Equestrian Mythby StarRibbonChaptersPrologueYears LaterCelestial Guidance-A Reference Guide from the Sun P.1Celestial Guidance:A Reference Guide from the Sun P.2Prologue“A-Are you positive we aren’t going to get hurt, Apple Seed?” A violet filly, barely in grade school, stuttered. She knew the colt from her class. Her parents couldn’t get her into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, but they allowed her to advance in grade school. He was kind; he never acted this way before until Breaking Heart wanted to come here. She shifted her gaze towards the Everfree Forest’s grassy path trying to ignore his gaze and the surroundings that terrified the unicorn. Apple Seed whirled around to face her. His yellow eyes narrowed at her from annoyance. “Aw look, Breaking Heart, she’s going to cry again!” Apple Seed laughed as he turned away from the filly. The filly turned away, failing at concealing her tears from whom she thought was her friend. The filly next to her, one that is much older with a cutie mark for breaking things, laughed in response to the crying sibling. Apple Seed looked towards the filly, she couldn’t tell whether in sorrow or pity. Either or, the growing discomfort never left. “I can’t believe I even BROUGHT her with us! “ Breaking Heart’s callus response didn’t make the filly cry more, making Breaking Heart scowl. “Passion Bloom, get up, you coward!” Passion Bloom nearly cowered, her sister’s cold voice and command nearly chilling her spine and every ounce of being she had. All she really wanted was to curl up with her twin sister, Maypop and her mother, Caring Heart. She hadn’t expected to be dragged out to the Everfree Forest at night by her big sister, Breaking Heart. Not that she had needed persuading, she loved Breaking Heart dearly. She couldn’t possibly give up the chance to impress her. Trembling to get up on all fours, she stood. She still was shaking, but she was fine for the most part. “I-I-I’m sorry B-Breaking Heart. I-I was just worried…” A scowl formed on the elder’s face again as she turned away. “Just hurry up, you magic-less unicorn!” Passion cringed at the harshness of her voice. Apple Seed turned again smacking Passion Bloom to stay shut. She never fell as they walked onward. She was grateful she never had. She might not have gotten up again at all. “Be quiet, idiot, you might make us all die.” He hushed quietly as he pushed the filly down, grabbing her only. “I’m glad you brought the idiot, great for two purposes.” The words sounded forced and hollow from him, but she never chose to figure out why they sounded that way. “Just read the bucking book already, you incompetent foal!” Apple Seed pulled Passion closer to him as they walked. The feel of her yellow, green, and white streaked mane was almost comforting. She smelt like passion fruits, something he started to love more than apples. She always smelt like this. He wondered when he started acting sissy for this filly. He even briefly considered this what his mom and dad meant by “love”. “Its not like I don’t know her, she’s in my class! Mom and dad always did tell me how to show love…” He mused. “Perhaps I can now? To show love? But I really don’t want to have a foal…” Was doing that love possibly? Did she feel this feeling like him? “It says here we’ll start seeing the red path soon. I wonder what’s on the other side.” Passion seemed to realize what they meant by red path. She had a talent for reading ahead of others. “C-Can I p-please just go home?” She backed off Apple Seed, who was more interested in getting what lied between her paths while Breaking Heart was more interested in the story. “Would I object?” She thought and quickly dismissed any thought of that. Of course she would! Why did doubt ever settle in her heart for the colt? Why was she aching for the colt that keeps picking on her? She resolved the thoughts of him staring at her flank. Maybe he saw something of Breaking Heart’s? He wasn’t staring at hers. She was sure of this. “Stop being horny with my sister already,” Breaking Heart glared slightly as she pulled the book toward her with the magic. The book, which repeatedly warned to not follow, was floating the whole time with red magic. The book felt more like some fairy tale rather than reality. It told of tales that said how Equestria was made. It spoke about humans, worlds, curses, and fates. It made no sense to follow it, but it drew her eye. “That looks like a fairy tale book...” Passion murmured. “Mommy said it was mystical.” Her ears perked to the growls of Breaking Heart. “That mare knows nothing of this sort!” Passion nearly cringed at her abuser, but went against it. She didn’t want to move herself, Apple Seed already threatened to go lower with his hooves, and he was already touching a no-no zone. His face said otherwise. “Besides, she said mythical, you twit!” “B-But…mommy…” She whimpered. Green eyes peered downward as Apple Seed and Breaking Heart were continuing. “It says here that the forest is controlled at its heart. That’s where the red road ends.” Passion never did follow what they were saying. She tried wiggling away from the colt, but only to be forced back and the hoof forced lower. She started wondering if Breaking Heart had something to do with it. “Let’s just continue down the path, it will eventually lead there.” Apple Seed wavered, slightly distracted by Passion and Breaking Heart. Breaking Heart rolled her grey eyes. “Make your love quick, we have to leave.” Passion squirmed out of his grasp only to be propped down by Breaking Heart’s magic. Apple Seed seemed to grow shocked as Breaking Heart shoved him on her. He knew it was wrong, but she was intoxicating. Surely something else could be done to show love. This didn’t sound like what mom and dad said. “Make do with her. She’s just a waste of time. I knew she wouldn’t handle the task of being a distraction, she’s too stupid even for that.” “S-Sister…!” Passion bucked the colt off her and tried to make an escape. She didn’t want him to love her by force. He didn’t want her to run from him, but she escaped. "Passion Bloom, run! Your almost there!" Her tiny hooves pounding profusely into the ground as she tried ignoring the fire that blazed in her legs from running so fast and long. She wondered if she would ever make it without distress from other wildlife, but that was the last thing in mind. She didn’t hear the first voice; her thoughts weren’t coming to her very much anymore. Her thoughts scrambled when she realized Apple Seed was trying to hurt her. Her sister never cared. Apple Seed…Breaking Heart…. “Little one, don’t fear.” Her body went frozen; her stop wasn’t like this though. Thank Celestia for the log that stopped her from going much further. “Who’s there?” “Don’t fear child. Your so close.” “Who’s there?!” “Surprise!” From the black trees and the seemingly dead grass, a figure, one much taller than anypony she met before stood in front of her. Her hooves were lifted off the ground before she had time to register anything. All she saw were dark red eyes, darker than blood, and a beautiful mane that you couldn’t tell the color of. She wondered if this was what death felt like. “Does death feel exhausting?” She mused. “Or does it feel welcoming?” The hooves and the feel of flight engulfed the filly. She wondered if she was asleep, and this was a dream. She didn’t feel like she was asleep. “Maybe it feels…like…flying…” Her thoughts trailed off, her mind shutting down. She was the only pony who exited alive from the ordeal that they knew of. Breaking Heart disappeared, no pony knew whether she lived or died, same for Apple Seed. This devastated Apple Cinnamon and Apple Salsa, the parents of Apple Seed. So much so they abandoned the youngest daughter, Apple Bloom, in response and later died. Of course, some say they died of supernatural causes and others say they died of a broken heart. No one is certain. Passion Bloom never spoke much after the ordeal, and when she had, it was always so faint. The events of the night weren’t clear. But, when finally utters a word that you can hear about the night, you feel dread in your soul: “The book sets us free. She waits for us.” Years Later"Is that it?" "I'm sorry girls, but that's all we have on this subject." Twilight was, originally, pleased when the Crusaders had decided to do research as a chance to gain their cutie marks, but, like whatever they had done, they weren't very quiet about it and weren't very successful. She was very reluctant to leave them in a room by themselves, but they heavily insisted. She honestly had no choice in the matter either way, Spike had gone to Rarity's to help, and she had matters that were too important to hold off with Pinkie Pie. So, going against better judgement, she left them there hoping they wouldn't do too much damage. "Ah told ya that humans weren't real." Apple Bloom pushed away a book that was torn and black. It looked well read, like Twilight or somepony had continually read it. It wasn't often a pony went to the library, so she guessed the latter. "Ah'm sure you were dreaming hooey again." Scootaloo's ears perked to a sound of a pony grabbing another book. She wasn't sure whether this was Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle, but she was hoping Apple Bloom had, but tried not to dwell on the idea that she stopped. "But it wasn't