The Mane Twelve

Ponyville. Quite a lovely town, full of lively ponies chatting and laughing. Its size may be small and the inhabitants may not be a lot, but that's why everypony think they are all a big happy family. Every day, ponies, shop at local stores with fresh-baked sweets and fresh fruit. Those were some of the reasons that made Quill Soul visit Ponyville and find an apartment to stay for a couple of weeks. Quill Soul was just an ordinary unicorn like the rest, with dark blue coat and shiny silver mane, as well as glasses. Yup. One ordinary pony like the rest. Quill Soul was looking for her first job, having recently graduated from college. She planned on going to Manehattan, but the journey was long and she decided to rest in Ponyville. It was quiet, it was simple, it may be the last peace and quiet she may ever get before the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Quill Soul was just walking between other ponies and gazed at the different shops and amenities with a piece of paper beside her, floating from her magic. It had an address written on it which indicated that she was looking for her apartment. As she walked, a pink pony appeared out of nowhere and gave out a big, cherful 'hi', startling Quill Soul.

"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie. Are you knew here? Haven't seen you before so you must be."

"Um...no, I'm not from here." said Quill Soul, trying to avoid the pink equine.

If it was one thing of Quill Soul's personality that troubled her the most, it was her lack of socialising. She couldn't help it though. She started walking again and Pinkie shrugged and followed her with small jumps.

"Soooooooooooo...who are you?" asked Pinkie, breaking the ice.

Quill Soul was stuck. She couldn't spell a single word and decided to ignore her. But Pinkie Pie wouldn't give up. She then started telling her stories about...all sorts of thing. From her friends to her pet Gummy. All in a very fast pace that made Quill Soul use a teleportation spell to get away from her. She teleported at a narrow alley and bonked her head on the ground. Well, that was foolish of you Quill Soul. she thought. She got up and noticed a big piece of graffiti on the wall. It was a yellow pony with long, pink hair and a shy expression. All done beatifully. This is magnificent. Quill Soul thought. However, she didn't seem to notice that the artist behind all this was right behind her and was at the ground. Maybe she fell on him when she teleported there. The stallion got up and tried to pull himself together. He was a little smaller than her in size, with messy blonde -and a little orange- mane, as well as a white coat.

"W-What are you doing here?" the stallion asked. "This is my spot. You're not allowed here." he continued.

"I-I'm sorry, I just-"

"Please leave. You're forgiven for falling on me. Just go please and don't tell anypony about this."

Quill Soul nodded and left the alley. The stallion sighed and picked his spray can, continuing that magnificent piece of art. Quill Soul felt a little relieved to have discovered another pony which was somewhat like her. Creative and shy as well. A little more nervous perhaps. Although random, she had a feeling she would see him again.

After a long walk in search of the place and a stop for a sip, Quill Soul finally found the apartment. Once she had settled everything with the owner, she went to her room and turned on the lighs. Small and comfortable. A-OK. Quill Soul dropped her bag and went immediately to bed. Yet, sleep just wouldn't come. She kept turning round and round, but nothing worked. She even tried the classic remedy of a glass of hot milk. Didn't work either. She sighed and sat on her bed, looking outside of her window at the stars and how they were shining across the endless night sky.

"Can't sleep?" said a familiar voice.

"It's not that Dark Equun." Quill Soul replied, not really turning around to look at the stallion.

Dark Equun seemed like he had appeared out of nowhere. And indeed he had. The door was locked and there was no sound of a teleportation spell. Quill Soul knowed him though and didn't mind him sitting with her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Quill Soul.

"Fine. Just peachy."

"Yeah. Me too."

Quill Soul turned around and looked at Dark Equun with an ironic look.

"Liar." she said to him.

"I could say the same thing for you."

Dark Equun was a stallion differenct from the others. With a dark coat and a mane just like Quill Soul's, he looked almost like he was her identical twin -despite the fact that he was a unicorn-. Yet he was not. That similarity between them was still unknown to Quill Soul or how did he even know her. She didn't recall ever meeting a pony named

Dark Equun. One day, she just met him at random when he appeared right in front of her as a spirit.

Dark Equun never talked about his past or showed his face. That was the reason he wore a mask with a strange red symbol on it as well as a dark cloak.

After

Dark Equun's last reply, there was a moment of silence. Quill Soul decided to speak first.

"

Dark Equun?"

"Mh?"

"Do you think I'm...weird?"

Dark Equun looked at her. Although he wore a mask, it was obvious that his face was worried. He sat towards Quill Soul and looked outside.

"Quil Soul...I am you. And I have the same memories and feeling as you. If it's one thing you'r not, it's weird. You're not like the rest of the ponies. You are unique. Know why? 'Cause you possess a gift like no other. Creativity."

Quill Soul looked at

Dark Equun in surprise.

"Creativity..."

He himself then turned his sight towards her.

"Yes. I've seen you draw and write and think like no other pony. And I admit that, out of all the ponies in Equestria, it's you that shines the most in this section."

Quill Soul just looked at him and just then, only for a second, it looked as if Quill Soul shed a tear of happiness. Without any hesitation or even thought, she gave Darklyo a big hug.

Dark Equun kept looking at her and hugged her back.

"Thank you

Dark Equun." she said and fell asleep on his hooves.

Dark Equun smiled from inside his mask.

"Nothing...Quill Soul."

