Chapters Silent Ponyville: The Madness of Men
Luna stood alone in her room watching the music box that sat on her table move with an eerie silence. Luna knew that the music box didn't play any music, and if it did Luna wasn't sure that she would want to here it play, too much sadness lived in that box. The figure on top started to move in a circle around the gem in the center which started to glow a sapphire shade of blue. Luna watched with fear solidified in her stomach. The figure stopped moving to the left of the gem. It raised one of its arms parallel to the box. Luna followed it with her eyes, it pointed through the open balcony doors towards the horizon where Celestia's sun was begining to set, filling the sky with a beautiful mass of orange, pink, purple, and peach. On the very edge of the horizon one could barely make out the outline of a town in the middle of her sisters sun. Ponyville.
"They could never stop moving. Even now they..."
"What are you doing here Nightmare Moon."
It wasn't a real question. Luna knew very well that Nightmare Moon would always be in her mind. Always waiting to take back control, but Nightmare Moon had never entered the bedroom before, she'd tried but never succeeded, until now.
"Oh Luna, precious little Luna."
"What are you doing here!"
Nightmare Moon signed, "You know why."
A cold wind blew through the night, like a cold shiver through the body, something was very wrong here. Luna couldn't place her hoof on it, but something was very wrong, except for Nightmare Moon being in her room....Thud ...The bedroom doors shook...Thud ...Nightmare Moon starting to laugh wildly and out of control.
"It's here Luna! As I told you it would come!"
Thud ...Cracks started to form on the door. A sign that Luna's mental state was weakening...Thud ...A tentacle blacker then the darkest night jammed itself in between the two doors. Black slime slugged off, expanding as they touched the ground.
"Your time is up Luna!" Nightmare Moon started to dissolve into the black slime. "What will you choose!"
Nightmare's voice echoed as she sank into the black goo that was quickly consuming everything in the room. The tentacle continued to advance towards Luna as she backed away onto the balcony, shooting what magic she could muster in her fear at the thing to little effect. Luna turned leaping off the balcony in a desperate escape. The tentacle wrapped around Luna's left rear hoof, and started dragging her back into the room. Luna attempted to break free from the grip, but it clung to her as if she would safe it's life. Luna dug her front hooves into the floor, using her magic to pull herself forward and throwing anything she could at it, but the blackness just swallowed whatever Luna threw at it.
"Above You!"
Luna heard Nightmare Moon yelling in the back of her head. Following her orders Luna turned facing the night sky looking for the...there coming right at her! A creature with green dots and lines flowing through it, flew right past Luna's head as she dived towards the city. It flew back up, getting ready to strike again. Luna flew up chasing it.
"Be careful Luna, it's a fighter."
Luna thought about just shutting out Nightmare Moon, when the creature smacked into her, Luna punched with her left hoof knocking the creature back, then charged up her horn for an attack. The creature dove right past Luna, speeding towards Canterlot with incredible speed. Luna dove after it, her horn at the ready. The creature flipped a 180 putting it's back towards the city, a small red light focused on Luna's head, bouncing around. Luna pulled her wings out letting her speed slow down.
"Why did you stop!"
"You know why."
Luna could tell that Nightmare Moon wasn't happy with the answer, but they both knew they didn't stand a chance against a human. Not after all these years.
"The Human Ponies: The Everfree Castle?"
"Yes! It's the newest edition out by Anony! He comics are ingenius!"
Lyra gave a small squeak with her smile as she huged the comic book. Bon Bon couldn't help but laugh.
"Lyra I really think you need to get a new hobby."
"Well I'm not that good of a writer, or artist..."
"No I mean something different from humans."
Lyra magicaly rolled up the comic book and lightly tapped Bon Bon on the head.
"Bad Bon Bon, you know better than to take me away from humans."
Bon Bon got up off the bench and poked Lyra on the noise with her hoof.
"Fine what's next?"
