Exiled From Equestria

It's now lunch time. The sun is at it's highest peek, casting burning sunlight onto Twilight. She is so hungry, so thirsty, so lost, and so, I mean so, sweaty. She flops onto the ground, grabs her mane, and squeezes all the sweat out.

"Ew," she complains, shaking the warm water off her hooves. "This desert can't go on forever..." Twilight stops mumbling to herself and starts trotting tiredly again.

What if my friends were here? she asks herself. They'd be helping me, right? But I don't know where they are, or what they're doing... Twilight's thoughts make her zone out as she trots through the barren desert. What if they're having fun? What if they're acting like everything's the same even without me?

No. Twilight shakes her head. My friends love me, and I love them. I'm sure they're worried...

Twilight is so distracted by her thoughts that she bumps straight into a tree. "Ow!" She exclaims, falling into her butt and rubbing her forehead. It takes her a few moments to realize what it means that the tree is really there. "Wait...what?" She looks up from the ground and stares forward. All she can see is a crowded forest full of Oaks, Redwoods, and so much more.

She stares at the ground. The sand quickly fades into grass and dirt where the trees are going. The change of biomes is so sudden that it seems almost unnatural.

The lavender unicorn sighs in relief. She resumes her trot into the green forest. Inside, there are birds chirping and soft grass under her hooves and tall trees with many branches and leaves to shade her from the heat of the sun. She soon reaches the top of a hill where she can see a stream and a few fruit trees. Two apple and three banana, to be precise.

Twilight gallops to the stream faster than she's ever galloped before. At the edge, she slides on the wet grass from loss of traction. Unfortunately, she doesn't stop herself in time and ends up crashing into the stream.

Cold. Wet. These things feel so much better than hot and sweaty. She tears off her saddlebags and flings them onto the bank of the stream and lays down in the hoof-deep water. The cool pebbles feel soft against her skin. She lets the water seep through her mane and pool over her body as she floats. Her view is of the beautiful forest and the small peaks of sunlight through the leaves.

After five minutes, the fresh water starts to feel cold. She wades back onto the stream’s bank. Once she's on dry land, Twilight shakes herself so that most of the water sticking to her flies onto the ground or back into the stream.

The forest is much cooler than the desert. Twilight shivers for the first time in awhile and opens up her flooded saddlebag. The tent is protected by a package that is keeping it dry, but her jacket and boots are soaked to the core. She pulls the soaked clothing out with her dripping horn and lays it on top of some apple tree branches.

Wait a second... Apples? Bananas? These are some of Twilight's favorite fruits!

An apple smothered in a magenta glow levitates in front of Twilight's eyes. The unicorn licks her lips and smiles widely. She is just about to take the first, juicy bite, when a vampire fruit bat swoops down and steals it with his claws. Twilight tries to get a better grip on it with her magic, but the fruit bat pulls harder. Eventually, Twilight gives up and lets the bird take it. Surely there's more apples to go around.

Twilight watches the fruit bat nibble on the apple across the stream while levitating another apple from the apple tree from memory of it's location. Without looking, she takes a large bite out of the side. The second her tongue tastes what should be a sweet sensation, it instead shrinks back. Twilight spits out whatever is in her mouth and turns to what she thought was an apple.

Turns out there's more vampire fruit bats, because a shriveled up apple core covered in dirt doesn't taste the same. She turns to the banana tree instead and snatches one with her purple magic. It flies down fast to Twilight, but an unknown type of bat swoops down and takes the long yellow fruit. She stomps her hoof in frustration and decides to use teleportation instead. Her horn glows bright. Soon, a nice, ripe banana is in her grasp. Before any bat can steal it, she covers it with her forelegs while unwrapping the outer case. In three enormous bites, the entire banana has disappeared. She throws the banana casing to the side and watches a swarm of bats gnaw on it.

