When the Dash Comes Around

by Matthew Penn

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Drama
Length: 15759

A year after the events of The Spirit of Loyalty, Scootaloo must fulfill her destiny when dark forces threaten to destroy the balance of harmony in Equestria.

A year has passed since the death of Rainbow Dash, and her good friends - especially Scootaloo - have come to accept a life without her. When the Summer Sun Celebration is about to begin, Scootaloo becomes curious about the Elements of Harmony, mainly the Element of Loyalty, which belonged to Rainbow Dash. Learning that the magic of an element can be passed to a successor, Scootaloo doesn't believe herself worthy of continuing Rainbow Dash's legacy.

All that changes when a long-defeated ancient evil rises once again to bring Equestria into a new age of darkness that is beyond all imagination. With the next bearer of the Element of Loyalty has yet to be found, the Elements of Harmony remain at their weaken state, and Scootaloo is put to the ultimate test of courage and strength, and faith in herself, as the future of Equestria rests on her wings.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-25 01:12:25 UTC

Part 2

Trixie knew she was as far from civilization as she can possibly be. The unicorn was armed with only her instincts, wit, and a map. Sometime ago, she came across the map while taking refuge from a travelling goat in her vardo. In the middle of the night, while the goat was sleeping, Trixie stole the map from a secret compartment in the vardo, then quietly made her way out. The map lead her through the wilderness for a long time. Trixie didn’t know how many days, or weeks, have gone by since then.

She hadn’t eaten since beginning her travels. Trixie rationalized to herself that she didn’t need to eat. The map was going to lead her to bury treasure, all the richest of the world she can’t possibly imagine. And to think that goat was going to find the lost treasure before she, the Great and Powerful Trixie, was the only thing that occupied her thoughts.

Trixie was a unicorn who specialized in a different kind of magic. While most unicorns use magic to learn about, and observe their environment and themselves, Trixie used her magic to entertain ponies. She began to shows and performances since she was a filly, eleven-years-old to be exact. She was inspired to get into show business by the greatest magician of all-time, Hoofdini. During her early years Trixie kept a chart she used a measuring tool between Hoofdini and herself. It was to see if she can catch up to his greatness.

Recently, however, she decided to take a break from doing magic shows. There was a rumor that was spreading about a hidden treasure somewhere in the outer regions of Equestria. As luck or fate would have it, Trixie came across the goat who carried the map to that very treasure. It didn’t matter to her how far she had to go, or if she’ll die from starvation. Once the treasure is found, all the hardships she’d endured will be worth it. There was a moment when Trixie compared her to a character from a story she heard years ago. The stallion wandered the desert for forty days and forty nights, only to find a breathtaking oasis the middle of all that sand. The stallion believed it was a mirage, and walked passed it, only to realize too late it was a blessing from the gods themselves, and the oasis disappeared. Well, Trixie wasn’t going to make that mistake like the stallion did. She’ll take anything she sees, even if it was too good to be true.

The landscape was filled with rock and stone, making it difficult for Trixie to walk. She took out the map and read it. Apparently, the cave where the treasure is located is nearby. There are only several paces she’ll have to walk before she gets there. Before she knew it she had to climb a steep slope. One misstep, no matter how insignificant, can cause her to tumble downward. As she climbed sweat trickled from her forehead. Perspiration drenched her hair, the strands blocking her vision. Trixie wiped her forehead cleaned and continued upward. Nothing was going to stop her from finding the treasure. Finally Trixie climbed to the top, only to find that going downward met she’ll have to walk through more rocks and climb more slopes.

“Drat!” she said. Trixie pulled the map from her saddlebag and opened it. She scanned it closely. “Whoever made this has no sense of direction,” she said. Trixie put the map away and continued down, almost tripping and falling, but stopping herself just in time.

For a while Trixie had the feeling that she was walking aimlessly, or worse, in circles. Trixie groaned as she came across another steep rocky hill, forcing herself to once again climb upward. It was a long climb, as if trying to reach the top of a mountain that reached toward heaven. As before, Trixie stumbled, but stopped herself before tumbling down the rock hill. Trixie is almost to the top, she told herself. Just a little bit further. Trixie crawled to the top, and looking forward she could see something in the distance. It was a formation on the ground, surrounded by dead trees, which seem to have a hole in it. Trixie consulted her map, and a smile was attached to her face when she realized she found the cave. “Brilliant!” she exclaimed.

Trixie rushed down the slope, sliding across until she landed on the flat surface, maneuver herself through the bumps and curves on the ground, climbed another hill when finally she arrived at the mouth of the cave. She leaned forward, noticing the cave carried an unnatural silence. Trixie lit her horn to illuminate her path, and entered with cautious steps. She kept in mind all those adventure stories where the hero enters a cave and managed to successfully evade the traps that were set inside. Much to relief there were no such traps as she ventured deeper, but she remained vigilant. Trixie looked over her shoulder once in a while to make sure nopony was following her. Sound was nonexistent the further she walked. Trixie can no longer see the opening of the cave when she turned around. She continued forward nonetheless.

Without looking she bumped face-first into a dead end. Trixie gasped in disbelief. There was no way the path ended here. She searched for another opening with the light from her horn. Sadly there was nothing to be found. Trixie cursed under her breath. Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted something on the stone wall. When she inspected it closely, Trixie learned it was an inscription of some sort. It was carved in rock. The words were faint, but still readable. Closely her eyes scanned the sentences, and they read, “Whoever enters this cave, turn back. What you seek will not be found here. Turn away from this dreaded place, for only darkness dwells beneath the depths.”

Having read the passage, Trixie figured the treasure must be hidden somewhere. “Nopony can scare away the Great and Powerful Trixie!” she said. Trixie searched for a hollow surface by running her hoof through the dirt. Then she scanned the ground with her horn until it changed color. She found it. “Time to dig,” Trixie said to herself. She removed her backpack and took out a miniature shovel.

The lost treasure was well within her grasp. Her mind created images of gold pouring from the sky. She saw every inch of herself covered in jewels and diamonds. Importantly, everyone from every corner of Equestria will come see her. Trixie didn’t think Hoofdini could have done something amazing at this level.

She stopped. Trixie heard something, a faint whisper in the air.

Don’t do it, someone said.

“Hello?” she called out. “Who is there? Reveal yourselves!”

There was no response. Trixie waited, but the cave had not decided to answer back. Maybe she was hearing things, she thought. “Your efforts to frighten Trixie are useless!” she called out. Trixie resumed digging, but a cloud of paranoia loomed over her. There was a fleeting moment where she believed to have heard the voice again. This time it said, Leave while you can.

“Who is there?” she called out again. “Whoever you are, you will never get your hooves on Trixie’s treasure!”

Once again the cave didn’t answer. Trixie wanted to continue digging. She knew she was near, but fear was stopping her. The passage on the wall came to her thoughts. Must she heed the warning? The question made her shiver. At that same instant, she shook off the fear. Trixie rationalized that it was just her mind playing tricks on her since the cave was terribly dark. The unearthing commenced.

Beneath the dirt was a loud clank. Trixie stopped, tossed the shovel aside, then let her hooves uncover whatever it was she found. She reached down into the dirt.

There it was. She found it after her long journey. A black box that fitted nicely into both of her hooves like a piece of an unsolvable puzzle. The box was made of a material that was foreign to her senses, chained and locked tightly. There were many ways to open a box, Trixie thought.

Put it back, the voice of the cave said.

“Trixie refuses to listen to you,” she told the dark void. “Trixie will leave, and there is nothing you can do otherwise.”

Trixie turned to the direction she came from, hoping to find her way out of the cave. From the time to time the small voice warned her, pleading her to leave the box at the cave where it belonged. It wouldn’t get through to her. The Great and Powerful Trixie will never heed such warnings. She already came this way to find the treasure.

Princess Luna found her elder sister at and about in the castle garden. Celestia had her eyes fixed upon a statue of a peculiar draconequus. Luna tilted her head. Why was Celestia setting her gaze at Discord, she wondered. For what purpose?

“I’m glad you’ve arrived,” Celestia said. “I want to talk to you.”

“About what?” asked Luna.

Celestia didn’t answer. Luna stood next to her sister, and together they stared at the statue of Discord, the spirit of chaos. Looking closely, they saw fear in his face. It was the exact moment he was turned to stone for a second time, thanks to the Elements of Harmony lead by Twilight Sparkle. To this day neither Celestia nor Luna had no idea how Discord managed to escape his eternal punishment, but they were pleased that Equestria was safe from his grasp.

“I have invited Twilight Sparkle and her friends to Canterlot for the Summer Sun Celebration. I believe it will be a great way to honor them for the good they have done.”

“That is very kind of you, sister. I am sure Twilight will appreciate it,” said Luna. “I will have the guest rooms prepared for their arrival.”

Celestia nodded. “My reason for doing this is because this is the season she lost Rainbow Dash. I thought spending some time in Canterlot with her friends will make her feel better. It’s the least I can do.”

“I can’t believe a year has passed already,” added Luna. She kept her gaze on Discord’s statue. Then, she turned to her sister. From the look on her face she was deep in thought. “You seem to be troubled. Is something the matter, my sister?”

“I was thinking about the last threat the Elements faced. King Sombra and his rule over the Crystal Empire. I have a feeling that something is going to happen again… very soon.”

“All the reason why we must be vigilant. Do you remember that protective shield we placed over Canterlot during Princess Cadence’s wedding?” asked Luna.

“I do. And Queen Chrysalis still managed found a way around it. By kidnapping Cadence herself. How low can a pony go?”

