Nightmare Night, What A Fright
Long ago, in the deep expanse that is existence, was a wondrous place, home to many unique and great creatures. These creatures were beings that were at one time taken from their homes without warning, yet were gifted great powers and abilities, the likes of which their new worlds had never seen. For millennia upon millennia, these Displaced creatures lived in a coexistence with one another; very much aware of the others like themselves and even able to travel between these worlds to join in glorious collaboration. While their differences were many, just like all creatures they shared one common trait: even Death would claim them one day. Despite the darker points of their shared existence, these Displaced lived in an eventful peace.
But this peace was a fragile one, as many of them were unstable in more ways than one. All it would take, would be just the right event. Sadly, the match would be struck during their prime. The Displaced made the one mistake no life ever should: negate Death. For one day, a new Displaced came into being with such a power. But Death would have no one above him, for all beings must one day meet their end. And so, Death destroyed this Displaced and his world, reigning supreme over all life.
A fatal strike for the Displaced. The news of this Displaced’s destruction spread quickly amongst those that dwell within the Void, eventually landing upon the ears of many Displaced. There were many that believed Death’s actions were just, seeing as all things must eventually come to an end. Others, however, saw it as a sign that Death was not as powerful as they once thought; a sign that Death was becoming obsolete. Lines were drawn, relationships strained, and friendship frayed.
This was the start of the Great War.
Nopony knows what exactly was the very first conflict of the war, but it quickly spread to every world. Friends turned against friends, family’s broken and torn. Trillions of lives perished every day from the fighting, many simple innocents caught between the fight of gods. Many Displaced fell during this conflict, even more simply disappearing into the Void. The lucky ones fled into other existences, fearing their own destruction. Those who stayed to fight, faced things much worse than death.
Thousands of years passed before the fighting finally came to a close. Nopony knows the exact end either, but the results… were breathtakingly horrible. The once bright and lively worlds, now lay dead and dark. Stars no longer brightened many a world, leaving them to die in the darkness. Untold numbers lay dead at the Displaceds’ hands, forever a stain on the memories of the survivors. There were not many, merely a fraction of what there once was, but they would never forget the atrocities that were committed; by themselves and by the ones they had once called friends.
These survivors fled to the Void, fearing the recompense of their actions as worlds began to grow tired of these creatures. Some started calling for the end to them all, paying high amounts for any Displaced captured and brought for trial. Hunters and mercenaries flocked for the new game, eager to prove themselves against former gods.
And such the greatest beings of all, fell to the lowest of the low.
In the end, the only true winner of this calamity was Death, the only thing unscathed and unaffected by the entire war. But as this story continues to be told, facts will turn to fiction, fiction will turn to myth, and, eventually…
Myth will turn to legend….
Such is the fate of us all……..
A cerise hoof closed the cover on the page, it’s owner smiling out at the rows of young colts and fillies staring back at her. “And that, my little ponies, is the Legend of the Displaced. Any questions?” Miss Cheerilee say a few hooves in the air, pointing to the first one she saw. “Yes, Aura?”
The bright, cyan eyed filly lowered her mulberry-gray hoof. “Is there going to be a test on this?” she asked.
Cheerilee smiled forcefully. “No, this will not be on our unit test. It is simply a lesson in ancient pony culture and mythology. A little something extra to enlighten your minds.” She knew from their vacant expressions that none of the fillies and colts cared at all. Inwardly sighing, she pointed to the next raised hoof. “Yes, Fry?”
The pudgy little colt put his hoof down by running it back over his blown-back, brilliant orange mane. “Is it almost time for lunch, Miss Cheerilee? I’m getting hungry!” Several others echoed his feelings.
“In a few minutes, Gallop. Let me finish answering questions and we can go to lunch.” She watched as the others hooves went down, eager to get to their food and play time. But there was one that remain up high. A pastel violet hoof anxiously trying to get Cheerilee’s attention from the back of the room. The teacher smiled, knowing exactly who it belonged to. “Yes, Screwball? You have a question?”
Every head turned back to look at the young filly, looking excited to be called upon if her toothy smile was to indicate anything. Screwball readjusted the black-framed glasses on her muzzle, her dark violet eyes shining through with curiosity. They didn’t even notice the light glares pointed her way. “Miss Cheerilee, that legend spoke of worlds being left in darkness. Is that why there are no stars in the sky at night, only Princess Luna’s moon?”
The teacher took a moment to think of her wording before answering. “Well, Screwball, there is no definitive answer to that. As you of all ponies know, stars are a mythology to us as well.”
“Heh, still believing in foal’s tales, what a loser!” a brash voice sounded out from the class. The students started laughing and pointing at Screwball who had shrunk back, trying to hid behind her violet and white swirled mane.
Cheerilee looked soured at the grey filly that had spoken up. “Bolt! We do not call other ponies names in this class, am I understood?”
“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” the filly monotoned, blowing a lock of her purple hair from her eyes.
“Good. To answer you properly, Screwball, these are legends and myths. Ways that our pony ancestors used to try to explain that which they could not explain. Whether through mystical arts or simple creative story telling, they were created and passed down through the ages.” Screwball looked a little downtrodden as Cheerilee continued, finishing with, “They’re just stories. Not actual fact.”
Screwball sighed solemnly as the school bell rang for lunch. She grabbed the plain paper sack her den-mother prepared for her earlier in the morning from her saddlebag and followed her classmates out to the school yard. The filly looked out at the tables intended for their lunchtime consumption, but noticed that most were already full with everypony looking happy as they chatted and laughed away. She sighed again, slinking off to the usual spot where she ate alone: underneath the large tree that marked the edge of the school yard.
She sat down against the trunk, rummaging through the little sack and pulling out a single sandwich wrapped in plastic. Unwrapping one end, she took a tentative bite, chewing and then swallowing with a sigh. “Peanutbutter and jelly… again.” Another sigh. “I just wish at least one time she would remember I prefer a little lettuce with it. That’d be nice. Maybe on Fridays, make the last day before the weekend that much better. A filly can always hope.”
“Ahem!” Screwball was brought out of her outloud thoughts by the very same filly who mocked her in class. She looked up, seeing her classmate glaring down at her with two others flanking her sides. The one on her left was a little leaner than her friends, her gray fur not hiding her thinner frame as her black and white hair draped down her back. Then there was the big one, the muscle of their little group, muscles rippling underneath the light brown fur and her dark brown mane slicked back. But of course, it was Bolt who was speaking, not her lackies. “Just what in Luna’s name were you thinking Screwhead?! We nearly had a late lunch because of you!”
“Yeah!” the right one declared in her gruff voice.
“Calm down Hairpin,” Bolt soothed. “Not yet.” She turned back to Screwball. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”
Screwball made sure her mane was between her and the bully. “I-I’m sorry, Bolt. I was just curious. I wanted to know.”
“About what?! Stars?! You believe in that dumb fairy tale after all? Ha!” She turned to her lackies. “Ya hear that girls? The little chaos spawn still believes in fairy tales!”
The lean pony shuddered in laughter. “Yeah, fairy tales. What a loser!”