After Twilight has eaten three bananas (and an apple that she snagged), she's full enough to continue walking through the almost never-ending forest

***

"Just...one more...step..." Twilight grabs another vine and hoists herself further up on the steep and slippery hill. It was either this or take her chances jumping over a wide ravine gap. She's too exhausted to perform magic, so she's having to take it earth pony style right now.

"There," Twilight says as she reached the very top of the hill. From here, she can just about see everything. She can see the forest continue on into mountains, she can see the sun a couple hours from setting. She can hear birds squawk and squeal and the faint splashing of the water on creak banks. But the one thing that really catches her view is a small cottage sitting right in the center of her view. Smoke is pouring from the chimney. It reminds Twilight of Fluttershy's cottage, except it's shaped like a perfect rectangle and looks old. Next to it sits a stone well.

Maybe they'll be friendly, Twilight thinks as she strolls over to the cottage. Like Fluttershy. Her thoughts immediately jump to the butter pegasus. The memories of her best friend stab her in the heart like a knife. It's just not the same without them by her side, considering they have gone through all their adventures together.

In her zoned-out state, Twilight bunks into another tree. She silently curses under her breath. Note to self, don't zone out.

The next few minutes fly by. She arrives in a small grass clearing where the cottage sits. A cobblestone path leads the way from where she stands to the broken-down house. Spiderwebs are wedged between the cracks.

Twilight trots up to the door. She lifts a hoof to knock on the door, then jerks it back. What if she's evil? What if she's not even a pony at all?

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!"

Inside she hears banging and crashing.

Then the door opens.

Twilight wonders if the creature counts as a pony.

"Hey, there!" the creature exclaims. She look at Twilight's back as if looking for wings. When she finds no look, she turns to her forehead. Her horn makes the creature's eyes sparkle, and she grins. When she grins, Twilight can see two sharp fangs hanging from the roof of her mouth where teeth should be. "You must be a unicorn pony. My name's Amber Eyes, what's yours?"

Twilight opens her mouth to speak, but no words come. The creature's excitement reminds her of Pinkie Pie. Really, anything will remind her of her friends right now.

To be exact, this creature is basically a pony-bat hybrid. She has a lavender mane and tail that remind Twilight of Scootaloo. Her coat is grey and her eyes glow bright yellow. Her cutie mark presents the image of a sword and axe. The only thing separating her from being a pony is her sparkling purple bat wings, tufted ears, sharp fangs, and dragon-like vertical slits for her pupils. Twilight has only seen these kinds of ponies on Nightmare Night as Princess Luna's guards.

Twilight realizes she must have been staring for hours because Amber Eyes has cocked her head to the left and is eying her funny. "Hello? Can you speak?"

"Hm? Oh, yes." Twilight bites her lower lip. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I...I can't help but notice that you are part bat."

Amber giggles. "Yes, silly. That's because I'm a bat pony."

"A bat pony?"

"A bat pony."

"Why...what? A bat pony? Do bat ponies live all over this forest?"

Amber Eyes's ears droop. "No, I'm the only one."

"Why?"

"When I was a little filly...there was a war in these parts...I ran away from home. When I returned, my whole village was burnt down... There were bodies everywhere, covered in blood..." Amber shivers. "I decided to stay here." She steps out of the doorway, revealing a quaint living room and kitchen. "Please, come in."

Twilight steps in. The cottage is warm and cozy, and thankfully, neat. She can't stand a mess without organizing it, and she doesn't have the time nor the energy to spend as a house maid.

Amber Eyes shuts the door and lazily flaps her bat wings into the kitchen. She pours two fresh glasses of apple juice into glasses and starts drinking one while setting the other on the counter. It lands with a small clink and sloshes a little over the edges. Twilight sits down in the swivel chair in front of it and takes the juice in her magic. The refreshment is soon gone. Twilight smacks her lips before setting the empty cup back on the marble counter.

"So what are you doing here, Twilight?" The bat pony hovers onto the swivel chair next to the unicorn. "You're my first visitor in a long time."

