> Famine > by rabidplushy > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter one > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Over the past few years Equestria had begun to fall  into a famine. The crops had failed, the rivers and lakes had dried up, and there were no other food sources. The country was on the brink of starvation, with ponies dying every day. Twilight Sparkle had been searching for a solution for famine for months. But nothing worked. No matter how much research she did or which books she read, she couldn’t find a single solution to the mass starvation plaguing Equestria. The ponies grew more and more desperate as time went on. They begged her to find the cure, to save their lives It was a losing battle, and Twilight was running out of ideas Twilight sat at the table with Spike, looking exhausted and discouraged. Spike was by her side, silent and empathetic as he saw the struggle and worry that she was going through. Twilight looked up at Spike, feeling defeated by everything that had happened so far. "I've tried everything, Spike," she said, her voice filled with remorse and guilt. "I've tried every spell, potion, and remedy I can think of to save my friends. But nothing seems to work. I don't know what else to do." "I know you're doing everything you can to try and fix this, Twilight," Spike said kindly. "You've been working yourself to the bone to save your friends, but sometimes things just don't go as planned. It's not your fault." He looked at her warmly, offering a comforting smile. "You are doing the best you can to try and help everyone. I believe in you, Twilight. I know you'll figure this out." "But what if there's something I missed? I'm the only one who can save them, Spike." Twilight looked defeated and tired, but she knew she couldn't give up. She had to save her friends. "Twilight, you should get some sleep, It’s getting late and you need your energy." Spike said gently, seeing the exhaustion and worry written all over her face. "I know, I know..." Twilight sighed, but she couldn't help it. Her thoughts persisted, and no matter how hard she tried to rest, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong if she couldn't find a cure soon. "But, I can't sleep." she admitted, turning away from Spike and staring back at the dimly lit ceiling. "Look, Twi." Spike continued, "I know you're worried about this whole thing—I mean, who wouldn't be?" Twilight nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the ceiling. "But you need to take care of yourself, okay?” “Sigh.. i suppose your right spike” Twilight  said walking off to her bed upstairs. “Hey, I’ll keep the fort down for you while you sleep ok?” Spike said with a smile trying to assure twilight. “Thanks spike..” Tired and anxious, Twilight Sparkle crawled into bed and prepared for a long, sleepless night. Her mind was filled with thoughts and Her heart pounding in her chest, and despite her fatigue, sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned, staring into the darkness "I have to do this..." she whispered to herself, gritting her teeth and staring at the shadows and finally drifting into sleep. > Chapter two > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight Sparkles groggily opened her eyes as the morning light filtered through the curtains of her room, gradually waking her up. With a sigh, she slowly sat up in bed, stretching her tired muscles and rubbed her eyes. After a few moments of gathering her thoughts, she stood up and went downstairs to fix herself some breakfast As Twilight made her way down the stairs, she couldn't help but feel the lingering fatigue in her muscles and the exhaustion tugging at her eyes. Making her way into the kitchen she looked through what little food they had. ”Thank Celestia the princesses were able to donate some of their rations  to us, I'm starving…”  Twilight Sparkle sighed as she opened the cupboards and drawers, taking stock of their scant supplies. “Oh dear..” She muttered as she noticed that most of the food items had been used up, leaving only a few things left to keep her going Twilight Sparkles quickly began cooking breakfast for herself and Spike, using the sparse supplies at her disposal. Her stomach growled in anticipation, and her hunger gave her the extra motivation necessary to push through the fatigue and worry that had plagued her mind. Once she was finished, she carried the meals into the dining room and waited for Spike to come down. After a few minutes, Twilight heard Spike's footsteps on the stairs, indicating he had finally woken up. "Good morning, Spike. Sleep well?" Spike gave her a quick nod as he stepped down into the dining room, his expression still tired but brightening up as he saw the prepared meals on the table. “ This looks amazing twilight!” Spike said with an excited tone. Twilight watched as Spike sat down and immediately began chowing down. Without saying anything, she took her own seat and began to eat the food she had prepared for them. “It's not much but hopefully it will get us by for now..” she said with a slight tone a worry in her voice. “It’s perfect twilight” Spike said smiling at her trying to keep her spirits up. Twilight watched as Spike sat down and immediately began chowing down. Without saying anything, she took her own seat and began to eat the food she had prepared for them. As twilight finished her breakfast, she decided to get back to her research for a cure to this awful famine in her old books. As she picked one out from the shelf, she found herself drawn to a book on the everfree forest,as she read through