Timberjack: Season 1 - Heart of Oak

Chapters

1:1 - The New Mare in Town
1:2 - Welcome to my Nightmare
1:3 - Farmer, Tailor, Not a Spy
1:4 - The Mystery Mare
1:5 - Into the Deep Dark Woods
1:6 - The Welcoming Party
1:7 - The Nightmare's Gaze (Edited)
1:8 - The Nightmare's Name
The Unexpected Guest (Hearth's Warming Special)
1:9 The Nightmare's Tale
1:10 Withered Dreams
1:11 Flee the Dark -Part I
Pilot: The Shed in the Woods
Intermission: Where Evil Grows (Nightmare Night Ep)

1:1 - The New Mare in Town

Author's Note

Before we get into this, I just want to thank everyone for the positive response and feedback this story is getting. It means a lot, really.

:twilightsmile: Harmonia Invictus!

1:1 - The New Mare in Town

Applejack stood, frowning slightly, while the smell of cooking fritters drifted over and teased her nose. It had been a long few days, on the farm, what with them being personally requested by Princess Celestia to cater the Summer Sun Celebration, this year. Add onto that the multitude of relatives from as far south as Appleoosa and as far West as Applewood coming to stay, and they'd all had their hooves full. She was a little surprised that Aunt and Uncle Orange hadn't come down from Manehattan, but then they were busy folks.

All in all, it had been exhausting, and it wasn't even over yet. Though the town was already in full festive mood, and the gathering of Apples mirrored this with their loud, rambunctious nature, the Celebration did not start until tomorrow morning, when Princess Celestia would raise the sun from Town Hall, in the middle of Ponyville. Still, tiring though it had been, it had also served as quite a nice distraction, for Applejack, and she had genuinely found her spirits rising from being around so many of her kin, as well as the festive atmosphere.

But, right now, she was frowning. She wasn't upset, or angry. No, she mostly confused. She was, however, also very confused as to why she was confused. After nearly seven years of dealing with her, the farm mare would have thought Pinkie Pie would have run out of things to confuse her with, by this point. However, right now, the crazy pink mare with the flyaway mane and tail was standing before her, vibrating like she'd just eaten her own weight in sugar, three times over.

Eating her own weight in sugar once was nothing out of the norm for the young pony, and yet she somehow managed to stay rather slim of build. Applejack would have been jealous, if gaining extra weight was something she ever really felt worried about.

"I'm sorry, Pinkie Pie, but I cain't understand y'all when ya get to talkin' that fast. Could ya slow down, please?" She asked, frowning as the mare took a large breath in and held it for a minute, almost seeming to inflate as she did so.

"I'm really so sorry Applejack but I'm just so excited and a bit nervous but mostly excited I should try and come up with a name for that but not right now it's not important right now I'm just so excited because there's a new pony in town and I met her at the train station and she has the cutest little dragon with her and she was all like 'How are you?' and I was all like 'GASP' because I realized that I'd never seen her before and if I've never seen her before that must mean she's new in town and if she's new in town it means she needs a Welcome to Ponyville Party stat! Plus I felt a great disturbance around her that felt veeeerrrry plot relevant."

Applejack nodded slowly. "O . . . Kaaaaay." She said, working through the sentence while marveling, not for the first time, at the baker's evident infinite lung capacity. "So, there's a new mare in town, and yer wantin' to throw her a party?" She asked, and Pinkie nodded, rapidly, her head making an odd jangling sound, as though a load of loose items were rattling around in her mane. Which was probably exactly what it was, now Applejack thought about it. "Kay. Whassat gotta do with me?" She asked, frowning again.

Pinkie sputtered, before hopping around the orange farm mare. "Pfft! Applejack! I'm here to invite you to the party! Duh! I mean I've got a busy schedule ahead planning this party along with four other parties going on for the Celebration that are set to happen tonight and I already heard that the new pony's going to be staying at the Golden Oaks while she's here and-"

With a small sound, Applejack put her hoof in Pinkie's mouth, stopping the mare from bouncing around and talking, all in one motion. "Pinkie! Calm down!" The farm mare said, frowning, before she grimaced and pulled her hoof back, causing a dollop of Pinkie spit to go flying off to the side.

Pinkie put a hoof to her chin, humming to herself as she smacked her lips. "Hmmm . . . Dirt, metal . . . no, no, not metal, that's-!" Her blue eyes went wide before she grimaced. "Errr. You don't have to come, if you don't want to, Applejack! I won't make you! You know that!" She said, starting to vibrate away from the farm mare, who frowned back at her. "It'll be at the Golden Oaks, tonight at 7:00! If you, you know, wanna come!" Pinkie said, before giving a little wave and disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Applejack, still frowning, shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut and reaching up to rub her forehead. "Damn it, Pinkie, that's a library. Y'all can't be holdin' one o' yer parties there!" She said, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Pinkie was friendly to everypony, and as sweet as one of her own cupcakes, but talking to her for too long always tended to give Applejack a headache.

Appplejack had just taken a load of fresh pies out of one of the big outdoor, stone ovens that had been set up under an awning by the barn, when she felt a rush of wind blow past overhead, scattering leaves and detritus around. This was immediately followed a yelled curse word, and a loud crashing sound.

Turning and blinking, the earth pony discovered that one of the tables that had been set up to allow the pies and fritters to cool before being packaged for delivery into town tonight had been totally demolished. Well, maybe not totally, but it was close. Only two legs were still standing, the other two laying in splinters around the area, while the table itself was broken in the middle, around it lay a horrific carnage of smashed apple products, and in the middle was a pile of of damaged pies.

Out of the pile was sticking up a rainbow colored tail, and a cyan flank. Applejack gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes.

The polychromatic tail of the pegasus wriggled as she tried to get free, grunting as the pile of smashed pies shifted and fell about, but not enough to budge. Applejack carefully sat the tray of pies down before, growling under her breath, stalking over to the downed mare. With little hesitation, she grabbed her tail in her teeth and yanked, pulling her out of the pile to land on the ground in front of her.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack snapped, looking down at the mare's tousled mane as she spat and wiped at her face and tongue with her hooves.

"Eewww! Pie! Grodie!" She groaned, before turning and looking up at Applejack. "Oh, hi, AJ!" She said, idly waving a hoof.

"Dash." Applejack said, stoically. Internally, she was . . . genuinely feeling like beating the cocky mare into a pulp might not be a bad thing. She'd had a long time to work on such urges though, and the only sign of them externally was tensing to her jaw, which made Big Mac move a little closer, in case he needed to restrain her. "What are you doin'?"

Rainbow Dash stood up, stretching her wings, only to wince as one spasmed. "Ouch! Ow! That's a, yeah, that's a sprain. Oof!" She groaned, wincing again. "Huh? Oh, I was practicing my stunts!" She said, smiling again, holding her wing a bit stiffly, before looking around. "Oh, look! Fritters!" She said, picking one up off the ground. "Do ya mind?" She asked, going to take a bite of it without waiting for an answer.

Applejack snatched it out of her hoof, holding it away from her. "Matter of fact. I do." She said, and Dash's ears folded back to her head.

"Jeeze, Applejack, what got up your ass?" She asked, and AJ bristled.

"Language!" She said, looking over at Apple Bloom, who was innocently trying to pretend that she hadn't been listening in.

"Huh?" Dash said, before shrugging, only to wince again when it made her wing move wrong.

Applejack sighed, frowning, and shook her head. "Honestly, Rainbow Dash, as much as you crash, it's a wonder t' me y'all ain't dead by now!"

"Hey, I don't crash that often!"

"This is the third time this week, Dash. Also, y'all ain't practicin' over my farm."

"Why not?!" Dash snapped, glaring at the orange mare, taking a step closer.

Applejack felt a shiver run down her spine, and the urge to bare her fangs at this upstart mare who thought she could barge into her territory and tell her what to do! She could easily show her where she belonged. No. No, that wasn't her talking. That was It, and It wasn't allowed to make decisions for her! Applejack closed her eyes, taking a breath and let it out, before shaking her head and looking up, eyes glinting slightly. She lifted a hoof, about to give the younger mare a piece of her mind, but they were interrupted by a voice, aged and creaky.

"How's yer bank account, young'n?" Both of the younger mares turned to see Granny Smith walking up on the other side of Rainbow Dash from Applejack. The mare stepped up and stopped, glancing at Rainbow Dash.

"Huh?" Dash asked, looking at the old mare with a confused expression on her face.

"Granny." Applejack sighed, putting her hoof to her face with a groan.

Granny simply smirked and gestured to the broken table and ruined food, raising an eyebrow.

Rainbow Dash followed her gaze, opening her mouth briefly as she looked at the pile of debris. She raised a hoof, as though to make a point, before frowning and tilting her head. "Errr." She said, eloquently, putting her hoof to her chin. "I don't get it." She finally said, and Applejack facehoofed again.

Granny continued. "Welp, way I figger it, dat dere's an eighty bit table, an' another . . . . ohhhh . . . . say, two-hundred bits worth o' lost food on the ground." The old mare said, turning an evil eye on Rainbow Dash, who went wide eyed and took a step back, wings flaring out.

"Uhhhhh!" Dash said, looking around quickly. "I, uh, what?!" She stammered.

"Well? How you gonna pay us back fer dat, then, young'n?!" Granny pressed, moving in closer, staring Dash in the eyes. The slim, petite pegasus gaped like a fish, before gulping.

"Uhh . . . I guess . . . I could help . . . On the farm?" She said, flinching, even as Applejack went wall eyed.

"WHAT?!" The orange farm mare exclaimed, turning a glare on her Granny, who simply smirked, tapping Dash's chest with a hoof.

"Next Monday, Six A.M. sharp, t' help out wit' the harvest, or ye'll be payin' fer it outta pocket, hear now?!" The old mare said, sharply, and Rainbow Dash nodded rapidly.

"Y-Y-Yes, ma'am! M-May I go, now?" She said, gulping again, never taking her eyes off of the withered elder pony before her.

Granny stood for a moment, glaring into her eyes, one hoof on her chest floof. . . . before her face split into a friendly smile and she stepped back. "Well, sure, young'n! Ain't gonna be doin' much work for the next week anyway, with the Celebration and all! Now g'wan and git!"

The polychromatic pegasus didn't need to be told twice. "OkaythanksforthefritterApplejackI'llseeyouMonday!" She rattled off as she beat her wings and took off like a rocket, leaving a rainbow colored trail in her wake, the fritter mysteriously disappearing from Applejack's hoof as she went.

Applejack stared after her, before rounding on her grandma with a growl. "Granny! What the hay?!" She snapped, eyes glowing a bit brighter. Granny paid her zero mind and waved a hoof at her.

"Oh, hush it, young'n, y'all could use somepony yer own age around t' talk to!" She said, chuckling as she turned to walk away, Applejack quickly falling into step beside her.

"But . . .Dash is two years younger'n me! And she's the laziest damn pony I ever met!" She exclaimed, earning her a glare from Granny Smith.

"Language, Applejack!" She said, and AJ tightened her mouth, glancing over at Apple Bloom, who was pretending not to laugh behind a hoof. Applejack's glare worsened, as she turned and caught up with Granny, who was walking back towards the porch.

"Granny, I-" The older mare cut her off, however, turning on her and looking at her, square in the eyes.

"Applejack! I ain't gonna hear no more 'bout it! That filly's comin' to help, and that's all there is to it! Now, I think you should get back to work on them pies, don't you?"

Applejack stiffened up, eyes wide, as she felt her temper, which had been flaring up to a boiling point, suddenly get hit by a wave of ice water that originated from the old mare's glare. She gulped, surprised this wasn't flipping any of the triggers she knew so well. Then again, Granny rarely ever snapped like this, and she did practically raise Applejack, after . . . well, after.

Applejack took a breath and looked down, not meeting her elder's eyes. "Yes, Granny." She said, begrudgingly, not able to keep the soft rumble of a growl from her voice.

"Dat's better! Now, I'mma be nappin' on the porch! If'n y'all need me, ya c'n wake me, but otherwise don't holler 'til dinner's ready!" She said, before turning and making her way up to her favorite rocker on the front porch of the house.

Applejack just sighed and grumbled, turning with a shake of her head to go back to her work, eyes still glowing slightly, like emerald embers in the dark. . . .

Applejack pulled the basket out of the bubbling oil, the long handle gripped between her teeth, while she made sure to stay far enough away to not get popped by it. She turned and tipped the basket, sliding the perfectly browned fritters out onto a plate covered in a towel to soak up the grease.

She was still in a rather bad mood, after what happened with Dash. Part of her was angry with Granny for taking control out of her hooves like that, and another was mad at herself for letting her. And the rest of her was mad at the other two parts, so she was just in general not in a good mood. She was also still ticked off at Dash, as well.

The pegasus, at only sixteen years old, had only very recently moved to Ponyville, a few months earlier, and while apparently she did her job on the weather team well enough, Applejack couldn't see it. All she knew was that every time she had run into her, she was either doing some fool stunt or other that was bound to end in property damage, if not herself or some other pony getting hurt, or she was laying around on a cloud or up in a tree like some damn cat or something, sleeping.

There were few things Applejack could not abide: Liars, reckless fools and layabouts were a few of the top, and from all she could see, Dash was definitely the latter two, and possibly the former. Certainly some of the stories she told seemed far fetched at best. Who'd ever heard of a 'rainboom' anyway? Sounded like malarkey, as far as Applejack was concerned.

Her brooding thoughts were interrupted by an odd feeling running down her spine. It was similar to the feeling she got when being watched, or when she'd heard something out of place. She turned, glancing around, trying to find the source of the feeling. She finally found it when she flicked her ears, catching the sound of an unfamiliar voice. It was fairly flat and mundane sounding, the sort of accent she'd come to associate with Canterlot's middle class, after having dealt with them a few times, although this one didn't seem quite so snooty.

Frowning, she turned the fire down under the oil, keeping it warm, but keeping it from boiling over, and walked out of the tent that the fryers had been set up in, to see what was going on. She paused seeing several of her extended kin gathered around and talking to a unicorn mare she'd never seen before. She was lavender, with a darker purple mane and tail, both marked with a deep pink stripe. Next to her, a parchment and quill in claw, was a small, slightly chubby looking, purple and green dragon. Applejack blinked, realizing this must be the 'new mare' Pinkie had been going on about. The mare's cutie mark was a six pointed, asymmetrical star, overlaid onto a smaller white star, and surrounded by several smaller stars on each side.

Noticing the particular cousin who was busy talking to her, and the strained look on the mare's face, Applejack decided she best intervene. Besides, she wanted to know who this trespasser was for herself.

Eyes flickering slightly, the earth pony mare made her way over, head and ears up, tail slightly lifted as well. She trotted up, the small group of cousins and other kin parting before her, though Apple Bloom stayed close, an excited smile on her face, as did Big Mac, who frowned slightly, seeing the way his sister was carrying herself.

"AJ! AJ! We gotta visitor! She's from Canterlot! The Princess sent her!" Apple Bloom said, bouncing around energetically, and Applejack frowned. The Princess? It must have something to do with the Celebration, then.

"I see that Apple Bloom." AJ said, thinning her mouth as her eyes once more turned to the scene in front of her.

The stallion was standing, a smirk on his face while he leaned forward, blonde mane falling into his eyes in what some mares might have thought was a charming sort of way. Applejack thought it made him look like he needed a comb, and from her expression, the stranger agreed.

"My, y'all're really from Canterlot?" He asked, grinning, green eyes sparkling. "Well, I always heard Canterlot girls was beauties, but . . . I'd never had proof, 'til now." He said, winking, and the mare's mouth dropped open.

"Uhhh-uhhh-buuhhhh. . . . " She said, eloquently, and the stallion clearly thought he'd done something impressive. Applejack figured it had less to do with him and more to do with the mare herself. She seemed a bit nervous, eyes flicking back and forth to all the ponies who had grouped up around her, and her ears were snaked back against her head, tail tucked low.

In response, Applejack's own posture relaxed a little bit. This mare was clearly uncomfortable about being here, and didn't like the attention she was receiving. The farm mare still felt caution would be wise, but she didn't feel any threat from the unicorn.

"Braeburn!" She snapped, as the stallion turned to speak to the unicorn again, and he jumped near out of his hat, before turning and looking at her, eyes wide.

"C-Cousin Applejack! I was . . . just welcomin' our guest-"

"Eeyup. I c'n see that. How 'bout you go git the next batch o' fritters on, hm?" She said, narrowing her eyes, and the stallion gulped, nodding, and slunk off quickly. She smirked slightly, before turning and looking at the rest of the group, who had spread out a bit when she arrived. "Go on, now, all y'all! Ya got better things to be doin' than botherin' a guest!" She said, and they all followed suit, but for Apple Bloom, who simply stood near her sister, staring at the unicorn and, more specifically, the little dragon beside her, who had his eyebrows raised and was leaning back away from the filly a little bit.

"Apple Bloom. . . . " AJ sighed, reaching up and pushing her hat up over her brow.

"Yeh, sis?" The little filly asked, not looking away from the drake, who was starting to sweat, it seemed.

"Yer starin'." Applejack said, and Apple Bloom jumped a bit, looking up at Applejack, before blushing and looking away ashamedly.

"Oh . . . Sorry, sis!" She said, biting her lip, and Applejack sighed again, smiling slightly.

"It's alright, but t'ain't me y'all need to be apologizin' to." She said, giving her little sister a pointed look, then looking to the dragon and the mare. The latter seemed to have calmed down a bit, now, head a bit higher and ears more perked, paying attention to the exchange in front of her with a small smile on her face.

Apple Bloom scraped a hoof on the ground and glanced at the drake. "'m sorry." She said, blushing again.

Silence reigned for a second, before the unicorn mare glanced down at the drake and quirked an eyebrow. "Spike." She said, lifting an eyebrow, and the drake started, blinking and smiled awkwardly.

"Oh, uh . . .Yeah, it's no prob." He said, shaking himself as though out of a fugue. He stepped forward, nodding his head, and Applejack felt a sudden and completely unwarranted urge to step between him and her sister. She grit her teeth, frowning and held off. "My name's Spike. What's yours?" The drake asked, holding out a claw. The filly hesitated only for a second, before reaching out her hoof and giving his claw a shake.

"I'm Apple Bloom!" She said, smiling, and she and the drake stepped aside, beginning to talk a bit. Applejack kept an eye on them, but took a breath and let it out slowly, turning her gaze back to the unicorn.

"Sorry 'bout that. I promise, we ain't savages . . . or . . . whatever ya'd call Braeburn." She said, rolling her eyes, before holding out a hoof. "I'm Applejack, I own Sweet Apple Acres." She nodded, smiling a bit as the unicorn extended her own hoof, bumping it against the farm mare's a little awkwardly.

"How about 'creep'?" She said, smirking a bit, before straightening up, shaking her head, taking on a more professional aire. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. The Princess sent me to check up on the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration." She frowned, glancing up into the sky, as though checking where the sun was, before her horn lit, aura opening one of her saddle bags and pulling out a watch, which she checked. "I'm here to see how the food preparation is coming along." She said, barely looking up at Applejack as she frowned at the watch before exchanging it for a small book that she pulled from her bags.

Applejack frowned at the mare's apparent lack of interest, or else preoccupation, and grunted. "Alright, well . . . If y'll come along, we c'n head over to where the food's bein' loaded and shipped on down to town. We already sent two loads off, earlier."

"Actually, I think I can tell this is in good hooves." Twilight said, barely glancing up from the book. Looking at the cover, Applejack spied a gilded unicorn's head crest set in the front of the binding, which looked to be . . . was that leather? Must be an old book.

"You don't wanna see it for yerself?" Applejack asked, frown deepening, as the unicorn waved a hoof at her without looking up.

"I don't really need to." She said, turning to leave. "Spike? Come on, we're leaving! I've still got three other ponies to check in with-"

"Four!" The drake called out, nodding and smiling to Apple Bloom, before waddling quickly over to the mare.

"Jeeze . . . Four! I want to get this over with! I have more important things to do than this!" The mare said, and Applejack felt herself bristle up. Ah. There was that notable Canterlot 'charm' she'd run into so often before.

The mare thought about calling out, stopping the unicorn and setting her attitude straight. However, upon seeing that she was heading for the path off the farm, the beast inside calmed itself, and her own temper cooled as well. Forget about the silly mare. Good bye and good riddance, was what her Ma would've said.

Sighing, she shook her head, before turning and heading back towards the food cart. Miss Twilight 'Stick-up-her-plot' Sparkle might not want to check and make sure things were getting done right, but Applejack had standards, and-

"Dadblast it, Braeburn! The cider goes in the cart on the left! That 'un's fer the fritters! Git outta the way! Y'all wanna stand around chattin' with Caramel, do it on yer own time!"

Applejack leaned on the back wall of the building, breathing in deep, ragged breaths through her open mouth, eyes wide and glowing.

The various Apple family members had scattered a while ago, heading off to settle in for the night, or in some cases, heading off to parties in town, like the one Pinkie was throwing for that unicorn. Applejack had personally doubted that the purple mare would appreciate the effort, and had thought about going just to see her reaction to a Pinkie Pie Surprise Party.

The thought had struck her as being funny enough that, in spite of the issues she'd been having with her . . . 'temper' for most of the day, she'd set off.

The edge of the old Town center was about a ten minute walk, mostly through her own apple fields, and the mare had enjoyed the slight breeze that was blowing, and the way the approaching sunset bathed the skies in amber and reds. She had hit town, thinking she'd probably show up a bit later than the seven o'clock time that Pinkie had given her.

The Golden Oaks Library, set into an old, enchanted tree from some long ago time in the area's history, was on the other side of the Town Square from Sweet Apple Acres. She made her way down the main streets, tipping her hat to a few ponies here and there that were most likely making their way to parties as well. Much of the town would remain awake, enjoying the festivities, until the Princess rose the sun in the morning. As she stepped out into the open air of the square, she admired the view of the old fountain with it's statue sat in the center. Most folks assumed it must be some important pony from the town's past, but in reality the Mayor had just thought it looked nice. Supposedly the sculptor had modeled it after his niece.

The shadow of the great tower of the Ponyville Town Hall and Courthouse, locally nicknamed 'The Pavilion', loomed almost ominously against the encroaching dark, as, where ever she was at that moment, Celestia, punctual as ever, brought her sun down, and lifted the moon up. The glowing orb crested the Eastern horizon, the grim visage of the Mare in the Moon looking out over the land below.

And she felt angry

It was the only way Applejack could describe the feeling that had washed over her like a storm surge as the light of the moon threw everything into harsh shadows. It was as though the moon was glaring down at her, An intense feeling of . . . rage, and hate, and everything else dark and violent that might fester inside a pony's heart seemed like it was burning all along the orange mare's skin, under her fur.

She had felt it as the emotions all slammed into her like a runaway cart, and she had managed to stagger into this alley behind one of the many houses running along the edges of the town center, before violently losing her lunch all over the wall and the ground in front of her. Her legs shook as she felt like she had emptied anything that might have been inside of her, and yet she still felt like something was clawing its way up from her guts.

"No . . . No, no, nonono. Please." She stammered, leaning against the wall, trying to ground herself in the here and now, to remind herself who and what she was, as she felt her own fear wash over her, mixing with the sensations the moon was pressing down onto her. She didn't understand. It had never been this bad before! Certainly not the night before the Celebration! What was going on? She gasped as she saw a green glow, and felt magic crawling along her skin, through her fur, across her body in a wave, and she felt like her mind was starting to blur around the edges, even as certain thoughts began to sharpen, to take on more vivid reality. Thoughts of the hunt, of the prey and the predator, of territory and pack. . . .

"NO!" She begged, flailing, winding up falling to the ground, into the puddle of her own vomit as she attempted to fight the transformation that was slowly beginning to slip over her body and into her soul. This couldn't happen! Not here! Not now! Ten years! Ten years she had gone without letting this get out of control, without letting it catch her off guard, and now. . . .

Big Mac's words flickered through her mind, about needing to find a different way to deal with this, just as his scent, familiar and close, reached her nose. At first, all it brought was relief. If she could just hold on, keep a grip, he could her get back to the farm, get to the shed and the cell underneath. . . .

As the thought went through her mind, she felt a sudden jerk and a twist, deep in her guts, as another, stronger wave of green tinted magic washed over, burning her up from the outside in as her mind seemed to fracture between hope and fear and rage and the urge, the need to get away from the one who would lock her up in that hole in the dirt again.

And so, when Big Mac came around the corner to investigate what had sounded like his sister's voice, he found himself face to snarling muzzle with his sister's own, personal demon.

1:2 - Welcome to my Nightmare

Author's Note

Little bit of exposition in this one, folks, but not too much. ;)

1:2 - Welcome to my Nightmare

Ponyville was a relatively young town, founded by Applejack's great-great-grandfather, Jedidiah Macintosh, under royal permit from Princess Celestia. However, the town considered itself to have a long, and colorful history, as the rich, fertile valley that spread around the Epona River had a long history of population. A town would grow up around some enterprising farmer's land, and it would survive for anything from a few decades to a few centuries, before some plight or other would drive the ponies there out, be it plague or drought or, in most cases, the monsters of the Everfree.

