twilight was only a filly when her father left Ponyville. She neither knew why or when he left but did know he would be back in a year. This did crush her but at least she could see him again. Twilights father however well to him it was a different story. He was a very lucky pony to be paid so well and with his money he could afford this one life changing trip. Twilights father was to observe the world around him, a task given by the two royal sisters. Being his job he wanted to study a new land but didn't know what. Twilights father was struck by the idea that Equestria is not alone. He had never heard anypony speak a word about the outside of Equestria. Even Celestia had not mentioned this topic. He did mention it to Celstia but oddly she just changed the subject entirely. Twilights father was self concious that this might be a bad idea but he did have company. Shining armour offered his father protection as he was currently a soldier in training. That morning him and shining armour left to the borders of Equestria with bags of calenders, notebooks and pictures of pony Anatomy.
At the beginning of their journey they could smell the flowers of the meadow and see the fluffy clouds in the sky but as they journeyed on the more grey clouds were visible and the more their hoofs struck hard chunks of stone. They stopped at a forest if you could call it that, the trees were either burnt or reduced to lifeless stumps and the water was a sickly brown colour. Shining moaned , as he was a young teen, about the hours of stopping and starting over and over until his hoofs were purple and damaged. His father however was mapping out the safest route to the border. Whilst he drank from his flask shining spotted a beam of green magic. "Shining armour just duck"! his father pleaded.
"Dad what is that thing "? asked shining as the noise grew louder.
"Extermination spell"! As he spoke they both ducked under a nearby trunk and a high pitched noise filled the air followed by a green gas. Twilights father woke up from his coma to find the tree trunk he hid under was now a pile of ashes on the ground covering shining armours unconscious body. He lay a hoof on shining checking his pulse. " Thank Celestia your still alive"... he spoke in a relifed tone...
