Chapters The foals in the Everfree Forest
It was at the golden days of his rule over ponykind that Discord felt his antics were getting dull. Sure, he was the embodiment of chaos and disharmony. Sure, he causes havoc on the already harsh lives of ponykind. Yet the Daqoniuus felt his chaos was mere childs play. What fun could be had if the lives of ponies were threaten. HOW could he taste the full spectrum of chaos if he didnt relish in a little TERROR!? How chaotic would it be to have a pony swallow the bittersweet death if it was the ONLY way to escape his or hers hellish nightmare!? Discord sat on his throne wrapping his brain around his questions. While deep in thought, he heared a whisper, the prayer of a little foal, in a harsh home, hopeing someone out there could hear and take her away from her neglectful parents. She kneeled there with stomach growling for food as the parents who can barely provide for themselves let their child starve, not sharing any of the food. Tears poured down her cheeks as she wishes for a place where she could live happy and freely, away from her harsh reality. This was the prayer, that lead to Discords aswers, and a seed of an idea planted into his twisted mind. He grinned devilishly as he found his answers, a way to keep himself entertained for years to come!
With haste he took off into the night sky, flying with the clouds as cover. He flew to the Everfree Forest, and found a clearing where he could begin his work. With a crack of his knuckles, he waved his claws, and used his chaotic magic to make trees grow outta the ground rapidly. They creaked as they sprouted, becoming into simple structures, enough to form a town. As his magic swirled around him, he thrusted his claws out, making everything that a pony needed to live was provided in the homes and buildings of the town. He then pointed with his index claws as apple trees and other trees poped fully grown outta the ground. Each tree strategically placed ten feet away from each other and from the tree canopy of the surrounding forest. With everything set, Discord took off again, and flew to pony homes of unwated foals, each one he wisked away from their beds with his magic. With ten fillies and ten colts, he flew back to his reccently created town, and gently layed everypony on the ground at the center of the town. His toothy grin glisin with the rising sun, morning was coming, and with the snap of his claws, he dissappeared with the wind into a cloud of dust, sealing the fates of these little ponies.
As the sun rose, so did the foals, slowly waking until they realized they werent home, and in a strange town. Many of the foals woke the others up, asking what is going on, panicing as they realize they are nowhere near home. Confusion, anger, and sadness sweap over them as they wondered what happened to them. Suddenly, a cloaked covered Unicorn appeared in a puff of smoke, his features well hidden by the soke and cloak, only his yellow glowing eyes gave any hint of a feature to him. " Be calm, my litte ponies, for I have rescued you from the cluthes of your misery, and brought you to a paradise free from the so called parents that made your life so sad!¨ A little red colt walked with a mad expression on his face as he stood up to the mysterious unicorn. ¨ An who are you to do such a thing!?¨ The red colt demanded to know, to which the unicorn replied, ¨ My name, is New Fortune, and it is my calling to bring such, to less frotunate ponies. Now you all have been brought here to start a better life for yourselves. As I cant always be here, you all will have to figure out how to run this little town I made for you all. Your free to do as you please, as long as you fallow my rules, you will be fine¨
1.) Never leave the town to venture into the woods, you will be lost forever.
2.) Never fly above the tree canopy of the town, you will be eaten.
3.) Never atempt to change the weather, because of rule 2.
4.) You can only send mail to other residents of the town, because of rules 1 and 2.
5.) Beware of the cutie mark, death will fallow.
The last rule many foals scoffed at, but regardless New Fortune disappeared into a puff of smoke, never to be seen again. An so the foals disscussed with one another to figure things out, as they remained stuck in the town with a uncertain future, uncertain to all but one.