The denizens of Ponyville, however, considered themselves to be a pretty hardy sort, unlikely to let a few timberwolves and bugbears drive them out. They adopted this spirit from the Apples themselves. Nopony in town had been hurt worse by the Forest, and yet the family had not only pressed on, but by all accounts were flourishing as much as their farm.

As such, Ponyville liked to stay upbeat, and keep smiling through the hardships. They enjoyed festivals, celebrations and parties of all sorts, and had even before their local Pink ball of Chaos had shown up to make a party for every occasion. Perhaps that, more than anything else, was why the town had accepted Pinkie so openly, in spite of her oddities.

With a festival like the Summer Sun Celebration going on, especially with it being held in town, no less, everypony who was anypony was off at a party, banging their head to good music, laughing at cheesy jokes or some other pony's drunken attempts at dancing, and enjoying the company of good friends and even better food.

All except for two.

One was a young purple unicorn mare who had been sent to this town by the Princess herself, after having the warnings she had given out ignored and pushed aside. She was angry enough, before the silly Pink mare had decided to shock her senseless at the door of the Library she was meant to stay at with a party of all things. She hated parties and social gatherings, they were too loud, too rowdy, and had too many ponies all talking at once. She'd rather be reading, but instead, the music too loud to focus, she had simply chosen to sleep through the night.

The other was Big Macintosh. He wasn't partying because, at present, he was limping back home, a worried scowl on his features, while he favored his right front leg and right side, breath hissing in through his nose slightly with each step.

Everypony being off partying and celebrating had meant that nopony was around to see or hear when the big stallion had come flying out of the mouth of the alley, only to come to sudden stop against a lamppost, the steel pole shaking like a baby's rattle on the impact, before listing to the side, the magical light inside flickering out, as Mac had fallen hard to ground beneath and laid still.

There was also nopony to see the large, furry figure which rushed out of the alleyway in a blur of motion, running past the fallen stallion with barely a second glance, before making a beeline to the South, towards the Everfree Forest.

Had it been any other pony, the impact alone would have killed them, or at least left them crippled. As it was Big Mac, he had managed to push himself up to his hooves barely a few minutes after hitting the ground. He had considered trying to go after his sister, but feeling the pain in his side and leg, he knew it would be foolish. He'd never find her, anyway. He could only pray that she stayed in the forest, and didn't do anything regrettable.

And so, grunting, he'd turned and begun the long, painful limp back home to the farm. He figured, from the feel of it, he had a fracture in his right pastern, probably where he hit the ground and a couple broken ribs from hitting the lamp post.

The Wolf had picked him up and tossed him like he was a toy, but that was all . . . It hadn't bit, or clawed, only threw him, and ran off. He grunted, seeing the lights of Sweet Apple Acres coming into view up ahead. Granny and Apple Bloom were probably still up. Gritting his teeth, unsure of what to tell them, he continued on up to the house.

This was gonna be a long night.

FREE!

She was free! Paws rushed across stone, then dirt, then grass and finally, the thick loam of the forest floor. As teh tree branches closed in overhead, she stopped, shivering in excitement, before tipping her head back and singing her joy to the moon above.

Then she felt it again. The same feeling that brought her to the surface to begin with. Flooding down from the figure in the face of the moon, was an ocean of hate and rage and . . . Loneliness.

It was a feeling she knew all too well.

She stepped back, paws scraping the dirt as her song died in her throat, ears folding back and she whimpered. Fear crawled up her spine as she looked at the moon. Something was wrong, and she wasn't sure what it was.

She only knew she had to hide. To hide from that anger that was trying ever so hard to scorch the earth below.

Applejack raged. She railed and fought, but to no avail. She felt herself floating, detached from everything, and yet so very aware of all the was happening outside, of what her body-

No. It's body, was doing, while she was trapped inside her own mind, looking out through the beast's eyes like she was staring through the bars of a prison cell. It had been so long since she'd been this conscious after a transformation, that she couldn't even remember the last time. Not that this was anything new to her. There were a lot of things she couldn't remember.

The reason for her rage, however, was for more than just the circumstances. The damn Monster had hurt Big Mac. Had rushed up and thrown him out of the way like he was a ragdoll and just kept right on running, elated to be free, while Applejack was forced to watch in horror, terror clawing at her throat.

Was he alive? Or . . . Had she just killed one of her own family?

Again.

Applejack did not remember much at all of her foalhood. She remembered she used to like to play in the Old South Orchard, when it was still an operational part of the farm, pretending to be an intrepid guardmare, holding back the evil forces from within the shadowy depths of the Everfree Forest.

She remembered her Pa had built her a little treehouse up north of the house, on a rise near the duck pond, to act as he 'watch tower'. She would spend a lot of her time up there, when she was too young to help her parents and big brother on the farm, keeping a lookout for baddies and monsters.

She remembered walking 'patrol' through the South Orchard one day, eleven years ago, now.

She had been seven, and it had been a bright, sunny summer morning. The sort that, in fiction stories and stage plays, nothing bad ever happens on. She had been skipping along, her mane up in twin pigtails while her green eyes had danced with joy and laughter.

Her family was spread out in the South Orchard, bucking the trees there. Applebucking season had started a few days before, and it was a busy time. In a little while, Applejack herself would be busy, helping to load wagons to haul the baskets of apples up to the barn, but mostly helping Granny prepare lunch. She was still too young, too weak, to really be of help in the fields, a fact which always left her feeling a little down. She just wanted to help, to pull her own weight and get the work done that much sooner. Of course, in her mind, she was already bigger than she really was.

Still, it was important, walking patrol! Pa had told her so, that the Everfree was a scary place, and to not ever go in without him or her Ma with her. So, if it was so dangerous, it made sense to her that it was important to keep an eye on things, especially now, with Applebuck season going on. The family was busy enough, and she was the only one who couldn't help in the fields, and she mostly jsut got in Granny's way around the house, it seemed.

So, she walked her patrol, and felt important, same as she had everyday for a while.

That day, so bright and sunny and happy, with the warmth of Celestia's light shining down on them all, would be different. It would spell the end of her foalhood, and the start of a decade long nightmare for the entire family.

She did not remember what it was, now, that caught her attention. So much of that day was a blur in her mind, now, but she still knew bits and pieces. She remembered being in the South Orchard, and so much closer to the Forest than she was supposed to be. Her Pa had not been far away, when she was playing patrol, just up the hillside, but now when she turned, she could not see him or hear him.

Again, she didn't remember what it was, but something made her turn, and go further towards the trees, picking up her pace, as a sense of urgency wormed its way into her mind. Why so urgent? Why run towards the Forest? She had wracked her brain over and over trying to remember, but she simply couldn't.

One way or the other, she had wound up standing just a few yards off from the dark, shaded, imposing edge of the treeline. There was no fence separating it from the farm. The Everfree didn't like fences, or other ponymade things, and it tended to leave them dismantled or simply no longer there, the day after putting them up.

Applejack had stood, staring into that abyss, and without really knowing why, had felt her hooves beginning to move further into it.

Next she had known, she was in the forest, running. Running, from something that was fast, and angry, and emanated a feeling like the air before a lightning storm. A sense of power contained and controlled, but barely. A flicker of green, glowing eyes and wooden teeth had the filly screaming as she ran all the harder, mindless of what lay before her as she tried to get away.

It was no wonder, really, when her hoof caught on a root and she went flying to land in a heap in shaded, dark clearing. Her pastern throbbed, and she felt her eyes stinging as tears ran freely down her face. She looked up, and saw it.

Gnarled roots for claws, interwoved branches and vines connecting like muscle, bone and sinew to form and shape a body that sprouted with leaves and flowers here and there. Green eyes gave settled upon the filly in a hungry, baleful gaze that left her frozen in place, mouth working as she tried to decide what to do.

With a vicious snarl, the timberwolf leapt, and the filly screamed, turning to run. She stumbled, but adrenaline was pounding and she barely felt it as she ran again, the pain in her leg ignored in favor of the terror clutching at her heart. She could feel it, the breath like ozone on her flanks, along with a cool spot on her right flank, just below where her Cutie Mark would be one day, if she managed to survive the moment.

Screaming and crying, Applejack put on a harder burst of speed, trying to outrun the demon of the forest, before, with a gasp, she felt her leg give out from under her once again, sending her tumbling and sprawling.

She landed half on her back, and in a flash, the timberwolf was atop her, snarling and thrashing, trying to flip her over, to get to her soft tummy or throat, and she screamed, scrambling, trying to get away, sobbing in desparation. . . .

And then a pale figure came from nowhere, body slamming the timberwolf and throwing it off of the filly, who looked up, shaking in terror, to see a mare with a ginger mane and lighter ginger coat, standing over her, jaw set, eyes glaring in righteuos fury at the wolf who rolled to its paws, shaking its head and snarling.

"Momma!" Applejack exclaimed, as Buttercup set her stance so the filly was between her rear legs, and stamped the ground with one forehoof.

"Stay still, Sugarcube!" SHe said, narrowing her eyes as, with a snarl, the timberwolf leaped, racing towards them in a blur of green magic.

"MOMMA!" Applejack screamed, watching as the beast bore down on her and her mother, who lowered her chin, lifting one foreleg in preparation. . . .

And anotehr figure, a bright yellow with a brillaint red mane and tail, came bursting out of the trees, catching the monster off guard. The timberwolf went down with a yelp under the hooves of teh stallion, who didn't stop until splinters were scattered here and there and everywhere, and the brilliant glow of the beast's eyes had faded away.

Buttercup stood, panting, before sighing, and looking up at the stallion who came quickly trotting over, checking the pair of them over, making sure they weren't hurt. "You took yer time." She said, and he stopped, looking at her.

"Y'all ran out ahead!" Bright Macintosh said, frowning at her, and she snorted, lifting her chin.

"My girl was in danger. What'd you expect?" She said, filling Applejack's heart with happiness.

"For you to not endanger the other one." Bright Mac said, voice and eyes soft with love and worry, as he walked over and put a hoof on his wife's stomach, who stepped back, chuckling.

"We're fine." She said, while Applejack was simply confused.

"W-What are y'all talkin' about?" She asked, and the two ponies turned to look at her, and she knew immediately she should have stayed quiet. Her father's expression said it all; she was in trouble. However, that trouble never came to pass. She remembered her Pa looking down at her, then his eyes taking on a worried look.

"Girls, I need y'all to stay calm. We need to get to the hospital." Bright Mac said, already moving to pick up Applejack, while Buttercup frowned, opening her mouth to ask what was wrong, before she looked down at her daughter and paled.

"What is it?" Applejack asked, feeling oddly, before she turned and looked down at her right flank. All she really remembered was thinking that there was a leaf or something stuck to her, hanging by a few threads of something, while something dripped. . . .

Her head spun, and her world seemed to slow and speed up all at the same time, while her stomach and mind rebelled, before her vision went hazy and she fell, and fell, and fell-

-and rolled into the snow, feeling it cling to her winter coat. Panting, she was up, paws racing over the packed, frozen dirt of the forest trails while her nose worked overtime, tracking, hunting, searching for prey, for food, for the thrill of the thing.

She was free, freer than anything else in these woods, not bound by magic, or chains, real or imagined that she did not allow to touch her. Nothing could hold her unless she let it, and she would never allow anything-

She was interrupted in her hunt, in her freedom, by a sound, somewhere in the distance. A voice, calling a name, a name that was familiar. Her own. She stopped, lifting her head, ears perking up and twitching. Her head tilted as the sound called again.

Nothing could bind her, nothing could hold her, nothing could call her down, unless she allowed it. Tuning into the sound, her paws picked up their pace, turning to follow the sound back to its source. . . .

Applejack awoke in a scramble of hooves, thrashing left and right, breath heaving as she choked back a scream. Her hooves dug at mulch and loam, while her back struck something hard and organic, that scraped at her skin through her fur. She gasped, squeezing her eyes shut, fighting at the rising bile and fear in her throat, before coming to a stop.

She stood, legs trembling, mind racing yet frozen at the same time, as she fought to breathe. She choked, a sob escaping from her chest as she felt her eyes burn and dampen. She couldn't keep doing this . . . she couldn't. These half remembered flashes and imaginings of a life once lived, of happy times and foal's games, all shattered by . . . Her eyes opened, turning to look at her right flank, at the patch of thinned fur that made the apples there look paler, fainter than the ones on her left. The scar, from when the Timerwolf had bitten her.

Only her family knew, and not even all of them. Apple Bloom couldn't know. She could never know the truth. Granny and Big Mac knew, of course, because-

Her eyes widened and her breath caught. "Big Mac!" She snapped, turning and looking around. She was in some kind of cave or something, the floor of it was dirt, covering an area a few meters around, while the roof seemed to soar up into darkness above her. In fact, everything was dark, the only light coming inside through the mouth of the cave seemed to be moonlight. Frowning, she scrambled up to her hooves and staggered outside, turning briefly a looking back at a great, ancient oak tree that had been struck by lightning at some point, or so it seemed. The hollowed out interior formed a natural hidey hole.

Anger. Rage. Alone. So alone. Afraid. Angry. Vengeance. Jealous. Angry.

The emotions bore down on her, making her teeth grind and head pound. She remembered . . . . the Beast was . . . afraid. Of whatever was making those emotions well up. Applejack's frown deepened as she forced herself to stand. She had always thought the Beast itself was responsible for those emotions that led to the transformation, but now . . .

Applejack looked up, through the overhanging boughs of the dense forest canopy, seeing the flickering face of the moon. She frowned, thinking it seemed paler than normal, almost as though something were missing from its surface. . . . Not important! Big Mac! "Right, right." She snapped to herself, turning away from the moon and starting to run. She seemed to know exactly where she was in the forest, some flicker of memory or understanding left from the Wolf in her mind, and she used that knowledge to move to the north, to the edge of the forest.

Applejack found herself exiting the forest into familiar land. It was the Old South Orchard on the Acres. Applejack felt a moment's surprise at this, but she didn't stop to ponder on it, instead racing through the thinning shrub and trees, leaping over rocks and roots, hooves pounding the ground.

As she got closer to the farmhouse, she saw a familiar figure, small and yellow, with a big pink bow in her red mane. Apple Bloom was apcing back and forth on the porch, a worried frown on her face while Granny sat behind her in her favorite rocker, her grandpap's old boomstick, Ol' Betsy, resting across her lap. As Applejack rushed up to the steps, Granny sat up, blinking as she looked her granddaughter over, while Bloom shot out to meet her big sis.

"Applejack!" The filly hollered. "Where've ya been?! We been worried sic-" She was interrupted as Applejack blew past her without a word, face a mask of worry and fear.

Granny pointed a hoof to the door. "On the couch." She said shortly, recognizing that Applejack was in no mood for blathering right now. The orange mare rushed through the door, past the coat rack in the foyer and turned left into the living room, a soft fire crackling in the fireplace, and lamps lit up here and there, making the cozy, homey room well lit.

A recliner rocker sat off to her left, facing the fireplace and the coffee table that was the centerpiece to the room, although the lovely, embroidered rug under it really did tie the room together. Family photos hung here and there around the room, along with some quaint decorations and artwork.

And, center of the room, facing the fireplace, was a big old comfy looking sofa. At present, it was occupied by a big lump half covered by a blanket. Applejack raced around the sofa, nearly tripping over the table in her rush. "Big Mac!" She yelped, seeing the stallion properly for the first time. He didn't really look that bad, actually, and seemed more annoyed than anything. His jaw was a might swollen, and he had bandages wrapped around his barrel and his right front pastern.

"AJ." He said, simply, nodding his head to her, and Applejack shook her head, gritting her teeth against the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I . . . I'm so sorry, Big Mac! I don't . . . It ain't never been that bad before!" She said, shaking her head, before sitting forward. "Are ya okay?" She asked, concern in her voice and glistening in her eyes. "I didn't . . . I mean, she-"

He put a hoof on her nose, quirking an eyebrow, and she blinked, leaning back again, gritting her teeth as he set up, grimacing a bit. "I'm fine." He said, nodding. "Can't walk too good, but I'll be fine. Y'all di'n't use claws or teeth on me. Just tossed me like a salad." He said, chuckling, before flinching as he was reminded about his broken ribs. Not that he'd actually forgotten.

She frowned, shaking her head and looked down at her hooves, grinding her teeth together. Big Mac was hurt. No, maybe he wasn't dead, and maybe he wasn't cursed like she was, but he was still hurt, and it was all her fault. She felt his eyes on her head, and she sighed softly. "Bit Mac . . . I'm sorry. Y'all-"

He put a hoof on her shoulder, and she looked up, seeing him frowning. "Ain't important, right now." He said, before nodding to the window. She looked at it, seeing only her own reflection in the glass, the outside too dark to see from the well lit room.

"Why's it still night time? She don't ever tire out before dawn. And, it was weird, Mac, like . . . She was afraid or somethin'." Applejack said, frowning and looking back at her brother.

"Eeyup." He said, sighing. "Somethin' happened. I dunno what. None of us do, but . . . Welp." He nodded again, this time towards the ticking wall clock, and Applejack turned again, looking up at it, and blinked. It took her mind a moment to register what she was seeing. According to the Clock, it was nearly seven-thirty.

"I . . . I only been gone a half hour?" She asked, feeling like she was missing something big. There was no way it had only been that long, unless. . . . Her eyes went wide as the broadside of the barn and she looked at him, swallowing hard, and he nodded grimly.

"Eeyup." He said, simply.

It was seven-thirty in the morning.

Applejack came back up to her hooves sharply, breathing hard, eyes flickering slightly. "How?!" She asked, and he shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, before they were interrupted by a comotion from outside, with the front door shortly being knocked inwards hard enough to bounce of the wall. This somehow did nothing to slow the pink figure that pronked inside, rapidly bouncing left then right off the walls, before coming to a stop in the doorway into the living room, blue eyes looking over Applejack standing next to Big Mac, who was sitting up on the couch.

"Awwww! I was hoping you'd still be leaning over him and I could make a 'Sweet Home Applebama' joke! You're no fun!" Pinkie Pie said, frowning at the pair of them, before Applejack took a deep breath, pushing one tangled strand of mane out of her face.

"Pinkie Pie. What're you doin' here?" She asked, stiffly, a frown on her face.

"I'm here for you, silly!" Pinkie said, before prinking over, leaping completely over the sofa and landing beside Applejack, before promptly leaning into the farm mare and giving her a shove towards the door.

"Hey! What in the heck are y'all doin'?!" Applejack yelled, trying to push back but finding, to her surprise, that she was unable to stop the short, chubby baker from pushing her across the floor of her own house.

"Oh, don't worry, Applejack! Everything will be just fine you'll see we're just going over to the Golden Oaks to talk to Twilight and the others OH! That reminds me I need to grab Fluttershy on the way and Rarity too can't do this without them I mean duh they're main characters afterall-"

"PINKIE PIE!" Applejack snapped, sidestepping the pink mare, who just kept walking straight ahead as though nothing had happened, leaving Applejack to pant from the exertion of trying to fight the little mare's momentum. "What is goin' on?! Why would we need to go to the Golden Oaks? And what's Rares and . . . wait, who's Fluttershy?" Applejack asked, frowning.

"For Lauren's Sake, Jackie, don't WORRY!" Pinkie said, giggling, before her tail suddenly reached out snatched Applejack around the withers, pulling her out of the farmhouse with a yelp.

1:3 - Farmer, Tailor, Not a Spy

Applejack blinked, looking around in confusion as the quartet of ponies made their way up the path towards the door of the Golden Oak Library. The tree was an impressive site, an old growth Oak tree that was near as big around as the barn at Sweet Apple Acres, and a sight taller. Somewhere in the past, according to local legend at least, the tree had been struck by lightning, and the fire had gutted it, killing it. However, some great unicorn mage had blessed the tree, enchanting it with new life, even while it remained hollow on the inside.

The mage had gone on to make it his home, and through the centuries the 'building' had passed from one owner to another, until finally coming under ownership of the Ponyville Town Council, who had decided it would make an excellent landmark and library.

Of course, it hadn't been an active library for a while, as the former librarian, Footnote, had rather suddenly been offered a position working in the Canterlot Royal Archives a few months before. As such, the place had sat unoccupied until, Applejack presumed, Pinkie had cleaned the place up for her Welcome party the night before.

Speaking of Pinkie Pie . . .

Applejack glanced aside at the pronking, grinning mare, before turning, glancing over her shoulder at the other two ponies that had joined them. One she knew all too well, being Rarity. The stuck up, prissy owner/proprietor of the Carousel boutique, down by the market square. Applejack had often nodded a polite morning greeting to the mare when she'd go down every week to set up her stall, receiving a similarly polite and noncomittal nod in return.

She figured Rarity for an uppity bitch who liked to think she was better than everypony else, and made a big hullabaloo about nothing much at all. She'd fit right in, up in Canterlot , and the worst part was, the mare seemed to know it, making it no secret that she'd much rather be living up there with the 'sophisticated elite', rather than down here in the dirt. She always seemed a syllable away from making some comment about the 'mud ponies' and it got on Applejack's nerves, something fierce. However, the ivory unicorn had never actually said anything of the sort, so Applejack made herself be polite, even if doing so made her bile rise and her hackles too.

The other mare . . . Applejack didn't know her, although she'd met her a few times in town. The butter yellow pegasus was always so painfully quiet and submissive that Applejack felt awkward trying to speak to her.

Even now, she was plodding along, often having to be ushered forward by Pinkie, with her long, pink mane hanging down in front of her face like a curtain she was hiding behind. Rarity, meanwhile, was trotting along, a frown on her face, which deepend about the time Applejack felt herself starting to scowl in confusion.

The orange farm mare turned, slowing to a halt as she looked back up at the Golden Oak. "Pinkie." She said, while the pink mare continued rattling about something or other to do with an 'eh-yew', and that they needed to hurry up before they lost the script. Whatever all that meant.

"PINKIE!" She snapped again, and the pink mare froze up in mid air, before turning, dropping to the ground and trotting over. Applejack refused to question how she managed that, and instead pushed her hat up to her brow, so that the full force of her scowl could be brought to bear on the pink pony.

It had zero effect, best as she could tell, as Pinkie simply skipped up behind her, put her head down and started pushing. "COME ON, Applejack, we've gotta get to the Library before that meanie mean pants wins! They can't figure out where to go without us!"

Applejack snorted and shook her head. "Darnit, Pinkie, how in the hay did we get here?! And where'd these two come from?!" She growled, finally belting out the question that had been gnawing at her since the library had come into view.

Rarity sniffed and stamped a hoof in a ladylike fashion. "I concur with Applejack! Why, last I remember, I was trying to help clean up the mess that vicious monster made of my decor at town hall, and then suddenly I'm here! What is the meaning of this?!"

Applejack had been about to say something else, when Rarity's words made her blood run cold. "Monster? What . . . What monster?" She asked, turning and looking at the unicorn, who blinked her sapphire blues eyes at the farm mare.

"Why . . . Darling, you don't know?" Rarity said, before her frown turned sad. "A great beast of an alicorn! She attacked the celebration, and, by all appearances, has done something to Princess Celestia!"

Applejack's relief was fleeting, as the seriousness of what Rarity had said sunk in on her. She was about to respond when Pinkie suddenly popped up in between the two. "No time for another expository conversation!" The pink mare snapped, grabbing them both with her hooves and pushing them towards the library, much to the consternation of both mares.

Fluttershy made a quiet attempt to sneak off, only for the pink mare's tail to snag her and drag her along as well, the shy mare's only attempt at argument a soft 'eep'.

As they entered the library, Applejack's first thought was that it somehow managed to feel both bigger and more cozy than one would expect, with shelves lining every wall two or even three ponies high in some places, stocked with every kind of book imagineable. Everything was all raw, natural wood, with a spiral staircase that looked like it was made of twisting branches and limbs leading up to a sectioned off loft area, along with a reading nook or three.

The second thing she thought was that there were an awful lot of the books in the floor, rather than in their places on the shelves.

And the third thing she thought was that Rainbow Dash kind of looked good hanging upside down inside a bubble of soft pink magic, about ten feet off the floor.

The cyan pegasus flailed about in her magical prison, striking the shield with her hooves, sending little ripples through the surface, but otherwise having no real effect on it. "Let me go, ya fuckin' spy!" She growled, before catching sight of Applejack and the others. "AJ! Get her! She's a spy!"

Applejack sniffed, pushing a shaggy lock of her mane out of her eyes and lifted an eyebrow, glancing aside at the mare who was holding the pegasus prisoner. Twilight looked more annoyed than anything, and was glaring up at Dash with a look that spoke volumes. She looked over at the farm mare, and Applejack saw her face flicker as she regsitered how dirty and disheveled she was. "I'm not a spy!" She snapped, angrily, focusing on the here and now.

"What in the hay is this about?" Applejack growled, turning her glare up to the pegasus that was hanging above them.

"SHe knows too much about that bitch of a wannabe goddess who took over the Celebration! She's a spy! I know it!" Rainbow Dash replied, flailing again, while Twilight snorted and rolled her eyes.

"It was Nightmare Moon, you dolt!" She snapped, and Applejack's frown deepend, while Dash laughed.

