Everfree Meltdown

Everfree Meltdown

A Fanfic by Furzfänger

Prologue

It had been almost a year since the reactor began operation. True, it had been quite costly, but with the energy that it provided for Equestria, it was all worth it.

It was a fine Spring afternoon, and the plant workers had just returned from their lunch break. One stallion, named Ramrod, had just returned to his station when he noticed something unusual. The core’s temperature nearly 400 degrees over its acceptable range.

“Sweet Celestia!”, yelled the now alert pony.

Radiation was quickly seeping into the room. His eyes widened in shock, as he sounded the alarm, warning all employees that the reactor was about to blow. Everypony quickly put on their gas masks, hoping for protection against the hazardous fallout. Unfortunately, it would be too late for all of them.

Chapter 1: Aftermath

Fluttershy was returning home from Sweet Apple Acres late that evening, due to it being Applejack’s birthday. There had been all of the typical festivities a pony would expect, balloons, punch, dancing, cake. All of which was provided by Pinkie Pie of course.

“Oh my... I think I ate too much cake.”, muttered the yellow pegasus to herself. Little did she know, the stomach ache would be the least of her worries that night.

She had finally reached the door of her isolated cottage, when she heard a distant moan. It sounded as though it was crying out in pain.

“Who’s there!?”, exclaimed the timid pony as she bolted inside.

Just as she was about to lock the door, she thought to herself, Maybe it’s an animal in trouble. With the welfare of all creatures being her passion, she mustered up the courage to approach the noise. She quickly threw open the door, and ran in the general direction that the moaning had come from. She found herself walking straight into the infamous Everfree Forest.

"Oh no...", Fluttershy said to herself.

After several minutes of galloping down the dark forest path, she found the source of the cries for help. It was none other than her reclusive friend, Zecora the zebra.

“Oh Zecora! Are you alright?!”, squeaked the pegasus.

Zecora gave her a terrifying look of despair. “Oh my dear sweet Fluttershy... I do believe I am to die.”

Fluttershy was now overcome with fear. “I... I... I’m going to get help!”, said the pony, attempting to comfort her wounded friend.

After a few raspy breaths, the zebra was able to form her final words. “My time in Equestria is done... All I ask... is that you run.” Zecora’s breathing grew fainter and fainter, until her body fell lifeless on the cold forest floor.

Poor Fluttershy now found herself flying with new found speed back towards Ponyville. Never had she seen another pony die before. The tears poured down her cheeks. No matter how hard she tried, she could not muster up the courage to let out a scream for help. She thought manically to herself, What am I going to do!? Where am I going to go!? She decided that if anypony knew what to do, it would be her friend Twilight Sparkle. She flew with all of her strength towards the library, the home of the lavender unicorn.

As usual, Twilight was up late studying. “Twilight, don’t you think you should go to bed soon?”, asked Spike.

Twilight gave him an irritated look. “I can’t go to bed now Spike, I’ve almost figured out how to do this spell."

“But you’ve been doing it perfectly for the past half hour.”, Spike groaned.

“Practice makes perfect Spike. Practice makes perfect.”, chirped Twilight merrily.

Suddenly, the front door was assaulted by a wave of swift knocking. “I wonder who that could be.”, said the puzzled unicorn. She trotted down the stairs towards the entry room. After unlocking the door, she was met with a familiar yellow pegasus. But something was wrong. All of the life seemed to have been drained from the poor pony’s face.

“Fluttershy? What’s wrong?”, asked a concerned Twilight. Her friend did not answer. “Are you alright? Did something happen?!” Fluttershy nodded, as more tears fell from her eyes.

After a few minutes, Twilight finally managed to calm down her winged friend. “Alright Fluttershy, now I want you to tell me... What happened?”

The pegasus whimpered, “Zecora...”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, “What about Zecora?”

“She’s dead Twi...", Fluttershy wheezed. "She’s dead.” The pegasus collapsed over her friend’s shoulder, tears still streaming.

“Oh Fluttershy...”, said Twilight, as she embraced her trembling friend.

“Spike, take a letter.”, Twilight commanded solemnly. “I need you to alert the Princess of this tragedy.”

“I’m on it.”, replied the nervous dragon.

Now Twilight was wondering to herself, “What could have happened to her?” The death of somepony as young as Zecora was scarcely thought to happen in Ponyville. “Who would have done such a thing?” Twilight had decided then and there, that she must go see her deceased friend. “Fluttershy, I know that this is very hard for you... But I need to know where you found her.”

The pegasus swallowed, “I... I found her on the ground not too far from her hut in the forest.” The pegasus pointed her glance to the floor.

“Fluttershy, you stay here with Spike. I’m going to get the others and find out what’s going on here.”, Twilight said. Once she made sure Fluttershy was nice and calm on her sofa, Twilight departed from her library to get her friends.

After alerting the four other ponies of the situation at hand, Twilight led them all towards Fluttershy’s empty cottage.

“Are you sure that Zecora’s dead Twilight? I mean, this is Fluttershy we are talking about here.”, spouted the cyan pegasus.

“Rainbow... with the look I saw in her eyes, there is no doubt in my mind that what she saw was real.”, answered Twilight with almost no emotion. “Remember girls, what we may find in here won’t be pleasant. If anypony wants to turn back, now is the time.” The four ponies looked at one another, giving no reply. “Then let’s go.”

The five mares had been walking down the dark forest path for several minutes. Fears of timberwolves were racing through their minds.

“Twilight darling, are you sure this is the right way to Zecora’s house?”, asked the pale unicorn.

“Yes Rarity, I'm sure. I couldn’t forget a path like this.”, replied Twilight.

Rarity looked around. “Well, I’d hate to remember a dreaded place like this.”, she said, gesturing to the hordes of dead trees.

Just then, Twilight noticed an eerie orange glow in the distance. “Girls, it looks like there’s a fire way over there.” They all moved cautiously towards the source of the light.

“Stop right there!”, exclaimed a muffled voice.

“Who goes there?!”, yelled a defensive Rainbow Dash.

“I’ll be the one asking the questions here little filly!”

Rainbow then ignited into a rage. But before she could attack the stranger, she was tackled by both Applejack and Pinkie Pie. “Lemme at him!! Lemme at him!!” The strange pony shook his head.

“I’m sorry sir. But what is going on over there?”, asked Twilight.

The stallion stepped out of the darkness, dressed in a full hazmat uniform. “That is classified information ma’am, and you are all trespassing on Royal Canterlot property.”

Twilight gave a look of confusion. “But I thought that the Everfree Forest was public land.”

The hazmat pony turned his gaze to the distant glow. “Not anymore. There has been an... accident.”

“What kind of accident?”, questioned Twilight.

“That information remains, as of now... classified.", barked the pony in the suit. "I must ask that you young mares return to where you came from at once.” Reluctantly, the five ponies complied.

“Somethin’ awful must have happened back there!”, exclaimed Applejack. The other four nodded their heads in agreement.

“Twilight! You’ve gotta ask the Princess what’s going on out here!”, cried a worried Pinkie Pie.

“You’re right Pinkie.”, replied Twilight. “The Princess will know what happened.”

Fear was dwelling within each of them at this point, for fear of a new evil, that they would have to face. They made their way out of the forest, and began walking back to the library.

"Somethin' ain't right around here.", Applejack stated. "Not right at all." The five friends continued silently in the direction of the library.