hooey!" Scootaloo turned away, her eyes focusing on the book. She never liked to read, it was always her most difficult subject, so she never bothered to read. She never expected to be in the library, none the less be reading in the library. "I am so sure..." "Are you sure about this?" Sweetie pushed away some books that were on the subject, but never touched the story they heard so much about. It was vague, but that's what enticed them to the story. She wasn't sure it had substance, but she knew ponies tried to find out the truth. The stories they came back with were grim, but they sounded like they found something. Sweetie Belle wasn't sure if Scootaloo was looking for answers for her dreams or whether she wanted to look into the myth itself. "I never heard of a pony having dreams like that, well, except for Lyra." "Ah think ah found something!" Apple Bloom called out. Scootaloo turned to face the southern filly, a smile crept on her cheeks. She certainly thought this as good news after the hard time they had for this search. "Are you sure this time?" "Ah'm positive!" Scootaloo ran to Apple Bloom's side and nearly swiped the book away from her hooves. She mumbled something that sounded like an apology and went to read the book. Sweetie Belle trotted towards them, but didn't bother to get closer. She was mildly amused by Scootaloo's antics, seeing how the the pegasus filly was actually interested in reading, but didn't purse the subject further. "This sounds like the story Rainbow told me, this can't be right.." Scootaloo kept on trying to read the pages. She wasn't great at taking scenes and analyzing them very thoroughly, she was hoping to find something she didn't understand earlier, a piece she never found until now. She found herself at a loss again. All it droned on for was about some group that (mostly) died from trying to find some red path. She was familiar with this tale, it was often used as a campfire story to scare the fillies and colts into not entering the Everfree Forest, but something drew her into reading on about it. "Are all tales this lengthy?" Scootaloo mused. "Or is this real?" Purple eyes widening like dinner plates showed she found something. Apple Bloom looked wearily towards Sweetie Belle, who just shot her a comforting, yet naive look. "It says there's a book somewhere in the forest! If we found it maybe..just maybe---" "Maybe what Scootaloo? We're not supposed to even be near the entrance, nevertheless, in it!" Sweetie Belle seemed to cower behind the book pile that resided in front of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. It wasn't very big, but big enough to hide the lower half of her body. "Rarity gave me a huge speech last time she heard I entered. It took, like too whole hours from crusading and even then, I wasn't allowed out!" Scootaloo cringed at the reminder. "Beside's, didn't they try the same thing?" Apple Bloom looked away. "Ah can't be apart of that. Apple Jack cried the last time Ah went there. Ah never seen her cry before!" "Fine, your right. We can't go." Scootaloo turned away. "I can go alone of course! I've been in there plenty of times and look? Nothing!" Standing finally after time sitting was a blast, she hadn't felt the satisfaction for a while. "S-Scootaloo, you can't be serious!" Sweetie Belle's voice cracked when she yelled, like life was on the line. "Y-You can't really be thinking--" "Ah think ya lost yer mind!" Apple Bloom's gaze looking more of concern. "Ya can't be serious!" "Watch me!" Scootaloo narrowed her eyes. "I NEED to do this. Jeez, what's got your manes in bunches? Its not like I don't know what I'm doing!" Scootaloo looked around again, wondering where in the name of hay did she place her saddle bag. Pleas of desperation fall on deaf ears, Scootaloo was more determined to get her bag and leave then continue on. Finally she found the bag wedged between the others. Not hesitating, she had placed it on and secured it enough so that it wouldn't fall off. "We can't let you leave! Y-You'll be..." Sweetie Belle was always emotional, and Scootaloo didn't want to put her on edge again. "What'll we tell them?" Apple Bloom looked down, her bow drooped and her ears lowered. "A-Ah can't lie to my sis..." Lifting her head with a hoof, Scootaloo smiled. "I'll totally be safe. There is nothing wrong. Just....don't tell anypony okay? I'll be back tomorrow, I Pinkie Promise." Scootaloo smiled when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle seemed mildly relieved. "Besides, I can totally handle anything myself." She gave a slight smirk. Same old Scootaloo. Scootaloo's ears perked from silence. No Pinkie Pie? Odd, but okay. She stepped on her scooter and waved before scooting off towards the forest. While zooming past town citizens that, at times, often cursed or yelled in anger when they sometimes had to jump out the way from her driving, she had her doubts. Passing stores that sold candy, baked goods, fruits, and the sorts made her more doubtful. "What if she's right and this really is a bunch of hooey?" Scootaloo's thoughts were ranging from doubtful to screams of rage that showed how stupid she would look if she broke her Pinkie Promise. She didn't want to hear Diamond's voice ring around town calling her a chicken more than anything else. The dream really needed to be answered. She never dreamed of humans before. She never knew what humans were before the dreams occurred. The feeling of deja view was startling. "The dream starts here...with something called a Zorua." By the time she managed to get to the forest entrance, she already wanted to turn back, but her pride swelled. Taking a breath in, she immediately zoomed into the entrance, hoping that by doing so, she wouldn't turn back. The figures around her stood in black, eerie silhouettes that stood more terrifying then the rest. Funny how Rainbow described it the exact opposite of what she saw now. The trees looked more and more like faces that were distorted. She swore she saw these before in her dream, but on creatures she deemed as "humans". The paths were dead with soil marking the ground. making it almost a terrible ride. This did stop her. It never stopped her when she saw the light was getting dimmer and dimmer by the moment. She expected this. "Where the heck is that book?" Her eyes were failing to do their destined job! Why do we have eyes if you can't see with them? The dark was starting to continue to lurk in her direction. Slowing down after what appeared to be an hour of nonstop darkness and the same setting, she saw the light. It was still pretty dim, but you could see the trees and the road. "Finally!" She stepped off the scooter to rest her wings. All she saw around her seemed to be the dead, hard grass, the darkening trees that were starting to get more sad then terrifying, and then the road. Oh, she wished she never saw the road. It was red and brown. "Please let this be paint." The "paint" was wet, and when she returned to the scooter, her hooves were red. If only she had stopped and had paid attention more, then she would have seen the warning signs and the letters that were plastered from the last's attempt. If only she noticed the scratches on the tree with the saddest face. Then she would have returned the next day. "I'm sorry Passion Fruit..I'm sorry." Sitting on a tree branch, a creature stayed silent. Her fingers that were sharp like claws were tapping the tree with satisfaction. She smiled a toothy grin that sported a set of canine teeth. Her other arm held a book clenched tightly. Pushing her brown hair away to reveal glowing eyes that held almost no color, like they were soulless. "Yet another child who enters. Such a pity Alices don't last long, I pity such youthful conduct. Lets just see how she fares for now" Green light flickered as she jumped from the branch, her form changing. "Now, let the games begin." Author's Note I can't do her accent. I'm sorry Apple Bloom. Celestial Guidance-A Reference Guide from the Sun P.1"THE HORROR, THE HORROR!" It wasn't uncommon to hear Lily Valley's dramatic scream, but the idea of something bad always rattled Twilight to the core. She almost immediately unlocked her window and pushed it open to view the town. Taking note of the time, she muttered slightly in annoyance. 