"HA! Who even is that?! How would you know something like that if you weren't a spy, huh?!" She demanded, looking satisfied, which made Applejack's temper, already frayed, tip over to the snarky side. She glanced back at Twilight, lifting her brow again.

"Nightmare Moon? Like the Mare in the Moon? The foal story? Hay, everypony that ain't an idiot knows about that 'un." She said, deadpan, and Rainbow Dash groaned, bringing all eyes back to her.

"Ohhh, not you, too, AJ! You're all against me, I swear, I- . . . . Wait."

With a snort, Applejack shook her head and looked back to the unicorn mare. "Still, she's got one point; how do y'all know this?" She asked, frowning, and Twilight took a breath, horn brightening as she levitated a book over from a nearby table. Applejack recognized it as the one she'd pulled out when at her farm, that she seemed so distracted by.

"I read about her in this book. It's a more in depth telling of the story, from sometime not long after the actual events, from what I can tell. Though it doesn't give any names, it seems pretty obvious that the 'elder sister' in the story is Princess Celestia." Twilight said, face grim, while Applejack flipped open the book and promptly blanched. The letters were . . . kind of familiar, though there were some that looked more like squiggles than letters. However, the language the book was written in was totally foreign to her.

"What in the hay is this?" She asked, frowning and looking up at the lavender mare, who shook her head, sighing.

"Old Ponish. Look, what's important is that, in the book, it said that Nightmare Moon would return after a thousand years. The Summer Sun Celebration marks the night of her defeat, and this is the thousandth Celebration! Or, was." She said, eyes turning down while her throat tightened, ears snaking back and tail tucking. Applejack read the body language without really thinking about it.

The mare was worried and terrified, and doing a fairly good job of hiding it, or at least staying calm.

"Okay. Why ya got her in a bubble?" Applejack asked, jerking her head towards Rainbow Dash, who glanced up from where she'd been sulking.

"She kept saying I was a spy and trying to tackle me! So, I picked her up by teh tail, and then she started grabbing books off of their shelves and trying to throw them at me! Books! I couldn't risk her damaging any, so I bubbled her." The mare explained, and Applejack had to wonder at the girl's priorities that she was more concerned about the damage to the books than to herself. Still, she clearly had some skill with her horn.

Applejack frowned at her. "Y'all some kinda Arcanus?" She asked, and received a frown in return.

"What? A . . . A Royal Mage? Oh, no. No!" The unicorn replied, eyes wide and tail perking, as did her ears. She was surprised and, though she wouldn't admit it, somewhat flattered. "Or, well, not yet, at least. I'm, uh . . . Well, that is . . . " She stammered, glancing away, blushing. Embarrassment warred with pride on her features before she shrugged. "I'm . . . Princess Celestia's student." She said, sighing.

APplejack stared at her for a second, then turned, looking up at Dash. "Dash!"

"What?!" The cocky pegasus snapped, glaring at the earth pony.

"She ain't a spy." She said, simply, and Dash uncrossed her forelegs.

"How do you know?" She said, eyeing the unicorn warily.

"I just do. I'm good at tellin' when folks're lyin' to me, y'all oughtta know that, by now." She said, before rolling her eyes and sighing, before sitting back and moving her right forehoof through the motions of a sacred ritual, and speaking out the words of a powerful incantation.

"Cross my heart an' hope ta fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She said, finishing by pressing her hoof over her right eye, and Pinkie Pie bounced up and down.

"Oh! Oh! She did a Pinkie Promise! She's gotta be telling the truth or she'd break it!" The pink baker exclaimed. "And you don't wanna know what happens when you break one of those." She said, eyes wide as she turned to stare up at the rainbow maned pegasus, who took a look into those blue orbs and gulped, feeling like she was somehow in danger.

"Heh, heh. Whatever you say, Pinkie. Okay, AJ. I . . . I believe you." Dash said, nodding, and Applejack took a breath, looking at Twilight.

"Let 'er down, please." She said, nodding her head at the Unicorn who, after a moment's consideration, nodded and let her horn go out. The pegasus dropped, flipping in the air to land nimbly on her hooves. She shook herself, stretching her wings, before trotting up to stand in front of Twilight, a determined look in her eyes. She had to look up slightly, to meet the unicorn mare's eyes, but in spite of her small stature, there was no ignoring the pegasus as she flared out her wings.

"You better not be a spy, Twilight Sparkle. This is my town, and these are my friends, and I'll be damned if I let any of them get hurt 'cause of you!" She said, before turned and flapping her wings, taking off to hover up into the air above everypony.

"I'm not a spy! I promise! I just . . . I need to think of something! There has to be something we can do!" The unicorn said, frowning in worry.

Applejack frowned back at her. "What d' ya mean, 'we'? Hay, what d'ya mean, period?! We're not soldiers, certainly ain't enough to deal with some . . . ancient, evil alicorn! I'm a farmer!" She said, biting off the part that wanted to say she was more than that. "Pinkie's a baker . . . I think. Rarity's just a dressmaker." She said, ignoring the affronted gasp from behind her. "I don't think any of us can do anything!"

"There has to be something! The story says she was defeated!" Twilight said, frowning, and Applejack shrugged.

"Yeah, by, if y'all're right, Celestia! She ain't here!" The farm mare argued, while Pinkie Pie, largely unnoticed, pushed a dry erase board, which was covered over by a tarp, into the room. Where she got it from will remain a mystery.

"It wasn't just Celestia, Applejack! There was something . . . it said she used something to defeat her!" Twilight argued, while Pinkie Pie straightened her bowtie. Rainbow Dash frowned.

"Like . . . some kinda weapon or something?" The blue pegasus asked, quirking her head to the side.

"I don't remember! It was something I'd heard of before, though . . . what was it?"

"Ahem!" They all turned, blinking, to see Pinkie Pie, wearing a full tuxedo, complete with top hat and black sunglasses, leaning against the side of a dry erase board, on which was . . . The periodic table of elements.

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash said, frowning at the strange pink mare, while Applejack just sighed, rubbing her muzzle with one hoof.

Twilight, however, brightened up. "That's it!"

"It is?" Applejack asked, glancing at the mare uncertainly.

"What do you mean, darling?" Rarity asked, perplexed as well.

"The Elements of Harmony!" Twilight said, only to pause as confetti fell from the ceiling and a canned round of applause echoed through the tree. She looked around wide eyed, while the others all simply stood with vaguely annoyed looks on their faces. Finally, Applejack turned, looking at Pinkie, who was standing on her rear legs, forehooves innocently behind her back, next to a rope that the farm mare would have sworn wasn't there a minute before.

"Y'all done bein' melodramatic?" The farm mare asked, quirking an eyebrow, and Pinkie smiled.

"Yupperooni! For now." She said, muttering the last as her smile turned a bit devious. Applejack was already turning back to the conversation at hand, however.

"What're the Elements of Harmony?" She asked, and Twilight opened her mouth, before frowning.

"I . . . Don't know." She admitted, and Rainbow Dash threw up her hooves.

"Ugh! That's great! Lotta help that is!" The prismatic pegasus pointed out petulantly .

Twilight tapped her chin. "Spike!" She exclaimed, and the little drake was by her side in a flash.

"Time for research?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Time . . . for Research!" The lavender mare stated, the capital R standing out quite strongly when she said it, and the dragon nodded.

"Right! I'll get started on the coffee." He said, before waddling very quickly off to the kitchen, Applejack watching him go as she stepped over to Twilight, who was even now levitating up a bunch of the books from the floor, looking them over rapidly before stacking them on the table.

"Helpful little fella, ain't he?" She asked, glancing at Twilight as the unicorn continued . . . doing whatever it was she was doing.

"Spike? Yeah. He's my little brother . . . kinda. Adopted. I hatched him." She said, making Applejack blink.

"Uhhh." The orange mare said, most eloquently.

"Long story." Twilight said, shooting the farm mare a tense smile. "Look, could you give me some space?" She asked, frowning slightly.

"Do ya one better." The orange mare said. "What c'n I do ta help?" She asked, lifting her chin.

"Help?" Twilight said, blinking in surprise.

"Count me in too!" Rainbow Dash said, flying up to hover alongside Applejack. "Saving the world? Finding some mythical lost weapons? Battling an evil goddess?! This shit is awesome!" She said, grinning from ear to ear.

Rarity stepped up on the other side of Applejack, earning her a surprised look from the farm mare. "If it means getting back at that no good ruffian for [i[]ruining all my hard work? You can include me, as well, darlings!" She said, smiling primly, eyes sparkling a bit.

Fluttershy had been trying to slink away to the door, but was stopped by Pinkie Pie grabbing her around the withers with one forehoof, pulling her up to stand alongside the pink earth pony, who grinned at the lot of them. "We're in, too!" She said, giggling, while Fluttershy 'eeped' and hid behind her mane.

Mare of many words, that one. Still, something about her . . . Applejack couldn't quite put her hoof on it, but she was certain of it. There was more to the butter yellow mare than met the eye.

"Um, I don't . . . " Twilight began, looking uncertain, before Applejack took another step forward, meeting her eyes.

"Y'all don't think we're gonna just walk away, now, do ya?" She asked. She still didn't like their chances of success, but if it meant keeping her family safe? She'd risk it.

Twilight gritted her teeth, before glancing out the window at the unnatural night. She straightened up, eyes gleaming. "Alright. Okay, alright. All of you fan out through the library! I don't know who 'sorted' this place last, but they need to have their head examined. I've never SEEN a library so out of sorts. We need anything that might lead us to the Elements of Harmony, or at least tell us what they were. Anything on ancient weapons, or enchanted artifacts. . . . "

An hour later, and the group had been digging through book after book, and even with all of them working together, and Twilight's speed reading skills and Spike's near constant resupply of coffee and even doughnuts, the group had found nothing.

Twilight poked her head up from behind a pile of books, growling in frustration as she set yet another book into her 'discard' pile. "I can't BELIEVE the state of this place! I've looked through everything I can FIND that might have gotten us what we needed! Spire's 'Weapons and Artifacts of Medieval Equestria'! Glinting's 'Artefacts'! Nothing!"

Applejack, who had been trying to make hide or hair of a book titled 'Ye Olde Magician's Guide to Hallowed Things', which was apparently a list of various enchanted objects and talismans held in the Royal Treasury of Canterlot a few hundred years before, looked up, groaning. "Am I the only one gettin' a headache?" She asked.

She was answered by a moan to rival the most zombie of zombies, and a cyan hoof shooting up out of a pile of scattered books near the East wall. A rainbow maned head poked up out of the hole next, and the pegasus put her hooves on her face, leaning into them hard enough to stretch her eyelids down, showing how bloodshot her eyes were. "Uggggghhhhh! This is totally NOT awesome! This is egghead bullshit! Where's the action!? Where's the adventure!?"

"This is necessary, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight Sparkle said, frowning. "Besides, I don't think you've even read through half of those books!" The unicorn snapped, frustration on her face clear as day.

"Half?" Dash said, looking around at the pile, before snorting. "I haven't read any of these! I'm not doing this crap! We need to get going! Not sit around here playing book club or whatever the fuck this is!"

"I would appreciate it if you would watch your language, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight snapped, standing up and walking out from behind her books to confront the pegasus. "And just where do you propose we go, hm? If you're so eager, what is your destination!?"

The pegasus shot up in to the air, scattering books, and zipped over, pressing her face up close to the unicorns, though she was careful of the horn. "Oh, yeah? Well I'd fucking appreciate it if you would get the fuck over yourself and not tell me what the fuck to do!"

"Oopsy-daisy!" Pinkie suddenly exclaimed, teetering in a rather theatrical fashion on the top of a ladder, holding a small, old leather bound book in her forehooves. Applejack took a step, but it was too late as the mare came down with a loud crash like breaking glass and . . . was that bowling pins?

However, before anypony could move to check on her or try to help, she popped up, grinning from ear to ear. Almost literally. It was kind of creepy. "Butterhooves!" She said, and Fluttershy looked up.

"It wasn't me!" The yellow pegasus exclaimed, the loudest thing she'd said so far, and it was drowned out by the light thump of the small, dusty tome hitting the table beside Twilight and Rainbow Dash. The title on the cover read 'The Defeat of the Draconequus, by Golden Feather'. As they watched, Pinkie reached out a hoof and idly flicked the book open to about the halfway point. As Twilight frowned, looking at her, the pink mare quickly blew at the book a few times, causing a few pages to stir and turn over.

"Pinkie Pie. What are you doing?" Twilight asked, before Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head. She was new in town after all, somepony had to look out for her.

"Just being clumsy, silly!" Pinkie said, grinning innocently, as Applejack turned and looked down at the page, the beginning of a chapter entitled 'The Aftermath and the Acquisition of the Elements of Harmony'.

"Huh. Seems like a place to start." Applejack said, as Twilight frowned down at the book.

"I've never . . . I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've never even heard of this book before. Where'd you get it, Pinkie?"

"Hammer space."

"What?"

"I mean . . . Ahem . . . under 'E', for 'Elements', silly!"

Twilight stood, staring at the pink mare for another second, before rapidly shaking her head, as though trying to dislodge a fly from her skull, and turned to look at the book, along with Applejack and Rainbow Dash who, though still frowning in annoyance, had been distracted from her temper tantrum by Pinkie's timely interruption.

Twilight picked up the book in her magic, bringing it closer and looking it over. Frowning, she began to read.

"'During the following days, the capital city underwent some repairs, and healers were required to tend to those whose injuries were more severe. These were thankfully low, however, as the Draconequus sought not to harm, but to play. Unfortunately, "play" seems to mean something different to such a being. I wonder if I will view the world so different, should I live to such an age? Unlikely though it may be, it still makes one ponder.

The Statue was moved to the Royal Gardens, where an eye could be kept upon it . . . and, truthfully, so that Celestia could gloat a bit. The Draconequus had beaten her and terrified her little ponies in the process. This was not to be taken lightly, nor should one not take heed of her Majesty's ego. Coupled with her rather cruel sense of humour, it is wise to play it safe, a lesson the Draconequus learned, to Their detriment.'"

Twilight paused, frowning, and Applejack looked at her. "What is it, Twilight?" She asked, sensing an edge of discomfort in the mare. The unicorn looked up at her, blinking and taking a breath, before shaking her head stiffly.

"N-Nothing. Nothing, Applejack." She lied, and Applejack's frown deepened. The mare continued reading, skipping ahead as she went.

"Ah! 'As for the weapons used in the Draconequus' defeat, these enchanted objects, known as the Elements of Harmony have been stored somewhere in the castle, where Their Royal Majesties assure me that they will be safe until they are needed, next.'" She scanned over the next few pages, before closing the book. "Well . . . I guess that's it, then. The Castle."

"You mean Canterlot?!" Rarity asked, eyes lighting up, and Applejack rolled her eyes, sighing while internally cringing at the thought of having to go to that city full of egotistical blowhards called 'nobles'. However, Twilight shook her head, smiling, and her voice took on the tone of a teacher delivering a lecture.

"No, Rarity. This book is dated to nearly a thousand years ago. Maybe a bit older. The leather bindings plus the type of script used both indicate this. At that time, Canterlot was nothing but a small crystal mining town. The Capital of Equestria was actually fairly close to Ponyville. Just a few hours hike into the forest." She said, nodding as though that settled it.

"I'm sorry, darling, I must've misheard you, you said the Forest? As in . . . The Everfree Forest?!" Rarity exclaimed, eyes wide in disgust and horror.

"Sick! Let's go!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, taking off with a beat of her wings, only to be caught by the tail as Applejack grabbed it in her mouth and pulled her to a halt. "Ow!" The mare yelped, looking back at the farm pony, who spat the tail out of her mouth and glared at the pegasus.

"Hold up there, nelly! We cain't just go blunderin' off into the Everfree!" Applejack said, blinking as the pegasus came to the ground, still holding her tail.

"Okay, okay, jeeze!" Dash said, glaring. "No need to yank my tail off for it!"

Applejack flinched, only realizing now how much that might've hurt. "Oh, er . . . Sorry." She said, awkwardly.

"Whatever." Dash said, turning as Twilight caught everypony's attention.

"Um, excuse me? What's . . . the problem with the Everfree? It's just a forest, right?" The lavender mare asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"'Just a Forest'?! Darling, please! The place is horrid!"

"It's unnatural! The weather just . . . happens, there!"

"It's dangerous." Applejack said, glaring at the other two who had spoken up, Rainbow Dash rolling her eyes in response.

"Duh! That's what I said!" The mare said, and Twilight piped up.

"Um, no . . Rainbow Dash, what you said makes no sense; the weather forming on it's own with no control is . . . literally the definition of natural. Honestly, how do you think the weather works outside of Equestria?"

The blue pegasus gasped, taking off to hover in the air. "Don't talk like that! Urgh!" She said, shuddering, and Applejack quirked an eyebrow. It was so hard to get a read on that filly. She blamed her age. Nevermind that she was only two years her junior.

"Look, Twilight." The farm mare said, turning to the unicorn. "The point is, natural or not, that place is dangerous. There's all kinds of things in there, that are bad enough during the day. Hydras, Cockatrices, Timberwolves . . . They only get worse after dark." She said, feeling her own Wolf stirring inside of her, and she averted her eyes, lest the Beast came too close to the surface.

The thought of going back into the forest was getting a response from the Wolf, but not the one that Applejack had expected. No predatory bloodlust or rage or even jubilation. Rather, it seemed that the thought of going back out into the night caused the Beast nothing but fear, a cloying, sickly emotion that Applejack could feel clawing its way up her throat and trying to take her legs out from under her.

She fought it down, and turned back to Twilight, who was frowning. She wondered if the mare had noticed something, if she had seen something or if . . . No, no, she was only being paranoid. She had kept this secret for so long. She knew how to protect herself. But then, the Beast had never acted like this before, had never been so aggressive, and had never shown such fear before.

Twilight spoke up, finally, nodding. "I understand what you're saying, Applejack . . . But if we don't do something, it could be 'after dark' forever. We need those Elements. They're our only shot at defeating Nightmare Moon and . . . hopefully returning Princess Celestia." She said, eyes shining at that last statement, before she blinked and shook her head. "We have no choice." She said, looking up.

Rainbow Dash nodded. "I'm still with you, Twilight. Let's go!"

Pinkie pronked over, holding Fluttershy by the tail, and grinned, nodding to the lavender mare.

Rarity bit her lip, but sighed. "Fine. But I insist we stop by my boutique on the way. I am NOT going into the forest after dark without some sort of protection!"

Applejack glanced sideways at the ivory unicorn, before snorting and shaking her head. She didn't like this. It was stupid, and wrong, and a bad idea. But Twilight was right. They had no choice, and she didn't know what she'd do if her Demon kept feeling like this, so close to the surface. She had to protect her family. She had promised.

She took a breath and nodded. "Eeyup. I guess I'm with ya too, then, Twi." She said, seeing the purple unicorn quirk an eyebrow at the nickname, which made the farm pony smirk slightly. "Let's go."

"FINALLY!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "I didn't think we were ever going to settle that!"

"Hey! Hang on a minute! Why'd I have to do that whole thing with the dry board, anyway?! We could've just looked in the book Twilight had!"

Because it was a funny joke.

"It wasn't THAT funny!"

"Who are you talking to, Darling?"

"Err, nopony! No pony, at all."

1:4 - The Mystery Mare

Applejack glanced aside at Rarity while her hooves plodded along the gravel path. They had first left town on the path leading to the Acres, but quickly took a left, down a lesser used, but still well kept path that led South, towards the Forest. Surprisingly, Fluttershy had picked up her pace going down the path, and Applejack wondered why that might be.

Right now, though, she was still more distracted by Rarity. Or, more precisely, fuming over her. The silly, prissy mare was trotting along, looking proud of herself, while flaunting a finely embroidered silk shawl draped over her shoulders. It seemed a bit dated, to Applejack's mind, like something Granny or her friends might wear, but she didn't know much about fashion.

"Ya know, Rarity, when you said you needed to stop at yer place for 'protection' I thought you might mean somethin' a might bit more . . . practical, than that!" The farmer said, glaring at the other mare, who turned a gimlet eye on her.

"I'll have you know, this shawl is perfectly practical, Applejack." She said, lifting an eyebrow and her head slightly.

"And how in the hay is that ol' thing s'posed to be practical?!" She said, and the ivory unicorn lifted her eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Well, I'm not certain, Applejack, why don't you tell me how practical your hat is, darling?"

Applejack bristled up, reaching a hoof up to touch the Stetson on her head. "Y'all leave my hat outta this! SHe's plenty practical! Keeps off the rain, and the sun!" She said, glaring at the mare who nodded.

"Mmm . . . ANd yet it's not raining right now, and further more, I find it highly unlikely we shall have to worry about sunburn through most of this journey. And yet, you're still wearing it." Rarity pointed out, and Applejack turned away, grumbling. A moment later, Rarity continued, voice softer. "I know why, Applejack." She said, and the farm pony turned, looking at her with narrowed eyes. Rarity smiled softly, sapphire eyes meeting emerald. "It was your father's, yes?"

Applejack's mouth tightened, and she glanced away, not meeting the fashionista's eyes. Her ears laid back and her tail tucked slightly, before she nodded, briefly. Rarity continued. "I've lived in this town my whole life, darling. I know about your loss, the same as any pony."

Nope. Y'all don't, and none of y'all can ever. Applejack thought to herself, though she didn't respond, only glancing over at the other mare. "So . . . What's that gotta do with anythin'?" She said, gruffly, and Rarity nodded, smiling sadly again.

"Well . . . You and I are not so different, it would seem." SHe said, reaching up to touch her shawl. "This was my grandmother's." She said, softly, and Applejack blinked in shock, ears perking. Rarity tilted her head, making a small sound. "She was the one who always encouraged me to follow my heart. When I got my Cutie Mark, I thought my talent was in . . . finding gems!" She gave a wry chuckle. "I was so disheartened. I wanted to be a designer, even then! It was my grandmother who pointed out that I didn't get my Mark for finding gems; I got it for finding the beauty in something ugly. A gorgeous geode, a nest of gems, hidden inside of a plain, ugly old rock."

Pinkie Pie stuck her head up, from closer to the front of the group. "HEY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ROCKS, HUH?!"

Rarity blinked, looking up, but the pink mare had already put her head back down, as though nothing had happened. She did not continue, and Applejack did not press. THe fashionista had a distant, though somewhat happy look on her face. As of nostalgia. Applejack sighed, frowning, pulling the brim of Tellula down over her eyes and watching where she put her hooves.

She glanced back, briefly, eyes resting on the scarred Mark on her right flank, and bit her lip to keep it form trembling. Her parents hadn't lived to see her get her Mark. She turned back to say something to Rarity, but her eyes were instead caught by the sight that lay ahead of them, momentarily taking her breath away, even in the silvery light of the moon.

The sound of running water had been a constant in her ears since they had left the main road, and she knew they were following along a small tributary off of the Epona River, called Willow Creek. She had grown up here, after all, knew the farm, and the town, and the countryside like the frog of her hoof. That said, she hadn't been down Willow Creek in a long while, and this was new to her. The aged, weeping willows that gave the creek its name were still there, as beautiful as ever, their long, tendril like leaves glittering in the light of the moon. However, the trail they were following led to a quaint, simple little wooden bridge, leading over the creek, and the entire area, from every tree, post and bush large enough, seemed festooned with bird houses, windchimes and hanging decorations of all kinds.

On the other side of the creek sat a beautiful little cottage, its windows glowing warmly with light. Lichen and moss grew along the top, which was shaded by the leaves of an old oak tree. Perhaps most shocking of all was the number of animals that surrounded the cottage; deer, rabbits, falcons, hawks, songbirds of all sorts. Day animals and night alike were all standing outside of the cottage. However, as the six mares approached, the animals turned to them, before parting before a small white bunny rabbit that came bounding out of the group up to Fluttershy, who trotted out to meet the animal.

The rabbit promptly began chittering and bouncing in place in a manner that would have looked cute, if it weren't for the anger and frustration that was radiating off of him in waves. Fluttershy frowned, leaning in closer and . . . was she speaking? It was soft, to soft to make out her words, but she was definitely speaking to the critter.

Twilight glanced aside at the others, frowning in confusion. "Um . . . What is she doing?" She asked, and Applejack and Rarity both shook their heads.

"Beats me."

"Who cares?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flapping her wings to stay hovering above them. "We need to get a move on!"

Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, was frowning at the 'conversation' taking place in front of them, mouth slightly tight along the corner. Applejack, not sure if she'd ever seen such an expression on the pink mare's face, leaned over. "Somethin' wrong, Pinkie Pie?" She asked, but the mare didn't respond, instead starting to march forward even as Fluttershy turned, a sad expression on her face that didn't quite extrend to her eyes or ears.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, everypony, but . . . My animal friends are all so scared, and I've left them alone too long, already. I can't-"

"Oh, no ya don't, missy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed waltzing up and glaring at Fluttershy, silencing the pegasus, before turning the glare on the small, white rabbit, who crossed his forelegs over his chest and returned the glare with equal measure.

