An Unstoppable Force

by Iliketoreadandstuff

That Chill in the Air

Mornings generally come as an annoyance to those who live through them. The abrupt disturbance from a comfortable slumber is hardly a welcome feeling. Except, on this day, for the Princess of Friendship. The sunlight that bled through her window refracted off of her muzzle and into her shut eyelids; a silent alarm clock that shines every day, working tirelessly to wake Equestria up. Her eyes opened gently, aching at the brightness in her room, and she rubbed them of sleep. She stretched and popped her back, before hopping down from her bed. Though she was still a bit tired, her energy for the day was quickly building. It was the middle of summer, and the air outside was very hot and very humid. A cool draft seemed to slither through the room, making her shiver just a bit as it touched her raw, warm coat. Still, she stepped out into the hallway, navigating it with impressive familiarity. She could still remember the days when these halls were completely alien to her, traversing them as though they were a labyrinth without any idea of where she was going. How things have changed in only five years! Yet so much had remained the same. This thought gave her a nice sense of comfort. It was the warmth and reassurance of a mother to her child, reminding them that things will be okay even if things aren’t as they were. Even if the skies are dark, there will once again be sunlight to shine on the world.

Spike met up with her at the front door. He was clearly taking a bit longer to fully wake up, which was understandable considering the amount of work he’s always had to do. Twilight smirked with pride at her little dragon. So diligently working for her and their friends, all done because of their love and compassion towards each other. Spike looked up at her, managing a cute little smile. She opened the doors in front of her, and Celestia’s nectar flowed through the doors once more, presenting a gateway to a vast, magical world beyond. It was a familiar sensation that every pony feels on every day, yet every time is just as beatific as the last. Twilight smiled, and inhaled deeply. She could smell the scents of nature: soil, hay, and grass. She exhaled cheerfully. Today was going to be a good day. She just knew it. Equipping her saddlebags, and allowing Spike to hop onto her back, the two of them trotted along the path into town. They were greeted by content, familiar faces as they approached the marketplace. Everyone greeting her with smiles and waves. A few of the fillies even galloped along and crossed her path, caught up in some sort of game. Twilight knew she had to set a good example for the young and impressionable. She knew she was the one to inspire them, and she did so comfortably and with ease. A minor offset to her joy was a small chill in the air. It was a breeze that flowed throughout town like an invisible serpent, spreading its subtle freeze into the comfortably warm environment. Though it was hardly noticeable, and barely affected Twilight’s mood, it was still there. Tiny, but just enough to tip the scale a bit. They made it into the marketplace, with booths of various different products lining the streets. Vegetables and herbs. They needed vegetables and herbs.

They had purchased a few of the commodities, like carrots and celery, but also picked up a few unusual vegetables to add some extra flavor. There was a pear-shaped plant with a blue color to it, coated in yellow spots, a few red spheres that smelled spicy, and a ring-shaped stalk of what looked like asparagus. That last one evoked the appearance of Ouroboro. All of them were stored away respectively in the saddlebags, yet Spike inspected the stranger ones with suspicion.

“You sure those are good to eat?” Spike asked. “They don’t look very appetizing.”

“Sure,” Twilight replied, “why wouldn’t they be?”

“I dunno. They just look a little concerning,” Spike took out the pear-shaped vegetable, “especially the blue one. From my experience, spots means sickness.” Twilight chuckled gently, understanding Spike’s concern.

“We can go talk to Zecora about them if it worries you that much. I’m sure she’s seen something like these before.

“That would be nice. Thanks.” Spike stored the blue plant back in its saddlebag, looking ahead to see where they were headed. They were trotting towards a mattress store. “Right now would be nice.”

“It can wait! We need to get you a new mattress, first.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “The one I have right now is fine.”

“Uh-huh. Even though you always complain about how it’s deflated and how your back always feels sore when waking up?” Spike remained silent, rubbing his back as it ached.

At the edge of the Everfree forest, something seemed a little strange. Granted, that was a given in regards to this mysterious place, but this was a different kind of strange. Twilight new the chaos well, and today’s seemed a little more chaotic than usual. The forest was breathing, it’s heart beating rapidly. Something had upset it, and she didn’t know what. It piqued her curiosity, though, and she pressed on. Spike tensed up.