“Just like I told you, Finish Line. Nothin’ but a loser. The great and powerful Discord came up with this little loser? Hard to believe it, am I right?!” Both of her minions began cackling while Bolt smirked in victory. She got right into Screwball’s face, smirking dangerously. “Now listen up, freak. You make us late for lunch again, then Hairpin Turn here,” the buff filly slammed her forehooves together, making a loud sound, “Is gonna have a few words with you. Understand?”
Screwball whimpered. “Y-yes Bolt. I understand.”
“Good.” She looked down at Screwball’s hooves, yanking out her sandwich. “And I’m takin’ your sandwich.” The fillies trotted off, Bolt munching on Screwball’s lunch on the way.
Screwball huddled up in a ball, trying desperately not to cry, despite the tears. She heard the bell a few minutes later, but couldn’t bear to remove herself from the fetal position. Scared, hungry, and alone, Screwball truly felt like it was another horrible day.
“Screwy?” a gruff male voice said, snapping Screwball out of her crying fit. She looked up to see a old, grey stallion looking down on her. His brown cap was pushed up so he could properly see her, rubbing his thick mustache.
“Oh, hi Scruffy,” Screwy sniffled.
“Rough day?”
“Mhmm,” she nodded.
“Them roller-bullies again?”
“Yeah…”
“Took yer lunch too?”
Screwball hung her head. “Yup.”
Scruffy shook his head a little, eyes closed. He reached back into his cutie mark pocket, pulling out a little brown bag and setting it in front of Screwball. “Here.”
The filly looked inside and found a nice, fresh apple. “A-are you sure, Scruffy? This is your lunch.”
“Scruffy has plenty. You don’t.”
Screwball sniffled, smiling a little. “Thanks Scruffy.”
“Yup,” he said simply. He tipped his cap to the filly before reaching into the tree behind her. He rustled around in there for a moment before pulling out a mop and a bucket of soapy water. Scruffy put the bucket on his back and kept the mop handle clenched in his mouth as he trotted back towards the school.
“Bye Scruffy!” Screwball waved. Scruffy shook his head a little, making the mop head look like it was waving back to her. She giggled a little before taking a large bite out of the apple. “Mmm, juicy.”
A couple hours later, Screwball watched as her classmates ran out of the school house with the final ringing of the bell. Stealthily, she snuck into the classroom to grab her bag. She made it barely past the teacher’s desk with her tiphoofing.
“Going somewhere, Screwball?” Miss Cheerilee asked, not even looking up from grading the other student’s school work.
“D’oh!”
“That’s not your ‘catchphrase’,” Cheerilee reminded her.
“It’ll catch on,” Screwball said with her lower lip out, pouting.
Cheerilee sighed. “Screwball, why weren’t you in your seat for the last bit of class?” The filly was silent. “Bolt?”
“Mhm,” she answered meekly, drawing her hoof on the floor.
The teacher sighed again. “Screwball, you know you can always come talk to me when they do this. I can’t help you after the fact. You know it, they know it, and I know it. Why do you let them get away with it?”
“Because their parents will just turn on you!” Screwball said, looking up at Cheerilee with moistening eyes. “Just like they did to my last teacher! They’ll turn on you, call you a traitor, a devil’s puppet! I don’t wanna see that happen again!” The filly quickly grabbed her things from her desk and rushed out of the school.
“Screw-Screwball!” Cheerilee called after her. “Screwball come back!”
Her teacher’s shouting faded as she ran further and further into town. She didn’t even have to slow down to see the looks of the many adults that were sneering at her. Stop it! she screamed in her head, tears falling down her face as she ran. Stop judging me for something I can’t control!
She just kept running, feeling as if shadows of evil were watching with smiles of dread. The world was turning against her… again. It always did, no matter where she went. Nopony wanted her. Nopony would ever want her. She might as well just--
“Oof!” she cried out, running into something soft, yet surprisingly sturdy. Screwball groaned, rubbing her scruffed up muzzle and looking up at what she ran into. Or ‘who’ she ran into, to be proper. A middle-aged unicorn mare was looking down at her with a smile, her auburn hair rippling in the light fall breeze.
The mare giggled, holding out an olive green hoof to Screwball. “You should watch where you’re going, little one,” she said, her accent foreign to the filly. Screwball took the hoof, the mare helping her to her hooves.
“Um, thanks. Sorry for running into you.”
“Oh it was no bother at all,” the mare waved off dismissively. “Are you alright, little one?”
“Uh huh,” she nodded. “And my name is Screwball, not ‘little one’.”
The mare giggled. “My apologies, Screwball. Now, tell me, have you seen anything strange going on around town recently? Maybe some howling at night? Or talks of something stalking the town at night? Anything sound familiar?”
Screwball shook her head. “I don’t think so. None of that sounds familiar.”
“Blast,” the older mare muttered. “Well, I won’t keep you then. Ta ta, Screwball. And have fun with your star project!” she said, starting to trot off.
“Huh?” Screwball said, looking at her fallen bag, seeing some of her supplies had spilled out. Specifically, her secret project for the Nightmare Night Festival tomorrow. “But… how could she know it had to do with stars?”
Later that night, Screwball lied awake in her bed, staring up at the plain white ceiling of her bedroom. Of course, the room wasn’t very big, being that there were several more lined up alongside hers in the orphanage. But, at least it was something she could call her own. She just couldn’t get the thoughts to stop in her head. There was so much going on in her life now that it just wasn’t fair.
She looked over at the few unpacked boxes she still had laying around. A month tomorrow, that’s how long it had been since she’d relocated, or as the grown-ups preferred to call it ‘moved’, to Ponyville. The last home she’d had was Canterlot, she remembered it well… no matter how much she didn’t want to.
“Ponyville’s a nice town though,” she said to herself, returning to looking at the ceiling. “Not everypony is throwing things at me. I don’t have to hide underneath the covers every night to block out the screaming of mares in the back alley behind the orphanage. Sure, they still glare at me, but… I suppose I can’t blame them. Daddy really did a lot to this town when he was freed. Except bother to say more than a hello to me before going off to cause chaos.” She clenched the sheets for a moment before letting them go with a sigh. “I should probably get some sleep. Princess Luna wanted to spend the day with me tomorrow at the festival. Can’t be too tired to hang out with a princess, especially the best princess.” She giggled before snuggling into her sheet.
As Screwball began to sleep in relative peace, halfway across the sleepy little town, a hardworking mare was busy packing up her apple stand from a good day’s work. She wiped away several beads of sweat from her brow as she closed the panelling to the seller window. Fanning herself lightly, the orange mare let out a ‘phew’ noise before hitching herself up to her cart of few remaining apples.
“Another good day,” Applejack said to herself with a grin. “We keep goin’ like this an’ we ain’t gonna be havin’ any worries come winter.” She chuckled lightly, trotting off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, guided by the solitary light of Princess Luna’s moon.
But a sound stopped her, one that echoed deep through the town. The sound of wolf howl. Applejack looked into the distance, seeing the tops of the Everfree forest’s trees. She let out a low whistle, readjusting her stetson. “Timberwolves must be actin’ up tonight. Poor little critter.” She moved her stetson in front of her chest, hanging her head. “May Celestia guide yer soul, little guy. Be happy on the other side.” Her hat back on her head, she continued on her way.