Rarity looked over at Applejack, lifting an eyebrow. "What?" She pondered, and Applejack shrugged.

"Pinkie Pie." She said, shaking her head, and Rarity sighed, looking at her hooves.

"What does that mean?!" Twilight exclaimed, frowning even harder than before as she looked back and forth between the mares alongside her, and the two before them, one looking like she wanted nothing more than to run into her cottage and hide, while the other was glaring angrily at a small bunny rabbit.

Finally, Pinkie Pie spoke up, reaching out and tapping the bunny in the chest with her hoof. "You listen here, Angel Bunny! I don't care if you've not been fed your satued carrots and red lettuce salad yet! We need Fluttershy with us!" She paused while the rabbit chittered back at her, shaking a fist, while Fluttershy looked on with an expression of shock on her face. Pinkie continued; "I don't care! Listen here, you little shh. . . If she doesn't come with us, then the SUN might never COME UP again! You know what that means? No sun means no plants can grow!" She paused, glaring at the bunny who maintained his rigid posture, forelegs crossed over his chest, but his ears folded back against his head and his small, beady black eyes glanced aside at the yellow pegasus. "Including CARROTS!" Pinkie finished, and Angel's forelegs dropped, eyes going wide.

It had been one of the strangest sights Applejack thought she'd ever seen, watching a tiny little rabbit forcibly pushing a softly protesting pegasus pony off down the path behind her cottage, past a small paddock and chicken coop, and towards teh forest. Once Fluttershy had caved in and started moving on her own, the bunny had given a last chittering chastisement, glared at Pinkie Pie, who's response was to stick out her tongue at him, and then bounded back off to the cottage and the gang of animals waiting there.

Twilight seemed mildly shellshocked, which Applejack recognized as the expression of somepony who'd never had to deal with a Pinkie Pie moment before. They'd all been there, Celesita knew.

Now, the farm mare looked around as they trotted down a winding dirt path through the woods. Apparently, Pinkie Pie knew where they were going, as she was back in the lead, bouncing along happily, not even really watching where she was going. The rest however, were noticeably afraid, though Rainbow Dash would probably have punched anyway who said it out loud. Still, the way the blue pegasus had slowed her pace and dropped down to hover nearby Applejack, and how her eyes kept moving around, watching the trees warily, showed her fear.

Fear. Fear was contagious. It spread through them, over them, around them. Perhaps it was fear of her, as was natural for prey to fear a predator, but she was not hunting. And that which made others afraid could be a threat to even her.

Applejack shook her head, taking a deep breath, watching her hooves as she followed the others, trying her best to ground herself. The emotions in the air were mixing with those welling up inside of her, It was making it hard to separate herself from the demon inside her, to tell where her thoughts began and Its ended. She took another shaking breath, letting it out slowly, grinding her teeth together. This wasn't good. She had lost control once already because of all this. She couldn't afford to here, not around these others. They could be in danger, if the monster got loose, here.

Applejack had been doing some thinking. She'd seen plenty of odd things, in her life already, but she still tended to not put much stock in 'coincidence'. The fact that she lost control so suddenly and violently, right before all this . . . if Twilight was to be believed, and Applejack had seen nothing to make her doubt the mare, then Nightmare Moon was real, and had been sealed inside the moon for a thousand years. The farm pony wondered, then, if maybe her transformations had something to do with that. They had often seemed to tied into the phases of the moon, occurring most frequently around the full moon, when the image of the Mare in the Moon was at its brightest, glaring down on the world below with hatred and scorn.

Could it be that NIghtmare Moon was responsible for her condition? If so, then would defeating her . . . Could it cure her?

"Are you alright, Applejack?" A soft voice asked, and the mare glanced up, blinking in surprise, to see the butter yellow pegasus who was walking alongside her, to her left, frowning slightly from behind her mane, her gentle turquoise eyes taking in Applejack's face as they looked at each other.

This close, Applejack was struck by how . . . well, beautiful was really the only word to describe the mare. Not like Rarity, where it was all make-up and eyeliner and four hours in a spa at least twice a week, and who knew what kind of diet.

No, Fluttershy's beauty was something deeper than that, a natural grace and gentleness of speech and movement, that made it seem as though she was both not there, and would always be there when you needed her.

Applejack blinked, shaking her head slightly, coughing. "Uh, s-sorry, Fluttershy . . . I don't . . . I'm fine. Just . . . worried, is all, about all this." She said, frowning deeply. It wasn't like her to get caught up in her thoughts like that, and, while she had nothing against it, she had never really thought about another mare that way, before, either. On top of that, she finally put a hoof on something that her inner Beast had been grumbling about since the shy pegasus had joined their group, back in town; She had no scent to speak of.

She smelled, just like how Pinkie Pie smelled of the bakery, and sugar, and bread and wrapping paper, and how Rarity smelled of make-up and desperation. But those were surface scents. Everypony had those, based off of where they spent their time and what they spent it doing. SHe could tell that Twilight spent a lot of time around books, because she smelled of faded ink and old paper.

But they also had a base scent that was uniquely their's. Rarity smelled of marshmallows, for some reason, and Pinkie Pie . . . Pinkie Pie smelled like Pinkie Pie. Applejack had never encountered another scent that matched the pink pony's, and it often made her Beast cringe in fear inside of her.

But the point was, they all had surface scents, and a deeper, personal scent.

Fluttershy had surface scents; Angel Bunny's scent was most dominant, but there were also a ton of other animal smells all mixed together, with her. She also smelled faintly of baking, and of trees and grass, probably from her cottage.

Applejack would be the first to admit that she wasn't an expert at parsing scents. Still, she had been playing with her heightened senses for a decade or better, and she could usually pick out a pony's personal scent pretty quickly. It usually stood out as being different from all the surface odors.

Fluttershy didn't have one. THere was nothing there, under the smells of the animals and her cottage. Or, if there was, it was so faint as to be nearly undetectable. Applejack was interrupted by the soft, sweet voice of the mare. "A . . . Applejack?" Looking up, she saw the pony staring at her, wide eyed and a little fearfully. "D-D-Did I do something wrong?" She asked, voice shrinking as she shrunk back to hide behind her mane.

Frowning, Applejack looked her over, and her nose twitched as she scented the pony in front of her. Still no base scent, but there was also nothing there to point towards any sort of lie or dishonesty. In fact, the pony's fear was strong enough that the farm mare could smell it, rolling off of her. She was genuinely concerned and worried.

"Uhhh, AJ? What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash's voice intruded, and Applejack flinched, coming back to herself, and realizing that everypony had stopped and was staring at her. Fluttershy was curled up on herself, practically in a ball at Applejack's hooves, while the farm mare was looming over her, nose pracitcally touching the mare's mane and ears as she sniffed of her.

Applejack jumped back, chest heaving as she turned away from them all, squeezing her eyes shut, feeling her beast clawing at her guts, wanting out, wanting to run, wanting to hunt and to hide and get away from all the fear in the air. . . .

"AJ!" Dash's voice snapped, and Applejack opened her eyes.

"I'm fine." SHe said, swallowing thickly, forcing the Beast back down, and turned to continue down the path.

"Bullshit! What the fuck was that about?!" Rainbow Dash pressed, flying over to hover in front of Applejack, floating backwards while her forelegs were crossed over her chest, glaring angrily at the farm pony.

"I said I'm fine!" APplejack snapped, not sure how to explain her actions, and left shaken by how quickly she had caved to her instincts, to the Beast hiding inside her. She couldn't lose control again! She couldn't let it out! NOt here, not now!

"Stop lying, Applejack, you fucking suck at it!" Dash snapped, flying up to the mare, forcing her to stop. "Now, what the fu-" She was cut off, mid expletive, by a loud roar that echoed through the wilderness, shaking leaves from teh trees and sending a flock of starlings out of a nearby bush, startled into the air.

The six mares turned, looking out into the darkness of the trees, as they began shaking, a spaling cracking and falling, seemingly uprooted.

"Um . . .girls?" Twilight said, swallowing. "That . . . isn't good." She said.

"No shit, Sherclop." Rainbow Dash said, wide eyed, chest heaving, as the brush suddenly erupted in front of them, boiling forth a beast from nightmare, bigger than a bear, with the head of a lion, dragon's wings and the tail of a scorpion, a pair of horns sprouting from its head.

Several of them screamed, including Rainbow Dash, though she would deny it later, and the Manticore roared again, the sound loud enough to send Fluttershy rolling and pinning Twilight and Rarity in place, eyes wide in fear.

Applejack froze as well, eyes wide and glowing slightly as she locked on the superpredator, one of the more dangerous in the forest, as it snarled and leaped forward, right towards her. She felt her Beast clawing in her throat, wanting out, to fight or flee, but her conscious mind fought, trying to keep it inside, and so she froze, unable to do anything.

She was going to die, here.

And then a prismatic blur shot through her vision and the monster rushing towards her reeled back, skidding across the ground as its upper body tipped backwards from the force of the blow that had struck it on the jaw.

"Stay the fuck away from my friends!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, twisting in mid air, wings turning to bring her up and around, into a sharp dive towards the beast. Applejack watched as the pegasus, in spite of the fear that was obvious in her, attacked the creature with a yell, both rear hooves planting firmly into its face and knocking it back. The manticore toppled, falling to its back, only for its wings, no good for flight, but still useful in some ways, to snap open, flipping it over and back to all fours, even as Rainbow Dash rushed in for another strike. The great beast lashed out with one paw in a lightning quick strike that swatted the young pegasus from the air. Dash spun through the air, hitting the ground hard and flipping over several times before skidding to a halt against a rock, where she lay still.

Applejack felt her heart stutter, before her rage clawed at the back of her throat. Her mind fought back, but even so, she felt her teeth pricking her tongue before she gave a yell and leaped forward.

THe manticore had reared back, claws at the ready to strike the downed pegasus a killing blow. The beast's paw came up, and then down, claws glinting in the moonlight that filtered through the trees above.

And its paw stopped, very suddenly, and it gave a shocked grunt, blinking at the orange form that stood below it, forehooves pressed into its foreleg. Glowing emerald eyes locked onto the manticore's yellow gaze, and a mouth with sharper than normal teeth opened, snarling as the pony's rear hooves dug into the earth and it pushed his leg up.

Snarling, the manticore attempted to grab the pony with its paw, but suddenly felt itself being turned and thrown. It flew through the air, slamming into a tree hard enough to crack the trunk and get the wind knocked out of it. It slumped to the ground, heaving, before looking up with an enraged snarl, eyes glinting with an odd blue light behind them.

Fluttershy looked between the Beast that had hurt one of her friends, seeing the light in its eyes, and realized what needed to be done, as the earth pony mare stared it down, snarling in return.

Applejack felt like she was being torn in three directions at once, as she fought for control of her mind and body, the Beast inside intent on killing the manticore, while her pony mind was half frozen in fear and panic. She glared at the creature as it rose from the base of the tree, letting out a roar that shook the air between them. She felt fear flood her, wanting to turn and run, but, oddly, given this enemy now, her Demon did not want to back down from this challenge, and she felt it clawing, digging, trying to get out again.

It hurt. She had fought the change before, and it never felt good. Like her guts were being torn open and twisted around a fork, like spaghetti, while her mind felt like scrambled eggs.

The manticore took a step forward, and Applejack's beast, more than she herself, took an answering step forward, teeth bared in what would have been a truly fierce snarl, had she fully changed already.

And then there was another blur in front of her, this time a soft, butter yellow. She blinked as Fluttershy flapped up in front of her, meeting her eyes for a moment, her own seeming to glint oddly in the off light of the moon. Then the pegasus turned, and Applejack felt that sensation drift away, along with her rage as she suddenly simply felt . . . tired. She sat on her rump, panting, feeling like her Demon was . . . falling asleep, almost.

She looked up, in time to see the strangest thing, ever. Fluttershy, hovering in the air before the massive monstrosity of the Manticore, and the beast did not move, simply stared at her, rocking side to side in a manner that followed the drifting motions of the hovering pony. As she watched, Applejack saw something, like a shadow, vaguely blue tinged, that drifted into the air like smoke around the creature's head, before evaporating gently into the night.

The creature's eyes drifted shut, and it fell into a snoring heap before the yellow pegasus, who drifted down to land on the ground, legs shaking as she did. She turned to look at Applejack, and in that moment the farm mare knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the slim, tall pegasus mare knew what she was.

She gulped, glancing over at Twilight and Rarity. The pair just now seemed to be coming unstuck from their fearful state, staggering forward, questioning and congratulating Fluttershy, before Twilight looked over and blanched. "Rainbow Dash!" She said, moving over quickly.

Neither of them gave Applejack much of a thought, and she figured it had been dark, and things had happened quick. Maybe they hadn't seen enough of her to know something was up.

But Fluttershy. . . .

She looked again at the pegasus, who was already rushing over with Twilight to check on Dash. Her eyes . . .

She knew. Applejack didn't know how, or what was up with the pegasus anyway, but somehow . . . she knew.

Dash was alive, but banged up pretty good. Her right rear leg was hurt, somewhere in the pastern. Twilight said she thought it might only be a sprain, but to keep weight off it, anyway. That worked out fine for the pegasus, who simply took off and flew above them. The way she held herself, though, made it clear she was hurting more than she let on. A blow like the one she took probably at least bruised her ribs, Applejack figured.

When told that the earth pony had saved her life, the pegasus had flown over and, rather awkwardly, thanked her, with an assurance that she had the manticore on the ropes, totally. Applejack snorted, thinking about how cocky the blue mare was, but at the same time . . .

She had rushed out there in spite of her own fear and without care for her own well being, to protect Applejack and the others. Maybe there was more to the filly than Applejack thought. She glanced around at the others, Rarity with her shawl and Fluttershy . . . Maybe there was more to the lot of them, than she thought.

"Heya, Applejack!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing up alongside the mare, who glanced over at her, clearing her throat. Speaking of a pony to whom there was more than met the eye.

"Pinkie Pie." She said, nodding, reaching up to tip her hat before realizing it wasn't there. She blanched, turning immediately to go look for it, before she felt a weight on her head and glanced up, seeing Tellula, right where she belonged. She glanced at Pinkie, who had placed the hat on her head, and saw the baker smiling at her kindly.

"Would want your head getting cold, out here, would we, Timberjack!?" She said, giggling, before turning to pronk off. Applejack blinked, before what the mare had said registered.

"Wh-, Timber . . . Pinkie, what?!" She snapped, eyes wide, but the pink mare only giggled, looking over her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Jackie! C'mon! We've got some ghosties to go giggle at!" She said, before turning and bouncing away down the path, the other falling into step behind her.

Applejack felt her heart slow back down to normal as she shook her head, tightening her mouth. Great. So that made two who . . . maybe knew something. This night was just getting worse by the minute.

1:5 - Into the Deep Dark Woods

Author's Note

So, this chapter kinda took on a mind of its own. Not complaining, though! I love it when that happens!

Also M A P

1:5 - Into the Deep Dark Woods

As the group had walked further into the Forest, the night had grown darker as the trees closed in around them. The trail here was less well defined, more of a game trail than anything, and there was far less underbrush as the sunlight could not reach through the canopy overhead. If it weren't for Twilight Sparkle, they'd've been walking in pitch blackness at this point, but the unicorn had channeled a simple spell, and her horn was now glowing with her aura, illuminating the surrounding trees in soft, pink light.

The mare herself was barely paying enough attention to stay on the path, however, her nose buried once more in the old book about Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony. Applejack walked up alongside her, nudging her in the withers. "Huh?!" She exclaimed, looking up in surprise.

"Y'all're driftin', Twilight." Applejack said, nodding to the thick trees that the unicorn had been edging closer to as she walked.

"Oh. Sorry, thank you, Applejack, I just . . . " She trailed off, glancing down at the book, and Applejack looked at it, as well.

"Somethin' wrong?" The farmer asked, and the unicorn looked up at her, pressing her lips together, before shaking her head.

"I . . . I don't know. This book goes into some detail on the Elements . . . It does make me wonder why it didn't say anything about where they were kept, really. But, either way, it says here that there are six of them." Looking back to the book, the mare began reading; "'Of the Elements, five are known; Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Laughter and Kindness. The sixth, however, is a mystery. According to legend, when the other five are brought together, a Spark will lead the way to the Sixth.' What does that even mean?" Twilight asked, frowning.

Applejack had felt something odd, like a tug on her mind, when Twilight had been reading the names of the Elements, or what they stood for, or whatever they were. She didn't know what it meant, though, and shook her head. "I dunno, Twi." She said, sighing, before suddenly staggering to a halt as Pinkie Pie popped up between the two, grinning and waggling her eyebrows.

"Huh! Six Elements, eh? And there's six of us! Weeeeiiiirrrd, amirite?!" She said, before leaning away and suddenly jumping back to the head of the party. Twilight and Applejack both blinked after her, before the lavender mare glanced aside at the farmer, who sighed.

"It's Pinkie Pie. Ya kinda . . . get used to it, I guess, the more yer around her." She said, shaking her head. "She always seems to know things she ought not to, and never responds to things the way ya'd think she would." She thought about the mare's comment earlier, and frowned, shaking her head. "Darn filly's caused more than her fair share of chaos around town, I know fer sure. Still, nopony ever gets hurt, and she seems like she's bein' honest, about makin' others happy, so. . . . No harm, no foul, right?" The mare said, glancing aside at Twilight, who blinked.

"I . . . guess? How does she do it, though?" She asked, and Applejack shrugged.

"Beats me." She said. "Last time some feller tried to figure her out, he wound up in the hospital talkin' to a nightstand." She looked back to the pink mare, bouncing along at the lead of the group. "I guess some things ya just gotta accept, and not worry too much about how they work."

Twilight snorted. "Hardly. If it exists, it can be studied, and if it can be studied, it can be explained." She said, confidently.

Applejack glanced over at her, tipping her hat back and quirking an eyebrow. "Y'all sure about that?" She asked, smirking slightly.

The mare nodded. "Definitely."

Applejack chuckled. "Well, we'll see how that goes, if'n ya stick around."

Twilight frowned, mouth turning down a bit. "Stick around? I mean . . . I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves. We've still got to find the Elements, first, and then figure out how to use them, and then we still have to try and somehow defeat Nightmare Moon. . . . " She drifted off, looking thoughtful, and a little melancholy.

Applejack took a breath, frowning as well. It was quite a task ahead of them, that was for sure. She still wasn't even sure if all this was real, half expecting to wake up back in the cell, under the old tool shed on her farm and find out this was all just some weird fever dream brought on by her Change.

"Guess y'all're right, Twilight. One step at a time." Applejack said, before looking ahead at a small, frustrated sound. Pinkie had stopped, looking around in confusion, a frown on her face. The pink mare reached up into her mane, digging a hoof into the mass of hair for a moment, before . . . pulling out what looked like a small metal box, a few wires and beeping lights on it. She bent down over it, muttering to herself.

Applejack and Twilight glanced at each other, then back to the other three. Rainbow Dash was frowning in annoyance, while Rarity was trying to sling a bit of mud off her hoof, with little luck. Fluttershty just looked like she'd rather be anywhere but there.

Applejack and Twilight both took it on themselves to go talk to the pink mare and see what was going on.

"Um . . . who is she talking to?" Twilight asked, glancing aside at Applejack, who was staring wide eyed. The farmer glanced aside at her again, and gulped.

"I dunno." She said, turning to look back at the pink pony, who stood a few yards off, ostensibly 'hiding' behind a bush, though she was still in view, and could be heard speaking to . . . the air, apparently.

When Twilight and Applejack had approached the mare, she had been shaking the small metal box around and grumbling about something or other. Before either of them could say anything, the baker had jumped up, exclaimed that she needed a minute, and shot off into the bushes.

Now, the pair of them stood, watching her, and Applejack could honestly say she had never felt more concerned when in the presence of the baker.

"What do you mean, I can't use it anymore?!" The pink mare exclaimed, before glancing around and returning to an overly loud stage whisper that could still be heard. "But I need it! What? How else am I supposed to know what's going on?! What do you mean, I'm abusing it?! What? No! No, no, no! Look, I'm sorry! I won't- No! I won't use it again, I swear! What? No!" Strangely, with that there was a sound of electricity shorting out and sparks started flying out of the pink pony's mane. She yelped and hopped around, pulling the metal box out of her hair and juggling it before losing her grip on it. It flew up into the air, bounced off of a tree trunk and flew back, hitting her in the head, flooring her.

The mare sat down hard on her rump, eyes spinning while little sparks kept fluttrering around her head for a minute, before she shook her head and looked around, snatching up the now very broken box. "Awww! My Plot Device!" She said, before looking up. "Wait, what?! You're . . . No!" Her face turned distraught, almost fearful. "Please, I won't- n- But- . . . Awwww, alright, fine! Be that way!" She said, pouting angrily, before her eyes suddenly went blank for a moment. She blinked rapidly and looked around, leaning over and picked the box up again, tilting her head at it and staring curiously for a moment, before shrugging. "Meh." She said, tossing it over her shoulder before hopping up and skipping over to Twilight and Applejack, who both looked at her with worried expressions. "What's up, girls?" She asked, smiling.

"Uhhhhhh. . . . " Twilight said, wide eyed, before stepping back and pushing Applejack into the pink one's path with her magic.

"What the- Errr, hey, Pinkie . . . " Applejack said, caught off guard. She looked into the party pony's big blue eyes, that friendly smile on her face, and felt mildly concerned. "Uh . . . Y'all . . . doin' alright?" She asked, tilting her head and frowning.

Pinkie lifted her eyebrows, looking around, before giggling. "Hehehe, oh, Applejack, you ol' kidder, you! Of COURSE I'm fine! This is great, right?! Like a big old camping trip!" She said, before walking past the pair of them, still giggling.

Applejack took a breath and let it out, before she turned a frown on Twilight, who had the grace to look sheepish. "I panicked." The unicorn said, shrugging, and Applejack nodded.

"Eeyup." She said, turning and sighed, before following Pinkie Pie back to the others.

The pink mare paused, glancing around, and tapped her chin. "Hmmm . . . Huh. I feel like . . . Something should've happened by now, but I can't think of what. Oh, well, I guess we don't need to worry about it, right?"

And that's when the trees started moving.

Pinkie Pie giggled as the branches, like clawed hands, grabbed her and lifted her off the ground, angling her towards an open maw of dark wood that seemed to lead down into nothingness, a dark abyss that seemed to writhe with an internal hate, a seething nest of corruption and loathing.

And, down deep, at its bottom, the blackness glittered with blue stars.

"Pinkie Pie!" Applejack snarled, fear clawing at her throat and guts again, as a gnarled old oak tree, its leaves long gone, a snarling face in its trunk, eyes glowing wickedly, stepped towards her on long, spindly legs. A clawed oaken hand reached out towards her, and she turned, bucking at it, feeling the wood splinter under her kick. The thing roared, gnashing its teeth, before grabbing her by the tail and lifting her up off the ground.

Rainbow Dash was struggling between two of the things, one holding her tail, the other one trying to grab her by the wings. Even held as she was, the mare was flitting back and forth like a hummingbird, too fast to catch, but not strong enough to break away. Every time the one holding her tried to pull her in, though, she'd spin around and kick it in the face, catapulting herself back into the air only to be pulled up short again.

Fluttershy was cowering in the middle of the clearing, laying flat on her stomach, tail tucked under her and wings up, covering her face and eyes, making small mewling noises as one of the things stomped nearer to her.

Twilight, horn glowing, was barely holding one back with a magical shield while shaking her head. "This isn't right! Ents died out four centuries ago! These things can't exist!"

"Tell that to them, Darling!" Rarity exclaimed as she ran in a circle around the clearing, trying desperately to evade a smaller tree that was chasing her, teeth and claws drooling sticky sap everywhere. "Gah, not my mane!"

"Damnit, Rarity, I think we got more important problems, right now!" Applejack growled, eyes glowing as she lashed out with her forehooves, punching at the face of the tree-thing that was trying to bring her in to swallow her.

"Like what, Applejack?" Pinkie asked, grinning at the farm pony, just before the tree holding her dropped the pink mare into its mouth, closing its teeth with a sharp snap, swallowing her whole.

"Pinkie!" Applejack yelled, anger fueling her struggle as she fought to break free, begining to feel the first flicker of static magic over her fur.

"Pinkie Pie!" Even Rarity gasped, feeling a strange catch in her throat.

"No!" Twilight snapped, horn charging, shoving the Ent back across the ground and into the brush. However, no sooner had it hit, than it lashed out at her magic, and she flinched as her shield shattered in a burst of pinkish sparks. "What?! No! No, that-! No!" She stammered, stumbling back away from the thing as it approached her, eyes gleaming with hate and hunger.

The one that had swallowed Pinkie smacked its lips, a sound like tree branches clacking against each other, and looked thoughtful, as though pondering the pink pony's taste. It leaned backwards, oaken cheeks bulging, before it belched harshly, little bits of confetti and candy sprinkles flying out of its mouth. Its comrades came to a halt, turning to look at it, and the ponies did so as well, blinking at the odd sight, as the Ent lifted a hand to cover its mouth, almost seeming to smile apologetically.

