COSMIC CENTURY

by payasofobia

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark
Length: 8355

All the stars in the sky watch over us.

All the stars in the sky watch over us.

….

But are all of them benevolent?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-07-06 02:23:57 UTC

Shattered Lives

As far as I could tell, it was going to be just another day of tending to the Apple Farm.

You know, another busy day of growing, tending and harvesting the crops, cleaning the house, preparing and selling pies, making sure everything ran smoothly. Nothing different.

Well, I guess it was actually kind of sunny and warm that day, good for work, which was why Big Macintosh and I woke up so early and took our jobs in stride. Even granny Smith felt livelier than normal.

And it was this normalcy, the quiet and beauty of it all, which made what came after all the more jarring.

"Keep those apples comin' Big Mac!"   Sweat trickles down my face as I climb yet another small hill, the kind I grew up surrounded with in my entire life.   "If you don't, we're going to miss the party!"

"....you could try helping a little bit, though...."   Stopping for a moment, I look back and see Big Mac lagging behind, covered from head to hoof in heavy bags full of apples, enough to make my modest satchel look criminal in comparison.

"Hey, I'm not the on who pulled off some fancy mathematics and said we could deal with a whole orchard in a jiffy!"   I move even faster up the hill just to tease him.   "So it's all on you this time!"

"Ugh....eyup..."

Ignoring the encumbered stallion behind me, I climb one final stretch and reach the very top of the hill, where rays of beaming sunshine caress my coat with it's warmth and greets me with a beautiful sight:   an uninterrupted view of Pony Greens, the boundless prairies at the very center of Equestria.

My gaze sweeps through the vast field of green pastures, broken up only by lightly forested hills and many small dirt roads which disappeared into the horizon, dirt roads that shared the same origin:   Ponyville, the small and cozy town grandma helped found long ago, and the place where we do most of our business.

But it certainly wasn't as quiet as usual right now, with strange, crackling noises like fireworks originating from the normally reserved town.

"I know you like the view and all, but I don't think we have time to admire it now, AJ."   Big Mac had already caught up with me and was preparing to move down the other side of the hill before I stop him.

"Mac? Do you know if they are having a fair at the town?"

"What do you mean by 'a fair'?"

"Don't you hear all the fireworks out there?"

"Fireworks?"   Big Mac turns to me with a quizzical look on his face before focusing for a moment. "Eeeyup, sounds like fireworks to me, but I didn't now about any fairs today."

"Well, that's strange...."   Moving a little towards the end of the hill, I wriggle my ears and attune my hearing and sight to the town as best as I can. It probably won't help much this far away from the town, but I could at least try to make out something.

"Hmmm...."

These fireworks sound weird, like they are out of tune or something. In fact, they sound nothing at all like any fireworks I've heard before, their noises hushed and erratic. And along with them, I hear some faint cheering from a crowd, but much like the strange fireworks the cheering sounds off, almost as if they were actually...

"AJ, did you look at the sky?"

"Huh?"   Big Mac's question came out of nowhere

"Look at the sky..."

Not really getting what he meant by that, I raise my head to look at the blue sky to find whatever it is Big Mac wants me to look at. It doesn't take me long to see some decidedly non-colorful, gray explosions in the sky along with falling rubbish.

"Oh! They are fireworks!"   How could I have missed them? Big Mac probably thinks I'm blind right now if his bemused expression is any indication.   "He he! Well, what do you know? How come we missed a fair?"

Actually, looking closer at my bro, I don't see much bemusement in him, just a very pale, chilling face, like that of a ghost.

"H-hey, Macintosh...? Is there something wrong?"

"Applejack, look closer."   Big Mac's voice is cold and critical, a voice he uses only when something very bad happens, the kind of voice that tells me I should listen.

"Uh....Okay..."   I raise my head again and scan the sky all over, trying to figure out the problem, and once again, I don't see anything out of the ordinary, other than a few fireworks exploding here and there.

It takes me a while, but I finally manage to make out several smaller figures flying all over the sky.

"Pegasi?"   I turn to Big Mac.   "Shouldn't they know better than flying in the middle of fireworks?"

Big Mac only response is pointing back at the sky.

Looking back at the flying figures, they seem to be closer to the farm and I can make out their shapes much more clearly. They seem to be in a hurry to get away from the town as fast as possible, if their reckless speed was to go by but at the very least, they seemed to be flying away from the fireworks display as well, so maybe they would be...

"......!"

"Oh, Celestia...."

A cloud of gray fireworks has engulfed the pegasi.

"Oh no. Oh no no no....!"

And tiny forms fall from inside the cloud, to disappear into the ground below.

I can help but bring one hoof to my mouth at what I just saw. My legs freeze in place. Words fail me utterly until blabbering comes out instead.

Was that an accident?

Can we help?

Are they still...?

From the edge of my sight, I barely make out Big Mac dropping all the bags he was carrying and running down the hill.

"W-wait! Where are you going?!"

"I'm going to check up on them and see if I can help, and you should come with me."

"What....?!"   I guess that accident hit me pretty bad, 'cause it takes me a long time to register his words. "Oh....right!" Musing to myself won't help at all, so I dash down the hill as well.

I've trotted down the same path a thousand times before, memorized every tree, stump and rock inside and around the farm. So many details became so close to me as to make minutes worth of walking feel like seconds, yet now the same path seems to stretch out for miles and hours. I guess Big Mac thinks the same, 'cause he seems to be running faster than before.

