//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Deviation // Story: Hoennshy // by Fenix //------------------------------// Wings spread wide, a yellow pegasus dove down the steep mountain face. With the barest tilts of her wings, she wove through a maze of protruding shelves of rock and tumbling boulders as she extended her hooves to grab at the falling hummingbird. It was tiny and hard to see, the pegasus having to lock her eyes on it to keep it in sight between the falling rocks as it blended into the grassy earth below. With a look of fierce determination, she pushed past the remaining chunks of rock and scooped up the emerald bird up into her hooves. With a quick glace, she watched the hummingbird rest in her arms, its wing mangled and broken. She tilted herself up, flapped her wings and flew away from the crumbling mountain, watching the rocks tumble and crash down the remaining hundred feet. With a long sigh of relief, she floated down into the soft grass, flipping her long pink mane out of her face as she caught her breath. When she reached the ground, she gently placed the hummingbird down to let it rest. Its tiny chest rose and fell quickly, giving the pegasus a breath of relief that the bird was still alive. She then examined its injuries: a few bruises on its side and a broken right wing. “Don’t you worry about a thing; I’ll bring you back to my cottage and nurse you back to health,” she promised the sleeping bird with a warm smile. The pegasus would have to head back home without the armis flower she had been looking for, but taking care of a new patient was a much higher priority. I wonder what could’ve done this, she thought to herself as she made her way home back through the Everfree Forest. The sun had risen only an hour ago, leaving the forest still shrouded in long shadows and thick fog. It wasn’t normal for the pegasus to venture out into the forest, let alone by herself when the visibility was so poor. Carefully tracing her steps, she walked slowly along the beaten road with the hummingbird on her back, keeping her eyes peeled for any lurking cockatrice or manticore that might have concealed itself in the thick fog. She quickly shook off the feeling and quickened her steps, wanting to leave the forest as quickly as she could. A distant roar made her skid to a stop and look back, watching the faint silhouette of a dragon curl its way up the mountain she had just left. With a gulp, she continued at a quicker pace, just barely able to keep her wings from snapping shut out of fear as a shudder coursed through her. The last of the trees passed the pony as she flew from the forest and landed next to her cottage nestled close to Everfree’s edge and just outside of town. Several pegasi could be seen flying through the air, tasked with cutting through the fog so the sun might shine on the pastel-colored town. With her new patient in hoof, the yellow pegasus flew into the wooden cottage, greeted by the noise of slumbering critters. Inside the cottage was a veritable veterinary hospital, one that was respected by all of Ponyville and doubled as the pegasus’ home. Small woodland creatures, birds, insects, and reptiles snuggled in specially made beds, and a multitude of birdhouses were gathered about outside. She rummaged through her closet, pulled out a small comforter, and placed it on the floor before setting the hummingbird on top. “You just rest now, who knows why you would go all the way up that mountain for nectar. It’s so dangerous out there,” she said as she tucked the still unconscious bird in. The pegasus always made sure her patients were comfortable before she began to treat them. With most of her patients still asleep, she quietly hovered into the kitchen and began to sort through her collection of dried herbs, selecting a few from the shelf to prepare a remedy for the hummingbird. As she started to grind them, there came a knock at the door, stirring several of the animals out of their slumber. After a quick, soft hush, she made her way to the door, wondering who would come over at such an early hour. On the other side was a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-striped mane tapping her hoof impatiently on the front steps. “Hey there, Fluttershy.” The blue pegasus smiled, ceasing her hoof taps. “Can I come in?” “Of course. Oh, just be sure to stay quiet though... the animals are still sleeping.” Fluttershy moved out from the doorway, allowing the rainbow-maned pegasus to enter. After slowly shutting the door behind them, she turned to her friend. “What brings you over, Rainbow Dash?” “Just seeing what you’re up to. I saw you flying out of the Everfree Forest a few minutes ago. What was with that?” Rainbow inquired. “Oh, I was looking for a special flower for a recipe I use for some of my more potent medicines. They have a soft glow, so they’re much easier to see in the dark,” Fluttershy explained as she went into the kitchen to finish making the medicine. “You? Going into the Everfree Forest? At night? Alone?” Rainbow asked as she made her way to the counter and leaned on it as she shot her friend an incredulous look. