open Everfree adventure: Search for the Void Stone!

[Yoshi89 5,293]

@@~Sassy Dashie~, @@Hypn0ticD, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@AmberDust, @,

 

When all five of Rarity's friends confirmed that she was not just seeing things, Rarity experienced more fright than relief. She tried her hardest not to panic at the realization of a monster out to get them in the Everfree but her friends' reactions gave her no other choice. Hearing a quiver in Twilight's voice gave her the shivers and Fluttershy's cry of "MONSTER!" made her scream as well. As some of the main group cantered ahead, Rarity instinctively looked behind her at where the tree fell and whinnied at the brief sight of a huge looming shadow behind some brush.

 

"RUN!" Rarity cried, breaking into a gallop down the trail. She passed Pinkie Pie and Applejack who were tending to Rainbow Dash while carrying her down the trail as fast as they could. She could not bear to catch another look at whatever could be chasing them. Whether it was a Manticore, an Ursa Major, a timberwolf, or any other creature, the presence of either made her heart race all the same. Still, she feared for her friends' lives as much as her own. Rarity caught up to Twilight with Fluttershy hot on her tail.

 

"How much further?" Rarity asked Twilight, panting as she cantered alongside her. "I hope we can get there soon!"

[The Shadow Stallion 127]

Dash at this point had been knocked rather senseless. When Pinkie had asked if she was okay, Dash responded rather strangely. "Yes...I will join.....the wonder....wonder thingy....something birds." Dash wasn't making any sense, the fact she was being drug by her tail and bumping her head against the ground every so often didn't help. "Wheres my.....medal for saving....the thing..... look at the.....pink stuff...." Dash then hit her head against the ground hard as she was drug behind AJ. This time it knocked her out.

 

(Almost made her sound kinda drunk I think XD)

[Hypn0ticD 1,213]

@@AmberDust, @@Yoshi89, @@Lume WMj, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@~Sassy Dashie~,

 

((AJ put Dash on her back. She's not dragging her...))

 

Applejack continued to carry the dazed Rainbow Dash as she and the others ran at full gallop deeper and deeper into the forest, the sky growing ever darker as they ran.

 

"Feel free ta wake up anytime, Dash..." Applejack said as she continued to gallop, hoping against hope that she and her friends put at least a little distance between themselves and whatever it was pursuing them.

 

"Dash! Are you okay?!" Applejack heard Pinkie Pie ask, to which she got a response of, "Yes...I will join.....the wonder....wonder thingy....something birds."

 

"Oh, just fantastic!" Applejack groaned. Rainbow musta hit her head harder than she thought! "Snap out of it, Dash! You've taken harder spills 'n this!"

 

"Wheres my.....medal for saving....the thing..... look at the.....pink stuff...."

 

"Dash~! WAKE UP!" Applejack yelled, chancing a glance over her wither, only to see the Pegasus had passed out. "Oh, just dandy!" Applejack muttered under her breath. "Are we close, Twi??" AJ asked the as she caught with the Alicorn, failing to have noticed that Rarity asked the same question only seconds before. "'Cause we're down one pony!"

 

((Sorry for the lack of quotes. I'm on my phone right now, and copying what others have said is a lot faster than quoting each and every time...))

Edited March 15, 2015 by Hypn0ticD

[Wolfeus Silverpaw 301]

@@Hypn0ticD, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@Yoshi89, @@~Sassy Dashie~, @@AmberDust,

 

No! No, no, no, no...! This can't be happening! This isn't part of the plan!! Twilight thought, frenzied as she continued to run from whatever was now undoubtedly pursuing them. She found herself unable to answer her friends running alongside her, too fraught with fear to think clearly. They were no longer following the trail that was important they not deviate from.

 

"I-I don't know!" she found herself sputtering. "Who cares?! We need to get somewhere safe!!" Tears brimmed Twilight's eyes. The immense stress was difficult for her, and the prospect of losing any of her friends or dying herself was simply too much to handle.

 

She ignored the brambles and branches scraping her fur and pulling at her mane and tail as she kept up her pace, breathing hard. Where could they possibly find a safe place in the Everfree?? Of course! Zecora!! Twilight took a sharp right and shouted "Follow me! I'm getting us out of here!!"

