Eventide

Chapter 4: The Road

by Lan

Dear Princess Celestia,

I will be going out of town for a little while, following a lead I recently acquired. I expect to be back within a month, but do not worry if I stay longer.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

~~~~~~~

Twilight pinned a similar notice to her friends on the front door of her house, leaving with a saddlebag over her back, the inventory consisting of camping supplies and provisions that would last roughly one week. She even brought a couple of books to study from on her sojourn in the Outer Lands. Leaving her assistant, Spike, as custodian of the library, the purple pony departed for Everfree Trail. Reasoning to herself, Since no monsters have been reported in Canterlot, Fillydelphia, or Manehatten, they must have come from the Outer Lands.

Lost in thought, she trotted down the unpaved road, trying to convince herself that she was taking the correct course of action. She spotted a familiar orange mare with a yellow mane and three red apples on her flank waving to a cart from the side of the road, apparently in farewell. She caught Twilight's eye as well and slowly began to walk over to her, detaining the wooden cart with a gesture. “Hi, Applejack.” Twilight greeted cheerfully.

Applejack had a thick Southern accent that did not fail to present itself. “Nice ta see ya, Twi.” She glanced at the saddlebags. “You headed somewhere?”

“I have a lead for the case and I'm going to The Outer Lands.” She continued to hold herself cheerfully, despite putting herself willingly into a dangerous situation. “I should be back in a month, but I may take longer.”

Agape, Applejack was stunned. “That's too dangerous for ya ta go all by yerself. Why don't Ah git all our friends an' we'll go together? We just finished Applebuck Season, so Ah could go with ya.”

“Thanks, Applejack, but I don't need any help. I'm just going to the towns to ask for information.”

“Ya do know this here trail goes through Everfree, righ'?”

“Yeah, but I see ponies using it all the time. I'll be fine, really. I know how to take care of myself.”

“You'll be fine against monsters? Ya don't look like ya have anythin' on ya tha' can stop monsters, Twi.”

“I do have this, though.” she tapped her horn with her hoof, the light click barely audible over the ambient noise radiating from the proximate green ocean that threatened to swallow the landscape in its untamed maw.

Grumbling at her friend's stubbornness, Applejack surrendered. “At leas' let Golden Delicious here accompany ya. At least that way ya won't be alone. If Ah'm not mistaken, he can take ya about half ah the way.”

“Thanks Applejack.”

With a sigh, “It's no problem, Twilight. Ah just wish ya would listen ta reason and not go all by yer lonesome ta those dangerous places.”

“I'll be fine. There's no need to worry. And I'll have your cousin helping me half-way. So I've only got to walk half of Everfree on my own.”

Without another word to arrest her friend, Applejack plodded back to the wagon to talk to Golden Delicious. “This is ma friend, Twilight. Ya don' mind if she goes with ya down Everfree Trail, do ya?”

The brown stallion, having a black mane and three golden apples on his flank, nodded. “It's alrigh' with me.” He had a similar accent, but something was slightly different about it compared to Applejack's. He was pulling a large cart filled with a pungent mulch. Twilight had to hold her breath as she stepped up to the side of the earth pony. She noticed the step-rifle strung across his back, barely not interfering with the wooden yoke. The firearm extended out from underneath his chest, the straps tight across his back. A small wire extended off the device and down his right foreleg to a metal gauntlet on his hoof. Kicking the dirt with this hoof and with enough force would cause the weapon to fire. The magazine was easily accessible via his mouth to swap cartridges.

“Thanks, Golden Delicious.” She extended one hoof. “I'm Twilight Sparkle.”

Shaking her hoof with the strong grip of a farm worker, “Nice to meet ya' Twilight Sparkle. I'm Golden Delicious, but you can jus' call me Golden.”

Laughing, Twilight replied jokingly, “Okay, Delicious. You can just call me Twilight.”

“Heh. I like ya, Sparkle.” He turned his attention back to the orange mare on the side of the road, “See ya, cuz.”

After exchanging farewells, the company of two departed, talking like old friends.

~~~~~~~

The perambulate journey through the forest went slowly, at an easy, relaxing pace that would not tire either wayfarer. The morning sun quickly rose high in the sky and began to descend.

“You've got to be kiddin'! My Applejack did tha'?!” Golden Delicious laughed full-heartedly at the thought.

“Well, it wasn't as bad as it seemed at the time.” Twilight giggled too.

Continuing to laugh at the amusing image in their minds, the two continued along and soon forgot to talk, their minds wandering in thought.

Snapping the silence between them like a stick underhoof, Golden asked, “So, what brings a pony like you out inta tha Everfree Forest?

Suddenly standing up straight, the purple pony took an air of dignity. “I have been asked by Princess Celestia herself to assist in apprehending a serial killer, the perpetrator of at least 4 murders in Ponyville. Recent evidence suggests that I may be able to find the information I'm looking for at whatever town is at the end of Everfree Trail.” She sounded very official and determined.

With a somewhat questioning look of disbelief on his face, the stallion eyed the pony, but did not say a word. Instead, he returned his stare to the road ahead. “If you say so.”

“I do say so. Do you not believe me?”

“What are the odds that you really know a god? Applejack's bad enough, talkin' like she knows tha Princess. Even claimed to be an Element of Harmony! Can ya believe that? An earth pony possessing a magical ability to defeat any foe? Ha!”

“We do know the Princess. And she is an Element. So am I.”

“Yeah, sure ya are.”

“I'm the Princess's number one disciple! I have received lessons in magic directly from her! In person! I also represent the Element of Magic!”