Twilight circles her hoof around the edge of the glass. This creates a sound that makes Amber's ears twitch. "I'm actually from Equestria. I don't know a thing about the world outside of my home country, so I'm completely lost on my journey."

Amber Eyes is quiet for a moment. "Do you need a guide?"

"I had two guides."

"...had?"

Twilight stops circling her hoof and turns to Amber. "I think Discord took them away...I'm not sure where, but if it's Discord we're talking about, I'll probably never see them again."

More silence. Twilight glances at Amber Eye's cutie mark. "You're a blacksmith?"

Amber nods. "Would you like to see?" Twilight doesn't have to reply. Amber just leads her through a hallway to a large room with a furnace in one corner and many other items in others. Hanging on the walls are all sorts of weapons and armor, but there's mostly swords. "I don't even sell them to anypony. I just make them for fun. The supplies comes from Pearl Bay. I go there every month."

"Pearl Bay?" Twilight asks. "Where's that?"

"Just east of here." Perfect, Twilight thinks. That is the exact direction she's heading for Equestria. "There's a small town there. Why?"

"Oh, I just need some more supplies for my journey."

Amber Eyes flutters over to an iron sword sitting on a rack. She grabs the handle by her teeth and sets it in front of Twilight. "This is the best one I've got."

"A-a sword?" Twilight stammers. Her face is full of shock. "What do you think I'm going to be doing?"

"Maybe facing an Ursa Minor or a Skwoth."

"A what?"

"A Skwoth."

Twilight shakes her head to clear her thoughts. "What is that?"

Amber Eyes looks to the right as if watching a daydream. "You don't want to know."

Twilight nudges the sword handle with her hoof. Instead of picking it up in her mouth, she levitates it off the ground. She does some pretty cool flipping tricks with it before setting it back down. "I don't know, Amber Eyes. Maybe it's different here, but in Equestria, we don't murder things like this."

"Well you should. Come on, Twilight. It won't kill you."

"But it will kill whatever I hit it with!" Twilight takes a deep breath to calm herself down. "I don't like the aspect of death."

"And I don't like the aspect of being eaten alive, so unless you want that to happen, I seriously suggest you use this sword." Amber Eyes pushes the sword to Twilight. She scrunches up her face. "Really, Twilight. Only for self defense. It's not like your going to be murdering other ponies."

"Oh, please do not even say that," the lavender pony ejaculates. "I don't want any images in my brain."

"Okay, sorry." Amber Eyes grabs a sheath and slips it over Twilight's sword. "You wouldn't happen to have any bits, would you?"

Twilight shakes her head guiltily. "I wish I did, really, but I'm almost bare-hoofed at this point."

Amber Eyes pretends to be okay, but Twilight can read eyes, and Bright Eyes's eyes are showing disappointment.

By the time Amber Eyes has found a strap for Twilight's sword so she can wear it on her side, the sun is setting once more. Twilight insists that she doesn't have to stay, but Amber Eyes claims that she's happy to have some company around. Once the sun has fully set and the forest is black as night, Twilight doesn't resist any further.

"Thank you, Amber Eyes. I can't thank you enough," Twilight says as snuggles up in the lower bed of Amber's trundle bed.

"It's no prob, Twi..." Amber Eyes is broken from her words with a yawn. "Like I said...you make...good...com..company..." The bat pony trails off as she drifts off to sleep. Twilight smiles to herself and closes her eyes, soon drifting off into her very own slumber.

***

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity leap behind a garden hedge. Rainbow Dash lands on her injured leg and has to bite her lip so hard that it bleeds to keep her from yelping. Ponies around them are screaming and galloping about frantically. All they can do is peer through the bush's leaves at the commotion and pray that Nightmare Moon doesn't find them.

"I'm starting to think that maybe Nightmare Moon isn't as reasonable as I thought she would be," Rainbow Dash whispers once her left foreleg is feeling better.

Applejack snorts. "Really, Rainbow? I couldn't tell by the way she tried ta kill the five a' us!"