Then, with a wooden groan, it grimaced and hunched over, like it was experiencing a really bad case of indigestion, or maybe diarrhea.

It gave a small, creaky whimper, looking up at everycreature gathered in the clearing.

And then, with the sound of a million balloons deflating, it exploded in a shower of splinters, bark and approximately a metric ton of confetti.

Standing at the center of the blast, Pinkie Pie was grinning manically, blue eyes seeming to glow with an inner fire, while she leaned on an oversized, cartoonish looking cannon that was painted blue and yellow, and decorated with swirls and balloons.

"I guess he ate something that disagreed with him." She said, turning her gaze on the other Ents in the clearing. "Eh?"

The other Ents stepped back, looking between each other and, as they watched, the ponies saw a blue, smoke like substance leak out from their mouths and eyes, coalescing in the air above, before darting away rapidly through the trees.

The Ents then quickly made a hasty exit, panic plain on their features, the one holding Applejack dropping her roughly to the ground before taking off in a lumbering run through the trees.

As the orange mare picked herself back up, shaking away the feeling of her beast clawing at her mind, though she could still feel it, hovering so close to the surface, Rarity walked up to her, glancing after the Ents, then turning and giving a look towards Pinkie Pie. "She . . . Darling, remind me to never, ever get on that mare's bad side."

Applejack smirked, tiredly. "Heh. Ya think?" She said, picking her hat up off the ground and putting it back on her head.

Rainbow Dash flew over to Pinkie Pie who, sans cannon, was helping Fluttershy up off the ground. "Pinks, that was awesome! It was like something out of a movie!" She said, grinning from ear to ear, while Pinkie just giggled.

"Oh, it was nothing, silly! My Granny Pie used to say, well . . . " With that, she began singing a peppy little tune, like something from a kid's show, as she began bouncing around the clearing, before turning to continue down the path.

Twilight, standing in the middle of the clearing, stared wide eyed after the baker pony, blinking rapidly, her mane starting to frizz and poke up at odd angles.

"WHAT?!" Her shout sent more birds flying off into the night sky, squawking angrily.

The path had taken them further west into the forest, following an offshoot of the river Epona that wasn't on any map. The interior of the Everfree Forest was so dense and so hostile to intrusion, that the only portions that were well mapped were those along the main road through, which followed alongside the Epona River, heading South. This far off the main road, maps only had a vague notion of where things were, or how far into the forest they were.

According to the map of the Ponyville Area that Twilight had been using to try and guide them, before Pinkie Pie took over, they should have already reached the Castle Ruins, but instead they found themselves walking along a high, steep embankment. To their left, down the slope, they could hear the gurgling of a stream or creek, though they could not see it through the thick foliage and the darkness of the unnatural night.

To their right, the forest rose, blocking their sight of anything beyond. One thing that was certain, however, was that the land was growing rougher, and higher. Applejack was certain they had been steadily going uphill for the last hour.

Pinkie Pie trotted along at the head of the party, smiling happily, head bobbing back and forth as though to some tune only she could hear, eyes shut, not even paying attention to where she was going along the narrow path between forest and slope.

As she walked, she was under the most careful of scrutiny, a pair of purple eyes took in the pink pony from eartip to hoofshell. Narrowing, they glanced back to a parchment floating in a pink aura, a quill scratching at it.

"Where were you born?" Twilight asked, not looking up from the paper. "When were you born? Do you have any siblings? Who were your parents? What was your foalhood like?"

Pinkie pronked along, eyes still closed. "On a rock farm by Rockville April first, 982 C.E. at three-fourteen in the morning, Three; Maud, Marble and Limestone, they were all born at the same time as me, well, not the EXACT same time, that would be ridiculous, our parents are Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz and they were perfectly loving and not stifling or controlling at all and my foalhood was normal as well . . . so, kinda boring, I guess." The mare said, ebfore suddenly stopping and looking at Twilight, grinning. "My turn! Where did you get those?" She asked, nodding to the quill and parchment floating in the air. "Also, did you know parchment is actually made from sheep skin?" She closed her eyes, practically glowing as she grinned, and sounded off in a sing-song voice. "The More You Know!"

Somewhere above, a shooting star flicker past.

Twilight stopped as well, nearly stumbling, before blinking at Pinkie's questions. She looked at the parchment in her magic, and turned slightly green, before glaring at the pink pony who giggled and turned, pronking away down the path again. "I promise, Pinkie Pie . . . I am going to figure you out, if it's the last thing I do!"

Applejack bit her lip to hold back a snicker as the lavender mare continued along behind Pinkie Pie, turning her parchment this way and that, studying it cautiously, as though afraid it would suddenly grow teeth and bite her.

"The poor thing, she certainly doesn't know what she's getting into, does she?" A soft voice asked, and Applejack nearly jumped out of her hat. She turned, blinking at the butter yellow mare who had walked up beside her, so quietly that even her sharp ears hadn't heard her. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She excalimed, softly, blushing and hiding her face in her mane. "I didn't mean to . . . That is . . . I should have . . . Umm . . . " She stammered, slowing her pace as though to slink away from the farm mare. Applejack was having none of it, and moved over beisde her, gritting her teeth.

"S'okay, Fluttershy. No need to be so skittish about things. I was just distracted, is all." She said, before looking back at Twilight and biting her lip. "I tried t' warn her, about Pinkie Pie, but I guess she wasn't in a listenin' mood." She glanced aside to see the shy pegasus peak out from behind her soft pink mane and look at her, smiling slightly, but not making eye contact. A shame, her turqouise eyes were absolutely beautiful. . . .

Applejack blinked and shook her head, turning away from the other mare.

"Sorry." Fluttershy said, softly, and Applejack looked back at her, frowning. Seeing this, Fluttershy looked away, biting her lip. Applejack opened her mouth to ask what she was sorry for, when the pegasus spoke up again. "So, how long? Have you been . . . like you are, that is?" She asked, and Applejack felt herself choke, mouth snapping shut so fast she nearly bit her tongue. She turned away from the other mare, not meeting her eyes.

"I . . . " She began, before choking on the words a bit. ". . . Eh, I-I dunno what yer talkin' 'bout!" She said, looking away at the treeline.

A second later, she snapped her head back around as she heard Fluttershy laugh, a small tittering sound that was far too adorable to be real, and yet there was nothing but genuine humor in the shy mare's gaze. Fluttershy shook her head, smiling, and looked away. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Applejack, but . . . you really are a bad liar!" She said, turning to look at her again with a puzzled frown. "How have you kept it a secret so long?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, ear perking.

Applejack ground her teeth angrily, turning away from the other mare and looking out into the trees. After a moment she took a breath and, without looking at Fluttershy, spoke up. "By not . . . bein' around other ponies much, if I can keep from it . . . and by just not talkin' about it." She said, sighing. She felt something soft on her withers, and turned in surprise, seeing the mare had placed her wing gently on the earth pony's back.

There was pity and . . . sympathy, in the pegasus' eyes. "I know what that's like." She said, softly. "I won't tell anypony else, don't worry." She said, smiling slightly and nodding. As she did, Applejack caught a hint of something, a glint in her eyes, and the farm pony's frown deepend.

"What about you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. "How'd you know? And what . . . what are you? Are . . . Are you like me?"

Fluttershy stiffened up a bit, biting her lip and looking away, drawing her wing back towards herself. She sighed softly, looking at the ground. "I . . . Yes and no. It's complicated, really. We . . . Maybe we can talk about it later?" She said, glancing sideways at the farm mare, who gritted her teeth, but finally nodded, smiling.

She had no real reason to trust the pegasus but . . . she did. The mare showed zero signs of dishonesty, and in spite of her oddities, she seemed both gentle and sincere, especially when she said she wouldn't tell anypony about Applejack's secret.

"Alright, Fluttershy. Later, when this is all over." She said, getting a smile in return from the demure pegasus.

"Ugggh! This sap is so . . . sticky! Those damned . . . whatever they were! Should be glad that I'm not better at evocation than I am, or I'd've turned them all to kindling!" Rarity exclaimed, holding her grandmother's shawl away from herself in her magic, while trying her best to remove a glob of semi-solid tree sap out of her tail.

"Godsdamn, Rarity, would you quit whining?! Seriously, you'd think it was the worst thing ever, the way you're going on about it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed from where she hovered in the air above her. "You should try being me! I broke my fuckin' pastern fighting that manticore!" She said, and Rarity glared up at her.

"And YOU should watch your language, Rainbow Dash! Or else I might decide to practice my evoacation on you!" The fashionista threatened, angrily.

"Oh, please! I'd like to see you fuckin' try, Miss Priss!" Rainbow Dash goaded, smirking down at the ivory unicorn, who's glare turned cold as she tipped her head down, horn glowing brighter.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack snapped, earning her a surprised look from Fluttershy. "Don't go goadin' the unicorn, now! Might end worse for ya than y'all think it would!" She warned, and the pegasus scoffed.

"Feh! Yeah fuckin' right, AJ, what's she gonna do, whine me to-"

"Raaggh!" With a yell and a burst of magic, Rarity's aura formed itself into a large blade, which slashed through the air angrily, the air whipping as it cut cleanly and neatly, severing her indigo tail just a few inches shy of the dock. She lifted the strand of hair in her magic, eyes burning even as a sneer twisted her lip.

With a flick of her horn, she threw the hair, sticky sap first, into Rainbow Dash's face, which set the stunned pegasus to flapping awkwardly, trying to get away from it before it became stuck to her.

Rarity turned her magic to her newly cropped tail, tweaking it here and there, making it look more presentable, before glaring up at the pegasus again. "Fortuantely, short tails are in this season . . . How was that for 'prissy', darling?" She said, before snorting in a ladylike fashion and stamping a hoof, turning and trotting towards the front of the line.

Applejack couldn't help but give a surprised chuckle. Maybe the snooty unicorn wasn't so bad, after all.

Rarity flinched, reaching up to rub her head and groaning slightly. "Ugh, stupid Rainbow Dash! That spell has set my head to hurting, now! I hope you're proud of yourself!"

Twilight, who had been grimacing while staring at her parchment, glanced up, frowning. "What?" She said, before flinching slightly, at the same time as Rarity did so again.

"Ouch!" The fashionista stated, reaching up to rub her temple, frowning as she glanced over at Twilight to see the mare's eyes widening.

Applejack smelled it, suddenly . . . A scent like the air before a thunderstorm, that she had come to assosciate with powerful magic, and with it was mixed emotions, of rage and hate and jealousy, and . . . was that fear?

Before Applejack had a chance to say anything, nor Twilight time to do any more than take a breath to shout a warning, a flicker of indigo magic raced over the downhill side of the slope they were atop of, shooting in and out and through the ground, leaving cracks and divots and holes in its wake.

The weakened slope took very little encouragement to collapse.

Applejack felt the earth slip out from under her hooves, and reached out her neck, gasping, and managed to catch the trunk of a slim sapling that had its roots buried into the stable side of the slope, holding it in place while everything else went careening down towards the dark treetops below. She grunted in pain, gripping it tightly in her teeth, eyes wide and glowing as she watched Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy go screaming past her on her left, rolling and tumbling amongst the dirt and rocks.

A prismatic blur flew through the air, snatching up Fluttershy by the tail and tossing her into the air. "WINGS!" The blue pegasus yelled. "Flap 'em!" With an 'eep', the buttery pegasus snapped her wings open and started beating the air with them, even as Dash sped off, grabbing Pinkie Pie and tossing her up onto a sturdy looking rock nearby.

"Help!" A voice called from Applejack's right, and she snapped her head around to look, seeing Twilight Sparkle. The mare had grabbed hold of a boulder when the earth loosened, but that rock had not been as deeply set as she had thought, and now it had come loose, and she was slipping down the slope, heading for what was clearly a dead drop into more trees below. On the other side, Rarity had reached that edge, stammering in terror, before Rainbow Dash suddenly swept in and snatched her up, struggling to hold on to the panicked unicorn. The pegasus was fast, but especially having to deal with the terrified fashionista, she wouldn't be able to get to Twilight in time.

Without thinking, AJ released the sapling with her jaws and went sliding down after Twilight, angling her body to speed herself up. She turned in her slide, reaching out with both forehooves. "Twilight!" She snapped, catching the unicorn's attention, and the purple mare scrambled in the loose soil, reaching out for the farm mare.

As they slid, Applejack and Twilight locked eyes, the lavender mare's pleading for help, even as Applejack felt her fur starting to glow lightly, as she felt the stress building up inside of her. Not now, damnit!, she thought as she snarled, stretching out in her slide, feeling her hoof brush against Twilight's.

And then, with a yelp of terror, the unicorn slipped over the edge of the cliff, her eyes disappearing from view as she screamed.

Without a second's hesitation, Applejack kicked the ground and launched herself after the mare, flying over the edge, her hat coming off as she went.

"Applejack!" Rainbow Dash yelled, still trying to keep aloft with Rarity while feeling the pain in her foreleg screaming at her, as she watched the farm mare disappear over the cliffside into a drop that was who knew how long.

As she felt herself go over the edge, Twilight didn't think of what led her here, or see her life flash before her eyes. Rather, she barely had time to register the orange mare who had been coming after her, fur almost seeming to glow in the moonlight, before all she could see was darkness, and dirt, and branches, and then something hit her in the side and she spun in midair, feeling the air leave her.

Then, she felt something else hit her, something softer and warmer, and stronger, and she opened her eyes with a gasp, seeing the bright, emeral eyes of the earth pony, who was grimacing as she used her legs to turn their weight. "Hang on, Twilight!" Applejack yelled, before grunting as she hit a branch.

The pair of them spun through the air, Twilight wrapping her legs around the other mare before closing her eyes and focusing past the dull ache that was still throbbing in her head. She felt the power build, a pressure in her mind as her horn began to glow, and she envisioned what she wanted. An image building in her mind only to be shattered as the pair hit another branch. She didn't have time. With a gasp, she ignited her horn and wreathed the pair of them in a magical shield. A bubble similar to what she had used on Rainbow Dash, back in the library.

Just in time, too, as the magical bubble smashed through several layers of lower branches of the trees around them, sharp, jagged wood breaking and ripping at the force field. They hit the ground with a sudden stop that caused both of them to impact the floor of the shield, almost as hard as they might have the solid ground. Applejack was on the bottom, taking the brunt of the impact, almost as though she'd planned it that way.

They lay there a moment, tangled in each others limbs, before, groaning, Applejack pushed Twilight uncermoniously off of her and staggered over and away. "Let me out!" She snapped, seeming to hyperventilate.

Twilight gasped at being pushed away, blinking up at the other pony, before shaking her head, waking herself up from her daze. "Are you alright, Applejack?!" She said, stumbling up to her hooves, feeling pain lance through her right side.

"I said let me out!" The farm mare snarled, a distinctly bestial sound, and Twilight felt herself take a step back, tail tucking instinctively in response.

"O-Okay!" She said, focusing a moment as she cut the spell, so that there would not be too much backlash. The minute the shield dropped, the orange mare staggered out, rushing over and leaning up against a tree, looking as though she were going to vomit.

Twilight walked towards her. "Applejack? Are you okay?" She asked, hesitantly.

The farm mare held out a hoof, as though telling her to stop. "D-Don't! Just . . . Just stay there, Twilight." She gasped, turning away and hunching over, shaking.

As she watched, Twilight saw . . . it was like little arcs of static electricity, greenish in tint, flickering over the other mare, arcing between her fur as though each strand was a conductor. She watched as that fur seemed to shift and glide, growing longer, almost. Twilight's heart caught in her throat, and she took a step back, eyes wide.

A butter yellow form suddenly appeared out of nowhere, landing between them, wings spread. Fluttershy glanced over at the unicorn, red eyes glinting. "It's okay, Twilight! Just stay there and don't move!" She said, before moving with a lot more speed than she had shown thus far, going over to the earth pony mare.

As she neared her, Applejack spun, face twisted into a snarl of fear and anger, eyes glowing brightly even as her teeth, sharper than they had been a moment ago, glistened wetly, a snarl ripping out of her throat, fur standing up along her back. Her hooves seemed to be awash in the green glow of that magic that had arched through her fur, and they seemed to be shifting and sliding. It was like looking at an optical illusion of sorts, like Twilight's brain couldn't decide whether it was looking at hooves or paws or something in between.

"Applejack. It's okay." Fluttershy said, softly, looking the werewolf, for that's what Twilight was seeing, in the eyes, wings held out to her sides in a placating way. Those wings that seemed to have molted slightly, the feathers thin, showing leathery skin through them. "It's all okay. We're friends here. Nopony's going to hurt you, and everypony's fine." She said, voice gentle and calm and soft and beautiful.

Twilight pulled her eyes away, shaking her head and gasped, staggering back. Applejack shook, snarling, looking around as though caught between panic and fear and trying to find a way out, and Fluttershy reached a wing back slightly, towards Twilight. "Still." She said, still in the same soft, calm voice, never taking her glowing eyes off of Applejack. "Be still. If you run from a predator, they think you're prey." She said, voice far too gentle and calm for what she was saying.

"I-I-I know that!" Twilight said, fear plain in her voice. She had read that in a survival guide, once. She had personally thought the idea of charging something like a Bugbear to make it go away was ludicrous, but . . . Then, she'd also never thought for a million years that she'd be in a situation like this one.

So, she froze, stilling her hooves on the ground, griding her teeth, as the bat-like pony in front of her continued softly speaking to the wolfmare, a hint of sharp fang occasionally slipping past her lips. "It's okay, Applejack, look at me." She said, the last said with a faint command that made even Twilight struggle to not try and meet her eyes. Applejack stood no chance, looking up immediately, finding Fluttershy's gaze with her own. Instantly, she grew still, her glowing, emerald eyes seeming to take on a reddish cast, even as they grew distant. "That's it, Applejack. Calm down. Calm. Everything's alright." Fluttershy said, stepping closer slowly. "It's alright . . . Applejack. Wake up." She said, once again having that tone of gentle authority that brooked no argument. The wolfmare blinked, the glow in her eyes, along with the reddish cast, fading away.

As it did, green static washed over her body from ear to tail, reversing the changes that had begun. As the final flicker of fire left her, all that was left was an exhausted looking earth pony mare, mane and tail mussed and eyes shadowed. Applejack sat back on her rump hard, groaning, before blinking and looking up at Fluttershy.

The former Pegasus now stood in full glory, leathery wings spread out to either side of her, tufted ears perked and red eyes glowing, the tips of her sharp fangs poking out over her bottom lip. The farm mare blinked, taking a breath. "Wh . . .What are you?" She asked, gently.

"Vampire!" Twilight gasped, finally unable to keep herself calm anymore as she stumbled backwards, tripping over her own tail and landing on her own butt, hard. Fluttershy turned, looking at her, frowning.

"Twilight-" She said, before the unicorn mare gasped, averting her eyes and held out a hoof.

"You won't bewitch me! I . . . I've read books about you! Stay back! Or, I'll . . . Er, I'll . . . "

Fluttershy took a step back, glancing down at the ground, lip trembling slightly. "It's okay. . . " She said, voice soft and sad. "I understand . . . I wouldn't trust me either."

"Bullcrap!" Applejack snapped, standing up. "Twilight Sparkle! Y'all listen here, now!" The farm mare said, and Twilight looked at her, wide eyed. Applejack stopped, ears folding back as she held up a hoof, placating. "Okay, sorry. Look, I know . . . This must look . . . bad. And, I don't really blame ya fer bein' afraid, or mistrustin', but . . . I don't wanna hurt nopony, Twilight, and somepony woulda gotten hurt if that . . . beast had gotten out." She said, earning a small glance from Fluttershy. "If Fluttershy here hadn't done what she did . . . She helped me, so . . . I reckon if she wanted anypony to get hurt, she wouldn't o' done that. Same with . . . if either of us wanted to hurt ya, or anypony else, we woulda by now."

Twilight hesitated. Applejack had been nothing but up front with her, until now. Of course, she had also been a werewolf the entire time! And Fluttershy was a . . . this wasn't possible! Lycanthropes were a myth! And the last Vampire had died five centuries ago! This wasn't . . . She closed her eyes, grinding her teeth as she though.

Once you've removed the impossible, whatever is left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. The two of them were standing in front of her, very much real and here. So, clearly, there were some holes in the knowledge base.

She opened her eyes.

That settled it, then.

Applejack stood, breathing heavily. She couldn't believe it had gone that far! She would have changed, right there, and there was nothing she could've done to stop it. The terror and stress and then the pain from hitting the ground so hard, while saving Twilight, it had all built up on her until there was no other choice.

Then Fluttershy had shown up. A vampire, huh? She supposed she wasn't really one to point the hoof and say that wasn't possible. Still, it was a bit of a surprise, to be sure. Of course, she was also in the position of not really being in a place to cast judgement on another, simply for being something most thought of as a monster. While she had questions, and would definitely be treating the shy mare with a LOT more caution, moving forward, she was willing to give the benefit of the doubt, especially after Fluttershy stopped her Monster from getting loose.

And now? Now, one more pony was privy to her secret, and she was having to try and defend herself and Fluttershy from the fear she could still smell emanating from the unicorn mare across from her. As she watched, Twilight took a breath, closing her eyes tightly, and frowned. She seemed to think for a moment, before opening her eyes again, a determined look on her face. She opened her mouth to speak, when a sound reached their ears. Distantly, a voice was calling out, from somewhere in the darkness.

"Hey?! Applejack?! Twilight Sparkle?! Where are you?! Are you okay?! Shit!" It was Rainbow Dash, looking for them.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide and she looked down at herself. "Oh, dear! I can't let another pony see me like this! I'll change back, given some time, but using my powers like that . . . it causes this to happen. I have to go hide! I can meet you further up the river . . . Umm . . . Twilight, I understand if you don't trust me, and want to tell the others . . . I guess I'll just have to find somewhere else to live . . . " She said, looking sad, before taking to the sky and flying off into the darkness.

"Uhhh." Twilight said, looking between where Fluttershy had been, to Applejack, and to the distant sound of Rainbow Dash calling their names, getting closer.

"Over here, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack shouted, loudly, and Twilight blinked at her in surprise. The farm mare stepped up towards the unicorn, who leaned back slightly. Applejack fought the urge to take charge, and instead ducked her head low, keeping her ears and tail down, trying to look as small as possible. "Please . . .Twi, I get ya bein' afraid, like I said, but please . . . Damnit, I hate askin' anyone t' lie, least of all fer me, but . . . Don't tell anypony. My little sister can't find out about this. I wouldn't . . . I dunno how I'd live with myself, if she did." She said, looking down at the ground at her hooves.

Before Twilight could repsond, a blue figure darted through the trees and came to a halt, hovering in front of them, breathing harshly. "Twilight! AJ! You're . . . You're alive! Are you okay?!" She asked, darting between the two of them.

Applejack glanced at Twilight, and the lavender unicorn tightened her lips a moment, before sighing through her nose. "We're fine, Rainbow Dash." She said, looking up at the pegasus. "Well . . . Maybe not 'fine'." She said, flinching as she stood up, glancing back at her right side. "I think I cracked a rib or something." She said, frowning.

"Does it hurt when you breathe?" Rainbow Dash asked, face and voice serious.

"A little, yeah." She said, flinching as she breathed in too deeply.

The pegasus nodded. "Yeah. Probably a fracture, then." She said, before glancing at Applejack. "What about you?"

Applejakc swallowed, and shrugged. "I'm banged up pretty bad, but ain't nothin' broke." She said, not meeting anypony's eyes.

"How?!" Dash snapped, making the orange mare look up at her. "You two fell a good hundred feet through the trees! You should both be dead! Not just nursing a broken rib and a few bruises!"

Applejack froze, trying to think of what to say . . . when Twilight spoke up.

"It was me." She said, not looking at APplejack. "We hit a couple of trees, when we first went over, but then I used my magic to bubble us. It took the rest of the tree branches, and . . . it cushioned our impact with the ground." She said, glancing over at the farm pony, who looked at the ground. They both knew that last wasn't true. Applejack had been the cushion, not the bubble.

"Whoa! That's awesome! Ya know, maybe you're alright, for an egghead, Twi!" Rainbow Dash said, grinning. "Oh! Hey, c'mon! I left the others at the foot of the slope, before I came looking for you . . . Hey ,have you seen Fluttershy?" She asked, and Applejack looked to Twilight, who nodded.

"Yes." The mare said, and Applejack's eyes widened, before Twilight continued. "She came this way, looking for us, before leaving again, saying she was looking for you." She said, and Rainbow Dash groaned.

"Ugggh! Great, now we gotta go find her! I swear, that pony is worthless!" She said, turning to fly off, before a shield of magic blocked her.

"Actually, she saved our lives." Twilight said, glaring up at Rainbow, who blinked down at her. "A . . . Timberwolf came out of the trees, and she got it to leave." She said, looking at Applejack, who smiled slightly. Twilight turned back to Dash. "She said she'd meet us further up the river."

Dash blinked again, grunting. "Huh. I guess . . . Maybe . . . she's not totally worthless, then. Why would we head upriver, though?" She asked, frowning, and Twilight leaned around the blue mare, pointing with one hoof.