the book she found a page about a magical stone that is rumored to exist somewhere within the Everfree Forest. According to the book, the stone has the ability to show people the future, and it is said that if used correctly, it can be of great help to those in need. But, with all the dangers lurking within the Everfree Forest, and with her still being exhausted , would it be worth the risk to hunt for it? The more Twilight read about the mystical stone, the more she felt drawn to its promise of showing her the future. Unfortunately the book gave no knowledge on where to find the stone, But of course that wasn't going to stop her so With no idea how to  begin her search and no guarantee that she would find it in the vast, uncharted depths of the Everfree Forest, she decided to take the risk and venture into the unknown. For the first time in a long time she finally sees a glimmer of hope. "I've found something, Spike. A magical stone that is said to appear somewhere in the Everfree Forest. The legends say it can show people their future, which means that if we can find it, it might hold the key to curing the ongoing famine." Twilight said excitedly, her eyes shining with hope. "But you know how dangerous the Everfree Forest is! There are all kinds of monsters and creatures lurking in the shadows, it's not safe for you..." Spike continued in a panic, trying to convince her not to go, but Twilight was determined to find the stone and couldn't be swayed. She was convinced this was their only hope and that she would find the stone, even if it meant facing the dangers of the Everfree Forest. Twilight smiled gently at Spike, trying to reassure him. "I appreciate your concern, Spike. But I have to do this, for all of Ponyville. I'll be fine, I promise." “Alright twilight just please be safe and try to come back soon ok?” “Of course Spike, you don't have to worry about me. I've dealt with much more dangerous things than that forest, I’ll be fine.”She said with a reassuring tone, hugging spike.  After packing her things Twilight Sparkle set off toward the perilous Everfree Forest with a sense of purpose and determination. Despite her fears, she was determined to find the mystical stone and discover the key to the much-needed cure. She ventured into the unknown, walking through the dense foliage and dodging the dangerous wildlife that thrived in the dark, mysterious forest. As the hours passed and her fatigue began taking its toll, Twilight remained steadfast and focused on her mission. > chapter three > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, while exploring ancient ruins deep in the Everfree Forest, Twilight discovered something, ancient ruins containing a strange stone that was encased in a thick layer of moss. Twilight immediately knew this was the stone she was looking for but something was wrong. She could feel a dark, sinister energy radiating from the stone. Against her better judgment, Twilight touched the stone, hoping it would somehow lead her to the answer she had been searching for. A sudden, blinding light engulfed her, and she lost consciousness. When Twilight woke up, she found herself in a twisted, nightmarish version of Equestria. After touching the stone, Twilight saw the horror that was to come , many ponies had turned to cannibalism in order to survive and were now covered from head to hoof in blood wandering around ,They were tearing apart innocent ponies in a frenzy, a crazed look in their eyes. Twilight was in shock. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her own friends were now cannibals. They were completely consumed by their hunger, their only goal to slaughter as many ponies as they could to survive. The shocking scene playing out before her eyes made Twilight's heart race with fear. She'd seen much in her studies, but even the most gruesome images from the darkest, most twisted books she'd ever read paled in comparison to what she was witnessing now. The thought of her own friends turning on each other in this way was more terrifying than anything she could have imagined, and she couldn't bear to watch any longer. Twilight suddenly bolted upwards, breath heavy and her heart racing. She had been having a terrible nightmare, but it was over now. She was still in the ruins, but the creatures she had seen in her vision seemed to be a sign of what was to come , the horrible nightmare that would come true if she couldn't find a cure for the famine that was plaguing Equestria. Twilight's face was filled with panic as she rushed out of the Everfree Forest, trying to push away the dreadful images from her nightmare that kept playing in her mind. She was desperate to find a solution to the famine in ponyville and to prevent the apocalyptic nightmare she'd witnessed in her dream from becoming reality. So her friends wouldn't starve , so that nightmare she saw would never come true. Now more than ever she knew she had to make this right. Twilight Sparkle burst through the door to her house, still breathing heavily and overwhelmed by the vision she had seen in her dream. She immediately rushed towards her study, desperate to find any information about the cure she was searching for. As Twilight rushed into her study, she was met by Spike's concerned face. "Twilight what's wrong,is everything ok?" Spike said, rushing over to her with concern in his voice. Twilight Sparkles took a deep breath, trying to remain calm as she explained to Spike the vision she had witnessed in the Everfree Forest. "I saw terrible things, Spike. I saw ponies turning on each other, tearing each other apart . It was as if