Another beautiful day began in Equestria, as Celestia's Sun slowly peaked behind the horizon. As it was usual of this time of the day, everypony was still sleeping, when the rooster sounded through the town. Applejack, already used to this routine, quickly slipped out of her bed, stretching her hind legs. Granny would only wake up later, her tired body needing some well deserved rest. Applebloom's school only started three hours from then, and Big Mac... Big Mac was different.
Applejack quickly burst through his bedroom door and let out a hearty "YEEHAW!", just loud enough for the red stallion to jolt up, while not waking up anypony else.
"Huh, huh?" he mumbled, finding difficulty in keeping his eyes open.
"It's a new day, big brother, get up get up!"
"Ee...yup." he replied, frowning as he realized his time was up. His hooves hit the floor with a loud *thud*, and stood there for at least five minutes before gaining the courage to come downstairs.
Big Mac used to be just as punctual as his sister, but recently he had been finding himself more and more tired. He'd go to sleep as soon as he was done with work, so one would expect him to feel refreshed. That was not the case. Applejack had been discussing with Granny Smith if they should call Caramel to help with the orchard and give Mac some time off, but they well knew his pride would never allow it.
"Boring..." Scootaloo said as she dug her head between her hooves. The class felt like it was taking forever to end.
"Scootaloo, please pay attention." her teacher called out while writing something. The filly could swear Cheerilee had hearing superpowers. She looked around, trying to see how her friends were doing, and found them with their eyes glued to the board. The orange pegasus wasn't sure if they were actually interested or just pretending. How could anypony feel enthusiasm in this borefest?
"Anyway, our class is almost over, but before we end it I have to remind you that- aaahhhhh... Oh!" the teacher's cheeks became bright red when she realized she had just yawned in front of her class. The children burst into laughter, leaving the teacher slightly more uncomfortable.
"Maybe you should take a day off tomorrow to west, Miss Chewiwee, we don't mind." Twist suggested through her grin.
"Very funny. I apologize class, I don't know why I've been feeling this tired lately, anyway. What I meant to say is that tomorrow you have the written exam on Ponyville history, so no, I am definitely not taking a day off." And with that, the mare closed her book and smiled to the class, and as she opened her mouth, the bell rang. "See you tomorrow! Don't forget to study!"
A loud wave of discontent was heard throughout the class, but they couldn't complain much since they were finally able to leave.
"So, Crusaders," Applebloom began, trotting outside with her friends "what are we doing to get our cutie marks today?"
"How about we try karate?" Scotaloo suggested, fluttering in the air for a second with excitement. "Wouldn't it be awesome to do all those sick moves?"
"I tried that with Rainbow Dash, and it didn't go so well..." the farm filly replied.
"Maybe you just didn't try enough. And it could always work for us!"
"What about me, kiddos?"
Looking up they spotted the flying cyan pony, closely hovering above them.
"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo rushed to hug her as she landed. "We were wondering if you could help us with our crusading today."
"Oh... I'm really busy today, and after work I want to read the latest volume of Daring Do, that is, if the mail ponies don't mess up."
"What's Daring Do?" Applebloom curiously inquired. Rainbow's mouth quickly turned into a gigantic grin, as she began saying anything and everything about her favourite fictional character. "Okay, okay, I get it. Oh, that's not that much of a bad idea girls? What if we become archeologists?"
"That would be amazing! We can start investigating Ponyville's roots and then-"
"About that, girls..." Sweetie Belle intervened, who had remained silent throughout her friends' brainstorming.
"Anyway, you have fun, cya later squirt!" Rainbow dashed away.ยด
Scootaloo cocked her head "What is it Sweetie Belle? Don't you want to become a famous archeologist?
"Maybe she's becoming like Rarity and doesn't want to get dirt on her hooves." Applebloom mocked while striking an overly dramatic pose, her hoof over her head faking distress.
"That's not it! We have an exam tomorrow and I want to study. And I feel a bit tired as well."
"You've got a point. After helping out at the orchard I only have little free time, and if I spend it crusadin' I'll end up not studying at all!"
"So you're both bailing on me? Meh, go on and study, I'll get a cutie mark by myself."
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shrugged, and then went on their way, leaving Scootaloo to her own stubbornness.
The Sun was way up in the sky when Applebloom arrived at home. Seeing as there was not a single soul visible in the orchard, she assumed her family would be inside, waiting for her to begin lunch. Instead, she only found the one and only Granny Smith rocking in her chair, wiping her eyes with a tissue.
Scared at the sight, Applebloom dropped her backpack immediately "Granny, what's wrong?"
"Oh my dear, it's your brother." Before Applebloom could interject she was silenced with a hoof in her mouth. "He's fine, he seems to have passed out while helping your sister with lunch. She carried him on her own back all the way to the hospital."
Suddenly, a low, thundering sound cracked outside their house. Before they could react, a lavender mare came running into the kitchen, immediately spotting the young filly.
"Applebloom" Twilight began "I came here to bring you with me to your brother."
"Is he alright? What is goin' on? He is goin' to be fine isn't-"
"Calm down, youngin'." After taking a deep breath, the elder faced her granddaughter's friend. "Are there any news?"
"Yes, Big Mac is going to be fine." An audible sigh of relief was heard from the two apples. "He just collapsed of exhaustion, he's taking a rest now and should be home for diner. Applejack asked me to get you, wouldn't you run off and end up hurting yourself with the nerves."
"I can take care of mahself..." she mumbled.
"Thank you Miss Princess, you were always too kind to us Apples."
"Oh, please," Twilight shook her head while smiling "you know me for long enough time not to call me that. Shall we go, Applebloom?"