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d do.” “I know I don’t venture out there much, but the forest has been pretty quiet lately and I thought I’d give it a try,” she explained, continuing to grind the leaves. “But when I made my way up Jaggedpeak, I found that hummingbird over there falling off. It was hit by something, maybe a large wind gust. I caught it and brought it back here.” “Oh, so that’s why you were out so early,” Rainbow said, watching the hummingbird squirm under its blanket over the kitchen counter. “Is the little guy gonna be alright?” “I’m sure it will be. It’s only a broken wing.” Fluttershy took the ground up leaves and dumped them into a jar filled with a clear viscous liquid, shaking it before pouring it into a small bowl. She stepped away from the counter and set the bowl down next to the hummingbird’s bed. “This pain-killer will help make the recovery easier.” Before she could give it the medicine, however, it awoke, thrashing under the covers. “Hold still please, I’m just trying to help,” Fluttershy said before the bird escaped from the blanket and flew erratically around the room, its fight hobbled by its broken wing. “Oh my, you’ll hurt yourself if you keep doing this,” she pleaded, chasing the hobbling bird around the cottage. Rainbow simply stood and watched as Fluttershy, trying to calm the frantic bird, flew over her couch and tables, through the opening above the kitchen counter and up the stairs.. “How’s it still flying? I thought its wing was broken,” Rainbow asked as she made her way up the stairs. The hummingbird was flying near the ceiling, occasionally dipping and chirping in pain. “Why’s it spazzing out like that? Is it because I’m here?” “I-I don’t think so. I’ve had other ponies here before and the animals were fine,” Fluttershy assured her. “Maybe it doesn’t trust me,” she said dishearteningly, watching as the bird continued to flap about the ceiling. Before too long, it descended and plopped onto Fluttershy’s bed, chest puffing from exhaustion. Fluttershy slowly approached the bird so as not to scare it into another frenzy, but before she could even reach it, it had nestled into the bed and fallen asleep. “So, is it over now?” Rainbow asked anxiously, watching as Fluttershy picked up the tuckered out bird. “Maybe it’s scared of something,” she guessed as the two made their way down to the lower floor. Fluttershy trotted over to its makeshift bed and set it down, tucking it back in as she put the medicine away. “If it doesn’t take its medicine, it’ll never heal its wing. Hopefully it’s just this one time.” “Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Rainbow said as she trotted to the cottage door. “Wait! Um, are you doing anything today? I mean, um...” Fluttershy squeaked. “You want to hang out? I didn’t have much to do today anyway,” Rainbow said enthusiastically, heading back inside. “The weather is clear right on schedule, and other than that I have off today.” “Thanks, Dash. I just want somepony here while this hummingbird is being testy.” Fluttershy walked to the kitchen, set up a pot of water and set it on the stove. “I’ll make some tea for us if you’re staying,” she said with a smile. “Uh, thanks,” Rainbow said, looking around for a seat as Fluttershy took some tea leaves from her cupboard. As the water boiled, she tossed the tea leaves in, letting it steep for a few minutes before running it through a strainer into a white, floral designed tea kettle. After placing two cups on a tray, she set the hot tea down on the table in the living area and sat down on one of her cushioned chairs. “Have you heard from the Wonderbolts yet? It’s been a few months since you won the Best Young Flier’s Competition,” Fluttershy asked as she filled both cups with the earthy, dull green tea. “No, they’re probably busy with something else. They’re on tour in Fillydelphia right now, but I’m sure they’ll get around to my audition eventually.” Rainbow sighed before picking up her tea cup. She took a sip, her face distorting in slight revulsion. Fluttershy didn’t mind, however; she knew Rainbow Dash wasn’t a big tea drinker. She was just happy hers was the only tea the cyan pegasus never seemed to spit out. “Blegh... Oh yeah, Fluttershy, I thought of a new trick that might even be cooler than the Sonic Rainboom! It’s pretty technical, but I’m sure I can pull it off. So, first, I dive through a thunderhead, and—” Rainbow was interrupted by the panicked chirps of the hummingbird as it awoke. It fought its way out from the covers again, repeating its panicked antics. Fluttershy looked over, watching as it kept its eyes trained on her. It let out a series of sharp, scared chirps as it backed itself into the corner of the ceiling. Fluttershy sighed and swirled her tea idly, simply watching as it tired itself out again and fluttered to the ground. She tucked the bird back