“Uh huh.” His nonchalant disbelief was infuriating. “If yer so great, then why are you the one going on this hunt fer information? If yer so high up in the Court, couldn't ya just get somepony else ta do it for ya?” He wasn't as clueless as Twilight would have suspected a farm pony of being.

“Well, the Princess doesn't exactly know I'm going on this journey. I sent her a message, though.”

“Right, of course.” He rolled his eyes.

Irked, Twilight defended, “I did! She doesn't believe me that this stallion in town is the one who did it. He showed up right after the murders occurred. And another happened when he was nowhere to be found! They came from somewhere and I suspect that it was along this path. The evidence I'm looking for must be at the end.”

“'They?'” the pony quoted.

“Him and some mare. They showed up in town a little over a week ago.”

“Ah. And how do ya know it was them?”

“I just told you!” she was shouting at him now.

Surprisingly, instead of asking another question he gently laughed. “Ya know, yer cute when ya do that.”

Blinking twice in confusion, “What? Do what?”

“You get all worked up like that.” He laughed again. “It's cute when you start grinding your teeth and yer eye twitches.”

“I do not!” she exclaimed, somewhat yelling at the stallion, somewhat at herself for getting so 'worked up.'

The brown earth pony dropped the conversation and chuckled one more time, continuing to pull his burden in the same manner as before. The wheels groaning and the click of the metal gauntlet were the only remaining sounds the two made as they walked. Twilight zoned out, lost in thought. Suddenly, she felt her face grow warm as it turned red.

“You think I'm cute?” she whispered in embarrassment.

He did not respond, only turning his head away to hide the deep blush. “I didn't mean it like tha'. I only meant... Uh...” The stallion lost his train of thought. “Never mind.” Neither talked again until they set up camp, too embarrassed to resume their conversation.

They had to set up camp before it became dark out, as the dangerous creatures came out at night. Some ne'er-do-wells even prowled in the darkness, prepared to strike at any moment at passers-by. Both had brought their own camping supplies and they set up their tents adjacent to one another's beside the road.

Twilight's was made of thick fibers to insulate the interior from the environment, trapping the warmth inside. She had designed it herself and asked her friend, Rarity, to make it for her when all her friends went camping one night. Only even having been used that once, it was very clean and looked like she had recently purchased it. It was a purple tent, matching the color of her coat perfectly.

It magically sprang to life and assembled itself, matching what Twilight had learned in her book on camping to the exact detail described. She did the same for Golden's dark green tent, which had begun wear in some places from too much use. He must travel this road a lot. Twilight thought to herself. That means that he knows what he's doing and we should be safe. When both tents were aligned, the stallion stopped in the side area, unlatching himself from the wagon.

Leaving it where he stood, the brown pony stated, “I'm goin' ta find some decent firewood. I'll be righ' back. In tha meantime, make sure nopony tries to steal anythin' while I'm gone, 'kay?” As Twilight nodded, he turned and walked into the forest, metal clicking against his hoof. Twilight sat in the median of the two tents, listening to the wildlife, its lullaby entrancing. An owl hooted, crickets chirped, and Twilight heard a large number of sounds that she couldn't place with any animal.

Once more, she found her thoughts wandering in the serenity the forest brought. It was strange that she could feel so at peace when she had only ever heard macabre tales about the Everfree from ponies too scared to even enter along Everfree Trail. I don't see what Applejack was so concerned about. I've been in the Everfree Forest before. If I'm just careful and stick to the road, I doubt I will even see any of the creatures that live in the depths of the forest. And besides, I've got Golden Delicious here to help out if need be. Her mind jumped back to what they had exchanged earlier and she blushed again, despite the stallion not even being present, her hot face radiating in the cool air.

Regardless of all she built up in her mind about Everfree being nothing to fear, she flinched when a twig snapped behind her. Darting around, the memory of the battle against the nightmares rising fresh in her head, she could see nothing in the emptiness of the trees. She didn't see one creature capable of snapping a twig. She stood up and carefully stepped forward, as if she was checking the temperature of a pool of water. Leaning her head left and right just beyond the back of the twin tents, she continued to see no movement. Her voice cracked, “H-Hello?”

There was no response. She turned around, a tingling creeping up her spine and sat back down just as another twig snapped. Wasting no time, she jumped around, spinning through the air and startled a large black raven that took flight, seeking the safe haven of the treetops, the pines providing a veil that her eyes could not penetrate at the roof. The raven was gone.

Feeling foolish, she slowly turned around as the silhouette of a pony crossed in front of her in the moonlight. She finally realized that Golden had been gone long enough for the sun to have set and the moon to rise. Worry crossed the young pony's mind as thoughts of what had become of the stallion consumed her, wondering if the figure before her had played some part in his demise. She held her breath, trying not to make a sound, clinging to the protective penumbra of the shadows between the tents. She would have stilled her heart if she could have, just to prevent the thump thump thump that boomed in her ears like drums.

The figure convulsed, spinning its back side to side. Chunks of wood fell off its back and landed in the side of the road between the two tents. “How ya' holdin' up, Twilight? Anything come to tear us ta pieces?” The follow-up chuckle brought breath back to Twilight and she heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

“You scared me to death, standing there like that! I was beginning to think you were dead because you were gone so long.” She stood up and slowly approached Golden's silhouette.

“Aww, ya don't have ta worry over me like tha'. I'm fine, see?” He flexed a muscle, barely visible in the night. “Can ya get my flint and steel from my pack over there?” He motioned towards the tent.

“Sure,” she responded, finding it in the bag with relative ease. She brought it over and presented it to the stallion, beaming for some odd reason, her grin wide and proud.

