Night 2 Discord's Everfree Adventure

[Manestream]

Discord's Everfree Adventure

Be sure to keep to the path dimly lit by the luminary bags. If you stay in the light, none of the forest creatures will harm you. On the night when you should most fear the Everfree Forest, a spell will keep you safe—so long as you keep to the path ahead!

However, you may still catch a glimpse of a Manticore, or perhaps somepony bold enough to leave the trail may leap out of the trees and scare you! Whatever the case, there is no going back—as another spell darkens the path behind you, forcing you to follow the light ahead. But the further you walk, the further you feel you are going into Everfree. To travel back, you must reach the end!

The first few hours of nightmare night have passed- but the moon is still rising and there is much to do! The night darkens a little, and the Everfree forest comes alive as the night deepens- all sorts of beasts and creatures, large and small, can be heard in the distance, just beyond the scopes of the lamps. Crashing and scuttling alike- it is obvious that you are not alone tonight- better stay close to the lamps just-in-case!

[Willow Whisper]

Willow Whisper panted, and slowed her gallop to a walk. The pudgy pony dressed as a crocodile wasn't used to hauling tail like that, but Nightmare Moon's toothy grin was a good motivator. "Too many cookies..." She murmured, drooping her ears, and dropping her head as she came to a standstill in the magic path. The mare's ears flicked as someone or something giggled in the darkness off the path, and she glanced in that direction warily. The natural residents of Everfree were many, and some were more terrifying than others. Some of the things that lived here were smarter than others too, and she wasn't sure she wanted a part of anything that could laugh at her before eating her.

She edged away from that side of the path, and trotted forward. Some of these sounds could just be another part of the spell on the path. Just another spell. She looked back over her shoulder as she continued, and hoped some of the other ponies she'd met on the path would catch up. Nightmare Moon couldn't have eaten all of them...

[BlindJester]

Tonight was one of Blueberry Blossom's favourite nights of the year, Nightmare Night. The day where everypony across Equestria dresses up as ghouls and monsters last year she dressed up as a skeletal pony, but this year she's going out in her Shadowbolt uniform. Blueberry put on her uniform and pulled her fuchsia coloured mane back and put it into a bun, trotting in front of the mirror inspecting her work making sure everything was in place. "Oh Blueberry this uniform will sure cause everypony a fright" she commented mostly to herself, spreading out her wings in admiration.

Soon it was almost time to go to Ponyville for the festivities after one more glance into the mirror Blueberry Blossom, now known as Midnight Dove, left her hotel room and headed towards the festival. Upon her arrival Midnight noticed there were a lot of things set up; to one side there was a pathway leading towards Nightmare Moon's statue, another lead to a Mirror house and not to far from it a House of horror. Midnight was going to pay tribute to Nightmare Moon's statue later on tonight so that was out of the question for now, one of the attractions caught her attention the Everfree Adventure it seemed like a courage test. Where there are courage tests there are 'courageous' ponies a great opportunity to scare the hooves off them!

With an evil grin Midnight Dove entered the forest following the dimly lit path for a while until she saw a unicorn mare further up on the path who already seemed scared out of her wits 'Perfect' Midnight thought to herself creeping up on her victim carefully ducking out of view when the mare looked over her shoulder, when she turned her attention back to the path Midnight Dove snuck up on her victim and yelled "BOO!"

[Ashwood]

Ashwood goes into the path winding in the menacing forest.

"Is this the way to Zecora's home? Hearsays are the mysterious zebra only speaks in verse, would be an interesting encounter..."

As he gets further into the forest, Ashwood becomes slightly anxious. All these stranges noises he can hear in the darkness are not the most reassuring. Hopefully hoof prints are already marking the path. He smiles to himself.

"I could have some company soon..."

A sudden gust of wind blows in his back. Adjusting his hood, the itchy pony already regrets his costume choice.

"I won't get a cold tonight but still, this monk robe was a terrible idea..."

But an unpleasant surprise awaits the wanderer. The hoof prints he conscientiously followed so far abruptly stop, as if their owner had vanished into thin air. He scratches his head in perplexity, worried of the implications of such a discovery.

"Could it be the poor ponies preceding me on this path were captured by something terrifying, like a manticore?"

A moment Ashwood thinks about turning back to get some help but he realizes with dread the lamps behind him seem to have blow out as far as he can see. Sitting for a minute he thinks about what to do. Soon a little voice makes itself heard.

_"Pssst Mister, is the witch still there?"

Ashwood looks up and discover with amusement a young pegasus perched into the branches of a massive tree. He looks around before answering.

_"I don't think so my young fellow. My name is Ashwood, what is yours?"

_"My name is Perched Lighthoof. My friend just flee over there when he saw the evil witch but I prefered hide in this tree."

_"A fitting name for sure. Don't worry for your friend, he's probably safe in town now. It seems like we can't turn back without light on our way, we'd better move along. I'll keep you company."

[RarityDash]

Spirit continued to wander the forest after the appearance of Nightmare Moon. Even if she hated this forest, experience had made her strangely comfortable in it. She knew Everfree. She knew it better than pony society at least. Though she disliked this place, she was in little hurry to leave.

Still under effect of her caretaker's magic "costume", her body translucent, her hair glowing and her eyes pure white and still enveloped in her own white flame magic, Spirit continued through the forest when she suddenly came upon some ponies. She saw the unicorn mare from before and nearby her was a pegasus in a black uniform. She didn't see the other ponies from before anywhere around.

"Hi..." Spirit said, as she came up from behind the pegasus.