“Not as low as Chrysalis. We must put up a shield during the Summer Sun Celebration, if you’re anxious that an enemy attack may happen.”

“No, we shouldn’t do that. Let’s wait until after, at least until the Watchguards send out an alert. The Celebration of the Summer Sun is supposed to be a joyous occasion. We shouldn’t harbor feelings of paranoia.”

“... That didn’t stop me,” Luna said drearily.

Celestia stole a glance at Luna. She knew what her young sister meant. They remained silent. Celestia guessed the discussion of the situation was settled. Will they give a protective shield over Canterlot another chance after last time? Surely they have learned to make it stronger, much more fool-proof. She wish the days were simple like before.

“What dwells your thoughts now, sister?” Luna asked.

“How do you think it feels being turned into stone?”

“... I don’t understand you.”

“It’s a simple question. How do you think it feels to be turned into stone? How does it feel to not have any control of your body or movements?”

“I believe it’s similar to a prison. Why do you ask such things?”

“A long time ago, I performed an experiment on myself,” she said.

Luna gave her a look of confusion. “You did? What did you do?”

“I wanted to know what it felt like to be turned into stone. I ordered my guards to go into the Everfree forest to capture a cockatrice, and to bring it to the castle. Then the moment finally came for the experiment to begin. When I looked into its eyes… there was fear I never felt before. I couldn’t move. My entire body was petrified. The fear continued to consume me, for some reason it felt like I was dying. It was painful. Even breathing became difficult. Seeing how I was in great agony, the guards quickly turned the cockatrice away from my sight. I healed myself, but from that day forward I finally knew the pain of being turned into stone.”

“Sister, why would you do that to yourself?” Luna asked in shock. “That was foolish of you.”

“I had to. I wanted to know what went through Discord’s mind as we, and Twilight Sparkle and her friends, turned him into stone. Now I know. Saying it was terrible feeling is a tremendous understatement. There are no words to describe the pain and fear I felt. I hope we were not cruel to him.”

“We did what we had to do,” said Luna. “He is the spirit and the embodiment of anarchy and disorder. There was no way he can live among us civilized ponies. Harmony is something we value the most.”

“Maybe you’re right. But surely you can see the look on his face.”

Luna gazed upon the statue of Discord once more, and yes, there was great fear on his face, and was immortalized in stone for all generations. The thought never occurred to her that being encapsulated in stone was a fate worse than death. She thought there was no pain, and a suitable punishment for Discord. It was difficult to admit that her views had slightly changed.

“It’s just something I think we should both know,” said Celestia.

“Are you thinking of releasing Discord? Because if you are, you have completely lost your mind, Celestia.”

“I didn’t say I was going to set him free.”

“... Well, whatever you are thinking, don’t do it, for your sake and for mine. I have to return to the castle and inform the staff of our coming guests.”

“I’ll be right there,” said Celestia.

Luna nodded and flew back to the castle. Celestia stayed behind with Discord. She wondered what he and Twilight said to each other before his final defeat. Did Discord mocked the power of the Elements? Did Twilight lectured about the power of friendship? And that look of fear. It goes to show that even the most terrifying of creatures can feel fear and helplessness.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle held tightly to the metal bars of the spinning roundabout. They feared the two would fly off and hurt themselves if they lose only a slightest grip. It always happened when Scootaloo was spinning it.

“Not so fast!” yelled Sweetie.

“You want me to go faster? Okay!” joked Scootaloo. She increased the speed of the roundabout, laughing inwardly as she sent Apple Bloom and Sweetie into a frenzy. They begged Scootaloo to stop, then listened after waiting a few moments. The fillies stumbled from dizziness, and felt the world furiously spin around them, then falling onto the grass to catch their breaths. They can hear Scootaloo chuckling.

“Dang Scootaloo, you almost killed us,” said Apple Bloom.

“Come on, don’t be so overdramatic. It wasn’t that bad.”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Sweetie groaned.

“That’s just your body playing tricks on you. You’ll be fine.”

Feeling horribly weak and tired from the dizziness they suffered, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stayed on the ground, choosing instead to climb on each other for support. Scootaloo shrugged, then trotted to the bench where Tank was. There was only his shell, but when Scootaloo held him in her hooves his head and limbs appeared. “I know you don’t want to be spun around like that,” she said. A thought made Scootaloo curious. She wondered what sort of fun things Rainbow Dash did with him. Scootaloo reminded herself to talk to Fluttershy later. Maybe she’ll have the answers, she thought.

Scootaloo had an idea. She sat up from the bench and moved to the ground where she turned herself on her back, and lifted Tank with all four of her legs. She liked doing that with him back home. Scootaloo figured it was fun to do it outdoors. That way, against the backdrop of the blue sky, it looked as though he was flying. Next, she pictured small wings stretching from his shell.

Her ears picked up the groaning from Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and she shook her head in amusement. Scootaloo turned her head and saw Apple Bloom attempting to stand up, while at the same time trying to force Sweetie Belle off her back.

“Are you guys serious? It wasn’t that bad,” said Scootaloo. “We’ve been through much worse.”

“Thanks to you I can’t even see straight anymore,” said Apple Bloom. “In fact, I’m seeing three of you. My vision sight must be bad.”

Scootaloo shook her head again, then resumed playing with Tank. Then she heard the voices other ponies entering the playground. With another turn of her head Scootaloo saw them, a mother pegasus and her two children. Suddenly, she did a double-take. She recognized them. There was a colt and a foal, probably months old by now. They were the family that moved into Rainbow Dash’s home. The father wasn’t with them. Maybe he was at work today, Scootaloo thought. She sat up and gently placed Tank on the ground to get a better look at them. Before she had always seen them from a distance. The mother and the colt recognized her as well as they approached the swings.

“Hey, I remember you,” the mother said pleasantly. “You’re the filly on the scooter we keep seeing.”

“Uh… yeah, that’s me,” Scootaloo said nervously. “My name is Scootaloo. I’m sorry if I was disturbing you during those time.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” she said, smiling. “We hoped we get a chance to meet you sooner or later. My name is Iris, and this my son Breeze and my new daughter Aurora.”

“Hi,” Breeze said. Iris waved Aurora’s little arms for her. It made Scootaloo giggle.

“Hello,” she said.

There was something Scootaloo always do out of habit when she meets other young pegasi her age. She inconspicuously glance at their wings, to see if they are growing or have already grown. She didn’t know why. Looking at Breeze’s wings, she couldn’t tell. He still looked pretty young to have fully-grown wings. She smile and nodded.

“Hey, it’s that a turtle?” he asked.

“Oh… um, yeah. He’s my pet. His name is Tank.”

“That’s an appropriate name,” said Iris.

“We have some birds at home,” added Breeze. “Well, they belong to my dad. He likes birds. He’s a… a…”

“An ornithologist,” said Iris. “He studies birds. That’s why we moved here to Ponyville, because there are more birds here than they are in Fillydelphia.”

“That’s cool,” said Scootaloo. “You all are from Fillydelphia?”

“Yes. It’s a wonderful city, but it can suck the energy out of you. Another reason we moved to Ponyville is because is so… quiet and peaceful. I think it’s a great place to raise a family.”

“Yeah, it is a nice town,” added Scootaloo.

Aurora caught the attention of her mother by making her little baby sounds. She wanted to ride on the foal-sized swings. Iris excused herself, leaving Scootaloo and Breeze. He looked past Scootaloo and saw two fillies standing up, realizing they have been lying on the ground for quite sometime.

“What’s with them? Are they alright?” he asked.

“Oh, those are my friends, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. They’re just dizzy from me spinning them really fast on that thing,” she said, pointing at the roundabout. Breeze laughed. “They’ll be okay.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie saw that Scootaloo was talking another pony, a colt. Curious about this, they decided to approach them.

“And who might you be?” asked Apple Bloom.

“My name is Breeze. My family just moved here. I was just talking to Scootaloo.”

“You just moved here? Where do you live?” asked Sweetie.

“Outside of town, in a cloud house.”

“A cloud house… that sounds like Rainbow Dash’s house,” said Sweetie.

“Who’s Rainbow Dash?” asked Breeze.

“Oh… Rainbow Dash was a friend of mine. A really good friend, actually. She’s not around anymore,” Scootaloo said sadly.

“What happened to her?”

“She… passed away last year.”

“Oh. I’m sorry about that. We didn’t know the house belonged to anybody important. It was up for sale and my parents bought it. I hope you’re not upset.”

“That’s okay. I figured it was going to happen anyway. Ever since she died, once in awhile I always ride my scooter outside of town to look at her house. It was like a memorial for me. That’s why you’ve always see me come by every so often.”

“What was Rainbow Dash like?” asked Breeze.

Scootaloo face lit up when Breeze asked her that question. No matter how she felt about her death, she had no problem explain to those who didn’t know how amazing a pony Rainbow Dash was. She told Breeze about the fun times they had together, her aspirations to be the greatest flyer in Equestria, and how she stood up to bullies bigger than her. To Scootaloo she was more than just a pegasus. Rainbow Dash was larger than life. Finally, she recounted how Rainbow Dash died during a flight performance she planned for a long time. Breeze had no idea that she was the only pony in recent years to create a sonic rainboom multiple times. Even Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle backed her on that statement, so Breeze couldn’t say that she was making things up.

“Did she knew she was going to die?” Breeze asked.