in its bed then sighed as she stood and began pacing, hearing the sound of the other animals waking. “Why is it doing this? I don’t understand.” “Maybe it’s just scared of you,” Rainbow said bluntly. “Maybe... Do I look okay?” Fluttershy asked frantically, trotting up to Rainbow Dash for inspection. “Yeah, you look fine. Maybe if you wait a little longer, it’ll get used to you. I mean it took me a while to get used to Pinkie Pie,” she laughed, Fluttershy joining in with a half-hearted chuckle. “Maybe, but if I don’t do something now, it’ll keep trying to fly. It could irreversibly hurt itself. It could do so much harm to itself, and I can’t get near it without it waking up and flying off,” Fluttershy explained solemnly. She continued to pace around until she caught something out from the corner of her eye in the window. Out the window, over the rooftops of Ponyville, Fluttershy could see the top of a rather large oak tree, giving her an idea. “What’s up? There something out there? Is Pinkie Pie giving out free samples again?” Rainbow asked excitedly, getting up from her seat and trotting over to the window. “I’m thinking I should ask Twilight for help. She tried to help me a few months ago with Philomena, so maybe she could help with this hummingbird,” she explained, looking back on the sleeping bird. “Though... things didn’t go so well last time... But I’m sure it will be better this time since it’s not the princess’s pet... and we actually know what it is this time.” “Didn’t you get in trouble with the royal guards because of her? She’s an egghead, sure, but I don’t think she’s too good with animals,” Rainbow protested. “Well, I’ve never really talked to her about my animals, but she might know something or even have a spell that could help,” Fluttershy explained as she opened the cottage door and waited for Rainbow to head over. “A spell? Really, Fluttershy? Isn’t your specialty animals to begin with?” Rainbow asked. “I really don’t think you need to go that far. Just put a splint on its wing while it’s sleeping. You’re being too delicate.” “Don’t worry, it’ll only be a small spell,” Fluttershy assured Rainbow. “We’ll be in and out, then we can come back and you can tell me more about your new trick.” “Fine,” Rainbow sighed as she removed herself from her seat, following Fluttershy out the door, bound for Ponyville proper. With as hectic a morning as Fluttershy had had, a brisk walk through Ponyville was exactly what she needed. The streets were quiet as a cool, calming breeze rustled gently through the two mares’ manes. Ponyville had been buzzing with activity for a short while after the Grand Galloping Gala and this was the quietest she had seen it since then. It was slowly returning to the sleepy, peaceful town that Fluttershy knew and loved. Even the normally talkative Rainbow Dash was quiet, simply enjoying the stiff breeze as the pair approached the sprawling oak set on the east side of town. Ahead was a crimson door lodged in the trunk of the giant oak tree. The inside of it was completely hollow and housed Ponyville’s Books and Branches Library. In the upper floors of the library lived Twilight Sparkle, just the unicorn Fluttershy wanted to see. The yellow pegasus rapped a hoof against the door, waiting for a response. She had no idea how the massive tree continued to thrive despite its hollow innards and simply chalked it up to magic. Inside she could hear a few crashes and small incomprehensible mumbles coming closer to the door. Rainbow gave a small chuckle before the door glowed in a light purple light. It swung open, revealing a small purple unicorn with a straight, dark navy mane and tail with a pink and purple stripe running down the center of her mane. Floating beside her was an open book, suspended in a bubble of soft purple light that mirrored the glow of her horn. “Oh, hey, Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash.” The unicorn set the book down on her desk, giving the two pegasi her full, undivided attention. “What brings you two here?” “Well, Twilight,” Fluttershy said, dipping her head in embarrassment, “I’m having trouble with a new patient. Since you were so good with Philomena, I thought you might be able to-.” “She’s been saying something about how being forceful wouldn’t work or something,” Rainbow interrupted. “I still think she should just hold the bird down and tape its wings if struggles. Get it over with.” “Oh, another bird? Well... I wouldn’t say I was good with Philomena. I mean, last time I tried to help you, I thought you were going to end up being banished and thrown in a dungeon.... But, I’ll see what I can do,” Twilight laughed as she set down her books. “Come on in.” With that Fluttershy trotted in, thanking Twilight for her assistance with Rainbow following close behind. The inside of the tree was a grand library with bookcase after bookcase of books lining its interior. The tree had two floors. The top floor was Twilight’s sleeping quarters. An observatory connected to that room, a