Chapter 1: Beginnings
Beginnings
By ParanoidBrony
The light of the moon barely pierced the forest canopy. It splashed across the back of a dark hood and cape worn by lonely pony moving through the underbrush. He pushes aside branches and oversized leaves as he searches for a path or trail or…something.
He saw lights, he knows it, but where were they? Where was the path? DAMMIT! His head swam. He had to keep going. He couldn’t stop. Not now. The Princess must be told. He must keep going.
He’s breathing became hoarse. His became lightheaded. His hoof was numb. He stopped to check his bandages. The snake came out of nowhere, he thought to himself. I’m usually more careful then this, he murmers to himself. The poultice was holding and slowing the poison from spreading. Not enough.
He spun his head as the bushes shook. “Hello?” Nothing replied. “I’m losing it. I have to move.” He strained against the weight of his bags as he got back to his feet, a sure sign that his strength was been sapped.
It seemed like an eternity as he pushed on through the strange forest, his vision blurring. Squinting to see in the dark, he trips over an exposed root and sliding indigently down a slope, landing on his face. A fatigued groan escaped from the ground. He lifted his head to discover he landed in a clearing and just ahead... “Aha! I knew it.” The lights he saw previously were now just ahead in the form of some small village. He struggled to get to his feet a second time, nearly straight back falling over again. “It’s now or never.” He thought as he started to stagger forward.
By now there were few lights left, being a late hour many ponies would be in bed asleep. His best chance looked to be a…tree? Yes. He was sure it was a tree with windows and lights. He wasn’t moving in a straight line anymore. He couldn’t see any distance; his sight obscured by a fog he knew wasn’t there. Slumping against what he thought was a door, he laboured for breath. Barely conscious, he beat his hooves against the wood.
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The purple unicorn looked down at the innocuous-looking brown beetle. It was sitting amongst the leaf litter at the bottom of a jar, chewing on a bit of leaf. “It looks harmless enough.” She turned to orange earth pony to her left. “I can’t see it being any kind of pest.”
“Not right now it ain’t. Give it this here piece of apple and wait an’ see.” Replied Applejack, handing Twilight an apple half. Twilight levitated the fruit into the jar then all three stared at the insect. Soon enough, the beetle spotted the apple and consumed it with the speed and ferocity of a school of piranha. The unicorn could only utter a dumbfounded “…wow.”
“Gosh! I’ve never seen anything like it. Except, maybe a Parasprite.” The yellow Pegasus, currently hovering overhead, turned to her friend Applejack. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea what creature this is.”
“It’s alright Fluttershy, nether have Granny Smith or Big Macintosh, and they have lived on Sweet Apple Acres all their lives. These critters are already in the back of the South orchid and are spreading quick. We need to get rid of them before they ruin this year’s harvest! Ya’ gotta’ find out what it is, Twi.”
Twilight lifted her front hoof off the floor and turned her head, striking a gleeful pose. “Don’t worry Applejack! I’ll solve this mystery in no time!”
“Oh, you won’t hurt them, will you Twilight?” A worried pegasus face looked back at the unicorn. “After all, it’s not their fault. Their just hungry.”
“We shouldn’t need to. I’m sure that there’s a safe, harmless repellent here somewhere. SPIKE! Spiiiiike?” Twilight called out to her favourite assistant, a purple and green baby dragon named Spike.
“Ah, Sugarcube, isn’t Spike in Canterlot?”
A look of realisation came over Twilight’s face. “Oh, right…” Spike had in fact gone to Canterlot as part of a royal errand for Princess Celestia and would not be back until the day after tomorrow.
“I guess I’ll get started on my own then.” Twilight looked around the library for the section on insects and pest control.
The Ponyville librarywas built inside a large tree in the middle of the village. Windows were cut out from the trunk and balconies rested on thick branches. The main room was large and mostly round with a high ceiling. Here was housed the libraries store of books, with bookshelves carved into the tree itself.
As several books started levitating from a shelf, there was a knock from the door. Twilight and Applejack looked up from their books and stared and noting the slow, heavy manner of the noise, they hesitated.
“I’ll get it” Declared the seemingly undeterred Pegasus. The unicorn and earth pony exchanged silly looks before looking through one of the floating books. The purple pony started “Now let’s see… theirs several possibilities here. It could be a...“
Ekkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!
