Chapter 1: Just An Old Ponytale
Chapter 1: Just An Old Ponytale
Where was it?! Twilight screamed in her head as she rummaged through her dusty books. It has to be here somewhere! Twilight used her unicorn magic to quickly open a violet book and scan through it. The thick yellow pages were quickly flipped until the book was thrown into a large pile. "Spike!" The princess shouted. Spike poked his head out of Twilight's bedroom doorway. On his head sat a blue book, labeled "The History of Magic." "Where is it?! I've looked everywhere for the book, and it's not here!" Twilight squirmed.
Spike took the thick book off his head and sneezed. "I haven't found anything yet," he sighed. "Twilight, are you sure it's here?" He raised an eyebrow and walked towards her, still holding the book. "I mean, we've looked everywhere, and it's not here!" He threw his hands into the air. Twilight shook her head.
"No, I definitely remember it being here. If I can't find that book, then I can't finish Princess Celestia's assignment!" Twilight looked through more books on the bottom shelf of a shelf. "Keep looking, we'll find it! I know we will!" Spike sighed and returned to the books in Twilight's room. Twilight read through another book and grinned. "I found it!"
"You did?" Spike seemed to be a tad bit happier than Twilight. Now he didn't have to rummage through anymore old stinky books. At least, for a while. He jumped out from the room and ran down the stairs to Twilight. "Where was it?!"
"It was next to a vase." Twilight answered as she read the book. "Aha! Found it, 'Equestria's Legends!'" Twilight used her magic to put back the books. "Legends.. Legends...here it is!" She propped the book against the vase. "The legend of 'Stained Night The Dark Blood Warrior!' This is exactly what I need!" She seemed to be proud of herself.
Spike sat himself next to the eager princess. "What do you need that book for?" He made himself comfy. He knew this was going to take a while.
"Princess Celestia asked me to do some research on him. She didn't tell me why, though." Twilight frowned. "Stained Night was once a regular pony who lived in the White Hoof Mountains," Twilight began to read aloud, "He used to be the meanest pony around, until he met the dark arts," She shivered. She had heard from Luna that Dark Arts were like a double edged sword; It harms the user, and the victims. "The dark magic corrupted himself, turning himself into the Dark Blood Warrior. He slaughtered everypony, but his thirst for blood was far from quenched,
"Driven insane with the dark magic, he brutally slaughtered more ponies. Be it mare, stallion, or filly, he didn't care. As long as his thirst for blood was fulfilled, he would continue his reign of death. Soon, word of an insane warrior reached the majestic Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Using the Elements of Harmony, they were able to seal his corrupt soul into a gem. They called the gem 'The Endless Insanity.' It is told that anypony who touches the Endless Insanity will go insane from the dark aurora. This has never been confirmed, though, since the gem has been lost for centuries,"
Twilight stared at the book, "Why would Princess Celestia want me to read this for her?" She titled her head to the side, her purple mane accidentally falling over Spike's head. He blew the hair out of his face, which caused Twilight to jump. Spike glared at her. "Sorry!" Twilight nervously laughed.
Spike stood up and brushed the dirt off his smooth purple scales. "Anyways, that's a strange story." Spike stated and stopped brushing the dirt off of him. "Good thing it's just an old ponytale," Twilight seemed uncertain.
"I don't know, Spike," Twilighr admitted and rubbed her left front leg with her right front hoof. "Remember how you said Nightmare Moon was just an old pony's tale, ad it turned out the legend was real?" She shook her head. "Maybe Princess Celestia is trying to tell us something, Spike!"
"If Celestia was trying to say something, wouldn't she say it?" Spike started to walk up the stairs as he nonchalantly blew Twilight off. "It's late, and we're be too tired to attend Pinkie Pie's party if we continue staying up." He opened the door. "I'm going to bed, night!" He shut the door behind himself. Twilight sighed and looked out the window.
"I hope Spike is right..," She murmured, the moon reflecting in her purple orbs. "They say Stained Night was one of the most feared ponies ever." Twilight walked over to the window. "He's supposed to fear none, and seems unstoppable." Twilight felt her eye lids grow heavy. She sighed and retreated to her cozy, and quiet room.