On the other side of Ponyville, during that cold yet beautiful night, a shadow appeared from the depths of the Everfree Forest. A bulked-up stallion, with a dark grey coat and dark mane, pegasus, and with a hardcore look. However, he seemed affectionate and harmless. He walked towards Ponyville and muttered to himself:

"Only a few towns away."

As he entered Ponyville, he sighed and decided to find a small late-night place to rest. Luckily for him, he found a late-night cafe. Yet he wasn't sure whether to enter or not. It was like he was a complete stranger, trespassing enemy territory or something. The keeper was cleaning a few cups when he noticed the stallion.

"Come on in son. It doesn't bite."

The stallion entered in hesitation and rested himself by taking a seat. The keeper approached him with a little notebook.

"So, whatcha want son?"

The stallion remained silent for a bit, like he was thinking about something. He shook his head and faced the keeper.

"Just water, please."

The owner nodded and headed to fetch him the glass of water. He came back after a few seconds and handed him over his water.

"I say, you must be new here. What's your name?"

The stallion reacted like he did previously. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts but once again shook his head and answered.

"Heart...Heartfire."

In the same cafe, there was also one other mare with brightly white coat and sparkly

silver hair. She was quiet and was enjoying her cup of warm chocolate. She took a moment to put the cup down and looked at Heartfire. He on the other hand just stayed in complete silnce, lost in his thoughts. The mare got up and, with her chocolate, approached Heatfire, taking a seat next to him.

"Is it free?" she asked politely.

"Mh?" said Heartfire, noticing just then the sparkly mare. Her appearance astonished him. She was one of the prettiest mares he had met.

"Yeah...it is." he said and faced at his glass of water.

The mare took a seat and looked at him. Heartfire seemed to ignore her but not in a way like he wanted to avoid her. Something seemed like it was bothering him. He handn't even touched his water.

"What's your name?" asked the mare. "I'm Thyme." she contunued and showed him her hoof, like she wanted to shake hooves.

Heartfire looked at her and then looked at her hoof. He didn't seem to understand the gesture. Thyme put her hoof down and sighed.

"It's...it's okay if you don't want to talk."

"Oh no, it's not that, it's just..I have a lot in my mind right now. I feel like having a chat with a stranger right now to be honest." he said, his last sentence being a little ironic.

They both slightly chuckled.

"I'm Heartfire." he replied to her previous question.

Thyme looked at him with a bright smile on her face and soon, the two ponies began talking to each other about themselves and their families. They had more in common than they thought. They were both from a far away land, and both left to find something more. Their conversation and laughs seemed like they would never stop as the night passed.

On the other side of town, that exact hour, in an ordinary house, two sisters stay up till late at night, trying to find a solution.

"Mhhhhhhh...this isn't right." said one of them.

She had a light pink coat and long, curly white hair.

"I think it looks fine." said the second sister.

That one was almost identical with the previous one, but her colours were the first one's negative. Crimson red coat and dark, straight hair.

"No...something is off. Octuro, could you please wear it again?"

Octuro sighed miserably.

"Fine Dolce."

"Aw come on, it's not that boring. Smile." Dolce said to Octuro with a bright smile.

Octuro was always a little miserable almost all the time but deep inside, she was proud to have Dolce as a sister. In fact, she was her role model. Little did she know that Dolce thought the same of her. It was just that Dolce showed it a little more than Octuro. She seemed more joyful towards life, whereas Octuro not so much. She didn't hate it either though.

In the streets of Ponyville, the stallion that Quill Soul had bumped into during the morning, had now put down the can and sighed in relief and excitement. His sweat was pouring down his face like a waterfall but all that was worth it. It was finished. The yellow equine had been captured brilliantly on the big brick wall with even the smallest detail done kneatly. Next to the graffiti, or more suitably painting, there was a name written with small, messed letters, like ordinary graffiti. It spelled Grafix, for those who possessed enough fantasy to interprit the letters. Compared to the masterpiece next to it, the name was meaningless.

"If only you would notice that name...Fluttershy."

Back at the small apartment of Quill Soul's, she herself was fast asleep but

Dark Equun was still up, gazing at the distance from the round glass window. Only the gentle breeze could be heard apart from his breath, as well as Quill Soul's slight snore. Something's out there. Whatever it is, it's not good. Darklyo thought.

"Be prepared...Quil Soul..."

Dark Equun said to Quill Soul feeling her mane with his hoof.

Was

Dark Equun's thought correct? Was there indeed a mysterious threat out there? If there was, what was it?

Dark Equun was not sure, but he could not shake the feeling that something bad would happen.

In a valley, a few miles away from Ponyville, a shred of darkness appeared out of the blue and Nightmare Chaos rose out of it, his fangs gritting and his armor clanging. At the same time, the ground broke and the first Pony of the Apocalypse, Pestilence rose. Behind him, a fire broke and the valley was burnt to crisps, the ash giving rise to bright shining armor, War, the second Pony of the Apocalypse in it. Having no crops around anymore, a swarm of hungry flies gathered around each other, slowly forming flesh and bones in an untidy condition, giving birth to Famine, the third Pony of the Apocalypse. Last but not least, out of the dark slash came out a gigantic black cloak, binding itslef into a pony-like shape, growing out eyes, a mane, and hooves, the mask incarnating itself as well, not allowing anypony to see through it and look at the Final Pony of the Apocalypse, Death, in the eyes. Nightmare Chaos, looked at the vast field, and then turned to his Commanders.

"It is time."