"That's why." She said, and Rainbow Dash turned, while Applejack glanced around her. About a mile upriver, on a high rise overlooking the forest below, the spires of an ancient structure could be seen, silhouetted against the moon.

"Oh." Rainbow Dash said, chuckling and rubbing the back of her head. "Gotcha. C'mon, let's go get the others and we'll keep going! I wanna get this over with!" She said, flapping her wings and taking the lead.

As they fell in a few yards behind the fast pegasus, Applejack glanced at Twilight, who didn't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, Twi." She said, biting her lip. "I really don't like it . . .the lyin', I mean. But . . . I gotta look out fer my family and . . . I can't stand the thought of Apple Bloom findin' out . . . Well, I got my own reasons fer that."

Twilight took a breath, meeting Applejack's eyes for the first time since Rainbow Dash had appeared. "I suppose I understand, Applejack. But . . . We will be talking about this, later, in private." She said, eyes hard, and Applejack gulped, nodding.

"Yes, ma'am." She said, deciding it best to not push her luck with the lavender unicorn, right now.

When they met back up with the others, Pinkie Pie bounced up and held her hoof out to Applejack, holding Tellulah. AJ smiled, feeling her heart catch at the thought of how close she'd come to losing the hat, and she put it on her head, turning that smile on Pinkie, who grinned from ear to ear with a small squee-ing sound.

They fell in, walking down the river, and Applejack saw Rarity, once again toying with her tail, a pensive look on her face. Before she could say anything, though, a figure came out of the trees ahead of them. Fluttershy. The mare looked perfectly normal once again, just a shy, butter yellow pegasus with a pink mane that was longer than anypony's that Applejack had ever seen before.

The fact she was a vampire . . . What did that mean, exactly? In stories, Vampires drank blood, hunting down living ponies to sustain themselves. They were the undead, soulless abominations that the sun burned on contact.

Unless it was that one crappy series that nopony liked, except sappy teenagers. Apple Bloom had one of them books in her room, once, until Applejack found it. She wasn't old enough for that kinda stuff, yet!

Either way, she wondered . . . Calling Fluttershy a 'Souless abomination' seemed rather harsh, given how kind, caring and gentle the mare seemed to be. She was pulled from her thoughts as Rainbow Dash berated the mare for going off alone into the woods at night, like an older sibling, almost. THere seemed to be some history there, which made Applejack wonder how much Dash knew.

Didn't the vampire in that one old book have a servant or something? Was that what Dash was?

No, she doubted any kind of servant would be caught dead or undead talking to their master the way Dash was Fluttershy. And all the while, the shy pegasus took the tonguelashing with her head down and guilt on her face. It wasn't an act, either, Applejack was sure of it.

When Dash finished, Fluttershy fell back in with the group, and Applejack watched as Twilight, jaw set, trotted up beside the pegasus, and began talking softly to her.

Looks like it wasn't just Applejack that would be having a talk with the unicorn, when this was all done. With a sigh, the farm mare set her sights on the here and now, and the steep, rocky path that was leading them back up a rise. The stream they had seen seemed to cut into the land on their left, staying down low, while they were moving up, to what seemed to be one side of a great rift in the land, the castle spires still visible on the other side.

Something more was going to happen, before they could get there.

Applejack could feel it in her bones.

1:6 - The Welcoming Party

Rainbow Dash was ecstatic.

Sure, one could look at her night . . . day, whatever, and say that it had been pretty bad so far: She'd broken her leg . . . well, Twilight said it was a sprain, but what would that egghead know? She'd hurt her leg, nearly been made into mulch by a walking tree, almost got chowed on by a manticore and then had to race around and save everypony during a landslide. She'd nearly died like, three times tonight!

Today. Whatever.

The point was, to most ponies that would probably be a pretty bad day. But for Rainbow Dash? This had been the most awesome day of her life! She felt like THIS was what she had been training for, for her whole life! Techinically, she'd been training for the Wonderbolts, which would be the topper to this day, if they suddenly showed up and started making her offers and said she was gonna be their new captain and . . . Well, like that was gonna happen. But, as it was, this was still super cool. She'd gotten to show her stuff, kick some flank and be an actual hero!

All her life, Dash had been told she was the best. The best at everything, and so she worked, hard. Harder than most any other pony her age, because . . . because she had to earn that. She'd seen ponies who got praised for doing nothing and lapped it up, and it just went all over her. Not her. If she was going to win something, she was going to make sure it was fair, that she deserved it. And, all her life, she had felt . . . like there was something more, for her, out there somewhere. That she was meant for something more.

She had always thought that would be the Wonderbolts, ever since she first got to see them perform at the Equestria Games. Her Uncle, Prism, had taken her to see the games and, while she had been torn up that Cloudsdale wasn't the host, she remembered the show for the rest of her life. For a solid decade, that had been all she wanted, was to fly with the greatest aerial team in the world. To be a 'Bolt.

But now? After tonight, she felt like maybe . . . maybe THIS was what she'd always wanted. To be a hero, to be there for those who needed it. She'd always felt like that was a part of her, anyway. She'd always stuck up for ponies when they were being bullied, or picked on or singled out for being different. One of her best friends in Flight School had been a griffin. She hadn't seen Gilda in a couple of years, though. Not since she dropped out of school. There was nothing they were teaching there, that she didn't already know. And the things she didn't know, she didn't need to, or at least, that was her way of thinking.

But tonight had been different. She wasn't standing up to bullies, or being a friend to a misfit . . . she was protecting ponies, even that stuck up cunt, Rarity. For all that she had been a bitch to Rainbow, the pegasus hadn't harbored a second thought or any hesitation in jumping in to save her. It wasn't in her nature to let somepony get hurt if she could help, and that was all there was to it.

That was what a hero did.

And so, Dash felt top of the world, like she could handle anything put in front of her. Bring the manticore back! She'd crack its leg in return and then go hoof to branch with those stupid tree thingies! She could handle anything!

Such was her mood as they approached the edge of the deep canyon, the dark, sinister shape of the castle looming above them, on the other side.

An old stone bridge had once spanned the gap, the arcitechture no doubt impressive. Now, though, all that was left were the bases of the bridge on either side, some tall stone pillars and bits of crumbling masonry that looked as though it had broken away a long time ago.

There had been a rope bridge, at some later point, tied off to the old stone pillars, used to cross the gap, but it, too, had fallen. Rainbow Dash watched as Twilight stepped up to the edge, frowning over it. "The rest of the rope bridge is here! It's still connected on this side, but it's come loose on the other!" She said, looking out across the fifty foot gap that separated them from the old Castle, as a fog began to grow thicker around them, seeming to rise up from the creek at the bottom of the rift.

"I got it!" Dash said, grinning at another chance to show off and prove herself. "I'll have that bridge back up in a jiffy!" She said, beating her wings and shooting over the edge of the cliff. She swept down and turned her wings, angling herself in midair to come back up to a hover by the cliffside, seeing the end of the beat up old bridge hanging down into the foggy air. She grabbed one of the ropes in her teeth and beat her wings, rising back up to take a look at the ground, where the others stood. She saluted them with one hoof, before beating her wings and making for the other side.

The fog grew thicker still.

Applejack was nervous. Nothing much had happened since the landslide, over half an hour ago and it had her concerned. A glance over at Twilight showed that she, too, seemed worried and kept looking around at the darkness, and the growing fog, as thought afraid something would come out after them.

Nightmare Moon was still out there, and Applejack highly doubted she was the sort to give up so easily. As they watched Rainbow Dash take off towards the far side of the gorge, the fog closed in, and soon they could see neither any longer.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called out, eyes wide.

Applejack grit her teeth, feeling her hackles rise as the air started to buzz slightly with that feeling, again. Magic brewing. "Twilight." She said, glancing around nervously.

Twilight glanced back at her, eye twitching. "You can feel that?" She asked, and the farm pony nodded. Twilight's lips thinned and she glanced back over to the other side of the gorge, or where it should be. "Rainbow Dash!" She yelled again, louder, but received no reply.

This was not good.

Rainbow Dash turned her wings, coming in for a landing on the castle side of the gorge. This close, and still a few hundred yards away, the ancient structure loomed ominously out of the fog, above the tops of the trees and rocks, like some great, evil beast out to eat any pony that got to close.

It was so awesome!

Grinning from ear to ear, she sat her hooves and turned to one of the stone pillars, deftly using her wings to lash one side of the rope bridge to the pillar, tying it off and turning to trot over to the other, so that her friends could safely cross. She realized as she did how thick the fog had gotten, preventing her from even seeing halfway across the gorge, let alone all the way to her friends, some fifty feet away.

Distantly, she thought she heard her name being called, but it seemed far away, distorted some how. . . .

"Rainbow Dash."

That voice was NOT far away, but rather right behind her. She spun with a yelp she would later deny, wings snapping open and beating the air to get her up off the ground, a pegasus' natural fight or flight instinct.

However, she froze upon seeing what was facing her. Four pegasi stood before her, wearing suits of black and gold and dark blue trim, flight suits, modeled similarly to those worn by the Wonderbolts, but the colors were different. All four of them shared similar fur color as well, dark grey with deep blue manes and tails.

"Who're you?" Dash asked, frowning as she looked between the four. They were fanned out in a semi circle, stretched from one side of the path to the other, and each of them had their wings flared. While they weren't airborne yet, they could be in a moment's notice.

One, the only mare, stepped forward, tilting her head to the side. "That's not important, Rainbow Dash. What is important . . . is you." She said, smiling slightly, and Dash lifted her head up slightly.

"Well . . . Maybe, but-" Dash began, but the mare interrupted, taking another step forward.

"No. No buts, you ARE the most important pony here . . . The greatest flier in all of Equestria! Perhaps even . . . the whole world. Isn't that so? It is what we were told." She said, voice firm, but also submissive, putting the emphasis on what she had to say about Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help it. A smile curled up one side of her lip and she shrugged, even as she looked proud of herself. "Well, I mean, duh."

"Of course you are." The mare continued. "And what if I told you that word of your deeds is such, to have gained the attention of the greatest troop of fliers in Equestria?"

"The Wonderbolts?!" Dash excalimed, eyes suddenly wide and teeth showing in a huge grin. "Where?! Where are they?!"

"No!" The mare snapped, voice stern, bringing the rainbow maned pegasus' attention back to her. "We are better than them, better than any! Except for you . . . We . . . are the Shadowbolts! And . . . we are in need of the greatest flier in Equestria to be our captain."

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings slightly, looking at her, then the others behind her. "The Shadowbolts, huh?" She said, biting her lip, before narrowing her eyes. "Never heard of you." She said, coming down to land while tucking her wings against her barrel. "Sounds like a shitty ripoff, to me."

"I . . . What?" The mare said, taking a step back and, though it was hard to see through the golden lensed goggles she wore, Dash could feel her blink. "We are not a ripoff of those-"

Dash waved her wing in the air. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. What, do you think I'm stupid? Huh . . . Nightmare Moon?! Come on, seriously, those shitty costumes and all of them looking the same, with the same colors? These fucks are obviously an illusion! What were you gonna do, huh? Offer me some awesome position as captain of a fake ass team in exchange for betraying my friends?! Pfft! You clearly don't know me as well as you think you do, bitch!" She said, grinning at herself as she turned her back on the illusionary ponies. "Now, if ya don't mind, I'm gonna-"

And then something hit her, knocking the air out of her, and slammed her into the pillar to her left hard enough to crack a rib.

Applejack's ears perked, thinking she heard something from the other side of the gorge, though she couldn't tell what it might have been. Feeling her heartrate pick up, and that gnawing feeling in her stomach again, she looked at Twilight.

"We gotta get over there!" She said, stepping towards the ravine and the former bridge.

Twilight bit her lip, frowning. "I can try-"

Applejack's ears twitched again, and she froze, before spinning with a snarl and leaping towards Twilight Sparkle, seeing the unicorn's eyes go wide in sudden fear.

Twilight staggered backwards, a scream caught in her throat, seeing the pony leaping at her, eyes glowing in the moonlight. Had Nightmare Moon done something to her? Or was she not as trustworthy as Twilight had thought she was? Or-

And then, as the purple unicorn tripped backwards, falling onto her bum, the earth pony went flying over her and tackled a figure out of the air, a pegasus dressed in black and gold, who had been dropping down at them silently from above.

Twilight twisted, watching as the two impacted the ground, rolling in a tumble of grunts and growls for a moment, before the pegasus, a stallion, suddenly yelled out in pain. His wing hung limply, and Twilight was able to see something glinting along the edge. Fine blades, worn on a specially made rig that affixed to the wing, over the radial section, and which held an extendable blade that would shoot out when the wing was opened with the right movement, creating a razor sharp scythe-like surface that followed along the major primary feather.

Wingblades.

He was armed, and had been diving right for her. The sudden realization that he had meant to harm . . . maybe even kill her sunk in, and Twilight felt herself starting to hyperventilate, even as the fight continued.

Fluttershy was laying on her belly again, trying to hide her eyes, and Twilight wondered why she did not help. If she was a vampire she ought to be strong enough to fight him, right? And yet, she remained so timid. Rarity and Pinkie seemed to both be in as much shock as Twilight, although the pink pony seemed like she might be faking it.

The sound of Applejack gasping snapped Twilight's head back around, her barrel heaving with each breath taken, and she saw the farm pony stagger, though she kept one hoof locked around the stallion's neck while blood dripped from her nose. With a growl, she stepped forward on her rear hoof and snapped her head forward, butting him in the face with the bony crown of her skull.

Grunting, the stallion was the one to stagger now, and he attempted to disentangle himself from the mare, but was grabbed by the strong hooves of the earth pony who, snarling, eyes glowing, twisted and rolled, planting both rear hooves in his gut and flung him bodily over her and off the edge of the cliff, a final scream being the last thing heard as he fell into the fog below.

Applejack rolled back to her hooves in a smooth motion, and turned to Twilight, who stood, gasping. "I . . . He . . . I . . . You . . . " The lavender unicorn stammered weakly. Lips thinning, Applejack stalked over, grabbing Twilight by the shoulder. The contact snapped the unicorn mare back to reality, briefly, long enough for Applejack to lock eyes with her.

"Twi! Y'all can freak out later, and I might even join ya! But right now, we gotta get over to Rainbow Dash!" She snarled, and Twilight blinked, looking back to the cliffside the stallion had gone over, and then to the others, Pinkie pronking up to them grinning, though with a more serious cast to her features than normal, while Rarity attempted to help Fluttershy up to her hooves.

She looked at them, feeling something in her mind, like an inkling of an idea of a thought, that was nowhere near fully formed yet, like a puzzle that would make sense once all the pieces were in place, but that was still missing something. She looked back to Applejack, and nodded.

"Right. You three, stay here. Applejack, you come with me." She said, trotting over towards the edge of the bridge. The farm mare nodded, following her, while Rarity seemed a bit put out at being told to stay here.

"What're we doin'?" Applejack asked, serious.

"Just, hold on, stay close and . . . Did you eat a big dinner?" Twilight asked, while her horn started to glow, her eyes drifting shut as she focused.

"Uhhh . . . No? What're you doin'?" Applejack asked again, more concerned now.

"Don't worry, just hold on, and be ready to move." Twilight said, grimacing as she focused harder, remembering the other side of the gorge, the way it looked, the way it was shaped, where things were. She hadn't gotten a great look at it, before the fog rolled in, so she hoped nothing would be in the way. . . .

"Uh, T-Twilight? What're y-" Applejack began, only to be cut off as the unicorn's pink aura surrounded and ensnared her, and with a last hopeful thought, Twilight triggered the spell.

Applejack's Wolf quailed.

Her mind stuttered, struggling to comprehend what was happening, what it was seeing.

Everything seemed to slow down, even as it all happened at once. Looking forward, she saw the back of an old Stetson hat, faded brown and worn around the edges of the brim, stained with sweat in places, mud and rain in others. Poking out of it were a pair of fuzzy, orange ears. And, on either side of it, a mirrored pair of emerald eyes stared at her and through her and around her, freckled cheeks strained in fear and shock.

The edges of her vision seemed warped, turned inwards yet backwards at the same time.She felt a shiver run up her spine, and turned to look behind her, seeing the image in front of her turn at the same time, before it bent and twisted around itself, like looking in a funhouse mirror, or through a glass of water.

There was no sound, no air, no feeling, everything was a silent, blank vacuum and everywhere she looked she saw the back of her own head, but also saw her own eyes looking back at her, and felt them staring at the back of her head.

And then she watched as a white light began to overtake the images, burning through and around them, warping everything into pieces and particles that she barely understood. The white overtook everything and then, with a chiming pop of unicorn magic and displaced air, she felt herself stumbling forward, tripping over her own hooves to fall on her face in the dirt, feeling a rock poke at her chest, even as her nose, still sore from her fight of a moment ago, throbbed.

The pain gave her and her Wolf both something to focus on. Growling and shaking her head, she looked up to see Twilight stumbling, rubbing her horn which seemed to be smoking slightly, even as she made a beeline for the loose end of the rope bridge, to tie it off.

Eyes widening, Applejack pushed herself up to her hooves, looking around as the sounds of a struggle came to her ears. They were on the other side of the gorge, Twilight having brought them there with magic.

And Rainbow Dash was not having a good time.

She and three other pegasi, each of them wearing the same sort of black and gold uniform as the one Applejack had fought earlier, were stumbling and rolling around in the dirt and rocks. Dash was dragging one hind leg behind her, and one of her wings was limp, even as she held the wing of one of the two stallions in her teeth, grinding down hard enough that she was clearly biting bone.

The stallion in question was yelling in pain, even as he turned, trying to get a hold of the mare to get her off, but Dash was scooting and rolling, keeping away from him, even as another stallion was clinging to her from behind, trying to get her into a chokehold with his forelegs while he, too, drug a leg along the ground, his nose bloodied. Why became clear as the blue mare jerked one foreleg back, smacking her elbow into his ribs, but he didn't loosen his grip.

Flapping nearby, sharp wingblades singing slightly in the air, a mare in the strange uniform looked on, gritting her teeth as she tried to find an opening to attack.

She had clearly already done so a couple of times, as Dash was bleeding from several places, the worst probably being what looked like a deep gash on her right foreleg, which bled freely enough that Applejack felt worried. It was leaving a trail of blood in the dirt behind the blue mare.

The hovering mare shifted her wings, snapping her head around at the sound of magic, and ducked her head, immediately tilting her wings to whip her around and bring her in towards the two mares that had just appeared.

With a yelp, Applejack leaped clear, the sharp edge of the wingblade scything through the air close enough to her head that it took a few strands of blonde hair with it, and clipped the edge of Tallulah, adding another notch to the brim.

She hit the ground on her withers, rolling back to her hooves, hat falling clear. As the pegasus whipped around in the air to come back at her again, the earth pony mare snapped her tail, baring her teeth, which were starting to feel a bit sharp, and gave a snarl of rage.

The pegasus angled her wings, bringing her in to a path that would take the orange mare's head off cleanly, and she was moving far too fast for a simple earth pony to be able to avoid it.

What she didn't count on, though, was Applejack not even trying. Instead, the farm mare crouched down and sprung up into the air, launching herself head first into the pegasus, her skull smashing into the other pony's. Dazed, the pegasus was knocked from the air, and she landed hard on one wing, the sudden pain of her own wingblade beind broken off at an angle, jabbing her in the barrel, bringing her around, just in time for her head to meet Applejack's forehoof.

The punch landed with a sickening crack, and the pegasus mare went limp, even as the orange mare rose up from her, glaring at the squabble going on in the dirt before her, and snarled, eyes glowing slightly, before she leaped again, bounding across the earth, more like a beast of the woods than a pony.

She landed in the middle of the melee and grabbed the wings of the pony who was trying to choke Rainbow Dash out, pulling hard and dragging him back, the pain from his broken wing making him scream out, a sound which made her Wolf jump, trying to gain more control. Turning on her rear hooves, Applejack levered him over her hips and threw him across the path to strike a large rock outcropping with an ugly crunch.

Finding herself free, Rainbow Dash tried to go on the offensive, releasing the stallion in front of her and pushing forward, throwing fast, direct punches with her forehooves. However, her balance was shot due to her broken hind leg, and the stallion wound up retaking his own initiative, deflecting her attacks and stepping around her, wrapping her into a half nelson, which turned into proper chokehold. Once he had it, he walked backwards, dragging the mare off of her hindlegs and began flapping his wings, trying to take off into the air. The move would effectively hang Rainbow Dash with her own bodyweight.

Applejack took a snarling step towards him, only to be halted by a previously prim, proper voice. "Get your filthy hooves off of her, you bastard!" Applejack snapped her head over to see Rarity, face twisted in rage, her horn lighting up sapphire blue. Turning back as she heard a masculine scream of pain, she watched as the stallion dropped Rainbow Dash to the ground, one wing hanging limp, the fading remnants of aura around it showing that Rarity had done something to him.

As he staggered backwards, Pinkie Pie popped up behind him, the grin on her face in contrast to the hard look in her cold, blue eyes. She grabbed him, spinning him around to meet her eyes. "You hurt one of my friends!" She exclaimed, giggling slightly as she spun them as though they were dancing. This turned her back to Applejack, so the farm pony couldn't see her face, but to her it seemed that the party pony's colors seemed to dull for a moment, her mane and tail going limp.

Then the stallion screamed, as though he had seen the fiery depths of Tartarus itself, a sound to make a banshee shudder. As suddenly as it started, the scream faded away into a muffled whimpering as the pink pony released him to crumple into a mewling, sobbing heap on the ground. When she turned around, she seemed perfectly normal, as bright and happy as ever, even as a worried frown came over her face and she rushed over to where Rainbow Dash had fallen.

Applejack felt her Wolf sink further away inside of her, seemingly having no interest in catching the attention of the strange pink mare. Applejack just turned to move over to where Rainbow Dash was laying.

Rainbow Dash did not look good in the slightest. Along with the deep wound to her foreleg, which was still bleeding freely, she had a number of other, smaller cuts and gashes all over her body, including one across her left wing which had rendered it limp and useless. her fur was roughed and missing in spots, and she had brusies starting to shine through the thinner patches, while her left eye was beginning to swell shut.

In spite of all of this, bruised and bloodied though she was, Applejack felt her heart catch in her chest as the blue pegasus attempted to push herself up to her hooves, only to collapse as her right rear leg gave out under her. It was the same leg she had injured fighting the manticore earlier that night, and it seemed one of the other pegasi had taken advantage of the weakness in the fight, damaging it further.

Before she could fall, however, Pinkie was there, catching the mare over her back and easing her down to the ground, smile vanished in favor of a worried frown. "Dashie! Are you okay? Ooh, stupid question, of course you're not! Oh my gosh, this is bad! This is bad!"

Dash waved her one good wing, forcing a smile through the blood that stained her chin, where her bottom lip was split open. "Nah, Pinkie, I- Urgh . . . I'm fine! Really! I just . . .Need ta . . .Ta catch my breath. Yeah, that's it."

"Rainbow Dash, darling, don't be an idiot! I've seen a pony come out a cart crash looking better than you do. Lie still, that's an order!" Rarity snapped, trotting quickly over while her magic untied the shawl from around her neck. Applejack and Twilight moved over as well, while Fluttershy seemed to stay back, hovering near the bridge. Applejack saw the shy mare glancing at the blood staining the other pegasus, and felt her jaw tighten in concern. Still, she seemed to understand her own limits, and kept back away from the injured mare.

"Gah, Rarity, fu-fuck off." Dash said, with little effort as she laid her head back, Twilight magicking over a bundle of leaves and plant fibers she had thrown together to act as a makeshift pillow. The blue pegasus grimaced as Pinkie and Applejack slowly rolled her over under Rarity's instructions, revealing the vicious gash on her foreleg that was bleeding so much. Rarity did not hesitate for even a moment, and began tending to it.

"Yes, yes, dear, that's fine, now sit still." The ivory mare said, eyes focused as she tied off the area above the cut, pulling it tight enough to cut off the blood flow.

"Ow! Owowow! Rarity! Not so . . . Wh-I . . . Is that your shawl?" Rainbow Dash asked, blinking in shock to see the old, antique fabric tied off around her leg, already soaked with blood. "I thought . . . "

Rarity looked up at her, frowning. "Darling . . . This is an antique, and a family heirloom." She said, as she took some cloth from her saddlebags and, with a pair of sticks found by Twilight, began fashioning a splint for the mare's hind leg. "It is also not as important as the life of a pony, especially a friend. I shudder to think what my Grandmama would do to me if I allowed you to bleed to death, just to save a silly old piece of fabric." She said, smiling slightly as Rainbow Dash frowned, now.

"F . . .Friend?" The blue mare asked, tilting her head. "I . . . I mean, I was kinda mean. . . " She said, not making eye contact, and the ivory unicorn, sure as she could be that the bleeding had slowed and that the broken pastern was fixed as well as could be, reached out a bloodied hoof and touched the other mare's mane.

"You saved my life, Darling, back there when this evil hag tried to kill us all. I think that makes us friends." She said, smiling.

Dash gulped. "Thanks, Rares . . . And . . . Thank all of you." SHe said, looking away, but not before Applejack spotted the fear and shock in her eyes. "I . . . I think I would've died, if you hadn't shown up, when you did."