'Its barely sunrise, what could possibly be wrong right now?' Twilight wasn't a morning pony, she never was. She couldn't stand the idea of getting woken up at such hours. Normally, Twilight wouldn't hesitate, she immediately would feel her unease and paranoia creep in, but the mare normally is dramatic in anything she spoke. Twilight learned quite often that she should take Lily's 'horror' as a grain of salt. Still, while she was up, she might as well see what happened. "Oh sweet Celestia!" Twilight hardly kept her mouth shut. The town was a complete mess, wrecked worse then Twilight ever saw. Carts were toppled over and dismantled and their items laying helplessly on the ground carelessly. Apples were broken and splattered on walls, floors, and in some cases, were bleeding their juices on the ground despite not being mashed. Other fruits and vegetables were in piles, some partially mashed, covered in a dark red substance, or just lying alone and untouched, only tainted with the substance but without any other marking. Plants and gardens were ripped apart, the shops ransacked and smashed. Twilight could make out the sports good store run by a mare named Fowl Play with her newly born foal, Fast Break. Twilight forced herself to look away from the destruction. It wasn't a secret that Fowl Play was having a hard time with her store. Not many, apart from the athletes or children, approach the store. Aside from the Running of the Leaves and other bigger sports events that ran annually throughout the year in Ponyville, she hadn't had very many costumers. Such a shame too, she was a good mare and the store was great itself. "Who could have done this, Twi?" Twilight turned to face her assistant. She shook her head quietly and gently nudged the baby dragon with her hoof. When was he there in the first place? "When did you get up?" Twilight magically shut the window, trying to break away from the scene she saw just a a moment before. She took a breath to ease the knotting she had. "Right after you did." She made a note to know her surroundings better. "Spike, I just...I just don't know." Spike let out a defeated sigh as he walked towards the kitchen. "TWILIGHT! COME QUICK!" Apple Jack's voice flooded her ears, and without even notice from herself, she was already running towards her to see the problem first hoof. She quickly regretted it. Crashing fast into a fallen cart wasn't her first intention. "Ya'll okay?" "W-What happened?" Twilight stuttered, barely able to speak a word. The dark red substance was slippery and covered her partially. 'Its on the road too?' There were hoof marks in the dark substance, but more likely from the residents of the town. It was a horrible iron stench that made her nauseous. Standing finally, she hoped more of the substance wasn't on her hooves anymore, the stench was overwhelming. "Ah don't know Twi." Apple Jack frowned towards her friend. "Ah woke up and this was there already. Ah was kinda hopin' you had seen what happened." Twilight shook her head. "I'm just as worried as you are, Apple Jack. But we'll get to the bottom of this." "Finally your here!" Pinkie Pie seemingly bounced over with ease. "I was soooo worried somethin' might have happened to you and I was getting sad, so I searched for you and --" "Pinkie Pie." Twilight sighed. "Nice to see you too. Do you have-" "Nope!" Pinkie giggled. "I was asked that like, a billion times~ I was sooooo busy with planning a big huge party for Derpy a week advanced so everything would be perfect! I wanted her to have the bestest party after what happened with her and a few meanies that came from Canterlot." 'How could a pony...?' Twilight wondered as she paced back to the library with a more knowing look then before. 'I think I saw this from somewhere..' Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie, shared a look of confusion, but they didn't question it as they followed behind. It was only a matter of time that Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash would at the library as well. She wondered whether or not she wanted to know about the other damages that happened near them. 'If this is just part of the destruction..' She didn't bother continuing as she softly shuddered at the thought. "It should be here somewhere.." Twilight muttered softly. Her magic yanking books off the shelves as she sort them. "Oh, there!" Her purple magic released the other books quickly after obtaining the needed book. Spike grumbled, his breakfast needing to wait a little longer then what he wanted. The book itself was brown with strange markings. It appeared rather old with splotches of strange colors on the brown covers and the the spot ridden old light brown pages. Red blotches decorated the back along with green grass stains. 'How'd I get this? Only Celestia had it...' " 'Equestrian Myths?' Yer interested in a fairy tale?" She wasn't sure whether Apple Jack's voice faltered as though there was hidden pain behind the words, but she tried not dwelling on it. "Remember how Nightmare Moon came to be?" No pony could deny that experience. It wasn't easy to forget in any way. "Of course silly!" "Of course." Apple Jack said confidently. "Of course ah do, but what does that-" "It was a myth just like this." Twilight continued. "I swear, I heard Celestia talk more about this when I was in Canterlot. She used to tell me stories like these, I didn't understand then, but I do now." "INCOMING!" Rainbow Dash had a streak of crashing into her friends' homes, and this was no exception. Twilight was better prepared as her magic wrapped Rainbow Dash whole and lowered her down safely. "Uh, sorry about that. I was trying to get here fast and uh, crashed." She laughed nervously. "Let me guess: Its just as bad in Cloudsdale?" "Yeah, pretty much, excluding the weather machines being totally destroyed. They practically gave me a day off from the mess!" " Dear, 'Mess' isn't the right word." Rainbow moved away as Rarity trotted in, her hooves red from the road. Fluttershy came next, whimpering alongside her. "My beautiful boutique, ruined! Destroyed! My hooves are UTTERLY filthy!" "T-the ..animals are too scared to leave their homes. I-I can't get them out..." Twilight sighed as she grew frustrated. Her list grew as she learned how right she was. "What is that?" Rainbow snatched the book as she turned to see the pages. She's more hoofs on, being this way, she grew impatient as she waited until she had taken the book. She frowned and tilted it again in confusion. "A Fairy Tale, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash handed it back as she grew slightly more annoyed. "How can you be reading FAIRY TALES in a time like this?" Twilight's anger grew as she faced her friends. She wasn't a morning pony, she didn't like thinking so early in the morning. 'I really need to lock that door..' "CAN EVERYPONY JUST BE QUIET!?" She yelled as she locked the door this time. "Now that I know nopony's going to just burst in and interrupt, I'll get back to what I was saying." She cleared her throat to present. "As I was saying, Celestia used to tell me all about stories like these while I was in Canterlot. I hadn't understood them until now." She flipped through the book once more. The page turned red as a strange creature appeared. She hadn't seen a creature so strange. Tan 'fur' and and one shaded 'mane', she didn't look like any creature she read or encountered before. She wore a dress that was hemmed so beautifully. It was dark blue with black threading and edges. There were weird designs on the dress that resembled the moon, but she pushed that to the side. "She's the first" It read in blue italics. The font was curvy and stylized, like it was hoof written. "She grew crazy, she wasn't the one." "That's not right...it can't be." Twilight's eyes widened. "But when I last read it--" "Hold yer horses! Ya mean to tell me ya read it before?" The question seemed innocent, but they struck her like arrows. "Of course! I read all these book!" She defended. "This doesn't sound right though. The text changed." "Darling, are you sure that your not imagining things?" Rarity's concerns fell on deaf ears. "That's crazy! How could words just change?!" Growing cornered, she felt that tightness grow ten fold again, not wanting to leave this time. "I..I just don't know, okay?" "DO IT AGAIN!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she watched the text change. She was bouncing in front of the book excitedly. Her smile increased again when the book simmered. Twilight gasped as she pushed Pinkie away. "That's not me, Pinkie!" "How is it not, silly? Who else could it be?" The words changed again when Pinkie Pie spoke, they sizzled and popped like fire crackers at first. "You ponies are too late, she already claimed her fate. Deathly trails and no memory to boot, horrible events shall follow suit. Red trails of madness, her sword she drew as her insanity grew. Follow sweet ponies, you failed yet again, but too many times, your now condemned" The voice was sickening to hear, like claws on a chalkboard. Still, it droned on without a care. "You ponies will be dead if you follow where the path has lead." Immediately, the book wouldn't present the rest of the story and the voice stopped cold. Only that creature kept showing, but this time, she looked...scared as she was drenched with pools of red. "How is that..?" Her words fell flat. "How did that..?" "TWILIGHT, TWILIGHT!" Spike handed Twilight the scroll. "Princess Celestia sent this for you! What does it say Twilight?" Grabbing it, she frowned further as she scanned the parchment. She saw something strange on the bottom: A seal? She skipped it and went on. She looked over and turned to face her worried friends. "She immediately wants to see---" Twilight wishes she could finish a sentence as yellow magic wraps around her figure and the others. The parchment fell as it wrapped. The seal broke open and the yellow magic continued to grow. "W-What is this?" Fluttershy squeaked. "C-Care to explain dear?!" "N-Not cool!" "I-I don't know!" The magic sent them away as the light vanished along with the parchment.It felt like hours until they stopped. Landing somewhere with a thud wasn't her expectation for today, but it hadn't been the first time it happened. Her head spun as the room around her increased in clarity. Instead of something terrifying, she saw her mentor staring with a caring gaze. "Princess Celestia?" The Princess