Ch 2

“What do I see with my eyes of blue? / Here I ask, ‘what are… you...’,” Zecora asked before trailing off. Her eyes grew wide upon seeing the writhing mass that was Rook. It only took Rook a second to assume the appearance of a large beast made purely of shadows. Zecora, witnessing the creature from her foal-hood nightmares, panicked. Her hooves thundered through the forest, knowing every hoof step lured the ravenous beast closer to her.

Reaching the path that connected her home to Ponyville, she was horrified to encounter Apple Bloom. “RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, APPLE BLOOM! / ELSE WE WILL SURELY MEET OUR DOOM!” Zecora screamed at the filly. Apple Bloom, who had been returning from Zecora’s hut, turned to look at her friend, but quickly regretted it. The shadow beast was only a few steps behind the fleeing zebra. The small filly turned and ran down the path as fast as she could, her mentor just behind her.

Rook, prisoner to his own body, could only watch in horror as his beastly body charged after the fleeing pair. Faster and faster they ran down the trail, the thunder of hooves and the thumps of paws scaring the wildlife. As the chase progressed, Rook noticed something strange. His body would always stay exactly the same distance from the closest of the two. If they slowed, he slowed. If they speed up, he did too. It occurred to Rook that his body is intentionally trying to SCARE them, not KILL them. This fact, unfortunately, did nothing to solve their current predicament.

The pair and their pursuer reached the edge of the forest and entered the town of Ponyville. Considering the time of night, it was no surprise that there were no ponies out on the streets. Apple Bloom, seeing no one who could help her, instinctively tuned to find the safest place every child knew: home.

The pony and zebra were quickly exhausting themselves, and Rook drew closer. His body made a swipe at Zecora, the claw tip drawing a thin line of blood from her flank. She gave a yelp, and sprinted faster. Upon reaching the farm, Zecora had an idea. “Let’s lead the shade to the barn / where we lock it and save us harm,” she explained to the frightened Apple Bloom, who nodded in response.

‘Please do,’ Rook thought, ‘I don’t want to chase you anymore.’

Mercifully, the barn doors were open. They raced to the entrance, where at the last minute, the equines jumped to the side. Rook, using the little influence he had, ensured that the shadow beast continued inside. The barn doors slammed shut and the outside latch was fastened into place. The shade released a roar far louder than its already formidable size would imply, before returning control to Rook.

He then collapsed on the ground, more emotionally exhausted than physically. Rook silently began to cry to himself. He was a monster! Rook had just terrified two of his favorite characters in the show, and he couldn’t even apologize. If they came back in, he would only try to attack them again.

Outside, Rook heard Zecora and Apple Bloom panting with exhaustion. “What… *huff* was…*huff* that… *huff* Zecora?” the filly asked.

“A creature from my foal-hood nightmares, young Apple Bloom,” Zecora replied, “It filled my sleep with such doom and gloom.”

“Ya mean, that was from a nightmare?” she asked.

“Yes, this creature should not be real. / Why, I ask, was it on our heel?”

Rook was about to call from within the barn to answer them, but was interrupted by the arrival of the red and orange farmers. “What the hay is goin’ on out here! Apple Bloom, Zecora? We heard a roar from out here. Whatever that fella was, it’s somthin’ fierce. Y’all alright?”

“We are now, dear Applejack, / but we were just under attack. A nightmarish creature is trapped in there,” Zecora said, pointing to the barn, “It cut me and gave us a scare.” AJ frowned, her brow creased with worry.

During Zecora’s explanation, Big Macintosh had walked over to the barn and began to lift the latch. Apple Bloom noticed, but her warning came too late. The barn was enveloped in fire the moment the stallion looked in. The door continued to swing open, revealing two burning ponies to the group. Ponies that the Apple siblings recognized as their late parents.

“Big Mac, WHY?” the mare asked.

“WHY DID YOU DO IT?” the stallion asked.

“YOU KILLED US!”

“YOU BURNT US ALIVE!”