telescope and other astronomical devices contained within it. Even though it was a public library, there wasn’t another pony to be found. “Spike!” Twilight yelled, prompting a small, bipedal purple dragon to zip down the stairs to stand at her side. He was roughly chest high to a pony with green scales protruding from his back and large, emerald eyes. “What’s up, Twilight?” he asked with a smile before turning to see the two pegasi enter the room. “Hi, Fluttershy. Hi, Rainbow Dash—” Spike looked around the room, his expression changing to one of disdain. “Oh... library cleanup... again.” “Yeah... I’m sorry its such a mess, I’ve been doing some research for the princess and I must’ve lost track of time,” Twilight said, embarrassed. “I’m on it,” Spike said with a half-hearted salute before beginning his assigned duty, picking up the books in stacks and setting them away. With Spike busy cleaning up books, Twilight turned back to Fluttershy, puzzled. “So, what seems to be the problem?” Fluttershy shuffled her hoof in a nervous swipe. “You see, I have a hummingbird that simply won’t let me help it. Whenever I try to get close it flies away.” She slowly started to pace around the library, peering at some of the books. “Would you happen to have a spell that would make me a little less, uh, intimidating?” She stopped for a moment, then quickly rebounded. “I mean, i-if you have one that is.” “Intimidating?” Rainbow scoffed. “You couldn’t even scare a mouse if you wanted to.” “Rainbow’s right, you’re over thinking this,” Twilight agreed, “You normally don’t have a problem with getting animals to trust you, so why do you think you need a spell for this one? “The hummingbird is just so fidgety when I get near it... I’m afraid that If it has any more outbursts, it might hurt itself permanently. It keeps flying around my cottage, trying to get away from me. I really need your help,” Fluttershy explained. “How long ago did you bring it in?” “Well, I found it this morning when I was out looking for herbal ingredients.” “This morning... that’s it?” Twilight asked with a puzzled look. “Don’t you think you should let it rest and give it a chance to open up to you first?” “Yes, but a hummingbird’s wings are very fragile and it’s already strained itself twice today just trying to get away from me. I really need to help it relax... I-I still have my other patients to worry about...” “Fine,” Twilight sighed. “But spells that change others’ perception of you are body modification spells and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Are you absolutely sure you need me to do this?” “Oh, absolutely. I can’t even be in the same room as it without it trying to fly away. I’m sure it won’t be any issue at all,” Fluttershy assured the unicorn. “Well, I’ll see what I can find. Wait here a bit.” With that, the unicorn went to work, grabbing a slew of books off the bookshelves. She began digging through them, thoroughly reading in silence with her mind engrossed in the intricate workings and calculations of the arcane arts that the texts provided her. Fluttershy had no worries about what spell Twilight would find. The unicorn was the personal protege of Princess Celestia, she who raised the sun and moon for over a thousand years. If anypony could find Fluttershy a suitable spell, it was her. Within a few minutes, Rainbow Dash yawned and began to pace around the library. “How long is this going to take? Maybe we should just bring Pinkie over; she’d find it if you knocked a book on her head.” Fluttershy and Twilight giggled. Knowing the pink pony’s track record, Rainbow’s prediction likely wasn’t too far off. Minutes turned to hours as Twilight rummaged through a multitude of books for a suitable spell. The yellow pegasus had spent half the day away from her patients, but couldn’t afford to leave and check up on them. Twilight could find the spell any minute, and Fluttershy had to wait it out for her fidgety patient lest it went on another outburst if she went back before the spell was cast. Tried of waiting, Rainbow Dash fell asleep, leaving Fluttershy to wait as Spike went up to the upper floor to continue tidying up. She peered out a window, watching several ponies run around happily in the midday sun. “A-ha! I found something!” Twilight sang out in joy, brushing aside the mountain of scrolls and texts that once again littered the floor. Rainbow slowly awoke and shook herself off before standing beside the now fully alert Fluttershy. Twilight carried the still open book over to Fluttershy, setting it down in front of the yellow pegasus. “It’s a credence spell,” she explained, pointing at the parchment page. “With it, anything should perceive you as more trustworthy, allowing you to give that stubborn bird proper treatment without any problems. It only lasts about a day or so, so you best be quick.” “I’ve never heard of a spell like that,” Fluttershy mentioned, rubbing her head. She looked over at Rainbow who gave her a dispassionate shrug. “Well, it’s an old