[Willow Whisper]

Willow Whisper was getting a bit of her lazy swagger back. The magic on this trail had to be strong, or else why would stallions and mares let their little foals like the one she had met back on the path to attempt this? Like the pony she had met who was wreathed in flame, it might just be all smoke and mirrors. She walked with her head a little higher, and lifted a hoof to straighten her grinning crocodile mask. Suddenly, somepony or something behind her shrieked.

The unicorn nearly jumped out of her fake crocodile skin, and for a moment all four of her hooves left the ground as she leaped in fear. She landed clumsily, and whirled around with a toss of her head to get her mane out of her eyes and see her attacker. "Who-" She took in the frightening pegasus mare before her, all purples and blacks, in a streamlined bodysuit. Willow Whisper thought she'd heard something about ponies like this before. Shadowbolt's they were called.

"S-so... You ce-celebrate Nightmare Night t-too?" She asked with a fake smile and forced enthusiasm, trying to seem friendly in hopes this mysterious pony wouldn't fry her with a lightning bolt or whisk her away in a tornado. Willow wasn't the smartest unicorn to start with, and she had no idea if it was a costume or not. Better to be safe than sorry! The unicorn glanced behind the Shadowbolt as Spirit Flame reappeared, lighting up the path in her own way. The appearance of the familiar pony brought a look of relief to her face. "Hi, Spirit Flame... This is my new, uh... friend?"

[Armony]

Although she almost immediately regretted the decision, Stormsong began following the dimly lit path into the Everfree Forest. Once the effect of having seen one of the princesses had worn off, she turned to go back to the statue, only to see that the path had darkened behind her. Seeing no safe way to get back, she continued onward, hoping that nothing too scary would happen out here.

As she warily continued on, keeping an eye out for trouble, she picked up on the sounds of the forest waking up. Stormsong began to shiver as she imagined the various creatures that must be moving about beyond the range of the lamps, hoping that the path through the forest was indeed safe. Against what she thought to be her better judgment, she took up humming a tune to try to calm herself down; if she could just make it through here, she could be back to the safe and quiet of the monument.

Suddenly, there was a loud cracking noise from behind her, somewhere just off the path. Thinking that one of the creatures of the forest had knocked down a tree and was coming toward the path, Stormsong dropped her humming and galloped off down the path. She charged past several other ponies, black cloak billowing out behind her, the hood flying free from her head. She didn't even notice as the blue and purple scarf fell from her neck, being more worried about leaving the forest as quickly as possible.

[Vinyl Scratch]

Nightshade approached the entrance to the event, feeling content with his previous night's bounty of blueberry tarts. He stared at the lit path in front of him and began to trod at a brisk pace through the forest rim. The eerie look of the amber-colored path covered by brush and flora didn't phase Nightshade, as he was accustomed to the forest, it being his place of residence after all.

"Ponies are scared of this? I've seen scarier stuff in my backyard." He lifted his wings in preparation of flight, but immediately thought of how much fun he may miss out on, scared ponies that jump at the first sign of danger? Why miss out on an opportunity like that, of course he wouldn't be doing the scaring, that's the forest's job.

"This looks like a nice vantage point, might as well sit back and enjoy the view." He sat on a branch overlooking a rather large section of the path. While the path was lit, he was un-detectable. He sat upon the branch for nearly a half-hour, but nothing truly worth the time came by, so he dismounted the tree, got back on the path and started towards the finish of the forest's path. "Well, that wasn't worth the wait. Ah well, maybe I'll find something more interesting at the end..."

[Davroth]

"Ah, that is more like it", said Seeker to noone in particular. He had been in the Everfree forest before, but he had never travelled it at night. He enjoyed the atmosphere here. The lights along the path emitted an eerie light, and from what he could tell, they where enchanted to keep the wild beasts away.

That gave him a thought. He looked around, and saw that Blacky had stopped a few feet back and looked very tense now. He should have known.

"Come here, boy." he said. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

Blacky didn't move, which was highly unusual. He trotted back and stood in front of his dog for a moment. He barely noticed him. Seeker sighed. He wasn't quite sure what to do.

Something happened. He didn't notice at first, but now he saw that the lights around the way he came from began to dim, and further down some of them were already black. He didn't want to be here in the dark.

Without thinking much, Seeker lifted Blacky of the ground with a telekinesis spell and flung him on his back. Then he began to run, towards the lights further down the path.

[BlindJester]

Watching the unicorn mare practically jump out of her costume put a triumphant smile upon her face, flapping her wings for a few moments before having them settle back at her sides. Midnight Dove took pleasure from the fear that glinted in the unicorn mare's yellow eyes before answering her question "Why yes I do celebrate Nightmare Night, it's one of the best holidays of the year isn't it?" it sounded more like a statement then it did a question. Midnight began to trot circles around the unicorn inspecting her from snout to tail tip from afar Midnight would of never thought such a well built pony to be such a scardey cat.

"Hi..."

Midnight turned to see a little purple unicorn filly, but she appeared more as a ghost than a normal pony, her eyes and hair glowed snow white and her body was translucent. Midnight jumped back and took a offensive position her chest low to ground as she crouched ready to attack the 'spirit'

"Hi, Spirit Flame... This is my new, uh... friend?"

"Huh?" was all Midnight could utter as she heard the pea pelted unicorn greet the younger one, upon closer inspection the pegasus realized that it was just a very well done costume making her feel rather silly. Straightening up Midnight decided it was time to introduce herself "We are more like acquaintances before we are friends. My name is Midnight Dove what about yours?"