"Applejack, you saw what happened there, right?"   Big Mac keeps using that scary voice of his.

"Well, yeah! How can I miss an accident when it happens right in front of my face!"   I can't help but snark at my brother's dumb question.

"If it had happened once, I would think the same."   Big Mac turns to me and, boy, does he looks furious.   "But two 'accidents' in one day?"

"What do you mean by two-WHAT THE?!"

My question is drowned out by a hellish noise, like a roaring thunderclap. Almost immediately after a powerful gust of wind crashes violently against my body, almost making me lose my footing.

Raising my gaze towards the source of the thundering explosion, I see yet another grey cloud in the sky, this one even right above us, well away from the town. And from the cloud, even more forms fall down, close enough for me to make out a-

We can't help them.

Another attack on Ponyville?

The pieces fit one after another. There was no fair that day, those 'fireworks' were actually aimed towards the pegasi, and they were running from them.

And the off-putting cheers were actually...

Screams.

"Applejack? Applejack?!"   Big Mac is glaring at me close enough to feel the warmth of his breath on my snout.   "Where is Applebloom?!"

Applebloom....?

"Do you know where she is?"

Applebloom!

Thank Celestia she called-in sick today!

"Y-yeah! Actually, she didn't go to school today and should be at the home right now!"   Big Mac wastes no time and turns back towards the house, and I  follow.

If the previous run seemed to take hours, this one feels like it's taking an entire day, and the familiarity of the farm does little to relieve my worries. Rather, as I run faster, the lush forest seems to twist into a confusing labyrinth from where there is no exit, a maze that hides savage monsters at every turn, terrifying giants ready to jump out from their lairs and blast us into nothingness, or worse yet, to find a friend lying on the ground, torn to pieces.

I just hope Applebloom actually listened for once and stayed at home instead of running off some-place where I couldn't help.

And that's when I see the tree-house Applebloom usually plays at.

"Big Mac, let's check the tree-house just in case Applebloom is..."   I glance at the tree-house again and I see a decidedly unfamiliar form emerge from behind it.

It's a stallion. A panicky, running stallion carrying something on his back, to be exact.

That thing must must be very important, 'cause he can't stop looking at it even as he runs between several obstacles, barely dodging the few trees standing in his way out of sheer luck.

"Who the hay are you?!"

The stallion just ignores me.

"Hey! I'm speaking to you, mister! What are you-"

And now he is heading straight towards....

"HEY! Look out!"

I can't help but wince as he crashes into a Big Mac who doesn't even budge from the hit, in contrast to the trespasser who falls hard on the ground along with the smaller thing on his back, which falls farther away.

That was a pretty bad hit, bad enough for the stallion to struggle in getting up so, naturally, I get closer to help.

"Err...mister? Are you all right?"   Strangely enough, the disheveled stallion carries a peculiar scent on him that I've only ever felt on one pony in particular.   "Here, hold my hoof..."

"...I'm so sorry, miss, I...."

I recognize that voice, but it's when I see his face where it clicks.

"Mister Rich?"

It was Filthy Rich, one of our farm's most trustworthy associates. A fancy stallion with fancy tastes who always smelled like money, a confident pony fond of investing on people he himself trusted.

He had actually helped our farm many times before, and every now and then offered us a new deal or another.

Emphasis on offered: Filthy Rich never demanded anything. He was soft-spoken and polite, genuinely respected our family's wishes and always carried this sort of subtle humility with him, the kind I would hardly expect on someone like him.

But that pony had seemingly disappeared and was replaced by the afraid, squirming, filthy stallion in front of me. Filthy Rich's expensive suit was covered in all manner of muck, trash, dirt, leaves and.....

Blood?

"Tiara...?"

I've heard that name before.

Isn't that his daughter? The spoiled little filly who keeps teasing Applebloom at school and acts like she owns the place every time they visit the farm?

"Do you mean Diamond Ti-?"

Before I can even finish, Filthy Rich's eyes bulge, almost exiting their sockets, and the rest of his face twists in fear. He springs up and frantically scans the area around him.

"Tiara?! W-where...?!"

The realization hits me like a sledgehammer, and my gaze immediately shoots out towards the small object which fell from Filthy Rich's back a moment ago.

"Tiara!"   Filthy Rich wastes no time and hurries towards his daughter, quickly placing her between his hooves and caressing her.   "It's going to be fine, sweetie, I found help, just hold on for me okay....?"

Moving towards it, I can't help but curse my luck. A fall like that must have hurt a lot, and this is just about the worst time to listen to a storm of complaints from a spoiled filly.

But...

I don't see a slightly bruised, whining filly getting smothered by her father.

Instead, I see a silent, barely moving filly bleeding profusely from a gaping wound on her chest, breathing weakly. If I was any farther I'd probably think she was dead.

Big Mac's shock as he reaches the filly mimics mine.

"H-hey, you don't have to....I can...."   I try to say something. I want to tell him that everything is going to be all right, that we can take care of her until a doctor or someone else arrives. Anything, really, just to make him feel secure.

But the sorry sight of the bleeding filly in the hooves of her tearful father kills any words before they come out.

"You have to help me!"   Filthy Rich looks at me with pleading eyes, and my heart rends at the sheer despair behind them.   "You have to help Tiara! She needs help and she needs it right now!"