The books fell as the two ponies jumped from shock from their friend’s high pitched squeal. They spin around expecting some kind of looming monster, except all they see is a pony laying in the doorway and no Fluttershy. Applejack checks the pony on the floor while Twilight looks for the absent Pegasus.
“Fluttershy!?”
“I…I’m up he,he,here” Twilight’s head followed the stammering up to top of a nearby bookshelf where Fluttershy lay shaking, trying to hide. “I opened the door and it sort of.. I mean.. kinda just.. I.. it… meep!”
Twilight spoke, reassuringly “It’s ok Fluttershy.”
“But he isn’t. He’s in a bad way.” She put her ear close to his chest. “He’s barely breathing.”
Twilight looks over the pony, finding the bandage on his hoof. “This looks bad.”
“Oh dear.” Fluttershy floats down to the others, her fear replaced by compassion. A sudden coughing fit however, sends her airborne again with another “meep!”
Gasping between words, the sickly pony starts to speak, “forest…snake…yellow and blue…” before going silent again.
“We gotta git him to the doctor quick, Twi” Applejack pleaded, having already started to remove the ponies’ bags, making him easier to carry.
“Of course. We also need to identify a ‘yellow and blue’ snake so he can be treated.”
“Yellow and blue? Oh my!” Floating down from the rafters, the Pegasus continues “That sounds like a Banded Viper from the Everfree Forest! Their very poisonous. I keep anti-venom at home for my animal friends.”
Twilight went into organising mode. “Alright. Applejack, you take him to the Doctor’s office. Fluttershy, you get your medicine in case the doctor doesn’t have any. I’ll go wake the doctor and bring him to the patient. Got it?”
“Load an’ clear!” Applejack lifted the pony onto her back and started toward the office.
Fluttershy replied with a nod before flying for her cottage. Twilight pushed the bags aside and closed the door behind her before she galloped at full speed to wake the doctor.
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The orange mane looked more like a flat soufflé then its usual muffin shape; the Doctors’ eyes also had noticeable sag. He listened to his patients’ chest. “His heart rate and breathing is getting better. Looks like we got the anti-venom administrated in time.”
Applejack however wasn’t convinced. “He still ain’t movin’ much.”
The patient is lying on a examination table. He’s still unconscious and wearing his hood and cloak.
“He’s gone through a lot,” began the Doctor. “I’m surprised he lasted this long, travelling through the forest with this bite.”
Twilight walked over the examination table and removed the pony’s cloak, exposing his cutie mark. It was four dark grey stars in a staggered line, connected by a white line. It resembled a star constellation. “Does anypony know who he is?”
Both Applejack and Fluttershy shook their heads.
“He’s not from Ponyville. Shame, it would be good to inform his family what is happening to him.” The doctor began to usher the mares out. “You three have done everything you can. But now, all we can do is wait.”
“I wonder who he is? And why was he in the Everfree forest?” Twilight was thinking out loud as the three mares were walking through the village square.
“Maybe he got lost?” Fluttershy suggested.
“Yea.” Applejack joins in. “It’s easy to get turned around in there.”
The unicorn frowned, deep in thought “But why be in the forest at all?”
Applejack yawns loudly. “Well, no point fussin’ about it now. I need to be up early. Big Macintosh an’ me need to smoke out the bugs in the Orchid.”
Twilight perked up, remembering the Apple family’s problem. “Oh, I nearly forgot! I still haven’t found out what the beetle is yet.” As if on cue, the three arrive at the library. “I’ll start first thing in the morning.”
The ponies said their goodnights as they went their separate ways.
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Twilight opened the entrance to the library but it stops short of opening completely. Twilight looked behind the door. “His bags! Maybe there’s an answer in here” She closes the door and levitates the bags onto the table in the middle of the room.
One bag contained miscellaneous traveller’s items; rope, dried food, nothing out of the ordinary. The other bag however, contained a large book and an ornate box. Pushing the box aside, she investigates the book. It appears to be some kind of travel journal or research notes, maybe both. Twilight could only guess though looking at it, because she couldn’t read a word of it.
“What is this?” The symbols, which seemed to be letters, were in some weird script. It was mostly made up of circles and straight lines, with the occasional curved line. The sentences also looked unusual as the letters merged seamlessly to form the words. “I can’t make heads or tails of anything.” Twilight began flicking through pages at random hoping to find something understandable, but what she found only deepened the mystery.