Something moved just outside of Applejack’s peripheral vision, making her turn towards it. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, just the typical dusty roads of Ponyville at night. “Heh, must have been the wind. Or Rainbow Dash bookin’ it home after a night at the pub.” She snickered to herself, remembering the previous times the brash pegasus would stay too late out drinking. Once again, she continued her journey home.
The town limits were coming up, getting the mare to smile knowing she was halfway home. She looked again to the Everfree as another howl echoed into the night; they had been getting more frequent as Applejack got closer to home. “Ah sure hope that jus’ means Zap Apple season is comin’ up soon.” With a small bit of nervous laughter, and a quick look over her shoulder, Applejack picked up her pace.
Another howl pierced the night, making Applejack stop dead in her tracks. It was just another howl, save for the fact it came directly behind her. Slowly, shuddering madly, Applejack looked behind her. Her eyes grew wider than saucer pans and she took in a deep breath.
She wasn’t even given time to scream.
Screwball trotted through the town with a giddy smile as she looked over the Nightmare Night decorations sprawled all over the town. Navy blues and blacks all over, with orange thrown in there sparsely for good measure. There were pumpkins strewn about, designs and faces covering each and every one of them, making sure not a single one looked the same. There were many foals out and about already in costume, laughing and talking amongst themselves. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
Screwball herself was amazed that she was having a decent day. Breakfast was wonderful; the den-mother had splurged a little and gotten some pancakes from Sugar Cube Corner. The filly licked her lips in memory of the amazing breakfast cakes that were in the shape of flapjacks. She even noticed that there were even less dirty looks her way than normal. It looked as if things were looking up for the filly on this night.
“Hi there, Screwball!” a high pitched voice came from behind. Screwball yipped a little, flailing as she turned around. She found a familiar white unicorn smiling at her with her two friends, an orange pegasus and a yellow earth pony, snickering. The unicorn blushed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to spook you.”
Screwball sighed deeply, letting go of the breath she had been holding. “No damage done Sweetie Belle. What’s up?”
“We were going trick or treating later!” the pegasus interrupted. When that was all she said, the earth pony stepped in.
“What Scootaloo means is that we were goin’ trick ‘r treatin’ later and wanted to know if you wanted to go with us.”
“R-really?!” Screwball stuttered. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
“We hear your classmates have been making fun of you since you moved here and we wanted to show you that not everypony is out to get you,” Sweetie said with a sincere smile.
“That… that sounds nice, it really does. But, I kinda have plans tonight,” she answered truthfully.
“Really?” Scootaloo asked, narrowing her eyes at her.
“Scootaloo, don’t be rude.”
“I’m not being rude, Apple Bloom! I just wanna know what her plans are?”
“Then don’t make it look like yet suspicious of her!”
“I wasn’t!”
“Were too!”
“Was not!”
“Were too!”
“Girls!” Sweetie shrieked, pushing the two bickering fillies away from each other. “You’re gonna spook Screwball aga…” All three looked over to see the pink filly on her back, laughing heartily. “Or maybe she just thinks it funny…” Sweetie finished lamely.
Screwball wiped a tear from her eye once she calmed down. “S-sorry. That was just pretty funny. It’s like you’re a comedy trio! The Three Crusaders!”
Apple Bloom put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Huh, Ah don’t think we’ve tried gettin’ cutie marks in comedy yet. Maybe we’ll check it out sometime. Thanks fer the idea, Screwy.”
“I’m helping!” Screwball exclaimed, getting a good laugh out of the other three fillies. “Anyway, I was going to spend the night with Princess Luna.”
They all stared at her. “The Princess Luna?” Apple Bloom asked.
“As in the Princess Luna who raises and lowers the moon?” Sweetie continued.
“The one who this entire night is all about?” Scootaloo finished.
“Uh huh!” Screwball nodded. “She invited me! Personally, I think it’s because she and Princess Celestia are still keeping an eye on me after the… you know.”
“Oh right, yer Discord’s kid.” Apple Bloom laughed nervously for a moment. “Fergot ‘bout that.” She shook her head and smiled. “Well, Ah’m sure hangin’ out with Princess Luna will be fun too!”
“Yeah it does!” Scootaloo nodded. “I’ve only gotten to meet her once, but she’s pretty nice. But hey, you get off easy this Nightmare Night. Next year though, you’re going trick or treating with us, understood?” she said with a smirk, holding out a hoof.
Screwball met the hoof with her own. “Understood. Well, I’d better get going. I have something I wanna finish up before Princess Luna gets here. See ya!” she waved, heading off.
“Bye Screwball!” the three fillies waved, watching the other filly disappear into the distance.
“Apple Bloom!” a stern voice rang out from behind them, spooking all three fillies.
“Oh, so that’s what it feels like on the other end,” Sweetie said, trying to calm her racing heart.
The fillies looked behind them, seeing a familiar mare looking down on them. “Oh hey Applejack!” Apple Bloom greeted. “What’s up?”
“Who was that you were jus’ talkin’ to?” Applejack asked.
“Huh? Oh! That was Screwball! We were jus’ invitin’ her to go trick r’ treatin’ with us!”
“Oh really? What’d she say?”
Scootaloo answered, “She’s got plans with Princess Luna.”
“Princess Luna?” Applejack repeated with wide eyes.
“That’s what she said,” Sweetie Belle confirmed. She looked down at Applejack and gasped when she saw her left leg was bandaged from halfway down to completely covering the hoof. “Oh my gosh Applejack! Are you alright?”
“Hmm?” She looked to where the filly was looking and gave a small laugh. “Oh, that. Weren’t nothin’. Jus’ a timberwolf thinkin’ he could make me late night dinner. Nothin’ to worry ‘bout. Should be fine in a few days time.”
“You fought off a timberwolf?” Scootaloo asked, eyes full of admiration. “That’s so cool! ...not Rainbow Dash cool, but still cool.”
“Uh huh,” the three others said with rolls of their eyes.
Applejack shook her head with a smile. “Anyways, y’all said Screwy was gonna be spendin’ the night with Luna, eh? Ya wouldn’t happened to have caught where they’ll be t’night, did ya?”
“Hmm,” Bloom thought, putting a hoof to her chin. “No, Ah don’t think so.”
“Well,” all eyes turned to Sweetie Belle. “There’s been rumors going around school that Screwball had been seen using that old barn just outside of town.”
“Isn’t that thing condemned or whatever?” Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie nodded. “Yeah. Apparently she’s working on some big project out there. Maybe it’s a present for Princess Luna?”
“That’s pretty cool,” Bloom smiled. “Ah wonder if she’ll show us if we ask her later?”
“Never hurts to ask.”
Applejack chuckled lightly. “Well, y’all go on an’ git. Granny’ll be takin ya trick ‘r treatin’ in a couple hours so best go get yer costumes settled.”