“Still not used to this place,” Spike said. Twilight smirked a bit. She and her friends had been through this forest so many times that it would be strange if she wasn’t used to it by now. As they walked deeper and deeper into the eerie forest, that chill in the air became even stronger. The forest seemed darker than before. There was a smell that was rancid to the nostrils. And the trees, which were usually bustling with spooky eyes and mysterious creatures, were faded and empty. There were a few croaks from frogs, a few chirps from birds, and they would occasionally spot a squirrel leaping from branch to branch overhead. But that was the extent. Twilight’s joy became drastically offset by this unusual environment. Such an odd thing to be disturbed by a place that isn’t disturbing enough. It wasn’t long before they found Zecora’s hut, still full of light and vibrance. They could hear the zebra moving around within, organizing her potions and bottles for an unknown purpose. Twilight knocked on the door, and the frantic movements were abruptly halted. The serpent slithered through Twilight’s skin. She could tell that there was something wrong. Zecora opened the door a crack, seeing Twilight and Spike staring back in confusion.

“Everything okay in there?” Twilight asked, concerned.

“Yes. Yes, I am fine,” Zecora sighed, before analysing them. “Though, I can tell that a chill has coursed down your spine.”

“There’s a cool breeze that comes through,” Spike added. Zecora looked to the sky in suspicion.

“Ah, yes. That chill in the air,” Zecora looked at them again. “A storm is coming, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“A storm? Like a thunderstorm? The weather seems pretty nice,” Twilight said.

“Not of thunder, but something more. What exactly? I’m not sure.” Zecora ushered them in, keeping an eye on the infinite blue above them before closing the door. “This morning, a cold one, I went out for ingredients. I thought that the calm air would make that convenient. When I came to a tree, there was a strong smell. It was rancid and raw. Something dead, I could tell. The creature I found was still young and still fresh.” Zecora stared at the ground and shivered. “I can still feel its cold, lifeless flesh.”

“Oh my gosh.” Twilight said, covering her mouth with her hoof. “I’m so sorry to hear that. How did it die, do you think?”

“The cause of death? I do not know. There were no bruises or wounds to show.” Zecora continued to stare, before snapping out of it and looking at Twilight. “Since that, I have found, the forest is silent. A telltale sign of a force that is violent. The critters are scared, and they’ve hidden away. This fear and anxiety has certainly dampened my day.” Twilight put her hoof on Zecora’s shoulder, comforting her.

“I’m sorry you’re going through this, and that does sound a little weird. I kinda felt like something was...off. But, don’t be too worried! Even though your day’s off to a rough start, I’m sure things will turn out for the better. You have a knack for solving problems, I’ve found.” Zecora smiled, nodding.

“Thank you, Twilight, I’m sure that is true. I’m sure that your day will be fairly good, too.” Zecora took a deep breath, and Twilight stepped back a bit. She was so caught up in this moment that she had completely forgotten about why they were there in the first place.

“Oh! Um, Spike was worried about some of the vegetables we got at the market.”

“Still am,” Spike mumbled.

“Could you find out if they’re safe or not?” Zecora nodded, and Twilight took the odd veggies out of her saddlebags. Zecora looked at them for a minute, before grabbing a book and flipping through it. She pointed at the blue one, referencing the book.

“Cream Spotted Pearplant. Born of the vine. It tastes a bit strange, but it’s perfectly fine.” Spike breathed a sigh of relief. “The others I’ve seen, and they’re not bad either. Feel free to eat them all at your leisure.”

“Thanks, Zecora,” Twilight turned to Spike. “All better?”

“Yeah. Just gotta be careful, y’know?” Spike replied. Spike climbed onto Twilight’s back, ready to leave. The two of them exited the hut, and stopped to say goodbye to Zecora.

“We’ll see you later, Zecora. I hope the rest of your day goes better!” Twilight said. Zecora smiled and waved, and they parted ways. As they walked away, Twilight and Spike could hear Zecora returning to whatever it was she was doing before they arrived. Those noises, however, soon faded away. And then it was just silence. A deafening, oppressive silence. Every so often, the cold breeze would rustle the branches of the forest, but that was the only type of comfort they could find. It had been a long time since Twilight felt this way in the Everfree forest. Spike burped, and Twilight excused him. Holding the next one in, Spike turned the opposite direction, and spit out a letter onto the ground behind them. Twilight stopped, picking up the letter with her magic and handing it to Spike. She continued along the path out of the forest.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle,” Spike began, “you have been summoned for a meeting in Canterlot by the two Princesses. An urgent situation has come up, and we ask that you respond ASAP. Your other friends have also been summoned. We hope that you respond. The Royal Guard.” Twilight formed a pit in her gut. Urgent? What could be so urgent that all of them needed to attend? Something that could threaten the well-being of Equestria, no doubt. “We should probably head over there now. Sounds really important.”

“We need to drop this stuff off back at the castle, first. But, yeah, it probably is really important.” They exited the forest. The air was cooler than before. “I hope everything’s okay.”