smiled softly as the ponies regained strength from the landing. "What's happening? What happened?!" "My dear faithful student, this is no time to waste. I teleported you all here because there isn't a time to waste with general transportation." Her face contorted into one of great fear and worry, something no pony was used to. "This is the most important task you all must accomplish, or else no pony or creature will live any longer." Her yellow magic surrounded a wall, opening it up to reveal a door that was a triple chained iron door with bars. "My little ponies, this door leads to your final quest." Celestia opened the locks and creaked the door open to reveal that the door itself can't be opened with magic, and the walls were crafted from magic restricting material. No pony could get in or out before they are discovered. No pony was sure of what they'd see, but this wasn't what they expected. Not at all. Celestial Guidance:A Reference Guide from the Sun P.2"How did you hide this room?" Twilight was the first to speak up. The room they entered was barricaded and had relics of sorts. All these relics resembled something-Twilight didn't understand what. There were books stacked to the sides of the small room-all of which were battered from over use. One could assume Celestia wanted to use them solely for herself, like a private mission of sorts. There were buttons hidden on the side that Celestia touched, causing the room to light up with a diagram. "What does this mean?" Rarity's voice meshed into the others-all of them in awe, but her question stood out more. She trotted originally from her location to the table where a book had lied just a short distance from the diagram's location. It was similar to the one Twilight had earlier, but something screamed off. She flipped it open with little magic until something jumped out:There was an image of a creature that looked just like her, just more...farm like, something close enough to the last. "This..can't be possible!" "That's why I've brought you all here," Celestia's voice radiated. A sigh left from her lips as she started forward with a form of regret. Her pupil, uncomfortable by her teacher's actions, came over, placing a hoof on her in worry. "To see a creature Rarity?" Pinkie Pie asked, eyeing the book. "OOOooo! Rarity, what else can you do? Maybe-" "Pinkie Pie, there's a time and place for everything," Applejack hushed her, covering her mouth as she rattled on happily before Celestia went on. Celestia had taken this strange conversation to her advantage, pausing to find the words that suited this difficult task. Why wasn't it possible? "These...creatures...as you call them...they were here long before any of us." Celestia said delicately. "They were magnificent at what they created, being even more advanced than our kind, even with our beautiful magic." "I thought that was just some old mares tale or somethin' " Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out. "Princess, what's that tale have anything to do with this? Twilight started off preaching something like this earlier, still makes no sense." "Rainbow Dash, darling!" Rarity cried. "Surely you can show more manners than..that towards the one and only!" Rainbow Dash grunted at Rarity's phrasing before a stern glare came from Applejack to warn her. She backed away from a fight of course. It wasn't because they were right or anything! "Its fine, my little ponies," Celestia gave a smile towards them. All of them so precious, like her own children. "Its to be discussed because its happening again. Besides, who said that stories can't be made from real events?" She gave a wink. "We..thought that...was possible but.." Celestia chuckled at her student. She still hasn't learned, she supposed. "They were very advanced, had the greatest of what technology had to offer. They were truly magnificent in that regard, but as time grew on, the avarice each country had grew. It was a train wreck, but they were content to an extent. Then...this creation was found, but...at a cost..." Celesta paused again. "It seems to me they didn't understand what they had," Applejack replied, lowering her head. "What's that gott-" "Have you ever worried about..about what your past was like..?" Celestia's train of thought changed as she started coming away from the room. "Most ponies simply can't recall. When they do, they pay the price." Her frown was evident again. "Princess, what are you trying to say?" Celestia pushed her arm down gently. Twilight needed to hear it, she can't back down now. "When they pay the price repeatedly, you see the outcome on everypony. The rest suffer when fate destroys a card. That's what happened before." Celestia levitated the pictures of two foals. One was labeled Apple Seed, a young colt, and the other, a filly, labeled Breaking Heart. To see Applejack's great discomfort in seeing the first picture was evident, Fluttershy's kindness aided in soothing the farmer. "It is time to tell the truth behind the disappearances, even more so than the victims know themselves. We have great suspicion that they have learned of the past and were immediately disposed of." "Who would do such a thing?" Twilight's cry didn't loosen the Princess's resolve, which already wanted to fall apart. It was a task that she wished to keep for another time or..for not at all. The burden she carries isn't lifted in the least. "I can't tell you that Twilight." Celestia admitted before she made them leave the room behind. "I'm afraid that you must take care of things from here on. You must find the answer to the creation they have with the help of your friends." She carried away the book, she carefully took a look over the book once more before she handed it over. "Princess-" "I'm sorry, Twilight." Celestia was so sincere. "You can't delay nor retrieve what you have at home. This task is very important. Another..."Her voice trailed. She didn't have time to explain, for the book did what Celestia knew it would do. Twilight felt it wrap around her like the scroll had earlier on, creating a tight force that sucked the air out her lungs, removing the ability to speak. "I'm sorry, Twilight, I can't explain. You'll learn..." Celestia's voice faltered. "Please..." Twilight's felt her head drop, dizziness sweeping her and blurring her senses. There were words uttered, but to make out what they said was a task not even she had the patience and energy for. "give...me..." "Are you...okay?" Twilight felt a flood of things drift into her being. It was first black then a whirl of colors spun around. There were dots and then sounds that followed from it. A loud bursting sound was in the background with a strong ashy smell. Was something burning? "Are you okay?" There were more bursting, Twilight didn't recognize what was bursting, something was loud. She needed to get away. Then, a light weight thing touched her chest, pressing down. Something with legs. Her cheek had been brushed with something that sucked air in. "SCOOTER, USE FURY SWIPES! That got her jolting up as pain immediately was felt on her face.She gripped her cheek from the attacked with her hoo-where's her hoof? "WHERE ARE WE?" The waker upper in question didn't answer. When her eyes focused, she saw the one responsible, but it wasn't a pony. She had what Twilight had-those useless claw things that replaced her hooves. She had a mane that was of nothing that she seen before:a straight, dark brown mane with bangs stretching to the side of her face with a dyed lavender finish at the ends. It was nothing she had seen a pony have, but then again, she was no pony. She lacked a pastel coat, instead, sporting a dull pale one of tan. Her dull brown eyes scanned Twilight's form before the creature grew loud with laughter. "Scooter, you were right!" She turned to face the strange, fox-like creature. It was black with different colored puffs of fur here and there of red with blue eyes to match. It sported something tied to it, a wheel necklace? Whatever it was, 'Scooter' seemed to care greatly for it. The thing huffed before answering back. "If she's like this..then the other five...-" "Do you want me to wake them..?" The creature yawned causally. Did the plight not phase it? "They seem out of it like her." Why did it sound so familiar? It stretched on Twilight before it slashed, with such an ease, Rainbow Dash first. When she woke, it wasn't a surprise the others followed suit just as quickly. "..Twi..Twilight..." Rainbow Dash grew distressed. "Where are my wings? What am I in..? Oh, and by the way:WHAT AM I?" The creature cocked her head. "...You guys seriously need help. I'm glad I stopped here when I had!" She creature pulled out something from some sort of bag. It wasn't anything like Twilight's saddle bag. "You all seem to have hit your heads or something!" "Aw, what is its name?" Fluttershy's voice broke through before any of the others had a chance at taking this..creature down. It was content with making them look dumb, obviously. " 'It?'" The thing spoke up, not moving its mouth. "The name's Scooter! Don't call me an 'it' please, that's really rude." Fluttershy flinched at the harshness of the creature's tone. "Don't mind her, she's my Zorua. She's just a bit startled after seeing you, that's all." It answered, Scooter gave a huff. "My name's Lavender, I'm..sorry for sounding so..mean I guess. You six...just seem sick. Its weird to not know where you are here, Kanto isn't that big!"