Accompanying some of the text were crude sketches. There were sketches of strange buildings, animals, insects and intricate symbols different again from the main text. The most unusual of these were sketches of upright creatures, wearing clothes and using tools. They looked like nothing she had ever seen before. The unicorn lowered the book and looked at the bags. Where did you come from?
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The apple farmer pulled her head out of the water trough. The cool water washed over her, removing most of the sweat and soot from the morning’s task.
Applejack looked over to her older brother Big Macintosh, a large red stallion, hauling a cart of bee smokers and fuel. “How long do ya’ think that will work for?”
The stallion released the cart off his back before replying. “Not sure. We scared them off, but not for long.”
The apple farmer put her hat back on her head with a sigh. “I’m going into Ponyville to see if Twilight has found something about these critters.”
“Eeyup” replied Big Macintosh, before dunking his head into a water trough.
Applejack looked dejected. They spent most of the morning smoking the infected apple trees and it may have only given them a day or so. Without a more permanent solution these insects are going to eat all of Sweet Apple Acres. The mare’s mind began to run through the possible scenarios. If they eat all the trees then there will be no farm. No farm, no money, no home! What else could we do? Gardening? Manual labor? I suppose that’s what we do now…
The farmer pony worried alot. Sweet Apple Acres always had some problem or another to deal with and Applejack had to deal with it. Most of her worring was done internally so not to let it show.
Applejack’s inner dialogue shifted into the positive as she approached the library. Now Applejack, have some faith in your friends! Twilight probably has a solution already. I’ll just get to the library and everything will be alright! You’ll see…
The mess was almost indescribable. Piles of books and scrolls carpeted the floor, some flying this way and that. And in the middle of this disaster area, was a familiar purple unicorn.
“No no NO! That isn’t it!” Her mane was in tatters, her eyes wide and panicky. “Where is it? It has to be here somewhere!” Several books where thrown across the room, adding to the already impressive piles as new ones where taken from the now almost bare shelves.
Applejack had seen Twilight like this before. She was smart as they come, but had a tendency to beat her head against a problem she couldn’t solve.
“Err, sugercube? Don’t you thin…” Twilight twisted her head towards her visitor in what seemed to be an unnatural manner, the mania spread across her face.
“Applejack! I don’t know what it is!” The unicorn began to pace across the library. “I’ve been up all night trying to figure it out, but it’s not in here anywhere! It’s being driving me crazy!”
Applejack moved closer to comfort her friend. “It’s ok hon, there’s no great rush. You still got a couple of days. Why, we can get the others to help. Before you know it, we can find a way to get rid of these beetles.”
Twilight stared blankly at her friend for a few seconds before responding. “What beetles?”
The apple farmer recoiled slightly. She started to ask softly “Err, the beetles in our orchid?...” The stare continued. “…that are eating the apples…” A slow blink followed by more staring. “…that you are trying to find a solution to?” The last part sounded more desperate.
“I’m not looking for beetles. I’m trying to decipher this.” A book floated in front of Applejack. “It’s belongs to the stallion from last night” Curious about what got her friend so worked up, she flicked through some of the pages. “This just looks like gibberish to me.”
“It is. I think it’s some kind of code, possibly based on some obscure language. If I could just…”
The orange mare put the book down on the table in the centre of the room. “Twi, did you sleep at all last night?”
“No time!” The book zipped back into the air. “Maybe it mathematical? If I just…” She drifted off into her own manic little world full of flying books and insane gibberish.
This has to stop. “TWILIGHT!! Snap out of it girl!” The unicorn’s head rattle around her shoulders as her friend tried to shake some sense into her.
The librarian pony shook her head, returning from her waking dream. “Er, I… Applejack? What happened?” She was confused. And slightly dizzy.
“You and your fussin’ happened. You’ve been goin’ crazy over this here book.” Her hoof made a soft thud on the cover. “I'm sorry, but I had ta’ snap you out of it. Remember what happened last time?”
She hung her head. “Yes. I remember.” Last time, an enchanted doll nearly caused Ponyville to tear itself apart. The princess was not impressed. “I’m sorry Applejack.”
Sighing of relief, Applejack continued. “It’s alright. Now, there’s no need to fret about these things just now. Go get some shut-eye, and then we can sort out this…” She looked around the library. “…mess.”
Twilight yawned loudly as the fatigue caught up with her. “Alright. I’ll start again this afternoon.”
