The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight

by Xx-Sniper_Masters-xX

Rating: everyone
Tags: Applejack, Original Character, Apple Bloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Big Macintosh, Crossover
Length: 4039

Applejack has noticed that apple trees are mysteriously being cut down. So one night she decides to see who is cutting them down. What she sees is something that she can't explain.

Applejack has noticed that the trees around the farm have been mysteriously cut down. So one night she decides to stay outside and check out who is cutting them down. What she saw was something that can't be explained by anyone. (Story from Applejack's point of view.)

Published 2013-09-02 19:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-03-18 21:33:28 UTC

The Trees...

"What do you mean the trees have been cut down?!" I yelled at Big Mac.

"I mean. The trees have been cut down for some random reason!" Big Mac yelled back.

"You have 5 seconds to tell me who did this before I smack you across your innocent red face." I said to Big Mac.

"How am I supposed to know who did this when I wasn't even there to see it?! HUH?!" Big Mac yelled.

"You know what... Get out of my sight. I'm going to figure this out myself." I said to Big Mac. Big Mac then walked away and went outside to buck more apples from the other trees.

Hi my name is Applejack. You all already know that some of my trees have been cut down by some pony. Honestly I find that annoying. I've been noticing that Big Mac has been slacking off and he keeps coming back everyday saying the trees have been cut down. I plan to catch the pony who is doing this.

"What am I going to do? Harvesting season is coming up soon! I can't have this happen to me now!" I was so frustrated at what has been happening everyday.

*Big Mac comes back*

"Uh... I'm not sure if you will believe me but all the apples are gone." Big Mac said.

"WHAT?!" I looked out of the window and saw that every tree had not a single apple on it.

"Ok you know what? I'm going to catch this meddler." I was about to go outside when Applebloom stopped me.

"Applejack no! There are monsters out there! You can't go outside!" I looked at Applebloom straight in the eye and gave her a look that said I was serious. Applebloom then got out of the way.

"Alright if I'm going to catch this joker I'm going to need you all to stay here." I said.

"Understood. C'mon Applebloom let Applejack do her business." I watched as Big Mac took Applebloom upstairs to her room. She turned her head and mouthed the words: Be Careful

I went outside and got ready for the night. I would hide in the trees and see who has been chopping down my trees once and for all. A Prankster? Animals? Maybe Big Mac. But what I found that night was something that even I could not explain.

Author's Note

Please. Don't bother me.

Beyond the Acres

It was midnight. I was half asleep and I was starving. I hadn't eaten dinner at all. But soon I would find the one who was vandalizing my property. Then in the distance I saw one of the trees fall down to the ground and I saw multiple figures near it.

"Gotcha." I then rushed over to the tree. I expected to see some ponies or animals but what I saw were scarecrows. That's right I saw about 3 scarecrows near the tree. Last time I checked they don't walk. One of the scarecrows turned around and started to move towards me.

"Oh no! Get away from me!" I started to run towards the house but tripped on a rock and fell face first into the ground.

"Applejack... Applejack... Applejack..." The scarecrows said as they got closer.

"No. NO!" I shielded myself before they could hurt me. But then I heard a familiar voice.

"Applejack! Applejack!" Applebloom was shaking me.

"Huh? Wha? What happened?" I got up and looked around. I was in the same spot where I was waiting for those jokers.

"Must have been a dream." I couldn't really move much so Applebloom helped me get over to the house.

"Hey sis, so how did it go?" Big Mac asked.

"Terrible. I fell asleep before I got the chance to see them." I went over to Mac to see what he was doing. He was reading some book...

"Applejack. Applebloom is calling you." Big Mac pointed behind me. I turned around to see Applebloom at the stairs.

"Applejack please I want to talk with you." So I followed Applebloom to her room.

"Ok so what's wrong? Monster in the closet?" I figured she was just scared of the dark so I wasn't really taking Applebloom seriously.

"No it's the scarecrows. Every night at midnight the scarecrows come alive and destroy the trees and steal the apples." Applebloom then went over to the window. I looked at what she was looking at.

"That scarecrow over there wasn't there before. It was in the middle of the field now it's near the trees." I checked and Applebloom was right. But I knew that what I saw was just a dream so I went out there and this time Big Mac joined me.

(Midnight)

"So sis tell me again why we are sitting next to a tree in the middle of the night?" Big Mac was real irritated since he hadn't eaten his dinner yet.

"To catch the crooks that are cutting down the trees and stealing the apples." I then payed my attention on the scarecrows. They hadn't moved at all.

"What is it?" Big Mac asked.

"Do you ever get the feeling that those scarecrows are alive?" Mac shook his head so I kept watching the trees.

"Hey sis do you see that?" Big Mac was pointing to the trees in the distance. You could see the outline of a body.