Prologue“A-Are you positive we aren’t going to get hurt, Apple Seed?” A violet filly, barely in grade school, stuttered. She knew the colt from her class. Her parents couldn’t get her into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, but they allowed her to advance in grade school. He was kind; he never acted this way before until Breaking Heart wanted to come here. She shifted her gaze towards the Everfree Forest’s grassy path trying to ignore his gaze and the surroundings that terrified the unicorn. Apple Seed whirled around to face her. His yellow eyes narrowed at her from annoyance. “Aw look, Breaking Heart, she’s going to cry again!” Apple Seed laughed as he turned away from the filly. The filly turned away, failing at concealing her tears from whom she thought was her friend. The filly next to her, one that is much older with a cutie mark for breaking things, laughed in response to the crying sibling. Apple Seed looked towards the filly, she couldn’t tell whether in sorrow or pity. Either or, the growing discomfort never left. “I can’t believe I even BROUGHT her with us! “ Breaking Heart’s callus response didn’t make the filly cry more, making Breaking Heart scowl. “Passion Bloom, get up, you coward!” Passion Bloom nearly cowered, her sister’s cold voice and command nearly chilling her spine and every ounce of being she had. All she really wanted was to curl up with her twin sister, Maypop and her mother, Caring Heart. She hadn’t expected to be dragged out to the Everfree Forest at night by her big sister, Breaking Heart. Not that she had needed persuading, she loved Breaking Heart dearly. She couldn’t possibly give up the chance to impress her. Trembling to get up on all fours, she stood. She still was shaking, but she was fine for the most part. “I-I-I’m sorry B-Breaking Heart. I-I was just worried…” A scowl formed on the elder’s face again as she turned away. “Just hurry up, you magic-less unicorn!” Passion cringed at the harshness of her voice. Apple Seed turned again smacking Passion Bloom to stay shut. She never fell as they walked onward. She was grateful she never had. She might not have gotten up again at all. “Be quiet, idiot, you might make us all die.” He hushed quietly as he pushed the filly down, grabbing her only. “I’m glad you brought the idiot, great for two purposes.” The words sounded forced and hollow from him, but she never chose to figure out why they sounded that way. “Just read the bucking book already, you incompetent foal!” Apple Seed pulled Passion closer to him as they walked. The feel of her yellow, green, and white streaked mane was almost comforting. She smelt like passion fruits, something he started to love more than apples. She always smelt like this. He wondered when he started acting sissy for this filly. He even briefly considered this what his mom and dad meant by “love”. “Its not like I don’t know her, she’s in my class! Mom and dad always did tell me how to show love…” He mused. “Perhaps I can now? To show love? But I really don’t want to have a foal…” Was doing that love possibly? Did she feel this feeling like him? “It says here we’ll start seeing the red path soon. I wonder what’s on the other side.” Passion seemed to realize what they meant by red path. She had a talent for reading ahead of others. “C-Can I p-please just go home?” She backed off Apple Seed, who was more interested in getting what lied between her paths while Breaking Heart was more interested in the story. “Would I object?” She thought and quickly dismissed any thought of that. Of course she would! Why did doubt ever settle in her heart for the colt? Why was she aching for the colt that keeps picking on her? She resolved the thoughts of him staring at her flank. Maybe he saw something of Breaking Heart’s? He wasn’t staring at hers. She was sure of this. “Stop being horny with my sister already,” Breaking Heart glared slightly as she pulled the book toward her with the magic. The book, which repeatedly warned to not follow, was floating the whole time with red magic. The book felt more like some fairy tale rather than reality. It told of tales that said how Equestria was made. It spoke about humans, worlds, curses, and fates. It made no sense to follow it, but it drew her eye. “That looks like a fairy tale book...” Passion murmured. “Mommy said it was mystical.” Her ears perked to the growls of Breaking Heart. “That mare knows nothing of this sort!” Passion nearly cringed at her abuser, but went against it. She didn’t want to move herself, Apple Seed already threatened to go lower with his hooves, and he was already touching a no-no zone. His face said otherwise. “Besides, she said mythical, you twit!” “B-But…mommy…” She whimpered. Green eyes peered downward as Apple Seed and Breaking Heart were continuing. “It says here that the forest is controlled at its heart. That’s where the red road ends.” Passion never did follow what they were saying. She tried wiggling away from the colt, but only to be forced back and the hoof forced lower. She started wondering if Breaking Heart had something to do with it. “Let’s just continue down the path, it will eventually lead there.” Apple Seed wavered, slightly distracted by Passion and Breaking Heart. Breaking Heart rolled her grey eyes. “Make your love quick, we have to leave.” Passion squirmed out of his grasp only to be propped down by Breaking Heart’s magic. Apple Seed seemed to grow shocked as Breaking Heart shoved him on her. He knew it was wrong, but she was intoxicating. Surely something else could be done to show love. This didn’t sound like what mom and dad said. “Make do with her. She’s just a waste of time. I knew she wouldn’t handle the task of being a distraction, she’s too stupid even for that.” “S-Sister…!” Passion bucked the colt off her and tried to make an escape. She didn’t want him to love her by force. He didn’t want her to run from him, but she escaped. "Passion Bloom, run! Your almost there!" Her tiny hooves pounding profusely into the ground as she tried ignoring the fire that blazed in her legs from running so fast and long. She wondered if she would ever make it without distress from other wildlife, but that was the last thing in mind. She didn’t hear the first voice; her thoughts weren’t coming to her very much anymore. Her thoughts scrambled when she realized Apple Seed was trying to hurt her. Her sister never cared. Apple Seed…Breaking Heart…. “Little one, don’t fear.” Her body went frozen; her stop wasn’t like this though. Thank Celestia for the log that stopped her from going much further. “Who’s there?” “Don’t fear child. Your so close.” “Who’s there?!” “Surprise!” From the black trees and the seemingly dead grass, a figure, one much taller than anypony she met before stood in front of her. Her hooves were lifted off the ground before she had time to register anything. All she saw were dark red eyes, darker than blood, and a beautiful mane that you couldn’t tell the color of. She wondered if this was what death felt like. “Does death feel exhausting?” She mused. “Or does it feel welcoming?” The hooves and the feel of flight engulfed the filly. She wondered if she was asleep, and this was a dream. She didn’t feel like she was asleep. “Maybe it feels…like…flying…” Her thoughts trailed off, her mind shutting down. She was the only pony who exited alive from the ordeal that they knew of. Breaking Heart disappeared, no pony knew whether she lived or died, same for Apple Seed. This devastated Apple Cinnamon and Apple Salsa, the parents of Apple Seed. So much so they abandoned the youngest daughter, Apple Bloom, in response and later died. Of course, some say they died of supernatural causes and others say they died of a broken heart. No one is certain. Passion Bloom never spoke much after the ordeal, and when she had, it was always so faint. The events of the night weren’t clear. But, when finally utters a word that you can hear about the night, you feel dread in your soul: “The book sets us free. She waits for us.”
