The Maze Galloper

Chapters

The Glade
New Friends?
New Secrets
What Night Brings
The Tour

The Glade

Darkness surrounded her, and her eyes slowly opened to reveal a small elevator shaft, flashes of light blinding the cart every few seconds. The light flashed again, revealing a young mare with lavender fur, but was mostly covered by a large cloak. Her mane, which was violet and pink, was misshapen and shriveled, and the pony shrieked as metal shards scraped against the wall, and she bounced backward, slamming against the side. Her breaths were ragged and short, and boxes and tanks covered the entire floor.

W-Where am I? Her thoughts were cut short as a sharp growl emanated from a small cage on the other side, and the pony sluggishly crept forward, her eyes wide and freaked. Another scream emanated from her as the crate rattled again, and her hooves buckled under her, causing the small mare to slam into the ground. The flash of light came through the elevator again, and the mare's mind whirled as she realized what was in the crate.

It's a Timberwolf She finally realized, but her eyes furrowed with confusion as another realization flew into her mind. She didn't know how she remembered it, and her brain went into shock as...her brain couldn't remember. In fact, she couldn't remember anything. The mare was now shaking, her mane and fur on end, and she didn't notice when the lights stopped flashing and stayed. She only flew out of her trance when the elevator shaft came to an abrupt stop, swinging her up and slamming her head onto the top of her transportation. Her vision was now blurry and unfocused, and her hoof flew up and rubbed her forehead, passing by the small violet horn. A wave of comfort washed over her when the elevator slowly came to a stop, and she gasped as the top flew open, blinding her with a bright light. All was silent for a moment, and the mare stopped when a blurry hoof came into view, to which she slowly looked up and saw a cyan pegasus staring back at her.

"Day one greenie. Rise an' shine." The pegasus's voice was brash and forceful, no source of comfort anywhere in the tone. The pony laid, frozen for a moment, but gasped as the pegasus unfurled her wings and jumped in, blinding over to her and grabbing the terrified pony by the waist, cloak included. The young mare struggled for a while, but her escape proved fulfill as the pegasus just lifted her out, tossing her into the grassy ground below. As the pegasus swiftly flew back, and the mare's vision finally cleared, but her mind went to panic when she saw about fifty other mares standing around her, their eyes filled with confusion at the newcomer. Her horn ignited with a large, magenta glow, and many of the mare's gasped when the pony disappeared, but then returned to a place between a smile and a sneer when they saw their newcomer pony appear again a few feet away.

"Hey, we've got a Galloper!" One called out, but the mare paid it no mind and kept galloping forward, her eyes only focused on the weird open gates in front of her. Hard laughing filled her ears, but her mind turned to confusion as those laughs switched to concerned and even terrified yells and screams.

Why would they be screaming? It's an exit. She kept telling herself, but her crazed violet eyes widened when her front hoof connected with a root, sending her sprawling to the ground, landing harshly with a giant thud. Now dazed and confused even more, he mare stayed sprawled on the ground, barely noticing when the other ponies came walking over. Her legs and hoofs were numb, and the mare lazily lifted her head, looking up at the pony in front of her. An orange earth pony had her by the hooves, her gaze calm and focused and her muzzle set in a hard, straight line.

"W-Who are you ponies? W-W-Where am I?" The mare slowly asked when her breath came back, and the earth pony smiled, lifting the greenie up and placing her on down on her hooves.

"We're the Gladers, and this is the Glade. Names Applejack, and like Rainbow said," Applejack thruster a hoof out, pointing to where the cyan pegasus, who the pony now knew was Rainbow, was glaring at the two with burning impatience. " Y'all got to get ta work."

The helping hooves didn't stop swarming around her until the new pony had the dust and grass brushed off her cloak. Still blinded by the light, she staggered a bit. She was consumed with curiosity, but still felt to dazed to check her surroundings. Her new companions said nothing as she swerved her head around trying to take it all in.

As she rotated in a circle, the other mare's snickered and stared; some reached out and poked her with a hoof. There had to be at least fifty of them, their manes and coats matted with sweat and dirt, as if they'd been hard at work. They were all around her, all shapes, sizes and races, including Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies, their manes in various styles and lengths. The mare suddenly became dizzy, her eyes flickering between the ponies and the bizarre place she'd found herself in.

They stood in a large garden-like area, four ginormous stone walls covered in thick ivy blocking all sides. The walls had to be hundreds of feet high, and formed a perfect square around them, each side split in the exact middle into that was as tall as the walls themselves that, as the pony could see, led to confusing passages beyond.

"Look at the Greenie," Rainbow's scratchy voice came out of the group, thought the mare couldn't see where it came from. "Gonna break her neck checking out the new digs." Several mares laughed.

"Shut yer trap, Rainbow." Applejack's voice snapped back.

Greenie ignored them and focused back on the ponies surrounding her. She knew she must've looked out of it-she'd felt like she's been hit by a powerful magic blast. A tall pink-maned pony with a square jaw sniffed at her, her face devoid of expression. A short, small butter-yellow pegasus shifted lightly on her hooves, staring at Greenie with slightly scared eyes. Applejack just studied her, her green eyes narrowing as her left hoof leveled the brown Stetson hat on her blond mane.

"What am I doing here?" Greenie said, surprised at hearing her own voice when she was completely aware of doing it. It didn't sound quite right-was lower than she imagined.

"It's just normal," Applejack answered calmly, like this question was asked a million times before. "One mare comes here every month, along with food and supplies." she quickly thruster her hoof outward towards a group of mates who were pulling, or lifting with magic, the barrels and crates out of the elevator shaft.

"Which Keeper she gonna get?" A hyper voice yelled from the back of the crowd.

"I told you, Lyra," A iron-like voice responded. "He'll be a Slopper-no doubt about it." The pony giggled like she had said the greatest thing in the world.

Keeper? Slopper? The words popped out the mares mouths like it was the simplistic thing in the word to understand, but Greenie's mind whirled with questions. It was like her memory loss had stolen a chuck of her language-it was disorienting.

Different emotions battled in her mind. Confusion. Panic. Curiosity. Fear. It what was laced through it all was a feeling of dark, utter hopelessness, like the world has ended for her, had been wiped from her memory and replaced with something terrifying. She wanted to flee and think this was all a dream.

The flat-maned pink pony was talking: "Even do that much-bet my liver on it." Greenie still couldn't see her face.

"I said shut your holes!" Applejack yelled, her eyes burning with fury. "Keep yapping and next break'll be cut in half!"

It's their leader. Greenie realized. Agitated by how everyone was gawking at her, she turned around and focused on the place Applejack had called the Glade.

The floor of the garden-area looked like it was composed of stone or concrete blocks, most of them cracked and split, filled with long vines and weeds. An odd, misshapen wooden building near one of the corners of the square was covered in mostly gray stone. A few trees shaded it, their roots like gnarled hooves digging into the rock for food. Another corner of the compound held gardens-from where she was standing Greenie recognized corn, grains, and fruit-trees.

Across the courtyard from there stood wooden pens holding sheep, pigs, and cows. Did she eat meat? She couldn’t remember. A large forest of trees filled the final corner: but the closest ones looked crippled and close to dying. The sky overhead was cloudless and blue, but Greenie could spot no sun hanging in the bright sky. The creeping shadows of the walls didn’t reveal any help-It could be early morning of late afternoon.

Greenie looked back at her captors, feeling slightly unnerved but desperate to ask questions.

Captors? Where did that come from? She scanned their faces, swiftly taking in their expressions. One mare’s eyes, flared with hatred and distaste, stopped her cold. He looked crazed, and Greenie wouldn’t have been surprised if she had come at her with a knife. She had a dark-violet mane, and when they made eye contact, the mare shook her head and strutted away, walking towards a greasy iron pole, which Greenie noticed she stared at with honor and complete disgust.

Shaken, Greenie stared at the mare’s back until she turned and took a seat.

Suddenly Applejack-who looked about twenty to twenty-one-trotted forward. She wore no rags: only the Stetson hat perched on the top of her mane, which she leveled every few seconds. Other then the permanent scowl, there was nothing frightening about her at all.

“It’s ah long story, Greenie,” AJ started to say, her green eyes piercing with warmth and sinister cold. “Piece by piece, ya’ll learn-ah’ll be takin’ ya on yer’ tour tomorrow. Till then…just don’t break anything.”

“Then tell me,” Greenie called out, desperately trying to keep her voice even. “Tell me the story.”

AJ glanced at her comrades, rolling her eyes, and Greenie studied the crowd again. Her estimate had been close-there were about fifty to sixty of them, ranging from pegsi to unicorns and earth ponies. They were all young adults like Applejack, who seemed to be one of their oldest.

I don’t even know my own age. Her heart sank at the thought.

“Really,” Greenie asked, her voice losing all sense of courage. “Where am I?”

AJ trotted over again to her and sat down, the crowd of mares following and packing in behind. Heads popped up here and there, mares leaning in every direction to get a great look at the scene before them.

“If ya ain’t scared,” AJ started. “Ya ain’t pony. Act any different and ah’ll throw you off thah Cliff because it’d mean ya insane.”