Lyra yaked Bon Bon by the hoof all the way across the carnival. Swerving around ponies, carts, and barrels before entering a tent that held only two cages. The one on the left held a few humans well known to Equestria. They had brown hair, long arms, wide feet, and a huge jaw, The other cage held only one. It was different, tan skin, hair that was shaved off and it wore clothes, a green shirt, desert camo pants, and boots. Lyra let go of Bon Bon and moved toward the cage on the right. Bon Bon moved toward a sign that held infomation.
"What have i done to you, or your people?" It yelled as the wind whipped past them.
Luna stood face the human face on knowing full well the only move she could make. Luna jumped up, opening her wings to catch the wind, letting it carry her away from the train as it continued foward towards it's destination. Ponyville.
Silent Ponyville: The Madness of Men
Pinkie Pie bounced all over the train station with seven ballons tied around her stomach. As Applejack and Fluttershy arrived at the train station, Pinkie dived bomb her two friends in huges and laughter.
"Pinkie Pie, ugh, your squeezing to, ugh, hard." Applejack said between gaps of air.
Pinkie giggles, "Sorry girls, but I'm just so excited!"
"We know suger, your sister Maud is coming back from her rock research trip."
Pinkie continued with her bouncing around the station as Applejack and Fluttershy, stood near the middle.
"Soooo, I take it that you've pick out your flavors for the rock candy necklesses!"
"Oh yes, butterstoch is my favorite."
"Eh, I'm more into chocolate apple flavor."
Pinkie landed inbetween her two friends and wrapped her hooves around their necks.
"This is going to be the best day ever!"
"On that, Pinkie, I believe we can agree on."
Rarity approach her three friends wearing another attempt at a rock outfit. The hat was smaller as well as the rocks and if formed a sort of tortise shell with the brim barely touching her horn. The dress was a froc of a violet shade with small gem and pebbles in a star like pattern.
"Ooooo, nice outfit Rarity! Maud is going to love it!" Pinkie squeeked with her grin.
"It's beautiful Rarity."
"And ya sure it won't fall apart like last time?"
"Oh, Applejack, you need not to fear, for I have taken every precaution to prevent those little mishaps from happening again."
The snap of string, and the clik on the ground let everypony know that the dress has failed again. Rarity lifted the rock that fell of from her hat and threw it across the train tracks.
"Dumb rock. Clearly it doesn't have any taste for fashion at all."
Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy just looked at Rarity.
"What? It's not my fault, i've checked, checked, and triple checked each stich to ensure perfection. So clearly that rock as no taste for fashion. Nothing I can do to help it.''
"Rarity maybe if you gave up on the whole rock dress..."
Rarity looked up as Twilight flew down, "Why never Twilight, until I can make a rock dress that won't fall apart I simple can't stop. Who knows when this will be the next fashion, I need to stay ahead of the game."
The whistle of a train drew everyponies attention to the fast approaching train. Pinkie started to bounce with Applejack and Fluttershy still in her graps. The train slowed it's pace as it approached closer to the station, until finally it could stop with a high pitched squeek filling the silence. The passenger cart opened to reveal Bon Bon and Lyra walking off with their sattle bags.
"It just swallowed me whole Bon Bon!"
"Relax Lyra it was just a dream."
"It didn't feel like it."
Bon Bon waved a quick hoof at her friends before leaving the station. After a few moments Maud left the same cart with a stallion, with a light tan coat, dark brown mane, and grass green eyes, right beside her.
"So if I put one of those new types of igneous rocks and threw it on a fire, the next day I could just put sticks on it and they would catch on fire?"
"Pretty much."
"Fasinating!"
"I know. Rocks are amazing once you know more about them."
Pinkie ran right up to Mauds face. "Hi Maud!"
"Hi, Pinkie. How are doing?"
"I'm dooooing fantastic! Who's this?"
Pinkie pointed a hoof at the stallion, nearly jabbing him in the nose.
"I'm Deseret, and I'm guessing you're Pinkie Pie?"
"Yes I aaaammm!"
