The Trojan Mare Project

Chapter 1

The Ember Night

The night was calm in the small town of Ponyville, peaceful slumber echoed through the town, yet not all is calm.  In the land of Equestria is where the farm known as Sweet Apple Acres our attention is focused on a small yellow filly with a red mane, who at first seemed to be sleeping in peace.  Yet, if one were to look closer, one would see the beads of sweat run down her face, and the terrified whimpers fill the room.

Applejack, who could not fall asleep that night after receiving a particularly nasty injury to the front right leg, and it was making it rather difficult to fall asleep. Holding an ice pack in her hoof, she prepared to put it on her sore, front right knee. The injury forming from the latest efforts to save the Cutie Mark Crusaders from their most recent attempt at crusading for their cutie marks.

Whoever gave them the idea of base jumping the town hall, are going to find themselves tied to a certain tree during apple bucking season. thought Applejack, as she placed an ice pack on the swollen knee. Now how am ah to help Big Mac around the farm if I can't can't do what I need to, with this bum leg?  Just as she finished tying the pack to her knee, her blood ran cold, as she heard screaming in the house.

"Applejack! No!"

Reacting within an instant, despite the cracking pain in her leg, she let out a hollow breath to counter the her desire to stay put as she got up, and hoofed it over to Apple Bloom's room yelling, "I'm coming sis!"

Applejack, who finally made it up to her sister’s room, slammed the door open ready to defend her family from whatever intruder that had broke in.  She stood there poised ready to fight, her heart prepared to face danger, yet all she could see in the room was her sister sitting up in  bed.  Her sister was breathing hard, accompanied by a look of fright in her blood shot dilated eyes.

As Apple Bloom looked at the battle-ready Applejack, she smiled and cheered, "oh sis you’re OK!"  And with that, she started to cry again, remembering what had transpired in her dream.

Applejack, being sensitive to the realization that Apple Bloom must have had a terrible nightmare, walked over to the young filly and sat down beside her on the bed.   All while fighting the shock of pain , which surged through her leg, as her leg reacted to her movements.

Placing a hoof on the red-maned filly, she cooed out, "What’s wrong, sugarcube?  Looks like you just watched a bull catch up to a clown at the rodeo."

Apple Bloom then attempted to choke back her sobbing and replied, "oh Applejack it..” sniff “...was…” sniff, sniff “...terror-able!" And with that Apple Bloom could not hold it in any more and continued her sobbing.

Applejack, remembering the night-terrors she had when she was little, and how she reacted to them, knew exactly what to do in this situation.  That is, thanks to Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh's example of how they helped her; in their own turn, in those times of need.  She leaned over her sister, and put her hoof over her, and pulled her into a hug that only a loving sister could give, and just sat there rocking back, and forth.  Doing her part to comfort, and let her sister cry.

After a few minutes, the sobbing settled down, and slowed to a stop, as Apple Bloom regained her composure.  Looking up at her big sister, she gave her sister a big hug of gratitude.

"Gahh!" Hissed Applejack, abruptly breaking the hug, as her eyes dilated, looking at the offending injured leg, as it burned and throbbed, like having fire and a primitive drumbeat surging through it. Bursts of light and color hindered her vision, and her head ached, as pain overwhelmed her senses for a moment. She lifted the injured leg, and blew, the cool air soothing her injured appendage.

Apple Bloom could only laugh at her sister, giving a happy smile from the comical reaction that Applejack gave.

Applejack looked right into Apple Bloom eyes, as the filly stopped laughing, before a wan smile graced Applejack's face. "So you think my injury is funny, do ya?" With that, she started giving Apple Bloom a noogie, having learned it from Rainbow Dash.

Laughing, and playing around, helped lighten the dark feeling that rested in Applebloom’s heart.  Then the laughing stopped, as Applejack looked at her front leg with a look of mild agony in her eyes. That look brought back the solemn mood in the room.  Apple Bloom giving a big sigh, breathed out to calm her nerves.  That was Applejack’s cue.

"How about we go downstairs and tap into our private cider stash, then you can tell me all about it?"

A look of concern filled the Filly's eyes, and in a nervous voice replied "Are you sure you want to hear what I saw?  It will sound silly."