“Thanks, Twi.” He responded as he sat down and began to strike the two objects together. A spark flew, but nothing happened to the pile of wood. He struck again, only to achieve the same result. “Come on, ya-” he struck again and one of the twigs caught fire. “There we go. Didn't think it would work out fer a second there.” He blew over the flame, spreading it to some of the adjacent twigs. “Now we'll have a nice fire ta keep ourselves warm and ward off all kines a' critters.” The fire was barely far enough apart from the tents to prevent them from catching fire.

The fire lit up the night's air like a lighthouse, beginning to blind the pair with its intensity. The heat was comforting to the couple, and Twilight realized for the first time just how frozen the night was. She didn't want to peel herself away from the fire to lay her body down to rest in the tent beyond. When her eyes adjusted, she found herself staring into the fire, despite the burning on her retinas. The flames danced before her eyes, a performance like no other, made for their eyes alone. As the inferno rose higher into the night sky, burning brighter and warmer than ever, her eyelids became sandbags and soon she found herself unable to continue watching the ballet of fire. Instead, she let it warm her as she closed her eyes and dropped her head, the ground welcoming her.

“Wake up.” A voice rasped quietly, tapping her with a hoof.

“Huh?” she yawned and opened one eyelid. Golden was staring down the path, intensely focused on something hidden in the darkness. Following his gaze, Twilight turned her head. A small band of ponies, wearing some strange clothing, marched towards them. As they moved closer, their equipment became more apparent. The leader of the pack wore a step-rifle around his tan clothing. It looked like the hide of some creature and had been sewn together by hooves without skill, the stitches very distinct along the seams.

The troop of disheveled ponies passed by, giving a wide berth to the fire. Twilight met their forlorn eyes as they walked, looking like they had given up hope long ago, but continued on, keeping pace with the leader. Neither of the campers spoke until the company had drifted out of sight.

Turning her attention back on Golden, she prompted, fatigued from consciousness, “What did you have to wake me for?”

He turned to the exhausted, red-eyed pony, “If they had sensed weakness, such as half er group bein' unprepared an' asleep, they would've attacked.” The serious solemnity of his voice instilled anxiety in the half-awake mare lying by the crackling fire. No longer feeling its warmth, a shiver rolled across her shoulders at the thought of all four attacking them.

“The way I see it, they 'ad no idea how many more were in tha tents and thought it best ta leave us alone.”

“I guess we won't be going to bed then.” Thought Twilight aloud, not realizing the implication until she had already spoken. Quickly withdrawing the sentiment, “I-I mean, -”

“I know whatcha meant.” She blushed, thankful that the orange light would at least mask some of the color spreading over her cheeks. “An' these marauders don' let any others git near 'em, so we shouldn't see any more tanight. You can go inside an' sleep. I'll keep guard. Strange, though, they're usually more 'n than.”

The offer was enticing, the thought of the soft bed away from the “marauders” bringing a longing that tugged at her weary mind. “No, I'll stay with you.” she replied almost reluctantly. She felt a swelling in her chest as she thought of Golden keeping watch over her, protecting her from the horrors of Everfree while she drifted off to sleep. A smile lit up across her face as she closed her eyes and prepared to rest.

“Twilight?” She was already asleep. He paused, waiting for a response that never came. “I'm really glad yer here.” he whispered to her.

~~~~~~~

The morning came without incident as the brilliant sun peeked over the horizon, kissing the trees with a bright orange glow, igniting the morning sky in a festival of color. Weary, the two companions stretched their aching limbs and enjoyed a warm meal together before continuing on their journey. The frosty air, still cool and crisp from the night's chill, became strangely comforting, a foil to the radiant heat of the sun. The scent of pine along the trail mixed perfectly with the air and perfumed the landscape in its euphoric aroma. All the animals of daytime began to wake and soon the hooting of owls gave way to the chirping of birds. It was a perfect morning, instilling peace on the verge of tranquility.

But the forest still remained a dangerous place. The company of two  found themselves face-to-face with the remains of another campsite after a few hours of walking. Flies swarmed around the area and the pine scent became masked by a lingering fetor that could only be blood. The charcoal from the fire lay scattered, a charred, white body of a pony or similar creature smoldering in the pit. The array of nearby tents had all collapsed, or been torn down, some even set aflame. Debris from the supplies and rations lay bestrewn like the remnants of a storm. Most of the bodies lay on the ground, riddled with bullets or stab wounds in pools of dried blood. A few seemed almost alive with the sheer quantity of flies gathered on them. Some of the bodies wore a tan hide armor that the pair recognized instantly.

“Marauders...” Twilight wasn't sure if it had been Golden Delicious or her that had said it, but they both knew it to be true. The camp covered the entire road and tiny aggregation was forced to advance, laggardly ambulating amid the residue of the horrors from a conflict long-concluded, occasionally pausing to examine the wreckage. Not one pony had survived the onslaught. Holding her breath as the stench grew worse, Twilight found herself stepping on a horseshoe that matched her hoof perfectly. Anxiety burrowing a pit in her stomach, she rushed to the fringes of the camp and inhaled deeply, a bead of sweat running down her temple. Waiting for her breath to relax, Twilight stood still as her companion pulled his cart through the ruin and presently reached her.

“I guess now we know why there were so few a 'em last nigh'.” He still seemed somewhat tired, as he had hardly slept that night.

Twilight, still worried, “Do you think we'll see any more?” The fear was apparent in her voice.

“Doubt it. Like I said, they don' like other groups a marauders anywhere near 'em.” He waved his hoof in dismissal of the thought. “We should still be careful, though.”

“Agreed.” she heaved, her spirits lifting to relieve the place.

