowly approaching the peaceful town of Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle was still locked away in her home and hope was slowly fading as the Ursa Major drew closer and closer. Ponies from all around were spending as much time as possible with their closest friends and families making the best of what could be their last days alive. Even hopes were low in Canterlot, Celestia had called off all guard patrols and declared Equestria a lost cause. At this point nobody had any hope of  survival, Celestia continued to send letters to Twilight asking her with great kindness to at least try to stop the Ursa but she had never replied. Canterlot was a ghost town, no events were planned and no ponies were walking its normally crowded streets. The situation had become seemingly worse as time passed and more reports came to Celestia, the destruction drawing closer and closer to the beloved capital of Equestria. She almost found it useless to raise the sun anymore as the great Armageddon slowly approached. 

After nearly three months of being stowed away in her library, Twilight Sparkle emerged to the emptiness that Ponyville had become. As she looked around she saw trash being carried through the streets of her town. The fillies that normally played in the streets had ceased to exist. The ponies that crowded the stalls in the market had not shown up and it seemed it had been that way for weeks. Nobody happily welcomed her from her long absence. She felt like the world had fallen apart in the time she was gone, and she was right. In the three months she was locked up in her home Equestria had been declared lost by Celestia herself and everyone had given up hope completely. Twilight held back tears as she looked up to the clouded sky and yelled "I will stop that Ursa Major if it kills me!"
Her voice echoed through the ghost town and a few windows opened revealing cheering ponies encouraging Twilight for the great quest she had finally accepted after three long months of hiding from her destiny. Tears of joy began to block her view of the hundreds of ponies that had came out of their homes for the first time in a long time to cheer her on. She had no idea how much they depended and believed in her. Even her closest friends had come out to cheer her on. "Spike, take a letter." She said with great joy in her voice. "Dear Princess Celestia, after long thought and denial to the task at hand I have finally chosen to accept. Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle."
Spike rolled up the scroll and burned it with green flames delivering it to Princess Celestia. Twilight knew there was no turning back now. She had to stop the Ursa Major. Even if it kills her.