Arthur the Alicorn

"It's been two years since my best friend Twilight Sparkle was assimilated into The Order of Equestrian Rulers. The four princesses have worked unceasingly to keep our beautiful country safe. Yes, they have done an outstanding job, and I am glad that our lives aren't filled with chaos and despair...but something is not right."

"It all started two weeks ago. The ground shook with a mighty tremor. Very few were injured, thankfully. I flew up to the sky to get a better look at what was going on; this quake did not have a natural cause; I could feel it. Once in the air, I scanned the surface. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but when I looked to the Everfree Forest, I saw it. It was two large red eyes, staring up at me from the trees. I tried to get a closer look, but the figure vanished before I could get within twenty feet of it."

"I still can't get that image out of my head."

"I consulted Zecora. She assured me that everything was normal in the forest and that I should quit worrying. I took her word for it and went back to normal life."

"Since then, life has been very dull. I'm bored out of my mind. People say I just need to loosen up and have a good time...I have absolutely no idea what that means. I wish something cool would happen. I want something new and brilliant that would change my life forever, instead of constant suspicions of an eerie presence in the forest."

Rainbow Dash reached forward and hit the RECORD button to stop the video. She then attached the camera to her laptop computer, uploaded the video, and posted it on her video blog. She appreciated modern technology. Closing the computer, she walked to the window of her floating cloud house and peered outside at the gray world below. It was business as usual; ponies rushed to and fro, purchasing from various markets. Rarity was out enjoying the warm weather at an umbrella-clad picnic table; Spike was watching her from a tree, with an unnerving expression on his face. Dash laughed at the thought. Out at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was doing her usual routine: applebucking, plowing, milking, and so on. It was a normal (but cloudy) spring day at Ponyville. For once in a long time, Rainbow smiled, even though there was nothing to smile about. She opened her door and flew out to get some fresh air. The wind felt wonderful on her face; maybe she wasn't so depressed after all. She flew up, up, up and into the heavens.

Here begins the story...