“Good. I’ll come back then ta’ help. See you then.” She watched the sleepy librarian climb the steps to her bedroom before leaving herself. Once outside, she breathed in the fresh air and allowed herself to muse; I wonder if this is what sanity smells like?
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“Then what happened?” The question came from a unicorn wrapped in seaweed with 2 cucumber slices for eyes and wallowing in a pit of mud. Her companion had just a smear of mud on her cheeks. “Well, we got him to the doctor, made sure he was alright then we went home.”
“It sounds like you had an exciting night, dear. You needed to be pampered today.” Rarity’s and Fluttershy’s weekly spa visit’s gave them the opportunity to catch up.
“Do you want to get a bit to eat after this?” The spa attendants helped to clean the two ponies.
“Um, actually, I was wondering how he was doing. You don’t mind if I go check on him?”
“Not at all, Fluttershy! I’ll go with you to see this stallion for myself.”
“Oh, that would be nice. If he’s feeling better, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind the company.” Honestly, she preferred the company. Fluttershy wasn’t very comfortable around ponies she didn’t know.
The afternoon sun hung low in the sky as the two friends walked through the village square. Market stalls lined the walkways selling everything from jewellery, pots and pans and home-grown produce. There was a general hustle and bustle as ponies browsed, creating quite a sound.
“So, tell me about this stallion. What is it about him that has you so…interested?” Rarity hadn’t seen her shy friend this interested in a stallion before and was looking for a reaction.
“He was hurt and needed help. I couldn’t just leave him.” If Fluttershy noticed Rarity’s teasing she didn’t rise to it.
Rarity rolls her eyes. “Of course not.”
The inside of the surgery was the opposite of the markets, cool and quiet. A nurse was sorting paperwork behind the desk while the doctor was looking at a patient’s chart. He looks up towards the door as it chimes.
“Ah, you’re the Pegasus from last night. Fluttershy, was it?”
“Oh, yes. I was wondering how the patient was doing?”
“I don’t see why not.” The doc put down the chart and led them down the hall. “We still haven’t found out who he is yet. The mayor even came through to see him.”
“So he’s awake?”
The doctor shook his head. “No, he’s still unresponsive. The venom really took its toll.
He lead them to a small room. On the bed, lying on his side was a peach coloured Pegasus with short brown hair.
“He’s improved a lot from last night. Somepony from the hospital came to see him. They don’t want to move him yet, so he’ll stay here until he well enough to walk on his own.”
“Is this what he was wearing?” Rarity moved over to the dresser with a dark grey hooded cloak.
Fluttershy looks up to Rarity “Yes. He had some bags as well. Is there anything special about it?”
Levitating the cloak into the air, she examines it. “Mmmmmm... No, not really. The fabric is cheap but durable, no labels or tags and its machine stitched.” Rarity loses interest. “It’s like Applejack’s work ‘duds’. Practical, but not very interesting.” She flicks the item back onto the dresser, when a small necklace falls out. Rarity lifts it to eye level.
“Now this is interesting!” On a simple metal chain sits a gold, up-side down tear-shaped necklace with a symbol etched into the front. On the back is a number of pegs.“It marvellous! Simple but exotic. It would make a wonderful accessory with a gown.”
Fluttershy moves closer to examine it. “It looks like it fits into something. Like a key?” She looks at the symbol on the front. “I’ve never seen this before. I’m sure the Twilight can tell us what it is. Maybe she can find out where he comes from.” She turns to the doctor. “May we take this to the library?”
The doctor shrugs. “Why not? It may give us his name if it’s unique.”
“Oh, thank you. We’ll bring it straight back, won’t we Rarity?” Rarity simply responded with a quick “uh-huh”, too busy admiring the trinket as she begins to wonder out the door. “Oh, Rarity. Wait for me!”
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The Pegasus lay on a cushion flicking through a book full of insects. She lazily blows a tuft of multi-coloured mane away from her eyes. Sighing in disgust, she closes the book and pushes it away before floating just above the floor.
“This is SOOOOO boring!” Rainbow complains as she hovers around the room. “What’s the matter, Dashie?” A pink pony with a fluffy pink mane bounces up to the irritated blue Pegasus. “I thought you liked reading now?”
“I do, Pinkie. It’s just that, these books are boring. Their nowhere as exciting Daring Doo!” The Pegasus strikes a heroic pose for effect. The orange mare in the corner rolls her eyes.
