Adventure in the Everfree

Stormy looked at her journal, then up into the darkness, then back to the journal. She nodded, "Yep. This is the place." she decided, tucking the leather-bound book into her saddle bag. She glanced in both directions before trotting into the dark forest.

Vines hung down like snakes from the trees, roots popped up underneath her hooves, and red eyes leered at her through the black. She stopped a few times, scribbling notes in her book ever so often.

Slowly, she made her way through the woods. She found a few clearings, along with many strange creatures. A small timberwolf pup clambered out of a tree-hollow, and Stormy bent over to look at it. It was a girl, maybe around 3 months old. Taking out her journal, Stormy sketched a quick drawing of the pup. Standing, she patted the pup on the head before continuing on.

Soon, she came across a small circle of grass. Trees surrounded it, but it was completely void of life. She sat down in the center and began drawing the trees.

"Woah!"

There was a loud whoosh and then a sound of cracking wood.

"Whizbang... Why'd you need to test that... now..."

Vastile was hanging upside down from a tree, held into place by a long wooden glider pack. His hat lay on the ground underneath him. The case on his back began to slip over his head, then drop past him.

"Oi!" Vastile moved his head and caught the strap on the case in his mouth.

Vastile noticed a figure in the opening.

"Hmph! Cme ymu gimm a hurf?!"

Stormy looked up at the sound of the muffled voice. Something was hanging upside down, or rather, somepony. She stood, tucking her book away and trotting up to the pony.

"Hello there. What are you doing upside down?" she asked with a laugh, trying to disentangle him from the glider, "How'd you get like this?"

She finally worked him free and watched him cautiously.

Vastile got down and straightened up and dusted himself off. "Thank you"

Vastile moved over and grabbed his hat. "My friend, WhizBang, decided to try out a new gadget... by sticking me into it, half-asleep."

Vastile turned around and looked at his new acquaintance. "Thanks, again..."

"Wow. That's pretty funny." Stormy suppressed another laugh, "doesn't seem like much of a friend there." she noted, smiling a small smile. She repressed the urge to take her book out, as much as she wanted to write more, she had been raised to be polite.

"So mister. What's your name?"

"Oh, sorry." Vastile extended his hoof. "I'm Vastile."

"I'm Stormy. Nice to meet you." she replied, shaking his hoof. "Do you need help getting out of here?" she asked curiously, "Because I could take you. I wrote down the route I took." She waved her journal around in the air.

Normally she wouldn't let anyone take away her history time, but she felt bad for this guy. His friend had put him, half-asleep, on some invention. She couldn't help but pity him, but she wished she didn't.

"No, I'm fine. In fact, I'm... pretty awake now." Vastile gave a quick smile. "I could go for a bit of adventure. Mind if I follow you? I assume you're out here, for a good reason."

"I .." Stormy trailed off, not wanting to trust this pony. "I'm just looking for something." she finished, "you can tag along if you want."

With a nod, she began walking away. She looked up at the sun, noting its location in the sky, then looked at her compass. "Still going the right way." she muttered to herself before setting off. She left the clearing on the opposite side from which she entered, her eyes sweeping the forest. She checked behind her to make sure Vastile was following, then returned to walking.

Vastile trailed alongside Storm. Looking over his should at the wrecked Glider. *Whizbangs problem now.*

"So, what is it you're after? I've been by these parts for some years, now." Vastile shifted his case a bit. "Perhaps, I my be of use in helping you find... whatever it is you're looking for."

"Well, I just want to find the ruins of Nightmare Moon's castle..." she replied smoothly, writing something quickly in her book.

"I doubt you've been that far though. It's pretty deep in the forest, but I'd like to see it." she added quietly, putting the journal in her saddle bag again.

Vastile nodded. "I haven't been there on hoof, but I've flown near enough to it to see the top, over the thicket." Vastile's horn glowed silver and an opening in the canopy opened. "Well... Looks like we're going the right way."

Vastile pulled a glass sphere out of his case and tapped it with his horn, causing it to hover around him and glow. "This should help with the light. If you want it to come closer to you, just say 'To Me'".

"That's really cool!" Stormy exclaimed, stopping suddenly and looking at the glass sphere with interest. "What is that? How does it work?" she asked in a flurry, staring at the glowing object. She reached out to touch it, but pulled back, unsure whether or not it was okay.

