Best laid plans...

ShamrockSpring was so glad she'd thought of this idea. She'd hit a bit of a rut growing the same plants every season. It was time for something new. What better place to find it than the Everfree Forest? Of course, it was dangerous, so everypony said. She'd packed food, rope, trowel, jars for samples, and a whistle in case she got into trouble. She wouldn't go far either. Just a little past the edge to see what she could find.

"And here we go a trotting, a trotting, a trotting," Shamrock sang cheerfully. "Here we go a trotting through the meadow green." Even the dark, creepy forest didn't seem so bad with cheerful singing. She peeked around the first big tree. It was a lot darker and scarier than she remembered. Maybe she should have asked somepony to come with her.

Quill Tip was debating with his mind all the way to the Everfree Forest. He had been here once before, and that had resulted in a disaster with an enraged manticore that had landed him in the hospital. Quill however, still needed to do some research on the forest to see if it made a good setting for his book. he crossed into the forest, and began making mental observations

"And here we go a trotting, a trotting, a trotting, Here we go a trotting through the meadow green." Quill heard a voice singing through the trees.

"Who is that?" Quill wondered as he tried to find the source of the music. He saw a pony walking merily around the tress. "Hello," Quill said cautiously, "I don't think I've seen you before, what's your name?"

Golden was flying over head. He'd just finished starting a small thunderstorm in Ponyville and was on his way back to Cloudsdale, but decided to take a detour. Unfortunately that detour had gotten him a bit lost and he was now over The Ever Free forest. He looked down in hopes of seeing some land mark that could help him get his bearings and was surprised to see a familiar orange pegasus. Golden folded in his wings and dived down to the familiar pony. He came to a gentle landing next to Quill as Quill started to speak.

"I don't think I've seen you before, what's your name?"

"Its me silly, Gol-"

Golden then noticed how Quill wasn't looking at him while he spoke.

"Oh, your not talking to me... I'm such a foal sometimes."

Golden said half to him-self half laughing at him-self. It was then that he noticed the green pony that Quill was talking too.

ShamrockSpring jumped a little as Quill Tip spoke. "Goodness, you gave me a start," she chuckled. Honestly, she wasn't even inside the forest yet and she was so skittish. Maybe this really wasn't such a good idea as she thought it was this morning. Well, she wasn't planning on backing down that easily. Especially now that she had two friends who might come with her! The idea that they might not want to come hadn't yet entered her mind.

"ShamrockSpring is my name," she declared brightly, holding up her hoof to shake theirs. "Pleased to meet you! And don't you both have the best timing? I was just thinking I needed the help of two strong stallions such as yourselves. Care for a little trip into the forest with me?" She waved at the dark, ominous trees for all the world like she was suggesting a pleasant picnic in a meadow.

"My name's Quill Tip, but most ponies just call me Quill." Quill said. "I was actually planning to head into the forest anyway. I need the research it for the setting of my book, but I could help you as well. As long as no manticores are involved." Quill half chuckled at the memory of him and Gloom.

"I'm Golden Bolt. Its great to meet you."

Said Golden as he walked closer to Shamrock to shake her hoof. Golden glanced towards the Ever free forest. Sure it was dark and scary but there were two other ponies here with him. What could go wrong?

"Well I've always wondered how the weather in this place works, so joining you two wouldn't be such a bad idea."

Golden smiled at Shamrock and Quill.

"Lead the way."

ShamrockSpring raised a solemn hoof. "No manticores planned," she promised Quill Tip. What luck to have two such willing companions. Not that she hoped she would need them. With any luck they would only be in the forest long enough to gather a few plants and let Quill do whatever he needed to do. Researching a book certainly sounded interesting, though she had no idea why anypony would want to do that in such a dark forest. Still, that was why she was a garden pony, not a library pony most likely.

"Shall we, gentlecolts?" she waved at the trees, beaming. It was much less scary with friends along. She trotted inside a few steps, slowing getting her barrings. They would have to be careful not to get lost. At least the plants looked interesting already. Were those leaves blue? It was hard to tell in the dim light.

Quill began to once again take mental nites of their surroundings as the group walked into the dimmly lit forest.

"So what exatly do you need us for?" Quill asked curiously. He was more warry of their surroundings as shadows began to cover everything.

"So she can eat our souls!"

Said Golden jokingly behind Quill. He grinned at Quill, he seemed to be getting nervous, not that Golden felt nervous, no, not at all. He was at home in these cond-

*snap*

Automatically Golden's wings extended to full reach as he let out a small yelp the stick braking under his hoof startling him. He hoped non of the other ponies had seen his unflattering display of bravery.

"Why for company of course!" ShamrockSpring declared with a laugh. Well, she really only needed them for moral support. She'd become less sure of doing this herself after seeing the forest up close. Besides, pegasi could fly for help if she got in a mess, couldn't they?

