Sins In The Dark

Elsewhere in Equestria, the sun was rising. Ponies were waking up and starting their days. Most off to work, other's simply pre4paring for the day. Which is what Spike and the rest of Twilight's friends were doing. Rainbow Dash had still been out cold the night before, but a scream had awoken them in the early dawn. Of course they all stayed the night at Rarity's, in hopes that when Rainbow awoke, they would have some answers. They just wished that they got a few more minutes of sleep, even Applejack, the mare who was used to waking up early wished for more time to slumber as the season was beginning to change.

"What in tarnation was that scream? Ah am trying to sleep here." Applejack groaned as she sat up in a guest bed, it was just up above where they had let Rainbow lay for the night. The sound of course woke everypony up, but Applejack was the first. And probably the most annoyed. Slowly she climbed out from the covers of the delightfully warm bed and made her way to the door. The moment she opened it, she heard every other door opened, followed by a very tired voice that she didn't quite recognize.

Pinkie was the owner of the voice, and at the moment, door neighbor of Applejack. "What's the big idea waking me up so early?" Pinkie whined in a low voice, laced in her sleepiness. It was no wonder Applejack didn't recognize the voice, she had never seen Pinkie up so early and now she knew why. She clearly wasn't a morning pony.

Rarity was the next to speak as she stepped out of her own bedroom with a half asleep Spike on her back. "I must say, what was that awful sound?" Rarity asked in her well refined voice, rolling the words out perfectly despite the hour in the morning. Everypony's head turned toward the stairs as another scream rippled through the silence and echoed through the hall. It was definitely a scream they all knew well. One of none other than Rainbow Dash when she failed a trick and was going to land painfully.

Applejack lead the way down the stairs. Her ears perked as she readied herself for anything. It wasn't like her friend to have nightmare's, much less to just scream. Something had to be the cause of it. And Applejack would figure out what could possibly be making her friend scream like that. As she rounded the corner into the living room, Rainbow Dash laid on the couch clutching her heart and breathing heavily. At least she was awake.

The group slowly trotted in behind Applejack after declaring it was safe and looked at their friend with concern. Fluttershy immediately joined Rainbow's side and nuzzled her size. "Alright y'all, can somepony tell me what all that was about and are you alright Rainbow?" Applejack asked, breaking the silence that had fallen to Rarity's home after the last scream.

"If you wouldn't mind telling us Dash, what happened to make you lock up midflight?" Fluttershy asked tiredly, but still in a concerned whisper. Everypony in the room waited for an answer as Pinkie seemed to fall asleep whilst standing. A heavy sigh left Rainbow as she tried to stretch her wing, only earning a whimper from as it stayed in place against her side.

Rarity looked down at, of course noticing that her limb seemed to be locked in place. Though she knew very little about a Pegasus's wing, versus a sore hoof that didn't want to move. Or a horn that didn't want to allow magic to travel through it. "Please darling, do tell us what's wrong. We have our hooves full as it, the less of a burden would make us all grateful." Rarity spoke, trying to encourage an answer from Rainbow Dash.

Finally, Rainbow Dash cleared her throat and took in a deep breath. She gazed from each of friends and nodded her head. "It's the Everfree, something happened. There was bright flash and a huge beam of light. I've never flown so fast in my life I think." Rainbow Dash finally answered, though it only left more questions. What could have happened to cause that?

The group looked to each other and then to Spike, who was slightly stirring. He wasn't going to be up anytime soon. "What kind of light exactly, Dash?" Applejack asked as Fluttershy stayed quiet. Rarity's interest was gained as well. It had been a long time since much of interest had happened in the Everfree. As strange and cold as that place was.

Rainbow Dash shook her head and gulped. "While I was trying to fly away from the light, to hopefully not get hurt from some unicorn's spell or somethi- I don't know!" Rainbow cried out and looked away. "All I know is that I felt something so cold and saw something so dark- I swear my heart stopped for a brief second there." The troubled mare explained, tossing her pride out. She hadn't ran from something before for the most part. Which is what really had Rraity and Applejack's attention, not to mention Fluttershy who knew her as the brave mare. The head first into danger kind of mare.

Rarity and Applejack looked at each other with the same idea, Twilight would have an idea of what it was or how to figure out what caused it. "If only we knew what happened to Twi, then maybe we could figure that mystery out as well." Applejack sighed, she was trying to stay hopeful that maybe Twilight would just walk right through that door, But she wouldn't, not now at least.

"We must send word to the princesses of this, while Twilight isn't here to deal with danger, it is of most importance that they be notified of strangeness. We must not allow some foe to sneak up on Equestria." Rarity gained everypony's attention and they all nodded.

Applejack had an idea, it wasn't the smartest or well thought one sure, but it was an idea. "Alright ahhave an idea, Rarity ah want you to stay here with Spike and Dash. When Spike wakes up, have him write and send a letter. In the meantime, ah myself and Fluttershy and Pinkie, if she's awake, will head in and try to get to the bottom of this." Applejack looked around for any complaints, but found Fluttershy shying away. A heavy sigh left the earthpony. Of all the times to shy away.