Applejack, looking at the frown on her sister’s face, thought about how she should respond to this.  "You know, if what you saw was enough to put you in tears like, that then I won’t think it silly, for it must mean somethin’ to ya.”

The youngin’ thought about this, and made a decision.  Getting of her bed, she headed to the door. Opening her mouth she said, “On one condition..." She stopped, and turned to look at her sister.

"And what is that?" Replied the stetson hat fitted mare.

Apple Bloom smiled, "that we have some apple crisp with the cider."

The Blond pony smiled; "tell you what, I'll even add some ice cream with that."

The beaming smile the small filly made, a smile that slowly grew, as the prospect of even more sweets upon sweets, pleased and gladdened the filly greatly. It was the kind of smile Pinkie Pie loved, pure, genuine and jubilation.  Which is exactly what it did to Applejack.  Both turning to head down the stairs, Another hot, searing, throbbing bolt of pain caused Applejack to wince, as tears streamed from her eyes at the intensity of the pain, as spots and colors once again danced in her vision, and her head felt as though somepony had opened her skull, and stirred it with a cotton swab, and added baking soda and peroxide for good measure.  She remembered something else that she needed to talk to her sister about.

"Apple Bloom."

Startled, the little filly looked at her sister.  "What is it sis?" She replied, still walking to make their way into the cellar.

"Who gave you the idea to base jump off of town hall?" Inquired Applejack.

Apple Bloom, suddenly had a pang of guilt hit her heart.  It was the Crusader’s latest endeavor to earn their cutie marks.  They were heading over to their club house, when they came upon a note that suggested that they try base jumping. The problem with the note was that it did not state who it came from, it simply suggested it.

"We found a note that said we should try it out." Answered Applebloom

Applejack was taken back, and continued to think. A note? So someone deliberately gave them that nearly lethal idea? Not even Rainbow Dash would stoop so low, in fact Rainbow Dash would not ever recommend half the things she does to others, especially to ponies so young and eager.

Clearing her throat, Applejack continued the conversation, as she led Apple Bloom to their private cellar. "And you did not even bother to ask any of us if it was a good activity to follow through with?"

The yellow filly was surprised by the calmness in her sister’s voice.  "Sorry, we were just bored, and didn’t think to put safety first."  Applejack had to hold back on giving her sister a tongue lashing, for right now was not the time for it. Resisting the urge to say, "And not thinking is right." She instead tossed out the words "And who sent you the letter?"

    "That's just it Applejack, the letter had no name to it, we just found It." Confessed the small filly.

That gave Applejack an even more sick feeling in her stomach than before.  "Do you still have the letter?"

    Apple Bloom raised her head.  "Sure do! It’s in our club house, I’ll go get it, and give it to you in the mornin’!"

With the smell of fresh apple crisp, and ice cream, accompanied with the sound of mugs filling up with cider, the two ponies sat at the table enjoying the midnight dinner.

"So..." said Applejack, after they finished the meal.  "Time for you to bring up your end of the bargain."

A deep sigh escaped from Apple Bloom’s mouth, as she prepared her tale.

"So my dream started out like any other day, it just felt real Applejack, like everything that happened really happened.  Anyway, I woke up, in the dream I woke up that is, and continued as I did any day.  Then suddenly it was night time, there was a full moon up in the sky, and the stars were bright as ever.  As it were, I, and the rest of the crusaders, including Babs were having a picnic in front of the Golden Oaks library.  As we were eatin’ the meal, I heard somethin’ come from above our heads.  I looked up, and saw the moon, and stars gleaming, and sparklin’ like zap apples on harvest day.  That is when I notice that the moon was shrinkin,’ and it was not just the moon shrinkin,’ but the stars too; however the stars were not shrinkin’... They were growin’! The sky just kept on changing, until all the stars were the size of the old moon, and the moon was the size of the old stars! That is when we heard the roar!  We turned, jumping to our hooves at the noise, and found it was coming from the library! That was when Twilight came runnin’ out of the doors screaming!"

Applejack just sat there listening, as Apple Bloom continued her story.