“The Cliff?” Greenie asked, blood draining from her face.

“Suck it,” AJ said, rubbing her Stetson. “Ain’t no way tah start these conversations, ya got me? We don’t kill shanks like yah here, ah promise. Just try and avoid being killed, survive, and whatever.”

“Boy,” Applejack said, then ran her hooves over her blond mane and sighed. “Ah ain’t good at this-you’re the first greenie since Sunset Shimmer died.” Before she could say more, another mare, the pony with the flattened pink mane, trotted forward and playfully slapped her hoof across Applejack’s head.

“Wait for the bloody tour, AJ,” She said, her voice high and squeaky, with a touch of a dark hum afterwards. “Girl's gonna have a heart attack, nothin’ even been heard yet.” She bent down and slowly extended a pink hoof towards Greenie. “Name’s Pinkamena, or Pinkie, I really don’t care which one you call me, and you might as well forgive our klunk-for-brains leader here.” Greenie sluggishly reached out and shook the mare’s hoof-he seemed a lot nicer than Applejack. Pinkie was taller then AJ too, but looked about a year or so younger. Her mane was dark pink and completely flat and cut long, flowing onto her backside.

“Ain’t got time to be nice, Pinkie.” AJ said, grabbing the mare and pulling her down, and Greenie froze as she glared at her again.

“Old life’s over, new life’s begun. Learn the rules quick, listen, and don’t talk. You got me?” Greenie looked over at Pinkie, pleading for help. Everything inside her hurt: the tears that had yet to come burned her eyes.

Pinkie nodded. “Greenie, you get her, right?” She nodded again. Greenie radiated hatred, wanting desperately to blast someone with her horn. But she simply nodded, her eyes glossed over.

”Good that,” AJ said. “First Day. That’s what tahday is for you, Greenie. Night’s comin’. Gallopers’ll be back soon. Tour tomorrow, right after the wake-up. Pinkie, get her a bed to sleep.”

“Got that.”

AJ’s eyes returned to Greenie, narrowing. “A few weeks, ya’ll be happy n’ helping. New life begins tahmorrow.” And with that, AJ turned and pushed her way through the crowd, heading for the stone-covered building in the corner. Most of the other mares trotted away then, each giving Greenie a lingering look before they moved.

“What did I do?” Greenie whispered, not meaning for anyone to hear. “What did I do...w-why did they send me here?”

Pinkie slammed a hoof on her back. “Greenie, what your feelin’…all of us have felt it. We’ve all had a First Day, come out of that dark shaft. Things are bad, and they’ll get much worse for you soon, that’s the truth. But down the road a piece, you’ll be fighting.” Pinkie had barely finished her sentence when a sudden, shrill scream tore through the air. The barely human shriek echoed through the stone garden: Every mare in sight turned to look toward the source. It came from the wooden building.

Even Pinkie had jumped as if startled, her muzzle creasing with concern, and Greenie could only watch as she started to gallop off, only turning back once.

“Find Fluttershy, tell her she’s in charge of your sleeping arrangements.” Greenie just dropped to the ground, and shrank back against the bark of one lone tree, wishing she would wake up from this terrifyingly horrible nightmare.

New Friends?

Greenie stood afterward, her hooves refusing to move her forward. After a moment, she finally forced herself to stare at the rugged building. A group of mares stared fearfully outside, glancing at the upper windows as if anticipating a hideous beast to burst out in an explosion of glass and burning wood.

A wretched scraping from the branches grabbed her attention, and Greenie looked up: only to find a sliver of green and red light flash by her eyes, before disappearing behind a large trunk in a mere second. Greenie hoofs suddenly came back to life, and shot her forward to the trunk where the being had slithered behind. Greenie strained her neck around, trying to find whatever she saw, but was only welcomed by withering branches, gray and brown, which were reaching out like a Skelepony's hooves.

"That was a Cockatrice...oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your thoughts..." A soft mare's voice snapped Greenie out of her trance, and she turned to find a small butter-yellow pegasus standing behind her, the pony's hoof slowly scraping against the rough ground. The mare's body was shaking violently, her wings scratched and bruised as if they had been tied there, and her pink mane was hanging loosely over her face and to the ground.

"A Cocka-what-now?"

"....Cockatrice," The mare finally squeaked, and Greenie had to strain to hear the small voice that emanated. "It won't hurt you unless you look in it's eyes," She paused, her voice stopping suddenly as another scream tore through the air, filling Greenie with a cold dread that gripped her heart. She swiftly turned to the mare again, and saw her tumbling more violently than before, her legs stiff as if she was forcing herself not to either flee or go help.

"What's going on over there?" Greenie's hoof sluggishly pointed toward the building, and the pegasus slowly stared up, revealing crystal-blue eyes filled with fear.

"I don't know," She finally replied, her trembles turning into barely noticeable shakes. "But I don't ever want to find out. All I know is that Suri's in there, sick longer than I've been here. They got her."

"They?" Greenie didn't like the way this mare said it: full of dread and terror.

"...Yeah."

"Who's they?" The question was barely out of her mouth before the pegasus broke down in sobs. Greenie quickly grabbed the distressed mare, holding her close with tears dropped onto her cloak.

"I-I h-h-hope you never find o-out!" The words were nearly audible, but Greenie heard the clearly, confused at how this one they could be so terrifying. After a moment, the mare stopped crying and plucked her hooves off Greenie, standing back down on all fours and wiping her eyes to stop the tears.

"I'm Fluttershy," Fluttershy held out a hoof, and Greenie brought up her own and shook it. "I was the Greenie before you got here."

This is my guide for the night? Greenie thought, her eyes wondering around, trying desperately not to look at the pony she just met. It's not like she disliked Fluttershy...but her extreme shyness was starting to annoy her. She groaned as her head pounded even more.

"Why does everyone keep calling me Greenie? And...what happened to your wings?" The second question seemed to upset Fluttershy, because her eyes tarted to gloss over again, but she blinked them quickly, stopping the tears before the tears spilled out.

"For the first question, we call you Greenie because your the newbie," A soft chuckle soon followed, surprising Greenie greatly as she watched Fluttershy cover her mouth and blush slightly. "As the my wings..." Fluttershy stared down at her wings, which still seemed like they had been roped together for a while. "They were clamped shut because I tried to escape."

"What!?!"

"Yeah, when I first got here, I was so freaked and scared that I tried to fly out, to escape the mares that were surrounding me...but I didn't get far. Rainbow Dash chased after me and latched onto me in seconds, pulling me back towards the ground. When I got there, the unicorns used their magic to strap me on the ground...while the E-Earth P-Ponies came forward. That held to large, i-iron clamps in their hooves, and after that.......I don't remember anything until next morning, when I woke up and found myself s-sitting on a b-bed w-w-with c-clamps on m-my w-wings." Fluttershy quickly shut her mouth, silencing the cry that was about to escape, and stared back at her wings, which flapped lightly, hovering her a little.

"When did they take off t-!" Greenie's question went unfinished as another scream came slicing by, causing both her and Fluttershy to drop on the ground and clamp their hooves over their ears. The screamed soon came to a stop, and both mares stood up, relief filling their bodies.

"What's happening in there!?!" Greenie finally snapped, glaring down at Fluttershy with annoyance and anger. Both emotions suddenly diminished as her eyes widened when Fluttershy dropped down again, shrieking in fright.

"I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!! They're going to be alright if they get the Serum in time! It's all or nothing. Dead or Not Dead. Just hurts a lot!!"

The last statement froze Greenie in her spot, her eyes filling with confusion. "What hurts a lot?" Her question went unanswered for a moment, but the shivering Fluttershy finally answered, her tone full of fear and confusion.

"Getting stung by the Grievers...I'm sorry for answering...just please don't yell again..." Greenie eyes then widened when she realized just how much she had freaked out Fluttershy. Her eyes returned to their calm emotion, but now there was a small hint of guilt. Her hoof slowly came up and stroked Fluttershy's head, causing the pegasus squeak and curl herself smaller.

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I'm really stressed and confused." The words hung in the air for a moment before Fluttershy stuck her head back out, staring at Greenie with wide eyes. After a moment, Greenie's mind started to wonder to the words Flutershy had said before. Stung...Grievers? The words had a heavy weight of dread to them, and Greenie wasn't so sure she wanted to hear what they meant anymore. Greenie turned again and was relieved to find Fluttershy standing up again, her hooves shaking but strong.

"Fluttershy...how old do you think I am?" The question was completely sudden, and Fluttershy jumped with a gasp before calming down and turning to Greenie.

The mare scanned her up and down. "I would say about eighteen, maybe. And in case you're wondering: Unicorn...I think, violet mane with a pink stripe coming through. Same with your tail."

Greenie's head pounded again, her mind whirling with questions. She was eighteen!? Eighteen!? She felt a slight bit younger than that.

"Are you serious?" She cried, desperately searching for words. "How-" She was interrupted by Fluttershy, who grabbed her again and hugged her.