“Sure thing, sis!” Bloom cried, her and her friends running off to their respective homes, leaving Applejack on her own. The mare looked to the distance, specifically towards the Everfree forest.
“The time’s a comin’, princess.” She pulled her hat down to cover her face a bit. “An’ then you’ll pay fer yer crimes against us.” She smiled under hat, showing a set of razor sharp teeth.
Three trots to the right. Turn. Three trots to the right. Turn. Three trots to the right. Turn. Three trots to the right. Repeat. Screwball continued this little pattern time after time, waiting for Princess Luna to show up. She had finished her project earlier than expected and now eagerly awaited her friend’s arrival to surprise her. “Ooh, what’s taking her?” she said to herself, trotting around again. She looked into the horizon, seeing Princess Celestia’s sun disappearing below the hills, the Moon slowly beginning its rise into the night sky. Screwball groaned, pacing in her square again.
A light giggling, snapped Screwball out of her trampling of the grass, seeing a navy blue mare smiling at her in mirth. The unusually long horn and larger wings, not to mention the black crown and chest plate, easily helped identify this mare as the princess of the night, Luna. After another minor surprise, Screwball was finally able to address the princess.
“Princess Luna, I didn’t see you there. Uh, how long have you been standing there?”
Luna smirked, “About fifteen minutes.”
The filly stared at her with indignation. “And you just let me keep pacing?!”
“But of course. It was too cute to stop.” Screwball blushed, shrinking back as the alicorn laughed at the filly’s embarrassment. Luna cleared her throat, restoring her regal tone. “So Screwball, how have your adjustments to Ponyvillian life going?”
“Oh, um….”
Luna interpreted Screwball’s quietness very clearly. “Even here?”
Screwball sighed and nodded. “Yeah. I haven’t really made any friends. And there’s some other fillies that bully me. B-but it’s getting better!” she quickly added. “Just today a few fillies from another class wanted me to go trick or treating with them!”
The princess smiled toothfully. “Oh that’s wondrous, my little pony. Did you accept?”
Screwball shook her head. “No, I politely declined because I wanted to spend the night with you! They understood and said they wanted me to go with them next year!”
At first, Luna was a bit worried, but as Screwball continued she couldn’t help but feel happy for the filly. “They sound like good potential friends. Keep them close, you may need them someday.”
“Yes, Luna!” Screwball said happily, remembering that the princess prefered to be addressed informally when amongst friends and acquaintances.
“Now, I believe you had something to show me?”
“Uh huh! It’s inside!” Screwball gestured to the barn.
“Then let’s not keep me in anymore suspense.” Screwball started to open the door when a howl echoed around them. Luna looked out to the Everfree forest not too far from them. “The timberwolves have been getting more active lately. Hmm, perhaps zap apple season is starting sooner than expected. I certainly hope that is the case, I’m running low on the Apple family’s special cider.” Screwball looked at her weird. “The cold nights require some mellowing,” she defended with a blush.
“Riiiight,” Screwball drawled out, giggling as Luna huffed. She led the princess into the barn, closing the door behind them. Once it was shut, they were surrounded by darkness that the filly darted into.
“Screwball?” Luna called softly. “Is this a part of the surprise?”
“Uh huh! Just hold on a second. Doesn’t always work on the first try.” There was a strange buzzing sound before something began to run, almost like the sound of a airship motor, yet nowhere near as loud.
Luna gasped as the whirring machine began to activate around her. Decorating the entire innards of the barn, even dangling from the ceiling were at the very least several hundred five pointed objects, all illuminating the bar like floating candles. At the very back of the barn was a large mock up of her moon, including the original mare-in-the-moon impression. Four of the objects that surrounded the moon shone brighter than the rest, almost twinkling with light.
“Do you like it?” Screwball asked excitedly.
“What… what is all this?” Luna asked, her eyes wide as she took in the whole thing.
“I’ve been working on it for months. Looking back through record after record,” as Screwball talked, she pulled out files and papers and pictures from a set of boxes near the back where Luna assumed the generator was. “I found entries in journals, passages in ancient texts, all of them referencing something that shouldn’t exist. And what would that be? Stars!” She stood on two legs, her forelegs wide as she gestured to the objects. “The stars that used to help brighten the night right along with your moon! Using all the references and here says, I tried to recreate the night sky of old! Before they all disappeared forever! So… what do you think?” she asked, excited, bouncing slightly in her spot with a large grin plastered on her face.
Luna continued just staring, and staring, and staring. Her jaw continued to open and close repeatedly, seemingly at a loss for words. After what felt like hours to the impatient filly, Luna sighed, looking at Screwball with exhausted eyes. “Screwball… we have talked about this.” The filly’s eyes began to widen as fear filled her. “Stars. Don’t. Exist.”
“That’s a lie!” she snapped at the princess, causing the alicorn to look flabbergasted at Screwball. “I know they used to be real! I see them in my dreams! I see them in our history!” She stomped on her ‘evidence’. “You’re the princess of the night and I know you know the truth. Stop lying to me!”
Luna stared into the hurt, moist eyes of Screwball, almost willing to wilt from the glare she was receiving. She tried to respond, but at that moment, the door to the barn opened. Both ponies looked to the entrance, eyeing that same pony that Screwball had crashed into the day before. Her soft blue eyes weren’t looking at either of them, simply on a strange mechanical device she was holding in her golden magical aura. The device was square-ish in shape with a strange little dish whirring about on top of it.
The mare kept her eyes trained on the device, though occasionally looked at the straw covered ground as she trotted in. Screwball and Luna watched silently as the mare began to walk about near the entrance to the barn, seeing who would make the first word. The moments ticked by slowly, the mare seemingly far too engrossed in her work to see she was not alone.
Clearing her throat, Luna tried to catch the mare’s attention. “Ahem. Can we assist you?”
“Hmm?” the mare said, finally looking up. “Oh! My apologies; I wasn’t aware anypony was in here.” She muttered, “I thought this place was abandoned.” She looked back to Luna and Screwball. “I’ll only be a moment. Won’t even know I’m here.” A cheeky smile on her lips, she went back to her little machine, now trotting along the side wall. “Oh, and nice depiction of the eastern constellations,” she said, getting Luna’s eyes to widen. “Although, you have Ursa Major and Ursa Minor flipped. Otherwise, well done… Screwball, yes?”
“Really?” Screwball asked, looking at the group of stars the mare had pointed out. “Are you sure? I thought I got it right from what I could find.”
The princess, however, was more focused on the mare than the stars. “You… how could you possible know that?”
“Simple,” the mare said, not even looking away as she moved the device in front of the rear wall of the structure. “I’ve seen the constellations. Used to have very beautiful skies here all those years ago. Very nice for laying out under the starlight.”
“Aha!” Screwball shouted, pointing a hoof at Luna. “I knew it! I knew stars existed!”
Before Luna could respond, the mare spoke again. “Of course there used to be stars!” she laughed lightly. “Almost every universe has stars. Or at least, they’re supposed to.”
“Universe?” Luna questioned quietly to herself. She shook that from her head, deciding to leave that for another time. “Just who are you? What are you doing here?”