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo said, after taking a moment to think. There was no way Rainbow Dash could have known she was going to go out in the blaze of glory. There were times when she called her aerial stunt show “the greatest thing I’ll ever do.” She also remembered Rainbow Dash saying she’ll never do anything as amazing like that again. Still, Scootaloo never believed Rainbow had known of her imminent death. But what if it was? Rainbow Dash couldn’t have trained for her amazing performance for nothing. How come none of this crossed her mind before? she wondered.

“Well, either way, Rainbow Dash sounds really awesome!” Breeze said. Scootaloo smiled, agreeing with him. “I wish I could’ve met her before… you know.”

“She was really great,” said Scootaloo.

Iris returned with Aurora, whose appearance caught the attention of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Breeze introduced them to his mother, who was also pleased to see them. Despite that, the two fillies couldn’t take their eyes off of Breeze’s little sister. Sweetie was especially bewitched, as she commented how cute she was.

Later, as the afternoon passed, Breeze and his family left the playground. Iris informed Scootaloo that she was more than welcomed to their home, and to come by and visit anytime she pleased. Scootaloo and Breeze were happy to hear this from her. The pegasi waved goodbye to the fillies.

“They seem nice,” said Sweetie Belle, looking at Scootaloo.

“Yeah, they sure do,” Scootaloo said, although from the tone of her voice she wasn’t quite sure of something.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. They’re really nice. I was thinking of something else.”

“Thinking of what?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Like… do you think it’s possible that…” Scootaloo didn’t know how to answer that question. How can Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle know of such things? They were just fillies. But then, so was she. “Forget it. It’s nothing important.” Scootaloo set Tank back on the bench whilst watching him hide inside his large shell. Then she sat herself on the middle swing. “Come on, let’s see how high each of us can go,” she called out.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave uneasy glances at each other. Nothing can be done, so they gave in and joined Scootaloo on the swings. It served as a good distraction from whatever she was thinking about.

The Great and Powerful Trixie caught herself in a predicament. She finally sought out what she travelled the farthest reaches of Equestria for - the lost treasure of the Cave of Enoch, but she hadn’t found her way out. She tried to retrace her steps from the beginning and to remember which direction she came from. There was no opening in sight.

Trixie cursed in the darkness. Only the sound of her voice responded back. How could such dreadful of circumstances happen to her? she wondered. She was the Great and Powerful Trixie for goodness sake, the unicorn who can find her way out of anything. But being lost in a dark cave seem to be the greatest trick she ever found herself in. Trixie wondered if Hoofdini ever had moments of error. Probably not, she realized.

She kept her horn glowing. Surely there must be a way out. There was no way Trixie had gone that far. In fact it felt like a short walk when she entered the cave, which was absolutely strange. Or was it? Could being in this cave have an effect on time itself?

Also, there was a matter of the voices Trixie heard through her long, agonizing walk. Whoever they were - ghosts, spirits, phantasms, they wouldn’t leave her be. Or maybe they were all in her head? Trixie tried to convince herself the voices she heard were her imagination. She continued to hear them every few moments or so. You shouldn’t have come here, they would say to her. Leave the box. You’ve made a grave mistake. All of them were faint whispered in the darkness.

“You ponies are annoying Trixie!” Trixie shouted. “If you think you can take this treasure off of Trixie’s hooves, you are sadly mistaken!”

No matter how much she yelled, the voices continued on. Trixie wish they could help her find the way out of the cave, but unfortunately that wouldn’t be the case.

Let go of the box. It’s dangerous. Leave it now and you’ll find your way. You shouldn’t have come here. Your life is in danger.

The voices grew on top of each other, and finally Trixie couldn’t take it anymore. She let out a loud groan and slumped on the ground. Her horn remain illuminated, but she remained in the darkness. Trixie realized who was to blame for all her suffering.

“Darn you, you miserable goat!” she yelled. “You knew Trixie wanted that treasure, so you put a hex on the map! Maybe this isn’t the real treasure! You will rue the day you set out to cross the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Her loud voice echoed throughout the cave. She was her only audience, save for the voices Trixie continued to hear. They probably didn’t listen to her. This gave enough time for Trixie to think. She considered listening to the voices, and leaving the box behind if it will help her find a way out. Trixie will probably bury it as well if that’s what they want. Maybe then the voices will stop. However, she did managed to travel long distances with little food to get here. And not one living soul knows about it, and they did Trixie was the first to find it. No, she decided. Trixie will not let this one go. If that means being trapped in the cave for all eternity, then so be it. Then, when the next pony enters the cave to find the treasure, they will stop and gazed upon Trixie’s bones, and realized they weren’t the first ones to find it.

With her decision having been made, it looked like there was no way out of the cave. However, she remained optimistic about her situation. The treasure now belonged to her. But first she had to open it, which was the difficult part of her journey. When she found it, the box was tightly bound in chains with a lock at the center. Whoever buried it didn’t think to at least bury a key with the box. Then she had a brilliant idea. Trixie placed the box down and aimed her horn at it. She released a beam of magic to pick at the lock. After a few tries she learned that not even magic can get it open. However, her spirit did not give in.

Don’t do it! the voices told her. Their tones were sharper than before. We warned you! Only darkness dwells! Dread! Cursed! Oblivion!

“Quiet!” grumbled Trixie. The voices were especially feisty right now. How could that be? Earlier they were mildly annoying. She kept picking the lock with her magic. Trixie focused her energy and strength into the box. One way or another she will get it open, and she will be the richest mare in Equestria, even prosperous than the Royal Sisters themselves. Trixie groaned and grumbled, cursed under breath, and wiped sweat from her brow. She was almost there. The lock was almost undone.

When the box of unlocked, the cave was filled with glowing light. Trixie was finally able to see her surroundings, but something was not right. The shining light slowly turned red. Ominous sounds and shadowy figures made themselves known. Trixie couldn’t look away. She felt herself being pulled into its presence. Something was… trying to make contact with her. An invisible force pushed her down, and she screamed in agony. Then the red light was gone, and all was black, but Trixie felt someone was with her.

“We are free,” it said. There were many, horrible voices speaking as one.

“Who… who are you?” Trixie asked in fear. She was speaking, but didn’t feel her lips move, which terrorized her to no end.

“My name is Legion, for we are many,” the entity said.

“Legion? What? I don’t understand,” stammered Trixie.

“You have set us free from our prison. And now we shall have our revenge.”

“Please don’t hurt me, I beg of you!”

Trixie screamed inside her mind as the evil spirits invaded her body. She felt the sensation of being on fire as she lost control of herself. Her mind violently flashed images of a great war in the world beyond, demons being bound in chains and imprisoned in the same box she found. Then she saw images of things that were to come. The sun and the moon turning into blood as the whole world was set ablaze. The charred bodies of ponies, and the final war against their heavenly opponents.

Then there was silence. Legion forced Trixie to pull herself up. There was still some resistance in her, something Legion had no problem with.

“Resistance is futile,” they said. “You will help get our revenge against those who imprisoned us. You will help us build an army to take control of this world… and the one beyond.”

Legion, now in full possession of Trixie, forced her to take steps forward, one leg by one leg. Legion aimed their newly acquired horn at the darkness, shot a beam of dark magic, and a portal opened. It led them outside the cave.

To Be Continued

Part 1

A long time ago, Scootaloo attached a basket to her scooter. It was for Tank, her pet tortoise. For a little while, when she received him for her birthday, she felt indifferent toward him. Scootaloo couldn’t believe nor comprehend that out of all the amazing, fast, and cool animals that roamed the earth Rainbow Dash could have had as pets, it was this wrinkly reptile she chose. Even Pinkie Pie said she was going to choose a hawk. A hawk made sense. When enough time had passed Scootaloo grew fond of Tank each day, then attached the little basket to her scooter, so wherever she went he came along for the ride. It was his face that won her over most of the time.

On some days while Scootaloo roamed the streets, she’d go to the edge of town where Rainbow Dash’s cloud dominium was located. During the months after Rainbow Dash died it remained uninhabited. Scootaloo thought of it as her own personal memorial to her. She moved in and lived with her for ten months, but they were ten months worth treasuring. When spring arrived, a family had moved in, pegasi. There were two parents, a colt and a newborn foal. Sometimes when the family was out, and saw Scootaloo riding below them, they waved to her, and she waved back. They seem nice, Scootaloo thought. She hope the family will take good care of Rainbow Dash’s home.

If Scootaloo had a word to describe the previous year, “zigzag” would be more or less appropriate, but it seem to fit. On the summer Rainbow Dash took her final bow she was sucked into a deep spiral she’d never thought she’ll escape from. Everything was happening so fast that her mind couldn’t comprehend it, and when it did she wanted to reject it. Reality was a distorted version of itself. Not even Discord himself can give her bad day after witnessing the death of her best friend in the sky. She had a difficult time trying to look at rainbows during rainy days. Scootaloo remembered the sky exploding with magnificent colors, and the cheers that erupted from the ponies watching Rainbow Dash, only to change immediately into mournful cries.

On the flip side, things seem to get better, if better was the word Scootaloo would choose. She couldn’t think of anything else. Everyone; Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, including herself, realized they’re going to have to live their lives without Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy and Pinkie were the most affected by the tragedy. Pinkie’s hair deflated for a long time and Fluttershy wouldn’t come out of her home. Pinkie left town for soul-searching, as did Twilight and Rarity. But things got better overtime. Scootaloo couldn’t think of a better phrase.

The scooter ride to the park was silent, something Scootaloo never liked. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, her two friends, were at least with her most of the time when she was on her scooter. She slowed her pace, and was walking. She leaned her head to Tank, who was poking his head over the basket, and talked to him.