“Not everything has to be exciting Rainbow. Although, you do have a point.” Applejack stands up to stretch her legs. “This is a might bit tiresome. Who knew there were so many critters in Equestria?”
“This is nothing!” Twilight spoke up, nose still buried in a book. “These books just contain apple tree pests. If we wanted to look at all the insects of Equestria, they would fill several of these libraries.”
Noticing the following silence, Twilight looked up from her book to her unimpressed friends faces. She smiled awkwardly; her fun little fact wasn’t as much fun as she thought. Luckily, the door chime interrupted this embarrassing moment.
“Hello girls.” Fluttershy announces as she and Rarity walk in, Fluttershy carrying a cardboard box on her back while Rarity was fiddling with a necklace. “We bought cupcakes.”
At the mention of cupcakes, Pinkie Pie tosses her book and zips up the bearer of cupcakes, her eyes as wide as her grin. The timid pony flinches from the sudden invasion of her personal space. “Oh, um, here… Pinkie” She offers the box to the Pink invader which she whisks away to be consumed.
Twilight just shakes her head as she approaches her visitors. “Thank you both for coming,” she turns to Pinkie Pie rapidly and messily devouring the box of pastries, “and bringing cupcakes for EVERYpony,” the pink pony looks up with a silly grin and pink frosting on her face, “but we might be finishing soon.”
“Oh, we don’t mind, do we Rarity?”
The white unicorn was still adjusting her jewellery. “Of course not, dear. I’m always here to help my friends.” She turned to Twilight. “What do you think dear? Up,” she moved the pendant up to her neck, “or down?” It moved lower, across her chest.
“I’ve never seen this one before. Is it new?”
“Well, sort of.”
“It belongs to the stallion from last night. We were hoping you could tell us more about it.” Fluttershy points to the front of the pendant “I’ve never seen this type of symbol before, have you?” Twilight stared at the etching, before sighing heavily. “Yea, I’ve seen it before. It’s the same type of symbols as in his book.” Twilight points to a book sitting on the desk. “I’m afraid I don’t know what it means.”
“Well, it is a lovely necklace, so what does it matter?” Rarity trots around, trying her best to show it off. “If he doesn’t need it anymore, maybe I can buy it from him? How much do you think it’s worth?”
“Why would he not need it? It’s still a necklace.”
“It seems to open something, like a key.”
Twilight took a second to think. Open something… Then it hit her. “Aha! I know!” Rarity protested as Twilight levitated the pendant off of her neck. “Heyyyyyy…” She followed it to the desk in the middle of the room. She is joined by her friends, who had long gotten bored of their reading assignments.
“I bet you it opens this.” Twilight picks up a small ornate box in her hooves and places it on the desk. Rarity gasps at the sight of it. “A jewellery box? Oh, I simply must see what’s in here!” Her horn glows as she tries to lift it, but fails. “Huh?” She tries harder, grunting a little from the effort. It has no effect.
Twilight stops her. “It doesn’t work for me either. It has some kind of magical seal, stopping any magic working on it.” She lifts the pendant up. “Which is why we need this.”
“I wouldn’t open it, Twi.” Surprised, Twilight turns to the objector, finding her nose first in a book. “Pinkie? Why not?” Pinkie looks up and replies “Because it says so, right here in this book. ‘Do not open the box’” Twilight looks down to the book Pinkie was holding, and squealed in delight.
“PINKIE!!” She rushed her friend, causing her to drop the book. “You can read this?” Twilight quickly picked up the book and turned to a page. “What does this say?” She flicked to another. “Nonono. This one?” Pages fly by in excitement. “What about this one?”
“I can’t read this, silly! It’s just scribbles!” Twilight looks confused. “But you said you could read it?”
“Well, yea! The bit on the last page.” Twilight skimmed through the book until the writing stopped. The rest was just blank pages.
“Pinkie, there’s nothing here.”
“Sure there is.” Pinkie starts flicking through until she reaches the inside of the back cover. “Here.”
There it was, written in clear Equestrian. Twilight started to read it out load.
To whom it may concern;
If you are reading this, for whatever reason, I have not completed my journey.
Contained in this book is important information about something incredible that has been discovered and now I need your help.
This book and the box I carry must get to Princess Celestria in Canterlot immediately. It must go straight to her and noponyelse. She must be told.
I’m sorry, but if I could deliver it myself I would. Please make sure it gets there. There may even be a reward in it for you.