~~~~~~~

“Where are the Marauders from?” Twilight asked curiously, breaking the silence of the past few minutes.

Golden thought for a moment, then rasped, “I'd reckon Tartarus. It's where the blasted things belong.”

“Where do they hide out? I doubt they stay awake all the time, but I don't think they'd stay on the road.” She hoped that he would at least be able to guess at this one.

“They hide up in the trees.” He grunted, not wanting to think much more about them.

“So... What do they do?” It sounded like a question with an obvious answer, but the purple unicorn needed more information. She could at least report some of this to Princess Celestia.

“They steal, kill, and destroy everythin' they can. If they see ya out on tha road, an' their numbers're larger than yers, they'll kill ya. That is, if they don' torture ya firs'.” He developed a grimace as he spoke, clearly agitated at the thought of the ruthless bandits.

Twilight mulled this over for a few moments. “Why doesn't anypony stop them? Is there no guard out here?”

“I don' know anypony fool enough ta try. Besides, they think they're doing good, clearing the path of the monsters that live in Everfree, but it's really jus' a way for 'em ta justify what they do. They claim tha' what they do is jus' tha price a protection.”

“How come they've never attacked you?”

“Did I say that? Nah, I've been robbed a buncha times. They don' always kill. Usually, tha' happens when tha group they've encountered is large enough tha' some a 'em start complainin' about it. I mostly jus' avoid 'em by coverin' my cart an' takin' refuge in tha forest. But, I've lost a fair share of apples to 'em, the greedy swine!” A vein in his neck bulged and he struggled to calm himself down, taking a deep breath. He glared at the path, never taking his eyes off of it for the duration of the conversation.

“What about you? Why are you takin' tha risk and comin' out here?”

“Like I said before, nopony believes me.”

“And that's reason enough ta risk death?”

“Well, no... But if I don't do something, more ponies will die and I will know I could have prevented it. In fact, they'll probably die while I'm gone, but at least this way, there will be less casualty.” She sounded somber now, like she was already mourning those who would die in her absence. “He needs to be gone. And not just from Ponyville; He needs to be gone from all of Equestria, the entire planet even! And her...” Her voice trailed off.

“Who?” he snapped the pony back to reality.

