Blank Equestria

It was dark and foggy all week. Disappearing ponies had appeared everywhere on the Ponyville news, and the cutie mark crusaders were tired of it. The terrified mail pony replacing Derpy, who had gone missing as well, always gave them explanations of who had just gone missing every week. Every newspaper and news report mentioned ponies that were gone. Ponies locked themselves in their homes, and so did the cutie mark crusaders. They were stuck in their treehouse, with nothing else to do but to listen to the same news everyday, with nothing on their minds but missing ponies.

"Ah've never felt so bored in mah life," Applebloom groaned, breaking the dull silence that had filled the treehouse for days.

"Me neither," Scootaloo agreed, who was leaning on the table next to her.

Sweetie Belle simply nodded. She looked the most tired, but also distraught, of the three of them. Only yesterday was when she explained that her sister had gone missing, as well as the rest of her family, including her pet cat Opal. Some blood stains were left all over Ponyville, especially the Carousel Boutique. The sight for her was simply horrifying.

They all looked back at their TV. There was another report about missing ponies. Scootaloo and the others listened, seeing that they had nothing else to do but to do find out who else had just gone missing.

"News just coming in today, local Ponyville residents Applejack and Cheerilee have now gone missing. With fog impossible to see through, we see no more hope for finding these two mares than for finding the other ponies that are now gone."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at Applebloom. She was already silently crying, tears streaming down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"At least it's not as bad as losing your whole family," Sweetie Belle pointed out reassuringly, although her voice was weak. She looked close to breaking down too.

"Yeah, Applebloom. It's only Applejack," Scootaloo agreed, but Applebloom only felt worse.

"This is mah big sis we're talkin' 'bout here, ya'll," Applebloom choked out, her face already covered in tears.

"Well, what about Granny Smith? And Big Mac? And Winona?" Sweetie Belle said, forcing herself to sound hopeful, but Scootaloo knew it was fake.

Applebloom unlocked the door. "They're still here, but ah still want Applejack back."

Scootaloo let out a small, faint gasp. Sweetie Belle looked extremely fearful. "Applebloom, lock the door!"

"No, I'm going to the barn. It's just over there," she said quietly.

Sweetie Belle shot a worried look at Scootaloo. "Do something!"

Scootaloo galloped over to Applebloom. "Applebloom, if you even take one step outside, go outside at all, you'll be gone too. Celestia knows where those ponies disappear to."

Scootaloo seemed to convince Applebloom into staying inside for a moment, but the yellow filly continued to try to get outside. She opened the door, and a cold breeze swept in. Sweetie Belle let out a gasp, almost like a scream, as if the cold air was some sort of contaminated air that would infect all of Ponyville. Fog filled the treehouse as well.

"The clubhouse!" Scootaloo yelled. It was a ghostly sight, all of that fog and chilly air speeding into their treehouse.

Applebloom rushed out, over to the barn. "NO!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both called. They were both careful to call from the inside, not even daring to stick their heads out to give Applebloom a clearer call through the thick air that seemed like it was almost at frigid temperatures, as well as how far she already was from the clubhouse, and how close she already was to the barn.

Scootaloo quickly closed the door. She opened the windows slightly, letting the cold air escape through it, then closing them quickly as well before anymore fog could enter their treehouse.

"That's it! She's gone!" Sweetie Belle said in sadness.

"Yeah..." Scootaloo said, pulling Sweetie Belle farther away from the door. "You okay, Sweetie Belle?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine..." Sweetie Belle muttered weakly, tears already forming and dripped down her cheeks.

Scootaloo pulled Sweetie Belle in again, using her wings to shield the filly from the snowy air. She gave her friend a soft hug as Sweetie Belle sobbed, burying her face in Scootaloo's chest.

After a while, Sweetie Belle broke away from Scootaloo, wiping away her remaining tears. She let out a sigh, depressed.

"Will she return?" Sweetie Belle questioned, looking up at Scootaloo as if she was her leader.

"No," Scootaloo said. She didn't like the fact that this could have broken Sweetie Belle's heart, but she had to be truthful. What was the point in lying now?

"Can we go look for her?"

Scootaloo repeated her answer. "No."

Sweetie Belle collapsed, forcing herself to stop crying. "I can't cry anymore, I cry too much."

Scootaloo looked at her friend sorrowfully, then directed her gaze to the windows. The view was blocked by the dull, grey fog. She was exhausted. She didn't want to see anymore of this.

"Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo began, her voice trembling. She paused, summoning the small amount of strength she had left. "We're going to go look for everypony and bring them back to Ponyville."

Sweetie Belle's head shot up. The distressed filly stared at Scootaloo. Her eyes were blazing with fear and hope at the same time. Sweetie Belle brushed her disheveled mane out of her face.

"Why so fast? You said no," Sweetie Belle pointed out, her eyes dark.

"Well, if it means making you happy, then I'll bring everypony back. I'll keep you safe," Scootaloo explained, running a dirty hoof down Sweetie Belle's cheek.

Sweetie Belle stared at Scootaloo for a moment, her mouth slightly open. She was breathing heavily, extremely still. She heaved herself up quickly and sped towards the door. She ran out of the treehouse, slamming the door shut behind her. Her messy tail was the last Scootaloo saw of her. She turned off the TV, exhausted from the news reports about missing ponies, then the orange filly sighed and followed her friend out of the door into the cold, dangerous, and fatal world that had taken over Ponyville and possibly all of Equestria.