Rarity ducks deeper behind the hedge. "She certainly won't be reasonable now."

The three mares watch as Nightmare Moon arises through the front doors. Behind her, the friends can see Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy being practically strangled by black vines. Maybe not tight enough to make them bleed, but defiantly enough to leave rashes and scares.

"Stop thou panicking!" Nightmare Moon barks. Immediately, ponies everywhere stop moving. They stare with wide-eyes at their terrifying ruler. "Why does thou run and scream?" Nightmare Moon trots up to a little filly who is hiding behind her mane. "Well? Speakest!"

"It's just that you're kind of a mean and scary ruler, princess," shouts a stallion from a corner of the clearing. Nightmare Moon glares at him. He shrinks back. "We're shocked about Princess Celestia's death, and it would make us feel better if Princess Luna were here."

"But we are your beloved Luna," Nightmare shrieks in her Royal Canterlot Voice. "Does thee dare speak otherwise?"

"Princess Luna is kind and silly," shouts a mare from a different corner. "Nightmare Moon is mean and scary."

Nightmare Moon grinds her sharpened teeth, showing them off. The ponies shrink further into their manes like a herd of Fluttershies. "We are thou new ruler, then. Princess Luna is too fragile to handle this death. Nightmare Moon is here to stay, and if thou fears us, then thou will continue to fear for the rest of thou's lives!"

Rarity looks away. "I can't watch this anymore. What do we do? We can't hide behind a shrub for the rest of our lives. Twilight’s still gone, and I have weekly appointments at the spa with Flutter..." Rarity turns back to Fluttershy who appears to now be crying from fear. Guilt stabs the unicorn's heart. "Applejack, we absolutely must rescue Pinkie and Flutters."

"Right now?" Applejack asks. Rarity nods. "Are ya crazy? We're in tha perfect view point a' Nightmare Moon. There's no way we can make it into the castle without getting caught, and then what help would we be?"

"But we can't abandon them here, either, AJ," Rainbow Dash retorts. "I'm the Element of Loyalty. I don't plan on changing that."

Applejack sigh is barely audiobook over the continuing shouting of Nightmare Moon. "We can't act now, gals. We have to wait."

"Wait? Wait where? For how long?" Rainbow Dash drifts off into thought for a moment. "Nightmare Moon sees us as criminals. She might kill us on sight, so we have to be on guard."

"Exactly. That's why we gotta sneak outta here and hide someplace that Nightmare Moon would never expect us ta be."

"No, Applejack. The most unexpected place for us to hide is in her castle itself."

"Where? Behind her throne?" Applejack retorts.

"Yes, quite possibly." Rarity peers past Nightmare Moon at the castle. "We can make a run for it."

"Rarity, that is tha most ridiculous thing Ah have ever heard in mah entire life! We have ta stay here until Nightmare Moon goes back inside. Ah'm tha leader now, so ya have ta listen ta what Ah say, and Ah say that yer idea is too risky."

"Alright, Applejack, you don't have to be so bossy," Rainbow Dash retorts.

"Ah'm not bein' bossy. Ah'm just tryin' ta protect tha ponies Ah love."

They don't say much for the next five minutes. Nightmare Moon finally goes back inside. The sound of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershys' cries fill the air. It makes them cringe in horror.

Applejack looks down sadly. "Ah don't know what we can do without gettin' caught."

Rainbow Dash glances at her wings. "If my wing wasn't broken, I'd rocket in the air, grab them, then zoom out." She leans her head on her foreleg and sighs. "It'll be at least two more days until it heals, and Celestia knows how much time we're already wasting by talking."

Rraity's eyes widen and sparkle. A grin spreads across her lips. "Darling, that's a great idea!" she cheers.

"But I can't do it."

"Oh no, not that plan." Rarity glances from Rainbow's confused face to Applejack's curious one.

"Well?" The farm pony raises an eyebrow. "Ya gonna tell us what it is, or sit there admirin' our curiousity?"

Rarity gleams. "So, here's what we do first..."