Sparks in the Dark

“Ahhhhh!” screamed both girls simultaneously.

“Ahhhhh!” screamed the ax-wielding shadow in response.

It was Timber. “Wait,” he said. “Twilight?”

“Timber?” She sighed with relief. “I’m so glad it’s just you. What are you doing out here?”

“With an ax,” added Sunset Shimmer.

“I was chopping down firewood,” he explained.

The girls realized that right behind him was a large wagon filled with logs. But something wasn’t right.

Sunset Shimmer was skeptical. “In the middle of the night?”

“We needed more for tomorrow night’s campfire. And if I didn’t take care of it tonight, it would just be one more thing Gloriosa would add to her list.” He did a perfect imitation of his overeager sister. “I got this!”

Now it was Timber’s turn for questions. “What about you two? Why are you hanging out in the woods in the middle of the night?”

Twilight was embarrassed. She didn’t know what to say.

Sunset Shimmer stepped in for her. “I was sleepwalking,” she lied. “Twilight found me and was bringing me back to camp.”

“Mmhmm.” Twilight nodded.

Timber smiled warmly at Twilight. “You’re a good friend. Come on. I’ll walk you guys back. I’ll protect you from… Gaea Everfree.” He made all kinds of creepy sounds and said her name again. “Gaea Everfree.”

“Come on,” Sunset urged. “That’s obviously just a spooky story you made up to tell around the campfire.”

“Oh no,” answered Timber Spruce. “It’s legit. How else would you explain what happened at the docks? And that weird thing where the earth shook?”

Twilight glanced at Sunset. Could there really be another source of the magic at Camp Everfree?

“Come on,” said Timber. “I know a shortcut back to the tents.”

He slipped his hand into Twilight’s, and the two of them walked a little bit ahead together. Sunset noticed tiny sparkles of glitter trailing out of Timber’s pocket. She lifted her finger and pointed it out to Spike.

“Legit, huh?” she whispered to the pooch. “I think we just found our Gaea Everfree.”

Spike wasn’t so sure. “But why would he work so hard to make us think she was real?”

“You heard what he said about wishing his sister would sell the camp. If nobody wants to come here because it’s home to some angry ancient nature spirit, it sure would help his cause.”

“We should tell Twilight,” said Spike.

But Sunset stopped him. “Not yet. She’s obviously going through a lot right now. We should probably be a hundred percent sure before we tell her the guy she likes is a jerk who’s trying to run everybody out of camp.”

Spike nodded in agreement. Oh boy, he thought, it’s time Twilight Sparkle had a break. The last thing she needed was more trouble.