Years Later"Is that it?" "I'm sorry girls, but that's all we have on this subject." Twilight was, originally, pleased when the Crusaders had decided to do research as a chance to gain their cutie marks, but, like whatever they had done, they weren't very quiet about it and weren't very successful. She was very reluctant to leave them in a room by themselves, but they heavily insisted. She honestly had no choice in the matter either way, Spike had gone to Rarity's to help, and she had matters that were too important to hold off with Pinkie Pie. So, going against better judgement, she left them there hoping they wouldn't do too much damage. "Ah told ya that humans weren't real." Apple Bloom pushed away a book that was torn and black. It looked well read, like Twilight or somepony had continually read it. It wasn't often a pony went to the library, so she guessed the latter. "Ah'm sure you were dreaming hooey again." Scootaloo's ears perked to a sound of a pony grabbing another book. She wasn't sure whether this was Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle, but she was hoping Apple Bloom had, but tried not to dwell on the idea that she stopped. "But it wasn't hooey!" Scootaloo turned away, her eyes focusing on the book. She never liked to read, it was always her most difficult subject, so she never bothered to read. She never expected to be in the library, none the less be reading in the library. "I am so sure..." "Are you sure about this?" Sweetie pushed away some books that were on the subject, but never touched the story they heard so much about. It was vague, but that's what enticed them to the story. She wasn't sure it had substance, but she knew ponies tried to find out the truth. The stories they came back with were grim, but they sounded like they found something. Sweetie Belle wasn't sure if Scootaloo was looking for answers for her dreams or whether she wanted to look into the myth itself. "I never heard of a pony having dreams like that, well, except for Lyra." "Ah think ah found something!" Apple Bloom called out. Scootaloo turned to face the southern filly, a smile crept on her cheeks. She certainly thought this as good news after the hard time they had for this search. "Are you sure this time?" "Ah'm positive!" Scootaloo ran to Apple Bloom's side and nearly swiped the book away from her hooves. She mumbled something that sounded like an apology and went to read the book. Sweetie Belle trotted towards them, but didn't bother to get closer. She was mildly amused by Scootaloo's antics, seeing how the the pegasus filly was actually interested in reading, but didn't purse the subject further. "This sounds like the story Rainbow told me, this can't be right.." Scootaloo kept on trying to read the pages. She wasn't great at taking scenes and analyzing them very thoroughly, she was hoping to find something she didn't understand earlier, a piece she never found until now. She found herself at a loss again. All it droned on for was about some group that (mostly) died from trying to find some red path. She was familiar with this tale, it was often used as a campfire story to scare the fillies and colts into not entering the Everfree Forest, but something drew her into reading on about it. "Are all tales this lengthy?" Scootaloo mused. "Or is this real?" Purple eyes widening like dinner plates showed she found something. Apple Bloom looked wearily towards Sweetie Belle, who just shot her a comforting, yet naive look. "It says there's a book somewhere in the forest! If we found it maybe..just maybe---" "Maybe what Scootaloo? We're not supposed to even be near the entrance, nevertheless, in it!" Sweetie Belle seemed to cower behind the book pile that resided in front of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. It wasn't very big, but big enough to hide the lower half of her body. "Rarity gave me a huge speech last time she heard I entered. It took, like too whole hours from crusading and even then, I wasn't allowed out!" Scootaloo cringed at the reminder. "Beside's, didn't they try the same thing?" Apple Bloom looked away. "Ah can't be apart of that. Apple Jack cried the last time Ah went there. Ah never seen her cry before!" "Fine, your right. We can't go." Scootaloo turned away. "I can go alone of course! I've been in there plenty of times and look? Nothing!" Standing finally after time sitting was a blast, she hadn't felt the satisfaction for a while. "S-Scootaloo, you can't be serious!" Sweetie Belle's voice cracked when she yelled, like life was on the line. "Y-You can't really be thinking--" "Ah think ya lost yer mind!" Apple Bloom's gaze looking more of concern. "Ya can't be serious!" "Watch me!" Scootaloo narrowed her eyes. "I NEED to do this. Jeez, what's got your manes in bunches? Its not like I don't know what I'm doing!" Scootaloo looked around again, wondering where in the name of hay did she place her saddle bag. Pleas of desperation fall on deaf ears, Scootaloo was more determined to get her bag and leave then continue on. Finally she found the bag wedged between the others. Not hesitating, she had placed it on and secured it enough so that it wouldn't fall off. "We can't let you leave! Y-You'll be..." Sweetie Belle was always emotional, and Scootaloo didn't want to put her on edge again. "What'll we tell them?" Apple Bloom looked down, her bow drooped and her ears lowered. "A-Ah can't lie to my sis..." Lifting her head with a hoof, Scootaloo smiled. "I'll totally be safe. There is nothing wrong. Just....don't tell anypony okay? I'll be back tomorrow, I Pinkie Promise." Scootaloo smiled when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle seemed mildly relieved. "Besides, I can totally handle anything myself." She gave a slight smirk. Same old Scootaloo. Scootaloo's ears perked from silence. No Pinkie Pie? Odd, but okay. She stepped on her scooter and waved before scooting off towards the forest. While zooming past town citizens that, at times, often cursed or yelled in anger when they sometimes had to jump out the way from her driving, she had her doubts. Passing stores that sold candy, baked goods, fruits, and the sorts made her more doubtful. "What if she's right and this really is a bunch of hooey?" Scootaloo's thoughts were ranging from doubtful to screams of rage that showed how stupid she would look if she broke her Pinkie Promise. She didn't want to hear Diamond's voice ring around town calling her a chicken more than anything else. The dream really needed to be answered. She never dreamed of humans before. She never knew what humans were before the dreams occurred. The feeling of deja view was startling. "The dream starts here...with something called a Zorua." By the time she managed to get to the forest entrance, she already wanted to turn back, but her pride swelled. Taking a breath in, she immediately zoomed into the entrance, hoping that by doing so, she wouldn't turn back. The figures around her stood in black, eerie silhouettes that stood more terrifying then the rest. Funny how Rainbow described it the exact opposite of what she saw now. The trees looked more and more like faces that were distorted. She swore she saw these before in her dream, but on creatures she deemed as "humans". The paths were dead with soil marking the ground. making it almost a terrible ride. This did stop her. It never stopped her when she saw the light was getting dimmer and dimmer by the moment. She expected this. "Where the heck is that book?" Her eyes were failing to do their destined job! Why do we have eyes if you can't see with them? The dark was starting to continue to lurk in her direction. Slowing down after what appeared to be an hour of nonstop darkness and the same setting, she saw the light. It was still pretty dim, but you could see the trees and the road. "Finally!" She stepped off the scooter to rest her wings. All she saw around her seemed to be the dead, hard grass, the darkening trees that were starting to get more sad then terrifying, and then the road. Oh, she wished she never saw the road. It was red and brown. "Please let this be paint." The "paint" was wet, and when she returned to the scooter, her hooves were red. If only she had stopped and had paid attention more, then she would have seen the warning signs and the letters that were plastered from the last's attempt. If only she noticed the scratches on the tree with the saddest face. Then she would have returned the next day. "I'm sorry Passion Fruit..I'm sorry." Sitting on a tree branch, a creature stayed silent. Her fingers that were sharp like claws were tapping the tree with satisfaction. She smiled a toothy grin that sported a set of canine teeth. Her other arm held a book clenched tightly. Pushing her brown hair away to reveal glowing eyes that held almost no color, like they were soulless. "Yet another child who enters. Such a pity Alices don't last long, I pity such youthful conduct. Lets just see how she fares for now" Green light flickered as she jumped from the branch, her form changing. "Now, let the games begin." Author's Note I can't do her accent. I'm sorry Apple Bloom.
Celestial Guidance-A Reference Guide from the Sun P.1"THE HORROR, THE HORROR!" It wasn't uncommon to hear Lily Valley's dramatic scream, but the idea of something bad always rattled Twilight to the core. She almost immediately unlocked her window and pushed it open to view the town. Taking note of the time, she muttered slightly in annoyance. 