Pinkie shoved her face right into Deserets, causing him to back up.
"Pinkie this is my new friend. He's really fascinated with rocks. Derseret this is my sister, and her friends." Maud lifted a hoof towards the others.
"Well it's been nice meeting you all, but I have too get settled in."
"Bye Deseeret! See you sooooooon!" Pinkie Pie yelled as she waved good-bye.
Twilight approached Maud as all of them started their treck to SugerCube Corner.
"So Maud, when did you two of you meet?"
"On the train ride here."
"Really?"
"Yeah. He found boulder under his seat and brought him back to me."
"Oh I hope boulder's alright." Fluttershy chimed in.
Applejack heard another chik on the ground and giggled a little as Rarity complained about how much rocks were unfashionable pains.
"Pinkie, were's Rainbow?"
"Oh she said she had some important buissness to take care of, but she'll be on time to make Best Friend Candy Necklessess!"
"Hi Dashie."
"Hi big brother."
They huged each other like they had just been reunited after an eternity of being lost. Tears rolled down both their cheeks. Rainbow's brother had a darker shade of blue that she did, but their manes were about the same, minus a few shades.
"I miss them so much."
"I know Dashie, I know. I miss them too." They let go of each other and stood side by side. "And I know that they miss us, but they would be proud. Their daughter finally living her dream of being a Wonderbolt!"
"Hey, I'm not really a Wonderbolt. I'm just a reserve."
"Well it's closer then when you moved to Ponyville."
"Yeah I...I guess so."
He wrapped his hoof around Raindbow's neck. "And don't forget she's an Element of Harmony!"
He began to give her a nuggy. Rainbow laughed as she attempted to brake away from his graps.
"Aunty Dash! Aunty Dash look at wat I can dooo!"
Her brother let go as Rainbow's nephew came running up towards her with his royal purple mane flapping in the wind. After he stopped by her hooves, he began to flap his little wings until the top of his head barely touch Rainbow's chin, before he flopped onto the ground.
"Wow somypony's gotten his wings running."
"Yes he's ready to take to the sky."
Rainbow took another glance at the tombstones of her parents.
"Daddy, why are we ear?"
Rainbow Dash bit her lip.
"We're here to visit your grandparents."
Rainbow's nephew walked up to the tombstones and cocked his head to the side.
"Why are tey in te graod?"
Rainbow turned away from her nephew as her brother stepped forward. This is why she didn't want to have a little coalt, Rainbow didn't think she could stand answering this question. Rainbow whispered one more good-bye, and said goob-bye to her brother before taking off to make it on time to SugerCube Corner.
Silent Ponyville: The Madness of Men
Rainbow Dash landed outside her cloud house a few hours after Luna had raised the moon. With her hooves sinking a few inches deeper into the cloud, Rainbow confirmed that she had eaten more than her fair share of rock candy, and hoped to never see one as long as she lived. Not that she wasn't friends with Maud, even though Rainbow's friendship with Pinkie's older sister was just based off of their love for Pinkie. It's just that Pinkie Pie got carried away again by Maud's arrival, that she spent the whole night before making rock candy. Rainbow Dash walked to the front door, her belly swaying with her hooves. As she raised her hoof to the door, a presence emanated from behind Rainbow, she twisted her head to see if anypony was behind her. Only Luna's night sky greeted Rainbow's gaze. Rainbow lowered her hoof back down to the cloud, something wasn't right here.
"Hello?"
A cool breeze picked up as Rainbow Dash continued to stare into the night sky, looking for the source of the strange presence. As Rainbow continued to look she noticed that the stars seemed to be getter smaller and darker. A quick shake of her head, and the stars returned to their original light. Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself. Silly you're just tired that's all. Rainbow Dash turned around and went through the doors of her cloud house. Wasting no more time, Rainbow Dash flopped onto her bed, closed her eyes, and fell asleep, or she attempted to.
"He must die."
Sombra's eyes morphed together, his head disappeared back into the shadow.
