The Mare Witch Project
by LordPlagus777
Chapters
Chapter 1
The Mare Witch Project
By LordPlagus777
“Is it working spike?” Twilight asked her assistant as he fumbled around with a camcorder.
“I think so.” Spike replied. “There we go. It only took me two weeks to learn how to use this thing. Couldn’t you just have me write down what we see instead of having to use it?”
Twilight couldn’t help but to detect the small hint of exasperation in his voice.
“Bear with it for just a little while Spike.” Twilight said. “This is going to be the first movie ever shot in Ponyville! You should be happy! Princess Celestia didn’t send us one to keep in the closet.”
Thank goodness the Princess decided to deliver it by parcel. Spike thought of how horrible it would feel to burp out something half the size of his own head.
He said nothing else as he pointed the camcorder in Twilight’s direction. He hadn’t noticed that it was recording since Twilight asked him if it was rolling, he still has lots to learn apparently.
“I think you can start now.” Spike signaled by raising his hand and swinging it down in a chopping motion.
Twilight started by smiling for a second into the camera before saying her lines. Spike wouldn’t know, but any other pony with directing experience would feel that her face is a tad bit close to the lens.
“Long ago.” Twilight said into the camera dramatically. “Before Ponyville ever existed. Legends tell of a very small village called Mareville that existed somewhere very close to where Ponyville is now! However the ponies suddenly began to leave Mareville and the village eventually disappeared without a trace!”
Twilight walked off shot as Spike clumsily turned to catch up to her. Spike also captured the piles of books on floor around the room which were made when Twilight excitedly went through her library for something to shoot a movie about.
Twilight had gone over to her desk and picked up a very old book that was readily resting on top of it. She came back over and set the book down in front of him.
“Why had the people of Mareville deserted their village?” Twilight asked keeping up her overly theatric voice and bright expression. “The Mare Witch of course!”
She them flipped through the pages and stopped at an illustration of an edge of a forest. Within the trees there was a vague silhouette of a unicorn.
“There was once a unicorn that lived Mareville.” Twilight continued as Spike filmed the illustrations in the book. “One day, the villagers caught her using dark magic on the young ponies!”
Twilight turned the page to another illustration of Mareville ponies with torches and pitch forks.
“As punishment the villagers drove the Mare Witch away, into the forest where she would have to live alone with no food during the harsh winter. The villagers were at peace and believed that the Mare Witch had fallen victim to the cold weather. However by the end of the winter, the Mare Witch returned haunting and terrorizing the village with her dark magic. Everypony in Mareville believed that the forest and the Mare Witch were cursed. They feared her because it probably wasn’t long off before one of their own began falls victim to her magic. Before Spring ended all the ponies had all moved away.”
Twilight closed the book and Spike lifted the camcorder back up to her face.
“Brave ponies that have heard of the Mare Witch ventured into the forest but none have ever gotten to the cave that was rumored to be her dwelling. The ponies were lost for days on end or were scared away by the curse of the forest. So today, I Twilight Sparkle and my assistant Spike will venture into the Mare Forest to further investigate this legend! Perhaps we’ll find the lair or even the Mare Witch herself!”
“W-why do we have to go into the forest?” Spike asked a little disturbed by Twilight’s story. “Can’t we keep filming the book?”
“Since the Mare Forest isn’t that far off from here, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to explore this legend.” Twilight explained.
Spike still had an expression of discomfort.
“Are you scared Spike?” Twilight giggled. “It’s the legend of Mare Witch. All those stories and disappearances were probably just made up. This is a very old book after all. Ponies back then were, well, not as smart as I am.”
Satisfied with her joke, Twilight packed the old book into a bag, slung it around her back, and headed outside. Spike followed her outside with reluctant footsteps as the camcorder filmed the first scenes of Ponyville. He had forgotten to stop recording or he never knew how to begin with.
It hadn’t been long since Twilight and Spike were walking down the streets of Ponyville when Rainbow Dash swooped down from above, landing right in front of them.
“Hey there Twilight!” Rainbow Dash greeted energetically. “What’s that thing you’ve got there Spike?”
“We’re making a movie.” Twilight answered as Spike nodded and pointed the camcorder in Rainbow Dash’s direction.
“What kind of movie?” Rainbow Dash asked in interest.
“A documentary.” Twilight replied cheerfully.
“Of course! I should have known.” Rainbow Dash laughed smugly. “That’s just like you. What is it about? Do you need me to do any flying demonstrations?”
“No, we’re doing a story on The Mare Witch.” Twilight replied. “Have you heard of her?”
“Umm…” Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin with her hoof thinking deeply. “No I don’t think so.”
“Well that was the shortest interview I’ve ever done.” Spike said.
“Hopefully the shortest…” Twilight added.
“Well hey, if you’re thinking about shooting an action movie, you’ve got your lead right here!” Rainbow Dash offered spreading her wings wide as Spike backed off to fit her wingspan into the shot. They spent a few moments doing different poses.