“I had that dream again,” she said to him. “I woke up in the middle of the night, and saw the door. When I looked long enough the other side was glowing this bright light. I don’t know if it’s real or not. It seemed real. I always wake up before I open it.” Tank never answered back to her, but Scootaloo somehow knew he was listening. “What do you think it means?”

As always, Tank was silent. At least he was listening, Scootaloo thought. She kept her pace, but her thoughts still dwelled on the closed door that glowed on the other side. A while back, while talking to Tank, she looked at his beady eyes, and for a moment he seem to react to the things she said. That’s why she talked to him once in awhile, to see if he’ll react again.

Scootaloo entered the park, took the stone pathway that led her to the playground. She liked to play on the swings. They were therapy for her. Whenever something was on mind, or wanted to get away from her troubles, the swings were there for her. She picked up Tank from his basket, and sitting on the swing she laid him on her lap. Scootaloo slowly rocked the swing with her body back and forth. She smoothly ran her hoof across Tank’s shell. She didn’t know if he felt it, but it felt good to do it.

“Sometimes when I’m on the swing, I try to swing really hard and jump off,” she told Tank. “I always like to see how far I’ll go if I jump off. One time I drew a line on the dirt, and I went way over it! I fell on my face, but it was amazing! It was kind of like flying in a way.”

She heard voices approaching the playground. When the voice were close they sounded familiar to her ears. Scootaloo turned around, seeing Pinkie Pie and Mrs. Cake, who had her foals being pushed in a carriage. When they spotted each other, Pinkie excitedly waved at her.

“Hey Scootaloo!” she called.

Scootaloo waved back. Like herself, Pinkie was best friends with Rainbow Dash, and were very close until her untimely demise. When the dark clouds passed over their lives Pinkie and Scootaloo found comfort and friendship in each other. It happened after the birthday party she hosted for Scootaloo in August. Their newfound companionship made Pinkie take out the old pranks and games she locked in the basement of Sugarcube Corner. Their first victims together were Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, later moving on to the ponies themselves. On New Year’s Eve Scootaloo and her friends attended the Grand Galloping Gala for the first time, but Scootaloo opted to spend the night with Pinkie Pie. They both called it the best night ever, but Twilight made sure the two didn’t get in trouble.

Pinkie and Mrs. Cake took the foals out of their carriage, and placed them in the foal-sized swings that were next to the child-sized swings. Scootaloo knew one of them was a pegasus, the colt whose name was Pound Cake. He had baby wings on his back.

“So what brings you out here?” asked Pinkie.

“Oh, nothing… just hanging around,” replied Scootaloo.

“Well, little Pound and Pumpkin wanted to go to the playground today,” said Pinkie. She then spoke in a cutesy voice to them, making them giggle. “Mrs. Cake, you remember my friend Scootaloo, don’t you?”

“Of course. She and her two little friends are regulars at Sugarcube Corner,” said Mrs. Cake.

Scootaloo smiled. There was never time she’d been called a regular by someone.

As the morning went on Scootaloo, Pinkie and the Cakes enjoyed their company. Scootaloo let the foals play with Tank. They were very mesmerized by the creature with the large shell. It was something they never seen before. Tank hid inside his protective shell, but poked his head out when he realized Pound and Pumpkin posed no threat to him. Later, Mrs. Cake decided to take the twins home, although Pinkie opted to stay behind with Scootaloo. When it just the two of them alone in the playground, Pinkie chose the empty swing next to Scootaloo.

“Do you think it’s still there?” asked Scootaloo.

“What’s still where?” said Pinkie.

“The memorial for Rainbow Dash. Do you think it’s still at the park?”

“I’m sure it is,” answered Pinkie. “There’s no way they’re going to take that down. It’s gonna be there forever.”

“I can’t believe it’s been a year. It feels like it only happened a few days ago. Do you know a new family moved in her home?”

“Uh-huh. I met them,” said Pinkie. “I surprised them with a welcome party. They seem really nice and friendly. Oh, and the whole family is pegasi, just like Rainbow Dash.”

“I’ve always like that house. Too bad I only lived her for a short time.” Scootaloo sighed. “Well, I guess it was going to happen anyway. Somepony had to move in eventually. I remember one time, me and Rainbow Dash stayed up all night and watched a bunch of horror movies. I guessed I watched too much, because I couldn’t sleep that night. I thought something was going to come out of the darkness and snatch me from the bed. Then Rainbow Dash caught me all shivering and scared and told me not to worry. I’ll punch that monster right in the face!” she said, doing her best imitation of Rainbow Dash.

“Even though the house may not belong to her anymore, that’s a good memory to cherish. I bet you have lots of memories of Rainbow Dash,” said Pinkie. “I know I do.”

“What do you think is your favorite memory?” asked Scootaloo.

Pinkie placed her hoof under her chin. Then she thought of something. “I have so many great memories of her. From the first time we met, to our first adventure, from that pie eating contest we entered. Even holidays like Hearth’s Warming and Nightmare Night. But I believe my favorite memory is the sonic rainboom.”

Scootaloo grimaced. “Which one?”

“The very first one she made. You remember the story, right? I was a filly when it happened. It was the first time I was truly happy. It wasn’t for that sonic rainboom, none of us would be here. It’s kind of something, isn’t it?”

“Yeah… I guess you’re right,” said Scootaloo. “You know, nothing like has ever happened to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“That moment of inspiration. You and the others had it at the same time. That’s like a once in a lifetime thing. I don’t think I’ll ever experience something like that.”

“I know this will sound cliche, but I believe each pony has an inspirational moment. Maybe a moment like that will happen to you, but… different than what we went through. Maybe it will something way cooler than a sonic rainboom, who knows? But you can’t force it. You just have to let it happen. It comes during times when you’re not even thinking about it.”

“I hope that’s true.”

“I know it’s true. Trust me.”

Scootaloo and Pinkie sat on the swings in silence, gazing at nothing but the trees under the blue sky. Pinkie’s recollection of the first sonic rainboom reawakened thoughts Scootaloo had. She heard the story of how the ponies earned their cutie marks and how they discovered they carried the magic of the Elements during their fight against Nightmare Moon many times. But how were they all connected, she wondered. She will later go to the one pony in town who may hold the answers.

The thop-thop-thop in Twilight’s head wouldn’t give up. All through the afternoon it was nonstop, disturbing her from her much needed writing. It was rapid, like pallett balls colliding on a wall. It echoed all through the treehouse, much to her dismay. As it continued Twilight covered her ears with her hooves. Why can’t Spike play with that paddle ball somewhere else, like outside? she wondered. The thop-thop-thop grew closer, until Spike entered the room with the paddle ball. Twilight called his name several times, which resorted to her yelling at the top of her lungs to get his attention. “Must you do that inside?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing to do,” said Spike. “You know how I get bored easily.”

“I wish I can help, Spike, but I have to write,” sighed Twilight. “I’m pretty sure there are other things you can do than play with that paddle ball.”

“Like what?”

“Read a book. Play outside. How about visit Pinkie Pie? Maybe she’d like to…” she tried to force the words from her mouth. “... watch you play with the paddle ball all day.” How can some ponies stand those things, she’ll never know. Spike put down the paddle ball, much to her relief. He walked over to her desk and looked over her shoulder.

“So whatcha doing?” he asked.

“I’m writing a column for the Ponyville Gazette,” Twilight answered.

“Okay… what about?”

“Do you know those friendship lessons I learned?” Twilight asked. “I decided to write about them for the newspaper, so I’m taking the letters I, and everyone, wrote to Celestia and expanding upon them.”

“That’s neat, I guess,” said Spike.

“I know it doesn’t sound much, but I thought it’d be great for the community. Here’s what I’m writing now.”

Twilight moved out of the way and let Spike read the stack of papers that she had finished typing. There was something she wrote about ponies should never have to be afraid to ask for help when they need it. She used Applejack as an example, during the previous year’s applebucking season, when she tried to buck every apple tree at the farm on her own, while at the same time trying to keep up with the promises she made for her friends, with disastrous results. In the end, Applejack realized she needed help, and everything was solved. “Do you like it?” asked Twilight.

“Do you think Applejack might be mad if you publish this? Remember what happened last time with Gabby Gums?”

Twilight shook her head. “Unlike Gabby Gums, I asked Applejack’s permission to use her as an example for this column, and she said yes. I will never write and publish anything about my friends without their consent. And beside, the Ponyville Gazette is not a tabloid paper; it’s a respected, local periodical news publication.”

“That’s good to know. You must be really into this,” Spike commented.

“Of course. I thought I share the lessons I learned with everyone.”

“Are you sure ponies will spend time reading what you wrote?” asked Spike.

“If it’s in the newspaper, then yes.”

Twilight returned to her work on the typewriter. Spike shrugged, grabbed the paddle ball, then began to move his hand. The ball bounced on the wooden paddle repeatedly, causing Twilight to groan inwardly. “You know, I believe I should write for my next editorial of how it’s rude to annoy your friends when they’re trying to do something pertaining to their work.”

Spike stopped. “Sorry,” he said. “You know, I guess I’ll see what Pinkie’s up to.”

Twilight nodded, very pleased that Spike listened to her for once. She returned to her typewriter, but she moved her hooves she read what she had written, and her smile fell. She accidently typed You know, I believe I should write for the next editorial of how it’s rude to annoy your friends when they’re trying to do something pertaining to their work. Twilight groaned, and tossed away that sheet of paper, and began on a new one.

Spike wander about the treehouse until he heard Scootaloo come in. She placed her scooter outside and carried Tank on her back.