One last thing, whatever you do, DO NOT OPEN the box.
There is no name or signature.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Everypony looked up at the impatient blue Pegasus. “Open it already.”
“Now wait just a gosh darn minute! You heard the warning! It said not to!”
“Psh, yeah.” Rainbow dash shrugged off the warning. “Probably because it has treasure in it.” She crossed her front legs. “Finders…keepers.”
Rarity speaks her mind. “I have to agree with Applejack. We have no idea what’s in here.” She points at the box.
“That’s exactly why we should open it!” Pinkie decides to bound into the discussion. “It might be super-duper-looper-ultra-fun-tastic!”
Dash flaps her wings in excitement. “See! It could be whatever Pinkie just said!”
“Or it could be dangerous! I say send it to the palace.”
“Indeed. They are much better equipped to handle something like this.”
The discussion breaks down into a shouting argument as opinions fly back and forth; with talk of treasure, danger and crazy oatmeal for some reason. Twilight looks to Fluttershy next to her, who is unwilling to join in. “What do you think?”
“Oh, um, well, I don’t, um, maybe?...”
I thought so. Twilight decides to take control of the situation. “QUIET!!”
Everypony stops and looks at the librarian. “We don’t know what’s in the box and we won’t open it to find out.” Rainbow and Pinkie look rather disappointed. “Whatever it is, it’s meant for the Princess.” She levitates the book back to the desk. “And I will send both to her tomorrow. In the meantime, we can pick the pest problem in the morning.”
The quarrel over the box had less to do about curiosity, but boredom. The last couple of hours had been spent pouring over books, trying to identify Applejack’s beetle and the box was just a convenient distraction to get away from them. Twilight had done the same many times over long study periods.
Applejack yawns long and hard, the bags under her eyes showing the long day behind her. “Sounds like a good idea to me, sugercube.”
“Yea. Those books were boring me to death.” Rainbow added, showing the usual amount of tact.”I gotta get up early to move some rain clouds over Sweet Apple Acres. Maybe some rain will scare the little buggers off?”
“Would be nice if it were that simple. Anyway, thanks for the help Twi.”
“It alright Applejack. You know I’m always ready to help a friend.” She opened the library door for everypony.
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The sun had gone down and the night started to cool down. The stars were out and Princess Luna had just raised the moon into the sky. Ponyville had slowed down to its usual night time schedule. The streetlights started to come on over the quiet streets. Most ponies were having dinner in their homes and relaxing after a day of work.
The six friends stood outside the library. Rainbow Dash watched as Pinkie Pie bounced around the group while Fluttershy and Rarity were having their own conversation. Twilight turned to Applejack. “If we can’t find out what it is here, I can send the one we have to Canterlot tomorrow to be identified. I know some ponies from the Canterlot Academy who could help.”
“Alright. Just get some rest this time, ok?” Twilight blushed slightly, remembering the morning’s occurrence. Twilight waved goodbye as her friends left.
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She had the library to herself again. It was also a mess from the little research project. She had started organising books into piles so they can be used for tomorrow’s study session, when the box caught her eye. She stood there thinking about it for a second.
“No. It’s for the Princess.” She continued to clean. She looked over to the desk again and stared.
She shook her head. “I said no.” She finished moving a stack next to the desk and again she found herself looking at it again.
“Well, just a peek couldn’t hurt, right?” Her curiosity got the better of her. She pressed the pendant into the front of the box and it clicked open.
The moon shone through the window and onto the sleeping pony. The room was dark and quiet. He slept as peacefully as he had the whole day, still recovering. His body had no intention of waking anytime soon either. It was warm, dry and comfortable; better than the last couple of days. There was no danger so it decided to rest as long as it needed. Maybe it would wake up tomorrow? Maybe not, it didn’t care at this point. His mind was relaxing too, giving his gentle dreams to pass the time.
Until he felt a distant click and his eyes sprang open.
She lifted the lid. Inside was a clear, six sided crystal about as big as a hoof. “Is this it? This little thing?” She knew certain crystals were valuable, but this didn’t seem to be worth the effort. She levitated the crystal into the air to examine it in the light. As she was, a book levitated off the floor. Then another. And another. Soon, a swarm of books floats through the library.
Twilight only noticed when one bumped into her. “Huh? What?” She sees the small ocean of literature around her. “Whoa!” The books began to circle around her.
