//------------------------------// // Dead Wood and Ink // Story: The Ancient Heart of the Everwood Dragon // by Grey Faerie //------------------------------// Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I am writing to you on urgent matters. Yesterday afternoon, precisely at 14:23, the new west fields by the outer region of Fillydephia were under attack from an unknown source. The farmers and field hands had reported unexplained new growth in the area of the plow fields. It had been suspected to be the work of renegades against the clearing of that part of the forest. The new growth had happened the first time right after the clearing of the trees and stumps. The second time came after the fields had been cleared again, plowed, then fertilized. An attack happened during a stakeout for the culprits. The farmers and field hands camped out by the fields for a week before the unknown came back. Their reports were vague about what creature it exactly was. Some write it was a giant tree wraith. Others said it was a living tree. Another said it looked like a dragon. We are uncertain how true and reliable these descriptions are. At the moment, fourteen reported deaths are caused by the creature. The cause of death was asphyxiation by tree roots then being dragged underground. Some were strangled to death with the roots above ground when the other farmers tried to pull them to safety. The unicorns tried to attack the creature, but it only shook off the blows. We humbly request your aid in this venture. The situation has gotten out of hand and we are ill prepared to deal with such an event. Please respond with your answer as soon as possible. Helden Guard, Chief of Forest Police, Fillydephia Twilight read through the letter again. She had been sitting in her kitchen when the mailmare came and asked for a signature for an official looking letter. Twilight rubbed her head. Her first official business as princess and it was cleaning up a massacre. What exactly she was to do was vague at best, but it was clear she had to move quickly. "Spike! Spike! I'm going to need you to pack," she called out. Twilight walked out to the main library while holding up the letter with her magic as she scanned the line of books. "For what?" Spike came running around the corner. "Is that a letter?" He bent over to look at the floating piece of paper. "Yes, it seems there's something attacking farmers by Fillydephia. I'll go get the other girls. Can you go pack for me?" She took out a book on magic creatures. "Sure! Hey, there's a new comic book shop that just opened there. Do you think um... I can go to? Please, Twilight?" "This isn't a vacation, Spike! It's official work. Most times sent from the Princess herself." "It's never a vacation." Spike threw up his arms. "Even when we go to somewhere really cool. Can't I just go with to hang out at the store? I won't even be anywhere near where you are." He crossed his arms and pouted. Twilight sighed. "This is a very grave matter, Spike. Some creature is attacking farmers and I don't want to be worrying about you off alone in the big city." She looked over a map of the area. "It seems too that the place I'm going to is a farm area outside the city. There are smaller towns dotted along the region." "Then I'll just stay at the hotel all day! Please, Twilight." He folded his hands and stared at her. Twilight rubbed her forehead. "Spike, I just..you can come. But, you have to be careful and stay at the hotel! I don't want you to be getting hurt." "Yes!" Spiked jumped for joy and ran off to pack the bags. Twilight shook her head. Twilight knocked on Pinkie's door. "Pinkie! Pinkie!" Pinkie groaned and turned over. She was having the best dream! So much sugar and frosting donuts. Would frosting go well with donuts? Twilight heard hoofsteps and eagerly awaited for the door to open. "Oh, Pinkie, I just got a let--" "What is it, Twilight?" Pinkie grumbled the respond and rubbed her eyes. "It's my day off. I want to go dream again." "Oh, well, I just got a letter from Fillydephia. There's been an attack on farmers by an unknown creature." "And this couldn't wait until later?" Pinkie blinked at her. "Wait, what!?" "Ponies have been killed." "Oh," Her eyes grew wide. "I'll get my bag and meet you at your house." "Thanks." "Applejack! Where are you?" "Over here Sugarcube." Twilight walked through the rows of trees to where AJ was bucking. "Hey, we have to go to Fillydephia," Twilight started. "I don't have much time for that today. I've got the whole Northern field to tend to, a shipment of fertilizer coming in that I've got to sign for, then I've got all my other chores! I'm sorry. Maybe somepony else can come with you." She turned back around and bucked the tree. "This isn't for fun! Some creature has attacked some farmers! And killed them." AJ's eyes widened, "I'll go talk to my brother and Granny Smith." "Okay, meet me at my house." "Rarity there's a--" Twilight stopped in the doorway. Rarity stood with a mouth full of pins. She looked up from the hemline of a dress she was fitting on a mare. "--Oh, hi." Twilight waved. "What was that, dear?" Rarity put in the last pins with her magic. "There's danger in Fillydephia. Ponies have been killed." "Oh dear" Rarity looked around for her bag. "I'm sorry. Requiem, duty calls." "But what about my recital!?" "I'll write you a note and you can go to my friend Velveteen. She'll finish you up!" Rarity exclaimed while pushing the mare out the door. "Fluttershy--" Twilight gasped for breath "--can you--" she gasped again "--go find Rainbow Dash for me?" Twilight was out of breath from going all around town. "Oh, okay. What do you need her for? She's usually practicing over the lake during this time." Fluttershy threw seeds on the ground. The birds squawked in excitement. "There is danger. Ponies getting killed." Twilight took a big breath in. "You're not busy too today are you?" "Oh dear. Well, I was going feed the rest of my animals but I'll ask Tamer. Don't you worry, I'll go get Rainbow Dash. We'll meet you at your house." She pulled the strings on the seed bag and tied it up. "Thank you, Fluttershy." Twilight trotted off back to her house. Twilight trotted up the street towards her home. She held up the book on magical creatures while flipping madly through the pages. A moving tree? A dragon? Or a tree wraith! But a tree dragon? Loud chatting brought her head up from the book and she welcomed the sight of all the girls waiting outside her house. "Hey, girls. Sorry to pull you away." She tucked the book in her saddle bag. "It's no problem, Twi. So, what exactly are we facing, cause I've got a few new moves." Rainbow Dash punched the air. "I don't know." "What? What do you mean you don't know?" Rainbow deflated. "The letter wasn't clear about what the thing is. They only have guesses. They keep describing it like some sort of forest wraith. We do know exactly where this incident happened though. We'll be taking the train there as soon as possible." Twilight pulled out the tickets. "How many died?" AJ asked. Twilight grimaced. "14." AJ nodded grimly. A purple tail exited the doorway of the house, followed by a huge pile of luggage. "I've got all the bags ready! Do you really need all these books?" Spike heaved the bags out of the house and onto a cart. "Are you sure we should be taking Spike with us?" Applejack asked. "Yes, I can't be having my little Spikey Wikey in harms way." Rarity added with a squeeze to Spike's face. "He's just going with us so he can go to a comic store in Fillydephia." Twilight looked over the bag of books. Should she bring more? "Are you just going to leave him all by his lonesome in a big ol' city?" AJ asked. "Well, I was thinking after this mission we would go. It'll be a nice trip after dealing with some creature." Twilight pulled open one of the books she was unsure of. "What about the during? We can't just leave him all alone in some hotel room. He'll get bored and eat his way through more ice cream then your tab can take." Pinkie laughed. "Well..." They were making some good points. "Oh please, Twilight! You said I can go. I really really want to go. I'll be good. I promise." He pouted at her. Twilight sighed and put the book back. "I did say he could come. We'll see about maybe getting a foalsitter to make sure he behaves in the room." "A foalsitter!? I'm not a little kid!" "You know what I mean." She gave him a hard look, "We'll just ask if you can stay some where. Like helping out at a library or city hall so you're supervised. This is not a time for you to be running off." "Okay."