Rest for the Weary

"Time and time again I see good ponies put in bad places. Some succumb to the tyranny of hate and brutality, while others just fade into the background. Yet, every once in a while one of them will rise up and put their hoof down. But these heroes... these are the ones who suffer the most." -Princess Celestia Ruler of Equestra, Address following The Battle of Four Nights, Royal Canterlot Archives

In the land of Equestria there are many towns and cities. There's Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Trottingham, Appleoosa, and the great capital; Canterlot. By comparison, the rustic town of Ponyville is small and meek. It's only claim to fame being it's rigid traditions and it's foolishly close proximity to the Everfree forest. But if one were to look close enough, they would find that this seemingly normal town is home to some of the most powerful ponies in the entire country. The ponies, known as The Bearers, have saved the world twice.

The leader of these ponies is known as Twilight Sparkle. She is a unicorn under the apprenticeship of the ruler of the kingdom, but she is currently charged with studying the magic of friendship. She and the Princess exchange letters by means of dragonbreath. Twilight will send friendship reports, the princess will receive them and give her response.

But today Twilight received a letter from the princess that was not a response to a friendship report. This letter was a mission.

Dear Twilight

I am aware this is not the usual time for our exchange and I assure you are not in any trouble. As I am sure you know by now there is strange weather above the everfree forest. Normally this would not concern me; however, Luna and I have felt a strong surge of chaotic energy during the latest storm. Discord is still in his stone state but that does not mean he is unable to act. So Twilight, I need you and your friends to enter the everfree locate the source of the energy, and if what you find is potentailly threatening to equestria, bring it with you to Canterlot upon your return.

The fate of Equestria may rest on you and your friends yet again.

-Celestia

Twilight put the scroll down and yelled for Spike.

"Alright girls, we have a lot to do today!" Twilight said as she smiled at her friends, "As you all know, there has been strange weather above this everfree for quite some time now. But just this morning I received a letter from the princess telling me that there was a large surge of chaotic magic. That's the same kind that Discord uses. Now don't worry, he's still locked up, but Celestia wants us to find the source of the energy and retrieve it. Any questions?"

Spike raised his claw.

"No Spike, you can't come."

Spike put his claw down and walked out of the room without a word.

Twilight blinked, "Well, that was odd." she said. Twilight looked around the room to her assorted friends. Rainbow Dash had a confident smirk as she hovered in the middle of the room, Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down on a exercise ball she had somehow procured, Applejack was by Twilight's side looking expectant, and Rarity was polishing her hooves as she waited.

"Wait, where's Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash's ears pricked up, "I thought you sent her somewhere." she said.

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, she wasn't at her cottage so I thought she left before me. Then she wasn't here so I assumed you sent her to do something."

Twilight's scrunched up her brow, "She was never here. are you sure she wasn't home?"

Rainbow nodded.

"OH, OH, What if she went in the everfree by herself?" Pinkie asked while she bounced.

Rarity gasped, "Oh no! Poor Fluttershy's trapped in the everfree with all of those terrible creatures! Not to mention all the mud!" she visibly shivered.

"Now hold on everypony," Applejack spoke up, "Ah'm sure there's a simple reason Fluttershy wasn't home. She could have been out gettin' food for her animal friends. Heck, she could be back at her cottage right now!"

"Applejack's right," Twilight soothed her friends, "she was probably just out for a bit. Let's just visit her cottage before we head into the everfree."

All the ponies in the room looked satisfied.

"OK ladies, let's go!"

The five ponies approached the small cottage on the outskirts of the forest. The gravel crunched under their hooves as they made their way up the path. The building was dark, but the chirping of birds and other various creatures could be heard from the outside. Twilight approached the door and knocked lightly. After a few moments the door to the cottage swung open revealing a small white rabbit.

Twilight turned to her friends, "Hey, it's Angel!" she turned back to the bunny in the doorway, "Is Fluttershy here?"

The bunny shook his head.

"Do you know where she is?" she asked the bunny.

The bunny nodded.

"Can you tell us?"

The bunny shook his head.

Twilight's ears drooped, "Why?"

Angel bunny silently snickered as he slammed the door in the unicorns face, causing her to fall onto her haunches.

Twilight sat there rubbing her nose for a moment before getting up. When she was satisfied it wasn't broken from the force of a bunny slamming a door, she faced her giggling friends with her slightly bruised dignity, "Well, just look around everypony. Maybe there's some clues." Twilight ordered.

The assorted ponies searched the land surrounding the cottage. The sun was disappearing behind the horizon when somepony spoke up, "Gals! Look at this!" Pinkie exclaimed while she looked intently at the ground near Fluttershy's garden.

"Hoofprints!" Applejack exclaimed as they neared the spot Pinkie was licking for reasons unknown, "And they're headin' right into..."

"The everfree forest!"