“Scootaloo’s in the library?” he said. “That’s something new.”

An ironic smile crossed Scootaloo’s face. She shook her head. “Do you really think a pony like me doesn’t like to read once in awhile?”

“I was just kidding. Anyway, what brings you here? The copies of the newest Daring Do book hasn’t been shipped yet.”

“I wanted to talk to Twilight about something,” answered Scootaloo. She placed Tank on a table and removed a book from a shelf. “Is she around?”

“She is, but she’s busy right now. Twilight’s writing something for the Ponyville newspaper.”

“Oh. Is she writing news or something?”

Spike shook his head. “Twilight’s writing about all the friendship lessons she’s learned.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s for a column, she says. I don’t know…”

Scootaloo shrugged as well, then glanced at the book she was holding. She had no idea what she was reading until she realized she was reading a science book. Scootaloo looked at the cover and noticed it was about quantum physics. Too advanced, she thought, so she placed it back on the shelf. Scootaloo caught a glimpse of the paddle ball Spike had in his hand.

“Are you seriously playing with that?” she asked.

“I was trying to beat a world record. I began this morning, but Twilight stopped me.”

Spike was silent for a moment, then gazed at the paddle ball. He decided to continue, seeing if he can impress Scootaloo. There was a trick he mastered where he lifted one leg and paddled under it. The thop-thop-thop of the paddle ball filled the air in the library. Spike held continuously for a long time until Twilight walked in on them, frustrated.

“Spike, I made a mistake because of that… thing again,” she said. “Can’t you see I’m doing something important?” It wasn’t until a moment later she noticed Scootaloo, and Tank sitting on top of a table. “Oh, I hello Scootaloo. I apologize for the outburst. Are you here to borrow a book?”

“... Not really. I wanted to talk to you about something, I mean, if that’s okay with you.”

Twilight stroked her lavender chin. “I guess I can take a break from my writing,” she answered. “So what did you want to talk about?”

“Since this the week of the Summer Sun Celebration, I was thinking… how did you know about Nightmare Moon, the Elements of Harmony, and that other stuff?”

Twilight was surprised to hear a question like that from Scootaloo. In fact, she could hardly remember a time any child showed any interest in the power of the Elements. Then a smile brightened her face. This was a chance to pass knowledge toward a young mind.

“You know, I’m glad you’ve asked me that,” said Twilight. “Just grab a seat and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Scootaloo took a chair and sat in the middle of the library, with Tank sitting on her lap. Twilight was at another corner of the library. She aimed her horn at a shelf and a book hovered to her. She trotted to Scootaloo with a pleasant smile on her face, then presented her the book.

“What’s that?” asked Scootaloo.

“This book is called Predictions and Prophecies. As you can tell from the title, it contains revelations and prophecies of every culture and era in Equestrian history. It’s also the very book that convinced me of Nightmare Moon’s return to Earth.” Twilight used her magic to scan the pages until she found the passage she was looking for, then repeated what it said, “Woe to the Earth, for it is written, on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring darkness eternal.”

“Whoa,” said Scootaloo. “Were you scared?”

“Of course I was afraid,” Twilight answered. “I even warned Princess Celestia about it in a urgent letter. Do you know what happened next?”

“No. What?”

“She sent to overlook the preparation of festivities for the Summer Sun Celebration,” Twilight answered blankly. “And to make friends.”

Scootaloo tilted her head, raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t the princess worried at all?”

“This is where things become interesting. On the surface, it seemed as though Princess Celestia took the situation lightly. But as the day went on, and at that fateful night, I began to understand why she sent me to Ponyville. She knew it all along. She knew what had to be done, but it was I and my friends who have to make the journey.” Suddenly, there was a look of disgust on Twilight’s face. “And to think at the time I was very cynical about friendship,” she shuddered.

“How did you know you and the others were the Elements?” Scootaloo asked.

“We weren’t literally the Elements of Harmony, but we carried the magic of the Elements inside us,” said Twilight. “That night as we ventured into the Everfree forest, we each performed a special task that determined who we truly are. Applejack assured me I was safe during that horrible fall off the mountain; Fluttershy showed kindness to a rampaging manticore; Pinkie laughed at the face of adversity; Rarity generously gave to someone in need…” Twilight was silent for a moment. A light smile crossed her lips. “And Rainbow Dash never left us behind,” she said with a soft, but prideful tone.

Scootaloo smiled and nodded. “What did you do? What was your special task?”

“My special task? Well, I believed in my friends. I believed in the magic of friendship. I believed with all of us together, there was nothing we can’t accomplish. I know it doesn’t sound like much on my part,” she chuckled.

“That’s okay,” said Scootaloo. “You guys saved the world.”

“Is there anything else you wanted to know?”

Scootaloo thought for a moment. There was one thing she wanted to know, but wasn’t sure if Twilight knew the answer. Still, it didn’t hurt to ask. “Do you know what happens if one of the Elements… you know, dies?”

“I’m glad you asked. Sometime ago, Princess Celestia told me that anytime a bearer can no longer fulfill their duty, in this case - death, the magic becomes dormant until it passes to someone else.”

Scootaloo stared at Twilight. “How does that happen?”

“We’re not entirely sure. The magical properties of the Elements remain mysterious to still day. Not even Celestia and Luna understood them, and they were the first bearers. One theory Celestia came up with was that during a time of crisis, a chosen pony must show the same amount of loyalty as Rainbow Dash, if not greater. But, again, it’s just a theory at this moment.”

“... Do you think there’s anyone that can take Rainbow Dash’s place?” asked Scootaloo.

Twilight sighed. She rubbed Scootaloo’s hair with her hoof. “There’s no pony in Equestria as loyal as Rainbow Dash. I can’t see anyone take her place. Unless…” Twilight gazed at Scootaloo very closely. The filly understood that look. She knew what Twilight was thinking about. Scootaloo hoped it was only a simple thought.

“You don’t think it’s me, do you?”

“Who knows. Anything is possible,” said Twilight.

"And if anything is possible, do you think something like a sonic can happen again?"

Twilight kept her eyes on her, but she didn't answer her question. There was no way to say yes or no to something like that. "Hopefully," she finally said.

Scootaloo removed herself from her seat, thanked Twilight for the brief lesson and placed Tank on her back. Before leaving, Twilight also mentioned to Scootaloo that she’ll inform her when the new Daring Do book arrives at the library. Scootaloo took note, and nodded to her, then exited through the door.

“You know,” Twilight told Spike. “Since this is Summer Celebration Week, maybe I should write about the power of friendship for the column. Isn’t that a great idea?”

Her ears were caught off-guard by the annoying thop-thop-thop of the paddle ball. Twilight glared at Spike until he stopped. “Yeah, sure… that’s a neat idea,” he said weakly.

Scootaloo decided to return to Sweet Apple Acres after spending half of the day riding on her scooter. Before going home, she made one last stop at Rainbow Dash’s old home. Since it was evening, the lights were on. The family was inside, probably having dinner, Scootaloo thought. Tank’s head stretched out of his shell. He set his sights on the cloud home.

“Feeling homesick, huh?” asked Scootaloo. Tank slowly turned his head toward her. She understood that simple, but honest look on his face. “Yeah. Me, too.”

Scootaloo gazed at the cloudominium for a few more moments before leaving. The memories of the fun, sleepless nights she spent with Rainbow Dash came back to her. Hopefully she can properly introduce herself to the new family instead of passing under them while waving.

During the ride home Scootaloo thought about what Twilight had said about the Elements of Harmony. Mainly, her thoughts dwelled on one element in particular - the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash’s element. Is it possible that some part of her has lived on in some way? Twilight had said that the magic of the elements is transferable, given the circumstances. But how does that happen? Neither she or the princesses knew. One thing was sure enough - the next bearer will not be Scootaloo. She shook her head at the thought. There was no way she can be at the same level as her. Rainbow Dash was a pony who came once in a lifetime, the kind of pony others tell fantastic stories about. Scootaloo was just Scootaloo. What was special about her?

Scootaloo came home to the farm just in time. Whenever there was a time she come home just a tad later than usual, Applejack let her motherly instincts take over, and let the house flood in a sea of panic. Thankfully this was not one of those times. Applejack tend to let herself go overboard with her status as Scootaloo’s guardian.

She rode her scooter up the porch then left it there. Scootaloo entered the house saw the Apples were already preparing for dinner. She laid Tank on a large basket next to Winona, the Apples’ pet dog. Winona didn’t mind at all - she was very fond of the tortoise. Scootaloo took a seat between Apple Bloom and Granny Smith, her favorite seat at the table. Applejack eyed her just as she entered the dining room with Macintosh.

“You know, I was just beginning to think about you,” she said. “Lucky you dropped by in a nick of time.”

“Come on now, Jackie, I think the youngin’ learned her lesson,” said Granny Smith. Applejack gave her a look. She didn’t like it when Granny, or when anyone referred to her by her nickname. “You were a young filly yourself long time ago. I remember when you went out pass curfew any chance you got.”

Applejack’s orange cheeks had spots of light-red from embarrassment. She eyed Macintosh when she heard him snickering. “You too, Big Mac. You were a troublemaker as well,” Granny added. “Tryin’ to sneak out to go to the drive-in movie. I remember it all.”

“Well, I’m just trying to look out for Scootaloo, that’s all,” said Applejack.

“And I reckon you’re doing a mighty good job. But you don’t need to act all crazy like a jack rabbit when she makes a mistake.”