their hunger had robbed them of all reason and they just all turned into these vicious monsters!" Spike was horrified by the image Twilight had just described. He couldn't believe that such a thing could be possible, and to have the thought of the ponies he cared about turning on each other was a terrifying concept. "But that can't possibly be real, Twilight. Ponies won't become that hungry. They would find something I'm certain that's just not true. Maybe the stone isn't even accurate, maybe it's just cursed!" Spike argued, trying to reason with the possibility of this dystopia Twilight was describing. Twilight Sparkles seemed frustrated at Spike's inability to grasp the seriousness of the situation. "This isn't a simple 'I'm a little hungry.' thing spike. The ponies in my vision had become mindless with hunger, unable to think straight or control themselves. They were complete monsters! It's like they weren't even ponies anymore! As much as I wish it were not so, this is a very real possibility and must be taken seriously.'' "You know how serious the famine has become, Spike. We've tried everything we could, but the situation is just getting worse. Ponies are suffering and dying. That's why I have to find out how to fix this.Do you understand now?" Spike nodded."Of course and I'll do my best to help you twilight." Twilight sat at her desk, frantically researching spells and potions. She was determined to find a solution. The search was getting desperate now, and Twilight now turned to the darkest corners of her knowledge seeking a spell that would solve all of Equestria's problems. "Come on, there must be something in one of these books or scrolls." Twilight said to herself, frantically scanning one magic text after another. Twilight Sparkles had nearly exhausted her search of the books and scrolls in her study when she came across a mention of an ancient book in one of the old magical texts she was looking through. The book was said to contain powerful spells and dark knowledge that had been lost for centuries and was said to be hidden away in the Princesses Tower. It seemed the book even had a spell to cure hunger. She immediately called for her faithful assistant spike hoping to find the ancient book and discover the secret to fighting the famine and preventing the nightmarish scene she'd envisioned from becoming reality. "SPIKE!" She yelled in excitement. Spike was startled by Twilight's sudden burst of excitement. "This says there is an ancient book that may be hidden in the princesses tower, one that can cure hunger! i need you to send her a message for me asking her if she's ever heard of this book,This could be just what we need!" "Yes ma'am!" Spike said writing down the request on the scroll then sending it off to the princess" Twilight watched as Spike wrote down the message and sent it off, eager to hear the response. She was filled with anticipation A few moments pass and they receive their response. Twilight Sparkles received the message from Princess Celestia, and her stomach dropped as she read her response. "The book you are referring to is not something you need Twilight sparkle , nor is it something I wish upon you . I have made a point of hiding its existence for a reason, in the hopes of preventing it from falling into the wrong hands. The book is far too powerful and dangerous. It's not something anypony should toy with," Princess Celestia wrote. Twilight was filled with defiance as she read Princess Celestia's warning. She refused to back down in her fight against the famine, and planned to break into the castle and recover the book, regardless of the danger it posed, No matter what anyone said she knew she had to get her hands on this book.. "Spike, I'm going to break into the Princesses Tower and find this book. Nothing will deter me or stop me from finding a cure. Do you understand?" "But, Princess Celestia said it may be too dangerous to use. The book is extremely powerful and can cause great harm if it's not properly controlled." Spike protests, trying to change her mind. But Twilight was determined and wouldn't listen to reason at this point. "The fate of Ponyville is at stake, Spike. I don't care if the book is dangerous, we have no choice but to risk it. I'm going to find the book, one way or another." > chapter four > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight Sparkle made her way to the princesses castle,filled with determination to seek out the knowledge within this book, no matter what the princess said. as she snuck into the castle, She moved quietly, trying to avoid being noticed by the guards, but it was a challenge to navigate the expansive, labyrinthine castle without alerting anyone. She stopped to catch her breath once she arrived at the library, taking a moment to scope out her surroundings. "Where is it..." she muttered to herself as she searched carefully through the shelves of ancient books. Twilight Sparkle snuck through the library, scanning the shelves of books for any sign of the legendary book she had come to find. She was careful to keep quiet as the thought of what she was doing weighed heavily on her mind. After searching high and low and looking through the old dusty books, Twilight was beginning to wonder if she would ever find the book. She felt frustrated and her heart beat quickly with anxiety. But just as she was about to give up, she noticed something. Twilight Sparkle finally spotted the ancient book in a locked cabinet behind a pair of hidden doors at the back of the library. She knew this must be the book she was searching for, the one that contained powerful