"He must die."
A pony stood in the middle of those green eyes. As the room was soon consumed by them the stallion that got off the train with Maud appeared.
"He must die."
Sombra sounded strained, as if he was using the last of his life to say those three words.
"He must die!"
The green light disappeared instantly, causing Twilight to be blind for a few moments. After Twilight's sight returned, the warmth of the room didn't. Twilight laid there shivering violently as Spike snored in his basket, oblivious to Twilight's clattering teeth, and squeak of the bed.11:17 Rainbow Dash wanted to throw her alarm clock out the window. No way it had only been ten minutes since she got into bed. Rainbow flopped her hooves on the floor to start looking for something to help her sleep, only she couldn't move. Upon examining that her hooves were up to her knees in the cloud, Rainbow Dash flapped her wings attempting to get out of the cloud, but her wings didn't do anything they just flapped up and down repeatedly. A laugh caused Rainbow Dash to stop flapping, a figure was across the room sitting on their rump lighting a match and throwing it into the fire place. Light filled the room instantly allowing Rainbow Dash to see the figure as, a Shadowbolt! Rainbow Dash barley remembered the encounter she had with them, or Nightmare as Twilight explained. The dark purple and black outfit perfectly matched that of the Wonderbolts. The Shadowbolt turned and faced Rainbow Dash, causing her jaw to drop. Rainbow Dash was staring at Rainbow Dash.
"I...wha...huh...?"
Shadow Dash walked towards Rainbow Dash, laughing as she did.
"Surprised to see me Rainbow? Well you should be after locking me away for all those years."
Rainbow Dash sank lower into the cloud, her belly just above it.
"What's happening!"
Shadow Dash laughed and pushed Rainbow Dash lower into the cloud. A flickering light emanated from the stair case.
"Well Rainbow, I've been given the chance to finally run the show. That what's happening!"
Shadow Dash pushed a little more on Rainbow's head.
"What show?"
Shadow Dash smiled as Rainbow's fear started to take over.
"Well you'll find out soon enough, just don't die before it happens."
"Wait!"
Shadow Dash laughed as an alicorn appeared from the stair case. It's white coat was coated in a dark red dripping from it's mane. It's wings were bent and broken, but they moved in a natural way. It's sky blue eyes were blood shot, with an endless hunger gaze upon them. It's horn was long ago broken, and it's mouth split into four different jaws. Shadow Dash forced Rainbow Dash into the cloud, her laughter silenced by the cloud. The alicorn popped it's head through the cloud, shrieking a blood churning sound as Rainbow Dash fell through the cloud, watching as it slowly sank into the darkness. Rainbow Dash opened her wings attempting to stop herself, but to no effect. Unable to stop or twist herself, Rainbow just screamed as her wings flapped uselessly as she fell towards the ground.
"Big Mac, sorry for bothering ya, but I just needed to ask..."
Big Mac's room was empty, except for the furniture, which had plastic wrapping all over it. Dust covered the floor a good few inches as Applejack could clearly see her hoof prints on the floor. A chill ran through Applejack's spine, she ran towards Apple Bloom's room. Empty, but the furniture had been moved, tossed and flipped, with some marks on the floor and walls. Only the closet remained in place. Granny Smith's room faired just about the same as Big Mac's. Applejack searched every inch of the house, looking for any sign of her family, she attempted to go outside, but every door was locked, and the windows blocked. After a quick panic attack, Applejack was in her room grapping her rope, saddlebag, and hat. A few deep breath's to help calm her nerves, and Applejack was ready.Tick Applejack's ears flickered at the noise. Tick Applejack twisted her head to stare at Apple Bloom's closet. Tick Applejack opened the closet door to reveal a long walkway made of metal that appeared to be rusted completely through. Water fell on both sides of the walkway, falling into a black abyss. Hope refueled, but fear overwhelming, Applejack cautiously placed hoof after hoof on the walkway. It creaked and moaned, but held her weight. A deep sense of forbidding crawled through Applejack's skin with each step she took. As the door slammed shut behind her, Applejack pressed forward, her missing family her only concern.