"As Twilight came running to us, she shouted for us to run.  Before we could react to what she was telling us to do, we heard an explosion, and watched, as the Library burst into a flaming tree.  What is worse, is that the ground was starting to rumble, and just as we were about  to run, a huge branch reached out, and grabbed Twilight, and tossed her violently into the mouth of the tree, or at least the door, but it now looked like a mouth.  A roar came out again, and we found out that it was not in the library, but it was the library that was roaring!  That was when it started to rise from out of the ground, and then it started walkin’ towards us! Oh Applejack it was horrible, and that is when you ran in.  You seemed to come from nowhere, and you went in between us, and the monster.  You said something, but I could not tell what it was, then the tree grabbed you, and threw you in as well.  With no warning all four of us, me, Babs, Scoots, and Sweetiebell were picked up, and chucked into the tree’s mouth.  The fire growing as we all flew towards our doom.  Then I saw you burning in the corner, and screaming in pain.  That is when I woke up."

Then, Apple Bloom started to cry again.

    Tearing up as well, Applejack wrapped her hoof around Apple Bloom, and continued to hug her.  She had to admit, that dream would have scared her too, if she were in her sister’s place.

Fluttershy bolted upright letting out an *eep,*  then panting in panic, causing Angel, who was on her head at the time, to be flung across the room crashing into the fire hearth then rolling out, now looking like a pure black bunny.

Folding his arms, and tapping his padded feet as he gave a rather upset look at Fluttershy.

"Oh! I am so sorry, are you alright Angel?" Asked Fluttershy, when she realized what happened to her furry companion.

After thinking a moment, the bunny ran into the kitchen, and came back with a bowl of water, and a wash cloth, and handed it over to Fluttershy.

Having caught her breath, she thanked the now black bunny, and started to wash the sweat off of her face, just to have the cloth snatched from her hoof.  Shocked, she looked at Angel, receiving the message, as the bunny tossed the cloth in the water, and then proceeded to point at his soot covered coat.

The yellow pegasus blushed, "Oh… Right." With a sigh, she started to wipe, and wash the little bunny.  As she did this, she started to reflect on her dream. "How could I not be fast enough to save those fillies?" She thought to herself. "I was running as fast as I could, but could not really move."

Not able to hold it in any longer, she hopped out of bed, sending the bowl of water, and washcloth, with a halfway cleaned black, and white bunny crashing to the floor.

"I'm sorry Angel, but I have to check on Twilight, and see if she is okay.” With that, she was out the door, leaving a frowning bunny looking at an upside down bowl with a dirty rag, lying in a puddle of water.

A white unicorn with a stylish, and rich purple mane was running with vigor, using her magic to hold up a rather large bucket of water. She was running to where the commotion was. In the distance she could see a plume of smoke.

Her hopes being in vain, she ran towards the source of the commotion, and her fears were confirmed.  The smoke was coming from Twilight's home. As the old library came into focus, she could see the tree quivering as the fire ate away at it, making it structurally unsound, and even unsafe to be within the felling distance, as nopony knew which way the tree might fall..

As she was running, she could see her friend, Fluttershy, up ahead, and it seemed like she was trying to run.  She kept her pace, and turned towards her friend.  Just as she was about to reach Fluttershy, she was suddenly knocked off her feet, the bucket of water flung into the air.

She waited for the water to come down, and mess up her mane, but all that came was a "Rarity! Are you alright? I'm sorry! I did not see you there."

Realizing that water was not about to hit her, she got up from the ground, as well getting up off of Fluttershy.

"But how? You were just ahead of me...." Then remembering the bucket that was no longer in her hoof.  In a panic the white unicorn got up. "Where is it?! Where is it?!"

    Fluttershy was puzzled, "Where is what Rarity?"

Rarity stopped, looked at Fluttershy, and then blinked, grabbed Fluttershy shouting, "We have no time to lose, we must save Twilight!" With that, she started running, dragging the yellow pony behind her.

The pony who then said "Oh dear, I hope she is alright," at the same time being confused as to Rarity's bizarre behavior.

Twilight could not sleep that night, no not one wink.  She just got a letter from the Princess earlier that day, with a new study assignment on a book that should be arriving in the morning.

Spike, who was fast asleep, was snoring as loud as could be.

