Everfree Introduction

Twilight Sparkle was busy trying to organise the books in her library, the weekend was coming and she knew that it was going to get busy with ponies coming in to borrow and return books. It always looked easy on the outside, managing a library, but the realities of the job had made themselves clear after her first few days in Ponyville. Luckilly after years of living and working at the library the routine had become second nature, though was still no less tiring. A young unicorn had just come in a few minutes ago with a book two days overdue and Twilight had given her a strong talking down to about how the books in the library belonged to the town and it was everypony's responsibility to return books on time. The aqua colored unicorn had paid her fine and left with quite a chastised look.

Late returns aside not everypony borrowed books, some simply came in and browsed and others enjoyed sitting down and reading, but since the library doubled as her home Twilight often felt that those who came to stay and read were over using their privilages. "Spike?" she called over her shoulder to the baby dragon on a ladder dusting the shelves. "Did you notice any other overdue books when you were checking the records earlier?" The purple and green dragon stopped and thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No Twilight, I don't think were any more." She sighed in relief. "Good, its always so frustrating dealing with it." She resumed scanning along the bookshelf and smiled as her eyes fell upon an old and  familar  book...


The Elements of Harmony
A Reference Guide


Twilight wrapped the book in an aura of magical unicorn energy and pulled it from the shelf, opening it up and flipping through its pages. She smiled as memories of her first adventure in Ponyville came back to her. How she had met her best friends and how they had traveled through the Everfree Forest to retreive the Elements of Harmony and stop Nightmare Moon from plunging Equestria into eternal night. How the same book had been used by Discord when he took over Equestria  and stained the region with anarchy and chaos. Twilights' eyes teared up at the thought of everything she and her friends had been through and how so much of it had began with this book, she slowly closed it and stared at the cover with a smile. If Pinkie hadn't found this book I can only wonder how our adventure would have turned out... she thought to herself. Funny how one little book can change so much...

She wiped the tears from her eyes and returned the book to where she had pulled it from and looked at the next one in line.


Everfree


That was all the spine said, she sighed as she realised its obvious misplacement. "Speaking of frustrations..." She grumbled to herself as she pulled the errant book from its slot and looked at its cover. Plain, brown, leather bound with only the title in indented gold lettering, though the title was expounded upon in the slightest detail.


Everfree
Memoirs of A Royal Guard


The violet unicorn stared thoughtfully at the title for long time contemplating such a simple title. She'd never given much thought to the guards of Canterlot, their imposing presence yet often cheerful and healpful demeanor, while not on duty anyway. And here was a book detailing such a guard's life, but the title "Everfree" brought with it thoughts of the dangerous Everfree forest. A place few ponies ever went near and even fewer went into. Twilight herself had visited the forest to see her zebra friend Zecora, but beyond that she tended to avoid the place as much as possible. An encounter with a cockatrice had left her turned to stone and after the spell was broken she was grateful to not remember the experience.

Curiosity had now taken the unicorn fully and with a heavy sigh she opened the book. Inside was a short foreward from the author.


To the reader: you are looking at the lamentations of a steed who lost his way; a criminal of Equestria; and most trusted advisor of royalty.

Please read  my words and withhold your judgement till the end of my story. It is all I have and all I can give to repay my sins. Within these pages is the truth as I have witnessed it, taken from my journals and my own memories and commited to this record. I do not care what you want to call it, truth; lies; slander; a manifesto. It is all these yet none of them, such is anypony's life.


The next page held a single sentence:


To Luna, may your night be eternally beautiful.


Twilights eyes grew large at the dedication. Could this have been written before Nightmare Moon's first attempt to take over Equestria? She thought to herself in disbelief. How have I not seen this sooner?!

"Twilight!" The harsh yet bubbly sound of Pinkie Pie outside rattled her from her thoughts. "Twilight! Come out! I need your help!" The violet unicorn sighed and glanced over her shoulder at Spike who was still busily cleaning the bookshelf on the other side of the room. Slyly she placed the book back in its inappropriate spot. "I'll be right back Spike, just gonna go see what Pinkie Pie needs!" The dragon grunted softly and waved the duster at her without taking his eyes off the shelf. Twilight smiled sheepishly and headed outside to see what her friend wanted.