[Yoshi89 5,293]

@, @@Hypn0ticD,@@The Shadow Stallion,@@~Sassy Dashie~,@@AmberDust,

 

As Rarity cantered further after Twilight, she had no choice but to trust in her leader. She skidded on the path as Twilight took the sharp turn, then ran back after her, catching up to the rest of the mane six. "I do hope you know what you're doing!" she called in between heavy breathing. She wanted to say she recognized this particular path in the Everfree but with whatever was after them in hot pursuit, she could not think perfectly straight.

 

In no time, she found herself next to Applejack and looked over her withers at the knocked-out Rainbow Dash on the farmpony's back. "Is Rainbow Dash going to be okay, Applejack?" Rarity asked. "I haven't checked her since she flew ahead to get a better look."

[AmberDust 1,118]

"Oh, dear! Oh dear, oh dear!" Fluttershy cried, panting heavily as she ran. The pegasus had attempted many times to take off and fly, but her wings seemed locked to her sides as her nerves got the best of her. She saw her friends tale a sharp turn through her blurred vision, and hurried to catch up.

She didn't care where they were going, heck, she didn't care if somepony else had their hooves on the void stone right now--she just cared about making it out of this creepy forest with all of her limbs (and friends) intact.

 

 

***

Zecora hummed as she pulled some leaves from a brilliant purple plant. It was nearly spring now, and her Autumn bulbs were just sprouting. She dropped the leaves into a mortar and began to crush them, humming along.

Attest a moment, her ear twitched.

Zecora put down the pestle slowly and tilted her head. She quit humming. What was that sound? She poked her head outside, and saw bushes rumble in the distance.

"What interrupts my brewing potion? Somepony is making a great commotion..."

Edited April 12, 2015 by AmberDust

[Hypn0ticD 1,213]

@@AmberDust, @@Yoshi89, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@~Sassy Dashie~, @,

 

Applejack found herself closing the gap between herself and Twilight, despite the weight of Rainbow Dash on her back. Were they still going the right way? Rarity had voiced AJ's very concern as the Unicorn caught up to her, only to get a response from the Alicorn that she didn't know, adding that they needed to get to someplace safe--again, giving voice to her thoughts.

 

Applejack looked ahead to Twilight, only wishing she could know what was going through the Alicorn's mind when she shouted for them to follow her.

 

Applejack kept pace as best she could as Twilight banked a hard right, making sure Rainbow Dash didn't slide off her back as sh. She heard Rarity ask if Rainbow Dash was alright, to which AJ replied, "Ah really can't say, Rarity! Ah'll check 'er over if we get outta here!"

 

Applejack continued to follow Twilight, cantering as fast as she could, hoping against hope that they could find someplace safe--and fast!

Edited April 12, 2015 by Hypn0ticD

[Wolfeus Silverpaw 301]

Twilight hopped over a bush, Zecora's hut in plain sight, mere yards ahead. Twilight tried screeching to a halt, her hooves digging into the ground, but that didn't stop her from slamming into a bewildered zebra, with all five of her friends crashing into her shortly after. Twilight picked herself up, shaking her head. She was still a little dazed, but had enough sense to close the door and lock it to prevent the beast from coming in (just in case it was still after them). She turned to Zecora. "Zecora!! We were being chased by...! By...!" Twilight suddenly realized they still had no clue what it was they were being chased by. "by something!!" she finished, panting deeply, worn-out from the experience.

[AmberDust 1,118]

@Hypn0ticD, @Yoshi89, @The Shadow Stallion, @~Sassy Dashie~,

 

Sqinting her eyes, Zecora could finally identify the source of the commotion.

"Why, Princess Twilight!" She began, pleasantly surprised. "You six ponies, I'm glad to see! What brings you to the Ever--" But the pleasentried were cut short when Zecora noticed that Twilight and her friends were not slowing down. Zecora had just enough time to open the door wide before the six startled ponies crashed right into her.

Twilight tried screeching to a halt, her hooves digging into the ground, but that didn't stop her from slamming into a bewildered zebra, with all five of her friends crashing into her shortly after.

Zecora stood up slowly, shaken and sore in the head from the sudden blow. She groaned in pain, rubbing her neck.

When the dust settled, she looked up to the frightened ponies hesitantly.