Another reason why Twilight could not go to sleep, "How am I going to do this?" Said the purple unicorn to herself.  She was shuffling through her scheduled papers that she had ready for the next few days.  She had learned from past events to always leave a little extra time for last minute activity's just in-case she forgot something, or something new came up.  But to study a whole book to the point of understanding, was something she would have rather plan for, and save a couple hours per a day for it, but that would not cut it for her now.

    No. She had to find a way to reschedule everything that was planned for tomorrow.

After organizing all of the weeks plans, she started to get to work scratching off activities on one day, and moving them to another day to leave room on various days to help stay on track.  Fiddling around with her plans for some time, which felt like an hour, she shouted in triumph "Ah-ha!  Perfect!” At the exclamation, she used her magic to grab a few more forms of schedule stationary.

These ones were blank, so she could rewrite the plan for the next week, fresh, and new.  Just as she was about ready to mark on the paper, she heard a knock on the door.

Twilight stopped her quill right on top of the stationary, her eyes twitching in shock of a visitor wanting in at this late hour.  She took a deep breath, a nice long breath, and allowed blood to return to her head.  Now thinking clearly, she placed the quill down on the desk, got up, walked to the door, and opened it.

    Just outside, she saw two faces, whom she recognized quickly, still it was late.  "What in the hay are you girls doing here this late at night?"

    "Oh… Sorry to interrupt Twilight, I just got so worried...." Said Fluttershy, only to be cut off by Rarity, who was in an obsessed panic.

"Twilight! Are you alright?! I was in bed, then I smelt smoke, and screaming. I came as fast as I could, how did you do it, you put it out so fast, and now is looks like everything is fine, even in here. I cannot smell the smoke. What happened?"

"Smelled, Screaming?" Said Twilight, who was, at this point nearly deaf, as well as confused. Then she looked at Fluttershy, and noticed that she was not the only one confused, for the pink maned pony was looking at Rarity in shock, and confusion.

"Rarity, um if I may ask. What do you mean by smoke?" Inquired Fluttershy.

Rarity then looked at Fluttershy, aghast, "Now do not pretend to me like you don't know Fluttershy, we both saw the library on fire!"

Fluttershy was then more confused, but before she could respond Twilight cut in, confused as well.

"What do you mean that ‘the library was on fire’?  Everything is fine here.  Are you alright Rarity?  You look like you hit a wall."

Now it was Fluttershy turn to speak. "That would've been my fault, I was running to see you, when I got in Rarity's way, and ran into her."

Rarity started to sputter, "What… What?... Bu… bu… But… Whaaa-"  Then she fainted right on top of Fluttershy.

Once again being pinned down to the ground, Fluttershy could only say, "Oh dear, I did it again."

As the morning rose over the town of Ponyville, Rarity got out from her bed with a slight headache.  "Ah, what an atrocious dream I had."  That is all she could manage to say, when suddenly interrupted by a pink blur, that ran right into her room.

"Oh good you are awake!  Come on we got to go, we got to go!" Cheered Pinkie Pie, as she jumped around enthusiastically.

"Pinkie, can't a lady get her beauty sleep? I did have a rather rough night," said Rarity, as calmly as she could muster.

"Well duh!" chimed in Pinkie. "That is why I waited for you to wake up, then I got a ringing in my ear that informed me you were now awake, so I came back here as fast as I could."

Rarity knew she could not argue with Pinkie Pie's Pinkie Sense, "Fine Pinkie, if you insist."

Pinkie suddenly zipped out of the room in a blur of pink, only to reappear dressed in a guard uniform. Pinkie then lunged forward, and grabbed Rarity while shouting, "To Sugar Cube Corner!"  With that, they were gone, and on their way.

In an instant, Rarity found herself in front of the bakery. Being lead in by Pinkie Pie, she could see the whole room, and only saw 4 other Ponies other than her, and the sugar high battery.

"Oh..Rarity you’re here.  Are you feeling better?"  Asked Fluttershy, who had noticed the last two of the group walk into the store.

"Come sit down Rarity," said Twilight.

Pinkie Pie, and Rarity then walked over to their table, and took a seat.  That was when the white unicorn noticed the clock, and how it read 1:45 in the afternoon.  "I have nearly been asleep the whole day!" Gasped out Rarity.