"Thank Twilight." Applejack said, biting her lip. "She magicked the two of us over."

Rainbow Dash looked back at the orange mare, before glancing at Twilight. "Thanks, Twilight." She said, looking back to Applejack again. "AJ, you . . . You were awesome! You really showed those assholes!"

Rarity waved a hoof. "Yes, yes, all of this is fine, but we have to get you back to town, young mare!" She said, pointing a hoof to Rainbow Dash. "You need to get to the hospital! I don't suppose that Twilight can teleport us there?" She asked, looking up at the lavender unicorn, only to blink at the expression on the mare's face.

Looking over, Applejack saw that Twilight looked conflicted, worried, scared, but also somehow certain, as though she'd found proof of something she was afraid of. Pinkie stood up, looking between Twilight and the wounded Rainbow Dash. "Uhhhh." She said, seeming uncertain of how to proceed, as well.

"No way!" Rainbow Dash said, gritting her teeth and forcing herself up into a sitting position, much to Rarity's consternation. "I haven't come all this way to wuss out now! We've gotta beat this bitch!"

Fluttershy spoke up from near the bridge. "But . . . Rarity's right, Rainbow Dash! You're hurt! Too hurt to fight. You need to get back to town." She said, pain in her face and voice as she looked at the wounded pegasus.

Twilight took a deep breath. "I'm afraid we might not be able to let her go back, girls. I have a . . . we'll call it a hunch, for now, but if I'm right . . . We're all going to need to be here."

Rarity frowned, standing up and glaring at the other unicorn. "Oh? And why is that, Miss Sparkle?" She demanded, tone serious.

Twilight took a breath and turned, looking up into the dark of the night sky. The castle loomed, huge and forboding, a scant hundred paces away, and around it . . . A blue light flickered and died, only to come back, as of magic being worked, such that Applejack could taste it on the back of her tongue, feeling it racing along under her skin, as though trying to goad her Wolf out into the open.

Twilight ground her teeth hard enough that Applejack could hear it, and looked over, fear and sorrow on her face. "Because She's here." She said, looking back towards the castle, her words and expression drawing the eyes of the other five as well. "She's waiting up there, for us. And if I'm right . . . it's going to take all of us to beat Her."

"She's right." Pinkie Pie spoke up, earning glances from every pony. She looked around, before sighing and shrugging. "Pinkie Sense." She said, and Applejack gritted her teeth.

"What?" Twilight asked, before the orange mare put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head, earning a sigh and a grumble from the lavender mare. "Whatever. I'm sure of it! We all need to be here!" She said, even though Applejack could smell uncertainty wafting off of her. Still, if Pinkie's "sense" said that the unicorn was right, that was enough for Applejack. She'd seen it often enough to know it was reliable, if not easily understood. She could see Fluttershy looking worried as well, as she had lived in town long enough to know the same thing, it seemed. So did Rarity, who was looking between the pink pony and the fallen pegasus with a shocked, worried look, like she would be sick.

"But . . . How? Rainbow Dash cannot walk OR fly, need I remind you?!" Rarity pointed out, which prompted the pegasus to try and stand again, earning her a glare from the ivory unicorn. "Rainbow Dash! Sit!"

"I'm not a dog, Rarity!" The pegasus snapped back. "And if you all need me, then I'm going! No 'if's 'and's or 'but's!" She growled, forcing herself to rise to her hooves, shaking from the strain. Still, she was soon standing on all fours again, mostly. She was keeping less weight on that hind leg, but she was up. Pinkie trotted over, worried, and stood near her, smiling at her through her concern.

"I'll stick with you, Dashie! Just in case." She said, and Rainbow Dash blushed, and grumbled, but also smiled slightly, when she thought nopony was looking.

"Fine." Rarity said, huffing, and turned, looking at Twilight. "What is the plan, then?"

Twilight took a breath, looking at them all, and Applejack saw something ,a glint in her eyes . . . or a sparkle, perhaps. Turning, the mare looked up at the gloomy shadow of the castle walls, and nodded. "We go in, and we find her. I think . . . I think where ever she is, the Elements should be there, as well."

That was an odd sentence. Applejack felt like it was a lie, but also true at the same time, as though the way it sounded and the way it was meant were two different things. Still, she wasn't backing down, now. This had to end, before something bad happened. Or, something worse than had already.

And so it was that the Six squared up, as best they could, beaten, bloodied, scared and scarred, and began to move forward, towards the danger that threatened them and their friends and families, their very world and way of life. They walked in, in the face of their fear, determined to see this through, even if the only thing that they had to lean on was each other.

Perhaps, it would just be enough.

1:7 - The Nightmare's Gaze (Edited)

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay on this one, folks! With Thanksgiving, and then a nasty head cold hitting me around the same time, plus prepping for Black Friday at work, this thing kinda kicked my flank, this time around.

Still, this chapter's up, and I'm liking it! I hope you all do, too! Let me know what you think, and I will see all of you next time!

(EDIT: Typos should mostly be fixed! Let me know if y'all spot any I missed!)

Harmonia Invictus!

1:7 - The Nightmare's Gaze (Edited)

The sound of hooves upon ancient stone echoed through the night, as the six mares made their slow, cautious way into the castle courtyard. What Applejack had at first taken as a single large building, turned out to be a much larger complex, which boggled the mind to think was built who knew how many centuries ago.

They walked through one gate, passing the old, rusted iron hinges where a huge wooden door had once stood, and passed into a deep, dark tunnel, lit dimly by moonlight shining through cracks in the stone and the rotted wooden ceiling above them. The group passed nervously through the dark tunnel, moving quickly under the remnants of an iron portcullis, which hung in its frame, one chain broken and the whole thing caught at an angle that made Applejack fear it might suddenly fall on her as she went under.

As they exited the tunnel, or gateway, rather, they found themselves within the courtyard, and they all paused, gaping at it. Spanning several acres, just at a glance, the wall, though broken down and fallen in places, clearly still encircled the entirety, and small piles and stacks of stone and brick hugged the interior of the wall in places. Ruins of small buildings, Applejack figured, looking at how they were laid out. The ground of the courtyard, though overgrown with weeds and, in some cases, even small trees that had managed to push up through, had once been paved in cobblestone, and it had a noticeable incline, leading up towards an ancient statue, a planetarium it seemed, and beyond that, the main keep. Several of the planetarium's planets, stone orbs with little definition left after so long in the elements, lay scattered about, fallen from their braces. It seemed an odd sort of ornamentation for a castle courtyard, but then, Applejack didn't know a lot about castles, anyway, let alone ones from so long ago.

The keep stretched up, high into the air, silhouetted against the face of the moon and casting the whole courtyard into deep, dark shadows, its sweeping, elaborately tiled roof gleaming in the moonlight, even after centuries of neglect and wear. It had probably been even more awe inspiring, once, before some great calamity, or just the passage of time, had left a massive, gaping hole in its surface. It was from the building, from the ancient, broken windows and fractured walls, that the feeling of magic emanated most strongly.

With a deep breath and a small shake of her head, Twilight Sparkle began moving forward, towards the high stone keep. The others, slowly, cautiously and, in Rainbow Dash's case, painfully followed, eyes wide and staring.

Applejack found herself moving over to walk alongside Rarity as they moved further into the coutryard, towards the keep. She glanced over at the mare and cleared her throat. "Uh . . . Rarity?" She asked, and the ivory unicorn glanced over at her with a blink.

"Hm? Yes, darling?" She asked, blinking her sapphire blue eyes at Applejack, who bit her lip.

"What, uh . . . What'd y'all do to that feller, back there?" She asked, frowning at the mare, who blinked, frowning in return.

"Hm? O-Oh! You mean . . .That dreadful pegasus." She said, eyes turning down for a moment as she looked almost ashamed. "Well . . . You see, I took a first aid course, a few years ago. Thought it would be the smart and sensible thing to do, with as often as I go out alone into the gem fields." She said, missing the look on Applejack's face. The Gem Fields, east of town, were notoriously rough terrain, and the idea that Rarity went out there at all, let alone often, was a surprise to the farm pony, for sure.

"You see," Rarity continued, "it included a course on setting broken bones and, as they're notoriously fragile . . . it included a full map, or whatever it is called, of a pegasus' wing bones, including the small flight bones, along the outer edge. I've always been good at remembering images I've seen and such, so . . . With that, it wasn't too hard to apply a bit of pressure in the right spot." She said, looking truly ashamed as she admitted this.

Applejack whistled, nodding. "Welp, I figure Dash ain't gonna hold it against ya, but . . . What would yer instructor think?" She asked, half smirking, and saw the look on the ivory unicorn's face turn even sadder.

"Ah. I very much doubt Redheart would approve." She said, biting her lip, and Applejack figured she might have to let the mare know she was just teasing. Honestly, the fact she was bantering as she was surprised even the farm mare, but she felt lighter than she had in a while, even with her Wolf growling from somewhere inside, and everything that had happened . . . She should be terrified, angry, upset, and she was! She was all of those things, but she was also . . . She didn't know. She just felt like something had found its way into her heart. Something that had been missing inside of her, and she hadn't known until it was put back.

"Oh, given the circumstances, I'm sure Nurse Redheart wouldn't mind. She's a lot stronger than ponies give her credit for. You have to be, to do what she does." A soft voice spoke up, interrupting Applejack's thoughts, and making her and Rarity look around behind them at Fluttershy, who blushed, looking down at the ground, mane falling over her face. "Oh. Sorry. I should just be quiet." She said, and Rarity fell back to walk alongside her.

"Nonsense, darling! You know Redheart? How, praytell?" She asked, smiling slightly as she quirked an eyebrow in curiosity.

Fluttershy's eyes went a bit wide behind her mane, and she glanced at Applejack, before turning back to Rarity. "Oh, um . . . She helps me with my . . . Prescription." She said, swallowing hard, and Applejack smelled the lie a mile off.

"Prescription?" Rarity asked, frowning slightly.

"Um, yes." Fluttershy said, blushing brightly. "For my . . . . Um . . . Condition."

"Condition? What condition?" The ivory unicorn asked, and Applejack could see the panic growing on Fluttershy's face. Nothing for it, she'd have to step in, but . . . bad as she was, the yellow pegasus was a better liar than Applejack, by a long shot. What was the best way to distract Rarity, while still being honest?

"Rarity?" Applejack found herself saying, stepping back to walk nearby, and the ivory unicorn blinked, looking over at her. "I, er . . . I just wanted to say somethin', important." Applejack said, biting her lip and looking down at the ground.

"What is it, Applejack?" Rarity asked, stepping closer, curiosity about Fluttershy forgotten, or at least put aside, while she focused on Applejack. The orange farm mare cleared her throat and nodded.

"Welp . . . I figure I've been . . . thinkin' wrong about you . . . about all y'all, for a while, now. I took you fer a . . . Prissy little dressmaker that'd fall apart, first sign o' trouble." She said, not meeting the other mare's eyes, though she could feel them on her. "But, well . . . I was wrong." She said, finally looking over and being a little surprised to see a small smile on the mare's face. "I guess . . . I guess yer a lot tougher than I thought. And not just you, neither." She said, looking over to where Rainbow Dash leaned on Pinkie Pie, while trying to make it look like she wasn't. "I took Dash for a lazy, no account braggart. Turns out, she's a lot more'n that, too."

Looking back again, she saw that Rarity's smile had grown slightly, her eyes shining, and the farm pony quirked an eyebrow in question. Rarity spoke, after a moment's thought. "Darling . . . It is understandable, for you to have such thoughts. To be totally honest . . . You are much what I always thought you were. You're a strong, capable mare, Applejack. But, I suppose it is simply who you are, that you would be yourself and nothing more. But, perhaps I'm wrong." She said, tilting her head, smile taking on a teasing air. "Perhaps there is more under that old hat of yours than it seems. And I, for one, would like to learn more about you." She said

No, ya wouldn't. Applejack thought to herself, while tipping her head down, hiding her eyes behind her hat's brim, hoping Rarity took it as bashfulness.

"Hey! We're here!" Pinkie called out, and Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy looked up. They were at the foot of a stone stairway, flanked by walls, intricately carved with bas reliefs, that were now crumbling, but no doubt had once stood twice the height of a pony. Applejack, looking at them, figured that, while they were pretty, they also made it so ponies on the stairs had no where to go but up or down. She wasn't a soldier, had no training, but it didn't take a genius to look at the layout of the castle and figure, for all it's grandeur, that it was meant to serve a very specific purpose:

Anypony that tried to attack this place would be in for a world of hurt.

At the top of the stairs was a doorway, all that was left of the oaken door a few broken bits of long dried, rotted timber laying about. Part of the stone wall to the left of the door had a gaping hole in it, and bits of stone and debris littered the cobblestone of the courtyard below it. It almost looked like something had burst out through the wall, from the inside.

This close, Applejack could feel her fur standing on end from the magic that was seeping out of the building, and her Wolf was pacing back and forth inside, making it feel like she was going to throw up, or worse, soon. Applejack grit her teeth, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to focus on herself, and the here and now and why they, why she was here.

She could not allow this to continue. Not with how it made her Wolf snarl and fight to get out. Besides that, as well, if the sun never came up . . . She was a farmer. She understood what a world without plants meant, maybe better than most. Nightmare Moon, legendary monster or not, had to be stopped. Not for her, or the others, but for her family. For Apple Bloom. Applejack had to keep her little sister safe, and give her a good home and a good life to grow up into, no matter what.

She had promised.

And so, she grit her teeth, forcing herself to straighten up, and open her eyes, and move forward, up the stairs and to the door, following Twilight and the others into the unknown.

Twilight felt it the minute she walked through the door, a power greater than any she had experienced before. The closest she could get would be Princess Celestia, and the feeling of pure, raw magical energy that coursed through the air around the Princess when she moved the sun. Arguably, Celestia's felt more powerful, stronger, but this . . . this was different. This magic was wild, untamed, uncontrolled, and all of Twilight's many years of study, both on her own and under the counsel of the Princess, told her that was a very, very bad thing.

The unicorn had to fight not to turn and run. She almost did when a pair of sounds startled her from behind. One was a guttural grunt, almost a growl, and the other a high pitched, keening whine, almost on the edge of what she could hear. She, along with the others, turned to look, and saw Fluttershy and Applejack, just inside the door. The butter yellow pegasus was frozen in place, wings held out to her sides as though prepared to take flight, each and every feather trembling, a sense of magic drifted along from her, tainted by the thick, dark power that flowed through the air around them. Her head was down, face hidden behind her mane.

Applejack looked much worse. The mare had staggered away and was leaning against the wall, half in the dark, legs quivering under her own weight while little flickers of static magical energy raced over her fur.

"AJ?" Rainbow Dash asked, frowning while limping over towards the pony, slightly.

"NO!" Twilight snapped, jumping over to stand between them, making the pegasus mare blink and step back in confusion. Pinkie Pie stepped up, putting a hoof on the blue speedster's wither, while frowning through her smile, looking at Applejack a bit sadly. Twilight looked from the pair of them to Rarity, who was frowning in confusion as well, then back to the pair of mares behind her, who looked like they were only getting worse. "Um . . . Look, just . . . I'll check on them! I'm sure they're fine, but, um . . . ." She stammered, feeling her mane starting to frizz as an excess of magical energy began to build around her, her horn sparking to life with a glow, as the first stages of a panic attack started to set in.

"Oki Doki Loki!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, smiling, before turning and grabbing Rainbow Dash and, somehow, pushing her away without hurting her. "You heard the unicorn we only met yesterday, everypony! Let's go check out that doorway over there, it looks cool, right?!" She said, tail grabbing Rarity and tugging her along before the ivory mare could do more than give a little gasp of distress. "Ohhh, look, Rarity! Drapes!"

Twilight stood, staring and blinking as Pinkie Pie single-hoofedly drug both the other mares away before they could say anything. She did not understand the pink mare, and that enfuriated her, but right now . . . she could almost kiss her! A building growl snapped her back to the present. Even as she wanted to take a look at the room around her, even as her mind told her that Rarity and Rainbow Dash would not let this rest so easily, and there would be questions to answer later. Right now, that didn't matter.

She turned back, looking between the two. Of the pair, Fluttershy seemed the less volatile, simply standing as still as a statue, shivering slightly as the dark magic washed over her, though her wings were starting to look a little bare, as though the feathers were melting away, even as Twilight watched.

Applejack, though, had collapsed against the wall, her legs finally giving out from under her, and her tail had come loose from the simple ribbon that held it tight, the blonde hairs looking bushier, less pony like. Her fur, as well, looked thicker, darker. . . .

"Applejack?" Twilight asked, softly, stepping towards her cautiously. The figure in the shadows turned, sharply, and a pair of burning, emerald eyes locked onto her, glowing brightly in the darkness. She couldn't make out the rest of her face, though, but she could imagine . . .

"Don't!" The mare's voice spoke, more a growl that a word. "Stay . . . Back . . . I . . . Grrrr!" She shuddered, falling forward slightly, eyes turning away from Twilight.

"Applejack!" The mare said, shocked the farm pony was still sensible. "Please . . . I need you to calm down, okay?" She said, but saw the figure shudder, and shake its head sharply.

"Can't! Burns! Gah! Hurts! Need . . . Out!" She shifted, one way then the other, twisting and turning in place, only succeeding in burrowing herself further into the shadows. "No! Can't let it! Let it hurt! Nngggg!!" With a groan, the mare collapsed into the shadows again, and Twilight felt tears pricking at her eyes.

"Applejack! Please! I need you! If I'm right . . . If I'm right, we can beat her! We can stop Nightmare Moon and end all of this! Maybe even bring Celestia back! But . . . But I need you here! WIthout you, we'll fail!" She said, pleading, desperate. She felt something akin to hope stir in her heart, though, when the figure in the shadows slowed its writhing, turning those burning eyes on to her again.

"I . . . We . . . I . . . It hurts!" She whined, a sound that shifted into a growl, as those eyes shut again. The figure scrunched tighter into a ball in the dark, and Twilight felt her hopes crumbling.

She turned to the pegasus. "Fluttershy?" She asked, shaking, and the mare turned, only her eyes, gleaming red in the moonlight streaming in through the ceiling high above. Her ears were tufted, wings leathery and batlike. She looked . . . Well, honestly, she looked adorable, but also terrifying, at the same time. "Fl-Fluttershy?"

"Yes?" The mare said, softly, jaw working as she shook.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked, hearing a growl building behind her, the sound sending a jolt of terror through her system.

The vampire in front of her nodded her head slightly. "Yes." She then shook her head. "No. I don't know. I've . . . Never felt this way, before. It feels like . . . I feel like I've come home after a long trip? And I've never felt that way before, least of all when I've changed like this, and it's scary." She said, voice soft, as she looked at Twilight, then glanced behind her. "Applejack's coming." She said, and Twilgiht felt her heart stutter in her chest.

Twilight spun around, eyes wide, as the form of the earth pony rose up in the shadows, still shaking. "A-A-Applejack?" Twilight asked, softly. The orange mare stamped a hoof, hard against the floor, and Twilight's eyes shot down at the sound of stone cracking. The floor under the earth pony's hoof was shattered, the once polished marble spider-webbed with cracks. With a final shake and a deep growl, the mare stepped forward, eyes glowing in the darkness, and Twilight uncosciously took a step back, bumping into Fluttershy.

With a sudden hiss, the former pegasus wrapped both forelimbs and leathery wings around Twilight, pulling her up and back, off balance as she rose to her hind legs. Twilight panicked, horn trying to light, even as she felt Fluttershy's breath, hot and tepid against her neck. She opened her mouth to scream, only to feel the air squeezed out of her by the legs around her chest.

Then, as suddenly as it started, the wings were pulled away from her, the grip of Fluttershy's legs breaking and sending Twilight tumbling to the ground. She spun, trying to scramble up to her hooves, horn glowing brightly, ready to fire off a spell, only for her to freeze in surprise and confusion.

Applejack stood on her hind legs, looking . . . fairly normal, all things considered, though her eyes were still glowing brightly. She held Fluttershy in one hoof by the scruff of the neck, like a naughty kitten, and was glaring at her angrily. Fluttershy hissed at her, inch long fangs flashing inside of her mouth and a long, narrow tongue flicking out over her bottom teeth. Applejack lifted her lips, baring her own, sharp looking teeth, and gave the other mare a hard shake by the neck. "Snap out of it!" The orange mare snarled, voice deep with a growl that seemed to settle just below the surface of her voice. "We got things to deal with! And if she needs me, I reckon Twilight needs y'all, too! So, wake up!"

Fluttershy flicked her wings, shaking her head and blinking, mouth slowly closing, before her red eyes went wide. "Oh . . .Oh, my! I'm so sorry! I'm not sure what got into me! I've never felt this way before! Please!" She begged, tears in her eyes as she looked between Applejack and Twilight. The latter rose up shakily to her hooves.

"Applejack?" Twilight said, uncertainly.

The farm pony stood for a moment, before nodding severely and lowering Fluttershy to the ground. "She's tellin' the truth, I reckon." She said, turning to look at Twilight, eye twitching slightly. "If she ain't . . . I'll make sure she don't hurt nopony."

In the moonlight, it was much more obvious that Applejack wasn't okay. Her fur was thick, scruffy and darker than normal, almost a sienna color, her mane and tail both thicker as well, less pony like, more lupine or even leonine in appearance. Twilight frowned. "Applejack . . . I thought . . . "

The mare nodded. "I know. She's still right there . . . And it still hurts. Bad." She said, swallowing roughly. "But . . . If y'all're right, and ya need me there, then . . . It's too damn bad." She growled, narrowing her eyes. "It'll just have ta hurt. I ain't lettin' this carry on, and if I c'n stop it . . . Keep my family safe, then that's what I'll do." She said, eyes hard. She looked over at Fluttershy, who was staring at the floor at her hooves, looking for all the worled like an ashamed puppy. "Understood, Fluttershy?" She said, and the mare glanced up, red eyes flickering, tears still matting her fur.

"Yes, Applejack. I'm sorry." She said, looking over to Twilight. "I didn't . . . I wasn't going to . . . I . . . I'm sorry." She said, voice cracking, and Twilight nodded.

"It's okay, Fluttershy . . . The amount of dark magic I can feel flooding this place . . . It's unbelieveable. I've never felt this much power before. I was feeling it before we ever came in, but it's like crossing the threshold removed a damper that was lessening its effects. I'm surprised either of you are still able to hold it together, to be honest." She said, looking between them, before a voice from the other end of the hall brought their attention there.

Pinkie Pie was sticking her head out of the door, looking urgent. "Hey, you guys! Dashie says she's gonna come drag you in here, if you don't hurry up! Come on!" She shouted, and Twilight nodded.

"Right." The lavender mare said. "If you both think you're in control . . . We need to keep moving. But . . .What about . . . There's no way they won't notice the way you look." She said, frowning at the two of them.

Applejack gritted her teeth, a hint of fang showing over her bottom lip and snorted. "I . . . Nothin' fer it." She said, face hard, determined, even as her eyes flickered with some suppresed emotion. "We gotta stop this. Now ain't no time now to hold back." She said, nodding.

Fluttershy lightly bit her lip, just enough to let the tip of one fang dimple her skin. When they weren't being used to threaten, her teeth were almost cute. Of course, Twilight really couldn't forget how close she'd come to having them used on her, only a moment earlier, and it made her shiver slightly. The butter pegasus . . . bat pony? Whatever she was, now. The vampire finally took a breath and nodded slowly, a sad look on her face.

"It won't be the first time I've had to leave somewhere. And . . . I guess, if I can help stop Nightmare Moon, it might make it worth it, this time." She took another breath and smiled sadly. "It's okay." She said, nodding a little more certainly, this time.

Twilight nodded slowly. "Okay. If you're sure . . . " Receiving nods from both, she nodded back, and stepped past the Werewolf and the Vampire, leading the way to the door that would take them out of the foyer and into the main hall of the keep. "Let's go, then." She said, feeling the other two fall into step behind her.

"Oh, heya, girls! Aww, Fluttershy, your ears are so cute!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she turned, grinning at them as they stepped out of the foyer and into the larger room beyond.

It was a grand throne room, the rotted, broken down remnants of old mahogany pews lining either side and running down the length of the near hundred foot long room. This left an aisle down the middle which led up to a sweeping, raised stage, upon which rested a pair of thrones, one carved of marble, the other of what looked like onyx, or obsidian. Once, both had stood tall and proud, gleaming and no doubt draped in finery, but now only the dark throne stood intact, the top half of the white one laying, shattered, on the ground, and the seat broken as though something had hit it, hard.

The walls swept upwards, decorated with stained glass windows which had had been shattered, long ago, to a vaulted ceiling that was crumbling around the edges of a massive hole, which looked scorched in places, the stone melted and slagged and reformed into an almost crystal like substance. Twilight recognized the aftereffects of spellfire, and wondered what had happened here, before she remembered the story. Celestia and Nightmare Moon had fought, before Celestia used the Elements to banish the Night Mare to the moon.

The amount of spellfire required to blow such a massive hole in such thick, well built stone was frightening to think on. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by Rarity's shriek and Rainbow Dash's gasp.