"'Kay, will ya be alright Granny?"
"Don' worry youngin'! This mare here is as tough as an aligator's scales!"
Twilight motioned Applebloom towards the outside, and the two ponies moved out. Standing outside the Apple family residence, the alicorn began casting a spell that encompassed them both. With her body giving off a violet shine, Applebloom internally recoiled with fear. Being an earth pony, her experiences with magic where next to none. But the ones she had, had been no good at all. Poison joke, the cutie pox, the love poison. And whatever happened to her when the whole town became upside down with Chaos must have been terrible as well (although her memory couldn't aid her here, for some reason).
So lost in thought she was, that when Applebloom's brain finally processed the white flash, she found herself surrounded by dark blue walls, tall plant vases, and an orange pony she recognized in an instant.
"Applejack!" Sick worried, she galloped towards her sister, almost throwing her off her hooves with how hard she hugged. "Is he alright? Please tell me big brother's gonna be alright!"
Applejack comforted back, taking a deep breath. "Big Mac's fine, lil's sis. Just tired is all."
"Can ah go see him?"
The moment the words left her she felt a hoof poke at her back. Turning around, she faced a light brown coated stallion with a darker brown mane softly smiling at her. "Applebloom, am I right?" She nodded. "You see, your brother just felt a little bit tired so now he has to rest. Rest assured little one, he is in good hooves." And with that, the doctor left to attend the many patients left to his care.
"That's right, little sis, it was just a little scare, but it's all right now. I was just so worried about you, I had Twilight here went all the way to getcha. Pardon for the inconvenience."
"Oh, it was nothing Applejack, we're friends." Twilight reassured. "So what now, Applebloom, do you want me to take you back?"
Applebloom wasn't convinced. There had to be a reason for her big brother's condition. A particular tale Granny told her of how he stayed up for three whole days making cider came to mind. Big Mac isn't one to go down like that. Trying to avoid showing her look of concern, she turn around and made it for the exit.
"Thanks Twilight," she began as she slowly walked away, a tone of stubbornness in her voice "but I'm fine. I'm going to see my friends."
Before she could reach the door to the hall though, a hoof held her in place.
"Take this." Twilight floated a small vial in front of the filly, and slowly placed it inside her schoolbags.
"What is it?"
"It's some crazy mumbo jumbo contraption Twilight here made." Applejack shrugged.
"It's not mumbo jumbo." Twilight replied, slightly annoyed. "It's science! Anyway, I stored my magic into that vial. Should you ever need my assistance, just open it, and my firework spell will be released. It goes high, it's flashy, and completely harmless... the only downside being it is so bright you can see it from Canterlot, eheh..." The lavender alicorn awkwardly rubbed the back of her head as memories of her failed experiments with this spell surfaced. "Should you need me to come get you, just open it and Owlowiscious will warn me."
Each word made the filly more and more scared. Sure, she had been dealing with magical potions for quite some time now, first with Zecora's guidance and now Twilight's. But the feeling of having to deal with something not made by her and her alone left a sinking feeling of insecurity and distrust. Although it would have been disrespectful (and perhaps dangerous) to dispose of the vial, she could only think on ways to get rid of it. That all went away as she was reminded of the reason she was leaving.
"I'll be going too Applejack." The friends exchanged a light hug. "If anything happens use the firework vial I gave you. Everything's fine, but if for whatever reason needed, I can bring your brother to the best Canterlot hospital in an eye blink." Twilight made sure to whisper that final stretch, wouldn't the local medical ponies be offended.
"Ah, don't worry Twilight. You go on now."
"Yeah right. I don't buy none of that talk!"
Applebloom strolled through the Everfree, completely removed from the fact that the forest was actively trying to get her, all while she held her eyes shut in annoyance. Vines lept from the trees only to fall behind, spiders trying to bite only to get stomped. It was as if all the dangers in the world weren't enough to interrupt her trot of prepotency that day.
Day, yes. She had to hurry and find a cure, wouldn't something worse happen. Applebloom is anything but dumb. Her brother never got tired, and he took pride on it. What happened was nothing short of unnatural, a disease, perhaps. A contagious condition that, now reflecting on it, Miss Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle may have caught on too. For all she knew, all of Ponyville could be sick, and it was only a matter of time until the symptoms showed on the masses.
After passing the foliage whose thickness had momentarily intensified, she basked in the inviting warm, yellow light coming from inside the rustical tree. Zecora's hut was always something to marvel at, how she managed to keep the many dangers of the forest at bay, and relax in this temple of meditation was unknown.
Applebloom knocked at the door, light enough that a normal pony wouldn't hear. But Zecora had a sensitive ear, specially when meditating. The filly didn't want to repeat the many almost heart stopping inducing moments she had caused before by barging in without grace. But if the zebra took long to answer, she would just go in anyway.
Finally, the door slid back, revealing Applebloom's smiling friend inside.
"Oh if it isn't little Applebloom, I didn't expect to see you again this soon. Please, do come inside, I just-"
"I have no time for rhymes, Zecora. I need your help."
Meanwhile...
Thunder cracked, sending tremors through the ground. A ground that was scorched, where no sapling could bloom. Even the ever present rain that washed down the hills wasn't enough to cleanse the taint that had soaked so deep into the land. With each crack, the momentary light revealed the thousands of frozen figures. The statues that adorned the landscape stood still with expressions of agony, voicing a soundless scream for their own drained lives. All this as the Mistress revelled in her work.
On the Verto island off the Griffon Kingdom's coast, a prologue of unparalleled fear was slowly but steadily unfolding.