“YOU COULD HAVE SAVED US. YOU COULD HAVE PULLED US OUT”

“YOU CAUSED THE FIRE THAT KILLED US!”

“YOU LIED TO YOUR SISTERS. YOU TOLD THEM IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! THAT THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD DO!”

“YOU’RE THE REASON WE’RE DEAD! WE HAVE TO BURN FOR ALL ETERNITY BECAUSE OF YOU!”

“WE HATE YOU, BIG MACINTOSH!” the burning couple wailed. The elder of the Apple siblings cried out in anguish, being tormented by his deceased parents. The full weight of what they were saying slowly sank its way into the minds of the Apple sisters.

Zecora, however, moved to shut the flaming barn doors. The instant their tormenter was out of sight, the flames covering the barn extinguished themselves. The barn itself showed no signs of damage. Big Mac, however, was curled up in a fetal position, muttering over and over, “Ah’m sorry Ma. Ah’m sorry Pa.”

“It is as I thought, this beast is our fear. / Whomever sees it has their horrors made clear,” Zecora explained.

“You mean it’s not real?” Applejack asked, thoroughly shaken from the ordeal.

“No, whatever is in that barn is most certainly real. / This wound it gave me will take time to heal.”

“Ah think we need to get Twilight. She’ll know what this is. First, though, can ya help me drag Big Mac in? That horror ain’t goin’ nowhere anytime soon. Apple Bloom, can ya go into town and get Twi? Tell her what happened, and that we might need the Elements,” AJ said.

“What did they mean, ‘you killed us?’ Brother didn’t kill Ma and Pa, did he?” Apple Bloom asked, the tremor in her voice indicating the barely restrained tears.

“No, Apple Bloom, he didn’t. But he thinks he did. Now, get Twi,” the elder sister ordered.

‘I hope the elements can help me,’ thought Rook, ‘if they don’t punish me, first.'

A tiny hoof pounded on the library door. It was opened by a sleepy eyed dragon. “Oh, hey Apple Bloom.”

“Ah need Twilight right now. We have a scary monster locked in our barn, and AJ says bring the Elements,” the young filly explained.

Upon mention of the Elements of Harmony, Spike’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “TWILIGHT! EMERGENCY AT AJ’S. NEED THE ELEMENTS!” he screamed as he dashed up the stairs.

Six ponies gathered together in front of the barn, each wearing one of the Elements. The zebra, who had explained her theory about the creature, stood well back. Apple Bloom had been left at the Cake’s bakery, a safe enough distance away and with adults AJ and Pinkie both trusted.

“Now remember, girls,” Twilight explained, “It’s going to try to scare us as best it can. We can’t let it deter us.”

“Hehehe, giggle at the ghosty!” Pinky chuckled.

“Exactly, Pinky. Ready?” the alicorn asked. When the group nodded, Twilight lit up her horn and opened the door.

Rook had been inside, listening closely to the girls outside. Thinking quickly, he assumed the likeness of Princess Celestia, knowing twilight had already seen this fear. He gambled on the fact that she would still be afraid of failing her mentor, but would remember Sombra’s cursed door. Of all the mane six, he bet that Twilight’s would be the fear that they overcame the most easily.

Boggart!Celestia walked out of the barn. “Twilight Sparkle. You have no idea how disappointed I am in you. I made you a princess, and this is how you repay me? Pitiful.”

“Princess… But I–“ Twilight started, but was cut off by Fluttershy.

“Don’t worry Twilight, that BIG MEANY can try to scare you, but I WONT LET IT HURT. MY. FRIENDS.” At this point, Fluttershy is going full stare at the boggart. Rook had to admit that the stare was quite forceful. Had he been in control, he would have collapsed in fear.

But the stare was not enough to tame his body. The boggart began writhing again, this time assuming the form of a middle aged pegasus stallion. He licked his lips as his perverted gaze wandered over Fluttershy’s body. “Now, Fluttershy, you’re going to sit there and behave this time. Daddy’s had a bad day at work, and he needs to… unwind. Come make me a happy stallion,” the lusty pegasus moaned, slowly walking towards his daughter.