The foals in the Everfree Forest
The first of many victums
Hawthorn Stomps, now Mayor Stomps, What a grown stallion now, with a beautiful unicorn wife named Chanda Leer, and five promising childern. It was a sunny morning, and their fouth child Webster hopped on his parents bed with delight, for upon his flank a book and pencil appeared, a cutie mark, for his love of studying! Everyone joined together in a family hug for Websters big day! They decided to spend the day together, as a family, at the house, for the joyous occation. Hawthorn, thou happy, remember the disscusstion him and Chanda had before their wedding. He promised to her that dispite what the mysterious New Fortune said, they were gonna raise the foals knowing the same they did, knowing that cutie marks where a good thing. Stomps had a nagging feeling, like something bad was gonna happen, but he set it aside as he fixed up the den with decorations, as his wife cooked in the kitchen, and the childern all played in the backyard.
The Stomps Household was near the edge of the forest, so as added protection, they made a white picket fence around the backyard to keep anything away, yet deep in the shadows of the Everfree Forest, trouble brewed. In the skys above, outta sight, Discord sat and watched for the events to unfold, while deep in the forest, New Fortune roamed. That mysterious unicorn casted a spell onto the canopy of the trees near town, and a grabber fell, and began to mutate. It shrilled as it doubled in size, growning hungrier, and much more visous. It used its vines and dragged its self closer to the town, smelling ponies just right and small eough to feed on. With a forceful thrust, the grabber slammed into the picket fence, breaking one of the panels open. In a frenzy of groans and screams of terror, the grabber used it`s barbbed vines, and wrapped around the eldest of the childern, dragging them into the forest as the youngest two screamed and cried for their siblings. Hawthorn and Chanda ran in a panic to the screams of their childern, only to see baby Soot Hoof cryin near the door and Webster in tears near the busted fence. ¨ Holly Patch! Grinder Stone! Maple Sap! Come Back! COME BACK!!!¨ Crying for his brother and sisters, Webster starting to chase after them only to have his mother stop him before he could enter the forest. Everypony went inside as the joyus day turned sour.
The Stomps family morned for their loses, too sad to celebrate for Webster. As day truned to night, Chanda was still teary eyed as she climbed a ladder to get to the family album high upon the book shelf, her son Webster was nearby. ¨ Mommy, they could stilll be alive, I only saw the grabber take them, I didnt see it eat them.¨ Chanda could only try to comfort her son as best she could, but sadly the grim truth had to be explained. ¨ Sweety, there is no way we can go into the forest and come back safely, there are creatures out there, and grabbers only eat naughty pegusi that don fallow the rules, you know that...¨ Chanda explained. Webster shouted back, ¨But mommy! I know what I saw! The monster that took them was a grabber!¨
¨Hush now baby, its about time for bed, go get ready...¨ Suddenly the ladder snapped a leg, and Chanda Leer fell, a sickening snap could be heard and Chanda layed limp on the ground, not breathing. ¨ Mommy! No mommy, get up, you gotta get up, your eyes are still open! Please mommy get up!¨ Hawthorn Stomps was putting baby Soot Hoof the bed when he heard the sudden thud. He galloped to only find his wife lay dead across the floor, the ladder broken on top of her, and Webster begging her to wake up. Already mad by the lose of his childern, and now devistated by the death of his wife, Hawthron snapped as he realized how real the curse of the mark really was! He snached up his son by grabbing with his teeth, the scruff of Websters neck, and ran outside into the backyard, near the broken fence, Tossing the crying and confused Webster into his front hooves as he stood on his hind legs, holding his cursed son up high above his head. Stomps cried as he pleaded to the forest, ¨Forest! Take my cursed son! I give my son to save my last son! Do not take my wife`s last baby!¨ And with that, Hawthron threw Webster into the forest, watching as his son cry for him, his last words being ¨Daddy NOOO!¨ before he dissappeared into the foilage of the Everfree Forest.