"Aah-- hello, my pony guests. Say, what has you in such distress?" She adjusted a pot that had been upset, then went to help Fluttershy back to her hooves.

Twilight picked herself up, shaking her head. She was still a little dazed, but had enough sense to close the door and lock it to prevent the beast from coming in (just in case it was still after them). She turned to Zecora. "Zecora!! We were being chased by...! By...!" Twilight suddenly realized they still had no clue what it was they were being chased by. "by something!!" she finished, panting deeply, worn-out from the experience.

Zecora's eyes widened. She gave Twilight a worried glance, then spoke.

"If an Alicorn can not handle this beast, I fear my hut won't help--not in the least." She picked up the contents of a broken jar and tossed it up onto her table. Moving slowly, she made her way back over to the group of ponies.

"Twilight, I do not mean to reproach," she said calmly, waking up the KO'd Rainbow Dash with a few well-placed pokes, "But perhaps you should try a different approach." Zecora motioned to Twilight's horn.

"I realize these beasts can cause quite a fright, but they won't put up much of a fight," she said sternly. She helped Rarity to her feet, then fixed the rug underneath her.

"Now, that is all from me," she began, sitting herself down after everything was back in its place.

"So, what brings you six to Everfree?"

Edited April 17, 2015 by AmberDust

[The Shadow Stallion 127]

(You're loving those rhymes, aren't you? XD)

 

Rainbow Dash came to, still rather dazed. "Argh... what happened? Why does my head hurt?" She asked no one in particular. She then remembered everything. "Wait, wasn't there a monster or something, where are we?" She was very confused and getting just a tad bit worked up. She remembered something about a monster. That was probably what had knocked her out, if so, where was it and were they safe? Were they in its belly, and what was Zecora doing in the monster's belly that looked a lot like her hut.... Rainbow Dash's thoughts trailed off there as more realizations and questions dawned on her.

[Wolfeus Silverpaw 301]

 

 

"Twilight, I do not mean to reproach," she said calmly, waking up the KO'd Rainbow Dash with a few well-placed pokes, "But perhaps you should try a different approach." Zecora motioned to Twilight's horn.

 

Twilight blushed. "Right... I have magic..." she voiced sheepishly, bringing her own hoof up to touch her horn. Why hadn't she blasted the thing back there? Heck, she'd stood up to Tirek, the most powerful villain in Equestria to date, without a shadow of fear!

 

 

 

"I realize these beasts can cause quite a fright, but they won't put up much of a fight," she said sternly.

 

That's what it was; it caught her by surprise. Now that she new what the problem was, they could continue on without much more trouble.

 

"So, what brings you six to Everfree?"

 

Twilight stood tall, remembering her mission. "We're here to find a stone that is very dangerous, locked away in some mysterious ruins."

[Yoshi89 5,293]

@, @@Hypn0ticD, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@~Sassy Dashie~, @@AmberDust,

 

Rarity moaned as she came to, sandwiched in between Applejack and Pinkie Pie in the pileup. One minute, she was galloping to escape from an Everfree monster and the next thing she knew, she was a hoofball player getting pinned down against her will by ruffians. She waited until enough of her vision came to until she picked herself up off the floorboards of Zecora's hut.

 

"Everypony okay?" she asked, trying her best to mask the whimper in her voice. As the rest of the ponies recovered, she began to feel more at ease but seeing Zecora calmed Rarity even more. She then became as red in the face as Twilight when Zecora scolded her friends for running away from the monster.

 

"Goodness," Rarity giggled. "I guess we let our imaginations get the best of us. We mustn't let it happen anymore." She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she and her friends would be more prepared if the monster ever dared to mess with them again. As Twilight spoke to Zecora about the stone, she walked right to her alicorn friend.

 

"Show her the map, Twilight," she said. "Maybe that will help."

Edited April 19, 2015 by Yoshi89

[Hypn0ticD 1,213]

@@AmberDust, @@Yoshi89, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@~Sassy Dashie~, @,

 

Applejack leapt over the bush Twilight leapt over, barely clearing due to the additional weight on her back. She galloped through the hut's door, and gasped as she saw just how close she was to the Alicorn, who skidded right into their Zebra friend. AJ dug her hooves into the ground in order to stop herself from colliding into Twilight, but to no avail.