“Huh?” she questioned. “Oh! He brought a mare with him, claiming she was his wife. Apparently, she can bring nightmares to life or something like that and Ponyville was nearly overrun! If it wasn't for me, there would have been too many monsters to handle and...” She trailed off again, not wanting to comprehend the consequences of what her failure might have brought.

~~~~~~~

The sun finally hit midday, but it was not the only body in the sky. The clouds had begun to coalesce and cover much of the sky in a dark hue. It would rain soon, the thought of which was outlandish to the unicorn, who had never experienced unscheduled inclement weather before. A kind of fascination crossed her, and a sense of anticipation she hadn't felt since she was filly. I wonder what kind of weather it will be. It could be a snowstorm! I love those. Continuing to ponder the weather in such a manner, she began to stare at the sky, her demeanor shifting to a more reserved manner.

Raising an eyebrow, Golden gave her a curious look. “Wha's tha matter?”

In a voice barely above a whisper, she muttered, “The weather controls itself...”

Genuinely confused, the earth pony responded, “Why wouldn' it?”

“How could it do that without pegasi moving the clouds?”

“I guess tha wind jus' pushes 'em along.”

“Yeah... I wonder what kind of weather it will be.”

Not missing a beat, he answered, “Looks like rain ta me.”

Defeated at the anticlimactic response, she mumbled, “Oh.” Presently, she inquired,“How long do you think it will be until it rains?”

“Couple a hours.”

Soon, the air grew heavy and humid, the storm preparing itself in a way that Twilight could never have predicted. She could begin to feel the storm closing in, and that was terrifying enough without it arriving on its own schedule. The sky mutated from a cerulean blue to a dark gray, an ambient light casting down over the usually well-lit blanket of trees. The scent of pine began to fail, weighed down by the thin mist permeating the atmosphere. She felt like she was sweating, but remained dry to the touch. She could feel her heart beat faster as she worried about the side-effects of this “unnatural” weather.

The sun faded from view, masked behind the darkening clouds. A flash of light ignited the landscape in a brief burst, the trees becoming white in the intensity. The boom that followed a few seconds later made the poor pony jump out of her skin with a yelp. Her companion politely ignored the outburst and tried not to laugh, but a small chuckle came through anyway. Twilight glared daggers at him, which only made it harder for Golden to stop. She had not expected the thunder to have such a high volume, the kind that she could feel the pressure wave contract her chest. With the next flash of light, she prepared herself, holding her breath and pushing out her chest as much as possible. The boom was not as powerful as she remembered.

The raindrops came a few minutes later, hitting Twilight square on the nose. “Don't you think we should begin to set up camp?” she worried.

“Soon. Tha sun hasn' even set yet.”

“How can you tell? The sky is all one shade of gray.” She scanned the heavens for any sign of the sun and noticed a cloud somewhat brighter than the others, a slight tinge of orange to it. “Oh.” she sighed. “And besides, the clouds are making everything dark. It's practically nighttime already!”

“We'll set up camp in an hour, 'kay? Tha' way, we'll still have some light while we set up an' won' wake up before sunrise.”

“Okay. But what about the rain? I don't think your tent will keep it out.”

“I'll be fine. It won' be the firs' time I slept in my tent in tha rain.”

The rain remained fairly light for the next hour. At last, the duo set up their shelter, not bothering to create a campfire. As the sun's minimal light began to fade away to a further abysmal darkness in the night, where not even the moon shined, Twilight lit up her horn, casting a dim glow that stabbed at the tenebrous gloom. Despite knowing that her companion lay mere feet away, she could not discern him from the shade that surrounded the couple. At last they entered their respective tents, weary from the day's travels. Her tent's thick walls masked his rhythmic breathing, replaced only with silence.

As the sky poured itself on the pair, the heavy roar of rain beating down on the tents, Twilight found herself unable to dream, staring into the penumbra that clung to the canvas like a thick syrup. Sick of her restlessness, she stood up and stepped out of the tent, letting the water rush over her like a river. The initial impact took her breath, letting out a short gasp at the frore waterfall. Her horn became enshrouded in a purple-violet aura, a film that cut away at the night. She sat down at the foot of the road, staring into the pines, ignoring the drops that filled her eyes and nostrils. Despite the thunder in the distance and the roar of the torrential downpour, she felt at peace with the Everfree. She took in a deep breath, breathing in the earthy smells the rain conjured.

She turned to look back at the tents. There her's stood, perfect to every detail, the water sliding down the impenetrable purple exterior. She looked at Golden's tent. Falling apart, the brown fibers obviously gave way to the rain. The inside would have been soaking wet. The flimsy material could not withstand the river pouring down upon it. Sighing at Golden's earlier stubbornness, Twilight lifted herself up and slowly walked to his tent, her hooves digging into the mud, oblivious to the drops that hit her face. She opened up the tent flap in one hoof.

“Golden, are you awake?”

A figure tossed on the cot in the middle of the tent, the light reflecting off the watery stallion. “Yeah.” he mumbled. “What's the problem?”

“The problem is you're getting soaked. I have some extra room in my tent. Why don't you come over to mine. It's dry there.”

“I wouldn't want ta be a bother.” he continued to mumble.

“You wouldn't bother me. I couldn't sleep anyway. And you'll catch a cold if you stay here. Just come over to my tent. I insist. ”

He sat up now, slightly more awake. “Did ya bring an extra bedroll? Mine's all soaked an' muddy an' I wouldn' want ta mess up yers, me bein' all wet.”

“It's fine. I'm soaked too. Come on.” she motioned with a hoof for him to follow her.

A light smile springing to his face at the prospect of a better shelter, “All right, if you insist.” He stood up and made his course outside of the tattered tent and into Twilight's. She was wiping the bedroll off with a cloth before lying down on it. “Thanks.” he said as he followed suit, lying down next to her. It did feel better to be out of the rain. The tapping overhead felt strangely comforting. The tiny tent trapped all the heat in it and was still warm from Twilight's earlier presence. The warmth, dryness were all the shelter he could have asked for. It was far better that he wasn't alone for once.

He repeated, “Thank you for letting me sleep here. It was mighty kind of ya.”

“Thank you for escorting me.” She whispered, and, to both their surprises, gave him a light kiss on the cheek. In the darkness, neither could see the blush on the other's faces.

“Yer quite welcome, M-Miss Sparkle.” he stammered in a moment of abashment.

Giggling, she recalled the banter from when they first met. “I told you to call me Twilight, Mister Delicious.” Much to both their reliefs, he laughed too. “I'm really glad you're here.” She nudged him affectionately.

They talked for the longest time, the rain's roar no barrier to their conversation. Telling jokes and stories lightened the gloomy mood and soon the couple were both dried in the warmth their two bodies generated just sitting there, smiling wholeheartedly. The room began to become slightly humid from the rain, but neither seemed to notice, too lost in their exchange.

Eventually, their minds gave way to their tired bodies and sleep seized them with an iron grip, Twilight's horn leaving only the darkness once more. Her mind swirling with thoughts, of her mission, of the monster, and of Golden, she faded out of awareness and into the sweet embrace of dreams.

~~~~~~~

The morning came in a haze, a thick fog shrouding the scene from the sun's radiant glow. Golden rose first, stretching and preparing breakfast. He opened Twilight's saddlebag and removed some rations and a small pan. Starting a fire, he set down the pan to heat up while he poured in water. While he added the oats, Twilight arose and, smelling the freshly-cooked oatmeal, opened the front flap of her tent. Her hooves sinking into the mud that lingered from after the rain, she approached the fire, still somewhat sleepy.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two devoured the collation, leaving the pan without a morsel. After a brief rest, Twilight took down the campsite in seconds, every piece telekinetically folding itself up and stowing itself away.

As they continued down the Everfree Trail, the fog leaving them with a wet chill as they walked, the pair stumbled across an unexpected sight that worried them both to the core. A series giant footprints, easily six feet across each, crossed the trail. It was obviously that of a large predator, with talons at the tips of the toes, that had strode over the road while muddy from the rain. The imprint was pressed in a good four inches. They almost didn't see it, the fog obscuring their vision.

“Whatever creature made this must have weighed tons...” Twilight theorized at the sight of it. “Do you know of anything that could have made a print this large?”

“Nothin'” he stated, mouth hanging open in shock. “How could somethin' this large move unseen in a forest? It mus' knock down all the trees in its path, but they're all still standin'.”

“I don't know, but I think we should keep going. It might be trying to set this up as its territory and kill everything in sight.” Her voice projected worry with every syllable. “Though, luckily, the fog will muddle our scents and it won't be able to smell us.”

Golden nodded in agreement, the group circling around the enormous print and continuing on their journey, albeit with a fair hind of caution in every step. The mud trying to take their hooves off their legs in some places, the pair traveled at a slower pace than usual.