“Alright spike that’s enough.” Twilight said. “We’ve got to go or else we won’t be able to finish before sundown. It’s was nice interviewing you Rainbow Dash, I’ll invite you to the screening when we finish.”
“Sure thing!” Rainbow Dash said. She blasted off into the sky as Spike recorded her until the Rainbow Trails faded past the clouds.
As the two continued through the town Spike spent his efforts trying to find other ponies to interview. He wanted to put off going into the forest for as long as possible. Pretty soon, they we crossing through the market area.
“Spike!” Twilight called out to her assistant who had stopped in his tracks, distracted by whatever he was pointing the camcorder at. Twilight went up to him to get a closer look.
“What is it?” She asked. “Are you getting something useful for our documentary?”
“I sure am.” Spike giggled.
“Good afternoon Twilight Sparkle!” Rarity said gracefully approaching them. “And what is that you are holding Spike?”
Rarity looked straight into the lens of the camcorder. Spike continued filming with a grin as if Rarity’s beautiful stare shot straight through the camcorder, out the other side into his eye, then carried by his optical nerves into his brain, imprinting the image permanently into his memory. She would have blasted lasers from her pupils and Spike wouldn’t have let it escape through the back of his head.
“Why it’s a Rarity, camcorder.” Spike answered in a trance .
“Spike, pay attention.” Twilight said sternly.
“Of course.” Spike said coming back to his senses but still keeping the camcorder on the curious Rarity.
“We’re shooting a documentary.” Twilight explained.
“Would you like to be in our movie?” Spike asked.
“A movie you say?” Rarity considered. “I’m flattered you would come ask me to act in your movie.”
“It’s not really acting, it’s just a documentary.” Twilight continued.
“I see it now!” Rarity said completely ignoring Twilight, framing the air in front of her with her hooves imagining her fantasy. “Fashion Designer Actress Rarity! It’s perfect! This is the start I tell you! I might even have to move to Canterlot!”
Twilight could only try to bring Rarity back down to earth.
“I’m telling you, it’s not that kind of-“
“Hold on just a minute!” Rarity interrupted. “I need to put something on! I’ll be right back.”
She ran home leaving Twilight frowning. Spike wasn’t so disappointed.
“Maybe this trip to the woods wasn’t such a bad idea.” Spike smiled.
“Just try and keep your camcorder away from Rarity.” Twilight sighed. “It wouldn’t be good for her if you’re the only one buying tickets to her movie.”
“Who said I had to?” Spike said under his breath with a smirk.
“We didn’t even get to an interview this time.” Twilight said. “Maybe we can do one with someone around close by. Spike?”
There was no reply.
“Spike?” Twilight looked around to find Spike flattened under a peculiar pink pony.
“What’s that thing Spike?” Pinkie Pie asked.
Gave the lens of the camcorder a nice lick.
“It’s not a taster.” Pinkie Pie said smacking her lips.
“Oh good!” Twilight said. “Pinkie Pie, can you spare some time?”
“Of course!” Pinkie Pie said getting off Spike who hastily polished the lens with his tail before Rarity returned.
“What’s it you need me for?” She asked hopping in place.
“We’re doing a documentary about the Mare Witch.” Twilight quickly explained. “Can you tell me anything you might have heard about her? Any stories, occurrences, disappearances?”
“Nope!” Pinkie Pie replied.
“We have a new record for shortest interview.” Spike said. “I didn’t even get that on tape.”
Twilight impulsively face hoofed.
Spike asked making sure to record Pinkie Pie. “Can you say that one more time?”
“That one more time!” She replied.
“Great!” Spike said hurriedly running past Pinkie Pie to film Rarity who was returning. “Moving on!”
“Spike!” Twilight shouted impatiently.
The journey to the Mare Forest took longer than Twilight had ever expected. Pinkie Pie stuck with the group for the heck of it and the Rarity who came back with more make-up and a stylish, oversized hat continued to do audition lines for the camcorder… or for Spike who only had complements for Rarities overdramatic acting. Pinkie Pie did just about every song about cup cakes and what not. All the while Twilight grabbed everypony she met on the street just hoping for that one pony who knew anything about the Mare Witch, or even the name.
“Do you know about the Mare Witch?”
“Sorry, don’t have a clue.”
She asked again.
“Can you tell me anything about the about the Mare Witch?”
“The Mare what?”
And again.
“Sir does the name Mare Witch ring a bell?”
“Sorry.”
And again.
“Applejack! You should know something about the Mare Witch!”
“The Mare what now?”
And again.
“Granny Smith, you’re old! Tell me something about the Mare Witch!”
“The Ware Mitch? Well sure young’n!“
And again.
“Might you know about the legend of the Ware Mtitch?”
“Ware Mitch?”
“Er, I mean the… Nevermind…”
And again.