I am so lost on his words that I barely notice another little filly creeping out of the tree-house.

"Applejack...?"   Applebloom moved down the ramp, her round face and saucer eyes marred with concern and budding tears.   "I-is she going to be okay?"

"Oh, darn it...!"   This is just what I needed!   "Big Macintosh! Take Applebloom and go get the first aid kit while I try and stop the bleeding!"

Big Mac gives me a brief nod before bolting towards the house with Applebloom, leaving me to care for Tiara.

"Just lay her down." I try to keep my voice as calm and collected as possible.

"F-fine..." He reluctantly releases her from his arms and lets me to check up on her.

"I might not look like it, Mister Rich, but I'm more than a little knowledge-able about medicine."   I just try to strike a conversation to calm Rich's nerves, who looks just about ready to panic.   "Living far-away from town and having to take care of job-related injuries on the go forces you to learn."   Not that I'm lying.

Mister Rich's mood seems to brighten just a tiny bit, which will do for now.

Kneeling down closer to the filly, I notice a.... tourniquet of sorts....around her chest?

"I-I read some books about forest survival, a-and I thought I could stop the b-bleeding a little bit if I...." Filthy Rich looks at me as if I he had just robbed a bank in front of a police station.

"It's okay, don't worry." My focus is entirely on Diamond Tiara and at least the bleeding wasn't as bad as it looked like.

"Hey, Tiara!"

She doesn't respond.

"Diamond Tiara!"

I hear a pained whimper.

"Can you hear me, Tiara?!"

And then some groaning.

"Are you OK, sugarcube?!"

"...do I look....ok to you...?...you dumb...!"

Well, that's a relief.

If you are expecting something like a 'vivid recollection' of the attack, then you are asking the wrong mare. I didn't actually experience it first-hand, only heard about it later from the news and survivors like Filthy Rich...

And what a tale it was! When Rich told us about his brief stint with some monsters, we couldn't believe him. But the evidence was staring at us in the face, with many dead pegasi, constant explosions and screaming in the distance and a very injured filly.

But I still didn't think much about it at time. I just couldn't grasp the enormity of what was actually happening at that moment. Heh, I even tried to play the brave mare and, like a good Element of Harmony, wanted to charge towards the town and help in any way I could.

But family has a way of dashing those thoughts. I had a scared little sister, an older grandma and a worried big brother, hay, I had two families looking up to me on that day and I was just going to stupidly abandon them so I could get myself killed over there.

I still remember what Granny Smith told me that day.

"You can go there if you want, but remember that there are still ponies counting on you here."

And then she pointed at Diamond Tiara.

And I guess the stakes dawned on me at that point, 'cause I didn't go. Family is still more important than anything in life, you know?

And so, with the town infested with monsters, we took a wagon and moved as far away as we could from the it, from home, and we left everything but the most essential behind.

A decision I soon came to regret, when I remembered I had another family waiting for me in Ponyville.

Glimmers

Darkness falls and twinkling stars cover the night sky like a blanket.

The gentle breeze and the sparkling night, lead by the ever-shining moon, stand as our reliable companions in the journey towards Canterlot: the capital of Equestria. A marbled Fortress-City hanging from the side of Canterlot's Peak, the tallest mountain in all of Equestria.

I was doing some business in Ponyville.

Both colossal peak and magnificent fortress are visible from every single road in Equestria, and the rarely-traversed dirt road we are walking through is no exception, and the sight is so impressive I barely even feel the weight of the wagon me and Big Mac are pulling.

Just keeping myself busy to leave troubled thoughts outside.

"You are not looking too well, AJ."   Big Mac directs a worn out gaze towards me, sweat visible on his brows.   "Seems you could use a little rest."

I was about to pick up Diamond Tiara at school when I heard a ruckus at the library.

"It's nothin', just a little bit distracted. You don't need to worry about me."

"Good to know."   Big Mac lets go of the wagon, and soon enough I feel the full weight of it fall on my shoulders.   "I, on the other hoof, do need a brief recess before I pass out."   He moves to the side of the wagon and shuffles some hanging bags until he gets a hold of a small canteen.

"I'll be waiting for you here, then, Macintosh."

I ran to it as fast as I could.

"Just hurry it up a bit, okay?"

What if someone's hurt?

Big Mac turns around and stares at me with those big, inquisitive eyes of his for a second.

"I won't take long."   Then walks away into the brush while downing the canteen's contents, leaving me alone to take care of the wagon.

That's when I saw them.

I suppose he was carrying most of the weight, 'cause now my shoulders hurt one hell of a lot just by trying to keep it from rolling back. Guess he really needed that rest.

This raggedy wagon is much heavier than it looks like, made with thick, heavy wood from the toughest trees in the Everfree Forest, a wagon meant to carry the heaviest loads possible without breaking down.

And all the bags and it's four passengers do make for heavy load. All in all, this thing's too heavy for me to carry all alone.

Monsters, covered in flames.

In fact, why am I even carrying this thing?

"Just.... have.... to push this.......heavy thing.....a little bit and......there you go!"

Safe and sound, carefully placed where it won't roll back when I'm not looking. Now I can finally let go of it.

"Ooof....almost....broke back...."

