Star Swirl the Bearded: In the beginning

Red has just bought a second mug of cider for both Melody and Star Swirl, he also bought a glass of milk for himself. Star Swirl, who has just had his nose cleaned after taking a massive punch to the face from Blades earlier on, says to Red,

"Thanks for what you did back there, Red"

"It's alright. Blades isn't the sharpest knife in the cupboard, despite his name" Laughed Red.

"Yeah" Laughed Melody.

"So not be rude, but I overheard your conversation about that dreaded bitch Chrysalis rising again, is that really true?" Asked Red.

"Yeah, sadly, I've got my own personal vendetta with the Changelings and their Queen" Star Swirl replied.

"Same here" sighed Red.

"Why? What did they do to you?" asked Melody.

"I'll tell you, if you tell me afterwards" replied Red.

"Deal" Star Swirl agreed.

"OK, back around two years ago, the Changelings unleashed timberwolves out into the Everfree Forest, and me, my wife and my son, were out on a walk, I made it out, but my wife and son weren't so lucky, I remember one of the timberwolves, he was big and one red eye and one green eye, he was the one that took them away, I call him Coltfisher" sighed Red, "Now you tell me your vendetta"

"My parent were killed by Chrysalis around twenty years ago, when I was young" replied Star Swirl.

"Damn, I'm sorry to hear that Star Swirl" Red said.

"Same for you" Star Swirl Replied.

"Didn't you say you were on a quest in favor of Princess Celestia?" asked Red.

"Yeah, and Princess Luna too" Melody said after she finished her drink.

"Good golly, Princess Luna. I'd plow that until next July" chuckled Red.

"Eww, can you please not say that again?" Melody asked.

"Ha, sure thing. Can I ask you two something?" Asked Red.

"Sure, ask away." Replied Star Swirl.

"Well, you two seem to be fine people and I wanna help you with your little problem, and also I ain't got nothing to live for, so I'm going to try and fulfill my vendetta, whether I die or not. Please, it's really the only thing that keeps me going" Red said.

Star Swirl sighs a little, "If you want to, but I don't want to have somepony dying and it's my fault for letting them in this party"

"It's OK, I can handle myself, did you see what I just did to Blades?" laughed Red.

"I know, but I don't want anyone to die"

"I promise I'll do the best I can" Replied Red.

"OK" Sighed Star Swirl "But before we leave for the rest of our journey, do you to stop by your home, to pick stuff up or anything?"

"Yeah, I just need to pick up my back pack, and some supplies, like food, water, stuff like that" Red replied.

"Should we just head over now?" Melody asked.

"Yeah, why not?" replied Red.

"Eh-hem?" the Bartender interrupted.

"Oh yeah, sorry Cletus, how much is that?" asked Red.

"Six bits please Red" the Bartender, Cletus, replied.

Red chucked over the six bits and Cletus caught all of them in the same hand, the trio walked out the bar not knowing that they have been watched once again by Roberto the changeling who was disguised as a Pegasus, With the spell that took his sights over to Chrysalis' crystal ball.

The trio make it over to Red's home, a small little hut, but looks warm and cozy none the less, he goes inside and says,

"Wait here, but I can still talk, alright?" Red said.

"Sure thing" Melody and Star Swirl both replied.

"OK, I'll be back outside in two minutes" Red said as he went inside his house.

"You mentioned that the timberwolf that killed your wife and son, was called Coltfisher?" asked Star Swirl.

"Yeah, what about him?" Red replied.

"Why is he called that? If you don't mind me asking?" Star Swirl asked.

"Well, he was originally just a ponies tale, a piece of folklore, ponies said that he was a deformed timberwolf with one red eye, ponies said he lured young colts into the lakes of the Everfree Forest and fished them out and killed them" Red explained as he walked out of his home with a back pack of supplies, "But I never knew the legends were actually true until I saw him 5 years ago, and that was first and only I saw him and the final time I saw my wife and son, so not only have I got my own vendetta with the changelings for releasing Coltfisher, but I have my own vendetta with Coltfisher himself"

"The Changelings are monsters, they'll do anything to cause misery to anypony, always be aware of that, Red" Star Swirl replied.

"I suppose, well, there's no turning back now" Red replied as he looked at his home, for what he thinks will be the last time he looks at his house, he placed his hoof against the door as he thought of the memories of his wife and son, it looked as if he was going to cry.