She climbed onto her bed and closed her eyes. For now, she had a party to attend tomorrow, and she intended on going.
"I wish I went to bed earlier,"'Twilight moaned. She tried focusing on the party, but the twisted issue of Stained Night haunted Twilight's mind all night. She hardly slept at all. Spike, on the other hand, was wide awake. He smiled to himself, shook his head, and shook his pointer finger at Twilight.
"This is why you should listen to me more often." He joked. Twilight groaned, which only made Spike laugh. "C'mon Twilight, cheer up! We don't want you upset at Pinkie Pie's party!" He exclaimed. Twilight slid off her chair and yawned.
"I guess I can try," she smiled before leaving with Spike to Pinkie Pie's party.
"Sister! We're almost there!" A young, navy blue mare shouted with glee. She jumped off the grey rock and used her unicorn powers to move the rocks. Her horn glowed a calm white as she used her magic. "Snow Rose! Hurry up, we're almost there! Come on~!" A warm laughter could be heard from a short distance away. The mare's lavender eyes lit up and seemed to sparkle even more. Her light blue hair swayed in the light breeze.
"I'm here, NavyBell!" Snow Rose laughed. She jumped off the rock NavyBell has previously leaped off of. Snow Rose blew her white hair out of her purple eyes.
"It's in here!" NavyBell ran into a cave. Snow Rose trotted to the front of the dark cave. Her white fur started to stand up a bit. She had a bad feeling about this... "Snow Rose!" NavyBell whined from deep within the cave. Snow Rose smiled and hesitantly trotted inside the cave.
As soon as she stepped inside, the cave started to rumble. Snow Rose stepped back and frantically looked around. A rock fell near her and splattered into pieces. Some of the rocks hit Snow Rose's leg, thick blood running down her white fur. "NavyBell!" She shouted and started to run where her sister set off. "We have to get out of here!"
Another rock fell by Snow Rose. More came after the small boulder. The impact sent Snow Rose flying back. She hit a wall and whimpered in pain. Her vision started to get blurry, as if she was on a fast merry go round. "NavyBell!" Her own voice sounded far away. "We have to get out of here!"
"Scarlet's Kiss," A spine chilling voice spoke from within the cave. The last thing Snow Rose saw, was her blood. Lots and lots of scarlet red blood.
Chapter 2: He Has Returned
Twilight locked the wooden door behind them with a smile. She rattled the doorknob for reassurance, and then turned around. Spike was already waiting for Twilight a few feet away.
"Let’s go!" He cheered. Twilight grinned and followed Spike eagerly. Today was a beautiful day; Fillies were laughing and playing, mothers were chatting with each other, the weather was nice and warm, and there was nice cool breeze to cool anypony off if they got too hot. There was even a fresh new batch of piping hot apple pies at the bakery, thanks to Sweet Apple Acres.
On the way to Pinkie Pie's party, something seemed different about Ponyville. Even though the day was beautiful, and well celebrated, something was...off.
"Spike," Twilight began, "where's BonBon? She's usually out here every morning." Twilight looked round as she trotted. No sign of BonBon anywhere. In the morning they would usually chat with each other until BonBon would leave for work, so it was a bit odd not to see her.
"Maybe she's sick?" Spike suggested. He sneezed.
"She seemed perfectly healthy yesterday," Twilight replied. They passed the bakery, the delicious smells of pies, tarts, and other sweets filled their noses. Spike's stomach growled. He patted it.
"I'm so hungry right now!" He whined.
"Well, don't fret, I can see Pinkie's house from here," Twilight smiled. Not long after that, they knocked on the door. Pinkie Pie's ears perked up and she grinned her usually goofy grin. She dashed towards the door and nearly ripped it off as she opened it.
"Twilight! Spike! You guys made it! Woohoo!" Pinkie Pie shouted and jumped for joy. Spike and Twilight laughed as they walked inside. They could see everypony playing "Pin the Tail On the Pony." It was a game everypony always enjoyed.
"Ooh! My turn!" Pinkie Pie squealed in delight. Twilight tied a piece of white cloth around Pinkie Pie's head and spun her around. Pinkie Pie put the tail on the pony's head instead of his tail in a wobbly way. When Pinkie Pie took off the blind fold, she giggled.