I feel so drained right now : My feet hurt and are covered in muck, my entire coat is glittering from buckets of sweat, I have more than a few scratches here and there from rogue rocks and twigs, and my tongue is dry as a desert, so much that I could really use a.....

A white mare ran to them, and then they....

"I need a drink."

I do much like by bro and move towards the side of the wagon, to check inside a particularly large bag, it's insides messily filled with baggage, all of them essentials for traveling.

"Let's see...."

First aid kit...

Some matches...

Bandages and drapes...

A canteen filled with water...

Clean bed-sheets....

Binoculars...

Dried food...

....

Bottles of soft cider. Sweet, tasty, soft cider. Liquid energy.

Thank Celestia for them.

Moving  away from the wagon and into the greens, I take a few moments to bask in the tranquil surroundings before taking the bottle to my mouth.

The entire forest is caressed by the most gentle of breezes, a cool and comforting wind which courses along the paths and crevices between the sea of trees, granting life to the leaves in the dark forest, filling the air with the rustling of leaves and the movement of branches, a symphony joined by the singing of crickets and toads standing beside the many flowing creeks.

*crack*

They released a storm like fire and lightning, which hit everyone around us.

My body tenses and all of my senses go into overdrive. My gaze shoots towards the source of the noise: a brush at the side of the road.

I saw a stallion get hit in front of me.

"Whoever or whatever you are, show yourself or I will hurt you!"   I hope I spoke clearly and angrily enough, because I'm dead serious.

My heart races in expectation,  my eyes meticulously analize the smallest movements, my ears tune in for the faintest sounds, and my muscles prime themselves to slam whatever dares attack.

He screamed.

But silence is the only response: an overbearing silence that drowns out the sounds of forest, it's inhabitants and the wind.

Empty.

Unnatural.

It feels as if the entire forest has set it's eyes on me.

And there was blood.

"Hello? Is anyone there?!"

To my surprise, a faint, blue glimmer lights up from inside the brush, as if answering my question.

"I can see you!"

And then he *fell*.

"Miss Applejack?"

My heart skips a beat and I feel a chill run down my spine.

"Who are you speaking to?"

It's Filthy Rich, head peeking out of the wagon, giving me a weird look.

"Umm, Miss.....? You look pale."

I turn around and quickly scan the vegetation all around me, looking for the glimmer.

"Applejack?!"

But it's gone. There are no lights, no glimmers, no flashes, there's nothing: the brush is as empty and dark as the rest of the forest.

"Is there something wrong?!"

Twigs and branches break as I search each and every brush on the side of the road for any signs of movement.

"Answer me!"

But I find nothing. I lost sight of it and it's all thanks to...!

"Applejack!"

I can feel Big Mac's hoof fall heavily on my shoulders.

"M-Macintosh?! I-I think I saw a-"

Now the other one falls on my mouth.

"I saw it too, AJ."   Big Mac glances towards the wagon, a pale Filthy Rich at the door.   "But you are scaring him like this."

"D-d-did you see a-anything?!"   Filthy Rich's voice trembles, sweat trickles down his face and his legs shake. The stallion is once again on the verge of a panic attack, and it's all my fault.

Sighing deeply, I move Big Mac's hoof away from my mouth.

"I thought I saw something moving over here."   My hooves run through the brushes, where they hit nothing.   "But, as you can see, nothing bad came out."

"Thank goodness."   Filthy Rich drops to the ground, exhausted, and hides once more inside the wagon, and out of sight.

"Big Mac, grab the wagon. We have to go now."

"Actually, Miss Applejack?"   Filthy Rich's head peeks from inside the wagon once more.   "I've been wanting to ask if you could check on my Tiara again?"

....

"Can't it wait for later?"

....

"I think it's an emergency...."

Darn it.

"Sure thing, Mister Rich..."   What was supposed to be a cheery response came out as tired and frustrated instead.   "Macintosh, you stay out and watch for trouble."

Big Mac nods and enters the forest.

Slowly moving the drapes of the wagon, I greet the four familiar ponies inside: Granny Smith sleeping quietly in one corner, Diamond Tiara laying on the floor and covered in a slightly bloodied blanket, Filthy Rich who's sitting right beside her, and Applebloom who's watching intently over them.

"She was complaining about feeling numb a moment ago."   Filthy Rich seems to have regained some of his composure.

"Let me see..."   Moving a bit closer to Tiara, I attempt to remove the blankets from her.

"Just a moment, let me try and...."

Attempt is the code word here: The blankets don't budge one bit no matter how much I pull, and every time I try to unfurl it, she just twists and turns until the stupid blanket is back in it's original position.

"Tiara, could you please let go of the blanket?"   My hoof rubs her mane a little bit, a simple gesture to comfort her, but she responds by tugging harder than before.

"It's **cold."

"Now, now, sweetie, if you don't let go then Miss Applejack won't be able to help you."

Diamond Tiara responds with a loud groan, but she finally releases her deceivingly strong grip on the blanket, which I roll and pull to reveal the entirety of her body to me.

There are small patches of dried blood around a slightly shaved spot to the side of her midriff, and at the very center of it, under the transparent coverings, I see the wound itself: a very small, red hole. So small it made it hard to believe that so much blood came out of it.

Reaching to her, I press my hooves lightly on top of the wound to gauge her reactions, and her response comes almost immediately in a sudden recoil.

"Did that hurt too much?"

"It stings a bit."