"Don't worry. You'll be whacked for a few days, but then you'll get used to this place. We live here, this is it! But it's actually not that bad!" Greenie wanted to believe her, but her mind thought otherwise. She barely noticed when Fluttershy started to lead her forward, and after a moment she wrenched herself out of the mare's grasp and started to walk on her own towards the building: shack was more like it. It looked about three or four stories high and about to crash at any minute. An assortment of logs and thick weeds with windows strung together at random, the massive, ivy-covered stone wall behind it. As she moved along, the oddly familiar sent of firewood and meat cooking made her stomach grumble. Now knowing what made the mares scream made Greenie feel better. Until she thought about was caused it...

Greenie finally reached the door, an ugly slab of Celes-Sun faded wood, and she pushed it open to reveal several grim-faced mares standing in the middle of a room. Dark wallpaper covered the foyer and hallway, half of it peeling off. The only decorations were a dusty vase on a small, three-legged table, only with a photo picturing a mare in a ghostly-white dress. It reminded Greenie of a Spook....House from a play.

The place wreaked of dust and mildew-a huge contrast to the pleasant scents outside. Flickering lights shone down from the ceiling, and Greenie couldn't help but be curious to where...electricity came from in a place like the Glade. She stared at the old photo of the mare before her. Had she lived here? Did she take care of them?

"Hey look, it's the Greenie!" A familiar voice yelled, and with a started Greenie realized it was Rainbow Dash, her cocky smile taunting her to come forward. She looked about seventeen or around that age, tall and skinny. "This mare probably was scared out of her wits when she heard old Granny Smith scream like a filly! Need a new diaper, egghead?" The words were probably an insult, but Greenie's eyes widened when a memory started to spark in her mind.

****

Greenie stared, wondrously, as a figure blurred by, kicking the clouds and busting them with each hit. After a moment, the figure slowed down, coming to a complete stop. Greenie's eyes widened when her vision finally cleared on who was kicking the clouds:

It was Rainbow Dash.

The mare seemed less tense, her mane flowing as her cocky smirk, now less rude and more friendly, flashed on her muzzle.

"What did I tell ya? Ten. Seconds. Flat." Rainbow started, but stopped when she saw Greenie's face of pure shock, mostly because of wonder and confusion. Her face was straight for a moment, but soon her lips curled up into a smile, a genuine smile, and then a hard laugh followed.

"Oh, you should see your face! You're a laugh, Twilight Sparkle! We should hang out some more."

****

The flashback quickly came to an end, and Greenie shook her head, glaring again at the Pegasus before her.

"Nice words. How many times have you used that insult. Every time?" She had to get away from this mare. Without another word, she galloped towards the stairs, only because they were close, and she had no idea what to do or say. But Rainbow sped in front, holding a hoof out.

"Hold on there, Greenie," She jerked a hoof in the direction of the upper floor. "You're not allowed to see someone who's been...taken. Pinks and AJ won't allow it."

"What's your deal!?!" Greenie asked, pushing the fear out of her voice, trying not to think of what Rainbow meant by taken. "I don't even know where I am. All I want is some help."

"Listen to me, unicorn," Rainbow seethed, slapping Greenie with one of her wings before trotting back to the base of the stairs. "I've seen you before. Something about you being here isn't right, and I'm gonna find out what."

A surge of anger flew it's way through Greenie's veins. "I've never seen you before in my life. I have no idea who you are, and I couldn't care less." The sudden memory then popped itself back into Greenie's mind, and guilt started to come up before she shook the thought, her mind turning the other things. How did Rainbow know her?

Rainbow solemnly snickered, a short burst of laughter mixed with a snort. Then her face turned serious, her magenta eyes narrowing to slits. "I've...seen you, buddy. Not to many around these parts can say they've been stung...but I can." She pointed towards the stairs again. "I know what Granny Smith is going through. I've lived it. And I saw you during the Changing."

She then thrusted her hooves forward, which slammed into Greenie's chest, causing her to stumble and gasp for air. "And I bet your first meal from Frypan that Granny'll say she's seen you too"

Greenie refused to break eye-contact, but her chest throbbed from pain and panic that was appearing. Would things ever stop getting worse?

"What?" Rainbow challenged, the mare's behind her starting to snicker. "Grievers got ha freaked? Don't wanna get stung, do ya?"

There was that word again. Stung. Greenie tried not to think about it, and even she had to own a gasp of surprise when her horn lit up in a magenta glow, enveloping her in a brig flash, and soon letting her reappear in front of the brash pegasus, already halfway up the stairs. "If Pinkie Pie is there, then I wanna talk to her."

Rainbow said nothing for a few seconds, her face switching back and forth from shocked and anger. Finally she sighed, hovering over and tapping Greenie on the shoulder.

"You know what-I shouldn't be so mean to Newbies. Go ahead: AJ and Pinks should fill you in. Seriously, no kidding. I'm sorry."

Rainbow lightly tapped Greenie with her wing, then flew back down, gesturing slightly to keep going. But Greenie knew she was up to something: Losing your memories doesn't make you an idiot. She slowly started to trot again, but froze when Rainbow's voice broke the silence again.

"Don't let anyone fool you: obviously I'm the leader here. Not those two loser mares up there...you can call me Captain Rainbow Dash if you want." With that she smiled for the first time, her teeth matching her attitude. Two large gaps stood on both ends of her smile, and none of the attached ones were remotely close to the color white. He breath was foul, and Greenie strained to grab a memory that seemed just out of reach, only to have it slip out of her grasp and float away. It made her stomach do flips.

"...Okay," She answered, desperately wanting to shriek and punch the cyan pegasus in the muzzle. "Captain Rainbow it is." Greenie swiftly exaggerated a salute, dealing a rush of adrenaline as she knew she crossed a line.

A few snickers found their way out of the crowd, and Rainbow turned, her face a burning red. She turned back to Greenie, her eyes stained with hate and nostrils flaring.

"Just trot up those stairs," Rainbow started, and Greenie flinched as she realized this pegasus looked as if they were alone, she would strangle her. "And stay away from me you slinthead." Then she turned away, striking Greenie on the base of her nose with her tail before trotting out. Greenie stood for a moment, then turned to Fluttershy, who had a look of surprise and distress.

"You're not supposed to go," She said, her calm voice wavering. "You're a Newbie-you just can't!" Greenie started to regret coming in here in the first place: but she did want to talk to Pinkemena. She started up from her spot on the stairs, each step creaked under her weight: Greenie wouldn't stopped if it wasn't for leaving an awkward conversation. Up she went, wincing as the wood creaked and groaned under her. The stairs turned left, then came upon a railed pathway leading to several rooms. Only one door had light shining through a crack at the bottom.

With a sudden burst of courage, Greenie shot towards the lit door, ignoring the creaking floorboards and laughing downstairs. She slowly reached down, grasping the handle between her two hooves, and quietly opening the door.

Inside the room, Pinkemena and Applejack were solemnly looking over an old mare laying in a bed.

Greenie leaned forward, trying to get a closer look at what the fuss was all about, but when she saw the condition of the patient, her heart went cold.

The look was fast-only a few seconds-but the ghastly image already burned itself into Greenie's mind, enough to haunt her for years to come. A twisted, pale green mare, writhing in agony. Tight, rigid cords of sickly blue veins webbed across the mare's body and limbs, like ropes tightening around her skin. Purplish bruises covered the pony, red hives, bloody scratches. Her bloodshot eyes bulged, darting back and forth. Greenie just stared, horrified at the sight before her, but stopped as a voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"What are ya doing up here, Greenie!?!" Applejack yelled, her muzzle furrowed with anger, eyes on fire. Greenie yelped at the sudden noise, and her horn once again flashed to life, enveloping her and whisking her away in a flash of light and depositing her back on the bottom floor, causing many ponies to stumble back in surprise. After a moment, voice started to swarm up, questions overwhelming her.

"What happen-"

"Did they see y-"

"What did you se-"

"Is AJ coming for yo-"

"Stop It!" Greenie finally snapped, her mane erupting in flames, resulting in shrieks of terror and some mares trying to whisk the flames off her coat. The fuming mare quickly swung around, grabbing Fluttershy by one of her hooves and pulling her out the door.

Greenie hated these people. She hated all of them. Except for Fluttershy. "Get me away from these wackos," Greenie said, and suddenly came to the realization that Fluttershy might be her only friend in the world at this moment.

"Y-You got i-i-it," Fluttershy replied, her voice slowly regained it's composure. "But first we should get you some food from BonBon."

"I don't know if I can ever eat again."

Flutters nodded. "Yes you will. I'll meet you at the tree in ten minutes." She swiftly turned around to walk away, but stopped when Greenie placed a hoof on her back, causing her to turn again.

"...The name's Twilight Sparkle." Fluttershy's eyes widened for a moment before softening, and the Pegasus just nodded her head before heading off.

Twilight was delighted to get away from the house, and headed back toward the tree. She'd only known what it was like to be alive here for a short while, but she desperately wanted it to end. She wished for all the world she could remember something about her previous life. Anything. Her Mom, Dad, Friends, his School, a hobby...a Stallion.

Twilight blinked several times, trying to erase the image she had just seen out of her mind.

The Changeing. Rainbow had addressed it as the Changeing.