“I’m tracking a tear in space-time,” the mare said, seemingly ignoring the princess’ first question. “This little doobob is helping me find it so I can repair it and prevent anything from the other side from coming through.”
“What do you mean ‘prevent something from coming through’?” Luna asked. “Explain yourself. What is going on here?”
At that very moment, a piercing howl rang from outside. And it sounded close.
The mare looked up towards the roof, scanning it for a moment. “To answer your question, Princess Luna… to stop stuff like that.”
“A howl?” she asked, a little miffed at such foolishness. “A simple timberwolf is no threat.”
“That was no timberwolf,” the mare said ominously. “We need to move.” She stuffed the strange little device into her cutie mark pocket. “Now.” She started heading to the door.
“We will not be going anywhere until you explain yourself!” Luna said indignantly.
“Now is not the time for your stubborn streak, Luna,” the mare said, irking Luna even more. “We don’t have much time until-”
A loud crash interrupted the mare, making the three ponies look to the far wall to see a large, hair-covered arm that extended down to a set of five extremely sharp claws. Screwball shrieked, bounding up into the air while Luna gasped.
“What in Discord’s name is that?!” the princess shouted, her pitch going to that of a little filly’s.
“Something certainly not friendly,” the mare answered ‘helpfully’. “We need to go before more show up. Come on!” She motioned towards the door at the other end of the barn.
“More?! There’s more of whatever that is?!” Screwball panicked, clinging onto Luna’s barrel.
Several more crashings sounded out as other monstrous arms broke into the barn, scaring Luna and Screwball even more as the mare’s worried look worsened. Creaking sounds came from above and the mare moved into action.
“Get down!” she shouted, tackling Screwball and Luna out of the way as several parts of the roof gave way. Four creatures landed in the middle of the barn, almost glowing from the now piercing moonlight. They were taller than Luna herself, easily thrice the height of any normal pony. Covered from their pointy ears to their sharp clawed paws in wild, matted hair and hunched slightly, the monsters looked to Luna like warmer variants of the arctic wolves if they had been bred with minotaurs. Even with their muzzles closed, sharp teeth pointed out, easily confirming them as predatory in nature and the three ponies had a good idea what they were hungry for.
“I don’t believe mine eyes,” Luna gasped, getting a strange look out of the mare next to her. The wolf creatures turned their piercing golden eyes towards the ponies, snarling angrily.
“Good going, Luna,” Screwball grumbled.
“Now is not the time for your attitude,” Luna scolded harshly. Screwball screamed again as the other claws tore through the sides of the barn, revealing more of the creatures, twelve in all.
“Wh-what are they?!” Screwball jittered, clinging so much to Luna it was almost like she was trying to become a part of her.
“Lycanis sapiens,” the mare hissed, placing herself between the wolves surrounding them and the other two ponies. “Or as most cultures call them: werewolves.”
“Werewolves?!” Screwball shrieked.
A shadow dropped from the room, landing in front of the original four wolves. This creature was only slightly taller than the unicorn, yet much hairier and scruffy-looking. Not only that, but was clearly equine in shape. The creature grinned toothily, showing off its sharp canines that could easily tear into the ponies. It laughed darkly, a feminine tone echoing from it. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” she said in a voice frighteningly familiar to Luna, not to mention the other ponies.
“Applejack?” the princess whispered fearfully. “Is… is that you?!”
The being walked directly into the light of Luna’s moon, showing that it was indeed Applejack Apple, the three apple cutie mark on her flanks confirming it. “In the fur, yet highness,” she said in that southern drawl of hers, licking her lips. “We’ve been waitin’ for ya. A long time we’ve been waitin’. And now, we gonna make ya suffer.” Applejack pointed at the unicorn and Screwball. “They’re all yers boys. But don’t be fillin’ up on the appetizers ya hear?” The wolves grinned, salivating intensely as they encroached on the ponies.
“I’m sorry I have to do this, Miss Applejack,” the mare said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a strange looking cylindrical object. The body itself looked as sleek as stainless steel, with a wide band of black rubber near the bottom, capped at the end by a piece of gold. Roughly at the center was a long indent into the middle with a circle at the lower end. The very tip was a dark blue colored bulb, with six glass squares just below it that wrapped around casing. “But you have left me no choice.”
Applejack laughed. “Oh? And wuz that doohickey s'posed ta do? Make us play fetch?!” The other wolves laughed while the mare only smirked.
“No, play dead!” The mare slid the little circle up the ridge, extending the top end out and revealing a clear tubing inside. The bulb, the tube, and the indent suddenly glowed a bright blue as a piercing sound shrieked from it. The wolves put their paws to their ears, howling in pain, even Applejack was too overwhelmed by the noise. Luna, Screwball, and even the mare had to flatten their ears to the head to prevent from having something similar happen to them. The mare stowed the device away again, turning to Luna and Screwball. “We have to go now! That won’t hold them off forever; come on!”
Luna took the hint this time, following the mare out of the barn in a rush. She paid one lasting look to the pained Applejack, giving the werepony a chance to glare and growl at the princess. She let out a sad sigh before racing out of the barn. The mare led them across the barren field that the building resided upon, running as fast as they could, which was surprisingly fast for a pony as aged as the mare appeared to be.
They heard a loud howl ring into the night from behind them and their ears picked up the sound of multiple bodies rushing out into the tall grass.
“They’re coming after us!” Screwball yelled.
“We just have to make it!” the mare called back..
“Make it to what?!” Luna asked.
“It’s just up ahead!”
Luna could hear the wolves getting closer, their nature allowing them to catch up even faster than they could run. She knew she could fly away, but that would mean leaving this mare behind and the princess refused to leave any of her subjects behind. Just in the distance, Luna spied a single standing structure made entirely of aged wood. It certainly had seen better days, as it looked almost ready to rot away into oblivion or to become easy termite food, if it wasn’t already. She also noticed that the mare was heading directly for the decrepit shed.
“Hury! We have to get inside!”
“Art thou mental?!” Luna cried, slipping slightly into her ancient tongue. “Why wouldst we hide in yonder box?!”
“We won’t be hiding! We’re getting out of here!”
The mare was the first to reach the shed, quickly taking out a key and unlocking the door. She opened the door and gestured for the still galloping Luna to go in. “Quickly! They’re almost here!”
Quickly debating the situation, Luna raced headlong with Screwball hanging on tight into the box. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing!”
“I do too!” The mare said, getting inside and locking the door shut. She turned and saw that Luna and Screwball were completely speechless as to what they were seeing. The shed looked nothing like it did on the outside, nor was the space inside anything they could have believed. The space was impossibly large, a dome ceiling above their head that was supported by four aged-metal beams. The walls looked to be made of some crystalline rock, giving it an almost coral-like appearance. In the center of the room was a large, circular desk-like contraption with buttons, switches, toggles, and even more lined along it. A large tube shot out of the middle that fed directly into the ceiling and below it into the grated floor that surrounded only that section.
“It’s… it’s…” Luna sputtered.
“It’s so much bigger on the inside,” Screwball awed.
“Yes, yes it is. But right now!” The mare proclaimed, rushing over to the central console and quickly flipping switches and turning this knob here and toggle the doohickey there.