"Yes Rarity, after you came to my house last night, you seemed a little panic stricken, and passed out right on top of Fluttershy.

"I'm sorry." Said a rather quiet voice, which all knew came from the yellow pegasus

Rarity was shocked; first of all she thought that is was all just a bad dream.  Now she was being told that her dream, in fact happened in reality.

Rainbow Dash, who saw the unicorn start to pale, zoomed into her face, and asked,  "You’re not going to pass out again are you?”

Rarity, which had no intention to pass out again, gave a deep breath and replied.  "No, I have done that one too many times already."

Rainbow just looked into her eyes, "Good, because this is serious." With that she zoomed back to her seat.

This was Twilight's cue.  "Rarity, you said something about seeing my library on fire did you not?"

Flashes of memory ran into Rarity's mind, as she recollected what she saw.  "Yes I did."

"Darn tootin’ Twilight, are you saying that some of us ponies had the same dream?” Asked Applejack.

Rarity then clicked two, and two together, and gave a gasp that drew in the attention of not only her friends, but Mr. and Mrs. Cake in the kitchen, as well.

Twilight finally had the nerve to ask what they were all thinking, “Rarity, do you sleepwalk?"

Rarity put her head down in defeat, there was no more hiding it from anyone now.  "I thought I had it under control.” Was all she could muster up to say.

"That's all fine, and dandy, and all, but that still don't explain why multiple ponies were having the same dream," threw in Applejack.

Putting her head back up, Rarity then inquired, "Same dream?  You had the same dream?"

"No, I didn’t, but my li'l sis sure did, though from a different perspective from what Fluttershy was having," Said the orange, and blonde pony.

Rarity turned to Fluttershy, "You had the same dream too?"

Fluttershy looked at Rarity.  "Yes I did, that is why I was on my way to check on Twilight, when we bumped into each other.  I just did not know you were still dreaming at the time."

"Well that explains why I could not find my bucket of water."  Said the white unicorn.

Fluttershy's eyes opened wide in realization.  "So that is what you were looking for then." she said excitedly

The bell to the store rang, as a grey pegasus walked in with a medium sized package in her wing.  Looking around, she finally spotted the pony she was looking for with her misaligned eyes. Ditzy Doo then approached Twilight, and handed out the package in her wing.  "Here is your package, Twilight!" Said the pony, smiling.

"Thank you Ditzy, say, how did you find me here?" Asked a curious purple unicorn.

"Well if you must know, I buy a muffin here every morning, and when I left I saw you walking in with your friends, and so when it came time for me to find you, I was like ‘Hey! I'll just look where I last saw her,’ and well, here you are." Replied Ditzy, in a happy sing song voice.

"Well thank you Ditzy, so how are you today?"

"I'm doing great!  Thank you for asking Twilight.  Well, I need to get back to work,  see you guys later."

Ditzy Doo then turned around, and headed to the exit, only to hit the wall right by it.  Realizing her mistake she smiled, and opened the door, and left.

"What is that Twilight?" asked Pinkie Pie, with a natural excitement as always. "Is it a new party game, huh, huh, huh?"

Twilight looked right at Pinkie, and answered "It’s a book that the Princess gave me to study for the next couple of days."

"Ohh." Said Pinkie, in the way only she could say.

After a long discussion in Sugar Cube Corner, all the friends went the ways to their own homes for the rest of the day.

As a part of Twilight's plans, she decided to keep the picnic on schedule, so she could have a little more time with her friends, before she began her studying.  She looked through her invite list to make sure every pony was there.  She went through the names checking them all off as she went: Applejack, Apple Bloom, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike.  All names were checked off.

She was happy to hear all the pleasant chatter among her friends, for it was moments like this, that she really enjoyed.

Looking at the group, she started to smell a faint, but potent smell of burning wood.  "That’s funny," she thought, "I don't remember adding a campfire to the list."

A blood curdling scream ran through the valley.  "Ah—!"

"It came from the center of town!" Cried Rainbow Dash, as she flew up into the sky to investigate.

Twilight turning to look at the small town, and saw what she knew to be a plume of smoke rising from the center of town. "This is uncanny!" She cried, just as Rainbow Dash flew back down.

Panting, the loyal pegasus shouted, "The Library! It's on fire!"