The rest was an uneventful experience; they only met a few other travelers, all of whom seemed very pleasant and amiable. Presently, the fog lifted and the serpentine trail revealed itself, snaking through the Everfree. The sky was mostly clear of clouds, the blazing sun unhindered by their shrouding cloak. The celestial body crawled across the sky, slowly drying the land. Golden's heavy cart no longer sinking into the ground, their progress returned to normal only a few hours before sunset.

A display of brilliant autumn color shading across the sky once more, this night would be their last together. An offshoot of Everfree Trail appeared on the right side with a sign that read Sunshine Farms. Deciding to stay with his companion for one final night, Golden suggested setting up camp early at the intersection. Surprisingly, no one passed them along the trail after that. The brilliant, glowing moon ascended and the couple had the stars all to themselves, stargazing with each other in utter tranquility, the crickets chirping in the distance.

“And that one is Sagittarius” A purple hoof extended, pointing towards the constellation, drawing it out on the sky. “Those are his legs... and those make up his bow.” They lay upside down in the grass, their crows meeting. Twilight's horn barely missed his head, extending slightly into his field of view, but not enough to block the sky.

Whispering, “I see it.” Golden replied, stunned at her textbook knowledge of astronomy.

“And there is Centaurus” She connected the dots again.

“Wow. How many are there?”

Smiling, “Stars or constellations?”

“Uh... Stars, I guess.”

“Some say there are an infinite number of stars, all glowing brightly, but some not enough for their light to reach us. In the vastness of space, it's hard to know for certain. Even the stars have their own lives, dying out and no longer shining. We can still see the light of dead stars, just now making their way to Equestria after their eons-long journey. It proves that even dead things are beautiful.”

“Yeah.” For a brief moment, his accent disappeared and he seemed lost in though as he spoke aloud. “Do you ever worry about dying? Death I mean. Like, what happens to your consciousness when your body is gone? If there really is a life beyond death, then there's nothing to fear in dying. If there is nothing, it makes life on this world so much more meaningful. Either way, I think we should always live our lives to the fullest.” The moment of strange articulation ended. “Wha' do you think?”

“What you said makes sense to me. We do know there is magic in the world. Princess Celestia is an immortal goddess! If there is a divine power out there capable of creation, I'm sure every living thing would be granted eternity.”

Together lost in thought, the two fell silent, staring at the skies and wondering to themselves. When their eyes could barely hold themselves open, they whispered in perfect synchronicity, “I'm really glad you're here.”