“Are you sure you should be messing with that?” Luna asked.
“Of course,” the mare smirked. “It’s mine after all. Now hold on!” Luna’s next question was halted as the entire room suddenly jerked, sending her and Screwball to the floor. They held on as the entire world spun around them, a weird whirring sound coming from deep within the space they were in.
Just as quickly it had started, the shaking stopped, allowing the ponies to get to their hooves.
“What… what was that?!” Luna asked loudly.
“Come see,” the mare said happily, leading them back towards the door. She unlocked it again, and allowed the alicorn and earth pony to exit the strange machine. Where they found themselves was a dark navy themed room, decorated with many different knick knacks of the night theme. There were also several different paintings of the moon and themes of the night in general. Luna was completely dumbstruck.
“My room,” she breathed, her eyes wide. “We’re in my room at Canterlot Castle. B-b-but how?!” She turned to look at the mare that was leaning back against the now closed shed. “Who… what are you?”
The mare just leaned there for another moment, clearly thinking over her answer. “The Guardian.”
“Excuse me?” Luna replied from the simplicity.
“I am called the Guardian. I’m a time lord, or dominus temporis scientifically.”
“Time lord?” Screwball parroted. “Wait does that mean that you’re not…”
“A pony?” The Guardian giggled a bit. “Not in the normal sense, no. To your next question, yes, I do hail from another world. I’m an alien, if you will.”
“An alien?!” the two ponies shrieked.
“Must you keep shrieking?” she asked tiredly. “I mean honestly, we’re safe; for the moment.”
“What do you mean ‘for the moment’? We escaped!” Screwball argued.
“Yes, but they didn’t get what they wanted,” the Guardian pointed out. “And that’s what we need to find out. So, Princess Luna, mind telling us about these werewolves?”
“M-m-me?! Why me?!”
“Because you recognized them,” the Guardian would have said, if it had not been for Screwball saying so. “You clearly knew what they were when you saw them, Luna. Enough lying. It’s time to spill the beans.”
The Guardian cocked a brow at the filly, smiling a bit. “Well Luna? We’re waiting.”
The princess looked between the two ponies a few times, eyes darting rapidly before she sighed deeply. “Nightwolves. That’s what they told me their race was called. I don’t know why those chose now of all times to return, though.”
“Return?” Screwball asked.
Luna nodded. “Yes. They have been here for many centuries. Before… before Starfall.”
“Starfall? What’s that?”
“It’s when Equestria lost its stars,” the Guardian answered. “When the sky, once so full of beautiful, twinkling lights, when dark and cold. Where only the moon shone down upon the planet and night.”
“I knew it!” the filly exclaimed. “Um, okay, not about the wolves and stuff, but I was definitely right about the stars!”
With a sigh, Luna nodded. “Yes, Screwball, you were right. I am truly sorry I had to lie to you, my friend, but Starfall is secret of the crown and only the most ancient of beings. But it was a dark time for me and those that followed me. As the stars began disappearing, ponies began turning to me for blame. They believed I was ‘turning off’ the stars so that only my moon would adorn the night sky. Thankfully, my sister never believed such nonsense and together we sought a way to stop the loss of the stars.”
“But you couldn’t,” the Guardian interup- er, continued. Screwball and Luna looked to the mare, the former in curiosity and the latter in tiredness. “The stars were never something you could have saved, no matter how hard you tried. It was outside of your control.”
“Why?” Screwball asked, before her eyes shone and she gasped. “The legend! The Great War! The Displaced! It’s all true, isn’t it?! The stars were taken by those powerful beings!”
The Guardian actually looked surprised by Screwball’s outburst, blinking slowly a couple times before a warm smile graced her lips. “Very well done, Screwball. You are correct; this world, like many others, were involved in the Great War, if only marginally. Most of your universe was scarred and destroyed by the fighting, but there are some pockets, like here, that managed to escape relatively unscathed.”
“The Nightwolves were not so lucky,” Luna spoke up. “They came from a fallen world, one in which those beings destroyed their planet and most of their kind. Only three made the journey safely through time and space to Equestria. At first, we weren’t so welcoming to the predatory ambassadors, but I was willing to given them a chance to speak. Celestia didn’t approve, but as they told their story I knew it would be best to give them a chance to prove themselves. I had hope that they could integrate into pony society the same way we had been trying with the griffons. And, for the most part, it was a success. The Nightwolves were kind, polite, and honorable allies to Equestria. We had allowed them a section of the Everfree forest to themselves as it closely resembled their lost home. Their leader, Lupinicus, proclaimed to be eternally grateful for their second chance at life. But, as it turned out, that claim was not to Equestria, but to me specifically.”
“I see now,” the Guardian said with a sigh. “Your turn, the rise of Nightmare Moon and the aftermath of your sealing. They fought for you, as a part of your army to take control of the country and to strike down Celestia.” Luna’s silence was all she needed to know. “Because of their part in your uprise, Celestia was probably swift and harsh to punish them. I would say Tartarus at worst, banishment at best. Either way, they would have suffered greatly away from Equestria. No trade, lack of resources, and even hostility amongst other races would surely keep them dwindled. No doubt why there were so few that attacked us. Only a single pack to keep their race going.”
“I worried as much,” Luna sighed. “Truthfully, I had hoped the Nightwolves had died during my imprisonment. They are not the kind of enemy any sane pony would wish to have. They are ruthless in battle, becoming true monsters that even Discord would never think to unleash upon his worst of foes.”
“You mean the same monsters that we left just outside of the populated area known as Ponyville?” Screwball interjected. Luna and the Guardian paled, the latter bringing a hoof swiftly to her face.
“Whoops!” she proclaimed. “Did not think that far ahead. Odd, I’m usually on top of that sort of thing.”
A wisp of smoke suddenly blew into the room, magically curling into a rolled up scroll in front of Luna, who quickly grabbed it in her magic. “A letter from my sister’s student in Ponyville.”
“Student?”
“The librarian, Screwball,” the Guardian explained. “Twilight Sparkle is also Celestia’s student.”
“Oh. She’s kinda naggy.”
The Guardian laughed. “That she is, little one. That she is.”
Luna gasped as she dropped the note. “We have to return to Ponyville immediately!”
“Why, what’s wrong?” the Guardian asked, her voice taking on a more serious tone.
“The Nightwolves! They’ve taken the citizens hostage! If I don’t surrender myself to them, they’ll kill them all for dinner!”
“Everypony?!” Screwball said, fear taking hold in her eyes.
“You can’t do that, Luna,” the Guardian commanded.
“I will not stand back and let my citizens become alien wolf food!”
“I’m not saying that!” The Guardian took a calming breath. “It’s a trap. You can’t trust them to keep their word on this. They may have been honorable in the past, but this new breed could easily have shifted to a nasty style. Once they have you in their claws, it’s more likely they’ll simple kill everypony for the fun of it!”
“I will not allow them!” Luna said at the top of her lungs.
The Guardian stared at Luna for a moment before smiling. “Then let’s go. We have a town to save.”