It wasn't chilly, but Twilight shivered once again.

New Secrets

Twilight leaned uncomfortably against the tree as she waited for Fluttershy to return. She scanned the Glade, this new place of buried nightmares where she was destined to live. The shadows from the walls had lengthened considerably, sliding up the ivy-covered stone faces on the other side.

At least this helps with organizing everything. Twilight solemnly thought-the wooden building crouched in the northwest corner, wedged in a pure black shadow, the groves of trees in the southwest. The farm area, where a few earth ponies were still ripping their way through the fields, spread across the entire northeast of the Glade. The animals were in the southeast, their strained yelps almost like a cry for help.

In the exact middle of the courtyard, the disturbing hole of the box lay open, as if inviting her to climb back in and take all her worries away, like her own memories...

Twilight chocked back a sob, tears threatening to fall as she remembered the horrible fate everypony here suffered when they arrived. She tried to think of something else, but her mind just kept bringing more questions up. Only when she turned her head to a new sight did Twilight finally stop panicking.

A squat building made of rough concrete blocks stood tall about twenty feet away, a menacing steel door its only entrance-there were no windows. A large round handle resembling a sun marked the only way to open the door, just like something in a guarded chamber. Despite what she'd just experienced, Twilight couldn't decide which she felt more strongly: curiosity for what was inside, or dread at finding out.

Twilight had just spread her attention to the still-openings in the middle of the main walls surrounding all sides when Fluttershy arrived, daisy sandwiches balanced on her wings, along with two apples and metal cups of water balanced on her head. Watching Fluttershy grin at her and almost trip sent a surprising amount of relief though the young mare-maybe she wasn't completely alone in this place.

"BonBon wasn't too happy about me invading her kitchen and politely asking for food before suppertime." Fluttershy squeaked, carefully setting their dinner down before motioning for Twilight to come closer. She obliged, but groaned as she tried-and ultimately failed-to pick up the sandwich with her hooves. And after many attempts, even Fluttershy couldn't hide her small giggles.

"I think I have a better idea," Fluttershy slowly moved her hoof up, tapping on Twilight's horn before pulling back swiftly. "Sorry, I just meant to say that...if you, um...need to pick it up it would be better, uh...to try to use magic. Since you're a unicorn and all."

Am I? Or is this horn just another lie and I'm something else? Twilight quickly shook he question off, and lowered her head as Fluttershy placed the sandwich in front of her. Her eyes shut tight as Twilight desperately tried to grasp whatever magic she had left, and suddenly gasped as she felt a light shock go through her, flowing up to the tip of her horn and then abruptly stropping, vanishing like it was never there.

"Oh, Twilight! You did it!" Fluttershy's excited-but-quiet cheers brought Twilight back to her senses, and she opened her violet eyes, smiling when she saw the daisy sandwich now encased by a magenta aura. She lifted the sandwich up eagerly, but stopped when her mind suddenly was overloaded by a new memory.

****

"Oh my," Fluttershy finally said, and Twilight absentmindedly nodded towards one bluebird who had been singing out of tune for a while now. "Um...stop please, everyone." The birds finished their line and were silent as the soft-toned mare moved over to the bird, who had kept singing even though they had stopped.

"Excuse me, sir?" The bird fluttered back as he saw the pony behind him, and quickly chirped in response. "No offense but...your rhythm is just the teeniest tiniest bit off." A nod answered her saying, and Fluttershy smiled and returned to her place, not noticing Twilight finally moving from her spot.

"Now, follow me please. A-one, a-two, a-one two-"

"Hello!"

Twilight winced as the pony she knew gasped, all the birds springing from their spots and into nearby trees.

"I'm so sorry," Twilight tried again, her tone a bit softer now. "I didn't mean to frighten your birds." Fluttershy still just stared at her confusingly. "I'm just here to check up on the music and it sounded *beautiful*."

An expected answer didn't come as Fluttershy just lowered herself to the ground, once there staring away and scraping her hoof against the dirt. Twilight forced a smile to the awkward situation, her eyes nervously darting back and fourth.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle," Still no response. "What's your name?"

"I'm...I-I'm Fluttershy..."

****

Twilight's hunger shook her back awake, and she smiled warmly at Fluttershy to mask her confusion before taking huge bite of the small treat. The wonderful taste of mayonnaise and daisy filled her mouth.

"Oh, wow," Twilight mumbled through a mouthful. "I was starving!" She expected to be a little hungry, but she was not prepared for her to be starving like she hadn't had food for days.

"Told ya." Fluttershy grinned as she bit down on her own sandwich, Twilight watching in envy as her hooves picked up the dinner with ease. After a couple more savory bites, Twilight finally fished up the courage to ask her friend a question that had been bothering her most of the day.

"What's actually wrong with that Granny Smith mare? She barely even looks alive-mostly dead and hanging on to whatever she can find." Fluttershy stopping eating, her pink mane floating over the side of her face as her eyes clouded over.

"Don't actually know..." She finally answered, absent-minded. "They never let me go in to see those kind of victims. Say I'm too fragile and I'll...break."

"Well, you don't want to see her, trust me." Twilight comforted, watching as Fluttershy slowly gained emotion again. But the mare was hiding something from her, something like a dark secret that could cause a great disruption if revealed.

Twilight decided not to press on.

She continued to eat, lifting up a small apple and munching on it as she studied the towered walls to each side of her. Something was definitely weird about them: no one just places stones around a place and then sends ponies there.

"What's out there?" She finally asked, breaking the long stretch of silence. "Is it part of a huge castle or something?"

Fluttershy hesitated once again, her wings latching even harder against her sides. Looked uncomfortable. "Uh...I-I've never been outside the Glade."

Twilight paused. "You're hiding something," She finished her last bite, then took a large swig of water before slamming it down. The blind answers from everypony was starting to get on her nerves. The tips of her mane started to burn, flickering and bouncing again and again against her cloak. And it frustrated Twilight more as she thought for even when she got actual answers, she would never know if it was the truth.

"Why are you all so secretive?"

"It's just the way it is. Things are weird around here. Most of us barely know anything. Half of anything." It bothered Twilight that Fluttershy didn't seem to care about what she just said. That she seemed indifferent about having her life ripped away from her.

What is wrong with these ponies?!

Twilight stood up and headed for the eastern pair of walls. "Well, no one said I couldn't look around." If she didn't learn something soon she was going to lose her mind-more than she already had.

"W-Wait!" Fluttershy galloped forward, blocking in front of Twilight before sinking back, mumbling a quiet sorry. "You can't go. They're about to close."

"Close?" Twilight repeated slowly, if she hadn't heard right. "What are about to close?"

"The Doors, you shank. Oh, sorry I called you that..."

"Doors? I don't see any doors." Twilight knew Fluttershy was telling the truth-she was missing something obvious. She grew uneasy and realized she'd slowed her pace, not eager to reach the walls anymore. Fluttershy's sigh of relief reached her ears, but that only seemed to build to Twilight's discomfort.

"Well, what do you call these being openings?" The mare pointed out. The walls were only twenty feet away.

"I call them big openings." Twilight countered, trying to make her discomfort with sarcasm and getting very disappointed that it wasn't working.

"They're doors. That, um, close up every night."

Twilight stopped, thinking Fluttershy may have said something wrong. She looked up, side to side with, and examined the massive slabs of stone towering before her. "What do you mean, they close?"

"Just see for yourself in a minute. The Gallopers'll be back soon; then those walls will move until the entire gap has trapped us inside...which, you know, isn't that bad." Twilight couldn't comprehend how those mammoth walls somehow close in. She felt so sure it wasn't true she relaxed, thinking Fluttershy was playing a trick on her.

They reached the plait that led down to more stone pathways. Twilight gaped as she finally got a full view of what she had been wondering about.

"This is called the East Door." Fluttershy said, as if she was revealing a work of art she created.

Twilight barely heard her friend, still fascinated by how the walls looked up close. At least twenty feet across, the large crack went all the way to the top, then far above. The edges that bordered the vast opening were smooth, except for one odd, repeating pattern on both sides. On the left side of the East Door, deep holes several inches in diameter and spaced a foot apart were bored into the ground, going from the bottom all the way to the top.

"Are you joking!?!?" Twilight yelled as the dread slammed back into her, causing Fluttershy to jump back to protect herself. "You weren't kidding me! Those walls actually move!?"

"What else would I have meant?" Fluttershy's voice was once again small and wavering, and Twilight grimaced as she remembered the weird memory that happened only a little while ago.

Twilight still had a hard time wrapping her mind around this new information, though. "I-I don't know. I figured there was a door that swung shut or a smaller wall the came from the big one." And the idea of those giant walls closing in and trapping her inside the Glade was absolutely terrifying. "How do the doors close, anyway?"

She instantly regretted her question and she watched something in Fluttershy snap. The timid pegasus steadily slided herself back up, breathing heavily from slight anger and from running to catch her friend.

"I don't know," Fluttershy started, clearly frustrated. "They just move. Makes one heck of a sound when it crashes together. Same thing happens in the Maze-the walls shift and grind around every night."