“Have you heard of the legend of the Ware (ctrl + z), Mare Witch?
“Why yes!”
“Really?! :D”
“You asked me about it just five minutes ago!”
And again.
“Please know something about the Mare Witch!”
“Derp.”
Finally…
“Is there not one pony who has ever heard of the Mare Witch?!” Twilight shouted into the sunset.
“Are you finished Twilight?” Spike asked enjoying rocky candy he bought at a store while Twilight was busy grabbing everypony she saw. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were enjoying some apple treats courtesy of Applejack who they met at her stall. They were all enjoying their time. If Twilight were to go through the video footage now, she would have seen what fun they were having while she was working her flank off for a decent interview. The footage would have also included a whole other movie about some incomprehensible, disconnected romance story starring Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Spike still didn’t know where the stop button was, and the camcorder seemed to run on Twilight’s misery rather than batteries that would have been out of juice a long ago.
The group passed Fluttershy’s cottage.
Knock knock
Fluttershy answered the door but before she even had a chance to say good evening. Twilight recited, very, very, quickly.
“Fluttershy! Do you know about the Mare Witch? She’s a pony from old legends who lived in a village called Mareville. You see, she got banished into the Mare Forest for attempting to use dark magic on the ponies of her village. People thought she was gone for good but she haunted the village with her sorcery and scared away all the villagers! We’re actually on our way to the Mare Forest right now! It’s rumored that the Mare Witch still lives there and haunts whoever enters the forest she was banished to! Now I want you to repeat everything you just heard to Spike so we have something to use for our documentary!”
The last remaining pony in Ponyville, who was clearly disturbed by Twilight’s story, her face frozen since the moment her evening greeting was interrupted, slowly shut the door, locked it and closed all the curtains including the ones on the upper floor. The dejected Twilight returned to her merry gang.
After a few more minutes of walking they were close to the forest.
“Did you at least get what I told Fluttershy during the interview?” Twilight asked.
“Shortest out of all three you did today, I’m surprised to say that it broke Pinkie’s record.” Spike replied. “Congratulations!”
“I did more than three, Spike…” Twilight said as her legs gave way and she lay on the path on her tummy. They were in front of the Mare Forest.
“Nobody knows who the Mare Witch is.” Pinkie Pie butted in.
“Let’s drop this and start filming my debut movie!” Rarity suggested, hoof on her chest.
Twilight lay silent.
“No…” She muttered. “I’m definitely not going to stop…”
She regained the strength in her two front legs as she raised herself into a sitting position.
“The ponies of Ponyville are undereducated about the wrath of the Mare Witch!” Twilight yelled. “What’s the point of a documentary disproving a legend nobody in Equestria has never heard of?! I hope she exists cause if she does, I’m going to ask her personally to give a Ponyville a little scare so people will at least know what in the hay a Mare Witch is!”
“Great!” Spike said. “Let’s head back and start again in the morning.
Twilight’s mane burst into flame.
“STAR SWIRL HELP ME, WE ARE GOING TO FINISH THIS DOCUMENTARY!” Twilight screamed.
“Quick! Get the marshmallows!” Pinkie Pie yelled her eyes reflecting the fire from Twilight’s tail and mane.
“Well, don’t look at me.” Rarity frowned at Pinkie Pie.
Twilight’s voice echoed throughout the forest. The three ponies and young dragon didn’t notice the deep foliage shifting behind them.
“B-but its night!” Spike stuttered remembering how much the Mare Witch scared him.
“I knew this was going to happen!” Twilight smiled showing her teeth, no longer on fire. “That’s why I knew it would be necessary for me to know about this little feature on the camcorder!”
Twilight played around with the settings and handed it back to Spike. He was fascinated that he could record in the dark as she did a close up on Rarity’s cutie mark.
“Night vision!” Twilight said cheerily as she marched into the dense forest as the other three followed her in.
Chapter 2
The moon was bright, but the forest seemed to block out most of it with its thick trees. There were patches where the trees provided an opening for the light to shine through which made eerie puddles of white on the forest floor. There were no animals, or even insects in the forest. Spike was genuinely spooked, camcorder trembling as he held it. There was almost nothing to record for the time being except for the silence of the Mare Forest.
“And where are we headed exactly?” Rarity asked. “We’ve been walking for the past half hour.”
“We have to find the Mare Witches lair.” Twilight said. “Nobody’s ever been there before so we’ll be the first, but it’s harder to navigate than I thought. Let’s take a break here. I’ll need time to look at the map.”
Twilight unpacked her bag under a patch of moonlight and began to study the map of Mare Forest along with the old book. Without the sound of hoofsteps the forest fell silent. It was an uncomfortable silence, one that would press against a pony’s eardrums. Even the occasional flip of Twilight’s book were loud.
“Why is it so quiet in this forest?” Rarity asked. “Is there not one creature living in these woods? Some noise would be less daunting than complete and utter silence.”
