//------------------------------//
// Chapter Three: The Hole In The Wall 
// Story: The Origins Of The Everfree Forest 
// by Darkswirl 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Three: The Hole In The Wall


It had been three days since the recruitment process began, and twenty-four furious pegasi joined the Princess’s Militia along with sixteen worried earth ponies and four distraught unicorns.  Celestia gathered her militia in a clearing outside of Ponyville and explained the situation to them.  “My dearest subjects; last week, the head wizard of Canterlot, Starswirl the Bearded, felt a breach in the magic barrier near the Gryphon border.  He sent a troop of pegasi and unicorn royal guards to investigate the matter, and they have not returned.  We have no idea what we’re up against; whether renegade ponies, or a frightening monster such as the Manticore.  As some of you may have noticed, the sun has not set since the recruitment booths went up.  My dear little sister took it into her hooves to investigate the matter herself and has also gone missing.  Today, we discover what broke through the magic shield.  Today, we bring all those missing ponies back home.  Today, we fight for Equestria!”.  All the ponies cheered and reared their hooves into the air, inspired by the princess’s speech.  Celestia turned and led the charge towards the border.

The ponies crept along through new foliage and behind young trees as they neared the border.  Some wondered aloud where these plants had come from, but they were hushed by others.  Celestia soundlessly called for a halt and sent a pony forward to investigate.  Not soon after, the sound of a whip came to Celestia’s ears.  And then a scream, followed by a whooshing noise, as if the pony was sent flying up through the air.  Not wanting to lose any more beloved ponies, she let out a battle cry and charged forward.  What she saw would’ve frightened even a Manticore.  In addition to the pony she sent forward being stuck in a net and hanging from a tree, Celestia noticed several bipedal creatures all running around, some towards the new ponies.  They had metal sticks in their hands that they held with these…Things on their hooves.  They seemed to blend into the scenery, but when caught in the light, Celestia noticed how it seemed they were wearing a forest.  Several ponies charged forward and leapt onto these strange new creatures.  Metal sticks were raised and out came more nets, trapping the brave ponies.  Celestia looked around frantically, unsure of what to do in this pressing moment.  And then she spotted cages.  Metal cages all lined up in a row and nearly her size.  Metal cages with moving bodies of ponies inside of them.  Celestia rushed towards the cages and hit one dead on with her hooves.  She let out a cry of pain and anguish as she realized she couldn’t break them.  “Sister!” cried a voice from behind Celestia.  She turned and pressed herself close against her sister’s cage, crying softly.  “Oh, Luna!  Are you alright?  What have they done to you?” Celestia cried out, noticing bruises and scabs.  Princess Luna fought back waves of tears as she nuzzled her sister, silently begging for her to save them all from these terrible creatures.  Celestia had had enough.  No more scared or hurt ponies.  No more terrorizing Equestria.  These creatures had to be stopped, now and for good.  She turned to view the battle and immediately wished she hadn’t.  Only a few of her volunteers had managed to avoid capture, mostly pegasi flying in quickly to swipe at the monsters before flying away to a safe distance.  Celestia turned back to the cages full of sullen and hurt ponies, crying softly as their eyes bore into her mane.  She let out one last tear before letting her rage take over her fragile body.  Her hooves beat relentlessly at her sister’s cage until they were bruised and bleeding.  Luna crawled out from a small space and leaned up against her sister.  “Everypony retreat!  We’ll come back for you all, I promise!” Princess Celestia called out as she limped away with the remaining ponies.