Twilight snapped her head around by this new detail, and stared at the younger mare. "What did you say?"

"Huh?"

"You just called it a maze-you said 'same thing happens in the maze'."

Fluttershy's face reddened considerably, and all the poor mare could do was stutter and desperately try to change her slip-up. Twilight ignored her once more, interested than ever in the outside of the Glade.

A maze? I front of me?

In front of her, through the East Door, she could make out passages leading to the right, to the left, and straight ahead. The walls were similar to the ones surrounding the Glade, Twilight noticed. In the distance, more breaks in the walls led to other paths, and father down, maybe a hundred yards or so away, the straight passage came to a dead end.

"Looks almost like a maze." Twilight whispered, almost laughing to herself without noticing as parts of her mane unexpectedly pointed all over the place. As if things couldn't have gotten any stranger. They'd wiped her memory and put her in a gigantic maze. It was all so crazy it really did seem hilarious.

Her heart skipped a couple beats when a mare suddenly appeared around the corner up ahead, entering the main passage from one of the off-shots to the left, galloping toward her and the Glade. Her white coat was matted with sweat, and her mane, which was curled all around, had a large amount of twigs and leafs stuffed in it. The mare-who Twilight now noticed was a unicorn-didn't slow, hardly glancing at Twilight as she sped past. She headed straight for the squat concrete building near the Box.

"That's Rarity," Fluttershy's voice shook Twilight awake. "They told me she used to be one of those ponies who was obsessed with fashion and looking good."

"Then why would somepony send her out into...there? I know mares like that wouldn't be very helpful."

"Rarity's the only pony who is still alive after she was picked to be part of the first group to search the outside. All her other comrades died while they were out there. The traces of fashion loving and perfection are gone. She wants to only get every out, now."

Twilight didn't really know how to answer to that, so she quietly shut her mouth and watched as other mares came galloping through the remaining Glade openings, all of them speeding and looking as rugged as Rarity when she whizzed by her. There couldn't be much good about the.....maze if these girls came back looking so weary and worn out.

Fluttershy had said something about the Gallopers earlier. What had they been doing out there?

Before Twilight had a chance to think, questions were rushing out of her mouth.

"Who are those mares? What are they doing? What's in that building?" She spun around and pointed toward the East Door. "And why. Do you live. Inside a Maze?" She felt a rattling pressure of uncertainty, making her head-and horn-splinter with pain.

"I...I'm not saying another word." Fluttershy replied, a new authority filling her voice. "I think you should get to bed early-you'll need your slee-!" She stopped, her right ear pricking up. "It's about to happen."

"What?" Twilight asked, thinking it was kind of strange that Fluttershy was acting like a full-grown mare instead of a little filly desperate for a friend she'd had been only moments before.

A loud boom sliced through the air, making Twilight jump. It was followed by a horrible crunching, splintering sound. She stumbled backward in fright, falling to the ground.

The walls are closing. She finally realized. The walls are really closing. Trapping me inside the Glade. An alarming amount of panic stifled her, compressing her lungs.

"Calm down, Twilight Sparkle!" Fluttershy yelled over the noise. "It's just the walls!"

The enormous stone slab to the right of her seemed to defy every known law as it slid along the ground, throwing sparks and dust as it moved, rock against rock, heading for it's neighbor on the left, which stood completely still. Twilight looked around at the other openings. It felt like her head was spinning faster then her body, and her stomach flipped over with dizziness. On all four sides of the Glade, only the right walls were moving, toward the left, trying to close the gap of the doors.

Utterly impossible. She thought. She fought the urge to gallop out there, slip past the moving slabs of rock before they shut like Fluttershy almost did. Flee the Glade. Common sense won this battle-the Maze held even more mystery than in here. She watched as the right wall reached the end of it's journey, it's connecting rods finding their mark and entering without a problem. An echoing boom sounded the doors being shut for the night. Twilight felt one final moment of trepidation, a quick slice of fear through her body, and then it vanished.

"Wow." She finally said, feeling dumb with the understatement.

"Ain't nothin', as AJ would say," Fluttershy murmured. "You'll get used to it after a while. Not me."

Twilight looked around one more time, the feel of the place completely altered now that there was no way out of the Glade. She tried to imagine the purpose of such a thing, but she didn't know which guess was worse: That they were being sealed in or that they were being protected from something out there.

"Come on," Fluttershy tried again. "Trust me, when nighttime strikes, you'll want to be in bed."

Twilight knew she had no other choice. She did her best to suppress everything she was feeling and followed.

What Night Brings

The ended up near the back of the Homestead-which was what Fluttershy was calling the pile of sticks and windows-in a dark shadow between the front and the forest behind it. Twilight knew for a fact this wasn't where she was resting for the night.

"Where are we going?" Twilight asked, her mind still glued to the stone walls and the maze, confusion, and fear. Trying to grasp the sense of normalcy, she make a weak attempt at a joke. "If you're here for a goodnight kiss, don't bother."

Fluttershy barely missed a beat before looking back at her friend, glaring slightly. Something about the way the pegasi's eyes stared her down sent shivers down Twilight's spine. "Please be quiet and follow me."

Twilight let out a sigh as Fluttershy turned her back, and followed the small mare along the back of the rough-edged building. The were light on their hooves until the came to a small window, a soft beam of light shining through the stone and ivy. Twilight heard somepony shuffling inside.

"The training room. For the ponies who love to just go crazy and get extremely tough." Fluttershy whispered, and Twilight squinted as a tiny spark of jealously flashed behind the mare's eyes, but vanished in an instant.

"So?" Twilight couldn't understand how a room for practicing to fight was so important at this moment. A thread of unease stitched across her fur.

"Just watch. I don't know if I loved doing this in my other memories, but this makes me really happy when I try this each night."

"Doing what?" Something told Twilight Fluttershy was up to no good. That almost made her as freaked out as when the walls had closed. She did not know this pegasus as well as she thought. "Maybe we shoul-"

"Just shut your mouth and watch. I-I mean you don't have t-to, but I would v-very much like it." Fluttershy quietly stepped into a wooden box that sat level to the window, with sides Twilight guessed were high so when ponies looked up she could hide. She crouched so her head was straight in front, and slowly, but carefully, tapped her hoof on the window, and Twilight gaped as the glass flipped around so Fluttershy could stick her head through.

"This is stupid." Twilight whispered angrily. There could not be a worse time to play a joke-especially for Fluttershy. There could be Pinkamena or Applejack in there. "I do not want to get in trouble-I literally just got here."

Fluttershy just ignored her and almost giggled with anticipation, slapping a hoof over her mouth to stop from getting her cover being blown. Seconds passed while the young mare held a smile as she watched her soon-to-become victim attack each obstacle. Twilight shook her head, her eyes wide as she watched Fluttershy take her other hoof and place it on the other side of her muzzle, the hoof covering it a moment ago parallel on the other side.

NoNoNoNo Twilight's hopes came in vain as Fluttershy took a deep breath, releasing it as a sound most likely comparable to the Cockatrice from earlier. A loud crash emanated afterward, and Twilight snickered herself when she saw the silhouette of a pony spin around, searching for the enemy.

"Who's that!?!" Yelled the mare from the Training Room, her voice scratchy and laced with uncontrollable anger. Twilight almost slapped herself when she realized it was Rainbow Dash-she knew this voice already. Without warning Fluttershy ducked to hide, and Twilight flattened herself against the wall as Rainbow stuck her head out, her face a mix of anger and absolute fury.

Twilight didn't have to be a genius to realize if Rainbow Dash moved any further, both her and Fluttershy would be caught in an instant. She slowly turned her head, and was surprised to find the butter-yellow pegasus staring directly at her, shaking with what Twilight thought was either complete terror or excitement. She only mouthed one word:

Run.

With that one warning Fluttershy pushed herself out into the air, slamming the surprised pegasus straight on the head. It wasn't very powerful, but it seemed to daze Rainbow Dash just enough to let Fluttershy race away and turn swiftly around the corner, heading towards the open glade with amazing speed for her alone.

"I'm gonna kill you, shuck-face!" Was the last thing Twilight heard from Rainbow as she decked her head back through, slamming through multiple obstacles to get to the front door, and Twilight froze as it slammed open.

Twilight finally snapped out of her daze, gasping as her horn lit up in a soft, magenta glow. For a moment, everything was fuzzy and colors swirled around her with great distortion. Then the next second she was standing just around the corner, facing the open-area of the Glade. Never before had she been more confused here then now.

She then mentally slapped herself for being so stupid when Rainbow rounded the corner, like a savage animal on the loose.

She immediately pointed her hoof at Twilight. "Come here!" She yelled.

Twilight's heart sunk in surrender. Something told her she was gonna walk out of here with at least a black eye and broken hoof. Or anything worse judging by how Rainbow looked and what she had done in the Training Room.

"It wasn't me I swear." She slowly said, though as she stood there, her fear eased as she realized she actually sized Rainbow up. She wasn't that big-Twilight could easily take her for a while if she had to.