“Speaking of noise…” Spike said. “I haven’t heard Pinkie Pie for quite a while now.”
“Where’s Pinkie Pie?” Twilight suddenly asked lifting her head and turning around.
“I have no idea.” Rarity replied. “I could have sworn she was walking behind us just before. I heard her footsteps following me. I did find it strange that she wasn’t uttering a word, but I was sure she was there!”
“I-it’s the Mare Witch!” Spike groaned in despair. “She’s taken Pinkie Pie!”
“No it can’t be.” Twilight said. “She probably just went home when we entered the forest.”
“But the footsteps!” Rarity said. “I heard her!”
The three looked at each other for a moment, each with varying degrees of fear in their faces.
“It’s alright.” Twilight said hastily returning to her map and toying around with a compass. “She can take care of herself. Besides, if worse comes to worst, we’ll just search for her in the morning. With Rainbow Dash’s help we’ll find her in no time! Right guys?”
Twilight got her stuff back together and was ready to continue into the forest.
“My compass tells me to keep heading northwest.”
Rarity and Spike kept each other close while Twilight stopped occasionally to check her map. Nobody said anything to lift the mood. It was as if the forest was keeping them from doing so. Not only that, it suddenly began to get very chilly. It was unnatural for it to be this cold this time of season.
Giggle
“W-what was that?” Rarity and Spike said at the same time.
“It’s… Pinkie Pie.” Twilight said. “I think…”
Giggle
The noises continued this time from the opposite direction. The three turned right around expecting to see Pinkie Pie. Instead they were looking into further darkness.
Giggle
“I don’t think that’s Pinkie Pie.” Spike muttered.
The group had no choice but to continue on. They were trying their best not to let the giggling bother them. It came from all directions, varying in distance and volume each time. It would be unnoticeable one time and right behind them the next.
“Argh!” Rarity cried. “It’s in my ears! Why is it so cold?! I can’t take this anymore! Twilight, get us out of here this instant!”
Twilight stopped under a large patch of light and checked her map reluctantly unable to decide if it was best to turn back or not. It would have been great if she had a choice. However…
“I was sure we were going in the right direction all this time.” Twilight said sitting in the middle of a patch of light squinting at the map. “I’m not sure where we are any more. Not when I can’t even check the map when I need to, it’s too dark and there isn’t enough moon light.”
“We’re…” Rarity began tears welling up in her eyes.
“Don’t say it!” Twilight said covering her head with her hoofs.
“Lost!” Rarity cried. “We’re lost I tell you! We’ve been going in one direction all night and still haven’t come across anything! Pinkie Pie is missing and probably just as lost as we are! We’re going to freeze to death in this forsaken forest! And worst of all…”
“The Mare Witch is going to kill us!” Spike cried.
“This is the end of Fashion Designer Actress Rarity…” Rarity said softly. “It’s the end of my career! Out of all the things that could happen, this is THE! WORST! POSSIBLE! THING!”
She paused and looked to her side for a moment before continuing, her horn was glowing which meant magic was being used. There were rustling sounds that were getting closer and closer. Finally Rarity’s red sofa burst through the trees and halted in front of her.
Rarity threw herself on her sofa bench and began to wail.
“Why?!” she cried. “Oh goodness, why?!”
“That’s just unbelievable.” Twilight said. “Which direction did that sofa come from?”
“Well it came from that direction.” Rarity said in the middle of her sobs.
“Then you might find your way back if you go that way.” Spike suggested. “That’s from your house isn’t it?”
“Why of course!” Rarity said. “Let’s go then!”
Twilight returned a look of uncertainly.
“I can’t.” Twilight said. “I have to finish it. I’m sorry you got dragged into all this, but I won’t stop now.”
“Then I’ll just go ahead myself then.” Rarity said.
“Wait!” Spike said. “What if you get lost?! I’ll go with you!”
Twilight stopped her assistant from running off.
“You’re my cameradragon remember?” Twilight said. “And she’ll be just fine if she walks in a straight line. Do you think you can do it?”
“I think I am very confident in my navigation ability thank you very much.” Rarity said boastfully. “This horn in not a decoration, mind you.”
Anypony would wonder why they were lost with two unicorns in the group in the first place.
“Then I will see you tomorrow.” Rarity said taking her sofa with her in the direction it came from. She vanished into the darkness and was out of sight. Spike couldn’t get the look of worry off his face.
“At least the giggling stopped.” Twilight said optimistically tapping her compass. “According to the map, we should be able to find the Mare Witch’s lair if we just go that way.”
Spike followed Twilight and the two continued into the forest. Spike however, wasn’t feeling so sure that Twilight knew where she was headed. She continued to check her map and compass, but never did it feel as if she knew where she was going.
“Admit it Twilight.” Spike said. “We’re lost. I thought you were good at reading maps.”