Seems she felt that one just fine.

"Did she say where she felt numb?"

"She says it's her legs."   A teary-eyed Filthy Rich caresses his daughter's legs.   "She says they feel heavy and weird, like bugs crawling on them."

My gaze follows her legs all over, looking for any signs of damage, then I shift some of the hair with my hooves and get a closer look, to try and find any wounds I could have missed. I even grab and pull her legs a little bit, but they just limp down and get no other reaction.

"Her legs seem fine to me, Mister Rich."   My hooves feel the small wound on her chest.   "The numbness is probably part of the blood loss."   And I do a quick go-around on her chest, her back,  her shoulders, her head and anything else, just to be sure, and find nothing.

"Are you sure? She said the numbness was pretty bad..."

"Yep. We just need to get her to a hospital and she'll get all-better."

Filthy Rich let's out a tired sigh and moves closer to his filly, covering her in the blanket while lovingly stroking her mane, apparently satisfied with my answer, and certainly more satisfied than me.

Truth is, aside from the obvious, I couldn't tell what's wrong with her legs. They seemed fine to me, but that numbness has me worried. It could be just about a thousand things, some worse than others, and I'm simply not good enough to tell.

We'll have to get to a doctor if we want to get any real answers.

"You heard my sister!"   Applebloom's speaks with a shrill voice right on Tiara's ears, which elicits even more groaning from the downed filly.   "It's probably nothin' and you'll be fine, Tiara!"

"Shuuut uuuup....I'm trying to sleeeeep...."

"Won't do, lady! With all that gloom and doom, how do you expect to get better?"

"I'd get better if you'd just..."

"You just have to think positive, Tiara!"

"Hard to do when someone's    screaming your ears off!!!"

Heh.

Never imagined I'd see Applebloom trying to comfort her bully like that. I guess it's difficult moments like these which brings out the best in you.

Filthy Rich seems to think so too, because now he has this stupid-wide smile splattered all over his face, so stupid I think it's contagious.

"Pretty cute, isn't it?"   Maybe I should try breaking the ice a bit and try to apologize for my outburst out there.

But Filthy Rich doesn't respond, he doesn't even move, and neither does his smile.

"Mister Rich?"

"I apologize for my daughter's behaviour, Miss Applejack."   And he turns to share that smile with me.

"She's been through a lot today, Rich. Anypony would feel the same."

"It's my fault Tiara has been so cruel to Applebloom all this time."   A smile that melts away to reveal the crestfallen stallion inside.   "I should have known sooner...."

"You don't have to worry about that now, sugarcube."   And I lend a hoof to him.

But he just lowers his gaze while shaking his head, and moves closer to Tiara, to give her a kiss on her forehead.

It's still to soon.

"Sis?"  And only now I notice that Applebloom herself isn't smiling either.

"What is it, sugarcube?"

"Do you think Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are going to be alright?"

I don't know.

I don't know if they are fighting back.

If they are winning.

Or losing badly.

Or escaping.

Or hurt and screaming for help.

And I'm not there for them.

"I wished I knew."

Standing on the very edge of a tall cliff, the kind that I grew up surrounded with, I look far into the horizon.

Ponyville burns like a tall bonfire inside a shroud of darkness, a blazing inferno which eats away the town's silhouette little by little, each fire releasing sparks and embers which rise and paint the night sky an angry red.

Bright fireballs emerge from the horizon like inverted shooting stars, to shatter as they reach the clouds, blowing them away and replacing with fiery smoke, each a distant and eerie explosion bent on destroying any beauty to be found in the night.

Each a distant and eerie explosion bent on reminding me of the farm and my friends.

And I'm not there for them.

"You don't have to stay here if you don't want to, AJ."   I slowly turn my head to see Big Macintosh standing right beside me, and staring like I'm some sort of confused foal at that.

"You know I can't leave y'all to fend for yourselves, Big Mac."     And I don't know if I could forgive myself if something happened to you while I'm gone.     "I just want to make sure you are all out of danger."

"And what about Twilight and others?"

I want to know. I *need** to know.*

"Twi's a smart pony, Macintosh, and pretty strong on top of that."    But she is not invincible.    "I bet she probably found a way to stop those monsters and is just having trouble cleaning up the mess...."

Big Mac's only response is slow blinking, which he follows with a glance towards the burning town, and before I know it, he is heading back towards the wagon, leaving me to my own thoughts.

There's no fooling that stallion, is there?

The blazing town of Ponyville. Just looking at it fills me with dread.

But I can't look back.

"Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie, Flutters....please be safe."   I mutter this to no-one in particular, I'm just hoping my wishes reach them, somehow.

*CRACK*

"I cAn SeE yOu ToO"

The faint glimmers surround me like a ferocious pack of timber-wolves surrounds their helpless prey.

The Day After

A sudden explosion rocks the heart of the peaceful town of Ponyville.

In an instant, quaint every-day life stops for all of it's busy inhabitants.

Worried stares drift towards the source of the deafening sound: the home of Ponyville's most brilliant scholar.

Twilight Sparkle's library burned, shattered, to the root.

"What if someone's hurt?"

And a collective mad dash begins as all of Ponyville converges at the the burning tree.

Our hearts hoped for a botched-spell, a silly misunderstanding and the bashful smile of Miss Twilight Sparkle.

Our minds expected much worse.