She let her eyes narrow at Golden Bolt, pretending to glare evilly. "I might even plant you in my garden," she joked. "I could grow pony plants!" She giggled lightly. This was almost fun. "So what exactly did you need to research, Quill?" She glanced around, wondering just how much farther they aught to go.

"Anywhere would do," Quill said. "I just need ideas for a general setting." As they walked further, Quill looked around for signs of life, but he didn't find much.

"It's strangely quiet," he thought to himself. "Where are all the animals? This is a forest after all."

"I might even plant you in my garden," she joked. "I could grow pony plants!"

Golden laughed, the thought of his head popping out the ground with a green tinge was funny to Golden.

"Haha, you never know. I might just start sprouting clouds out of my mane if you plant me."






((Thanks for pointing it out Quill))

ShamrockSpring started carefully digging up one of the blue plants with her spade. She glanced around Quill Tip spoke. In that case, they might be far enough in for both of them. Now that she was here, she didn't fancy going too much farther, special plants or no. She put the plant carefully in a jar and packed it away in her bag.

"Did you two scare away all the critters?" she asked, frowning. It was too quiet, even if they had just made a bit of noise. Something just didn't feel right. "You need much more, Quill Tip?" she asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"I don't think we did," Quill said.

"How much more time do you need Quill?" Shadow asked?

"Not much" Quill replied. Something didn't seem right. Quill wanted to leave as soon as possible, but he also didn't want to come back for research anytime soon.

"Not much"

"Good..."

Mumbled Golden. He felt like something was watching him, but every time he turned around, he couldn't see anything.

"Does anypony else feel a bit... wierd? I mean like something wants us to leave and if we don't something bad is going to happen?"

"Good indeed," ShamrockSpring agreed, venturing a nervous laugh. She didn't know anything about the kind of research Quill Tip might want or she might offer to help. As it was, she took a moment to examine another plant with a bright orange flower while she waited. It was pretty, but the smell made her sneeze loudly.

She shook her mane at Golden Bolt as he spoke. "Now of all the silly..." she began, when gust of wind cut her off, nearly blowing her over. Now she was no pegasi, but that did not seem natural! "On second thought, you could have something there," she agreed unhappily.

Quill felt the gust of wind and shuddered.

"I have to agree with Bolt." He said. "I think I've got what I need," he added taking one last look around them. "I'm ready to go when you are."

ShamrockSpring smiled with relief. If Quill Bolt was done, then they could leave in plenty of time for her to work with her new plants. She started to walk in one direction then stopped as Golden Bolt spoke. "Why it's..." she began, then stopped with a frown. She couldn't recall coming that deep into the forest. Yet here they were and she couldn't quite recall which way they had come. "Now isn't this a fix," she chuckled nervously.

Quill looked around, trying to figure out which way to go.

"I'm not sure," he said nervously, as a sense of forboding washed over him. "I think we might be lost."

"why is it that everytime I come to this forest, something bad happens?" Quill thought to himself.

"Now isn't this a fix,"

Golden echoed Sham's nervous chuckle.

"Any ideas? Quill?"

"I'm not sure, I think we might be lost."

"Oh... Well, we could always just fly above the tre-"

Golden stopped mid sentence as his gaze lifted above him.

"Remember how I said the weather here wasn't controlled by Pegasia? Anypony notice the sun's missing?"

To say the sun was missing was an exaggeration, but the thick clouds that blanketed the very tops of the trees made it impossible to see the sky through them. If Golden had flown through them, he would be unable to see Quill and Sham on the ground. It was an interesting dilemma in which. Golden voted on staying on the ground with the other ponies.

"I think it would be wiser to stay here on the ground."

ShamrockSpring watched the gather clouds with a wrinkle of distaste. "Just our luck," she commented with a shake of her head. She'd nearly forgotten about the weather problem, but even so it was coming in far too fast for comfort. Well, if flying was out of the picture, that only left one thing. "We'll get nowhere just standing here," she declared, trying to sound positive. "We'll have to hoof it." Glancing around, she picked a direction that didn't look too dark and started off.

Quill watched Shamrock pick a random direction, and begin to trot off. The clouds were very ominous in Quills mind, as seemed to be moving with a mind of their own.

"I hope that's the right way," Quill said to Golden, "I'd hate to be wondering around in the forrest. Well no use just standing here." Quill set off after Shamrock.

I'd hate to be wondering around in the forrest. Well no use just standing here."

"You and me both..."

Golden glanced back up at the clouds and sighed as they seemed determined to make this day a lot worse for the ponies.

"hey wait up!"

Called Golden as he quickly galloped after Quill and Sham.

"So do I," ShamrockSpring agreed heartily. The forest was still eerily dark and she couldn't be certain she was going in the right direction. I hope it was worth it, she thought, shaking her mane. It was my idea, after all.

So far the way had been free of danger at least and she thought she'd passed a tree she knew. It was impossible to be sure, but Shamrock liked to be positive. "Cheer up," she smiled at the other two. "I'm sure it'll all work out."