'Its barely sunrise, what could possibly be wrong right now?' Twilight wasn't a morning pony, she never was. She couldn't stand the idea of getting woken up at such hours. Normally, Twilight wouldn't hesitate, she immediately would feel her unease and paranoia creep in, but the mare normally is dramatic in anything she spoke. Twilight learned quite often that she should take Lily's 'horror' as a grain of salt. Still, while she was up, she might as well see what happened. "Oh sweet Celestia!" Twilight hardly kept her mouth shut. The town was a complete mess, wrecked worse then Twilight ever saw. Carts were toppled over and dismantled and their items laying helplessly on the ground carelessly. Apples were broken and splattered on walls, floors, and in some cases, were bleeding their juices on the ground despite not being mashed. Other fruits and vegetables were in piles, some partially mashed, covered in a dark red substance, or just lying alone and untouched, only tainted with the substance but without any other marking. Plants and gardens were ripped apart, the shops ransacked and smashed. Twilight could make out the sports good store run by a mare named Fowl Play with her newly born foal, Fast Break. Twilight forced herself to look away from the destruction. It wasn't a secret that Fowl Play was having a hard time with her store. Not many, apart from the athletes or children, approach the store. Aside from the Running of the Leaves and other bigger sports events that ran annually throughout the year in Ponyville, she hadn't had very many costumers. Such a shame too, she was a good mare and the store was great itself. "Who could have done this, Twi?" Twilight turned to face her assistant. She shook her head quietly and gently nudged the baby dragon with her hoof. When was he there in the first place? "When did you get up?" Twilight magically shut the window, trying to break away from the scene she saw just a a moment before. She took a breath to ease the knotting she had. "Right after you did." She made a note to know her surroundings better. "Spike, I just...I just don't know." Spike let out a defeated sigh as he walked towards the kitchen. "TWILIGHT! COME QUICK!" Apple Jack's voice flooded her ears, and without even notice from herself, she was already running towards her to see the problem first hoof. She quickly regretted it. Crashing fast into a fallen cart wasn't her first intention. "Ya'll okay?" "W-What happened?" Twilight stuttered, barely able to speak a word. The dark red substance was slippery and covered her partially. 'Its on the road too?' There were hoof marks in the dark substance, but more likely from the residents of the town. It was a horrible iron stench that made her nauseous. Standing finally, she hoped more of the substance wasn't on her hooves anymore, the stench was overwhelming. "Ah don't know Twi." Apple Jack frowned towards her friend. "Ah woke up and this was there already. Ah was kinda hopin' you had seen what happened." Twilight shook her head. "I'm just as worried as you are, Apple Jack. But we'll get to the bottom of this." "Finally your here!" Pinkie Pie seemingly bounced over with ease. "I was soooo worried somethin' might have happened to you and I was getting sad, so I searched for you and --" "Pinkie Pie." Twilight sighed. "Nice to see you too. Do you have-" "Nope!" Pinkie giggled. "I was asked that like, a billion times~ I was sooooo busy with planning a big huge party for Derpy a week advanced so everything would be perfect! I wanted her to have the bestest party after what happened with her and a few meanies that came from Canterlot." 'How could a pony...?' Twilight wondered as she paced back to the library with a more knowing look then before. 'I think I saw this from somewhere..' Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie, shared a look of confusion, but they didn't question it as they followed behind. It was only a matter of time that Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash would at the library as well. She wondered whether or not she wanted to know about the other damages that happened near them. 'If this is just part of the destruction..' She didn't bother continuing as she softly shuddered at the thought. "It should be here somewhere.." Twilight muttered softly. Her magic yanking books off the shelves as she sort them. "Oh, there!" Her purple magic released the other books quickly after obtaining the needed book. Spike grumbled, his breakfast needing to wait a little longer then what he wanted. The book itself was brown with strange markings. It appeared rather old with splotches of strange colors on the brown covers and the the spot ridden old light brown pages. Red blotches decorated the back along with green grass stains. 'How'd I get this? Only Celestia had it...' " 'Equestrian Myths?' Yer interested in a fairy tale?" She wasn't sure whether Apple Jack's voice faltered as though there was hidden pain behind the words, but she tried not dwelling on it. "Remember how Nightmare Moon came to be?" No pony could deny that experience. It wasn't easy to forget in any way. "Of course silly!" "Of course." Apple Jack said confidently. "Of course ah do, but what does that-" "It was a myth just like this." Twilight continued. "I swear, I heard Celestia talk more about this when I was in Canterlot. She used to tell me stories like these, I didn't understand then, but I do now." "INCOMING!" Rainbow Dash had a streak of crashing into her friends' homes, and this was no exception. Twilight was better prepared as her magic wrapped Rainbow Dash whole and lowered her down safely. "Uh, sorry about that. I was trying to get here fast and uh, crashed." She laughed nervously. "Let me guess: Its just as bad in Cloudsdale?" "Yeah, pretty much, excluding the weather machines being totally destroyed. They practically gave me a day off from the mess!" " Dear, 'Mess' isn't the right word." Rainbow moved away as Rarity trotted in, her hooves red from the road. Fluttershy came next, whimpering alongside her. "My beautiful boutique, ruined! Destroyed! My hooves are UTTERLY filthy!" "T-the ..animals are too scared to leave their homes. I-I can't get them out..." Twilight sighed as she grew frustrated. Her list grew as she learned how right she was. "What is that?" Rainbow snatched the book as she turned to see the pages. She's more hoofs on, being this way, she grew impatient as she waited until she had taken the book. She frowned and tilted it again in confusion. "A Fairy Tale, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash handed it back as she grew slightly more annoyed. "How can you be reading FAIRY TALES in a time like this?" Twilight's anger grew as she faced her friends. She wasn't a morning pony, she didn't like thinking so early in the morning. 'I really need to lock that door..' "CAN EVERYPONY JUST BE QUIET!?" She yelled as she locked the door this time. "Now that I know nopony's going to just burst in and interrupt, I'll get back to what I was saying." She cleared her throat to present. "As I was saying, Celestia used to tell me all about stories like these while I was in Canterlot. I hadn't understood them until now." She flipped through the book once more. The page turned red as a strange creature appeared. She hadn't seen a creature so strange. Tan 'fur' and and one shaded 'mane', she didn't look like any creature she read or encountered before. She wore a dress that was hemmed so beautifully. It was dark blue with black threading and edges. There were weird designs on the dress that resembled the moon, but she pushed that to the side. "She's the first" It read in blue italics. The font was curvy and stylized, like it was hoof written. "She grew crazy, she wasn't the one." "That's not right...it can't be." Twilight's eyes widened. "But when I last read it--" "Hold yer horses! Ya mean to tell me ya read it before?" The question seemed innocent, but they struck her like arrows. "Of course! I read all these book!" She defended. "This doesn't sound right though. The text changed." "Darling, are you sure that your not imagining things?" Rarity's concerns fell on deaf ears. "That's crazy! How could words just change?!" Growing cornered, she felt that tightness grow ten fold again, not wanting to leave this time. "I..I just don't know, okay?" "DO IT AGAIN!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she watched the text change. She was bouncing in front of the book excitedly. Her smile increased again when the book simmered. Twilight gasped as she pushed Pinkie away. "That's not me, Pinkie!" "How is it not, silly? Who else could it be?" The words changed again when Pinkie Pie spoke, they sizzled and popped like fire crackers at first. "You ponies are too late, she already claimed her fate. Deathly trails and no memory to boot, horrible events shall follow suit. Red trails of madness, her sword she drew as her insanity grew. Follow sweet ponies, you failed yet again, but too many times, your now condemned" The voice was sickening to hear, like claws on a chalkboard. Still, it droned on without a care. "You ponies will be dead if you follow where the path has lead." Immediately, the book wouldn't present the rest of the story and the voice stopped cold. Only that creature kept showing, but this time, she looked...scared as she was drenched with pools of red. "How is that..?" Her words fell flat. "How did that..?" "TWILIGHT, TWILIGHT!" Spike handed Twilight the scroll. "Princess Celestia sent this for you! What does it say Twilight?" Grabbing it, she frowned further as she scanned the parchment. She saw something strange on the bottom: A seal? She skipped it and went on. She looked over and turned to face her worried friends. "She immediately wants to see---" Twilight wishes she could finish a sentence as yellow magic wraps around her figure and the others. The parchment fell as it wrapped. The seal broke open and the yellow magic continued to grow. "W-What is this?" Fluttershy squeaked. "C-Care to explain dear?!" "N-Not cool!" "I-I don't know!" The magic sent them away as the light vanished along with the parchment.It felt like hours until they stopped. Landing somewhere with a thud wasn't her expectation for today, but it hadn't been the first time it happened. Her head spun as the room around her increased in clarity. Instead of something terrifying, she saw her mentor staring with a caring gaze. "Princess Celestia?" The Princess smiled softly as the ponies regained strength from the landing. "What's happening? What happened?!" "My dear faithful student, this is no time to waste. I teleported you all here because there isn't a time to waste with general transportation." Her face contorted into one of great fear and worry, something no pony was used to. "This is the most important task you all must accomplish, or else no pony or creature will live any longer." Her yellow magic surrounded a wall, opening it up to reveal a door that was a triple chained iron door with bars. "My little ponies, this door leads to your final quest." Celestia opened the locks and creaked the door open to reveal that the door itself can't be opened with magic, and the walls were crafted from magic restricting material. No pony could get in or out before they are discovered. No pony was sure of what they'd see, but this wasn't what they expected. Not at all.