"Who wants cake?"
NavyBell stood in front of her dead sister's body. Her irises were black, but her slit pupils were a crimson red. NavyBell scoffed and kicked her dear sister's dead body. More blood poured out of the wound on Snow Rose's stomach. Her eyes were wide open. NavyBell didn't even bother closing them.
"You were always weak," she scoffed and turned around. She hit the wall with her left foreleg. Many medium sized rocks fell on Snow Rose, covering her body. NavyBell grinned a demon's grin. She turned around and walked back to the end of the cave, humming a song that was the, “Trick or Treat” tune.
"Gone, gone, gone away,” she sang softly as she walked, “nopony is left here today. They’re all dead, without their head,” she stopped in front of a dark glowing jewel, “any scared pony that fled, I made sure that they all bled.” She examined the jewel.
The Endless Insanity gem still looked beautifully radiant, as if it was its first day on earth. NavyBell grinned.
“I missed you so much!” She cooed and used her unicorn powers to lift the gem up. She cuddled it as if it was her own child. The gem responded by glowing brighter for a second, before calming down. NavyBell opened her bag and put the powerful gem in it.
“Have to keep you safe!” She giggled and trotted away. As she passed her sister’s body, she spitted on it for fun, then giggled again and trotted away. Once she was outside, she could see all of Equestria. The snowy mountain was very high up.
“My, my,” she whistled, “this place sure looks different. I remember ponies screaming in fear, and war and bloodshed erupting all over the land. Alas, that was a long time ago.” She started down the mountain towards Ponyville. “Lets see what Ponyville has to offer me,”
“Bye Pinkie Pie!” Spike waved goodbye as he left the exciting party with the exhausted Twilight.
“That was bigger than most parties,” Twilight yawned. “And later, it’s eleven PM!” They slowly walked back home to the library. Twilight slowly opened the door and shut it. She turned around and gasped.
Spike had already fallen asleep on the floor. Twilight smiled and picked him up with her unicorn powers.
“Spike, you should go to sleep.” She walked up the stairs. “You’re still a baby dragon, after all,” she reminded and opened the door. She set the sleeping baby dragon down and climbed into her own bed. She felt that tomorrow would be a good day.
NavyBell looked down at her growling stomach and moaned.
“I didn’t think such a child could get so hungry so quickly,” she admitted as she trudged through the emptiness town. The cold icy wind made the shutters flap and creak. NavyBell shivered. She would have to find shelter and some food if she wanted to continue on with her plan.
Trudging through the town, she smelled something. She smelt delicious apples not too far away. Her stomach growled even more as her dry mouth drooled. Oh, the scent smelt like heaven. NavyBell picked up her pace to the destination of the aurora.
She read a sign that aid, “Sweet Apple Acres!” She walked past the sign and continued on towards the apple trees. Next to one large tree sat a bundle of delicious apples. NavyBell generously dug into the piles. Her rapacious nature got the best of her as she ate yet another bucket of apples.
After a while, all the buckets of apples were gone. NavyBell sighed in bliss and looked around for some clear water she could drink to quench her undying thirst. She spotted one after a minute and, once again, generously drank all of the water. Oh, this farm has to be her favorite out of all she’s traveled to.
Suddenly, she saw a bright yellow light shine from a house close by. The door opened. Big McIntosh stood in the doorway as he looked around. He had heard that someone was outside on the farm. He stepped out of the house and gasped when he saw the empty buckets.
NavyBell quickly ran off to hide. Her galloping echoed into the starry night. She panted as she slowed to a stop in front of a library.
“I’ll hide in here,” she whispered. Quietly, she opened the door. She noticed that it was getting harder and harder to move her body. She needed to rest, and fast, otherwise she would pass out. Unfortunately, NavyBell couldn’t see in the dark, and ended up knocking a vase over.
The shatter echoed through the house as NavyBell growled. This was something she wasn’t looking forward to. A door was opened, and the lights turned on. NavyBell’s vision started to blur. Everything she heard sounded like far away echoes. The last thing she saw, was a purple unicorn, and a baby dragon.
