My Little Adventure

Episode Eight: The Everfree Problem Part One

Trotting up to the Fillydelphia train station, Royal Guards stood to greet us. They quietly escorted us to our seats on the empty train.

We sat and the guards stood at the ends of our booths in the walkway, silent.
"Excuse me," Leaf began looking to the guard at the end of her seat. "Can you tell me anything about what's going on?"

The guard kept his head forward but spoke. "You will be briefed on the situation when you arrive in Ponyville."
His voice was stern and he spoke with a factual tone.

"Thank you." Leaf said and looked to me. The severity of our trip was falling heavier and heavier as we reached the Canterlot station. Upon arrival we were driven in a carriage to the local Hot Airway. There were even more royal guards standing by our hot-air balloon, and when we walked up, the unicorns standing by asked if they could cast a filtration spell around our muzzles.

"Yes, that's fine." Leaf said looking ahead. I looked between her and the unicorns. "Uh, yeah. Whatever's necessary." The spell wrapped around and tickled my snout, and I felt like I had to sneeze for a couple minutes while the spell seeped into our furs and skin.

"Are we carrying any magical items today?" Asked a guard standing next to the balloon ramp. "Yes." Replied Leaf. "I have enchantments on my luggage and magical medicine in them."

"We will have to ask you to leave those things behind for the time being. As we enter Discord, his magic may have adverse affects on other magical items."
As we enter Discord? What does that even mean?

"I see, thank you." Leaf offers over her bag to the guards. The one who took her bag then looked to me. "May we search your bags?" Shocked, I replied shakily and passed my bag. "Y-yes of course." As my bag was searched, I heard my jars of ink clinking and my papers rustling. A low hum of anxiety ran through me, almost waiting for someone to spill ink on something.

However that never came, maybe it's really just me. I sighed out as my bag was passed back to me. "Thank you." The guard said. "You two are free to board."

My hooves clicked against the wooden ramp, and quieted as we loaded onto the balloon's woven basket.

The aeronaut controlling our balloon boarded after us, and lit the burners. The balloon rose higher and higher off the platform until we were untied and floating through the air.

It got colder as we ascended into the clouds, and I looked to Leaf. "Do you still have that scarf?" I asked. "Sorry Q," she started. "All my things are left in my bag with the Canterlot guards." The breath from my snout shows in the cold, and I ruffle my feathers. "That's okay, thank you anyway."

Leaf nods and turns away.

In the distance we begin to see a large dome coming up from the ground below. As we get closer, I realize the dome is magical, although the opacity made it nearly impossible to see what was inside.

We were just a couple of meters away from the dome now and the aeronaut spoke out. "We are now entering Discord. Please keep all body parts inside the balloon at all times. The Everfree is unpredictable and even with Discord protecting us, it's still very dangerous for us ponies."

"So this is Discord's magic then?" I asked, confused by all the new and strange information. The aeronaut sighs, "Yes and no. Discord is a creature of pure magic. His chaos magic is stronger than anything we know of currently. Stronger than light magic, and stronger than dark magic. However, Discord is the only one who can control this type of magic."

As we passed through the domed forcefield, a tingling sensation moved its way through my body. "What we are experiencing now is Discord in his non physical state. Essentially, Discord has sacrificed himself to save Equestria. We have him to thank for keeping the Everfree at bay while those in the Castle of Friendship try to solve this perplexing mystery."

"What do you mean he sacrificed himself?" Leaf asks, now very concerned. The aeronaut looks out. "The forcefield you see around us, that's Discord himself. Not just some conjuring of his magic. Being as he is so far stretched, there is a great possibility he may never be able to return to his original form."

"How do you know so much about this?" I ask this, and the aeronaut shows their badge on the jacket they wear. "I am a part of the transportation crew for the Kindness Initiative."

Leaf's ears perk up, "So how has Fluttershy been since this all started?" The aeronaut looks to Leaf and sighs. "Honestly, she's been keeping her composure the best she can, but all of us can see what a toll Discord's sacrifice has taken on her. She's frantic to find a solution before too long, and Discord is unable to change back into himself."

My eyes tear up thinking of Fluttershy possibly losing her partner in such a way.

As we draw closer to the Castle of Friendship, I look out to the chaotic scenes below. Twisting green vines made their ways up the homes and shops, and my mind wanders. "How did this happen so fast? I was just in Ponyville almost a week ago." Leaf looks to me. "These problems have been going on for a couple of moons now, but it seems now the Everfree is growing more and more uncontrollable." She looks out the the trees below. "My sister has said some, but since she's been at the castle, she hasn't said a word about the situation. Still, I dont know how it could have gotten this bad so quickly either."

There were vines that covered the trees of the Everfree, and it looked almost parasitic the way the vines wrapped and grew over every branch and stem. Rainbow flowers sprouted off the vines and filled the air with a yellow mist of pollen.

"The vines spread from the forest to Ponyville within a single night." The aeronaut began in a darkened tone. Their stories of the last week are scarier than anything I've ever written or read. Those of Ponyville were terrorized so quickly. Most had trouble getting away on their own and suffered, wrapped in twisting vines for hours until anyone could help. Others who thought they could defend themselves with their magic only found that the vines absorbed the light magic used against it and repelled any dark magic used.
It seems so far, these vines are indestructible and their source is unknown.

The scenes around us were of chaos, but somehow, it was a calm chaos. Almost like the world was slowed for the time we were in Discord. However, the night still went on as it would any other, and the moon rose high, dimmed with crescent light.

It's terrifying to think we had no idea any of this was happening so close to our homes and our families. As I looked to Leaf, her eyes glistened with the various lights and fires surrounding us.

Ash and pollen polluted the air more and more as we grew closer to the main streets of Ponyville. The vines turned to bulking roots and eventually climbed its way up and through the Castle of Friendship.

The Village was crushed.

A deep terror set in. I uttered out, "What are we even doing here?.." My mind began to panic and my heart raced. I rushed to Leaf and turned her around. I screamed out, "HOW ARE WE GOING TO HELP IN THIS?!"

She stood horrified. The tears that streamed down her face were full of fear and confusion.

"I-" she stopped.
Her mane was frizzed from the balloon ride and her ears were turned down.

"I don't know."