"...Applebloom?" I ran up to Applebloom who was shivering.

"Applebloom what are you doing here?" I picked her up and went over Big Mac who had fallen asleep.

"I saw the scarecrows moving. One of them saw me so I got scared..." I hugged Applebloom and did my best to calm her down.

"Well your safe now. Nothing can get you." I held Applebloom tight and kept watch over her while I looked over the trees.

(3:00 A.M.)

It was late and I knew it. There would be no way I would find the criminals now. So I took Applebloom to the house. Big Mac lazily got up and walked to the house with me. We almost got to our house when I noticed that there were a couple of scarecrows near the door.

"This is not normal." I stared at the scarecrows for a while before going inside. Big Mac didn't really pay attention to it much and just went inside.

I put Applebloom in bed and went to my own room. Mac went to his room to catch up on his sleep. I laid in bed and looked at the ceiling thinking about what had happened in the past days. Trees being cut down isn't normal. Nor is scarecrows moving by themselves. But I ignored it and went to sleep to get ready for the day ahead.

They're Inside

It was the next morning. I looked outside to see Big Mac placing the scarecrows back in their rightful place. It was a relief that nothing had happened to any of us during the night before. Maybe we can forget about this whole entire thing of finding the ignorant pony doing this. I kept looking out the window until Applebloom came in with breakfast.

"Applejack! I made you breakfast see?" Applebloom then gave her biggest smiles at me.

"I see that you did! Thank you Applebloom I will certainly enjoy the breakfast you made me!" I then gave Applebloom a smile to tell her that she did a wonderful job. Applebloom cheered and skipped happily out of the room.

I turned around to keep looking out the window and check up on Big Mac but he wasn't outside anymore. Then I heard the door shut from downstairs.

"Applebloom is Applejack in her room?" Big Mac asked Applebloom

"Yes." Applebloom replied cheerfully. I then heard Big Mac coming up the stairs. I rushed over to my bed and put the tray on my lap and began to eat the food Applebloom gave me. I then heard the door open.

"Hey sis. I need to talk to you about something." Big Mac then walk right next to the bed.

"Sure anything." I then put the breakfast aside and showed Mac that he had my full attention.

"I want to talk to you about last night." Big Mac then sat down next to me.

"What about last night?" I was pretty confused since nothing really happened except Applebloom and those scarecrows.

"Well... It's about the trees..." Big Mac had a nervous face and was darting his eyes to the left a lot.

"Go on..." I started to feel a sense of disappointment at that point.

"I'm the one cutting down the trees..." I watched as Big Mac turned his head away from me.

"Huh. So it was YOU who was cutting the trees down?!" I then felt myself fill up with anger.

"I'm sorry..." Big Mac put his head down and just stared at the floor. Then I just lost it.

"Sorry? SORRY? How can you be sorry if you cut down the trees when you KNOW harvesting season is coming up?!" I then got up from bed and went right up to his face.

"I know... It was -" But I interrupted Mac before he could finish.

"Ah ha ha! No you don't! You think you can cut down trees without anyone noticing?! I bet that those scarecrows were all your doing too!" I then pushed Mac to the ground and went over to the window.

"The scarecrows ain't got nothing to do with me!" Big Mac then came right up to me and tried to explain everything to me but I didn't want to hear none of it. So I sent him out of the room.

"I'm telling you right now. Just to warn you. Those scarecrows are alive and can come in the house if they want." But I ignored Big Mac and shut the door on him. The rest of that day I stayed inside. The only time I went outside the room was to go to the bathroom or to eat. No one talked to each other during the whole entire time.

(Midnight)

"I can't believe this. Harvesting season is just a week away. With this many trees we have left I don't think I'll be able to have enough cider for everyone. Or anyone in this case..." I sighed I went over to the window to check everything around the farm. I stared at the scarecrows and just watched them. For some reason they actually did look alive. Then I saw one of the heads turn to me.

"Whoa!" I ducked down under the window and hid so the scarecrow wouldn't see me. I then got up and peeked out of the window. I saw as groups of scarecrows came towards the house. Soon after I heard the door open and the rustling of straws. I then rushed over to Applebloom's room and locked the room.

"Is something wrong Applejack?" Applebloom was still sleepy and looked around the room. Then she quieted down so we could hear everything outside the door. You could hear the rustling of the straws on the floor.

"Applejack? What's that?" Applebloom whispered.

"Be very quiet." I whispered back to Applebloom. Then we both got up and got away from the door.

SCRAAAAAAAAAATCH

You could hear the scratching behind the door and you could see that the door was about to open.

"Applejack I'm scared." Applebloom then went right up to me and I held her tight.