Celestial Guidance:A Reference Guide from the Sun P.2"How did you hide this room?" Twilight was the first to speak up. The room they entered was barricaded and had relics of sorts. All these relics resembled something-Twilight didn't understand what. There were books stacked to the sides of the small room-all of which were battered from over use. One could assume Celestia wanted to use them solely for herself, like a private mission of sorts. There were buttons hidden on the side that Celestia touched, causing the room to light up with a diagram. "What does this mean?" Rarity's voice meshed into the others-all of them in awe, but her question stood out more. She trotted originally from her location to the table where a book had lied just a short distance from the diagram's location. It was similar to the one Twilight had earlier, but something screamed off. She flipped it open with little magic until something jumped out:There was an image of a creature that looked just like her, just more...farm like, something close enough to the last. "This..can't be possible!" "That's why I've brought you all here," Celestia's voice radiated. A sigh left from her lips as she started forward with a form of regret. Her pupil, uncomfortable by her teacher's actions, came over, placing a hoof on her in worry. "To see a creature Rarity?" Pinkie Pie asked, eyeing the book. "OOOooo! Rarity, what else can you do? Maybe-" "Pinkie Pie, there's a time and place for everything," Applejack hushed her, covering her mouth as she rattled on happily before Celestia went on. Celestia had taken this strange conversation to her advantage, pausing to find the words that suited this difficult task. Why wasn't it possible? "These...creatures...as you call them...they were here long before any of us." Celestia said delicately. "They were magnificent at what they created, being even more advanced than our kind, even with our beautiful magic." "I thought that was just some old mares tale or somethin' " Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out. "Princess, what's that tale have anything to do with this? Twilight started off preaching something like this earlier, still makes no sense." "Rainbow Dash, darling!" Rarity cried. "Surely you can show more manners than..that towards the one and only!" Rainbow Dash grunted at Rarity's phrasing before a stern glare came from Applejack to warn her. She backed away from a fight of course. It wasn't because they were right or anything! "Its fine, my little ponies," Celestia gave a smile towards them. All of them so precious, like her own children. "Its to be discussed because its happening again. Besides, who said that stories can't be made from real events?" She gave a wink. "We..thought that...was possible but.." Celestia chuckled at her student. She still hasn't learned, she supposed. "They were very advanced, had the greatest of what technology had to offer. They were truly magnificent in that regard, but as time grew on, the avarice each country had grew. It was a train wreck, but they were content to an extent. Then...this creation was found, but...at a cost..." Celesta paused again. "It seems to me they didn't understand what they had," Applejack replied, lowering her head. "What's that gott-" "Have you ever worried about..about what your past was like..?" Celestia's train of thought changed as she started coming away from the room. "Most ponies simply can't recall. When they do, they pay the price." Her frown was evident again. "Princess, what are you trying to say?" Celestia pushed her arm down gently. Twilight needed to hear it, she can't back down now. "When they pay the price repeatedly, you see the outcome on everypony. The rest suffer when fate destroys a card. That's what happened before." Celestia levitated the pictures of two foals. One was labeled Apple Seed, a young colt, and the other, a filly, labeled Breaking Heart. To see Applejack's great discomfort in seeing the first picture was evident, Fluttershy's kindness aided in soothing the farmer. "It is time to tell the truth behind the disappearances, even more so than the victims know themselves. We have great suspicion that they have learned of the past and were immediately disposed of." "Who would do such a thing?" Twilight's cry didn't loosen the Princess's resolve, which already wanted to fall apart. It was a task that she wished to keep for another time or..for not at all. The burden she carries isn't lifted in the least. "I can't tell you that Twilight." Celestia admitted before she made them leave the room behind. "I'm afraid that you must take care of things from here on. You must find the answer to the creation they have with the help of your friends." She carried away the book, she carefully took a look over the book once more before she handed it over. "Princess-" "I'm sorry, Twilight." Celestia was so sincere. "You can't delay nor retrieve what you have at home. This task is very important. Another..."Her voice trailed. She didn't have time to explain, for the book did what Celestia knew it would do. Twilight felt it wrap around her like the scroll had earlier on, creating a tight force that sucked the air out her lungs, removing the ability to speak. "I'm sorry, Twilight, I can't explain. You'll learn..." Celestia's voice faltered. "Please..." Twilight's felt her head drop, dizziness sweeping her and blurring her senses. There were words uttered, but to make out what they said was a task not even she had the patience and energy for. "give...me..." "Are you...okay?" Twilight felt a flood of things drift into her being. It was first black then a whirl of colors spun around. There were dots and then sounds that followed from it. A loud bursting sound was in the background with a strong ashy smell. Was something burning? "Are you okay?" There were more bursting, Twilight didn't recognize what was bursting, something was loud. She needed to get away. Then, a light weight thing touched her chest, pressing down. Something with legs. Her cheek had been brushed with something that sucked air in. "SCOOTER, USE FURY SWIPES! That got her jolting up as pain immediately was felt on her face.She gripped her cheek from the attacked with her hoo-where's her hoof? "WHERE ARE WE?" The waker upper in question didn't answer. When her eyes focused, she saw the one responsible, but it wasn't a pony. She had what Twilight had-those useless claw things that replaced her hooves. She had a mane that was of nothing that she seen before:a straight, dark brown mane with bangs stretching to the side of her face with a dyed lavender finish at the ends. It was nothing she had seen a pony have, but then again, she was no pony. She lacked a pastel coat, instead, sporting a dull pale one of tan. Her dull brown eyes scanned Twilight's form before the creature grew loud with laughter. "Scooter, you were right!" She turned to face the strange, fox-like creature. It was black with different colored puffs of fur here and there of red with blue eyes to match. It sported something tied to it, a wheel necklace? Whatever it was, 'Scooter' seemed to care greatly for it. The thing huffed before answering back. "If she's like this..then the other five...-" "Do you want me to wake them..?" The creature yawned causally. Did the plight not phase it? "They seem out of it like her." Why did it sound so familiar? It stretched on Twilight before it slashed, with such an ease, Rainbow Dash first. When she woke, it wasn't a surprise the others followed suit just as quickly. "..Twi..Twilight..." Rainbow Dash grew distressed. "Where are my wings? What am I in..? Oh, and by the way:WHAT AM I?" The creature cocked her head. "...You guys seriously need help. I'm glad I stopped here when I had!" She creature pulled out something from some sort of bag. It wasn't anything like Twilight's saddle bag. "You all seem to have hit your heads or something!" "Aw, what is its name?" Fluttershy's voice broke through before any of the others had a chance at taking this..creature down. It was content with making them look dumb, obviously. " 'It?'" The thing spoke up, not moving its mouth. "The name's Scooter! Don't call me an 'it' please, that's really rude." Fluttershy flinched at the harshness of the creature's tone. "Don't mind her, she's my Zorua. She's just a bit startled after seeing you, that's all." It answered, Scooter gave a huff. "My name's Lavender, I'm..sorry for sounding so..mean I guess. You six...just seem sick. Its weird to not know where you are here, Kanto isn't that big!"