"Wasn't you?" The pegasus snarled. She pushed herself up with her wings until both ponies were now staring each other directly in the eyes. Twilight shuffled as she felt something on both her sides move slightly under her cloak. "Then how do you know there was something you didn't do?". Twilight just rolled her eyes and said nothing. She was without a doubt uncomfortable but not nearly as scared as a moment ago.

"I'm not a filly, Greenie," Rainbow spat. "I saw Fluttershy's ugly smirk in the window." She then pointed again, is time pushing directly on Twilight's muzzle. "But you better decide quick who you want for friends and enemies, you hear me? One more trick like that and you're anywhere around-even if it's not your foalish idea or not-I'll rip out that horn before you can scream. Got it?" Before Twilight could respond Rainbow had turned to fly away.

Twilight now just wanted this episode to be over. "Sorry." She muttered, wincing at the apology.

"I know you," Rainbow said without looking back. "I saw you while in the Changing, and I'm going to figure out who you are."

Twilight watched as the brash pony glided around and into the Homestead. She couldn't remember much, but the one flashback told her she had been friends with Rainbow. Which surprised her now that she hated the pegasus to the extreme. She really, really, hated her. A small speak made Twilight turn around to find an embarrassed Fluttershy who was shuffling her hoof against the cold dirt. That only seemed to make Twilight angrier.

"Thanks a lot buddy."

"Sorry. If I'd known it was Dash, I never would have done it." Surprising herself, Twilight laughed at the comment. She never though that sound would ever come out of her mouth again. Even Fluttershy looked amused, then stared at her strangely. "What?" Was her only question.

Twilight shook her head, giggling slightly. "Don't be sorry," Fluttershy still stared. "The...shank deserved it. I have no idea what that word even means but it seems appropriate at the time to describe her." She felt much better.

A few hours later Twilight was lying in a small sleeping bag next to Fluttershy and an open garden overgrown with grass and...apple trees. Twilight thought it was a bit strange, but decided not to question it when she saw Fluttershy shake her head slowly to her and the trees. That's also when Twilight realized most of the mares were snuggled around her, curled up a few feet apart. The only thing okay right now was that it was warm outside. Which then went bad as Twilight tried to find out for the millionth time where they were. Her mind had a hard time grasping the name of her old home, who the rulers were at the time, who even lived with her. She was so frustrated her horn sparked with raw energy. And none of the ponies in the Glade had a clue to anything at all-at least, it they were, they were pretty good at hiding it.

Twilight laid in silence for a while, the back of her cloak flapping in the cool breeze that wafted through. Sleep felt miles away, and she couldn't shake the despair and hopelessness the coursed through her body and mind-the temporary thrill of Fluttershy's trick on Rainbow had long since dissipated. It had been one endless-and strange-day.

She just found it so weird. She recalled many small things about life-eating, studying, playing, small magic, general images that were the rules of the world. But any detail that would fill in a whole picture and tell a story seemed to have vanished. Twilight felt like every time she tried it was like looking into a small mud puddle. The only time she had an actually memory was when she met...Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

What made them so special?

Fluttershy interrupted her train of thought. "Well Twilight Sparkle, you survived your first day. Better then I did."

"Barely, and it's okay to call me Twilight." Not now Fluttershy, she wanted to say. I'm not really in the mood.

But it was only in her mind so Fluttershy didn't seem to know she said it. The smaller pegasus draped a wing over Twilight, grinning warmly to try to cheer up her friend. And her plan succeeded when Twilight sent a small smile back. "You'll learn a lot of new things the next couple of days, so be prepared. Alright?"

Twilight wondered about Fluttershy if she was letting on all she knew. She was quirky, shy, and seemed almost too innocent, but who was to say? She was just as mysterious as everything else in the Glade.

A few minutes passed, and Twilight's long day finally caught up with her, the leading edge of sleep crossing over her mind. But-like a pump of magic was shot into her brain and pulled out within the same moment-an idea popped into her head. One she didn't expect, and she wasn't sure where it came from.

Suddenly, the Glade, the walls, the Maze, it all seemed...familiar. Comfortable. A warm sense of calmness spread through her chest, and for the first time since she'd got here, Twilight didn't feel like the Glade was the worst possible situation for her. She stilled, her eyes widened, her breath stopping for a second.

Ironically, the feeling that everything would be okay was making her slightly uneasy.

Not quite understanding how, she knew what she needed to do. She couldn't wrap her head around any of it. The epiphany was a strange one, foreign while familiar at the same time. But it felt...right.

"I want to be one of those girls that goes out there, inside the Maze." Twilight blurted, slamming a hoof over her muzzle not a moment later.

"Huh?" Was the response from Fluttershy. Twilight could hear the twinge of annoyance in her quiet voice.

"Gallopers." Twilight wished she knew where this was coming from. "Whatever they're doing out there, I want in."

"You don't even know what your talking about," Fluttershy grumbled, and rolled over. "Please go to sleep, now."

Twilight felt a surge of confidence, even though she truly didn't know what she was speaking about. "I want to be a Galloper."

Fluttershy turned yet again and used her wing to prop herself up. "Now you can just forget that cute little idea." Twilight wondered her friend's quick reaction, but pressed on. "Don't try to-"

"Twilight. Newbie. My new friend. Forget it."

"I'll tell Applejack tomorrow." A Galloper, Twilight thought. I can't even comprehend what that means. Have I gone completely insane?

Fluttershy laid down with a chuckle. "You're as funny as an apple in harvest," She deadpanned. "Still, go to sleep." But Twilight couldn't quit.

"You wouldn't understand. Something out there...seems familiar."

"Go...to...sleep." Fluttershy's voice was turning darker, but Twilight barely took notice as her mind continued to whirl, with no change of slowing down.

Then it hit her-she felt like millions of puzzles had pieces finally fitting into place. She didn't know what the ultimate creation would be, but the next words that came from her muzzle almost felt like they were coming from someone else. "Fluttershy, I...I think I've been here before."

She felt her friend stiffen beside her, heard the quiet intake of breath. But Twilight rolled over and reused to say another word, worried she mess up the slight twinge of familiarity and relief she finally had caught onto.

Sleep came more easily than expected.

Somepony shook Twilight awake. Her eyes snapped open, to see a too-close face staring down at her, their features still clouded but the lack of light. She opened her muzzle to speak, but a cold hoof slammed down on it before she could. Panic flared when she saw who it was.

"Shh, Greenie, don't wanna be wakin' 'Shy now do you?"

It was Pinkamena-the mare who seemed to be second in command. She blew her long dark-pink locks from her face, and Twilight wanted to shrink away when she saw how the mare's eyes were cold and unforgiving. Though she couldn't help but notice for a moment later the seemed to spark with excitement.

Though Twilight was surprised, any alarm dissipated immediately. She couldn't help being curious, wondering what the girl wanted with her, of all ponies. Twilight nodded, desperately trying to say yes with her eyes, until Pinkamena took her hoof away, leaning back on her tail, which Twilight couldn't help but raise a questioning eyebrow to.

"Come on, Greenie." The pink pony whispered, she reached down and helped Twilight to her hooves-she was so strong it seemed like she could rip Twilight's leg off with ease. "Supposed ta show 'ya something before the wake-up."

Any lingering haze of sleep had already vanished from Twilight's mind. "Okay." She said simply, readying to follow. She knew she should at least have some suspicions, having no reason to trust anypony, but the curiosity won over. She quickly leaned over and checked to see if her cloak was still covering. "Where are we going?"

"Just follow me. And stay close."

The weaved their way through the closely packed room of sleeping mares, Twilight almost stumbling many times. She winced as her hoof connected with someone's back, earning a sharp cry in return, and a punch in the side.

"Sorry." She whispered, ignoring the death glare Pinkamena was giving from a few steps ahead.

Once they left the lawn segments and stepped onto the cold stone courtyard, Pinkamena broke out into a sprint, heading towards the eastern wall. Twilight stared after confusingly, but snapped out of it and followed at the same pace.

The light was dim, but any obstructions loomed as darker shadows, and she as able to make her way quickly along. She stopped when Pinkamena did, in front of a massive wall towering above them like a castle-another random image that floated in the murky waters that was her mind. Twilight noticed small red lights flashing here and there along the wall's face, moving about, stopping, turning on and off.

"What are those?" She whispered as loud as she dared, wondering if her voice sounded as shaky as she felt. Something in the back of her mind told her the red lights held an undercurrent of warning.

Pinkamena stood just a couple feet in the front of the thick curtain of ivy on the wall. "When you need to know, you'll just know, Greenie."

"Well, it's pretty undermining to take me to a place I know absolutely nothing about, and not answer my questions." Twilight paused, surprised with herself. "Shank." She added, throwing all the sarcasm she could into the syllable.

Pinkamena broke out in a laugh, but swiftly cut herself off. "I like you, Greenie. Not shut it an' let me show ha something."

The mare stepped forward and dug her front hooves into the ivy, spreading several vines out of the way to reveal a window frosted with dust, a square about two-feet wide. It as dark at the moment, as if it had been painted pitch black.

A minute passed, then tell. Several more. Twilight shuffled, wondering how Pinkamena could stand perfectly still for such a long period of time. It's unnatural. She concluded.

Then it changed.