"Where did you get that? You said you've flown near the castle? How?"

"Well, remember my friend Whizbang? We both life in an Airship we built, I give tours and use it to get around from time to time, but it's normally moored just outside this forest."

Vastile got another orb out and repeated his process. "As for these... I made them. I had Whizzy make the orbs, then, using a spell I designed, fill them with light and give them lighter than air properties." Vastile tapped one of them and sent it floating to Storm.

"I call them, Floaters." Vastile smiled at the silly, un-creative name.

"With my magic and WhizBangs tech, we manage to make a ton of cool things."

Stormy stared in wonder at the Floater, "That's amazing! You live in an airship? That you built? That just sounds awesome! Wish I had a cool house." she joked, laughing. With a reluctant sigh, she turned around and resumed walking, watching the Floater follow her.

"That's really amazing." she noted, "So you guys are inventors?"

Vastile nodded. "Whizzy is an inventor, but I do a lot of things." Vastile continued walking along with Storm. "That's not entirely important."

"I'm interested in why someone would come out here looking for an old ruin? What is it you do, dear?"

"I'm an archaeologist." Stormy said, "I study history, and I'd like to see for myself where Nightmare Moon lived." she grinned, flipping through the pages of her book. Finding what she had been looking for, she turned to Vastile and showed him the page. It depicted a basic sketch of Nightmare Moon, and her castle.

"I found pictures in some history books and drew them here.." she explained quietly, shutting the journal after a sufficient amount of time had passed. She returned to walking, checking the compass and the directions written in her journal ever so often.

Vastile studied the images. "Well... I'm glad all of that has been resolved... I don;t know if I could fight her." Vastile thought on Nightmare Moon, wondering how long she had the Castle before being banished.


"If you don't mind, I think I'll play a little music, as we walk. I'm not afraid of things finding us, during light hours." Vastile's horn glowed and a he pulled out a Violin and Bow. He began to play a very grand and playful tune, as they walked.

Stormy nodded, "I don't mind." She hummed along with the tune, making up words in her head as she went.

While they walked, she would sometimes scribble something in her notebook, or suddenly rush forward. But she never left or disappeared from sight.

Vastile's eyes followed Storm as she darted about. That's really wasn't his way, he preferred to move at a smooth pace. He'd play a few tunes on his Violin, then switch to another instrument later.

"I'm not entirely sure how close we are, but if all goes well, We should get there before dark."

Vastile looked to the Floater, "To Me" The little ball of light floated to him and hovered by his right ear.

Stormy's eyes swept the tiny book, reading the directions and the map quickly. "We'll be there soon." she confirmed, nodding. She glanced up at the canopy, tiny rays of light peeked through, but not enough to see from.

"To me." she said quietly, feeling a little silly. The little glowing orb swam through the air and sat next to her. She continued walking until she entered another clearing. This one larger then the last.

Vastile trotted in behind Storm packed away his instrument. Looking around the clearing, he found a flattened stone in the center and laid his case on top. He leaned against the rock and waited for Storm to figure out what she wanted to do

Stormy stopped, frowning as she observed her surroundings. "The castle should be up ahead." she noted, squinting into the distance, and checking her notebook.

"We just have to keep moving." And with that, she began walking quickly towards the fog.

Vastile hoisted his case onto his back and trotted quickly behind Storm, The Floater following in pace.

Vastile moved alongside Storm and used a bit of magic to spread the fog of the trail.

"So... Your looking for the Castle... But, nothing else? You'd make this trek just for a look at an old ruin. I just don't know if taking a stroll through the dangerous Everfree would be worth it, just for a look."

Vastile's voice wasn't probing, as much as it was curious.

"Well, I just like to see history for myself." Stormy explained, "I really enjoy learning things about the past, or seeing things like old ruins for myself. Plus, I'd like to see if there's anything written there." she continued, then shut her mouth, not wanting to say anymore. Really, she wanted to learn of any secrets the ruins held, either written in stone or drawn throughout the castle.

And if there was any writing, even if it was in an ancient language, Stormy was sure she would be able to translate it. She hadn't studied ancient languages during school for nothing.