Silent Canterlot

After the visit from Starlight and filling up their permission forms, Ocellus and Smolder waited for their friends at the train station. Both creatures packed light, with Ocellus taking a small bag with her and Smolder, a picnic basket filled with her favorite gems to snack on.

"Let's see, sandwiches... check! Juice packs... check!" Ocellus said as she checks off her checklist's contents.

Meanwhile, Smolder tries to calm her nerves down by chewing down on a gem. Her thoughts are still focused on the nightmare that she had to endure two nights ago. Visions of the bloody dragons, her smashing an undead dragon's brains out with a wooden board. Smolder's breathing turns ragged, her heart beating fast and-

"Smolder? Are you alright?" Ocellus asked, noticing Smolder's ragged breathing.

"Y-y-yeah! I'm fine Ocellus! Nothing to worry about here! Ehehehe..."

Ocellus raised an eyebrow and placed her hoof on Smolder's chest. "Your heartbeat's fast, too."

She paused for a moment, checking her forehead to see if she's burning a fever. "You're not sick as far as I can tell, unless... You're thinking about the nightmares, are you?"

Smolder sighed and hugged Ocellus. "Yeah. It's about nightmares again."

"Smolder, I know it's easier said than done, but you have to try and remove the images of those nightmares for today. That and we have a picnic with Gallus and the others! Aren't you excited about that?"

"Well, I am! It's just... those nightmares, they seem to be stuck inside my head and it's annoying!"

Ocellus nuzzled Smolder's cheek. "I know you can do it, Smolder. Just try to take in deep breaths and thinking about happy thoughts! That's what I do when something bothers me." She smiled.

"Thanks, Ocellus. I appreciate the advice." Smolder then closed her eyes and took in deep breaths, all the while trying to think about the piles of gem that she could eat later on.

After a few minutes, Smolder opened her eyes and let out a relieved sigh. "It worked! Thanks, Ocellus!"

Ocellus chirped happily.

Not too long, their friends have arrived. "Sorry, we're late! We had to help Yona pack up her incredibly big backpack before we left the school!" Silverstream said as she pointed at Yona carrying a traditional Yak backpack on her back.

"We tried to convince Yona to carry a lighter one, but she prefers to carry her traditional one instead!"

"Yona prefers to carry traditional Yak backpack!"

Sandbar chuckled, "You know Yona, if you could, you might be able to carry us all on your back with that strength of yours!" He commented.

"Yeah, Yona. Not me though, I can easily grab my backpack while flying." Gallus added.

"So, is everycreature set?" Ocellus asked, of which the group nodded.

"I even brought along some seashells to commemorate our second picnic outing!" Silverstream happily announced, showing off her six seashells.

"Wow, those look incredibly beautiful, Silverstream!" Ocellus exclaimed.

"And what about tickets?" Yona asked.

"I have it with me, guys," Smolder said, showing the tickets inside the envelope.

"Neat! Next stop, Canterlot! Oh my gosh i'msosososososososo excited!" Silverstream happily exclaimed as she pulled in the others in a group hug.

After arriving at Canterlot, the young six have settled in at a nice spot just outside of Canterlot, a small blooming garden with birds inhabiting the place. The group took in the view in awe, with Ocellus taking snapshots of the garden with her old Pony Cam.

"This. Place. Is. BEAUTIFUL!" Silverstream happily said as she plucked a flower from the garden.

"Yona agrees! Yona likes fancy garden!"

Smolder settled in by the fountain, setting down her picnic basket and taking out a gem to chew on.

"Smolder! At least wait for us to set up our stuff before eating ahead of us!" Gallus said.

"Alright, fine. I'll go and help." Smolder replied.

Minutes have passed, the young six have settled in and unpacked their picnic snacks by the fountain. Silverstream brought traditionally made Mount Aris sandwiches, Yona brought Yak Soup. Gallus brought a set of Griffonscones, and Sandbar brought some donuts from Donut Joe's shop.

"Wow, these sandwiches are delicious, Ocellus!" Silverstream commented, "did you made these all by yourself?"