Glimmers of eerie light shown through the window; it castes a wavering spectrum of colors on Pinkamena's still body. Twilight stood perfectly still, squinting, trying to make out the small figure on the other side. A thick lump grew in her throat. What is that? She thought.

"Out there's the Maze..." Twilight's guide whispered, eyes sparkling as if she were in a trance. "Everything we do-our whole life, Greenie-revolves around the Maze. Every lovin' second of every gods-foresaken day, we try to find the answer to a place that hasn't even givin' us a clue on the answer, ya know? And we wanna show ya why it's not to be taken lightly. Show you why those sweet walls shut ev'ry night. Why ya should never," she turned around, her eyes glaring into Twilight's soul. "find yourself out there."

Pinkamena stepped back, still holding on to the thick vines. She gestured for Twilight to take her place in front and take a look.

Twilight did, leaning forward until her muzzle touched the chilling glass. It took a moment for her eyes to lock and focus on the small object again, to see straight past the grime and dust. And when she finally saw, she let her breath catch in her throat, like an icy wind had been blown inside, freezing what she needed to circulate.

It was a horrendous bug-pony-like creature, sharp fangs glistening in the early daylight. Blood flowed down the side of it's face, trickling down to the ground below, while almost transparent wings flapped with unimaginable speed. It climbed the opposite wall and lunged for the window, slamming directly in the center. Twilight shrieked before she could stop herself, jerked away from the window-but the creature bounced off, leaving the glass undamaged.

Twilight sucked in two large breaths, then slowly leaned in again. It was still too dark to make out clearly, but the red lights provided her with enough light to find the monster again. She ignored the haunted giggles coming from Pinkamena, and instead focused at the holes puncturing the creature. They seems to go everywhere, from it's legs and body to neck and wings. And just before she could discover more, the bug turned around and disappeared into the shadows.

Twilight felt an icy terror blossom in her chest, expand like a tumor, making it again hard to breathe. Even with the memory wipe, she was sure that never before had she seen something that awful.

She stumbled back, the courage she'd felt the previous night melting away in an instant.

"What is that thing?" She snapped. Something shivered in her gut, and Twilight wondered if she would ever eat again.

"Changelings, we call 'em." Pinkamena answered. "Nasty buggy, right? Luckily Changelings only come out at night. Be thankful for the walls. If they didn't, well..." The mare took her hoof and sliced it across her throat, pretending to go limp. Twilight grimaced when she saw the smirk on the pony's muzzle.

She seems too delighted when it comes to this.

Pinkamena slowly got up and stared absentmindedly out the window. "Know you know what lurks outside these walls at night," She let out a small chuckle and turned to Twilight. "Guess that Runner dream of yours might be dwindling now, huh?"

"How do you know about th-"

"Ah," Pinkamena held up a hoof, rendering Twilight unable to finish her sentence. "Let's just say...I had a sense about it. Anyway, not you know the Maze isn't a joke, my friend. You've been sent to the Glade, Greenie, we'll be expecting ya to survive and help us do what we've all been sent here to do."

"And what's that?" Twilight asked, even though she was terrified to hear the answer.

Pinkamena turned to look her dead in the eye. The first traces of dawn had crept up on them, and Twilight could see every detail of Pinkamena's face, her dull sky-blue eyes, creased down from her eyebrows furring.

"Find our way out, Twilight Sparkle." Pinkamena said. "Solve the crazy Maze and find the way home."

The Tour

For the next couple hours Twilight seemed to have serious insomnia, tossing and turning every second her eyes had closed. The doors had reopened, rumbling and shaking the ground with tremendous force, and when they had finished, Twilight laid beside a worn, tilted picnic table next to the sleeping area. Her mind was clouded with overloading thoughts of the Changelings;

Why did they only come out at night? What did the do to the ponies who got locked out? What would it be like to be mobbed by something so...nauseating.

She tried to get the topic out of her head, move on to something else. The Gallopers. They had left without a word to anypony, bolting into the Maze at full speed, splitting and disappearing around shadowed corners. She pictured them in her mind as the fork, held in her telepathic grip, poked at the eggs and bacon, climbing over a small sliced apple that was all placed in front of her moments before. She refused to speak to anyone, even Fluttershy, who had tired herself trying to start a conversation with Twilight.

All she wanted to do was to be left alone.

She just couldn't understand; something, somewhere was telling her she should have known everything about this place, but her mind was in overload trying to compute the sheer possibility of the situation. How could a maze, with walls over twenty feet tall, have been so big that dozens of mares hadn't been able to solve it for somepony knows how long?!

Try as she might to block it, her brain kept turning back to the Changeling. The creature bounded from the darkness, and seemed to leap at her every time she closed his eyes. A strong tap on the back dropped her from her own thoughts, and she looked up to find Applejack standing behind her, eyes boring holes into her skin.

"Ain't ya looking 'fresh." The earth pony smirked at Twilight's solemn glare. "Get 'ah nice view of ta window, this morning?"

Twilight set the fork down and pushed herself up, hoping a snarky comeback would come to her, and sighing when it came up blank. "Enough to make me want to learn about this place." She said, hoping to avoid provoking the temper he had seen flare in the girl before.

Applejack nodded. "Me an' you, shank. The Tour begins now." She started around but froze once more, holding up a hoof to Twilight's muzzle. "An no questions tal th' end, got it? Ain't got no time tah be messing with ah pony acting like ah rattle snake."

"But-" Twilight's muzzle snapped shut when Applejack's eyebrows shot up. Why did this mare have to do such a jerk? Twilight stood straighter, standing her ground; she was not backing down like with Rainbow. "But tell me everything-I wanna know everything." She decided the night before, after witnesses the scare of a lifetime, not to tell anypony else how strangely familiar the place seemed , the odd feeling that she'd been to a place like this before. Sharing that information seemed like a bad idea.

You should've seen the looks on your faces! Priceless!

Twilight shook her head, clearing the disturbing voice from her mind. But she couldn't help finding it...familiar.

But from where?

She decided to add it to her growing pile of unanswered questions, shaking her head and staring clearly back at Applejack, who had been thinking for an exponential time frame. " Ah'll tell ya what ah wanna tell ya, Greenie. Now get along."

"Can I come?" Fluttershy asked timidly from the sidelines.

Applejack said nothing, then reached down and nipped at the poor pegasi's butter-yellow ear. Fluttershy turned a deep red, folding her hooves across her head. "Ow!" She quietly muttered.

"Ain't ya got a job ta do, workpony?" Twilight felt a pang of disgust at the nickname for her friend. "Lots of sloppin' to do?" Fluttershy's face lit up in an instant. She unlocked her head-hold, clapping her hooves together in delight.

"Oh, I just love all the little pigs and sheep!" She looked to Twilight. "Have fun."

"I'll try." She suddenly felt a bit sorry for Fluttershy. Even though she seemed to like what she did, she wished ponies would treat her better. But there was nothing she could do about it-time to move on.

She trotted away with Applejack, hoping the Tour had officially begun.

Twilight stared uncomfortably at the Shaft, her mind wandering back to the panic and fear she had first felt when she woke in this place. The day had brightened considerably, the ghastly shadows spreading in the opposite direction of what Twilight had seen yesterday. She still hadn't spotted the sun, but it seemed to be just about to stretch over the left wall.

Applejack pointed a stiff hoof down at the doors. "This here's thah Shaft. Once ah month we get ah pitiful Newbie like you, has never failed before. Once ah week," She stabbed her hoof in another direction, toward a corner filled to the brim with boxes and barrels. "We got supplies, weapons, ahnd food."

Twilight unconsciously nodded, secretly overwhelmed by the new information. Her mouth inched to ask more, but stopped when Applejack sent another glare in her direction.

She subconsciously wondered what horrors layer under the doors when the Shaft wasn't there, but bit her tongue to stop herself from blurting out. She felt such a competing battle for emotions-fear, anguish, curiosity-all laced together with the experience of the Changeling watch.

Twilight whipped around when Applejack kept talking, not making any attempt for eye contact. "Here," She waved her hoof in a presenting matter. "There are only four sections ya need ta know 'bout." Twilight gathered everything as she calculated what was around.

The Glade was cut into four sections? Huh, she hadn't noticed.

"-Gardens, Safehouse, Homestead, and The Shed." Twilight could resist scoffing at the last one, the instantly regretted it as Applejack finally acknowledged her existence, raising an eyebrow with upmost haste.

"If y'all got something t'say Greenie, then spit it out."

Twilight's anger boiled, and she stuffed most of it back, while keeping her hoof steps light as she came a bit forward. "...The Shed." She finally deadpanned, positioning her hoof to slam against her forehead.

Applejack didn't waver, staring with the same amounts of intensity as Twilight moments before, and the unicorn felt like Fluttershy as she shrunk back. "Yes, The Shed." The mare snapped. "Do y'all get it?"

Twilight hesitated, then slowly shook her head, confused beyond belief.

Applejack's eyes fluttered for a second as she rubbed them, and Twilight frowned when she realized the mare was probably thinking of a thousand other things to do at the time. She pointed towards the southwest corner, where fruit trees, mainly apple, grew by the hundreds, various fields close by.

