Just outside the border of Ponyville, a small, traditional pony town in central Equestria, lies a vast, expansive forest. Unlike other parts of Equestria, in this forest the fauna cares for itself; the flora grows wildly without pony intervention. The weather here has a mind of its own, though most of the time it settles for little more than a low-hanging fog over the forest floor. Inside this forest are various types of creatures, ranging from timber-wolves to manticores, and various types of plants which include frightening trees and poison joke, a generally-avoided blue-flowered plant which, when after contact with fur, inhibits strange symptoms.

In this forest amongst the twisted trees, vast ravines, and strange creatures lies the old ruins of a castle known as the Castle of the Two Sisters. It was here that the rulers of Equestria once resided, raising the sun and moon each and every day. However, there came a day when the younger royal refused to lower the moon, thus resulting in a battle which destroyed the castle and ended with her banishment to the moon for a thousand years. She has since returned, the diarchy restored to its former glory.

There also lives an Equestrian resident in this forest, taking up residence in a hut in a grove of shady trees. Her name was Zecora. She was a zebra, a creature from a faraway place much like a pony, yet instead of bright colors, zebras had stripes. She traveled here with the intent to help, but the residents of the town nearby shunned her, shut her out, regarded her as an evil shaman. She herself knew this was entirely untrue, just suspicion on the part of the pony races. Of course, a few had dared to venture out, and for a bit, she'd gladly tell their fortune.

It was said that Zecora was born with a seer's sign, the tongue of a lawyer, and a preacher's mind, all of which were true statements. She had a sense, a passion for the arcane and witchcraft, using it to aid her in her attempts to help the pony race. Using various ingredients she kept in jars on wooden shelves that lined the walls of her hut, she could quickly cook up a brew with some helpful properties. Oftentimes it would be little more than to tell the fortune of a brave wanderer who dared to go to her hut for some reason or another. Her mind was sharp, her knowledge and wisdom rivaling the brightest in the land. Her tongue spoke in sharp rhymes, only adding to the mysterious air.

Constantly she wondered why the townsfolk had shunned her so. Was it because she was different? Because she was a zebra, a creature while nearly identical to a pony yet somehow noticeably stranger? Was it because she only spoke in rhymes? Pondering this, she trotted over to her small fire to make a pot of herbal tea. It wasn't long before a rapping came from the door, interrupting her. She changed course over to the ordinary, creaky wooden door and opened it to reveal a slight young pegasus mare who was visibly shaking, from fear or surprise she couldn't tell.

"Ah, welcome, dear traveler," the zebra said. "Have you come far? You seem to be from a nearby star."

"N-no," the violet-colored mare said. "I came from the t-town."

"Fear I sense," Zecora continued, trotting into the hut and motioning for the pony to follow. "Do not fret, young one, for there will be no harm done."

As she followed the enigmatic character into the dwelling, her bluish eyes followed the zebra as she grabbed a blue bottle off one of the many shelves that lined the residence, pulling the cork from the lid and measuring the contents. The gesture only added to the mare's fear, and she was now trembling uncontrollably.

"For a bit I will say," the zebra began after replacing the jar on the shelf, "For a bit, I, Zecora, shall tell you your fortune today."

"I barely have any money," the mare replied. "I just wanted to see if the rumors were true."

Zecora poured the measured contents into the humongous black cauldron that had replaced the pot, causing the green substance inside to bubble up ominously. "The rumors you seek to find," she began in a drawling, mysterious tone, "Are nowhere but in your own mind."

"I- what?" the mare asked as the zebra, apparently known as Zecora, added another measurement to the brew. Her fear was mounting higher and higher now, leaving her on the brink of hyperventilation. The smell wafting from the ominous mixture that the zebra was stirring in the big, black, frightening cauldron didn't help, for it only made her gag. In her thoughts she was urging herself to press harder, to find out who the Tartarus this mare of mystery really was. So she flipped open her saddlebag with a wing and rifled around, pulling out a shiny gold coin and tossing it at the Zecora's hooves. "Tell me my fortune, please."

After all, what good would it do if she couldn't prove to her friends that the rumors were true? It'd only make her look like a laughingstock. So, mustering up every last bit of courage flowing through her veins, she joined the zebra over at the cauldron and sat down across from her, fidgeting nervously as the mysterious one began to speak.

"Your fortune you want?" spoke Zecora, "Your fortune you will get, but I warn you, it is you it may haunt."

What was that supposed to mean? wondered the mare. However, her thoughts were cut short, for the zebra began to rhythmically, systematically, move her striped hooves over the greenish, glowing substance. It had a nearly acid-like look to it, the mare noted. Soon after, a chilling breeze rose up from the stew, rattling the jars hanging from the roof and slamming the windows shut. The sudden bang of the windows slamming shut made the mare jump, glancing around nervously as the world around her grew stranger and stranger. Another swish of a hoof over the cauldron and green mist shot out like a geyser, filling the room with haze.

Now fearing for her life, the mare continued her frantic searching of the room for a way out- a door, a window, any small hole she could squeeze herself through to escape this horror show. Suddenly, the zebra's muzzle shot through the geyser of mist, shattering the mare's mindset. Cowering and trembling, she shrank back from the frightening mare of mystery, hyperventilation having fully set in.

"Spooky though it seems," Zecora started, "This will help you see what shall become of your dreams."