“N-n-no, D-d-dad. Please no… don’t rape me again. I’ll scream! I’ll call the guard,” Fluttershy cried, her voice getting softer the whole time.

“You say that, but you never will. When I’m done with you–“ Rook never finished. Marshmallow hooves don’t actually feel like marshmallows when they hit you in the face.

“HOW DARE YOU TREAT YOUR OWN DAUGHTER LIKE THAT. FILTH LIKE YOU SHOULDN’T BE ALOUD TO WALK FREE,” Rarity screamed at the boggart, who had already began to change again. What came out this time sent Rarity to her knees. “Sweetie Belle?”

The corpse of her little sister sat in front of the distraught mare. A knife protruded from the filly’s chest. Rarity noticed the slip of paper tied to Sweetie’s hooves.

‘Dear Rarity,

I can’t take it anymore. You yell at me for everything I do and you never play with me. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo have already gotten their cutie marks. Now they tease me along with Diamond Tiara and Silver spoon about being the oldest blank flank ever. I can’t take it. Good bye, sister.

-Sweetie Belle’

After reading it, the tears flowed faster than ever down the white unicorn’s face as she mourned boggart!Sweetie Belle.

“Sugarcube, she’s not real,” said Applejack. As she approached Rarity, the corpse shifted again. This time, it was Apple Bloom with the knife in her chest. AJ choked back tears at the sight of her sister’s corpse. Rarity continued to cry, her friend's fear striking a chord with her as well.

“AJ! Rarity! Get back from that thing!” Rainbow Dash screamed. She and Pinkie Pie moved to block the boggart from their friend’s view.

Rook, trapped inside his own body, begged for release. Looking at Pinkie and Rainbow, he could see what their fears were. Rook could feel his body changing again, and he knew what form it was going to take. There was only one form that could manifest both of their worst nightmares at the same time. ‘Not that, please no,’ he cried, to no avail.

Pinkamina Diane Pie Turned to face her doppelganger. The straight mane pony was dressed in a patchwork dress made out of the cutie marks of other ponies. Around her neck hung a dozen severed unicorn horns. From her back protruded six different pegasus wings. A bloody knife rested in her hooves. Behind her, a replica of Rainbow Dash lay strapped to an operating table, most of her internal oragans already removed.

“Hehehehe, Hi Dashie! Wanna help me make Cupcakes? I just need one more ingredient,” the insane pony laughed. Pinkamina moved slowly towards the panicked real Dash. “Pinkie Pie here doesn’t want me to make my special recipe, but she’s a hypocrite. She’s killed her friends, too. She just doesn’t want to admit it.”

“N-no! I’d never hurt my friends!” the real Pinkie cried. “You’re not real!”

Seeing an opportunity to end this nightmare, Rook grabbed control of his voice for just the tiniest moment. “What are you going to do about it, hmmm? giggle at the ghosty?” he said, putting as much emphasis on the last sentence as he could.

“YES!” Pinkie screamed, “HA! HA! HA! I'm not scared! HA! HA! HA!”

Each laugh caused boggart!Pinkamina to wince in pain. Pinkie noticed this and continued laughing.

“No! Stop! Don’t you dare keep laughing!” Pinkamina screeched, with Rook changing the emphasis. He hoped they would get the message. Pinkie did.

The whole time the Element of Laughter kept the boggart at bay, the other Elements gathered together and readied their weapon. Twilight's eyes lit up with a brilliant white light. The rainbow energy surged between the six ponies and fired. The beam launched itself at Pinkamina and struck, knocking her back.

When the light cleared, Pinkamina still stood.

“It didn’t work,” said a despairing Twilight.

Rook, in the body of Pinkamina, lifted his hoof and took a step forward, his body completely obeying his mind. Rook smiled a genuinely happy smile and spoke, “no, it did.”

Author's Note

Well, that chapter is done.
Honestly, I find it disturbing that this chapter was so easy and fun to write.

Oh well.

*Ding* Have a chapter.