“Ok. Enough of this.” She tried to focus her powers on the books but couldn’t stop focusing on the crystal. It seemed to draw power from her, sucking it out of her body. The more she tried, the stronger it got. The books moved faster and faster. Her eyes began to glow as she is pulled into the air.
Ok. Now I’m in trouble!
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“All I’m saying is smashing them would be faster.” The rainbow maned pegasus smacks her hooves to show her point.
“SMASH!” The group of friends are moving through the night, discussing the beetle problem.
Her yellow counterpart floats next to her looking concerned. “Oh no, that would be terrible.”
“As well as messy and brutish.” Rarity’s raises her nose to show her disgust for the proposition. “Once Spike gets back, I’m sure a proper solution will be found.”
“If only by keeping Twi grounded. She can get real nutty about these things.” Applejack looks over to the unusually quiet pink pony bouncing along. “What do you think, Pinkie?”
“I keep thinking about what’s in that box.”
The whole group stops. Rarity breaks the silence. “Do you think it’s a good idea to leave it with Twilight?” The friends look at each other nervously. Applejack waves her hoof.
“You heard her. She’s sending it to the Princess in the morning. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Purple light explodes out of the library, blowing open doors and windows and sending paper flying like confetti.
The farmer responds with a sullen “Oh, right” before they all race towards the library
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The five race through the door. They gasp when they see what’s happening. The content of the library is flying around the room. It’s caught up in the purple tornado-like vortex of magic swirling around the centre of the room. In the centre is Twilight, floating limply with her eyes glowing. Just floating above her head is a glowing crystal, tendrils of energy flowing from the librarian.
Applejack called out. “TWILIGHT!”
After getting no response, she leapt into action, charging headfirst into the storm. She dodged several books before being picked up and thrown into a wall.
“I’m coming Twi!” Rainbow dash soared up to the ceiling before diving into the vortex from above. Like Applejack, she was tossed aside. The farmer was on her feet and trying to push through to reach the centre. She quickly got pummelled by a section on home maintenance and was sent flying. Both her and Rainbow tried again but with similar results.
Fluttershy dragged Rainbow back to the door. “It’s no use! *pant pant* I can’t get through!”
A peach coloured unicorn appeared in the doorway. He took one look at the vortex and narrowed his eyes. “Great.”
Applejack approached the pony. “YOU? Is that yours?” She points at the glowing crystal generating the storm. “What’s going on?”
The stranger looked to the other ponies. “You need to listen to me very carefully, alright? That crystal is feeding off of that unicorn and we need to get her away from it.”
Rainbow Dash now had to yell over the worsening storm. “How? We tried that already!”
“I can get to her. I need the rest of you to get that crystal back into its box! It’s the only way to stop this!”
The friends look to each other, nod and line up infront of the door. “Alright! We’re ready when you are!”
The unicorn leaps forward, horn glowing orange. He zaps a swarm of books coming for him, which fall to the ground. He moves deeper in the vortex. White lights like fireflies emerge and surround him. The storm weakens arround him as he approaches but it still kicks around him. With a final burst of energy, he breaks through.
The centre is calm with no flying debris. Above him floats the comatose purple unicorn and the parasitic crystal. He conjures more lights around Twilight. The links connecting her to the crystal weeken as she begins to desecend. The stallion jumps and grabs her feet. They both crash into a pile of books, but it works. The crystal’s glow begins to shudder. With its source of power gone, the storm begins to weaken.
Pinkie bounces through the weakened vortex, avoiding the remaining books. Grabbing the box from the floor, she tosses it to Rarity.
Rarity passes it to Applejack, who throws it into the air where Fluttershy catches it and passes it to Rainbow dash. She takes careful aim, looking for an opening. Suddenly, she dashes through the storm heading straight for the crystal. The crystal is caught out of the air with the open box and Rainbow crashes into the ground.
The storm stops immediately and books fall from the sky. The blue Pegasus struggles with the box, the crystal does not want to be contained. It spits light and magic out from the unsealed lid. Both Applejack and Pinkie Pie press down on the lid and it snaps shut. The box rattles around for a few seconds before coming to a stop.
Twilight begins to wake up. She’s lying on top of a peach unicorn in a pile of books. He looks at her sternly. “Did you read the warning in the back of the book?” Twilight looks back awkwardly. “Well, yes.”
He replies “Then why did you open the box?”
###########################################################################
The sun is shining bright the next morning. Ponyville once again starts another day with ponies working and playing.