The first ponies reach the tree, only to stop on their tracks without notice. The next wave mirrors them and so does next one.

An unusual sight greets all who arrive at the core of the explosion.

On top of the flaming ruins stand a hundred tall figures clad in black armor, unfazed by the infernal heat of the flames which surround them. Their faces are concealed entirely by sinister masks of indescribable shapes.

And below the skull-faced monsters lay two immobile forms.

A scream resonates from within the crowd. A beautiful pearl-white mare with a violet mane steps out, grief visible in her face.

She shoots away from the crowd and jets towards the fallen forms, when a brief sound, like the sound of firecrackers, fills the air.

Just Another Day

After hopping out of the train's confined wagon, I take a few seconds to limber up and breathe the fresh afternoon air.

My mind is clear and serene, my muscles flexible and relaxed, and my mood is as nostalgic and cheery as the afternoon light which bathes the modest Ponyville Express Station, as if promising greater and more frequent adventures.

Stepping out of the Friendship Express has never felt so good, such a fantastic feeling I just had to share with the world.

"Yeeeeehawwww!"

"Applejack, I didn't know you enjoyed the trip so much!"   Twilight Sparkle, the smartest pony I know, takes more modest steps as she exits the train.

"Why wouldn't I? We just went to the Crystal Mountain's Inn!"   Trotting in place like crazy, I notice how very light my hooves feel.   "Usually, we step out of that train sore all over and smelling like charred apples."    I even pull off a little spin.    "A luxurious Inn makes for a nice change of pace."

"I have to agree with you, darling."   Rarity, the most hard-working and skillful pony I know, steps out at a precise, controlled pace.   "At least now I won't have to take an emergency trip to the spa."

"And we didn't have to fight any dangerous monsters..."   And Fluttershy emerges right behind her, walking at her usual deliberate stride.

"Meh, it was pretty boring to me. Nothing more than snow and ice over there."   Rainbow Dash barges out of the train like lightning and makes a whirl in the air before stopping to hover above us.   "I thought we got rid of all that ice when we defeated King Sombra."

"This snow is all-natural, Rainbow Dash, not the result of dark magic"   Twilight enthusiastically claps her hooves.   "Didn't you think is was exciting to see a genuine Crystal Mountain snowfall?"

"It's just snow, Twilight."   Rainbow pulls off a loop-de-loop.   "Annoying snow and annoying winds, strong enough to ground the fastest pegasus in Equestria for days!"   Before pulling off a nice landing, all of her hooves touching the ground at the same time.   "I'm just glad we're outta that cramped Inn."

"Oh, don't listen to her, Twilight. I thought the view was spectacular. The white snow painting the sapphire peaks in the morning?"   Rarity kisses her hoof before making this weird 'duck-face' she likes to do.   "Exquisite."

"And the mountain animals were wonderful! "   Fluttershy closes her eyes and hugs the air around her.   "The little Clear Topaz Cats were just so fluffy and cute!"    All while fluttering just above the ground.

"Umm, Fluttershy? Those 'cats' were bigger than the Inn we slept in..."

"Oh yeaaaah..."   Fluttershy opens her eyes wide and directs a wide smile to me.   "That was part of their charm, wasn't it?"

"....and they were ferocious Clear Topaz Mountain Lions."

"Oh."   Fluttershy comes down to the ground before slouching timidly.   "W-well, I thought they were cute...."   Fluttershy backs away slowly from me and kicks the ground before looking away.

And I'm glad they found her cute as well. Otherwise, they might have decided for a Fluttersnack that night.

"Well, regardless of any giant mountain lions and strong winds, we all agree that we had a great time, right?"

"Of course we did!"

"It was simply wonderful, darling."

"I loved it..."

"Well, I guess the view was kind of cool."

We all nod to each other in agreement before making our way out of the platform and into the Station Office, where a single, older clerk sits in front of a small desk, stacks of papers covering every little space in small room.

All we need to do now is to fill out some more paperwork before we can be on our merry way.

Which reminds me.

"Where's Pinkie Pie?"

My question triggers a wave of curious stares among my friends, followed by wide eyes and dumb shrugs.

"Oh, bother...."   Everything was going way too smoothly to be true.   "We forgot to pick her up at the Inn, didn't we?"

"Don't be silly Applejack. How could I be in the Crystal Mountains when I'm standing right behind you?"

The sudden yet very familiar cacophony assaults my ears and sends chills down my spine.

"Pinkie Pie, you almost killed me with your-"

Streamers shoot into my mouth, drowning out my sentence while balloons of a myriad of colors blot out the light, the unforeseen attack making me flinch harder than the shrill voice from before.

"Welcome Back to Ponyville Party!"

"Pinkie Pie!"   My precious tongue is now covered in streamers which leak cheap dye in my mouth, and soon enough a painfully bitter taste makes itself known to my senses.   "Gosh! Ish sho bitter!"

Twilight and Rarity don't seem to be doing any better than I am, if their desperate struggle to get rid of the streamers sticking out of their tongues are any clue.  Flutters seems to be the only one not gagging at the moment.

"Oh! Thank you Pinkie! This is so nice of you...."

"Haw deed yow even git dis party done so quik?!"   Meanwhile, Rainbow's whole face is covered in streamers.

"I had some help with that..."   Pinkie glances at the door.