"Everything will be okay... Just ignore all the noises and you will be okay. You're safe with me." I then waited for the door to open right up but instead all the noises had stopped. It was strange to have sounds outside to just randomly stop but I didn't even bother to check. I stayed with Applebloom so I could protect her and make sure she wouldn't be snatched under my nose. So I slept in the room with Applebloom and waited for the next day to come. Knowing the scarecrows would keep coming.

Author's Note

Don't ever go to sleep.

The Apple's History

I woke up the next morning next to Applebloom. She was safe but in my mind I knew this room would be unsafe. The scarecrows were probably still outside. I checked out the window to see that the sun was rising telling me the scarecrows won't attack now. I opened the door just enough to take a peek and saw that there was 5 scarecrows at the door ready to attack. None of them moved so I walked outside and took them one by one back onto the fields; Far away from us.

"Okay that's the last of them." I walked back to the house and turned my head to check on the scarecrows. Nothing out of the ordinary. I turned my head back around to the house and continued to walk. In the far distance I could see Big Mac in the distance with a book. An old book to be exact.

"So what's with the book you got there?" I asked Big Mac.

"Oh this one? It's about our family history." I snatched the book from Big Mac and looked at the book. There was so many members in the family that it was hard to keep track of them all. I looked at the beginning of the family tree to see our ancestors. They seemed a bit... off.

"Hey some of these ponies look weird." Big Mac took a look at them and nodded.

"Well it was our ancestors. Ancestors are always weird in their own possible way." Big Mac took the book back and placed it in a box. He locked the box and took the key with him.

"Looks like he's hiding a lot of stuff from me..." I grabbed the box and took it to my room. If can figure out how to open the box then I might be able to find the reason why these scarecrows are coming alive every midnight...

"If I can buck some apples then I can surely break a lock." I placed the box onto the floor. Pull back... Lift the box in the air! And BUCK!

CRRRRACK

"Alright now what are you hiding Mac...." I opened the book and saw that there was descriptions of my past ancestors. Their names were faded and it was hard to read considering it was some really old paper.

/a///nn/ /////
//d///a A//le was a pony veiled in mystery. She would always spend time in her fields trying to do ancient dark magic rituals that only Earth ponies can do when they have reached their potentials. M//o/// /pp// reached her potential and performed a ritual that would bring a scarecrow that happened to be near her testing fields to come to life on midnights for 7 days when a blue moon occurs. Past owners were nearly killed in incidents with their scarecrows coming to life. But the ritual can last so long that on the year of 20XX November 9th the dark magic will disappear and the land will be free.

-The rest of the page is ripped and can't be read.-

Wait a second... There was pieces of letters... If I can figure them out... /a///nn/ ///// + //d///a A//le + M//o/// /pp// = Madonna Apple... I can't believe it.. If this is all because of dark magic then... The family is in danger!

I took pieces of wood and nails and a hammer and barricaded the doors and windows to prevent the scarecrows from coming in. It was only 7:00 P.M. But at some time the scarecrows could come out of nowhere and attack at an earlier time. Better safe than sorry!

*Somewhere around 11:55*

"Got any 7's?" I asked Applebloom.

"Nope! Go Fish!" I drew a card from the pile and now I had 2 7's with 3 Aces and a 3.

"Psst, Applebloom ask Applejack if she has an ace!" Big Mac whispered to Applebloom.

"Okay! Do you have any aces?" Geez Big Mac and his cheating habits at Go Fish...

"Yes, In fact I have three..." I gave the cards to Applebloom. Now Applebloom was beating me by 1 to 0.

SCREEEEECH

"Ow my ears!" All three of us covered our ears from the piercing screech. I looked at the barricades to see that the scarecrows were at the door.

"Uh... What's at the door?" Applebloom was hiding behind Big Mac shaking from the noise of rustling straw at the door.

"Don't ask. Big Mac get Applebloom to her room. I'll meet you up there." Big Mac said nothing. He grabbed Applebloom and rushed to her room.

"Okay scarecrows what do you want?!" I stood there for a while wondering if the scarecrows would break down the barriers and take me far away from the family...

"What we want... Is our freedom..." The scarecrows hissed.

"What? If you want freedom then why don't you just leave the farm?" I asked.

" The Dark Magic is preventing us from escaping. We cannot leave unless the barrier is broken. But the Dark magic is so powerful it starts to control us making us have the urge to kill..." The scarecrows replied.

"But if you are not controlled by the dark magic then..." I looked up at the door.

"..." Total silence.

"Hello?" I took a step forward.

"..." Silence.

"Are you still there?" I took another step forward when the barricade was broken. The scarecrow stuck it's head in and said one word only.

"Run." I ran up to Applebloom's room fast, opened the door and closed it. I locked it and blocked the door.

"What's wrong Applejack?" Big Mac asked.

"The scarecrows are inside again! They're really powerful now and I fear that Applebloom will get hurt." My heart stopped when I heard rustling straw on the door.