“I’m doing my best, but it’s strange.” Twilight said. “We keep going in weird directions. I could have sworn we were moving in a straight line but my compass tells me otherwise. I tracked down where we were several times, but it’s just no use. We should have reached the lair ages ago. It’s as if the forest is moving…”
There was an unmistakable sound of a scream far in front of them. Spikes eyes were wide open as his camcorder arm swung limp at his side.
“Rarity!” Spike yelled and began running towards the scream.
“Spike wait!” Twilight called as she chased Spike to the source of the noise.
They came out into a clearing and were bathed in moon light. In the middle of the clearing was a hat. Spike recognized it immediately. He run up to it and picked it up, holding it up to Twilight.
“It’s Rarity’s hat…” He said.
“What happened?” Twilight asked. “We just heard Rarity… She couldn’t have gone far…”
“It’s the Mare Witch…” Spike said hugging rarity’s hat. “I know it is. First Pinkie Pie and now Rarity.”
Spike put the hat over himself and hid under it.
“We’re next!” He said.
“Rarity!” Twilight called. “Answer us!”
“It’s no use Twilight, we’re goners!” Spike said from under the hat.
Twilight thought deeply. As scared as she was, she wasn’t going to let it get in the way of her thinking. She emptied her bag once more, the map, compass, and book spilled on to the dried leaves of the forest floor.
“You’re doing that again?” Spike asked leaving the camcorder next to the hat.
Twilight first spent a few minutes looking through her book, then took out a quill and marked some points on the map.
“If the Mare Witch really did take Pinkie Pie and Rarity… we’ll find them at her lair.” Twilight said.
“How can you be so sure about that?” Spike asked.
“It said in the book that the Mare Witch would conduct experiments on her captive ponies in her lair… Two at a time…” Twilight said in gloom.
“Give me that map!” Spike said picking up the map and examining it. His eyes stopped at a picture of a cave with the caption ‘Mare Witch’s Lair’ under it. “This dot means were right here, am I right?”
“Yeah.” Twilight answered impressed with Spike’s sudden attitude of leadership.
“We’re really close! So if we head straight that way, we’ll reach her lair!” Spike said. “I’ll save you Rarity!”
“It is strange though.” Twilight said. “We’ve walked all this time and we’ve only gotten this close to the-“
A very strong gust of icy cold wind blew through the clearing it wasn’t a natural breeze.
“Ah—ahcoo!” Spike sneezed blowing a burst of green flame onto the map burning it completely.
Twilight, who was looking the other way and was now shielding herself from the gale heard the unmistakable sound of roasting paper. She looked up slowly and saw ashes riding the wind into the forest.
“S-Spike… you…” Twilight muttered.
“I… I…” Spike had a look of utter shock on his face. “I’m sorry…”
“Great…” Twilight sighed. “We have no map… and this compass is useless.”
The two sat silently trying to come to terms with the fact that they’re stranded in the forest.
“Come on.” Twilight gulped picking up her stuff. “We have to hurry if we’re to save Rarity and Pinkie Pie. At least we know which way the lair is…”
“Yeah…” Spike said picking himself and the camera up, wearing Rarity’s hat.
They left the clearing, once again surrounded by trees. This part of the forest was different than the other parts. There appeared to be a clear path unlike what they’ve walked through until now.
“What do you think the Mare Witch does to her victims?” Spike asked.
“There’s nothing specific in the book.” Twilight replied grimly. “I don’t even want to think about it…”
Twilight gradually walked at a slower and slower pace. There were inaudible whispering sounds coming from the trees. The cold forest air was thick with a sinister atmosphere. Spike and Twilight were both dreading what they might see at the lair.
“What are the chances of us getting them back without getting caught ourselves? We’re practically walking right into her hooves…”
“We have no choice.” Twilight said weakly. “We have to save our friends.”
At that moment they arrived at a rock face. At the base was a cave.
“Is this it?” Spike asked. “It looks just like an ordinary cave.”
The strange markings on walls beside the cave told a different story. Twilight recognized them as some sort of magic symbols.
“I think this is it.” Twilight said comparing them with the ones shown in the old book.
The two looked into the cave. Spike used the camcorder which was still recording and peered deep into the depths hoping to see something with the night vision.
Twilight put one trembling hoof forward into the cave.
“It’s… to quiet…” Spike said.
“Are we too late?” Twilight asked.
“No!” Spike said. “We can’t be! I’m coming guys!”
Spike ran into the cave.
“W-wait for me Spike!” Twilight said shutting her eyes tight and rushing in after him.
Twilight came to her senses a few hours later, her head was throbbing. The last thing she remembered was running into the cave to chase Spike. She felt a cool breeze as sunlight shined softly on her face. She opened her eyes as looked around. She was outside the cave. She looked around for Spike and saw him lying in the grass, sleeping soundly. The forest looked completely different than it did last night. It was the most beautiful forest Twilight had ever seen. It was even better than the garden of the Grand Galloping Gala.
