28 Days To Armageddon

This can’t be happening, Mist asked herself as she turned over in her bed. It had been barely 12 hours since Twilight had been kidnapped and taken to Celestia knew where. The pitch black of the outer world accentuated with Luna’s bright moon only compounded Mist’s sadness. She was spending the night at the Golden Oak, determined to look out for hew new friend’s home and possessions. Her mind had been made up the minute she saw that rescuing Twilight would not be an option. She’d immediately gone to the library, explained everything to Spike, and then collapsed and fallen into a troubled sleep.

Her dreams were racked with a tortured figure running from a haunting force. Unfortunately, she was quite familiar with this type of slumbering vision. Throughout her existence, she’d been plagued with nightmares. Her private life was inundated with pain, and it bled over into her nightly ventures. The clouds that floated in her mind would part, leaving behind an empty blackness. She would find herself standing on an invisible platform and all of her trauma would confront her. Abusive parents, boyfriends, regular friends, rape, torture…you name it, it had befallen her. Celestia’s school had been something of a fresh start, but unfortunately, her terrifying personal experience had followed her there.

But the dream she had now was different. The tortured figure wasn’t her own spirit, but that of the purple pony she loved so dearly. Her new friend was galloping through a dark forest, and every time she attempted to help, she found herself tangled in a never ending sea of vines. She tried using her magic to cut them, but to no avail. Everything was crashing in on her, even the trees themselves. As Twilight’s misty figure moved further and further away, the branches became lower. She felt a pain unlike any she’d ever felt before, and she suddenly woke up screaming.

Spike burst into the room. “Mist! Are you okay?! What happened?!”

Her panting gave the answer, so Spike sat on the bed in front of her and placed a gentle claw on her hoof. For a few moments, the two did not speak, but allowed the horror of her dream to evaporate. She finally got her breathing under control, and she threw herself around Spike, confessing that she blamed herself for Twilight’s kidnapping. The kind dragon told her that it wasn’t her fault and that, the next day, they’d go out and attempt to rescue her.

“But you can’t!” Mist wailed, “she’s gone, and we have no idea where she went!”

“Never say, ‘can’t,’ in reference to Twilight and I’s friends,” Spike said, “they will find her.”

“How can you be so sure?” Mist sniffed.

“Because I’ve seen them tackle the impossible before…”

The next day, Mist, Twilight’s five other friends, and Spike all set out on their journey. Their first task was to study the scene of the crime. Mist guided them to it, and they took notes on the mark the rope had left on the side of the building. Rarity was invaluable in this situation thanks to her extensive experience with sleuthing. She was able to deduce that the perpetrator had drug Twilight over the rooftop before slamming her to the ground on the other side. This was backed up by the purple hairs found on the roof and the huge, pony sized body outline where Twilight had landed. Then, Rarity found traces of a certain type of perfume on a chain link fence leading out towards The Everfree Forest. She also noted that the fence had been cut and then the perp had attempted to replace the fence with some very poor magic to try and cover their tracks.

So, the group ventured forth into the dark and dangerous Everfree Forest on a mission to find their friend. Each of them knew of the part they had to play, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t frightened. Even Rainbow Dash, though she constantly denied it, was scared to death. Their adrenaline glands worked overtime to supply them with energy. They trotted along, keeping a careful eye out for each other and for any kind of animal that might want a light snack. Rarity was at the head of the group, followed closely by Spike. Pinkie, Rainbow, and Fluttershy stayed in the middle while Mist and Applejack acted as a rearguard.

“So…” Applejack said as they trotted along, “yer…Twilight’s friend?”

“Yes,” Mist said, “we only just met yesterday, yet I feel as though I’ve known her my entire life. We attended the same schools in Canterlot, learned from the same teachers, and read the same textbooks. I even enrolled in Celestia’s school just to be near her. I’ve always admired Twilight. I just…hope we can get her back.”

“We will, Sugarcube,” Applejack said sweetly, “and when we do, she’ll be the same riproarin’, amazin’ friend she’s always been.”

“I hope you’re right,” Mist said, “because if we can’t get her back…then I’ve a feeling all of Equestria will suffer.”

Meanwhile, Twilight awoke to find herself in a dungeon somewhere. She was chained to a table, and she couldn’t move. A sharp pain suddenly drove its dagger deep into her leg, and she yelped. But nopony was there to hear her or offer her comfort. The darkness was only broken by the torches on the wall. Yet, there were also a myriad of beakers, test tubes, and other scientific implements. She wondered where she was, why she was chained up, and why she was so sore. Questions abounded in her mind until a stirring in the distance caught her eye. As she watched, a pony appeared enmasked and dressed in black.

“Who…who are you?” Twilight asked, instinctively attempting to close her back legs.

“You don’t remember me, Twily?” A voice responded, “well, now, isn’t that a shame? Too bad, because I wanted to have some fun with my old friend.”

Twilight’s mouth shook. “You…you…you…you’re-“

“Quill Lock,” the pony said, removing her mask, “and I believe it’s time we got started.”