Panicked, the mare could only nod slowly. Though utterly terrifying, this had a strange, strange sense of being... captivating. Try as she might, she couldn't take her eyes away from that zebra, who was now moving her hooves once more over the geyser of green steam. Images began to appear in the mist, images of the mare doing various activities in a faraway place recognized as a large city.

"I see great fortune," Zecora spoke as the sequence of images began to float on the mist. "Fame and fortune shall be in your future, but you must first dispel the rumor."

"W-what rumor?" the mare asked as images of herself surrounded by gold bits manifested around her. She watched as they showed her in a state of pure bliss, showered by diamonds and golden coins and surrounded by a large group of rich aristocrats. It seemed to be a glorious life, living in Canterlot among Equestria's elite. But first, according to Zecora, she had to dispel a rumor. "What do you mean?"

"I am not a witch, such as in the books you read," Zecora replied. "I am here to help those in need." When the zebra's face randomly appeared next to the mare, the mare's sanity broke. She scrambled backwards into a shelf, becoming a shaking, ranting mess, trapped in a nightmare with no way out. She began to run instinctually, searching once more for anyway out of this nightmarish fortune-telling session.

As the cauldron's mist slowly started to subside, more objects in the room became visible. The mare focused on the wooden door and hurriedly stumbled over to it, fumbling with the knob in her shaking hooves until she managed to wrest it open despite the zebra's requests for her to wait. She now knew that the rumors were true indeed. Her friends had been right; here in the forest lived a crazy old mare who was nothing but an evil enchantress.

The mare took flight into the woods, away from the house of horrors. She slammed into trees, ran through bushes, stumbled over rocks in an effort to put as much distance between her and the home as possible. Her flight continued until she managed to bring herself to a halt on the forest's edge near an old manor, entirely out of breath. Her shuddering had not subsided, nor had her hyperventilation, but at least she began to get a grip on herself, albeit slowly.

First she took in her surroundings, noting by the sun that she was on the forest's westernmost edge. She was standing in front of an old brick estate, towering over the gate surrounding it. She turned around to see that she was within flying distance from Ponyville, which would be about a two-hour trip as the crow flies. This analogy she got from maintaining line-of-sight with the clock tower. After doing this, she began to calculate a route home. She would want to avoid the forest, but take the most direct route possible. She couldn't go today, for clouds had obscured the sky to bring it down to less than visual conditions.

Then she checked herself over, deducting that she was in no condition to fly anyway. Her wings were too tattered to even attempt lifting off. She couldn't risk being mutilated by the creatures in the forest, and didn't want to impose on the property line, so she begin to walk, pain shooting through her every step of the way. It wasn't long before she could go no further. Luckily, she wasn't in the forest completely, for no creatures dared venture out as far as where she now lay.

As she curled up to sleep off her experience, she heard hoofsteps approaching. Then came a voice which startled her to the point of practically shouting and quickly getting up on all four hooves. "Calm down, miss," the voice said. "I mean you no harm."

"Who are you?" the mare asked the stallion across from her.

"My name is Leroy Saffron," the stallion replied. "I own this estate, which is known as Saffron Manor. What is your name, young lady?"

"I'm Sapphire Moonlight," the mare replied. "I seem to have lost my way."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. If you need a place to stay for the night and rest up, I'm certain my staff will not be opposed to having you in the manor tonight."

"That would be most appreciated!" Sapphire said gratefully.

The stallion nodded. "Come on, I'll show you the way." He led her back to the elegant old manor, through the sharp metal gate and into the foyer. They stood there for a moment while Sapphire took in the size of the place. Never had she set hoof in a place such as this. It was old but highly extravagant, with chandeliers and twin polished wooden staircases leading up to an elevated portion with several glass windows and doors leading to hallways heading in opposite directions. A light breeze cooled the room and rustled the velvety curtains, making them appear to be alive. Alive like the creepy mist that was so fresh in Sapphire's memory.

"Walter?" asked Leroy loudly. An older, long-maned stallion in glasses appeared from one of the hallway doors, trotting down the stairs to greet his master.

"Yes, sir?" Walter replied.

"Walter, this is Sapphire Moonlight. She has lost her way in the forest and shall be staying here with us tonight."

"A pleasure, Miss Moonlight," Walter said, shaking the pegasus' hoof.

"Sapphire, this is Walter Comet. He is my friend and your point of contact for your stay."

"Good to meet you too," Sapphire said.

"Well, I'll leave him to show you to your room. You have a good night now, miss."

"Thank you, Mister Saffron."

Walter Comet led Sapphire up the stairs and down one of the hallways into a room just as extravagant as the foyer, with a luxurious four-poster bed and a large window facing to the east. "If you need anything, please just ask for me and I will gladly be of service," Walter said.

"Thank you," Sapphire replied as the bespectacled stallion closed the door. She looked around the room and noticed her saddlebags were missing, most likely left at the creepy hut. With a sigh she flopped down onto the bed, just as a steady rain began to fall outside. She listened to it pitter-patter against the glass window, letting it lull her to sleep. However, as she drifted off for an attempt at a peaceful night's sleep, she would soon learn that the night would not turn out to be as peaceful as she thought...

Author's Note

And with that, we have our first character introduced. Also, why is writing in rhymes so hard?

Next chapter to come soon!