"Nope. Thorax helped me make them since I'm not really much of a good cook myself. But I'm glad you like it!"

"Hey, can I try some of that soup, Yona?" Smolder asked. Yona nodded, and Smolder took a spoonful of Yona's soup. She took a big taste of the soup, and smiled."

"Onion soup with Chives, right?" She asked.

"That's right! That's traditional Yak Soup! Delicious, right?"

"Yeah, I love the onion's taste! If you don't mind, can you bring me some when you got time to make one?" Smolder asked.

"Sure! Yona will find time to make soup for everycreature!"

"Sorry if I didn't bring anything other than gems, though."

"Eh, it's alright. Besides, I'm sure it's because that's what you have at hand for now." Gallus said.

With that said, the six students enjoyed their picnic outing while chatting about the latest classes and announced events at their school. Until...

"Did you guys hear that?" Smolder asked.

"Yeah, I heard it. It must be coming from the inner gardens." Ocellus said.

"Can you go check it out, Smolder? I don't like us being watched by somepony." Gallus requested.

"Alright, alright. I'll go ahead and see if somecreature is stalking us." Smolder got up and started walking at the inner garden's direction.

"I'm coming too!" Ocellus said as she got up and followed Smolder.

Smolder checked around as she went in deeper in the inner garden, filled with tall bushes and flowers. "Can't see a thing with all these bushes," Smolder grunted.

She quickly stopped when she heard movement in the bushes.

"There it is again, Smolder."

"I know. Stick close to me..." Smolder said quietly, moving slowly to try and sneak up on the sound's direction. Slowly but surely, she got close enough, only to stop.

"What is it Smolder?"

A voice is heard. "You shouldn't be here, younglings." The hooded figure said, with a knife pointed at Smolder.

"Look, we're not here to hurt you. We're just having a picnic in the garden and-"

"That's exactly why I don't want you here! Leave now, before it's too late!" The hooded figure warned.

"We're sorry if we entered your garden. We didn't know somepony owned this, or being watched at least." Ocellus said.

"That's not the point. There is something sinister in this garden, and you must go now before-" The hooded figure is disrupted as the sounds of panicked birds flying above startled her. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Smolder asked.

"You better go, now!" The hooded figure warned, but its warnings were too late as Smolder and Ocellus fall through a portal opening that appeared below them.

... wake up

... wake up, Smolder...

The young dragon's eyes opened, groaning in pain as Ocellus helped Smolder sit up.

"Ocellus...?" Smolder groggily said, "W-where are we..?"

"I don't know, Smolder. But we're in a house of some sort. It's scaring me though, the doors and windows are boarded up and the furniture looks like it hasn't been used in decades." Ocellus said.

As Smolder regained her clear vision, she sees exactly what Ocellus said. They're inside a building, with the windows and door boarded up. In the living room lies damaged or worn out furniture sets.

"W-w-what happened...?"

"We found a hooded figure and she kept saying that we should go, until... well, both of us fell through something. When I came to, I woke up next to you inside this building."

"That's odd," Smolder said as she got up, and examined the door. It's shut tight, but with enough force, the boards can be pulled open.

"Did you checked the place for anything, Ocellus?"

She nodded and showed Smolder a small rectangular plastic device with an attached flashlight on its side.

"What is this?" Smolder asked as she grabbed the weird device.

"I have no idea, but I checked the device to see if there are any writings and all I found was a small writing that says "Radio" on the back."

Upon inspecting, there is indeed a word written "Radio" at the back of the device. Along with it is an attached flashlight and a strap. Thinking that it's harmless, Smolder placed the strap on her back to attach the device on her chest.

"I also found a saddle bag with this bottle inside it." Ocellus showed off the Saddle Bag on her back and a bottle that has the words "Health Drink" written on it.

"Now, stand back Ocellus. I'm gonna pry open the boards so we can get out." Smolder mentally counted to three, as she pulled the first board with ease, doing the same thing on the last one. With a figurative light bulb appearing on her head, she grabs one of the board and swings it around, thinking it could be a useful self-defense tool.

What they don't know is that on the other side of that door, horrific events and monsters await them...