“I’m going too!” Screwball declared.
“No,” Luna asserted. “You will stay here and be safe.”
“But-”
“She’s coming with,” the Guardian said as she entered the old shed again.
“B-whut?!” Luna ‘intelligently’ proclaimed, the filly speeding past her inside. “Wh-whatever for?!”
“A bright young mind might be just what we’ll need,” the Guardian said as she began to set the knobs and switches again.
Luna sighed as she closed the door. “Alright, but she’s your responsibility.” She smirked. “Hopefully you can manage that.”
The Guardian looked over at Screwball who was studiously watching as she performed her tasks on the console. A smile formed softly again. “I don’t think there will be any problems in that. Now, adelante!”
“What’s that mean?” Screwball asked.
“It’s Spanish for ‘onward’.”
“Oh, ok then. Adelante!”
“That’s the spirit!” the Guardian cheered as she pulled the lever, the strange noise echoing through the room as it jolted again, sending the three onward.
Applejack paced softly in front of her hostages, all tied up, blinded, and gagged. She didn’t need ponies looking at her pleadingly or whining about being there against their will. It would have gotten on her nerves and that would have resulted in wasting a hostage. Not something that would leave a good impression.
“Are you sure she’s gonna show?” one of her subordinates questioned, licking his lips hungrily as he eyed the townsponies. “We’re getting rather impatient, ma’am.”
“Well suck it up!” she ordered, glaring darkly. “Ain’t gonna lose mah bargainin’ chip ‘cause y’all are whinin’ like lil’ foals! Besides, she’ll show. Dear Princess Luna would never allow her precious ponies to suffer ‘cause o’ her. An’ believe me, she knows who we are.”
A strange sound echoed into the night, the very sound Applejack remembered ringing out when that magic shed disappeared with her prize. She smiled victoriously. “Jus’ as Ah said. Like a moth to a flame.”
The shed materialized a several meters out, allowing plenty of room between the two parties. Luna, Screwball, and the Guardian stepped out, staring down Applejack and her twelve wolves.
“Welcome back, Luna!” the werepony greeted. “How do ya like the new decorations? The boys an’ Ah think they’re absolutely,” she licked her lips, specifically running her tongue over her canine teeth, “delicious.”
“What happened to you, Applejack?” Luna asked, shaking her head in contempt. “This isn’t you. You’re not some monster willing to sacrifice her family for a bunch of creatures she only just met.”
Applejack smiled, slowly chuckling under her breath before laughing uproariously. “Ah, ya really don’t recognize me in this flesh bag, Luna? Ah’m a little hurt, to be truthful.”
“What are you talking about?!” Luna demanded.
“Just as I feared,” the Guardian spoke up. “That’s not Applejack in charge of her body. Another has taken control and altered it to their own benefit.”
“But who could do such a…” Luna’s eyes widened in realization. “Lupinicus! You swore you’d never allow such black magic to be used!”
The werepony smirked darkly. “Ah swore an oath to a failed princess. A leader who promised us so much an’ failed so miserably. In our tradition, that means the leader must become food for the pack an’ the one who claims their life will become the true leader of the pack! Ah couldn’t pass up such an opportunity so Ah used the life merge ritual to transfer to new bodies every few decades or so. This one is so strong and nimble that it should last me at least a century. An’ as leader, there ain’t no pony that can stop the Nightwolves from taking this planet for our own! Even Celestia herself will kneel at our paws!”
“You’re insane!” Luna screeched at him. “Return Applejack’s body this moment!”
“As if I would trade up such a powerful form!” Lupinicus sneered. She whistled sharply, her werewolves started to move toward the three heroes.
“This is bad,” Screwball pointed out.
“I can’t fight all of them. Nightwolves are far stronger than any pony could ever hope to be. I could take one or two, but this many would be suicide.” Luna looked around, seeing that the wolves had them completely boxed in.
“We need a plan,” muttered the Guardian.
Screwball looked back and forth worriedly between Luna and the wolves, but for some reason, her attention kept being drawn to the Everfree forest. Then it began to dawn on her. Every time a howl had been released, everypony always looked in the direction of the Everfree. But why? What was so important about… the… “That’s it!” she whispered.
“What’s it?” the Guardian asked, lifting out her screwdriver, pointing it defensively at the wolves.
“When you were in the barn, you said you were looking for a time-space doohickey right?”
“A rip in space-time, yes. What about it?”
“Think about it. We right on the edge of the Everfree forest. Why would the wolves take everypony here? And why is it that whenever something howled, they were instantly drawn towards the forest because of it? What makes it special?!”
The Guardian’s jaw slowly opened as she began to understand. “Natural magic. The Everfree forest is the largest cluster of natural, or compared to Equestrian magic, chaotic magic in the entire world! What other area could ever possess such a rip?!” She smacked herself upside the head. “How could I not have seen it!? Screwy! You’re brilliant!” Quickly she raced past Luna, using her momentum to slide under the wolves’ claws, and head towards the edge of the forest.
“Don’t focus on her!” Lupinicus ordered. “Ah want Luna at my hooves ten minutes ago!” The wolves refocused themselves on Luna and Screwball, getting ready to pounce.
“I sure hope the Guardian has a plan,” Luna whispered.
“Have faith in her. I know she’ll get us out of this,” Screwball said, very certain of her belief.
The Guardian had out her scanner again, running along the edge of the forest. The dish began to spin rapidly at the direct entrance to the forest, the road that disappeared into its depths. “This it. Right here.” She put the device away and ran her little cylinder over it. “Come on, trust in the sonic screwdriver. Just gotta… find… the right frequency and…. aha! Gotcha ya little…” The Guardian smiled as she pointed the screwdriver right at the very center of the road, directly lined with the center of the trees that ran alongside her. She pressed the button, sliding it out to it’s full extent. A tiny little fracture appeared where she pointed, growing even wider as it ran and extended. In less than a moment, it had become a large vortex, twice the size of the Nightwolves.
Air started to get sucked into the vortex, but to the Guardian it was a mere light breeze. To the Nightwolves, however, it felt like they were being dragged by the universe’s largest vacuum cleaner. The howled and whined as they lunged to keep on the ground. They all tried to dig their claws into the ground, but the suction just got worse and worse, taking the weakest wolves into its maw rather easily. The ponies watched as one after another, the wolves gave way, disappearing into the vortex.
“No! NOOO!” Lupinicus cried, being unaffected by the interdimensional vacuum. “What is happening?! How is this possible?!”
“Because of your method of travel!” the Guardian shouted over the noise of flailing wolves and whistling wind. “Your little rip in time and space works by sucking you out of one point of the universe and spitting you out in another. Primitive technology, though no doubt top of the line when you first used it. I just decided to use it against you and put in reverse! Now it’ll suck your pack right of Equestria and back to where you came from!”
“But there’s nothing on the other side!” the werepony cried. “You’ve doomed them all!”
“Wrong!” the Guardian shouted back. “I altered the destination a bit, sending you somewhere where you’ll never bother other living beings again. And your vengeful tradition left unfulfilled!”