“Well, maybe I can learn to take a step back and not get excited,” said Applejack. “But still, there ain’t nothing wrong with watching out for the little ones. You understand, don’t you Scootaloo?”

“... Yeah, kind of,” she said with mild indifference.

“What’s wrong?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Oh, nothing’s wrong. Just tired from riding around all day. I hadn’t used that scooter in a long time.”

“At least you got some exercise,” said Granny.

“Did you know a family moved into Rainbow Dash’s home?” said Scootaloo.

“I know. Pinkie told us about it. Have you met them?” asked Applejack.

“Sort of. A lot of the time we don’t really speak, we just wave when we see each other. I do know they’re all pegasi, and they have two kids. One’s about my age, I think, and the other is a foal.”

“I think the next time you cross paths with them, introduce yourself,” Applejack suggested. “Ain’t no use smiling and waving at them if you ain’t got nothing to talk about.”

“It must be weird seeing ponies living in your old home, ain’t it?” said Apple Bloom.

“Well… it is, at first. But I knew it was going to happen eventually. Nopony was going let a perfectly good cloud home like that go to waste. I just hope they take good care of it.”

“Do you think they put Rainbow Dash’s stuff in a storage somewhere?” asked Apple Bloom. “They can’t just throw stuff away like that. We’ve been to her home, before. She has all kinds of trophies, Wonderbolts posters, medals, photos. I bet all them things were mighty important to her.”

“Maybe we’ll go by town hall and ask what they’ve done with them,” said Applejack. “I’d be anxious too if all my belongings were gone like that.”

Scootaloo nodded, but said nothing else. She fiddled with her food, looking down, and mostly looking anywhere at all. Granny noticed her behavior. “Anything else on your mind?” she asked.

“Oh… well, there is, but it’s not important.”

“It has to be important if you been thinking about all day,” replied Granny.

“Well… today I went to see Twilight Sparkle. I wanted to know about the Elements of Harmony. You know, since it’s almost the Summer Sun Celebration. And then we talked about some heavy stuff, and then I just sort of left.”

“What y’all talked about?” asked Applejack, anxiously.

“She talked about how friendship is very powerful and stuff, and the magic of the Elements is mysterious. Then we got to Rainbow Dash. Twilight said that the Element of Loyalty is not working right now, but eventually… it can pass on to anyone.” Scootaloo shrugged. “She said it was only a theory.”

“It seems probable,” said Macintosh. Everyone gazed at him in silence. “If you ask me, it looks like Twilight is trying to say that maybe you might carry on Rainbow Dash’s legacy.”

“She didn’t specifically say me,” said Scootaloo. “It could be anyone. Besides, I may not know much about magic, but I don’t think that’s how the Elements work.”

“Why don’t you think it’ll be you?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Because… I’m just me. Scootaloo. There’s nothing amazing or special about me. Rainbow Dash is amazing. I’m… just plain old me.”

“Don’t you go talk down to yourself like that,” Applejack said with a firm voice. “Look at me. I’m just a simple farmpony through and through. Before Twilight came to town I never would’ve thought that one day me and five other strangers will end up save the world together. Scootaloo, there are ponies out there with the most humblest of pasts that wind up doing great things for Equestria. Just because you don’t think highly about yourself doesn’t make it true.”

“It’s not that I think highly of myself, it’s just that… I don’t think I’m good enough for what Rainbow Dash has done,” Scootaloo said slowly.

The Apples stared at her. There was no anger toward her, no confusion, only sympathy. Scootaloo was feeling uncomfortable under their gazes, so she quickly finished her dinner, moved out of her seat and approached the basket to retrieve Tank.

Later that night Scootaloo sat on the edge of the bed, holding Tank. For the time being she was along with her thoughts until Apple Bloom entered the bedroom. She sat next to Scootaloo, staring at her, waiting for her to make eye contact.

“You don’t really think that about yourself, do you?” she asked.

“Think what?”

“You not being good enough for the Element of Loyalty?”

“It’s complicated,” sighed Scootaloo.

“I don’t tell anyone about this, but sometimes I don’t think I’ll be as great a pony like my brother and sister. Macintosh big and smart, Applejack is efficient and hardworking, not to mention she’s the Element of Honesty. In fact, she’s considered the hero of the family. But you know what, whenever I find myself thinking like that, I remind myself that the only way I can be great is to just be myself. You can be as great as Rainbow Dash if just remind yourself who you really are.”

“And who I really am is just a filly with chicken wings,” Scootaloo muttered. She and Tank shared a long gaze. “Sometimes I wish I was a turtle. They can hide themselves whenever they’re in danger, or don’t want to be bothered. They don’t have to deal with things like this.”

“We all gonna have to face the problems we don’t like,” said Apple Bloom. She crawled under the blankets and laid her head on the pillow. “I’m sure Rainbow Dash had her moments of self-doubt. And I know for sure Applejack has them, too. We all do. But doubt always holds us back from reaching our true potential. If Rainbow Dash had any doubt about making the first sonic rainboom, then none of us will be here.”

Scootaloo turned back and gave her a look. “You know I’m right,” added Apple Bloom.

“I think I should be going to be now,” said Scootaloo.

She placed Tank in the empty birdcage, then crawled under the sheets and blankets next to Apple Bloom. While Apple Bloom had no problem going to sleep, Scootaloo kept herself awake about thoughts of her being Rainbow Dash’s successor. Even after that pep talk she received, Scootaloo didn’t feel the least bit better about herself. There is no pony alive in Equestria who can take Rainbow Dash’s place as the Element of Loyalty, not even the members of the Wonderbolts, and certainly not Scootaloo. Finally, she closed her eyes and let sleep take hold of her.

Then, she found herself in a hall of a great castle. There was darkness everywhere, and desolation had claimed the once great halls. Scootaloo desperately tried to figure out where she was. And she saw them - Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy; all of them together. They were facing an enemy that claimed the throne of Equestria, but Scootaloo couldn’t make out who it was. The adversary was covered in shadows that seemed to move. Upon closer inspection of the scene, she realized that something was wrong with this picture, however Scootaloo couldn’t put her hoof on what it was that was out of place.

“You may have defeated the princesses, but you’ll never defeat us!” Twilight told the shadows. “With the power of friendship, we shall overcome! Honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity…” And then she said it, and Scootaloo realized what was wrong, “... loyalty, and magic! We are the Elements of Harmony, and we will prevail!”

The ponies began to glow, Twilight with her crown and the others with their necklaces. Scootaloo looked down and saw she had Rainbow Dash’s necklace, with the red gem in the shape of her cutie mark. They hovered off the stone surface and continued to glow. Later, they will strike against the shadow that overthrew Celestia and Luna.

Unfortunately, the ponies stopped glowing, and they dropped to the ground. Realizing they have failed, the ponies looked around to find the cause. Together, they gazed back at Scootaloo, and she couldn’t help but to shrink under their scornful eyes.

“Scootaloo,” Twilight began. “You failed us.” There was no anger in her voice. It was simple and straightforward, which made it worst.

Scootaloo breathed heavily and turned away from them, but something else that was truly horrifying. At the opposite side of the hall there was a pony who had their back turned. She looked, and noticed the pony had a very familiar figure. This pony was a pegasus, with light-blue skin, and hair full of color. Scootaloo’s soul was stricken with horror as the pony turned to her.

“You’re a failure,” said Rainbow Dash.

Then she woke up, finding herself once again in a dark room. Scootaloo was relieved when she remembered it was Apple Bloom’s room, but couldn’t get herself back to sleep. Although, she didn’t mind not going back to sleep. Scootaloo didn’t want to have that horrible dream again.

Part 3

Princess Luna stood out on the balcony, watching Canterlot as the sky turned dark. It was nearly time to raise the moon. The street lamps of the city gave light to the cobblestone roads and sidewalks. Canterlot always looked beautiful at night, which was something Luna always admired about this modern Equestria she has returned to.

With a glow of her horn, she pointed to the sky, and the moon was risen over the edge of the earth, taking the sun’s place as the main occupant of the sky. Luna noticed it was a full moon on this night. It was the most glorious full moon she had ever seen. It was almost as bright and shiny as the sun itself. She hoped Celestia didn’t see it, or else she will be jealous. Luna chuckled at the thought of Celestia being jealous of her.

A full moon this magnificent deserves some constellations, Luna thought. She loved bringing stars together to make pictures on the night sky. Since the next day will mark the beginning of the week of the Summer Sun Celebration, Luna considered the nights should be filled with constellations. She decided the first image of the night should be of Elyra, the goddess mare of the North. There were remarkable stories of her wisdom and bravery passed down through the ages. Luna imagined the citizens of the Crystal Empire will appreciate it. Luna assembled a few stars to create a nightly image, almost like a game of connect the dots.

The constellation of Elyra was almost complete until she noticed that something was amiss on the northeast section of the sky. A few of the stars were out of line, Luna realized when looked closely.

“Odd,” she said aloud.

How did that happened? To anyone else it wouldn’t have been a cause of alarm, since they were just mere stars, but to Princess Luna the stars were her ornaments for the night. She decree that not one star shall be out of place. Luna turned away from Elyra to fix this problem. The northeast stars were glowing when she aimed her horn at them, and not one moment later they were organized as they should be.

“That should do it,” Luna said.

The problem was solved, and Luna returned to creating the pony goddess of the North.

But something was wrong. Luna believe her eyes when she saw that the stars she assembled were scattered, ruining the image of Elyra. She looked on in confusion, then hastily fixed the goddess. How could that be, Luna wondered. She was sure she was nearly finished with the constellation.