spell. It’s from the scholar Professor Arcan Grizwald, the pioneer of Equestrian arcane arts,” Twilight explained. “Because it’s an older spell, it’s much more difficult to cast. Every part must be executed perfectly, or it might deviate.” She brought the spell book back to her and readied herself for the casting. She read it over one last time to reinforce her grasp of the spell’s inner-workings, then fixed her gaze on the yellow pegasus. “This will take a lot of energy, so if it doesn’t work the first time you’ll have to come back in a few days.” “What if somepony comes in and interrupts the spell? Shouldn’t we go somewhere less... public?” Fluttershy asked. “No pony has come in so far, so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.” With her stance ready and the spell at the forefront of her thoughts, she paused. “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” “I’m sure,” Fluttershy nodded. “Alright then, let’s do this.” Twilight planted her hooves firmly into the floor as her horn began to glow in a fierce purple light. The brightness of her horn eclipsed the light coming in from the window and pulses of energy with a loud rumble caused the book shelves to rattle. Rainbow took a step back as the whole room began to the swallowed up by darkness; as the glow of the horn intensified, it left only the three mares and the book illuminated. Panting, Twilight focused all of her energy into her horn; the tree beginning to tremor violently as her horn glowed ever brighter. “Twilight?! Isn’t this a bit much for a trust spell?!” Rainbow yelled over the roar of the waves of magic, but Twilight seemed oblivious to Rainbow’s inquiry. Fluttershy began to panic, but gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand still; it had taken hours for her friend to find this spell, and she wanted to make sure her waiting was not for nothing. The purple light continued to pulsate, sending waves of energy outwards, shaking Twilight to her knees. The tremors grew in power, knocking books off the shelves and sending Rainbow Dash stumbling into a bookcase. Twilight groaned from the exertion as beads of sweat ran down her hide. A few moments later, the light swirled then collapsed into a single bright ball which shot out towards its target. Fluttershy yelped as she was struck by the ball of energy. Before she knew it, she had been immobilized, and a bright yellow light surrounded her. She struggled to move her body even an inch, but all she could manage was to watch Twilight collapse exhausted into the spell book. “Fluttershy!” Rainbow yelled, running up to the frightened pegasus. “What’s going on? Is everything alright?” A white light flashed from the aura, forcing Rainbow back from her friend. Fluttershy’s breath quickened, her vision blurred, and her head began to throb. She skipped straight from blind panic to chilling terror as the whole world around her seemed to distort and shatter before her. She screamed, trying to reach for the fear-stricken Rainbow Dash until eventually her vision went completely black. The world around her, the feeling of the spell’s energy, even her own body seemed to disappear, lulling her into an eerie calm before the pegasus fell unconscious. Twilight awoke slowly, idly wiping the sleep from her eyes with the back of a forehoof. The sun shone through the windows to the west, bathing the unicorn in the light of the evening sun. She was tucked into her bed somehow, her head aching and pounding furiously. After rubbing her head, she shook herself off before hearing a commotion down the stairs. Beside her she heard a sharp gasp. “Everypony, she’s awake!” a white unicorn with a curled purple mane yelled from her chair, causing a flurry of hooves to rush up the stairs. Her other two friends rushed up the stairs and stopped at her bedside. “I had no idea you could sleep for so long, Twilight.” “Huh? Rarity?” she stammered, her mind quickly trying to come up with an explanation for the sudden influx of ponies. “What are you all doing in my house?” “Well... Everypony felt a rather large tremor, almost thought it would shake Ponyville apart. Then we saw the library lit up like you were having a fancy soiree,” Rarity explained. “When it stopped, we all rushed over as quickly as we could. What happened?” “Oh, sorry. That spell took more out of me than I thou—Wait, an earthquake? I didn’t perform that hard of a spell,” Twilight stated, stepping off the bed. “How is Fluttershy doing?” Her friends looked down on the floor with solemn faces, filling Twilight with confusion. She looked over to the mob of ponies who all started conversing with one another. “She’s been missing for two days now. Rainbow said your spell made her disappear,” Rarity explained, setting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. A grim look washed over Twilight’s face as she heard the news. “Rainbow’s out looking for her as we speak. She didn’t look so well when she took off.” “We’re here for you, Twilight” a pink pony with a frizzled