"Sweetie Belle! Open the door this instance."
Rarity stood glaring at the door as if it would sweat and move out of her way. It didn't. After a few minutes of Rarity standing in the hallway, she finally left to go get the keys from her room, though Rarity was still surprised that Sweetie Belle would... Thud ...Rarity twisted as the sound of something slamming into something came from Sweetie's room.
"Sweetie Belle?"
Did she attempt to jump out the window? Rarity kicked opened the door. Maybe she was attempting something crusading. The smell of something rotten punched Rarity's nose causing her to nearly vomit. A body laid on the floor next to a table, all of Sweetie's furniture having been magically replaced. Rarity slowly approached the body, the room being lit only by Rarity's horn not being very friendly.
"Sweetie....OH SWEET CELESTIA!!!"
Rarity turned the body to face her to find it's head completely caved in, and blood turned into a pool. Rarity sped backwards, attempting to run, when glitter on the table caught her attention. A piece of paper with sapphire gems surrounding two ponies. Rarity turned to leave, but a peg of something forced her to stop and look at the table again. Rarity didn't know why, she moved towards the table careful not to touch the body, picked up the paper and ran from the room. After safely securing her door, Rarity looked at the paper, it was the first picture that Sweetie drew when their parents left for their trip. The sapphire heart surrounding her and Sweetie Belle, but Rarity remembered putting it up in her room...her mind flashed back to the body, the blood, tears started to flow from Rarity's eyes.
"Sweetie Belle?"
"No thanks, Discord."
"Fluttershy it's been hours since I arrived and you haven't eaten a thing."
"I'm sorry for making you worried, but..."
"No need to apologize," Discord spun the plate on his finger, "I'm sure you have a lot on your mind."
Flutteyshy watched as the plate spun it's way back into the kitchen, crashing into the other attempts made by Discord.
"I just hope their alright."
"Well that will depend on them."
"Can't you help them Discord? Like how you're helping me?"
Fluttershy looked up into Discords eyes, making the best puppy dog face she could. Discord picked Fluttershy up by her tail, lifted her up to his face.
"I can't."
Fluttershy crossed her hooves and began to stare Discord down.
"What? I told why I can't, I even showed you exactly why."
Fluttershy slowly closed her eye lids. Discord put Fluttershy back down on the couch and turned her to face the window, and left the room. Fluttershy continued to stare out the window, muttering over Discords explanation.
"Psss, hey Pinkie."
"What!"
Pinkie tilted her head backwards to see who was there. A hoof wrapped around Pinkie's neck, pulling backwards, and squeezing the air out of Pinkie's neck. Pinkamena brought her face to Pinkie's ear, and whispered.
"Surprise."
Silent Ponyville: The Madness of Men
Water splashed against her body soaking her right side and dragging her main and tail as the water retreated. As it came back it nudged her enough to open an eye. Fog that's all that Rainbow Dash could see was just fog, swimming, drifting, and changing through the air. Rainbow Dash lifted herself up as the water surged again only to meet her back hooves, she looked into the fog watching as it flowed through the air like water. Rainbow Dash swung a hoof through the fog in an attempt to make it disappear to no avail, it just swirled around her hoof as if it had never seen a hoof before. A quick glance around showed that Rainbow was alone, and the fog was thick enough to were one could only see about ten feet around.
"Don't waste your time Dashie, this place doesn't like your type of magic."
Yellow glowing eyes flashed into view in front of Rainbow Dash as the laughter continued to fill the air, before everything went silent and dark. Rainbow's main started flapping up as Rainbow fell down in the dark. Water splashed against her body soaking her right side and dragging her main and tail as the water retreated. As it came back it nudged her enough to open an eye. Fog that's all that Rainbow Dash could see was just fog, swimming, drifting, and changing through the air.
"What?"