"You OK, Red?" Melody asked.

"Yeah" Sniffed Red. "I'm fine, just memories"

"I understand, Red, but we have to go now" Star Swirl explained.

"Alright then, let's go off on a quest" Chuckled Red, feeling a bit more happy.

The trio walked away from Red's house, Red looked back a few times at his home, as if he thought it was taken away from him, like a criminal taking candy away from a baby, the trio made to the edge that met between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest, the three took one step into the border, they all knew that they were in Hell.

The forest seemed quiet, not quiet as if you would be in a secluded area and you can briefly hear other ponies in another area, but this was unnaturally quiet, so quiet that you can't hear the rustling of leaves in the big, dark, monstrous trees, the forest was dark and extremely difficult to see through the shadows, the trio were all scared of what they could come across next, a timberwolf, a poison joke plant, or even Coltfisher? They don't know. All they know is that they had to be consistently aware, because the only way pass the forest was through it, because going around it would take them forever. No one spoke while they were walking in the forest, with Star Swirl leading them levitating a map in front of him, with Melody in the middle, because if she was at the back, she'd be too scared, so Red Roamer was at the back, being aware that Coltfisher could be near by, seemingly stalking him, so Red kept his eyes peeled. The silence was scary as well, but the silence was broken by the sound of a snapping branch, that made the trio instantly stop in their tracks,

"What was that?" whispered Melody.

"Quiet" ordered Star Swirl.

The bushes surrounding them, started to rustle, the first rustle of branches they've heard during their time in the forest. In the shadows, they saw lights, green lights, green sparkles, they instantly knew they were in trouble, then Star Swirl and Red caught sight of a small red light, they were in bigger trouble now, Coltfisher has found them,

"Run!" shouts Red.

The trio ran like hell, the timberwolves were fast, but the trio were somehow faster, all the timberwolves were slower than the three except from one, Coltfisher. Coltfisher, the red eyed timberwolf, barely just bit off a part of Red's tail and knew that he had seen Red before. The trio were terrified once a fork came to the path, they weren't sure where to go, so Star Swirl, who was in the lead, took the right, Melody and Red followed after him, as did most of the timberwolves, including Coltfisher, however a lot of them did go left.

The trio made it over to what seemed like a stone door, leading towards a cave of some sorts it was closed, with writing on it, saying.

Beware, the Diablo Dogs

Star Swirl knew he would be in more trouble, for he knows what the Diablo Dogs are. Large, monstrous, horned hounds lurking the depths of the Everfree Caves, and now the only way to escape from the timberwolves, is to go into the home of something much deadlier and vicious, Star Swirl came up with a plan and said to the rest once they all stopped in there tracks,

"I'll put a force field up, guys, it'll give you enough time to open the door, but HURRY! I CAN'T HOLD IT FOR LONG" he said once he stood his ground and placed his force field.

Melody and Red, both dashed to the stone door, Melody decided to use a bit of her magic and Red helped push it, using his unique strength, the two opened the door, but Red, saw Coltfisher claw violently at the force field, and froze for a while, remembering the roars and blood curdling screams on the night his wife and son were killed, a tear dropped from his eye, and instantly unfroze and shouted for Star Swirl,

"STAR, RELEASE YOUR FORCE FIELD, JUST RUN IN HERE!"

Star Swirl backed up quickly, released his force field and went inside the cave, losing his hat to the timberwolves, he pushed the heavy, stone door with his magic, almost closing it, but one thing was keeping it unclosed, Coltfisher's leg. Star Swirl tried his best to try and snap his twig and stick made arm, but it didn't work, and the trio were wetting themselves in fear, not knowing what to do to get rid of him, until an idea came to Red. He picked up an near-by rock and repeatedly smashed the rock against the leg of the deformed monster, snapping it off finally after about 20 smashes, then Melody and Star Swirl, got the door shut, but it was pitch black. A blue light then appeared from Star Swirl's horn, lighting the dark spaces that surround them,

"Is anyone OK?" Star Swirl asked.

"I'm fine" coughed Melody.

"I sprained my hoof, but I'll be fine" gasped Red.

"You sure?" Star Swirl asked once again.

"Yeah, should we wait until they leave outside?" Red asked.

"No, they'll wait, and besides it's locked from the inside, the only way passed this cave is through it" Star Swirl gulped.

The three looked down the empty cave tunnel, they weren't sure what would come next, well, Star Swirl was.