Rarity however narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "It's much to dangerous Applejack, you gals could get hurt or lost in there, if not worse." Rarity tried to talk her out of it with logic. but of course Applejack was as stubborn as any earthpony. She was set on this idea of hers. Element of honesty, sure. Element of not being a stubborn mare? No and Rarity knew that, but still hoped logic would overrule.

Pinkie yawned, but otherwise her eyes were closed shut. "Look y'all, somepony has got to investigate. If y'all wanna stay here, that's fine by me. I'll go alone, but it just might have something to do with Twilight even." Applejack backed up her idea with a simple fact, it could very well have something to with Twilight. And if it did, she would find out one way or another.

Rarity tried to stop her, but Applejack was already storming off. Trying to play the hero mare in a rough time. If she had any idea of what dangers that cursed forest really held, she would have joined Fluttershy. But instead, she was going home to get ready. She knew the path she could take, but she had an idea of where such a light would come from. It had to be the old castle. Nothing else could really be that magical there, not enough for that. Applejack thanked her comprehensive mind as she ran home and got ready to go. Later she would explore until the moon would shine down.

Meanwhile, Twilight and Crimson laid beside each other with dusk only moments away. Everything was going more than perfect for Crimson, except it felt too easy. Twilight was making quite the suitable protégé, and soon, Crimson could let her go as her plan set into action. She just had to learn a bit more and then she could really started throwing her plan together. She could hardly wait to see the faces of the two main rulers of Eqestria. She could only imagine that hate she would brew from them, not that it was anything compared to her hatred or anger.

Crimson licked her lips as she stood up, still tasting the sweetness of her protégé. In more than one way, but alicorn blood only made it all the more better. It was rare and perfected, not to mention rich with power. There was her real reason for having Twilight as hers. To build up her magic strength and physical. She was still weaker than an alicorn though. But in time, they would bow to her or face Tartarus and walk the path.

Sniffing the air, the faint metallic scent she knew all to well hit her like a train. The hunt was very much on. "Twilight, time to go. Now." Crimson commanded to Twilight, whom was still laying on the rock floor. Crimson sighed and rolled her eyes. "Really? Come on, you're a night breed and you're sleeping prime time?" Crimson thought to herself and stomped her hoof down. Cracking the rock ever so slightly and making Twilight jump straight up and land on high alert.

Twilight gulped as she looked at Crimson, whose eyes were glowing brightly and her muzzle in a perfect position to show her fangs off. "W-what's the big idea, I was sleeping." Twilight wined and Crimson only turned toward the cave's exit. Twilight followed, unsure of why. She'd much rather sleep.

"It is time to hunt Twilight, do you understand?" Crimson asked before stepping before the cave's exit. It was more than dark enough now, more than safe enough for the two hunters to begin. With that, Crimson stepped out and closed her eyes as her mane blew in the wind. The cold Everfree air hadn't changed. It was time to go, time to feast. Not to mention, time for something to die.

Twilight stepped out into the dark as well, the metallic scent that had alerted Crimson quickly got her attention as well. Though eyes stayed dim and her muzzle hiding her weapon of choice for this night. "I understand, I'm starved." Twilight grinned, showing her sharpened canines off to anything that could have seen. She was more than ready.

In silence, Crimson darted off with Twilight following close behind. Barely making a sound as they ran through the forest toward the scent. Driven by hunger and instinct, whatever the scent came from would surely be dead soon. As the scent only became stronger the closer they got, Crimson slowed to a stalking speed. Twilight got the idea quickly and did the same. Creeping along from the edge of a clearing, their eyes fell on a familiar orange earth pony laid in the grass, gazing up at the stars.

Applejack had definitely searched until moonlight, and even more than that. Except, the forest wasn't what got her. Just her own self, tripping over her own hooves and tripped. In fact, as Twilight gazed around, ignoring the bleeding mare surprisingly, her mind freed itself for a moment. Why wasn't the forest trying to kill them? Especially at this hour or prime? Where they were not the only hunters, but just two of the many things the dark forest held. In the same moment as she looked at Applejack, her better judgement became clouded. She had a need to feed, one she wouldn't push away.

She licked her lips and slowly crept in the grass toward the unaware mare. It would be an easy bite, at least in Twilight's fast thinking mind. And it would have been too, if it wasn't for some voices in the distance. Crimson was all too hopeful that Twilight would have attacked her friend, and instead of getting to see it happen, everypony became distracted as Pinkie's voice practically roared in the distance. "Applejack! Where are you!" Pinkie may as well have been using a giant megaphone.

Twilight hunkered down, holding her ears as they threatened to bleed. That high pitch and loudness factor was certainly an annoyance. Oh what she wouldn't give to make the ringing stop as Applejack turned around and got up. For the moment, she didn't notice Twilight laying in the grass with her hooves over her ears. "Curse that loud mare, she ruined a perfect bite." Crimson growled to herself and stayed in the shadows. This wasn't part of the plan at all, she had to get Twilight out of there, now. But she risked being seen at the same time. "Maybe I can play this out in my favor?" The dark mare asked herself as ideas brewed.