Hoof prints in the sand proved that Rainbow Dash was just here, but how? Rainbow turned her head to stare at her extended wing, the one thing is this world that allowed her to be free were useless to her, unless Rainbow wanted to start over again. Rainbow looked at the hoof prints leading to her left, the laughter still in her head she decided to go right and see what she could find. Only moments after stepping off Rainbow Dash found an object sticking out of the sand ahead of her. It looked like a stick, but as she got closer Rainbow could see handles, wheels, the blue painted wood and red wheels.
"Scootaloo?"
With no hoof prints and a spider web on a wheel, Rainbow Dash was lead to believe that Scootaloo's scooter was left her for quite sometime. Which didn't make sense, Scootaloo loved her scooter just like Rainbow Dash loved flying. It didn't make any sense for Scoots to leave her scooter here. As a breeze blew past Rainbow Dash heard the sound of paper rustling, coming from underneath the scooter. Rainbow tilted the scooter over to find a draw map taped to the bottom of the scooter with the words 'things have changed' written on top. A few buildings from Ponyville were written on the paper, the hospital, Rainbow's House, Fluttershy's, SugerCube Corner, and Twilights Castle. No lines connected the pictures, but there words written next to each one, but Rainbow Dash couldn't read them, there were to far smudged to read. Rainbow Dash put the map underneath her wing, as they had no other use, and started to continue in her original path when grooves in the sand caught her attention. Rainbow Dash set the scooter back in place to see that it made an arrow. With no other direction to go Rainbow decided to follow it's path in hope of finding some other ponies.
"Don't worry Sweetie Belle, I'll find you."
Rarity put the picture back in the bag and began her trip though the fog. Normally Rarity didn't mind being sort of isolated, it was nice for inspirational out burst, but now it wasn't such a good idea. Walking through thick as can be fog isn't fun, nor was this watching feeling Rarity was having, but Sweetie Belle was out here somewhere and Rarity just had to find her. After a few minutes a house came into view. As Rarity got closer she could see it was Bon Bon's and Lyra's house, good that means that Rarity was only a few streets away from SugerCube Corner. Rarity looked at the house, planning on knocking, but the boarded windows and door gave a bad feeling to Rarity. So she continued on towards SugerCube Corner in hopes that Sweetie was there, or at least Pinkie could help find her.
"Hello Miss."
His voice was deep and flowing like the fog.
"Hello."
He set his guitar down and stood to face Rarity.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for my little sister," His eyes grew more sad, "I woke up and she was gone, and her room....was...was"
He put a hoof on Rarity's shoulder.
"I know, it's happened all over this town."
"What?"
"All the little one's. Their gone."
"Gone?''
"Gone. No one knows how, but they're gone."
Rarity stood there for a few moments thinking about all the little fillies and foals and families that are missing each other. The stallion looked at something behind Rarity. She twisted her head to see what he was looking at. A figure stood in the fog just out of sight, it didn't move, it just stood there. The stallion lowered his hoof off Rarity's shoulder and took a few steps back.
"Listen I have to go."
"Wait. What about the others?"
"What 'others'?"
"The other ponies of course."
"Miss you're the first one I've see in a week."
Rarity's jaw dropped. A week. A week! It's not possible, she only fell asleep last night. The stallion picked up his guitar and started to leave.
"Wait!"
He paused. "What."
"At least give me your name."
He hesitated a little bit.
"Silverstreak."
"I'm Rarity."
Silverstreak turned to look at Rarity in shock.
"Oh...my...god..."
"What?"
A static sound started to grow.
"Run." Rarity stared at Silverstreak. "Run!"
Like Rainbow Dash he was gone, leaving Rarity alone in the fog. The static sound had gone to, but a new sound took it's place, heavy breathing came from behind Rarity as someone approached. An alicorn with blood red hair, broken horn and wings, and a mouth that split in four different directions wobbled it's why over to Rarity. Following his lead Rarity bolted down the street after Silverstreak as the road rotted away.