"That would be me..."   And Spike, assistant dragon extraordinaire, steps in.   "Pinkie, uhh, asked me to prepare this party for when you came back and she, uhh...."

Pinkie Pie procures a small Ruby out of a saddlebag and throws it to Spike, who to admires it in all it's red beauty, hunger making itself known through his eyes, now as big as saucers.

"And she can be very persuasive..."

At least someone won't be tasting misery the rest of the day.

"Do you really have to go so soon, Rainbow Dash?"

"How impolite! We are barely even out of the station and you want to leave us? "

"Yeah! I was even planning on throwing a huge party at my house! You have to stay!"

"Sorry to leave so soon guys, but the Wonderbolts called and I really have to go."

"...well, if you really have to..."

"But the party....!"

"Now now, Pinkie. Rainbow has her own appointments and we have to respect that."

"Awww....Sniff...."

"Oh, come on Pinkie. You don't have to go all mushy on me!"

"But I wanted to have a party with you, but you are leaving and I won't be able to anymore...."

"You don't have to cry about it!"

"Sniff....."

"Pinkie....!"

"Oh, woe is me!

"Augh!....Tell you what. I'm going to make up for it by inviting you all to a party at my house, all on me!"

"Sniff.....you Pinkie promise?"

"I Pinkie promise."

"Hurray!"

"What are you....ACK?!

"Hugs!"

"Darn it, Pinkie Pie! Ponies are looking!"

"I don't care. Hugs are good."

"Arrrrrgh..."

"How cute, she is blushing all over!"

"Hey, you don't have to be shy, sugarcube, we are among friends here!"

"Oh shut up."

"Heh."

"Hahah!"

"That's kind of cute..."

"And hilarious."

"......."

"Are you done?"

"Wait for it."

"Urgh."

"Waaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiit......."

".....Pinkie...."

"Okay, done.

"....Okay then, catch ya later!"

"Good Bye Rainbow!"

"See ya!"

"Bye!"

"Good bye, darling!"

"Good luck with your appointment!"

"Why do I have to carry all this stuff?"

"Sniff...."

"Still feelin' down about Rainbow leaving us, sugarcube?"

"Yeah..." "

"We can have another party some other day, Pinkie."

"Other parties?! No way!"

"Sorry for sharing my opinion..."

"You don't get it, this party was supposed to be ultra-super special, more special than any other, and now Rainbow won't be there to enjoy it because she is too much of a busy mare nowadays to have time with a simple pony and my simply ultra-spectacular parties anymore!"

"What?"

"Oooooooohhhhh....and I worked so hard!"

"Well, why not move the party for tomorrow?"

"And let all the cupcakes go cold? It just wouldn't be the same...."

"Well, I tried...."

"I-I could help you bake more tomorrow, if you want..."

"....Really?"

"Umm...well....yeah!"

"Are you sure?"

"I-I might not look like it, but I am kind of a good cook!"

"Yaaaaaay, the party is saved!"

"Fluttershy, by being a good cook, you don't mean....cooking animal food, do you?"

"...uh....I-It's not like their food is much different from ours, r-right? Most of them eat the same vegetables we do, don't they?"

"There's a big difference between cooking vegetables and baking cupcakes..."

"Don't be silly, I've made plenty of radish cupcakes before, you know?

"With all due respect, Flutters, that doesn't sound all that tasty...."

"I could even bring my animal friends to help!"

"And that doesn't sound sanitary!"

"It isn't? I'm sorry...."

"Don't apologize, just don't do it...."

"With Fluttershy there to help me and if X+3= Ballozoica and the pepinillan creamy pie equals the square root of donuts and the concept of 40 is the maximum level of overpowering techniquest..."

"Pinkie...?"

"There's just so much stuff to do now, I've just got to prepare!"

"Wait, Pinkie, you are leaving?!"

"Where are you going?"

"Didn't you hear me? I'm going to prepare!"

"Oh! I guess this is a good bye, then?"

"Yup! Bye bye!"

"See you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to your cup-cakes!"

"Have fun!"

"Always do!"

"Help me.....my legs are...

"This is going to be so much fun!"

"I never thought I'd ever see you so excited about anything, Fluttershy."

"How would I not be when I get to learn all about Pinkie's baking secrets!"

"I suppose she does make great cupcakes.  I have been curious about them myself...."

"Why don't you come bake with us, then?"

"Oh no, I'll just get in the way. I'm just no good at baking."

"Or at cooking anything, really. Stuff tends to explode whenever she enters the kitchen."

"Spike!"

"Eh, you know it's true. If it wasn't for me, you'd be starving right now."

"Hah! I can see that."

"Hey, I'm not that bad! I just haven't had the time to practice..."

"It's never too late to learn, sugarcube."

"Indeed. Why don't we all go to Pinkie's place tomorrow? We could learn a thing or two together."

"It will be fun, I promise!

"Well....sure! Why not?"

"Then I'll be waiting for you at the market in the morning. Pinkie is going to get such a surprise when she sees we are all there!"

"For a change..."

"I'll be right there, I promise!"

"All of us will."

"I'm going to be the one cleaning up your mess, aren't I?"

"It's very rude to read a book when someone's speaking to you, Twi."

"I know, I know! I just don't want to ruin everything tomorrow and I want it to be perfect and  I...........! Let's see....ingredients......ingredients! The best kind to use is.....of course!....Tomorrow I'll use...!...HEY! Give that back!"