It became quite apparent of what she could do, it would be a change of plan, but it would get Twilight off of her hooves for a while. And with the sound of branches breaking not too far away, it was clear the whole team was here. It wasn't time to get rid of them yet, nor ethical to do it. Instead, Crimson waited. Twilight could be their problem for now. She could put her plan into action, she had taught Twilight what she needed, more or less. Anything else at this point was instinct and little to nothing more.

"Maybe she'll cause some mischief, whatever it won't matter. I'll call her when I need her to join me, until then, farewell Twilight." Crimson whispered as her friends ran through some of the plant life on the other side of the clearing. It was more than time to go, she could hunt elsewhere and Twilight would surely sink her fangs into some unfortunate pony.

"Okay, now what in tarnation are y'all doing here? I thought I said I got this." Applejack tried to hide her limp, but of course failed miserably. They all looked at with great concern and then all around as Twilight was still recovering.

Rarity stepped forward and looked at Applejack with her horn glowing brightly in the dark, yet again, more pain for Twilight even if she wasn't directly looking at it. "We have been worried sick darling and when you weren't back around dark, well we just had to come looking for you." Rarity spoke softly in elegant voice as per usual. Oddly showing little disgust for being in the forest on such a cold night. Applejack hadn't even noticed Spike on her back before he hopped off.

Applejack looked around and put her head down. Curse her honesty. "Okay, okay I got lost. Maybe this cursed forest is a little more complicated than I thought. But I got through mostly unscathed." Applejack put a false smile up, she was at least honest with everypony as Spike walked up to her.

"You had us all worried sick, Applejack." Fluttershy whispered from beside Rarity. Rainbow Dash, however wasn't there.

"Where's Rainbow?" Applejack asked, not spotting her form among the group.

"She stayed back incase Twilight came home." Spike said, his eyes seemed to catch something laying in the grass a bit away from Applejack.

That something was Twilight who had recovered now, at least her ears anyway. But she was breathing heavily with the scent of all of her friends, more importantly, food. Prey, it was all in one spot, but instincts told her to single one out and so she waited, hoping they didn't notice. She wasn't herself right now and Spike was going to learn.

"Guys, I think I found something!" The dragon just about shouted in happiness as he was sure it was a horn. His mind far too innocent to think of anything dark, such as a severed horn at least. No, he was sure it was Twilight, his own judgement of logic must've taken a vacation. The odds of it being Twilight were slim to none, despite that though, she was most certainly here awaiting her prey.

And to the unfortunate dragon, it was now or never as she sprung up. Her eyes glowing in the dark as she hissed and tackled Spike to ground. Nopony was sure what just happened, but they all rushed to his aid as Twilight tried to bite him. Failing miserably thanks to his scales. If she had one more shot, she would've picked a softer spot, but instead her mouth had a slight ache to it and it only angered her as Applejack pulled her off and pushed her away. But the moment Rarity's light shined down on the starving Twilight, Applejack regretted her decision instantly.

Twilight growled and quickly stood up with a speed that surprised the earthpony who wasn't used to a fast or for that matter, swift Twilight. Failing to back away as the rest helped Spike up and checked him, Twilight tackled Applejack down. Applejack out of natural instinct, put her hooves up and held Twilight back. It wasn't an even match though, Twilight was slightly overpowering her. "Little help here y'all!" She yelled to her friends who tried to get Twilight off. Applejack's back hoof was at fault, sprained and unusable for the most part.

"Twilight dear, what has gotten into you?" Rarity asked and only got a hiss as an answer. Too bad she didn't know what the hiss meant.

"Yeah Twi, what in the name of Celestia is with you!" Spike shouted from behind Rarity, a bit afraid to be near her at the moment. Fluttershy could only frown at her friend, she wasn't known for having a loud voice or anger really. And right now, she just wanted to be quiet as usual.

Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Twilight right as she would have been able to overpower Applejack, it was a much needed relief to the mare as she regained her strength. But Pinkie's strength was enough to keep Twilight still, all of those times almost crushing Twilight in hugs apparently paid off. Twilight continued to hiss and squirm, to no avail though. Her throat was only burning more with Pinkie holding her back. She was far beyond irritated now, she would happily rip the throat out of somepony with out second thought.

"Let me go this instant you insolent mare!" Twilight shouted, to which Pinkie hugged her tighter.

"Don't let her go Pinkie, we have to get her out of here and figure out what's wrong with her." Rarity was the first to speak with an idea. Everpony, minus Twilight agreed with it. They needed to get going before anything worse showed up. But they were forgetting one very important detail, she was an alicorn. And as they got ready to run like they never had before, Pinkie went flying past them, squealing happily as she rolled into the grass. Thrown by Twilight's magic.

Twilight stomped her hoof and growled, showing her fangs off to a very terrified Spike and Applejack. Her eyes were glowing a fiery red at this point, she had very well been the mare that walked through Tartarus and lived. Without any other warning, she lunged for Applejack and pinned her down. Applejack had little chance to retaliate or think, Twilight's movements were far too fast. And the only two things that stopped Twilight from ripping the earthpony's throat out was Spike pulling on her mane and a very weak magic aura holding her place.