spells and dark knowledge. She tried to open the doors, but they were locked tight. She began desperately searching around for a way into the cabinet, looking for any weak spots that she might be able to exploit. carefully scanning over every. She found a small latch on one of the hinges that looked like it could potentially be a weak spot, so she quickly grabbed a small tool from her pockets and began to work at it. With some effort, she managed to jimmy the latch and pull open one of the hidden doors on the cabinet. Twilight Sparkle opened the hidden doors and pulled the ancient book out of the cabinet, revealing it for the first time in centuries. She carefully took the book in her hooves, holding it gently as the power of it's dark knowledge flowed through her. The book looked even more intimidating in person, a towering, leather-covered text with several ancient seals and wards etched into its cover. As soon as she'd taken the book, a bright light shone around her, flooding the place with light so bright and intense that it made Twilight's eyes water. She quickly hide the book away in her satchel so as to not alert the guards of her presence. After a few moments of looking around the library , Twilight found herself alone. She was relieved that no one had noticed her presence, but the experience had shaken her to the core. Twilight Sparkles made her way out of the tower, sneaking from shadow to shadow to ensure that she wouldn't be spotted by any guards. As she made her way out of the tower, she began to piece together some of her thoughts. Her mission to find a cure for the famine was still very much alive in her memories. But the horrifying vision she'd seen and the sudden burst of light when she touched the book gave her pause for concerned. But at the same time, it only solidified her determination to use the book's contents to save everypony she knew and loved. As she made her way home and opened the book to study i’s contents she come across the spell she was looking for. It was an ancient spell, one that was used in the old days during famine and war, why was this spell locked away? she didnt care the situation was to urgent , she figured it had only been locked away becuase it was no longer needed right? And perhaps it was just some other spell in this old book that must have caused all the trouble. That must have been why the princess locked it away, she didn't care, no matter the risk the cure to this horrible situation was in her hands. "If there’s something wrong with this spell I'm sure I can fix it either way, I’ve fixed old spells before and if this is what I need to do then I'll do it, no matter the cost, and no matter what anyone else thinks.” This spell obviously had signs of dark magic attached to it, but nothing she couldn't handle. She knew she would have to find somebody to test the spell on, to see how it worked and to see what she would have to change in order to make the spell usable for everypony. Twilight knew she needed to share the news with her friends as soon as possible, she knew she may be able to find them all at the market where some ponies had been scrounging for food lately. Twilight Sparkle finds her friends gathered at a corner of the market. It looks like they're all hungry and desperate for any scraps they can find. Twilight takes a deep breath and announces her find, telling her friends of the ancient spell she had discovered in the Princesses Tower. She tells them of its powerful capabilities and its potential to help them all in their time of need. Twilight's friends all listen intently as she explains the spell and its potential to end the famine. Spike looks worried, questioning whether it's really necessary to use such a dark, ancient spell. Applejack seems to share his concerns, wary of the potential consequences that using such a powerful spell might cause. Rarity and Rainbow Dash also seem nervous, but Twilight reassures them that she knows what she's doing and that she will make sure to handle the spell with the utmost care. “I’m telling you girls this spell is exactly what we need, I’m certain it was used in the old pony days to help with cases just like this, My only problem is a need to find somebody willing to test it, But i have no idea who would possibly be willing to take the risk..” She said with worry on her face. A hush fell over the crowd of friends . The thought of risking something so uncertain and untested was a frightening one, but rarity was the first to volunteer. "I- I would be willing to do it, Twilight." She said softly, surprising both Twilight and her friends. "You... you would actually do that?" Twilight asked, taken aback by the generosity of her friend's sacrifice. "Are you crazy!?" Applejack cried out, incredulous at this suggestion. "Applejacks' right! surely there must be some other pony who could do this?." Rainbow Dash chimed in, siding with Applejack. Rarity looks at the group, a determined look on her face. She was willing to risk anything if it meant helping her friends find a solution to the famine. "It's sweet of you both to worry, but this is my choice, I've made up my mind " Rarity said bravely. "Are you sure, sugarcube? I mean that is a pretty big risk you're takin' there?" Applejack questioned, showing her concern for her friend's safety. "I do realize how dangerous of a risk this is, darling. But we have to do something. The famine is hurting our town, and it is hurting our friends. If there is any chance this spell could be the answer, then I must take it. This is a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Rarity said, showing