She checked herself for any traces of dark magic that might have been done to her. From what she could tell there wasn’t anything wrong. She checked Spike too, he was just fine. She wondered though. How did she end up outside the cave? Weren’t they supposed to be victims of the Mare Witch?
“So you are awake.” Twilight heard a gentle voice from within the woods. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Princess Celestia stood before her.
Chapter 3
"Princess, why are you here?" Twilight asked.
"I received a letter last night from Spike." Princess Celestia said. "Or I thought. It turned out to be a map, a map of the Mare Forest. I was afraid you had wandered into the Mare Witch's territory and came to make sure if you were alright. From what the markings on the map tell me, you had gotten very deep into the forest."
"Is the Legend of the Mare Witch true?" Twilight asked suddenly realizing what it meant.
"It's a name I haven't heard for quite a while." Princess Celestia reminisced. "Yes, she existed long ago."
Twilight had the sudden urge to wake Spike so she could do an interview with the Princess. However, it didn't seem like the appropriate time.
"Why in the world would you want to enter the Mare Forest?" Princess Celestia asked. "It appears you knew where it is and what it was."
"I was making a documentary about the Mare Witch with the camcorder you sent me." Twilight said.
"The Mare Witch is a very old legend." Princess Celestia said. "I doubt there ponies that still share the old pony tale. Where did you hear of it?"
Twilight searched around the grass and found her bag next to the camcorder which had finally stopped recording. There she pulled out the old book she had found the legend in. She passed it to Princess Celestia who knew exactly which pages to open and frowned at its contents.
"So it seems that these books are still around." Princess Celestia said.
"Is there something wrong?" Twilight asked.
"What are recorded in these books are far from truth." Princess Celestia answered. "They are accounts from ponies that knew nothing about the Mare Witch. They are ponies who feared and misunderstood her, and attacked her for what they thought she was."
"Then the book was wrong." Twilight said. "All this time I was documenting lies."
"If we documented anything at all…" Spike said rubbing his head climbing onto a pile of rocks near the two. "Good morning Princess."
"Good morning Spike." Princess Celestia replied. "Nice hat."
"Can you tell me the true tale?" Twilight asked.
"It's the least I could do for the Mare, to clear up an old misunderstanding." Princess Celestia said.
Twilight and Spike listened in to the Princess's story.
"Mareville was a very small village. It was there that a very young unicorn decided to settle in and further her studies. Would you like to know what she had come to study in Mareville?"
Twilight nodded.
"Friendship." Princess Celestia said. "She was very learned, talented, and powerful in magic. However, she knew deep inside she was missing something and realized that very important element was friendship. Her journey to learn the ways of friendship led her to Mareville. The people feared her more than they admired her for her magic. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the fear the ponies had in their hearts began to take roots of hatred."
"One day her efforts to make friends with the young ponies through means of magic stirred uproar in the village. Her testimonies were ignored and she had no choice but to be exiled. She spent her days hiding from the village ponies in the forest during the cold winter. The shock of being punished for attempting friendship greatly reduced her magical ability. She lived inside that very cave but did not survive the winter and was laid to rest by the very trees of this forest. Her restless spirit retaliated, haunting the village of Mareville as retribution for their hatred until everypony was forced to leave. From then on, the newly named 'Mare Forest' became the home of the spirit of the renamed 'Mare Witch'."
"What was her real name?" Twilight asked.
"No one knew, no one remembered, not even the Mare Witch herself." Princess Celestia answered.
Twilight and Princess Celestia admired the scenery. The animals were watching them through the trees.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Princess Celestia asked. "Not just any pony is able to witness the true beauty of the Mare Forest. Ponies with impure intentions will only continue to see the dark and gloomy side of the Mare Forest. They must have a pure heart, and a deep dedication to friendship. There are only a handful of ponies that the Mare Witch found worthy to reach this wonderful place. I accidentally ventured into this place myself a very long time ago, and now…"
"She found me worthy?" Twilight asked with mixed feelings of gratitude and guilt.
"I spoke with the Mare Witch." Princess Celestia said. "She wasn't too happy with your documentary at first."
"I almost ended up restarting a false ancient legend about her." Twilight said in depression. "I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am."
"That explains why everything was so dark and quiet last night." Spike said.
"She was very impressed at the way you and Spike rushed into the cave knowing what it meant for you to save your friends." Princess Celestia said. "As funny as she found watching the two of you knock yourselves out crashing into the wall at the end of the cave, it was very courageous on your part."
"Speaking of which…" Twilight said.
"Where's Pinkie Pie and Rarity?" Spike asked?
"They're safe in the cave." Princess Celestia said. "The Mare Witch made sure of that."
"So they were never in any danger?" Twilight asked.
"Their hearts were as pure as yours." Princess Celestia replied. "They were never in any danger. No need to worry."