"Okay all we got to do is survive through the night and we'll be alright. We'll take shifts. I'll take the first shift and you take the second." Big Mac suggested.

"Okay." I closed my eyes and just listened as the rustling of straws on the door was getting louder.

"Don't worry. We'll make it through."

Author's Note

...

The Final Hour

I woke up to see Big Mac. I knew it was my turn to stand guard at the door. Big Mac yawned and said good night and quickly fell asleep.With Big Mac asleep and Applebloom safe I knew that nothing could go wrong. I listened outside for the rustling straws but heard nothing. I was tempted to open the door but I saw things like this in movies where everything is quiet outside the door then the main character opens the door only to have the monster to be waiting at the door.

"I hope these things don't know how to climb." I looked around for a few seconds more before falling asleep again. I woke up later in front of a dark house that was in shambles.

"Hello?" I had a strange feeling that I somehow knew the place.

It was that time when a pony came outside the house in a robe. It was difficult to determine whether it was male or female. The pony then put down the hood that had masked the face. The pony was a female but she remained anonymous. The pony started to chant a sentence over and over saying it louder each time. Then she stopped. The ground shook and a whole entire group of scarecrows came out of some nearby woods. The scarecrows had a veil of purple mist around them. Next thing I knew the pony pointed at me and shouted a command.in a shrill voice.

"Bring her to me!" The scarecrows slowly moved towards me.

I was outnumbered so I decided to run instead of fighting. But I was already closed inside a circle of scarecrows that slowly started to get smaller. I knew there was no escape so I let them take me to her.

"What are you going to do to me, huh?" The pony stared into my eyes and only said Applebloom. I was then shaken by Big Mac.

"APPLEJACK, APPLEBLOOM HAS GONE MISSING!" Big Mac yelled. I got up immediately and looked at Applebloom's bed. She was gone and there were no signs of straws near the bed.

"This is real bad!" I remembered my dream. The pony, the possessed scarecrows, The house! The house was an abandoned house that no one went to. It was somewhere near the woods.

"Mac, I think I know what to do."

"I find it strange that there were no scarecrows around the house." Big Mac quickly spun around to check the surroundings. Nothing.

"Here we are." From what I had saw from my dream the anonymous pony should come out of the house in a few minutes.

I didn't want to get caught so I went around back. There was a door there that was left open. I went inside the house and looked for some book that might possibly have a spell to break the curse. I went upstairs to a room that looked strange. The place looked like where you would have rituals take place and have portals open to let spirits come into the real world. I heard footsteps so I hurried to find the book. I realized that Big Mac wasn't nearby. I heard him later yelling outside. Scarecrows held him down and the footsteps were getting louder. I panicked and ran to find the book and was successful after looking under a desk. I flipped to the page with a picture of a possessed pony. I looked at the words at the bottom. They looked like an ancient type of writing. I heard the door slam into the wall. Behind the door was the pony.

"PUT THAT DOWN!!!" The pony yelled. I quickly read the words 3 times. Nothing happened. Then I heard moaning from outside.

"What in the?" I looked out the window and stared to see that the scarecrows were dropping like flies.

I was expecting to see nothing happen after that but then I saw a spirit of a pony rise from one of the scarecrows. The pony looked as if it was in peace. Quickly many others rose from the other scarecrows. One of the spirits moved towards the window.

"Thank you. You've freed us from the curse." The spirit quickly disappeared in thin air. So did the other ponies. I smiled to myself and quickly turned to the pony. She has nothing to protect her.

"No! How dare you free them?! Now I must capture more spirits to be my slaves!" The pony raised her face and moving at extreme speed she stole the book away from me and ran outside.

"Shoot!" I ran outside to see Big Mac. He was dizzy and confused but otherwise okay.

"Wha? What happened?" Big Mac looked around him and then locked his eyes onto the pony.

"Big Mac! Hurry!!! We need to catch that pony! She's going to imprison more ponies!" Big Mac quickly snapped back into reality and began running after the pony.

The pony looked back at us. She glared at us and said some quick words. The nearby apple trees came alive and moved towards us. One of the trees swiped at us. We dodged the attack and kept running. We looked back and saw the trees turned back to normal. The pony suddenly screamed in a high voice and said one word. The pony then disappeared.

"Where did she go?" I looked around in confusion. Big Mac, with a defeated look, fell to the ground.

"Well there goes our chance of finding Applebloom..."

"I'm a horrible brother... I let Applebloom get taken while I wasn't watching." Big Mac walked slowly to the window.

"..." I walked over to Big Mac. He was looking over the fields of apple trees.

"Don't worry. We'll find Applebloom one day." I patted Big Mac lightly on the back. He sighed.

"Eeyup."

Author's Note

Now you know you can't trust me to complete stuff on time.