The three ponies, Scootaloo, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy had been walking through Everfree Forest for about half an hour and were almost at Zecora’s house. There wasn’t much of anything dangerous in the forest this close to the edge, though it still sent shivers up one’s spine at night. Even though she had seen Zecora’s house in daylight, the masks and other foreign decor still made Scootaloo jump at their sudden appearances in the darkness. Twilight knocked on the door, and a few moments later, their zebra friend, Zecora, answered.
“Visitors come to see me? Step on in, and save your energy.” Zecora’s odd way of speaking in rhymes and riddles always made Scootaloo smile and warmed up the mood. “I have made my favorite brew, come and try some delicious stew.”
“Thank you for the offer, Zecora,” said Twilight, “but we can stay for only a few minutes while we ask you some questions about--”
“Rainbow Dash? I know a few things about the mare’s clash.”
“Clash, with who, or what?” surprise was painted all over the three ponies faces.
“After your friend’s visit from earlier today, I went on my own separate way. To discover Rainbow’s need, I left with great speed.”
Scootaloo didn’t understand what their zebra friend was saying. Twilight could see this in her eyes. “So what she’s saying, Scootaloo, is that she saw Rainbow flying over the forest three days ago, but didn’t think much of it, seeing as she often flies does so. But after Applejack and Pinkie Pie asked about her earlier today, she decided to go and find clues as to what happened to her, and it sounds like she discovered something important.”
“This is very true; there is something I must tell you,” Zecora told them in her song-like way of speaking of what she had found over a bowl of her stew. After Applejack and Pinkie left, she had decided to go and see what she could find concerning Rainbow’s whereabouts. In a small clearing about an hour’s walk away from her house, she had discovered hoofprints that began in the center and led deeper into the forest, along with some cyan feathers. She assumed that Rainbow had landed there after a wing was injured and began running. The tracks continued for a short time, only about three minutes of running, and mysteriously ended.
“Is that everything?” Asked Fluttershy. Zecora only nodded.
“Sounds like she was attacked and captured with magic.” Twilight looked thoughtful. “Zecora, was there anything near her tracks that resembled a black goo?”
“Black goo? I used some blue goo in my stew. Though now that you mention it, there was something that piqued my interest quite a bit. Some dark goo caught my eye, here is a sample for you to try.” She stood up, pulled a clay jar from a shelf on the wall and gave it to Twilight. The unicorn opened the jar and began studying its contents.
“Umm, if you’ll excuse me, I need to use the little mare’s room. That is, if it’s okay with you, Zecora.” Fluttershy stepped outside to where the restroom was located.
“Oh my gosh! This isn’t good at all. I know exactly what we’re dealing with!” Twilight’s sudden outburst after a few minutes of silence startled the other two. “A very powerful evil has taken Rainbow Dash hostage somewhere in this forest, for what I don’t know. But what I do know is--”
“AAAHHHHHH!!!”
The scream from Fluttershy. The two ponies and the zebra rushed outside to see a cloaked and hooded figure of a pony hovering ten feet above them in the air. “Where’s Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?” Scootaloo yelled threateningly at the mysterious figure.
“SILENCE, YOU INSOLENT FOOL!!!” The being’s voice seemed to come from everywhere around them at once. The three on the ground were paralyzed from shock and fear. “ That’s better.” It’s demonic-like voice was quiet, yet possessed the ability to hold them still in terror. “If you wish to see your friends again, come and meet them in my castle. I’ll light a beacon to guide your way, but do not come if you wish to see the light of day. For once in my castle, there is no escape. In my dungeons you will find them both. Though the path to them will not be easy, I suggest you take it slow, and don’t be hasty. Be sure to find the item that can destroy me, or else you all will be for me to feast... MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!” His sinister laugh lingered as he faded away. Twilight, Zecora, and Scootaloo could only stare up at where the thing was floating just seconds ago, stunned at what it had said.
A few moments later, Twilight came to her senses, “Zecora, Scootaloo and I need to continue on alone. You have to stay here and send word of what’s happened today to Princess Celestia and tell her to send a search and rescue party in she doesn’t hear from us again by morning.” With that, the unicorn and the pegasus left the zebra and began walking toward the pillar rising in the sky above the forest that somehow glowed with blackness.