They fell asleep together in the grass, forgetting to go return to the tents. In complete comfort with each other, it never even bothered them when they woke up the next morning covered in the fresh dew of dawn.

~~~~~~~

“Goodbye, Golden. Thank you for escorting me.” Twilight spoke through a hug, not wanting to let go.

“The pleasure was all mine, Miss Sparkle.” Golden replied, a deep smile on his face and an ache in his heart.

“I told you to call me Twilight.” She laughed weakly, still in his embrace.

“Goodbye, Twilight. Thank you for being escorted.”

“The pleasure was all mine, Mister Delicious.” She laughed again.

Finally, they let go of each other, a tear in each of their eyes. Golden hooked his yoke back up to the wagon and slowly walked away, the groaning of the wheels his only company. Twilight picked back up her saddlebag and drifted in the other direction, her hooves dragging in the dirt. The bittersweet tinge left a sour taste in her mouth, one that she wouldn't have given up for the world. Except she would have to, for Ponyville's safety.

There was still a long way to go. It would take a whole week to traverse the Everfree Trail and this was only day four. She met a farmer coming out of the town, a member of the Apple Family, headed to Sunshine Farms who knew Golden. She talked to the old stallion only briefly before continuing to whatever lay at the end of the trail, asking him also about the gigantic tracks she and Golden had seen earlier. He too did not know what could have made them.

That night, when she set up camp by herself, was the loneliest Twilight had ever experienced, now too used to the sound of another's breath. Without the company, she felt like she was all alone in the world, a straggler out of touch with everyone else. Everything seemed to depress her, even the chirping of the many colorful birds in the trees that had seemed so serene and uplifting only two nights ago. Shivering in the cold, icy clasp of night, morning could not come soon enough.

When it finally did, she was not hungry and simply packed everything up with a sigh before resuming her path. Two more days and I'll be done with this road. Looking up at the sky, she saw a gathering storm in the distance. It would rain again. Twilight could not guess when the storm would arrive, or what kind it would be, having no experience in meteorology. Suddenly, a flurry of black motion raised into the sky on her left. A murder of crows, all cawing viciously, scattered from a region miles away, all breaking from an unseen antagonist. A dull, unearthly roar followed moments later, stopping the unicorn in her tracks to gaze into the veiling cope of trees, her eyes unable to penetrate into the unseen abyss.

Somewhere between a trot and a fast walk, Twilight continued down the road, a renewed vigor in her legs propelling her to the destination at the end of the road. Her heart beat furiously at her ribs, trying to make her legs move faster as she tore into a gallop, picturing in her mind what could have made the sound. An hour later, exhausted, the purple pony collapsed under a tree just as the sun reached its zenith. Panting hard, a hammer beating at her insides, she stretched out and heard a series of distinct metal clicks. “No sudden moves.”

She sat up and came face-to-face with a step-rifle pointed at her from the top of the tree, just barely poking out of the branches. “Leave behind yer bags and git!” the voice spat, masked behind the pine needles. “Before I start shootin'!” it rasped.

Gasping, Twilight moved her shakey hooves to unclasp the bags from her pulsing waist, fumbling twice before it opened. “Now, move!” She got to her feet and stumbled back into the road. She glanced back up into the tree, pausing for a moment. The gun fired as the wielder kicked on metallic hoof against the tree.

The dirt exploded at her hooves as the bullet tore into the soil, spraying her with a brown mist that invaded her nostrils with the scent of gunpowder, metal, and earth. Startled, she reared back, pulling the leg closest to the miniature explosion up to her chest. “Move!” the voice shouted.

She galloped away, sprinting until the tree was out of sight. Now she had no food, camping equipment, and no one to share the misery with. She slowed, returning to a slow shuffle before collapsing in the middle of the road, sobbing in a mix of self-pity and fury at herself for being robbed by Marauders.

She took shelter in the trees when the rain arrived, climbing up the thistle and resting on the pine's numerous limbs, her muzzle buried in her hooves. There was a slight booming sound in the distance that she would have dismissed as thunder if it wasn't so rhythmic. The tree began to quiver at each clap and bringing a queasy sensation to her stomach.

Feeling too unstable, she shifted her body, shimmying down the branches until she was lower down and unable to experience the full force of the metrical shaking. As the sound became less distant and the tree shook even more, she stepped out of the branches, pricking herself with pine needles from all directions. Looking around for the source, she saw a strange shape striding toward her over the road, somewhat obscured by the rain.

Standing fifteen feet tall and forty feet long, the giant reptile scanned the landscape for prey. A small motion parallel to the ground. Turning its gaze upon the anomaly, it spotted a purple blur amidst the rain, its eyes too poor to see any kind of form through the darkness.

Unable to believe her eyes, Twilight stood before a massive dinosaur, her mind reverting to a clinical state in defense of the unbelievable. It must be an Allosaur – it's too small and its arms are too big to be a Tyrannosaur. That would explain why there weren't any destroyed trees – it's used to maneuvering through forests. But it shouldn't even be here! Dinosaurs went extinct thousands of years ago! Well, I shouldn't be so surprised, I did travel through time after all. She recalled the mishap with the spell that sent her temporarily back in time to a younger version of herself.

Lost in thought, the pony stood her ground as the creature pounded closer. Upon realizing that the blur was indeed edible, it gave an earsplitting roar that snapped the frightened pony back into reality. Spittle flew from the gaping maw, now only twenty feet away, the splatter coating her head in the slime. She lost all control of her legs, paralyzed.

It can't see you if you don't move. Her mind froze. Wait. That theory was disproved ages ago! Move legs, move! Her legs did not move away, but merely trembled, sending butterflies into the mare's stomach. She felt lightheaded as the blood drained from her skull and into her limbs, the adrenaline pumping and getting ready to flee. The Allosaur closed its jowls, staring hungrily at the tiny pony. It would be easy prey.

When its first clawed foot came crashing down to resume advancing on the statue, it yelped and became a purple blur again, bolting from the spot and spraying mud away from where she previously stood. Twilight's legs moved expeditiously in response, her heart pounding to pump enough blood to her already-weary limbs. The only avenue of escape would be the road; she did not possess the time to maneuver through the woodlands, especially with the precipitation adumbrating her vision.

As she galloped, she could not feel the Allosaur's steps anymore, the impulse from her own hooves counteracting the shockwave. Lightning flashed, immediately proceeded by thunder so deafening that she felt a dull ringing in her ears as her eyes teared up from the pain. The lightning had struck one of the trees a hundred feet away, the beginnings of a conflagration forming there.

Twilight continued to run, faster than she had ever needed to in her life. The Allosaur never seemed far behind, almost matching her speed. The pony galloped and slowly increased the gap between the two of them. She could feel her hooves beginning to slip on the rain-slick soil.

The three-ton monster had no such difficulty, the giant pads on its feet and its claws gave it enough traction. The gap began to close, the dinosaur less than thirty feet away. The rain now filled Twilight's eyes, rendering her effectively blind to her path. A rock appeared in her path. Tripping over it, she landed face-first in the compact soil of the road.

Flailing her limbs, she managed to turn over onto her back and wipe the water out of her eyes. The monster stopped, now less than ten feet away and roared once more. Time slowed as Twilight thought her head would split from the deafening cry. She almost lost consciousness as it closed its mouth and eyed her greedily, growing more faint by the moment.