pink mane and tail yelled out with a small smile on her face. “I’m sure we’ll find her soon enough. Teleportation spells don’t send ponies that far, right?” “What are you talking about? I didn’t do a teleportation spell. Fluttershy should be—” A wave of horror washed over Twilight’s face, causing her to back away from her bed. “No. N-no no no— Did you say two days? I’ve been asleep for two days!? That spell wasn’t supposed to take that much out of me!” Without another word, she barreled her way past her friends in a frenzy. As she ran down the stairs, an orange earth pony with a blond mane and tail followed her, easily catching up. “Wait up, Twilight,” the pony called after the unicorn in a southern drawl, matching speed with the frantic unicorn. “Where you headed off to?” “Fluttershy’s cottage. She can’t be missing, Applejack, I performed that spell perfectly!” Twilight yelled back in panic as she sped her way through the streets, dirt kicking up from the ground. “Hold on, guys!” Spike yelled, running out the door to chase the two speeding ponies. Twilight and Applejack stopped to let Spike catch up, then the unicorn let him on her back and continued her sprint. “Where are you going, Twilight?” “I’m going to Fluttershy’s to get this story straight once and for all. She’ll be in her cottage, safe and sound.” “Well, I was assigned to look after her animals since she’s gone missing. I already got some animals to start liking me,” Spike said, causing Twilight to scoff. “We’ve gone looking through her cottage so many times, I reckon I might know it better than she does. She ain’t there, Twi,” Applejack said, trying to reason with the hysterical unicorn. No, she has to be there... she just has to be, Twilight thought as they galloped through Ponyville. The streets were empty, most of the town off searching for the missing pegasus. As they came closer, the cottage seemed to loom before Twilight, her panic reaching insurmountable levels. She went over the spell over and over in her head, meticulously sorting over every last detail. She went over each calculation that flew through her head with a fine toothed comb. “Rainbow Dash told me everythin’ before she left. What were ya doing trying a difficult spell on Fluttershy in the first place?” Applejack scolded her. “Fluttershy wanted me to do it... and... I went through every precautionary measure. I... have no idea what happened, but I’m sure this is all just a misunderstanding.” A small, nervous laugh escaped Twilight’s mouth. “When we get there, Fluttershy will be just fine; this is all just a joke. I didn’t sleep for two days... that’d be silly,” Twilight lied to herself. In no way did she want to believe her friend, but they would never, if ever, lie to her about something like this. Applejack especially would never lie to her friends, but Twilight desperately wanted this to be the one outlier. “If you say so...” Applejack trailed off as they approached the cottage door. Twilight tapped on the door, hoping desperately that Fluttershy would answer. Some animal noises could be heard through the cracks of the doorway, but no sign of the pegasus. Twilight tried one more time. Nothing. “Umm, maybe she’s asleep. You never know how tired taking care of animals can make you,” Twilight suggested, glancing at a skeptical Applejack. Applejack trotted to the window and peered in, hat tipping back as she pressed her face to the glass. She squinted and stared for a few good seconds before turning towards Twilight and waving her over to the window. “You might want to see this.” Twilight walked over and nudged Applejack aside before planting herself in front of the window and looking inside. Her mouth fell agape from the scene before her eyes. It was a disaster. Many of Fluttershy’s patients were wide awake, ravaging the cottage: cabinets were destroyed, the floor was a mess, the walls were covered with dirt and muck, and the medicine canisters and beds had been utterly decimated. There was a white rabbit standing amidst the chaos simply tapping its foot as the other animals caused mayhem around it. She saw three small, familiar fillies running around with a bulky, older baker mare trying futilely to corral the animals, stumbling over each other as the animals ran haphazardly around the room. It was complete anarchy. “I, I—” Twilight stammered before bolting back to the library, her mind racing furiously with the possibilities of failure. She had run through it multiple times before she’d even thought of suggesting the spell to Fluttershy. It hadn’t looked all that difficult. Relatively speaking, it had been a very basic spell for the book. The longer she poured over that morning, the more jumbled her thoughts became. All she could remember was Rainbow Dash trying to yell something over the roar of the spell, but it had been impossible to hear anything. The unicorn burst through the library door, panting from exertion. She lifted the old book off the floor and placed it on her reading stand, flipping through