"The Gardens-where we grow all the crops. Water is pumped in through small holes along the walls of the Maze. I mean it ahlways has," She gave a half chuckle, but Twilight found it sounding more like a mortified scream. "Or we'd ahll starve."

Why? Applejack seemed to have read her mind, for she answered almost immediately. "Never rains here." Her haunted gaze stared down Twilight. "Ever."

Her face turned solemn again, and she know pointed toward the southeast. "Safehouse." Twilight get urged for her to continue. "Really? Ah mean, it's a Safehouse. Nothing else to it." The unanswered questions still lingered in the unicorn's mind.

Applejack let out a huge breath, mumbled something in Twilight's mind similar to 'always being sent idiots.' and stuck her hoof now up to the northeast. "Homestead, though y'all's probably already seen it."

Twilight nodded like mad, desperate to pass this conversation.

"Stupid place is already about four times the size as it was when ah got here 'cause of all the supplies coming fr'it. Ain't pretty, but it works. Most of us sleep outside anyway. Just seems..." She paused, searching for the correct word for use. "Natural." She finished.

Twilight was utterly lost. So many questions splintered her mind she couldn't keep them all in order.

She calmed when Applejack pointed to the last corner, the northwest, where animals in pens were placed all over, corning a small building large enough for at least two ponies each. "That's," The mare paused, staring a bit guiltily in Twilight's direction. "Y'all not an animal lover, raght?"

Twilight found the question odd, but nodded none the less.

"Good, then that's The Shed. It's where we raise animals and kill 'em." Twilight couldn't hide the look of pure disgust on her face, which soon mirrored on Applejack's. The earth pony stamped a leg against the green grass. "Y'all said ya weren't an animal lover!" She grumbled loudly.

"I'm not!" Twilight reassured, waving a hoof frantically to evade Applejack's rage. The mare let out a hmm before readying herself to start again. "But that doesn't make it any worse than it already is." She secretly mumbled alone.

"Don't do that, Greenie. Ah thought you were gonna act like 'Shy on her first day." Applejack scolded, her green eyes flashing darker before returning like it had never happened.

Twilight's mouth opened before she had a chance to stop it. "Fluttershy's an animal lover?"

"...Yeah." No more words were spoken between the two mares until Applejack cleared her throat, as if wanting to change the subject. "Y'all spend the next two weeks working a day apiece for the different job Keepers-until ya get one that sticks-everyone it works on."

Applejack moved toward the south door, located between what she had explained as the Homestead and The Shed. Twilight wrinkled her nose in disgust as the sudden stench of manure came wafting from the animal pens. Applejack kept saying-words like Slopper and Trudger-that didn't sound so good. She came inches close to interrupting the mare most times-but held her tongue at the last second.

She finally blocked the sounds out and focused her attention along the pens close to The Shed area.

Pigs flew through the air into small mud pits, the flickering of their tails the only sign they were alive after being completely covered. Small sheep littered the corner next, straying away from each other as the timidly grasped a small hay piece in their mouths. Cows, however, completely pushed one another as the fought for the tiny stacks of food placed in their area, mainly greenish hay.

I remember clearly these animals, what they eat, how they behave, no doubt. But why not...anything else?

Applejack pointed toward a rusted house by the back, near the overwhelming forest of trees. Back there's where th' Hackers work. Nasty stuff, ah'll tell ya. If ya love the sight á blood, that's your place."

Twilight shook her head quickly. A Hacker to her seemed like somepony she despised. Both mares moved back through the overcrowding pens, and Twilight caught sight of Fluttershy for a moment, the pegasus giggling as she rubbed her front hooves against the head of small pigs. Mud covered her entire body, but she seemed to take no notice as the animals crowded rounded her with glee.

She bumped into Applejack when the mare suddenly stopped, hard like a stone in her position. Twilight looked up, and was surprised to find them in front of the South Wall; the two walls racketing the exit above them. She craned her neck to the top of the Maze above her; but her mind spun with he observation that she was looking down, not up. She took a staggered step back, once again awed by the structure now surrounding her home. Applejack now had turned opposite of the exit, waiting for Twilight to finally notice.

"Out there's th' Maze." Twilight stared at the gap in the walls that served as an exit for the Glade. The corridors seemed worn down to the point of collapsing, unidentifiable scribbles filling up the sidelines, bordering the large separation of both sides of the specific doors.

Twilight squinted, holding a hoof over her head to block the blasting sun. Applejack hummed as she mare softly called her name. "What are those?"

Applejack leaned over her shoulder, and her eyes glossed over she realized what her new accompany had gestured to. "Names." She murmured, taking a slight step forward. She then quickly stiffened at her mistake, nearly stumbling back. Twilight noticed the small amount of terror in her forest green pupils, but decided against venturing onward.

"Of everypony who has come 'ere." Twilight snapped back to attention, sighing as she realized her guide had not taken notice. "How long do you think us ponies have been livin' in this 'ere Glade?"

Twilight had not been expecting the sort of a question. And now that Applejack's tone had been reduced to a mere pathetic whisper, it only added to her uneasiness. "I-" she began, only to cough awkwardly as her voice came as a high whine. "I don't really know." She spoke clearly this time around.

"I'd say about a year or so?"

Her brow furrowed as Applejack shook her head. "Sorry, Greenie. But ya be wrong. Ah came here nearly four years ahgo."

The next few moments were an eerie quiet as Twilight tried to comprehend what her tour guide had just told her. "You've been here for almost five years." She stated. Twilight gaped at the silent but confirming nod.

Applejack now seemed to have been reduced to a former shell of her usual self. "The Tour is now over." She concluded, taking another shaky step back. "Ah need ya up and working by the ahfternoon."

"Why is it over so soon?"

"Ah need to get ready." Applejack responded steadily. Twilight cocked her head, confused beyond belief. "Where are you heading?"

Her muzzle formed a frown as the earth pony let out a dry chuckle. "It's ahlways going t'be like this, huh?" She paused her walking pattern. "Ah'm heading out with Rarity later t'day. She says they found something in th'Maze."

There was a gleam in her eyes as she spoke her next words. "Curiousity causes death, Sugarcube. But ah think ah can handle anything." She then galloped off, and Twilight's mind sparked as a new, but in a way old, memory formed back into existence.

****

Twilight seemed to have the ability to move on her own this time around, and eyed Applejack curiously, watching as the mare slammed her back hooves against the sturdy oak. "Phew." She sighed as the fruit came raining down, but then nearly toppled over as her world when dizzy. "O-oah."

Twilight placed a hoof on her forehead. "What on Earth is that pony doing?" She muttered, then carefully advanced toward Applejack, watching as she missed the next tree entirely.

"Whoops."

"Hey Applejack!" Twilight forced a smile, but it faltered as she heard the distinct sound of the snore. Her gaze narrowed. "Applejack." She seethed. Her anger nearly boiled over as the mare continued to sleep blissfully. "Applejack." After a few seconds of silence she internally screamed, then began to open her muzzle. "AppleJACK!"

Applejack jolted awake, breathing becoming ragged as she blinked. "Oh, howdy, Twilight." She said when she noticed her friend.

Twilight gave her a deadpan expression, which in turn made Applejack wince. "What is all this?" She snapped, gesturing to the mare and the tress surrounding her.

"It's Applebuck season." Applejack explained simply, but froze as her world become and sickening grey. "Whoa." She murmured, eyes crossing.

Twilight squinted. "Applewhat season?" She ventured quickly.

"Neh, It's what the Apple family calls harvestin' time. We gather all the apples from the trees so we can sell 'em."

Twilight then tapped her hoof along her chin. "But why are you doing it all alone?" She asked, scanning the miles left of tress which still held apples.

Applejack's gaze went downcast. "'cause Big McIntosh hurt himself."

Twilight was beyond confused of the situation she had put herself into. "What about all those relatives I've met when I first came to Ponyville? Can't they help?"

"They were just here for the Apple family reunion." Applejack kicked the dust off her hooves, but it barely did much to help. "They actually live all over Equestria and are busy harvestin' their own orchards. So, uh, I'm on my own. Which means, I should really get back to work." she coughed. "Ahem... hint hint? Get back to work?"

Twilight glowered, stepping aside for her friend to move by. "Fine."

A moment slid by without either speaking. "Could you step aside, Twilight?" Applejack questioned again, eyes once more glossed over.

The mare's brow furred as Twilight shook her head "I just did." Her expression went to sympathy. "Applejack, you don't look so good."

"Eh, don't any of you three worry none, ah'm just fine and dandy." She took a step forward and stumbled, muzzle inches from the grass. "Whoa."

"Do you... want some help?" Twilight reared back as Applejack now shook her own head furiously. "Help?" She barked a laugh. "No way, no how."

"But there's no way you can do it all on your own." Twilight confronted the fairly simple truth, and watch as Applejack stared her down with a chilled stare. "Is that a challenge?" She asked darkly.

"Uhm... no?"

Well," Applejack snorted. "I'm gonna prove to you that I can do it! Now if you'll excuse me, I've got apples to buck."

****