Another boom, neither thunder nor footstep, ripped through the air, preceded by a brief flash of light. The monster reared back, apparently in pain, as blood leaked out a tiny hole in its neck. Somepony fired a step-rifle, Twilight gasped in thought. The first shot was followed by a flurry of bullets, tearing through the air at the uncomprehending target. She managed to turn her head around.

“Marauders,” she whispered in anger and relief. Unbeknownst to her, one of them wore a saddlebag over his back. Scrambling to her hooves, she hopped thrashingly in a rush to get behind the armed squad.

Alarmed at the sudden scattering of bullet-holes across its body, the hulking beast fled, returning the way it came. “Kill it!” several of the armored ponies cried out in unison.

Ululating, they pursued the prehistoric monster, stomping after it. Not knowing what else to do, Twilight galloped after the band of cutthroats.

One minute later, the beast stopped, his path trammeled in the wake of the conflagration. Several pines had felled, blocking the road in a wall of fire. Left and right, the flames spread across the trees, unhampered by the showering sky. The road leading back to the screaming ponies brandishing firearms became the only means of escape, a peninsula in an ocean of flame. The trees crackled as their trunks slip, sending sparks out into the road, decorating the edges in a glowing orange paint.

With their target cornered, the group stopped, screaming at it, and begun kicking the dirt. As bullets ripped through flesh and bone, the creature roared in pain. Its torso filling with metal shards, the Allosaur charged forward. The overconfident group of Marauders stood their ground, kicking harder and harder at the dirt. The storm of bullets mimicked the surrounding storm of rain, filling the air with their barrage. It was not enough to stop the monster.

Twilight could barely stand to watch as one massive leg stomped down on one of the ponies, a sickening crunch competing with the splatter of raindrops and firing of bullets. Blood sprayed in all directions as the lower half of the Marauder separated from the upper half, mixing with the muddy water in the imprint of the colossal foot. She could not even hear his screams with the other step-rifles firing in such close proximity.

The monster didn't even bother to give this dying pony a quick demise. It lay on the ground, screaming and rolling, its intestines lying outside its body, the purple unicorn barely able to take her eyes of the stallion. A mix of emotions poured through her: anger, relief, sadness, pity. But it was curiosity that brought her gaze back to the dying Marauder. Something big and shiny reflected the moonlight through the rain. His step-rifle was untouched.

Giving quick glances to the Marauders that were still alive, she made her move. Lurching forward quickly, she reached the writhing half-pony in a matter of seconds. It saw her and began to punch with its remaining blood-soaked forelegs. Ignoring his pitiful efforts to keep her at bay, she kicked his head, bringing an unconsciousness that he would never wake from. Unclasping the step-rifle proved to be difficult, as the blood mixed with the rain and mud, making it slick to the touch. At last, she managed to unhook it and pulled the bloody contraption over the stallion's head. Acting quickly, she strapped it to herself, the unfamiliar metal body cold against her chest, even colder than the rain.

Rarity would have a fit if she saw me this messy, she amused, covered in mud and the remains of a dying pony. In the darkness, she could hardly distinguish the bodily fluid from the earthy mixture. She did not let herself think about the blood, only what she was about to do. Standing behind the group, she watched as the monster took down several more, crushing and ripping with its massive claws.

As she watched the loathsome figures fight the prehistoric monstrosity in the moonlight rainstorm, she noticed that one of them still had her saddlebags. She circled around behind this one and waited from a safe distance. The firefight did not last much longer. The Allosaur reduced them to more than half their original number, leaving a crimson glean to the dirt road. Parts of the Marauders lay strewn throughout the battlefield.

Bones, armor, and bullet cases gathered in the amalgamation of fluids. Finally, the Allosaur began to slow, its scaly skin riddled with holes and doused with blood. It crushed one more screaming Marauder and did not take another step, but the Marauders did not slow their gunfire. The motionless target collapsed, the ground shaking on impact. The band whooped and danced wildly, congratulating each other.

“Stop right there.” The feminine voice punctured through the air, catching their attention immediately. The unicorn had fully equipped the gun and had the muzzle pointed directly at the one wearing her saddlebags. The group of four turned and laughed, all pointing their step-rifles back at her in turn.

Twilight grinned sadistically as her horn began to glow, the familiar humming returning to her head as she gripped the rifles in her mind, tearing them from the cachinnating bodies, much to their surprise. Cutting their laughter short, the four glared at her.

“How in Tartarus did she do tha'?” one hissed.

“Look, she's a damned unicorn! Tha's how, blockhead.” another replied.

“Even so, I've never known a unicorn tha' powerful!”

Interrupting, Twilight exclaimed, “Enough! You there -” she motioned to the gray stallion with the saddlebags. She mimicked him, “Leave yer bags an' git!”

A look of disgust crossed his face, barely discernible in the light. “Fuck you, girly.”

No room for remorse in her soul, “You got it.” She kicked the dirt and the stallion collapsed, a bullet in his skull. She had aimed for the dirt like he had done to her, but she had missed her mark, having never used a step-rifle in her life. Masking the startled look on her face, she declared bravely, if not somewhat stunned, “A-And the rest of you had better give me what you got, too.” The rain hid the tear that fell from her eye.

“We'd betta listen' ta her, boss. She's dead accurate.” one of them whispered, a dark green pony.

“Fine,” the black stallion grimaced, displeased at the losses of the night, further fueled at being held up by a mare. “But you'd betta be careful the nex' time we see ya on the road.”

Twilight did not say another word, holding her breath while the three set down all their supplies. She shifted to one side of the road. “N-Now, git!” The trio glared daggers at the unicorn as they trudged back up the road. She did not move until they were out of sight.

Her legs gave way and the purple pony collapsed to the ground, hyperventilating. Tears flowed down her face in a river, but she could not tell in the rain. I've killed somepony! Oh Celestia, what have I done?! I've killed somepony. She crawled back into the asylum in the trees. Unable to control herself and further, her sobbing perforated the rain, breaking the splatters with tears. Her chest felt like it would burst, a red pain searing through it as she couldn't draw enough breath.

Eternity dragged on, her tears seeming to outweigh her body. She passed out several times, hyperventilating again the instant she woke up. At last, morning came and she found her tearducts unable to cry, all dried up. The storm lessened, but a light rain persisted, plummeting down from the heavens and washing away the blood and cleaning the dead. The stench of death had yet to permeate the region in its foul fetor.

Her legs trembling, Twilight slowly rose from her muddy bed, her entire lower body covered in a brown crust. She stumbled over to the saddlebags and threw them over her back, clasping them in place. Quickly scavenging the rest of the dropped goods, her breath ragged every moment, she added some rations and camping supplies to her inventory. She hadn't believed it possible to feel more alone than the previous night. Now she knew better.

~~~~~~~

The sky finally cleared, the sun's light finally unshielded, bringing a glimmer to the drops still on the pines. The birds began to chirp and everything returned to normal in Everfree. All except the single creature trudging through the trail, a purple figure covered in mud, falling apart as it stumbled along the road.

A sign appeared, Welcome to Nightshade.