a surprising amount of determination and bravery. Applejack looks stunned that Rarity is so serious about testing this spell. She's always known Rarity to be so careful and cautious. "B-b-but I mean... is that really necessary? Can't we think of something else?" Applejack asked, desperate for any other option than allowing rarity to be the guinea pig for this risky spell. Rarity seemed to notice the desperation in Applejack's tone, and could understand the feelings she was experiencing. “It’s alright darling, I have the utmost confidence in our friend Twilight, I'm sure she knows what she is doing, I trust everything will go fine.” Rarity said, trying to calm her friend's worries. Twilight Sparkle gives rarity a grateful smile and thanks her for being courageous enough to make this big sacrifice for the sake of saving everypony else. Rarity nods slowly, seemingly accepting her choice despite the fear that she still held inside her heart. She was ready. > Chapter five > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight  and her friends decided to take rarity to her boutique so  twilight could perform the spell in private, and so Rarity could feel more comfortable. Upon arrival at the boutique, Twilight Sparkle began to prepare the room for the spell. She placed the ancient book on the floor for her to read, making sure she was familiarized with every part of the spell before casting it.  Twilight Sparkle gets up and walks up to rarity getting  ready to perform the spell, taking deep breaths to calm their nerves. Twilight begins to shine her horn as she casts the ancient spell.  A strange circle begins to develop around twilight with old runes spread across it , a radiant light begins to emanate, slowly filling the room. As the spell continues, the light glows brighter and brighter until the room is completely illuminated by a brilliant cascade of radiance. Finally, the light begins to pulsate and crackle as Twilight Sparkles finishes the final portion of the spell. the light grows intense before bursting into a ball of radiant energy that swirls around Twilight and Rarity. The light fades, and both ponies collapse to the ground as the spell finally completes. " how do you feel rarity"? twilight asked " I'm not sure darling, I do feel a bit... satisfied though, like i just had a good homely dinner,  i feel so fulfilled, like i'd never have to eat another meal again!" she prances around the room seeming to be excited to spell worked  Twilight Sparkles cheers with rarity as they are both overcome with relief and excitement. However, the duo's celebrations are cut short as a sudden wave of exhaustion overtakes twilight as she collapses to the ground . The powerful spell has left her  feeling drained and weak. " are you ok twi?! " applejacks says as she rushes over to her with concern trying to help her stand back up. " I’m ok i think i just need a bit of rest, i'm not used to casting magic that powerful i suppose.” Twilight Sparkles replies, trying to stand again but finding it difficult to do so. Applejack quickly helps Twilight Sparkle  back onto her hooves, helping her to stay steady. “i'll help you get back home twilight don't you worry” " how are you gonna cast this spell on every pony in pony ville if you’re  winded after just one time twilight? " rainbow dash said stomping her hooves looking concerned. " Well ill let cadence know i found a cure , maybe she could help and even bring some supplies so we can get our strength up so perform the spell on the whole town, but right now we'll have to watch over rarity for the next few days and she how the spell  plays out , and see how long it can last" twilight said " No offense twilight but i think were all i bit to busy and tired to watch over rarity 24/7" rainbow dash said " I'll watch big sis !" sweetie bell said coming out of her room and running up to rarity   Twilight Sparkle smiles softly as Sweetie Belle speaks up, quickly offering to watch over rarity. "Thank you Sweetie Belle, I appreciate your help." Twilight replies, relieved that she had someone to keep an eye on Rarity throughout most of the process. "Alright, that's settled then." Twilight sighs. "As for the rest of you, if you could at least check in on her occasionally from time to time, that would be great." " darling i think i'm more than capable of watching over myself" rarity said trying to calm twilight down  “ I think you worry to much dear, I’ll be fine by myself  really ”  " i still think you should be supervised rarity , i mean we have no idea if this spell might have any negative side effects, i just don't want you to be alone if something goes wrong.."  " don't worry twilight, rainbow dash is just frustrated and blowin smoke, i'm more than happy to check on rarity and i'm sure the others will be too, besides i think something as important as a cure to the famine might be worth putting effort into , don't you think rainbow,” applejack says with a snide look on her face" rainbow grumbles and flys off Twilight Sparkle watches Rainbow Dash fly off with a sigh. she wondered what had gotten into rainbow as she was usually more upbeat and willing to help She must just be irritated due to being hungry, she thought. She turns back to Rarity, helping her over to a bed in the room, and ensuring that she is comfortable and safe. "Just get some rest rarity and let us know if you have any problems at all , i'll be back to check on you in the morning”. " Don't worry twilight i'll take great care of her! " sweetie bell with a determined look on her face. Twilight nods and pats her on the head " thank you dear..”