Chapter 2: A frightful encounter The scenery was most frightening as Twilight cautiously stepped her way through the Everfree Forest, a beige basket filled with green herbs clutched tightly in her teeth. Her head turned quickly as the soft shrill of an owl whistled through her keen ears. Nearly every sound made by any creature made Twilight jump out of her skin. The appearance of the Everfree Forest itself was enough to make even the bravest stallion worried for his safety. Dark shadows loomed in the trees, as thin, sharp branches hung down, stinging your face as you journeyed. A sickening odor of salt, greens, and what seemed to be dead bodies hung thick over the forest. The ground was also soft, sometimes pulling you down into the ground. “Thank Celestia,” Twilight breathed as golden sunshine streamed through the brush, a sign of home. She was about to jump over a rotting log, when without warning, a dark shadow sprung from the trees, standing boldly before Twilight. At first, she was terrified, but realizing who this strange pony was, she breathed outward with relief. “Oh, Trixie! I’m so glad it’s just you.” Trixie’s eyes lowered slowly, her cold eyes glaring deeply into Twilight’s. She shut her eyes tightly as she omitted power through her horn. The magic sprung over to the rotten log, lifting it, and throwing it into the forest. “Well, Trixie, that’s not bad at all,” Twilight said as a warm smile spread across her lips. “We have barely begun, Twilight,” Trixie hissed as she used her horn once more to lift Twilight into the air, throwing her into a tree so forcefully that the tree nearly split in two. Twilight’s head trickled hot blood, a throbbing pain pounding onto her brain. She could barely stand up, but she didn’t have time to as Trixie forced her to the ground again with her front hooves. “Now, run before I tear your body to pieces!” Trixie growled with malice through her clenched teeth. Twilight stood up, now fully able to, she took a few steps backward as she gazed with absolute horror at the nightmare Trixie had become. She nearly flew through the forest with all her might, tripping and cutting her cheeks several times before she arrived in Ponyville, finally collapsing onto the ground. “This cannot be true…”