the pages until she reached the rogue spell. As she went over the spell’s instructions again, her mind refused to accept what she was reading. She had performed the spell perfectly. “Twilight, is that you? Where did you head off to in such a hurry?” Rarity asked. “You left Pinkie and I alone in your room. Why did you leave so hastily?” “Not now, Rarity,” Twilight snapped at her fellow unicorn before pouring over Grizwald’s book. Not knowing what to do, she looked down at the final section of the spell’s instructions, entitled “Deviations”, containing a list of page numbers. Deviations... One spell becoming another due to failure. I know these are common with Grizwald’s spells, but there’s no way I could’ve done it incorrectly. I couldn’t have! She flipped to the first numbered page and scanned over the arcane text. After reading it, she recoiled away from the book, scared by the chilling implications of the spell. Hollowing? No, that can’t be it. She was transported somewhere, not stripped of her emotions,Twilight thought as she flipped to the second deviation listed. Her eyes widened as she looked over the second spell. This spell, if anything, seemed to be the one that may have occurred, judging by her friends’ stories. With a sigh of relief, Twilight flipped to the back of the book to the list of counter spells for the presented spell. After running her hoof down the list of counter-spells, her eyes widened in shock. The counter-spell was missing, along with several others she recognized. What? Why isn’t there a counter?! she silently screamed in frustration and fear as she tore through the book for any clue to the whereabouts of the missing spell. After flipping through it multiple times, not even a hint was to be found, forcing the unicorn to choke back tears. Slowly, she turned to find her friends staring at her with worry written all over their faces. She didn’t want to face them, knowing there was no way to reverse what had been done. Gulping, Twilight stepped forward, her head hung low as she looked up at her friends. “What’s goin’ on? Did ya’ find out what happened?” Applejack asked. “I-I found out what happened to Fluttershy,” Twilight started, turning her head away from her worried companions, “I need you to leave me alone for a while while I figure this out. I need some space, and you need to go find Rainbow Dash.” “Well, what happened?” Pinkie asked, her head forward in curiosity, “Why do we need to go get Dashie?” “I need all of you here for this when I know what to do. That spell I cast deviated and turned into an entirely different spell...” Twilight started, choking up, “It o-opened a rift in space-time and sent her through it. Call back the search parties, th-they won’t find her out there, and...” Twilight looked up at her friends with tears streaming down her face. “I-I can’t find the spell to bring her back.” A dull thump sent Fluttershy back to full alert, causing her to whip her head around in a panic. Save for a tiny sliver of light shining from a small crack near her hoof, everything was pitch black. Still dizzy from the spell, Fluttershy stumbled into a stack of boxes as she rose to her hooves. After regaining her footing, she attempted to center herself, but her aching head sent her doubling over in pain. The ground shifted beneath her, rumbling and shaking everything around in what felt like a cramped space. Sitting down, she braced herself against the boxes, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. She was alone in a dark, unknown, and apparently mobile room with no visible way out. It took all her effort not to scream. Frightened, she scrambled to where the light was shining and examined the area with her hoof, feeling the ridges of what seemed to be a metal door with handles on the bottom. She placed her hooves inside the handles and attempted to jerk them upwards, trying with all of her might to heave open the door, but it didn’t budge. “Where am I—?” Fluttershy wondered before the room banked violently to the right, sending everything shifting quickly to the left, Fluttershy included. She felt a sharp pain in her flank as she slammed against the edge of a box. She rubbed at it, trying to soothe it away, but something felt off beneath her hoof, something coarse. W-what are these... clothes? The room suddenly stopped and the violent shaking of the room faded to a soft rumbling. With a loud clanking sound, the large metal door rolled into the ceiling of what was revealed to be a tiny metal room as sunlight flooded into the space. Fluttershy winced and raised her hoof, shielding her eyes from the sudden, blinding light. As her eyes adjusted, the silhouette of a large figure came into view. Fluttershy was terrified, still unable to take in everything that had happened. Her eyes were transfixed on the mare as it reached into the room. Tears rolling down her cheeks, Fluttershy shook and slunk back, trying to shield herself from the tendrils of her shadowy assailant. “N..no... Please don’t hurt me...”