Howthron Stomps fell to his knees, crying as the deed was done, doing what he had to, to protect his remaining family from the curse, a flash of light appeared in the night, and upon his flank, a sheild appeared with a star on it. Hawthron realized he had done what had to be done to uphold the law of the town, and protected his family. He cursed himself, for he was now cursed, but he knew what he had to do. Stomps wrapped himself in a thick blanket, then wrapping his last son, he set out, It began to rain as Hawthorn reach Stone Shiner's home, his most trusted friend in Sunnytown. As Stone Shiner answered the door, Hawthorn handed him the baby, hanging his head. ¨ Shiner, the curse of the mark is real, it took all but Soot Hoof here, even me, so now I have to go join my family into the Everfree Forest. Rasie my son as your own until hes old enough to run the town. Worn everyone, the curse of the mark is real! ¨ And with that, Hawthorn ran, stright into the thick of the EverFree Forest dissapearing forever from Sunnytown, a menacing laugh could be faintly be heard that night along the storms wind as it blows.
The foals in the Everfree Forest
The news of the Stomps family spread, but much of it unknown. The mayor and his family almost completely gone overnight! Except for one, all of his kids vanish, his wife left dead at their house, and Hawthorn Stomps himself ran outta town, leaving Stone Shiner in charge, and a single warning, that the curse of the mark is real!? Many rumors spead about how it happened based off what was heard, many belived that the former Mayor got a cutie mark and it caused him to lose his mind, and somehow murder his family, but regain himself before he could harm the baby, and ran off in shame of his crimes. Some even say he or another family member did it in ther sleep after getting their cutie mark. Silently the parents of sunnytown were in a panic, some of the kids, have also gotten their cutie mark, but nothing seemed odd about them. Late at night a emergancy town meeting was called, by the new mayor, Stone Shiner. Every grown blank was there, causing a riot at the new mayor, asking what should be done. ¨ So now the curse is real!? My colt and filly have a mark, but nothing happen to us! What if its a hoax!?¨ ¨Please! what do we do? I dont want to end up like the Stomps family!¨ ¨Öh Celestia! I dont want to loose my foals!¨ ¨Murder! Why isnt Hawthorn owning up to his crimes?¨ Stone Shiner calmed the crowd, and spoke. ¨ Calm down now everyone, unless you want to scare the sleeping childern. We have no clue what happen to the Stomps family, All that I know is that I`m given the position of mayor now by Stomps himself, and Stomps ran off into the forest, as we all know, he as good as gone. Now for the matter at hand, the curse is real, and we have little ones with marks, and no idea how the curse works other than those with marks have bad stuff happen to them. So if anyone has any ideas of what to do?¨ Many things were thought up, none could be agreed on. Some though if they got rid of the marked ones, they would be ok. Some though to send them into the forest, others thought of putting them in a isolated place, others thought the parents should do away with the marked ones themselves.
Everypony debated and argued about wht to do, but one light brown Stallion raised his hoof. ¨ Everpony! if I may? The cause of this curse may have a simple answer, one that could be proven scientificly! If those of you parents willing to give your childern to me, I will do WHATEVER it takes to cure your childern!¨ The stallion who proposed such a idea was none other than he town doctor, Dr. Coal Patch. He had light brown fur, alburn mane and tail, blue eyes, and wore a lab coat and glasses all the time. ¨ I can only take ten foals though, the rest of you will have to figure out what to do with your marked ones. However if room opens up in my place, or we can build a place for them, I may take on more childern....¨ It was agreed on popular vote, ten marked foals were going to live with Dr. Coal Patch, the others, the parents would take care of themselves. Many of the blanks left that meeting with hung heads, dreading what needed to be done.