Lupinicus glared at the Guardian with eyes full of raging hatred, snarling to the best of her ability. “NO! I won’t let everything I’ve worked for be in vain! If I can’t kill Luna, then I’ll just become her!” She charged forward, chanting in some ancient tongue that nopony could understand, yet Luna knew clearly what it was. She jumped back as the werepony’s claw tried to swipe at her.
“I will not allow you to take my form, Lupinicus! The power alone would destroy you!”
“Oh no need to sweet talk it, princess! I already want it!”
The Guardian felt helpless, needing to keep her screwdriver running on the portal to absorb the last two wolves that were still desperately hugging the earth beneath them. Luna kept dodging back and back, not wanting to harm her friend’s body because of the evil entity possessing her. The princess’ back hoof hit a rock, sending her off balance to the ground.
“Ack!” she flinched, unable to get up.
Lupinicus made her move. “You’re mine!” she shouted, bringing her claw down on the alicorn. Luna flinched, waiting for the spell to activate, but it never did. She blinked before looking up and seeing at little frog on her side where the possessed Applejack had clawed, said mare lying unconscious in front of her..
Luna heard deep panting, seeing Screwball pointing two hooves at her. Both hooves also seemed to be smoking slightly. “The best way to ruin a foolproof plan: add in a dash of chaos,” the filly said with a tired smile.
“No. N-n-no!” the frog shrieked at the top it’s lungs. “This can’t be happening! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!”
Luna smirked, lifting the frog Lupinicus in her magic. “So the mighty have fallen.”
“N-n-now Luna, we can talk about this, right?” the frog said hopefully.
“Hmm… no.” She tossed the frog into the vortex just as it sucked up the last wolf.
“You can’t do this to us! We’ll be back someday! You’ll be mine Luna! You will be--” The Guardian cut him off by deactivating her screwdriver, allowing the portal to instantly slam shut, the rips fading away into nothingness.
“And that’s enough of that,” the unicorn said with a victorious smirk.
“That was quite some show, Guardian,” Luna said with a bow of her head. She turned to Screwball with a soft smile. “And thank you, Screwball. For saving me. It is most appreciated.
“I helped!” the filly said, before falling onto her back, exhaustion slowly overtaking her.
“You did, Screwy,” the Guardian said, coming into Screwball’s fading field of vision. The filly smiled before a dreamless sleep took hold.
Foals bustled and rushed, heading towards their new week of school. Including Screwball, taking her time to get to school. She had awoke the day after Nightmare Night in her bed at the orphanage. At first she had panicked, thinking it was all a dream. Before she knew that Luna had been in the room the entire time. The princess had assured her that what had happened was no dream. But there were going to need to be some changes.
First was that she could tell nopony about Starfall or any of the history of the Nightwolves. Both were of top security of the crown and that information could be very dangerous in the wrong hooves. Another was on Luna’s part where she promised not to keep such secrets from her friends anymore, especially not one that had been willing to risk their life for hers. And third, was that Luna promised to spend more time with Screwball, hopefully knowing a princess closely would bring her some more friends. Screwball accepted each promise equally.
The filly had also asked about the Guardian, but Luna was unable to answer. Mostly because the Guardian, and her vehicle, had disappeared after Screwball had been returned home. It was a little disappointing that the mare of mystery hadn’t even said goodbye, but she was at least sure there was a good reason behind it. There had to have been.
“Good morning, Screwball,” a feminine, accented voice called out from nearby.
“Hi Guardian,” Screwball said, continuing to walk by for a few seconds before realizing what she had said. She turned on a bit to see the olive-green unicorn leaning against that strange shed of hers, just casually outside of Sugarcube Corner. “Guardian! You came back!”
“Yeah,” the Guardian drawled out. “Just had to make a quick errand, nothing major. Making sure the Nightwolves were settling just fine on their new home planet. Quite interesting what happens over a thousand years.”
Screwball turned her head so far it almost turned completely upside down. “Say what?”
The Guardian patted her shed. “This, this is my TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimension In Space. It’s a time machine, and a space ship. I travel in it, going where I can to help however I can.”
“Woah, for real?”
“For real?” the mare smiled.
“So, you can go anywhere?”
“Anywhere.”
Screwball put a hoof to her chin. “Fifteen hundred years ago?”
“Few switches and a pull of the lever,” the Guardian said immediately.
“Distant galaxy where life hasn’t been completely destroyed?”
“Gotta turn the knob up to eleven, but yes, even that.”
“Manehattan, seventy years from now.”
“Foal’s play.”
“Nightmare Moon’s first night?”
“Yep.”
“Discord’s reign?”
“That’s a fun one.”
“Another universe!” Screwball was sure she got the Guardian on that one.
The mare leaned forward, still smiling and whispered into the filly’s ear, “All the time.”
As the Guardian pulled away, Screwball was awestruck. “That. Is. Amazing. You have to have the coolest job ever!”
“Well,” she drawled out, walking to the front of the shed and leaning on the front door. “Yeah, it can be pretty cool. But, it gets pretty lonely. I could use somepony who’s smart, resourceful, full of surprises.” She smiled at Screwball who was staring with wide eyes and a slack jaw. “Know of any such ponies?”
“M-m-me? You want me to go with you?” Screwball couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
The Guardian opened the door, still standing there. “There are worlds beyond anything you’ve ever seen. And I would love to show you them all.”
Screwball was quiet for a moment. “The Displaced. Could you show me the Displaced?”
The Guardian stared at the filly with an unreadable expression before smiling softly. “If that’s where you want to go, then it’s where we’ll go and I’ll have you back before school even starts.”
Screwball stared into the TARDIS, emotions flaring to life within her. Eventually, the excitement overtook her and she sped into the machine, ooh and awing over every little last detail. The Guardian couldn’t help, but laugh loudly and happily at her new companion.
“So then, Screwball,” she said, closing the door and walking up to the console. “Where to first?”
“I wanna go someplace… fun!”
“Then fun it will be!” The Guardian pressed and pulled, spun and toggled, punching in who knows what into the console before putting her hoof on the lever. “Adelante?”
Screwball smiled widely, floating excitedly thanks to her helicopter beanie. “Adelante!”
The Guardian yanked the lever, sending them off to their next adventure.
Author's Note
Alrighty then! My first entry to a brand new story that I've been wanting to do for some time now. Now, first things first, is that due to the material of that legend at the beginning as well as the setting of the story itself, this in essentially noncanon to the Displaced-verse as a whole and exists solely as a possible future. Don't go asking me who survived, who died, who killed who, none of that because that's not important. And also I shouldn't be seeing other stories that are running in this same timeframe as it's not a smart move on your part.
Anyway, back to the story itself. As you have all guesssed, this is another Doctor Who esque story and I honestly hope that you all enjoyed it as well as what is to come as we send this duo off to exciting worlds that haven't been explored in the Displaced as well as some of your favorite and unknown Displaced heroes. This will be getting into a lot of the lore and mythos surrounding the entire Displaced as well as having fun adventures along the way. So, I hope you stick with me as we traverse this fun realm together! See ya next time!
Last note, a picture of the Guardian's sonic: 
