One & One-Thousand Daily Pony Challenge Entries

Twilight Sparkle's eyes shot open in the presence of an unwarranted sound. She rose to her shaky hooves and cast her eyes about the cave wearily. She knew better than to take refuge in an unexplored cave, but night was falling quickly and getting caught out in the Everfree in the middle of the night was a death wish. So she took refuge in the cave, and was now certain that she was about to regret that decision.

She adjusted her stance, spreading her legs for balance, defensively pointing her lit horn down the dark aperture of poor choice of shelter.

"Come out! I know there's somepony here!" She shouted down the passage. Some scampering could be heard and a shadow danced along the wall. A pale gold face of a mare, framed by a pink mane peered around the corner.

"S-sorry t-to bother y-y-you." She stuttered, Twilight could barely understand her. "I-I-I'll just go now." The mare slowly walked backwards towards the entrance of the cave.

"Wait!" Twilight shouted after the mare and then quickly closed the distance between them with a flourish of teleportation magic. The slight mare quickly backed away from Twilight, heading deeper into the cave. "You're a pony!" Twilight pointed a hoof towards the newcomer. She said nothing, but continued backing away from Twilight, until there was no more space between her and the wall. Cowering between Twilight and the wall the mare began to sob. Twilight backed up a few steps and began to apologize profusely.

"Oh no! I didn't mean to scare you! I'm so sorry! Please, stop crying." Twilight then impulsively hugged the mare. The mare continued to sob, but accepted Twilight embrace, sobbing into her mane.

"I-I-I'm sorrrrry." She fought the sobs that wracked her body. The mare managed to get her crying under control and Twilight released her. "Thank you." "

"Thanks? You don't have to thank me, I can't imagine how aggressive I must have seemed. I'm sorry that I scared you, it's just been so long since I've seen another pony..." Twilight trailed off as her entire body sagged. "I got a little carried away is all. I'm Twilight Sparkle, by the way.

The mare tried to tell Twilight her name, but all she managed to produce was a barely audible squeak. Twilight cocked her head and frowned.

"I didn't quite get that, can you tell me again?" She asked politely, her horn lighting up as she wove a spell.

"My name is Fluttershy." Fluttershy said, her voice amplified by the spell Twilight was casting. Fluttershy's eyes widened and she put a hoof over her mouth and uttered a squeak. Twilight giggled.

"Sorry, let me tweak the spell a bit so only I can hear the amplification." Twilight screwed her eyes in concentration and then relaxed. "There." She turned to Fluttershy. "If you don't mind me saying; you see awful timid to be exploring the Everfree this late at night."

"Oh, well," She whispered, but Twilight's spell let her hear the mare's words completely. "Normally it would be bad for a pony to be in these woods so late at night, but the critters are really gentle once you get to know them. I live here." She gesture to the cave. Twilight's eyes widened.

"Oh no, I'm the intruder. I'm sorry, again. Should I go?" Twilight looked towards the exit.

"N-no, can you stay? If you want to, of course. I don't see many ponies out here." Fluttershy said, a solemn sadness pervading her downcast.

"I don't see many ponies either, I would like to stay."

"M-maybe, we can be f-friends?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight smiled softly.

"I would love to be your friend."

In this universe using all of the elements against her sister killed Celestia and banished Nightmare Moon to the moon. Canonically Celestia groomed the element bearers, ensuring they would find their elements, here there is no Celestia. Perceiving the lack of a ruler as a weakness the gryphons attacked Equestria. The land was destroyed and most ponies have died. When Twilight Sparkle was a little filly the nomadic camp that she and her parents lived in was attacked by dragons and she was captured. She managed to escape, with a dragon egg, but her parents were dead along with the rest of the camp she lived with. She wandered the landscape for almost a year until she came upon the ruins of Canterlot. She found her way into the library and began reading up on magic. While she was practicing a colorful explosion startles her and she unleashes a bout of magic that hatches the dragon egg and blows the library to smithereens.

Several years pass and Twilight continues to survive, living in the castle ruins with Spike. Then one night she hears intruders and a chase ensues that pushes her into the Everfree , where she meets Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.