An so the fallowing day, ten marked foals walked to Sunnytown care center, the closest thing to a hospital they had. The doctor set up ten rooms for each marked foal, for them to live in while his study lab was reworked with new stuff he requested. A storage room was empited, and filled with what the doctor needed. As it finishes, the doctor heats up a metal rod witha special head to it, glowing red hot, he pulled it outta the bunson burner, and one by one, he brands the foals with roman numerals, each to go with each room. Many of them scream in pain as their fur and flesh burn, the cooking smell filling their nose and making them dry heave, tearing up from the pain. Some ask why he didnt use numbing medicine, to which he repiled, ¨Numbing medicine is hard to make, so we are on a shortage of it, just bear the pain please, itll be over. An so the foals waited for how the doctor could cure them. The doctor ran test after test on them when he wasnt busy with his normal job. He quickly grew desperate as his theroies proved wrong row after row. Other then doing test, the marked ones played in their rooms, or talked to each other through the walls, complaining of boredom. Then late one night, number two of the marked ones was brought to a room where the doors were closed, so the others couldnt see. Number two was called CupCakes, a purple unicorn filly with orange and pink mane and tail. She was chipper filly who would give out her cupcakes to her friends and family, earning her cutie mark of her known treats. The doctor strapped her in to a table and brought her under a bright light. ¨ Hello CupCakes, how do you feel today?¨ The doctor asked, CupCakes replied, ¨Im ok Dr. Coal Patch, whats todays test?¨ The doctor adjusted his glasses and he preps for his task, an array of rather unusual tools nearby. ¨ Well, Im having a block of how to cure you guys, so I needed to look inside you to see if I can find any answers. Now again, I have no numbing medicine, so you`ll have to close your eyes CupCakes....¨ She only closed her eyes and relaxed, ¨ Ok doctor, I trust you.¨
Dr. Coal Patch held her muzzle with one hoof, and grabbed a saw with the other, and quickly worked on sawing her horn off. Cupcakes eyes shot open as she feels the blade ripping at the bone of her horn, the noise echoing loudly in her head, as she screams in agony. Her high pitch scream was deafining, as she struggles to stop him, the restrains keeping her from doing so. As the blood from the marrow spills onto her, she looked with tear filled eyes up at Dr. Coal Patch. ¨Why doctor, why?!¨ She despartely asked as he removed the last bit of bone, and seperates her horn from the rest of her. Working as quick as he could, Dr. Coal Patch grabbed a special iorn plate that was heated up, and pressed it against the remaining base of her horn to stop the bleeding. CupCakes screamed another deafing high ptich scream as the intense pain blared in her head, the burning of the remains of her horn was carterized over. She whimpered in pain. ¨ Why Dr. Coal Patch, why are you doing this!?¨ She pleaded, the doctor begining to get teary eyed himself. ¨Im sorry Cupcakes, I really am, but I gotta cure you marked ones, an Im getting nowhere fast! Im so sorry.¨ He whipped his tears, and kissed her on the forehead. He then got a scapple blade, and cut her torso open. The filly screamed in terror and in pain, until she passed out from the sher intensity of the pain. The doctor spent the entire night cutting her apart, desperately trying to find a way to explain for the cause of the curse, sadly to no avail. He slumped to the floor, grabbing his head with his hooves, his anger and fustration slowly driving him to madness as he racked his brain with the problem. The other marked ones heard CupCakes' screams, echoning in their head as it indicated what lengths the doctor will go through to cure them, but they slept in fear, wondering if they where next. However it could be argued if they were lucky or not, as many of the other marked childern who didnt get picked were either hidden away in basements and other dark places, or secertly killed in various ways, the bodies hidden as best as any Sunny Town resident knew how, tossing the corpse into the Everfree forest.
The foals in the Everfree Forest
Sunnytown`s humble beginings
An so time passes an everypony florished in their new homes. The red colt that mouthed off to New Fortune was called Hawthorn Stomps, he soon established himself as the leader of the town, due to his bossy nature. After figuring out what each ponys role, they began setting up the town to their liking. Lucky for these foals, the dirt is exceptionally fertile, and they managed to grow a garden quickly that could feed everypony. Beforehand, they were lucky to have apple trees in town, but after a while, a ponys appitite likes veriety. With passing time, the foals grew, and a few couples began making families of their own. New Fortune would drop by only a few rare times to see their progress, but never interacting with them, appearing as if he were a shadow. Everypony for the most part was getting along and happy with their new life. With a promising future, the ponies named the place Sunnytown, for it`s bright future.