While she tried to put the stars of Elyra back together, Luna glanced at the other direction and was shocked to see that, once more, the northeast stars were displaced.

“What?” gasped Luna.

This didn’t make any sense. How can this be happening? Luna has always kept her watchful eye over her stars. What was the cause of this?

Luna disregarded the constellation. She opened the portal that lead to a hallway in the castle, then rushed inside. Thinking fast, she teleported to Celestia’s bedroom. Her room was brightly lit, the room temperature comfortably warm. The walls were plastered with gold and white wallpaper with her cutie mark on them. Celestia was lying on her bed reading a book, and casually looked up as Luna suddenly entered her room. When she looked at Celestia’s face, Luna wondered how she can be so calm about this.

“Celestia, I have a matter of great urgency!” she said.

“What’s wrong?” asked Celestia.

Luna took a moment to breath before answering. “The stars are not right,” she said gravely.

“What do you mean?”

“My stars are out of place! Something has bewitched them!” Luna said loudly.

Celestia only reaction was to blink. Her sister seem very worried. The last thing she wanted to do was to not take Luna’s anxiety lightly, but she still didn’t understand. “Maybe if you can show me,” Celestia began to say.

Before she can finish her sentence Luna grabbed her hoof, opened another portal, and took her to her balcony. Luna pointed to the direction of the sky where Elyra and the northeast stars were located so Celestia can see for herself what has been done to them. Luna informed her of what had happened when she tried to fix them.

“Never before were the stars like this,” she said.

“That is very strange,” Celestia said, although she wasn’t sure of what to make of the situation.

“Celestia, I believe we have in our midst a premonition. The stars are trying to tell us something.”

“What are they trying to tell us?” asked Celestia.

“That something terrible has happened… or will happen.”

Celestia had a grave look on her face, as did her sister. “What should we do?” she asked.

Luna didn’t say a word. Instead she opened a portal and allow themselves to enter through. They found themselves in the throne room, much to the surprise of the castle night guards. Luna cast a firm glance at Celestia, silently telling her to stand tall for them.

“Guards assemble, for we have grave news,” Luna announced. “On this night the stars have given us a sign, warning! We must of you to be ever vigilant during these trying times! Stand guard not for this throne, not for this castle, but for Equestria itself! Be the watchponies for our grand kingdom, and make sure no adversary will come our way!”

The guards responded in unison, and they took their posts on different parts of the castle. Another group of guards took to the city. Those who were pegasi took to the sky. By morning the city of Canterlot will be on full alert.

“Shall I make a protective shield for the castle?” asked Luna.

“No. Not yet,” said Celestia. “We don’t know for sure what kind of danger we’re facing.”

“All the more reason to take precaution!”

“But we don’t want to frighten our ponies,” Celestia said softly. “The Summer Sun Celebration is upon us, remember?”

“So you want to us to wait for some madpony to sneak into the castle garden to free Discord?” Luna said sharply. “How about we extend our hooves to another Changeling spy!”

“Luna, be reasonable! Until we find out what threat we’re dealing with, I don’t want you to go overboard. There will be no shield unless we both agree to put it up. Do you understand?”

Luna delivered a gaze full of bewilderment for Celestia. No words were exchanged, the essence of a quiet standoff.

“Fine, sister. Whatever you desire,” said Luna.

She teleported herself away. There was an observation deck on the top of the castle. Celestia figured she was probably going to be up there for the rest of the night. She seated herself on her throne, her hoof on the side of her head, trying to figure out their next move.

A night guard noticed how distressed she looked. “Is there anything I can do for you, Your Majesty?” he asked.

She smiled at him. “I’m fine. Although you can join your ranks in watching the castle.”

The guard bowed and marched away. Now Celestia was alone with her thoughts. She hoped the madness of Discord’s return or the terror of the Changeling invasion wouldn’t happen again. Then her thoughts dwelled on the Elements of Harmony, and how they remain at their weaken state. Celestia always thought the Element of Magic was the most important of the group. All this time she hadn’t realized if one was out of the equation, all will fail. In her mind she saw a snowball rolling down a hill that only grew as it went on. Soon it will collide with everything, and there was nothing she can do.

“Oh no,” said Twilight. Spike listened closely as she quietly read the morning newspaper. An article she was reading was troubling her, he realized.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked.

“Have you read this? There are watchponies all over Canterlot. It said Princess Luna had some sort of premonition involving the stars last night.”

“Wow. I hope it doesn’t effect the Summer Sun Celebration,” said Spike. “Do you think anything bad might happen?”

“I hope not. And if it does, I wonder if we can stop it. We still don’t have a replacement for Rainbow Dash. The power of the Elements remains ineffective.”

“We don’t know that for sure,” said Spike.

Suddenly there were frantic knocks on the door to the library.

“Who could that be?” asked Twilight.

Spike believed it was probably some Daring Do fans who wanted to know if the latest book has been shipped. He went to the door so he can tell them to be patient, but when he opened it he saw it was Twilight’s friends, all with worried faces, including Pinkie Pie.

“Twilight, we have a bit of a situation on our hooves,” said Rarity. She presented the newspaper to her and Spike.

“I know. We were reading about it this morning,” said Twilight.

“Oh, this is all so terrible. What do you think is happening, dear?”

“I don’t know. And from what I’ve read, I don’t think the princesses know either.”

The ponies and Spike sat at the table with Twilight. Their faces hadn’t changed since reading the newspaper.

“It could be nothing,” Applejack finally said. “You know how these things are. A major event is happening, and they don’t want anypony to cause trouble.”

“How do we know for sure?” asked Fluttershy. “What happens if it’s really a threat?”

“If it’s a threat, then the princesses can stop it, right?” said Spike. He looked at Twilight for reassurance. She took a moment to think about it, which made Spike nervous.

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” said Applejack. “Those last couple of times when there was a big threat to Equestria - you know them, Nightmare Moon and Discord, it was just us. Then Queen Chrysalis came to town, and it Cadence and Shining Armor who saved the day. And the Crystal Empire, you could say it was the love of the citizens that got everything together.”

“The Crystal Heart. Yes, I remember. What are you trying to say?” asked Twilight.

“What I’m trying to say is… do you think something may happen again that won’t require us and such?”

“At this point, I don’t know anymore.”

“And another thing,” said Pinkie Pie. “There are still five of us. If something that only we can solve, do you think the power of the Elements can still work?”

“As much as I like to believe, I don’t think that’s possible,” answered Twilight gloomily.

“Is the Element of Loyalty that important?” asked Spike.

“All of the Elements are important. If you take one away, the magic becomes weak and harmony out of balance. It needs everyone in order for it to work.”

Twilight read a few passages of the headline, then sighed heavily to herself. Out of nowhere, her greatest fears that took her almost half of a year to overcome has been realized. The day was so bright and sunny before this moment.

“You may not agree, but I’m with Applejack on this one,” said Spike. “Maybe they’ve decided to be extra careful. I’m sure things are going to be okay. It’s not the end of the world, hopefully.”

Twilight gave him a look, and realized he should have never said “hopefully.”

She closed her eyes and thought back to what Princess Cadence said to her the previous year. It was Twilight’s duty to keep her friends together, even in times such as this. The only problem was that she didn’t know what to do.

“We’ll figure something out,” said Applejack. “When a threat does come, the princesses can help us out. There’s no way they’re going to let Equestria go to the dogs.”

“You do have a point,” said Rarity. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t have to worry about it just a little. We need to create a plan for ourselves.”

“What kind of plan can we make?” asked Pinkie.

“I don’t know. But we’ll have it all figured out when we cross that bridge,” answered Rarity.

Silence settled into the room. The ponies and Spike glanced nervously at each other. They were waiting for someone to say something, to break the air of uneasiness.

“Well… I’ve always believed in… um, miracles,” said Fluttershy. “I was thinking… some things happen that are so incredible that we’re not even sure if they happened at all. A miracle can happen when we least expect it.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Fluttershy, but we can’t something like this to fate,” said Twilight.

“What if it’s fate that’ll help us?” asked Pinkie. Everyone looked at her, surprised that such a question came from such a pony. “You may not believe, but we still can’t rule it out. Fluttershy is right, of course. Weird and incredible stuff has been known to happen sometimes. Just because we can’t explain it logically doesn’t mean we have to disregard it. Maybe there will come a time when Equestria won’t need the Elements anymore, and something unexplainable will happen because of it. That’s just my two bits.”

“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” sighed Twilight. “Before we move on, I will say this - What’s happening in Canterlot is making us nervous, but there is one thing we can do. We must stand together no matter what happens, and we must not let fear get the better of us. Harmony will stand tall, either with or without the Elements.”

She smiled at everyone, and Spike was the only one who smiled back. This was the Twilight Sparkle she wanted to see. He couldn’t stand it when she low in her spirit. It made him feel as though there wasn’t any hope left in the world.

The ponies gave unsure glances at each other. Then, slowly, all nodded in agreement with Twilight. Despite the tension that was slowly building in Canterlot, there were two things that will never be options for her as long as Twilight still drew breath - losing faith in her best friends and losing faith in the princesses.

It has been a while, maybe a year perhaps, but Scootaloo decided it was time to pay Rainbow Dash a visit. She brought Tank with her. Scootaloo figured he wanted to see her as well. He was Rainbow Dash’s pet tortoise. They took to the road on her scooter, all the way to park and past the playground, and out on the open field filled with grass. The lightning-bolt sculpture was there after all this time, and it was just as polished as it was when it was first unveiled to the public. The groundskeeper, or whoever was responsible for such a task, has done a great job of making sure it didn’t deteriorate. Scootaloo took Tank out of his basket and placed him on her back, then approached Rainbow Dash’s memorial silently.