Sitting outside the library is a gold chariot with two white pegasi waiting in its harness. A peach unicorn walks out the front door carrying two saddlebags. He is talking to a purple unicorn and an a orange earth mare.
“My name? It’s Starseeker. Why?” He looks at the two with a confused look on his face.
Twilight carried out his cloak he wore when he showed up. “You show up out of nowhere and nopony here has ever seen you. So we tried to figure it out.”
“Did you try the collar?” He pointed to the cloak. Twilight looked inside the collar. Inside was a tag that read ‘Starseeker’.
“Oh…”
Starseeker chuckled slightly. He continued. “I was part of an exploratory expedition to Zebrabae, to help map out the Eastern shore.” He packed the saddlebags into the chariot. “I found something there. I requested permission from the Princess herself to investigate. That’s when it got…interesting.”
Applejack replied “Sure seems that way, what with the magical crystals and what not.”
Starseeker lifted the box into the chariot. "It's called a Nexus crystal. It amplifies any magical energy focused on it. It can be hard to control.”
"Which is why it's in a locked magic-sealed box."
"With a warning" The farmer reminds Twilight, who can only respond with a grin and "Heh, heh, yeah..."
Suddenly, she remembers something. "Wait! What about this?" His book levitates infront of him as Twilight flicks through it's pages. "What about these symbols, these sketches, this language..." She stops on a page covered in a sketch of a pony, surrounded by the unknown creatures found throughout the book. "Who are they?"
Starseeker gently took the book from her and closed it. “I can’t tell you.”
“What!” she exclaimed.
The unicorn puts the book in one of his bags. “What I found must be reported to the Princess first. She will decide what to do with it then.”
“You mean you can’t tell me anything? I am the Princess's personal student, after all.”
He shook his head.
"B-but I..." She begins to argue but he interupts. "Sorry."
She groans in defeat. “GUH! Fine. Here.” She hands him a jar with air holes in the lid and a beetle in leaf litter in the bottom. “At least take this with you to get it identified.”
He looks at the beetle crawling around. “What is it?”
“It’s what’s been eatin’ all my apples, is what it is.”
He looks closer. “Apples, you say? Has it eaten any other fruit? Oranges, maybe?”
She looks at Twilight. “Er, I don’t know. They seem to like our apples just fine.”
The unicorn levitates the beetle into the air and looks it over. The beetle’s shell is a dull brown, but underneath, is a bright metallic green. “It’s called an Lime beetle. I’m surprised to see it here.”
“Wait, a ‘Lime’ beetle? As in citrus? What’s it doin’ eating apples?”
Starseeker continues. “It’s regarded as a citrus pest because it’s found in citrus orchards. However, it’ll eat just about any fruit it can get to.” He puts the beetle back in the jar and gives it to Applejack. “Look it up under ‘Common Orange fruit pests and diseases’ and you should find a repellent. They shouldn’t be much of a problem after that.”
Twilight emerges from the library carrying the book. “Here it it. Lime beetle.” She looks up at him. “How did you know?”
“My parents own a small store in Canterlot. Sometimes we find them in our deliveries.”
Applejack breathes a sigh of relief. A huge load has been off her mind. “Thank heavens! They were starting to eat us out of house and home. Is there any way to repay you?”
He just shook his head. “No need. Besides, you’re the one who helped me when I need it. Let’s just call it even.” Applejack seemed quite pleased with that.
One of the pegasai interrupted. “Excuse me sir, but the Princess requested your presence as soon as possible.”
“Well, I reckon we’ll be seeing you. If ya’ ever in Ponyville come see us sometime.” Starseeker shook the Applejacks hoof.
“Of course.”
The pegasi trotted down the road before launching up into the air, heading for Canterlot with their passenger in tow.
“Well, hasn’t this been an interesting couple a’ days?” Applejack said out loud. Twilight could only respond with a “…uh huh” as her attention was stuck firmly in her current book. Suddenly, she responds with “I wonder how the beetles got here? Was it by a delivery”
“I’m not sure, maybe?”
“I should check to see if there’s been any other outbreaks. Cross reference delivery companies, where they came from, what they were delivering…” Applejack just sighed. Twilight was off in her little world again. “Come on, Twi. We need to see a pony about bug repellent.”
Applejack lead the way as Twilight followed, chasing Lime beetles across Equestria.
Chapter One in the Starseeker Series