"Trust me, the more you read about them, the less delicious they'll come out."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"So now you are calling me dumb, eh sister? All the more reason to not give it back."

"Applejack!"

"She deserves that...."

"Are you feeling well, Spike?"

"Oh, Rarity!"

"Are you skulking again?"

"Umm.....what do you mean?"

"I've noticed you've been grumbling and mumbling to yourself a lot, and I wanted to know if there was a problem."

"Well, it's just that I...."

"Go on. You can tell me with confidence."

"It's just that Twilight keeps asking me to do this and that and work and help her and everything. And that's fine, really, she is my friend and I want to help, but it's just that...."

"She didn't invite you to the Crystal Mountains."

"Yeah! She got to go out and have an adventure while I stayed at home to clean it up. Again!"

"I see..."

"And she keeps going on and on about 'Responsibility'-before-'Entertainment', even though she gets to have both while I only ever get the chores!"

"...."

"It's just not fair..."

"You are right, it's not fair at all."

"I'm selfish for thinking this way, aren't I?"

"If only selfish was so harmless and cute. What you are feeling is completely natural, darling, you just don't know when to speak up for yourself."

"I don't want to make Twilight feel bad, though."

"Well, that might be a problem...."

"Yeah...."

"Hmmmm........how about you and me, together, go speak to Twilight tomorrow and see if she let's you come to the party with us, hmm? Would that do?"

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course. I would do anything for my little Spikey-Wikey."

"Heh, stop that!"

"Spike! We are leaving!"

"That's my cue."

"Take care, Spike, and don't forget I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"I'd never!"

"Hurry up, Spike! We have to finish the project tonight if we want to be on time for the party!"

"Oh."

"It seems you won't need my help after all, darling."

"Heh. Yup. See you later, Rarity!"

"Take care, Spike."

"So how's your sister?"

"Sweetie Belle? I suppose she is doing quite well..."

"You don't sound too sure about that."

"To be honest, she is is misbehaving. There isn't a single day when she isn't starting trouble or breaking something with those Cutie Mark Crusaders, and it's starting to grate on my nerves."

"I would know about that."

"Oh, not that I'm blaming Applebloom for her behavior, Applejack."

"You can blame her all you want, sugarcube. She is growing into a full-fledged trouble pony, and worse, she is dragging her friends with her."

"All just to find their special talents..."

"Funny how they are obvious to everyone except them."

"Indeed."

"Maybe you should record Sweetie's singing and show it to her. Then she'll probably get it."

"And Applebloom should just accept that her talent is most likely apples."

"....is that supposed to be a...?"

"It is a joke, darling."

"Right."

"In all honesty, though, have you ever stopped to appreciate Applebloom's crafts?"

"Crafts? You mean her school projects?"

"I've seen them, Applejack. Her skills are extraordinary for someone her age."

"You really think so?"

"Your sister has the soul of an artist inside her. You should be proud of her."

"Heh. I've always said lil' Bloom had a knack for taking garbage and making it look pretty. Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so."

"Mom! Daddy! Big sis is back!"

"....did she just say 'mom'?"

"She said 'daddy' too."

"And I left such a mess before leaving...."

"Better go and clean up quickly, then."

"I should do that..."

"You will not believe who came with me today!"

"So there I was, face to face with a a Topaz Lion. I was the only thing standing between them and Fluttershy."

I try to snarl as hard as I can, but I figure I must look very silly while at it.

"And just when they were about to pounce, all I could think about was on how doomed I was..."

That tends to happen when you are face to face with a 50 meter tall monster...

"But then, before it could get any closer, the big bully rolled on his back and began purring like it was some sort of big kitty. And on top of it was Fluttershy, scratching it's belly like you would a house cat."

That was such a ridiculous sight I just couldn't stop giggling as I recalled it.

"Haha! Now that cracked me up. Hay, it's almost as funny as that time Rainbow crashed on top of the barn!"

Almost, but not quite there yet.

"....All in all, it was a great trip, certainly one of the best ones so far. I had never seen so much snow before. And there were so many plants! I never thought crystal mountain trees could produce so much fruit, and the flowers were beautiful!"

I walk closer to the two stone shrines in front of me.

"Here, I even brought some for you."

After a brief struggle with my saddlebag, I find a bouquet of sparkling, deep-blue flowers.

"Sapphire Roses, they only grow at the tallest points of the Crystal Mountains. I thought you would like them."

And I kneel to carefully plant them at the shrines' feet.

"Thank you so much for watching over us...."

"....."

I'm still surprised by the beauty of this farm at night.

The cool breeze.

The rustling of leaves.

The soft grass.

The ever welcoming smell of apple cider and burnt wood both.

And all the stars in the sky, their soft glow illuminating the firmament, reminding me of happier times long gone, and guides to a much brighter future.

"Makes you want to stay here forever..."

My gaze moves towards the wooden house beyond, and the three figures standing by the front door.

"Welcome back, Applejack."

"Did you have fun, sis?"

"How was your day, AJ?"

"Well, you know...."

"Hmm?"

"...It was just another day."

I still carry the memories of that day close to my heart.

The smile of friends, the smile of family, the smells, the sights, the touch of home.

That day still represents the best parts of my life, and I would be pretty damn heartless to forget it.

....

Memories that will never be marred, regardless of the nightmares that came after.