 

The crash sent the still unconscious friend over her head and unceremoniously onto the floor. "DASH!"

 

Applejack found herself suddenly pressed up even more against Twilight, as Pinkie, Rarity and Fluttershy slammed hard into her before she could move out of the way.

 

She groaned loudly before rising to her hooves, shaking her friends off in the process. She heard Rarity ask if everypone was okay, to which she affirmed before addressing their unexpected host. "Zecora! Aren't you a sight fer sore eyes!"

 

She was sure she was drowned out by Twilight, however, as Zecora addressed her first. Applejack watched as the zebra brought Rainbow Dash back to consciousness with a few pokes as she spoke:

 

"If an Alicorn can not handle this beast, I fear my hut won't help--not in the least. Twilight, I do not mean to reproach, but perhaps you should try a different approach."

And just what were they supposed to do?

 

"I realize these beasts can cause quite a fright, but they won't put up much of a fight.

"Goodness," Rarity giggled. "I guess we let our imaginations get the best of us. We mustn't let it happen anymore."

"Ah agree! If Zecora could live here in the Everfree with no problem, then we should be fine! But we should do our best ta keep the next monster at bay, just in case!" Applejack said, giving voice to her opinion.

 

"Now, that is all from me. So, what brings you six to Everfree?"

"Show her the map, Twilight," Rarity said. "Maybe that will help."

[Wolfeus Silverpaw 301]

Twilight straightened out the map with her magic. "Rarity's right. Maybe you could help us how to get to... wherever this is?" Twilight asked Zecora hopefully, pointing to the party's planned destination with her hoof. She glanced around to her friends, hoping she didn't make herself look like too much of a ditzy filly.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Wolfeus Kindeer

[AmberDust 1,118]

Zecora raised an eyebrow. She looked at the crude map once more, then back at her guests.

"Your mapping skills...could use some tweaks," she began, smiling slightly.

"Tell me, what it is you ponies seek?" Fluttershy stepped forwards.

"It's called the Void Stone," she said, in a hushed tone that suggested great danger. She shuddered slightly.

"Its an ancient artefact from Discord's time. They say it can nullify magic, but it also might grant wishes to whoever--Zecora?" She stopped abruptly as Zecora went wide-eyed. Fluttershy opened her mouth to talk but the zebra beat her to it.

"I know of the Void Stone." She said, in a whisper so quiet that a falling leaf might have drowned it out. She stumbled to another room in her hut and began frantically rummaging though various jars and ornaments.

[Wolfeus Silverpaw 301]

Twilight blushed slightly as Zecora noted the obvious flaws with her map. Nopony's perfect... Twilight opened her mouth to tell Zecora all about the mysterious void stone, but Fluttershy spoke up before she could.

 

Fear penetrated Twilight as Zecora expressed familiarity with the void stone. "Y-you know of it? We weren't even sure it existed, and now-- Um, Zecora? What is it you're looking for?" Twilight asked, dodging the occasional pot that the zebra threw behind her.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Zecora continued to dig through some things, moving about her hut in a frantic dance.

"Yes, of the Stone I know too much. It's magic that even I wont touch..." she stopped rummaging and turned around to look at the group, a grave expression on her face. She trotted up to Twilight.

"This will bring you to what you seek--but this quest is not for the meek!" The zebra said, shaking her head.

("Oh, oh dear," Fluttershy added.) Zecora took Twilight's hoof and placed in it a small brass key, inlaid with black moonstones.

"The Void Stone's trail begins with this--but where it ends, I'd...rather miss." She bowed her head solemnly to the Princess, looking ashamed.

"I can take you to the door, but after that, I'll help no more!"

[Yoshi89 5,293]

@, @@Hypn0ticD, @@The Shadow Stallion, @@~Sassy Dashie~, @@AmberDust,

 

Rarity flashed a look at Twilight that all but read "I knew it!" when Zecora pointed out the flaws in her map. Rather than call out the princess of friendship for her wishful thinking, she paused to think of the situation at hoof. If Discord was to lead herself and her friends to the void stone, she knew he would not make it this simple. However, when the zebra spoke of her familiarity with the stone, it sent vibes down Rarity's spine, some good, some bad. "Well, it would be great to have a little company until we get close to the stone, right?" Rarity asked Zecora with a nervous chuckle. "Right, girls?"