"What a relief." Spike said.
"I'll need to write one heck of a friendship report after this." Twilight said modestly..
"Instead of a letter, how about finishing your documentary?" Princess Celestia said. "You can properly teach the ponies of Ponyville all about the Legend of Mare Witch. I'm sure she will appreciate it very much. Did you get everything Spike?"
"You bet, it's been rolling since I got here." Spike boasted pressing the stop button on the camcorder Twilight hadn't noticed.
"Oh Spike!" Twilight hugged her assistant.
"I better leave." Princess Celestia said. "I cancelled all my overnight appointments. I better not miss the morning ones too."
With a great flutter of her wings the Princess took off into the clear sky.
"Good-bye Princess." Twilight and Spike waved.
As she flew out view over the trees sounds of hoofsteps came from within the cave. Spike immediately pushed off Twilight who still holding him and adjusted his hat. Pinkie Pie and Rarity emerged from the cave. Rarity's sofa followed her out.
"Good morning, you two!" Pinkie Pie greeted.
"I can't believe it! I, Rarity, slept in a cave!" Rarity said. "But it wasn't bad as I thought. It was very clean for a cave."
"I'm so glad you guys are safe!" Twilight said. "We were so worried. What happened after we got separated?"
"I met another pony who knew where she was going." Pinkie Pie said. "We hung out in the forest for a while and spent the night together in the cave. Rarity came along too."
"We heard you screaming last night." Spike said a little bit of his concern had returned from that time.
"That was because Pinkie Pie and her friend startled me while I was trying to find my way home." Rarity replied.
Twilight and Spike looked at each other in confusion. There were completely running in opposite directions but somehow they heard Rarity's scream from ahead.
"That other pony told us that the forest shifts often so it's very easy to lose your sense of direction." Pinkie Pie explained.
"That explains it, so the compass wasn't broken." Twilight said.
"Thank you Spike for picking up my hat." Rarity said receiving the hat from Spike. "I dropped it when Pinkie Pie pounced me and dragged me away to that cave. Now did you film what you wanted for your movie? Because as lovely as it would be to spend another night here I would love to get back home."
Rarity got her wish as the four followed a path between trees that stood in neat files as if they were guiding the ponies out of the forest. It was the complete opposite experience of what they went through the night before. The birds were chirping and the sunlight shining through the trees made the forest all the warmer. They were back in front of Fluttershy's cottage in less than half an hour.
"By the way." Twilight said as they were walking. "What did the pony look like?"
"She was a unicorn like us." Rarity said.
"And she kind of looked like you!" Pinkie Pie added. "Except her coat was white and her mane was black!"
"I see." Twilight smiled in deep thought as they returned to Ponyville.
For the next few days Twilight and Spike returned to the Mare Forest to shoot additional scenes for their documentary which was no longer about how the Mare Witch unleashed terrifying dark magic on Mareville and lived in the cursed Mare Forest. It was the sorrowful tale of how she was misunderstood and was denied friendship. However it wasn't all about the depressing events of the true story. Testimonies from Pinkie Pie and Fashion Designer Actress Rarity were featured in the documentary about their night with the Mare Witch, much to Rarity's surprise when she realized she had met a ghost pony and spent a night in her cave. The highlight of it all was the true telling of the legend told by Princess Celestia herself.
Twilight sent the camcorder back to the Princess for a stage in the making called 'editing'. She and Spike didn't really know what it was, and decided to let the Canterlot movie ponies take care of it. Instead of having Spike sneeze on the Camcorder, they decided it would be better to send it by parcel.
At the end of the week Twilight was sure that the Mare Witch would be able to rest happily in peace knowing that her story will be properly well known and her reputation will be as it rightfully should be. Perhaps through the documentary the Mare Forest will become a common visiting place for ponies. The Mare Witch would be pleased being able to spend time with understanding pony guests and experience a friendship and presence she was never allowed during her time. Twilight had no doubt in mind that the forest would be even more beautiful when the happy folk of Ponyville come and visit. All thanks to her, cameradragon Spike, and Fashion Designer Actress Rarity who demanded to have her name in the credits. Who could forget Pinkie Pie, and Princess Celestia? Most importantly, the Mare Witch herself.
The documentary was screened in a large tent in place of a theater. By the end of the documentary the tent was full of applause from the ponies of Ponyville who came to see Twilight's documentary. Twilight modestly sat in the back of her own movie, feeling accomplished, at the same embarrassed at that the fact that so many ponies were watching her first movie. She stood at the entrance thanking everypony for watching.
"You should be happy Twilight." Applejack told. "That was your movie! How in the world did you get the Princess to show up?"
"It's a long story." Twilight replied feeling a little better after Applejack's complement.
"How about you do one about my apple orchid?" Applejack asked. "It'd be great for business."
Twilight did know what to say. Geez another documentary?
"Just kidding." Applejack laughed as she joined the crowd leaving the tent. "See ya later."