“Hey Rainbow Dash, long time no see,” she began to say. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited you for a long time. I think when fall came, everyone decided to move on. But we didn’t forget about you at all. We still talk about the good times we had with you. I’ve got Tank with me. We’re getting along just fine. He misses you, though, and so do I.

“Everyone decided to fill in for you. At the end of the summer last year, Rarity took me and the Crusaders to see the Wonderbolts in Canterlot. It was really cool. I met some guy named Fancy Pants, and he seems to know Rarity already. He took us backstage to actually see the Wonderbolts. I autographs from Soarin and Spitfire, and they gave me a little pep talk afterwards. It was really fun.

“Then we entered this go-kart race during September. Pinkie Pie helped me build mine. I got third place, but none of that matters. Come to think about it, Pinkie Pie and I have been doing everything together. She even taught how to pull a few pranks without anyone suspecting. I even helped her plan a few birthday parties. Did you know I was her guest for the Grand Galloping Gala? The decision was between her and Fluttershy, but Pinkie insisted I’d be her guest. She didn’t say it out loud, but she didn’t want me to get bored throughout the night.

“We still hadn’t got our cutie marks yet, but that’s okay. After everything that’s happened, I’m not really in a hurry to get it anymore.

“I also met a pegasus family that moved into your home. Well, most of them. I haven’t met the father yet. They’re really nice. We also think a storage company has all your stuff. Applejack is going to contact town hall about it soon. I don’t want any of that stuff to be thrown out.

“A couple of days ago I spoke with Twilight Sparkle. I wanted to know about the Elements of Harmony, since it’s almost the Summer Sun Celebration and that’s when the six of you got together. Twilight said that since you’re no longer the Element of Loyalty, the magic will get pass down to someone else, although she said it was only theory, but I still don’t think it’s possible. I don’t think there is anyone as loyal as you. You were the embodiment of loyalty.

“Then, after we talked, Twilight looked at me very funny. I don’t know what it was, but she probably think I’m… that’s a stupid idea. Whatever she is thinking about, I’m not it. There’s no way I can be. There has to be someone better. What can I do?”

“Do you know why ponies speak to the dead?” a male voice said. Scootaloo turned around and saw a stallion with gray skin and long brown hair. He wore a tan buttoned coat. He resumed speaking, all without looking at her. “They do it for comfort. To feel as though the dearly departed are still with them. As long as the living do things like these, speaking to the graves of those long-gone, their memory will never fade. As it goes.”

“... Who are you?” asked Scootaloo, “and were you listening to me this whole time?”

“I hadn’t listened to everything you said. I always pass this spot whenever I take my walks around the park. Whenever I do I see this monument, but I have no idea who it belongs to. Tell me, did it belong to anypony important?”

“It’s for Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo answered.

“What did she do to have this sculpture dedicated to her?”

“Well… she was well-liked around here. She had lots of friends, and she was great pony with a great personality. Then she had an accident when she was flying… and she died.”

“I see. Were you related to her in anyway?”

“We were kind of like family, in a sense.”

“Then I give you my condolences.”

The stallion said nothing else. Scootaloo looked at him, not sure what his deal was. He never made eye contact with her, and looked at the sculpture in a very strange way, as if it were an item in a museum.

“I guess I’m gonna go home now,” said Scootaloo.

“But I haven’t given you the message yet,” the stallion said.

Scootaloo stopped on her tracks, turned back to him. “A message?” she asked.

“Yes. I’ve come to grant you a message, a very important one in fact. Would you like to hear it?”

“I don’t understand… what? Who are you?”

“A work for a place… very far away.”

“How far?”

“Very far,” answered the stallion.

Scootaloo narrowed her eyes. “Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I’m falling for it. I’m best friends with the town prankster. I have to go now.”

“Not without the message. What I say to you is neither a joke nor trick. It’s a message from On High, and it involves your internal thoughts you’ve just express to that memorial. Just stay for a moment.” Scootaloo sighed then decided to hear what the stallion had to say. He took out a note from his coat pocket, cleared his throat, and began to read. “To Scootaloo - there are times when you have doubt in yourself and have no idea what to do. There are times when ponies expect so much of you that you don’t know if you can deliver. To overcome this fear, you must cast aside all doubt from your heart and mind and do what you were meant to do. Never be afraid of destiny.” The stallion put the note away and smiled at her.

“How did… how did you know my name?” asked Scootaloo.

“From a really good source,” answered the stallion. “You take care of yourself.”

“But who sent you the message?” she asked.

“All will be revealed soon. Just remember those words.”

And with that, the stallion walked away. Scootaloo watched him go. She couldn’t comprehend what happened during their conversation. She hadn’t learned the stallion’s name. Scootaloo shook her head and thought nothing of it. She turned toward the memorial.

“Do what I was meant to do… yeah, right,” she said mockingly. She hoped she never sees that stallion again.

Legion managed to finally have Trixie under their full control. The host walked like a proper, demon-possessed pony. The few ounces of resistance as wiped away entirely. Trixie’s soul was locked away; there was only Legion. Although there was still the problem of Legion’s weakness. He was trapped in that cursed box for a millennia, and his strength had left him during that time. They knew this one pony wouldn’t be enough to feed their power.

They found themselves on a desert road with nothing around for miles. If it was just Trixie she would have complained about the unbearable heat and the immense perspiration that was trickling down her forehead and drenching her skin. Legion said nothing of the sort. They kept walking, not fully knowing what their next move will be. The atmosphere seem to change wherever they went. Darkness and shadows followed them, like storm clouds rolling over the sky.

In the middle of nowhere they found a small establishment, a diner to be exact. Legion smiled devilishly. Surely there must be fresh souls to feed on, they thought. Like proper demons they disregarded the rules of the road and crossed without looking both ways. Legion went for the door, but a dark began to bark at them. They gave a dog the worst glare it had ever seen in a pony, a glare that was full of darkness and despair, and the dog whimpered and backed away, running toward the opposite end to cowar.

“Pathetic creature,” said Legion.

They entered the diner, and found there were only three ponies inside - a stallion sitting at a stool, the waitress and the cook. Legion grumbled. Three souls weren’t nearly enough to feed them. However, they’ll have to take what they can get for now.

“Hi there, ma’am,” the waitress said pleasantly. “Welcome to Joe’s, the best diner on this side of Equestria, can I help you?”

“I will like a seat… near a window,” Legion said through Trixie.

The waitress had a spine-chilling sensation when she heard the mare talk with an incredibly raspy voice, but she gave her a seat next to a window.

“Can I start you off with anything to drink?” the waitress asked.

“Give me water… mixed with salt. Lots of salt.”

The waitress only stared. What kind of pony orders something horrible like salt water? she wondered. Legion sent her the most ugly smile they can make, then the waitress quickly trotted away. Legion stopped smiling and pretended to look at the menu. They didn’t need to eat this disgusting mortal food. Legion only had cravings for fresh souls.

Looking ahead they saw a stallion with a stetson hat sitting at a stool. He winked at them, and they were utterly disgusted. They hid their face behind the menu, hoping the stallion will not try to court them. Unfortunately he came their way, still with that look of confidence on his face.

“Hello there, ma’am,” he said. “Mind if I sit with ya?”

Legion said nothing. They gave him a look, telling him they were going to consume his soul without words, but the stallion took a seat on the opposite side of the both. The waitress returned with Legion’s glass of salt water. “Excuse me, I’ll have a glass of whatever she’s having,” the stallion said to the waitress.

The waitress looked at the two ponies, even more disgusted than she was before. She walked away, mumbling about how salt water was awful.

“So what’s a unicorn like yourself doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” asked the stallion.

“Walking,” Legion answered.

The stallion nodded. The waitress returned with his glass of salt water. He offered a toast, but Legion refused, only choosing to stare at him. The stallion coughed and sucked in his cheeks after drinking the salt water.

“That’s some strong stuff,” he said.

“What do you want?” growled Legion.

“I just want to talk to you. It ain’t everyday I see a unicorn as pretty as yourself roaming the desert all by her lonesome. Where are you from?”

“... far,” answered Legion.

“How far?”

“Farther than you can possibly imagine,” said Legion.

“Sounds to me you’re a city slicker,” the stallion chuckled.

Legion wondered why they were wasting time with this mortal. Was it possible they were trying to toy with him before taking him? They decided not to waste time. They had souls to feed on.

“I want to tell you a secret,” said Legion.

“I love secrets. What y’all got for me?”

Legion drew their face close to the stallion. He could see the red iris on the mare’s eyes, and he was a little uneasy about it. They grabbed the stallion by the collar of his jacket and whispered in his ear. The stallion reacted by jumping out of his seat, much to the confusion of the waitress. He saw that the mare’s eyes began to glow a horrible red glow, He crawled up from the floor and tried to make for the door, but it was suddenly locked.

“Your souls are mine!” Legion announced.

They raised their arms, then the stallion and the waitress were lifted from the floor. The cook rushed out of the kitchen to see what was going on, only to almost faint as he witnessed the two ponies being control by this blue mare. Their bodies twist and shook, all while the mare let out the most devilish laugh the cook had ever heard. Then, they were released from the mare’s grasp. But something was wrong. The ponies stood up, slowly, struggling with their legs. Their eyes had a terrible red glow.

“Yes… perfect,” Legion said. They noticed the cook was standing behind them, his face white with fear and disbelief. “I’ll have these two to go,” they said.