¨Hey Swamp Hop!¨ Lily Skipper flew around town trying to find her pal to give a package to. She was the town mailmare, and did her best at her job. ¨ Over here!¨ Shouted the mud brown colt with messy blue hair, he stood at the edge of town, a pathway right behind him. Lily laned on the ground with her jaw wide open, ¨THAT! Was not here before! Hops, what do you think your doing!?¨ Swamp Hop rested a hoof on her back as he pointed with the other, ¨I found that this morning, and it seems nopony is daring enough to go throu it. I threw rocks at the pathway, you know if anything that lived in the forest saw a tossed rock, they would approch it! We learned THAT when we first figured out our mysterious founders words of never leaving town. Come on Lily, that aint no pony Id rather be with than you, well be the first explores of Sunnytown!¨ Lily Skipper however was unsure of the path. He wings folded in from her nervous state, he legs shaking. She suddenly felt a firm grip around her, and she turn to Swamp Hop to see his reassuring smile. She then nodded, knowing Swamp Hop to be the trust worthy pony that shes known him to be. Holding hooves, they walked into the mystrious pathway, deep into its unknown.
The two ponies walked the drak and eerie pathway, feeling eyes on them that sent shivers down both their spines. The pony couple held onto each other, finding comfort in each others company. Eventually, they come across a new small clearing, big enough to make a home in. Swamp Hop troted around ahead of Lily, looking about and feeling warm sun beams trying to peirce the thick of the high rise trees. The warmth and glow gave the clearing a new dawn effect, something both ponies loved bask in, remembering waking up to the warm rising sun. They both felt blissful, and smiled at each other, Lilys wings opening up to feel the orange sun glow on her wings. ¨Lily, this place is beautiful! It feels like a summer dawn even thou its the middle of the afternoon! An from the looks of it, you could fly a good 40 feet into the air before you hit the tree canopy, an if there are any Grabbers,just avoided going five feet near the canopy,¨Swamp Hop mentioned as he survade the new place. Lily Skippers memory was jolted to one event of their frist week. A colt peguses didnt belive their founders rules, and tried to fly above the clearing`s tree canopy above town. only to be suddenly grabbed by barbed covered vines. Everypony there chucked rocks at the vines, eventually dropping the colt to the ground. Later on they found out that there are carnivorus plants that hang along the tops of trees, launching their vines at anything that flys by them to eat, earning the nick name Grabbers. Lily dreaded the day she would ever have to come across such a plant. Her mind then jolted back to her task as she tries to forget the the plants that make her fur crawl. ¨Oh, Hops, This came in for you today, a package from Stone Shiner, What did you get from him?¨ She had asks as she gives him the package. He slowly opened it and revealed a shiny clear cystal in his hooves. He than got down and raised it to her with a hopeful yet nervous smile.
¨Lily Skipper, you have been the bestest friend to me, and a wonderful expoler partner. If I ask you to be my special somepony for as long as we live...?¨ Swamp Hop looked at her with redding cheeks, blushing through his fur. Lily held her hooves to her muzzle, completely shocked at him. It only took her a second before she answered him ¨YES! Oh yes Swamp Hop, yes I will!¨ She cried and they held each other as the couple celebrated their engagement together. ¨Its settled then, well get married, make a home here, and maybe make a foal or two as we grow old together.¨ Swamp Hop declared. An so the pony couple got hitched together, and made their home in the clearing. With passing time, the grown blank flanks started having more foals together, and a new generation of Sunny town residents would grow. However for the new parents, even with all they acomplish, there was a emptyness that rested in each of their hearts Their paradise under the sun would soon fall apart, as unseen events that nopony could fathom. lead to their down fall.
