Applebloom paced around the clearing impatiently. Her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, were supposed to meet her at Five 'O Clock but they were four minutes late.
"Ah wish they'd hurry up!" muttered Applebloom. She trotted over to a nearby tree and sat down. Applebloom was in Roseland, West of Ponyville. It was dangerous, for ponies. A fox darted past Applebloom, startling her. Applebloom fell back in surprise.
"Hey Applebloom!" the voice surprised Applebloom. She looked for the fox but it was gone, and besides, foxes couldn't talk. Applebloom looked up to see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in front of her.
"Oh hey Sweetie, hey Scoota" Applebloom blushed with embarrassment, wondering if her two friends saw her fall because of the fox.
"So, why did you want us?" asked Scootaloo.
"For a special mission, we're gonna-" Applebloom stopped as she saw Scootaloo flap her wings and jump in the air.
"WOOHOO!!! I love special missions! Is it secret?"
"Very" Applebloom nodded.
"What do we have to do then?" Sweetie Belle spoke.
"We're gonna sneak off to find our Cutie Marks!" Applebloom watched as her two friends gasped in surprise. They obviously hadn't been expecting that kind of answer.
"I can't sneak off! Rarity will get worried!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"I can't either, I got to train with Rainbow Dash tomorrow!" answered Scootaloo sadly.
"But we gotta get our Cutie Marks, and this is the only way!" answered Applebloom.
"I can leave a note!" answered Sweetie Belle excitedly.
"I guess Rainbow Dash can wait..." muttered Scootaloo.
"Great! Let's go! Ah'm sick of being a blank flank and gettin' teased bah Diamond Tiara!" Applebloom said determinedly. She and her friends grabbed their bags and ran as fast as they could out of Roseland. Once Cattens saw them, the Cutie Mark Crusaders would stand no chance against the winged cats.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders finally made it to the Everfree Forest and stepped in. It was dark and spooky, with pony eating plants lining every path. One actually tried to eat Sweetie Belle's bag. Once the Crusaders had walked long enough, they found a cave.
"Let's go in!" Scootaloo dashed into the cave.
"Um, Scoota! Wait fer us!" Applebloom called. Her and Sweetie Belle ran into the cave after Scootaloo. They slowed to a trot as they saw Scootaloo had stopped. She was looking up in astonishment at a giant cave painting.
"Woah! What's that!?" Sweetie Belle gasped. The painting had two ponies holding a giant gemstone, perhaps an amethyst.
"It's a painting! Maybe if we find what it means, one of us will get out Cutie Marks!" answered Scootaloo.
"Ah'm afraid it looks like spray paint, it's false" Apple sighed, feeling the wall. Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling as a passageway opened up, stairs winding down behind the stone door.
"Woahhh! Sweet!" Scootaloo zipped down the stairs, not waiting for her friends.
"Oh no..." Applebloom did a facehoof and ran down the stairs after Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle trailing not far behind. The two less feisty Crusaders watched as Scootaloo opened another chamber and zoomed inside. Finally, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle reached the end of the chamber. There was three paths they could take, but they weren't sure which one Scootaloo had taken.
"Ummm, you take the right path, and ah'll take tha left" Applebloom ran into the left chamber with Sweetie taking the right. Neither of them took the middle, as it just seemed better to go the sides.
As Applebloom walked through the left chamber, she began to feel being watched. There was stranger ancient markings on the sides of the walls, and they seemed to burn into Applebloom's eyes. She just couldn't take her eyes of the pictures.
"Heheh, hello filly!" Applebloom spun around as she heard the voice, but to her surprise, she didn't see anypony. Applebloom was now sure she was being watched, so she hurried on. Applebloom suddenly saw somepony flash in front of her face. The moment was too brief to recognize the pony, but it was scary.
"Um, who are you? If it's you Sweetie Belle, or you Scootaloo, please stop! This isn't funny!" Applebloom quickened her pace, afraid that she even dared talking.
"I'm your surroundings, you're living me right now, the step you took, me, the step you're taking, me, the step you will take" the voice paused for a second "me".
"What is that supposed to mean!?" Applebloom quickened her pace even more, sure now that the pony she saw wasn't one of her friends.
"I'm what doesn't exist in the blackness of, something, that will be the last thing to leave this universe. You know that? Black holes. And what doesn't exist in black holes?" the voice let out a snicker.
"Oh crud, Time, AH'M BEING FOLLOWED BY SUIKA!!!" Applebloom sped through the chamber, scared out of her wits. She now knew who was speaking to her, and she was terrified.
"Running, that's fast, that speeds me up, you're not helping yourself" the voice gave a laugh that echoed around the whole chamber. Applebloom finally stopped running, not sure of what to do next. It was at that moment that she looked at the wall and noticed the same painting from the start, as well as, a white cyborg pegasus.
"Please, why'd ya want me!?" asked Suika.
"I'm out for no revenge, I just do what I do" the image dissapeared. Applebloom realized she was being looped in time. She was at the start of the chamber again.
"How do ah get out then?" she asked, unsure whether she'd get an answer.
"Restart to try again, then you'll find your way" Suika was not out to kill for once, she just wanted Applebloom to remain trapped.
"Okay, uhh" Applebloom looked at the chamber door behind her. Slowly walking out, she looked at the other tunnels. The world suddenly began to swirl and with a flash, Applebloom found herself on the other side of the tunnel.
"Ah made it!" she gasped with joy. Applebloom ran to see if she could find Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Applebloom walked up to a chest and opened it, screaming once she saw what was inside.
"Oh do you like it?" Suika flashed in front of Applebloom.
"No no no!" Applebloom stared in shock and fear at the earth pony skeleton inside the chest.
"Caving in her skull was the only way to, shut her up" Suika appeared in front of Applebloom again, this time just standing there. She had a wicked smile on her face, as if she was pleased at what she had done.
"Shut her up!? What was she gonna talk about!?" Applebloom suddenly felt a great anger inside herself.
"Talk about, well, she made this thing that allowed earth ponies to stand on clouds, and she found the Rainbow Factory" Suika smiled.
"What's that!?" asked Applebloom.
"Nevermind!" answered Suika. She closed the lid of the chest and dissapeared.
"Ohhhh, that poor pony..." muttered Applebloom. She went to turn back to the first chamber, seeing as there was no more doors, but she instead realized there was no exits at all.
"What!?" Applebloom stared all around the room, desperate for an exit.
Save me...
The voice startled Applebloom. She jumped back, to see the ghost of a pink earth pony, one Applebloom knew as Pinkie Pie.
*Cough cough* Applebloom? Is that you?
Pinkie Pie looked up at Applebloom sadly.
"Pinkie? Is that you!? What happened!?" Applebloom gasped.
Um, I remember, I was knocked to the ground, and then... I don't remember anything after that
Pinkie sighed. Applebloom walked up to her and tried to feel Pinkie's fur, but her hoof went straight through the pink party mare's body. Applebloom stepped back.
"You-you-you're the pony in the chest, aren't you..." Applebloom muttered. "Oh Pinkie..."
END OF CHAPTER ONE