Applejack didn't even need her own documentary to earn a profit. Before the screening she had set up a stall outside the tent selling her apple treats. The tent floor was littered with the leftover wrappers and paper.
"So that was what you were talking about last night." Fluttershy said to Twilight as she passed.
"We'll not exactly." Twilight laughed nervously.
"I could have sworn it was something about… well it was scary." Fluttershy said. "I can't remember what it was."
"Forget about what I said." Twilight replied shaking her head. "I was telling you exactly what I meant in the documentary. It just came out wrong. It's not scary at all."
"The forest was very beautiful." Fluttershy said. "My critter friends tell me what a wonderful place it is, but I've never had the courage to try and visit."
"Don't worry, I'm sure a pony as nice as you are will be welcome in the Mare Forest." Twilight said. "We can go together."
"That would be nice." Fluttershy smiled.
"Good job Twilight!" Pinkie jumped in putting a forearm around Fluttershy. "Let's do one again some time!"
"Anyways, great work Twilight." Fluttershy said.
"Remember to come to the premiere after party!" Pinkie Pie said as the two left the tent, the flaps of cloth keeping the tent entrance open fell after they exited, making the inside of the tent dark once again.
The credits were rolling very slowly and the last of the names had finished their slow ascent to the top. The screen went black and the tent was now very dark. Twilight fumbled her way around the darkness to the front of the tent to switch off the projector. That was until the screen began to show scenes from the Mare Forest. More Specifically, the beautiful scene in front of the Mare Witch's cave with Princess Celestia in one side of the shot and Twilight on the other from Spike's point of view.
"Did you get everything Spike?" Princess Celestia asked Spike, her voice echoed through the tent. Twilight stopped in her tracks to watch the scene. This was just before Princess Celestia took off.
"You bet, it's been rolling since I got here." Spike's voice said. There was a clicking noise, at the time they thought Spike had hit the stop button on the camcorder. Apparently it was impossible for this dragon to work a camcorder.
"Oh Spike." Twilight heard her own voice say. The camera was still rolling. Instead of the stop button, Spike had pressed the zoom button. The camera zoomed in to the fullest into the background of the shot, watching it suddenly zoom disoriented Twilight slightly. When she recovered she noticed a pony in the background within the trees. It was a light grey unicorn with black mane that looked sort of like a different colored, more mature version of herself. Twilight was fixated on apparition, completely missing the talking in the background.
"I better leave. I cancelled all my overnight appointments. I better not miss the morning ones too."
"Good-bye Princess."
Twilight walked up to the screen squinting at the unicorn in the back ground was the sounds of the Princess's wings faded away.
The unicorn stared straight into Twilight's eyes as her mouth moved silently. Her lips formed an unmistakable 'thank you'. The Mare Witch smiled warmly before turning and disappearing into the forest. The screen went black once more and the film ended.
"You're welcome!" Twilight said smiling at the black screen.
"W-what?" A voice suddenly cried from behind her within the seats. Twilight also jumped and yelled in surprise.
"R-Rainbow Dash?" Twilight guessed who the voice had belonged to.
"Twilight is that you?" Rainbow Dash asked as she rose from under the chairs.
"What were you doing there?" Twilight asked.
"It looks like I fell asleep during your movie." She replied rubbing her eyes.
"I don't mind." Twilight laughed. "
A smiling Twilight guided the sleepy Rainbow Dash out of the tent.
Bonus Cut
Meanwhile, back at Twilight's home, Spike was struggling to spit up the camcorder that the Princess had sent back to him. He had spent the last ten minutes trying to get it past his throat.
"Argh… why send this thing back?" Spike weakly asked the camcorder when he finally dislodged it from his esophagus.
There a small piece of plastic attached to a roll of parchment tied to the camcorder. Spike unrolled the parchment, examining the plastic chip that had come with it. It was a list of directions explaining what to do with the chip. The list began with 'insert into slot' and ended with 'take it out when you are finished and keep it safe' in Princess Celestia's writing.
He followed the instructions and eventually he was replaying a video that had been stored on the chip. Soon he was staring at the screen on the camcorder. At first he could only think about how wide the camcorder screen was and what was going through the Princess's mind when she decided to sent it. However a wide smile spread on his face. The Princess had sent Spike movie the incomprehensible, disconnected romance story starring Rarity and Pinkie Pie, but mostly Rarity.
"Alright Princess!" Spike laughed forgetting his previous struggle carrying the camcorder into some secluded area in the home.
To Our Beloved Reader: This was my first attempt at an MLP Fiction. As simple as the series looks, it's really hard to come up with a story. I'm not sure if I'm the only one that feels this way. However, this fiction was really fun for me to write, and hopefully fun for our readers to read. As I build up experience, I'll learn what readers want from a MLP fiction and create a better work in the future. So until then-
Thanks For Reading: LordPlagus777