"What the fuck?!" The blue pegasus snapped, staggering away from Pinkie, wings trying to open in her natural fight or flight response. She moved too fast for her state, however and, with a grimace of pain and shock, nearly fell over. She would have hit the old marble floor if Pinkie hadn't shot over and caught her, helping the lithe, young pegasus back to her hooves. "A-AJ?!" Dash questioned, eyes wide as she looked the mare over.

Rarity was being much less calm about the whole thing, and had taken off for the nearest window after taking a single look at the pair, only for Twilight's aura to snare her out of the air and pull her back to the group. "Calm down! Both of you!" The purple mare snapped, and Dash, who had been about to speak, snapped her mouth shut, while Rarity scoffed, shaking her head, but stopped struggling against the lavender mare's aura. The unicorn's tone had been severe and commanding, far different from how it normally sounded.

As though realizing how strong she may have come across, Twilight softened her tone, frowning. "I'm sorry. I know, this must seem shocking, but please . . . I will explain everything . . . We will explain everything, won't we girls?" She said, looking back to Fluttershy and Applejack. The former looked like she was about to cry, head hanging low and face half hidden behind her mane, while Applejack simply stood, jaw tight and eyes staring forward, tense and nervous, though she was doing a half decent job of hiding it.

However, at her words, the pair of them looked to her, blinking. Fluttershy took a breath, and nodded. "Yes. I promise." She said, softly, voice meek and quiet.

"I reckon . . . I owe y'all that, at this point." Applejack said, stiffly. "Don't much like it, though." She grumbled, looking down at her hooves, tugging her hat down over her eyes.

Twilight sighed. "Look, we'll explain, but right now we don't have time! I have an idea of what . . . Of what's happening and how to stop Nightmare Moon, but if I'm right, then we all need to be here. And we all have to work together!"

As she had spoken, the rest of the group had focused on her, and so they had all been unaware of the room around them subtly growing darker, the shadows extending and deepening, flickering with little blue motes of dust, like tiny, far off stars in the inky black of the night sky.

They did, however, very much notice when those shadows suddenly reached out and entangled all of them, one of them lashing out and easily shattering the simple telekinesis spell that Twilight was using to hold the still frightened Rarity. The six mares yelled out, Rarity and Pinkie screaming, while Fluttershy squeaked and flailed, wings trying to spread, to help her run. Rainbow Dash yelled out in pain, trying to struggle, but the pain of her injuries made such difficult.

Rarity screamed and sobbed and thrashed, her fear receiving a sudden boost from the surprise attack, and she attempted to light her horn, only for the shadows around her to flicker, and her horn simply ceased glowing.

Twilight screamed, flaring her horn to life as well in an attempt to fight back, only for the tendrils of shadow that held her to flare back, briefly, with a deep indigo hue, and just like that, she felt her magic simply stop working. That shouldn't have been possible. She was unaware of any such spell, to stop a unicorn from using their magic, and yet this . . . no, She, had put a stop to it, with barely a flicker of power.

Of them all, though, Applejack seemed to worst off. She simply stood, the shadows wrapping around her legs and neck, pulling taut while blue magic hummed through them, flickering over her body, through her fur like static discharge, while her eyes burned brightly in the darkness.

And, over the sounds of their struggling, a soft laugh rolled out of the deep dark, blanketing the room in its sound. It wasn't evil, really, not the sort of laugh one would expect a villain to make, if all they'd seen were saturday morning cartoons or comic books. It was but a soft chuckle, as of somepony mildly amused by the antics of a small child or animal, and that, more than anything, was what made it truly terrifying. The power that lay under the sound of that laugh, which fell over them, around them, in the form of shadows and mist, made it clear that was exactly what they were to the one who laughed:

Children. Nothing more, nothing less, and even less of a threat.

And, from the shadows, a figure materialized, stepping forward into the beam of moonlight that fell through the hole in the wall. Tall, statuesque, all long legs and flowing, ethereal mane and tail, like the sky at night. Her fur was as black as a moonless night, standing in contrast to the much lighter, indigo blue of her mane and tail. Cruel, cunning, sapphire eyes, pupils narrow, like a cat's, or a dragon's, perhaps, stared out from the visor of an ancient styled helm made of blackened steel. Similar armor graced her pectoral and her forelegs, down over her stifles and across her pasterns. Armor graced her flank, as well, covering where her cutie marks would be in segmented plates, and a cloak, itself seemingly made from the shadows that surrounded her, and which entangled the six friends, fluttered out behind her in an unfelt breeze, the same which moved her mane and tail.

The sheer amount of raw, uncontrolled and dark magic that flowed off of her was like a flood, or a tidal wave. It beat against Twilight's mind, making her feel as though it was trying to flay the skin off of her breain while it was inside her skull, or else make her horn burst.

The Night Mare's hooves clacked on the stone floor, due to the sharp, pointed studs on the bottoms of her shoes, and her magic, a light, indigo aura, held a weapon at her side, an old, but well kept and beautifully detailed halberd, an axe head, with a spear point above and a billhook behind, once the pinnacle of weapons technology, in the centuries before gunpowder made such things obsolete on the battlefield.

Her icy, reptilian eyes looked over each of them in turn, before coming to rest on Twilight, who quailed beneath her gaze. When the she spoke, her voice edged its way into the air, soft, almost gentle, yet with a sharpness to it that was keener than the edge of her weapon. "How astute of thee. . . " She said, stepping forward as her magic lifted Twilight off the floor, bringing her up to the Night Mare's eye level. Her mane shifted, reaching out as though alive, and touched the unicorn, leaving a tingling trail of raw magical energy in its wake as it lifted her chin, forcing her to meet the alicorn's gaze.

"Twilight Sparkle." Nightmare Moon said, the name rolling off of her tongue with an odd, old fashioned cadence. "Pupil . . . of our Sister."

1:8 - The Nightmare's Name

Author's Note

This chapter was interesting to write. I don't think I've ever written anything that bounced around between so many characters before! It was more challenging than I thought it would be, and I kept stopping, going back, and rewriting parts.

I was also not really . . . done yet, per se, but I thought that it might be getting a little long and, while it's not the longest I've written yet, it's about par for the course at this length. I also think that it will work better split into two chapters, anyway.

Finally, as part of my bit of research for this chapter, I looked up Early Modern English grammar, which is how Luna talks during her early appearances, all the 'thees' and 'thous', etc. However, upon reading up on it, I discovered something interesting; apparently, those things we think of as part of that language (the 'thees' and 'thous') are all informal grammar. Formal grammar of the time was a lot more modern, I guess? 'You/Ye' instead of 'Thee/Thou' and 'Your' instead of 'Thy', etc. :rainbowhuh:

If anyone knows more about how to structure grammar and sentences in Early Modern English, I would love to talk about it sometime, I'm always eager to learn about things like that. :twilightsmile:

Hope you all enjoy, let me know what you think in the comments, and I will see you all next time! Harmonia Invictus!

1:8 - The Nightmare's Name

Twilight hung, barrel heaving with her every breath, staring into those calculating, cool sapphire eyes, and swallowed hard, frowning. "You . . . You know my name?" She asked, confused.

Nightmare Moon chuckled again, shaking her head as she stepped around Twilight, eyes moving over the other five where they struggled in her magic. "Of course we do." She turned back, her magic twisting Twilight around to face her, and she met the unicorn's eyes. "You didst not think our only powers were illusion and mind control, didst ye?" She said, smirking, a hint of scorn in her eyes.

"M-Mind control?" Twilight asked, eyes going a bit wide, and Nightmare Moon openly laughed.

"Hahaha! Of course, Filly! Whatever other spell didst ye thinkest yon creatures in the wood be under?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow as she watched Twilight parse through her antiquated grammar.

Twilight shook her head, frowning, breathing heavily, as the others, realizing they weren't getting loose, stopped struggling. Fluttershy spoke up. "You . . . You made the Manticore attack us! I knew it! You monster!" She said, eyes burning like coals as she scowled, only to squeak and try to flee into her mane as the black alicorn turned her gaze on her.

"Monster, dost ye call us?!" Nightmare Moon exclaimed, moving forward with such grace and speed, that it seemed she flowed over the ground, even as her magic reached out, lifting the vampire pony's chin and brushing her mane aside. "Quite a statement, coming from you." She said, voice low and brimming with a cruel humour.

"Leave her alone!" A voice growled, and she turned, spying Applejack, who stood, shaking, amidst her shadows. Twilight bit her lip, shaking her head.

"Applejack, don't." She said, but was silenced by a glance from Nightmare Moon, who, with a flicker of her horn, sealed Twilight's mouth with a spell, leaving her unable to speak. This spell, at least, Twilight recognized; Starswirl's 'Stilled Tongue'. It wasn't a terribly complex spell, but it was effective.

Nightmare Moon turned, walking over to loom over Applejack, and leaned down, looking her over. "And you . . . " She said, softly. "Little Wearg. Thy will is as strong as thy back, certainly, to still be half in thine own skin, at a time like this." Applejack snarled, teeth glinting, and Nightmare Moon laughed, standing back up to her full height and looking around. "What interesting Bearers our Sister has chosen to take our places!" She said, chuckling. "So quickly as well. How long have we been away, after all, nought more than a year, yes?" She said, turning and looking at Twilight, who felt the spell lift from her tongue.

Twilight stared at her, as her mind pieced together what the Alicorn had said. Then, her eyes went wide, and her mouth opened in shock. She didn't know. Nightmare Moon did not know how long she'd been gone.

"I'm . . . " Twilight swallowed past her suddenly dry throat, as she watched the black Alicorn step towards her frowning.

"What? What dost ye keep from us, Twilight Sparkle? Speak!" She snapped, magic jerking Twilight's chin up, forcing her to meet her eyes.

Twilight wasn't sure why she suddenly felt so . . . sorry for this mare who was trying to destroy everything she loved, who had taken her mentor from her. But she did, and it made her heart ache to think of having to tell her. . . .

"This . . . Today is the Summer Sun Celebration. It marks the anniversary of your Banishment." She said, and watched Nightmare Moon frown, eyes narrowing as she lifted her head.

"Sooth?" She said, coldly, and Twilight swallowed again, sighing through her nose.

"This . . . This is . . . One thousand years." She said, forcing it out, and watched the Alicorn's scowl turn puzzled. She continued. "This is the thousandth Celebration. It has been one thousand years, since your banishment." She said, and watched as Nightmare Moon's face flickered.

Lowering the unicorn in her magic, the alicorn stepped back, seeming unsteady on her hooves a moment. "What?" She said, softly, before her scowl returned, eyes turning hard. "Nay! N-Nay! Thou'rt a liar!, Twilight Sparkle!" She snarled, though beneath the hard edge in her voice and her eyes, was a sense of desperation.

"I'm not!" Twilight said, only to suddenly find herself lifted into the air by the Alicorn's magic, feeling it squeezing her throat, choking her. She felt her lungs burn and her mind fray as the dark Alicorn's magic forced its way into her thoughts, into her memories. She remembered things, things from long ago, of watching Celestia raise the sun while perched on her father's head, of her nervousness on the day of her test for Celestia's school for Gifted Unicorns, and of a burst of multicolored light in the window, a sound like an explosion, and the jolt of magic that coursed through her just after. . . .

Twilight gasped as she found herself once more hanging in the Alicorn's magic, gasping for breath. She slowly looked up, and felt her heart and breath catch at the look on Nightmare Moon's face. She looked . . . lost. Eyes wide and staring into the middle distance, a slight, confused frown on her face.

"Nay." She said, softly, sharp teeth flickering in the light of the moon as she licked her lips. "Wh . . . Did I . . . She . . . " She shook her head, looking down at her hooves as the other ponies looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

Rainbow Dash had been trying to get loose the entire time, though the effort, on top of her injuries had only exhausted her to the point of nearly passing out, while Applejack was still stuck in place, trying desperately to keep her Wolf in check. Pinkie Pie seemed . . . fairly relaxed, and was munching popcorn from a bucket that she had gotten from somewhere, while watching the drama unfold, while Rarity was trying mostly to keep the magic from frizzing her mane or tail.

It was Fluttershy who acted first, taking many by surprise as she moved forwards, the magic holding her loose, as Nightmare Moon battled with her shock. The demure vampire stopped close to the dark Alicorn, leaving only a little space between them as Twilight opened her mouth to speak, before she realized. The magic was loose around her, sinking away from her, as Nightmare Moon was distracted. Looking up, she saw that Rainbow Dash had realized the same thing.

Fluttershy stopped, looking up at the Alicorn, frowning. Her curse came with many little 'gifts', as well, things meant to aid her in hunting, including a heightened sense of smell and hearing. As such, she could almost taste the shock and fear rolling off of the big mare, could hear her heartbeat, pounding away in her chest as though it were about to burst out her ribcage.

Fluttershy knew that this was Nightmare Moon, a legend used to terrify little fillies and colts to this day, who's goal was to bring about eternal night. Vampire or not, Fluttershy knew that wasn't a good thing. But, looking at her, seeing the lost, frightened look in the mare's eyes, it was hard not to feel sorry for her.

Reaching out with one leathery wing, Fluttershy touched the mare's shoulder. Nightmare Moon jumped, turning quickly and locking her eyes on the butter yellow mare, who pulled back, but didn't withdraw. They met each others' eyes, and Fluttershy smiled slightly, sadly. "I'm sorry." She said, softly, and Nightmare Moon blinked at her, brow softening slightly.

Then a blue blur hit the black Alicorn below the knees, knocking her off balance, as a bolt of of pink magic struck her in the side of the head. "NO!" Fluttershy yelled, even as Rainbow Dash, face twisted in pain, tried to bring the Alicorn down with the help of the magic bolts fired by Twilight Sparkle.

Rarity, realizing she was free, turned, lighting her horn and firing off a blast as well, while Pinkie Pie bounced around, throwing her popcorn at Nightmare, while yelling "Queen Meanie" over and over again. Applejack stood, shaking, eyes darting left and right, sweat forming a lather in the fur on her back.

"Stop!" Fluttershy yelled, trying to grab Pinkie Pie, only to snatch thin air, even as Nightmare Moon's face twisted into a grimace of hate, rage and . . . sorrow.

"Ye ponies shalt ne'er change! Not then, nor now!" She snarled, causing Applejack's ears to perk. "If you shalt not love us, then we shalt bringeth your world to its knees!" Nightmare Moon roared, horn lighting with her bright indigo magic, which reached out, snaring all six of the mares in her aura.

And Fluttershy saw herself, everywhere she turned, as the world turned inside out and upside down, and she felt herself rushing both forwards and backwards, and then everything went white.

Twilight Sparkle felt the teleportation spell hit her and could do nothing to stop or even redirect it. Fighting a teleportation spell was the height of stupidity, anyway, the sort of thing that could easily wind up leaving a pony turned inside out in a pile of wiggling, organic bits.

And then explode.

So, she relaxed, knowing there was nothing more she could do than be ready to move and pray that Nightmare Moon didn't simply teleport her into the bottom of a volcano or something.

As she tumbled out of the spell, she hit the floor hard, feeling cold stone under her as she rolled, using her magic to shield herself as best she could and help her in getting back to her hooves quickly.

However, upon standing, she frowned. Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be seen, and she was standing in a dark room, dimly lit by moonlight streaming in through a broken window. A shattered, ancient bedframe sat near one wall, a few meters away, and the rotted, collapsed remains of a wardrobe stood nearby. Other things around the room came to her eye, making it clear that this had once been a bedroom.

As she turned, she lit her horn, casting a pink glow over the space around her and letting her investigate her surroundings a bit better. She saw the chipped, stained remnants of an old mural on the wall, and, upon looking at it, saw a scene depicting a starry night, the moon rising high above a rolling farmland, all the little cottages dark and quiet, and the sheep and cows asleep in the fields below, and in the middle. . . .

A blue alicorn, the cutie mark on her flank a white crescent moon against a black backdrop, a blue mane and tail flowing around her while she smiled up at the moon, standing all by herself atop a rocky outcropping. She was like a mirror of Nightmare Moon, her colors all the opposite, except for her mane and tail. Glancing up, Twilight saw that the night sky of the mural stretched along the walls, and up to the ceiling, where the moon itself hung, paint chipping and peeling, leaving it looking scarred and tired.

"Dost ye like our chambers, Twilight Sparkle?" Nightmare Moon's voice echoed through the dark, moonlit room, and Twilight spun on her hooves, looking around, wide eyed. However, she could not see the Alicorn anywhere, and she grimaced.

"Where are you?!" She snapped. "What have you done with the others?" She asked, feeling a chill in her heart as the Night Mare's cool laugh flowed around the room.

"Do not worry thy heart, so, Twilight Sparkle. We have parsed them nicely." Nightmare Moon said, a smile audible in her voice. "Tis time we see, how well the Dressmaker deals with the Wolf, and the Baker and Braggart with the Bat, yes?"

Twilight only felt herself grow colder, even as she turned, racing to the door and trying to open it, only to find it jammed, the heavy old hinges rusted into place. "What have you done?!"

This time, Nightmare's laugh had a cruel edge to it. "We suppose you shalt have to find out, will ye not?"

With a desperate cry, Twilight turned her magic onto the door, blasting it with a magical bolt, only to yelp in shock as a long dormant enchantment came to life, reflecting the bolt back at her. She barely managed to throw up her own shield in time to deflect the bolt, which shot off to the side, smashing part of the wall, revealing the thick layers of stone beneath the paint and wood paneling.

Sobbing, she dropped her shield and fell to her haunches, mind racing as she tried to figure out how to get out of here, all while Nightmare Moon's laugh continued echoing about the room.

Rainbow Dash groaned, weakly trying to pick herself up off the floor. What was that? She felt like she'd been thrown face first through a funhouse mirror, only she had a feeling that might hurt less. Her wounds felt hot, irritated and the broken pastern was throbbing angrily, as was the deep cut on her foreleg.

Looking down, she saw that Rarity's scarf was saoked completely through, and was dripping slightly onto the floor, and she flinched. She wasn't a doctor, but she'd banged herself up enough in the past to know that wasn't good. The bleeding was slow, but that didn't mean it had stopped, and she was starting to feel properly lightheaded.

Her ear twitched at a sound from behind her, a shallow, rapid breathing, like somepony in the midst of a panic attack. She turned, painfully, while trying to get to her hooves, and froze upon spying the butter yellow pegasus, or whatever she was, standing a few yards away, staring. Not at her, but at her leg.

"F-Fluttershy?" She asked, pensively, as the other mare took a step forward, nose twitching. Dash watched as her mouth opened slightly, revealing her long, glistening fangs and her slender, pointed tongue, longer than a ponies, slipped out, licking her lips as her pupils seemed to dilate back and forth. "Fluttershy!" Dash snapped as the pony went to take another step forward, and the other pegasus froze, blinking, and looked up.

"R-R-Rainbow Dash!?" She exclaimed, stuttering slightly, before glancing again to the blue mare's leg. "You . . . You're bleeding. A lot more than earlier." She said, swallowing thickly, a blush spreading over her face. "Oh, my . . . This isn't good. You . . . You should probably . . . get away from me." She said, without much conviction, even as she took another step forward.

"Wh-What are you?" Rainbow Dash asked, forcing herself up to her hooves under a burst of adrenaline that had started pumping through her veins. The other pony's eyes dilated once again and she shivered, nose twitching violently.

"Oh, that smell!" She said, taking another, staggering step towards Dash, who stumbled back. "Dash . . . I can't . . . You should . . . Get away . . . " Her pupils dilated wide, until her eyes were almost completely black, but for the sclera, and a violent shudder ran down her back, making her wings pop up to full extension and her tail flag. She let out a long sigh, mouth hanging open, tongue lolling over her sharp teeth, before she looked up at Dash. "Or . . . You could come here and let mommy kiss it all better." She said, voice low, sultry, and purring.

With a squeak, Dash turned and ran, as fast as she could.

Rarity had read about teleportation, before, but was not a powerful enough unicorn to do it, on her own. None in her family were, and she had never gone into any sort of magic schooling beyond the basics taught at the Ponyville Schoolhouse. She had always excelled at her telekinesis, of course, and her teachers were impressed with her ability to master multitasking with it at a young age.

However, she lacked any sort of real magical muscle, the sort needed to cast complex spells, like teleportation. In fact, watching Twilight teleport herself and Applejack across the chasm earlier in the night had been the mare's first time seeing it done, and having read up on the subject when she was younger, she knew enough to be impressed at the unicorn's ability to transport herself and another across such a distance to an unseen destination, unharmed.

She would have readily admitted before this night to being curious about what teleportation was like, and wanting ever so much to have the experience under her belt.

Well, now she did, and she wished even more so that she had not gotten her wish. Perhaps it was different from pony to pony, but if that was what teleportation was like every time, as though she were being thrown through the facets of a gem, brain first with nothing protecting her from the sharp edges, then she could not help but imagine that unicorns who frequently used teleportation must be mad.

If they weren't to start with, surely they must become so, very soon.

After emerging from the spell, she had tumbled head over tail across the dirty stone floor of where ever it was that edgy, black-hearted bitch had sent her, and wound up somehow landing on her haunches.

She had then stoop up on shaking legs, blew out a heavy breath, and promptly bent double and released her fine luncheon of earlier in the day all over the floor. Upon finishing this unseemly task, she took a breath and shivered at the aftertaste in her mouth.

Disgusting! And so undignified! Ugh, thankfully nopony was there to see-

A low growl echoed around the room, sending another shiver up Rarity's spine, and her tail tucked, ears laying flat over the back of her head as she slowly turned.

Applejack stood not far away, a scant two or three meters, silhouetted in the moonlight flooding in through a window. Rarity couldn't make out much about the room they were in, and frankly did not really give a damn, right now. Applejack's head was low, eyes hidden behind her loose mane, hat laying forgotten on the floor nearby, her body shaking like a leaf. Remembering what the pony had looked like when she, Twilight and Fluttershy had caught up with the group, Rarity felt a chill spike through her heart.

She began looking around frantically, trying to find an exit. Spying a door, she began making her way towards it, refusing to turn her back on the pony.

"Don't." Applejack growled low in her throat, and Rarity froze. "Don't." The farm pony said again, voice lower, softer, rougher.

"Darling? A-A-Are-Are y-y-you alr-right?" Rarity stammered, heart pounding in her chest.

The earth pony slowly looked up, eyes glowing a bright, sickly green in the dark. "No." She said, sounding as though she were close to crying, face twisting strangely, almost as though she were still stuck in that weird funhouse mirror dimension of the teleportation spell.

Rarity watched, breath caught in her throat, preventing any sound but a tiny squeak of dispalced air from escaping her, as Applejack began to shake violently, jaw working as though to get something uncomfortable out of her mouth. The earth pony's ears flicked back and forth, each time looking less ponylike, with thick tufts of fur covering them. Her tail swept behind her, turning bushier and shorter. Her mane shortened as well, while her muzzle lengthened, teeth growing inside of it with an uncomfortable cracking sound, turning sharper. Ince and a half long fangs sprouted down, sticking out past her lower lip.

The whole while, flickers of greenish magic, like a little electric storm, flowed back and forth over her body, and mixed with the green were hints of indigo blue. Her fur darkened further, turning to a dirty brown color, flecked with orange, while her mane became more like a ruff of blonde fur along the back of her neck and head. Her hooves flickered, seeming to flow like water, before reshaping themselves as paws, each toe tipped with a sharp, lethal looking claw.

Her whole body seemed to shudder and shift, growing in size, the muscles bulging and straining under her fur, until she was easily twice the size she had been. Soon, the beast that was left standing in the middle of the room looked very little like Applejack. It hung its head, panting, chest heaving in exhaustion, before stepping back and throwing its head back. A piercing howl echoed through the room, ringing in Rarity's ears as the mare watched on in horror as the great monster lowered its head, and turned burning emerald eyes on her.

A low rumbling growl bubbled up from its chest.

Rarity screamed, and turned for the door.

Upon hearing the howl, muffled by the stone walls of the castle, Twilight had leaped up, heart in her throat. She had turned to the door, narrowing her eyes, and reached out with her magic, feeling of the spell that covered it.

Her eyes went wide as her magical senses picked up something that felt more like a nest of spiderwebs than a single, direct spell. The amount of layers and work put into the shielding on the door was ludicrous! It was as though whoever placed it there was trying to keep a god out! Or maybe, they were trying to keep one in. . . .

"Dost thou likest the spell, Twilight Sparkle?" Nightmare Moon's voice spoke from behind her, and Twilight spun with a yelp, horn igniting and firing off a simple bolt, the only real combat spell she knew, taught to her by her brother at a young age. "In case of bullies", he'd told her.

Nightmare Moon's horn barely flickered, and the bolt dissipated into nothing in the air in front of her, and the magical backlash shot into Twilight's horn, taking her down to her knees with a gasp of pain. Nightmare clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Do try to refrain from such actions, Twilight Sparkle. They are pointless, and will only succeed in getting you hurt." She said, smirking down at the mare, a level of scorn and distaste in her gaze as she did.

Twilight panted, gritting her teeth. "Why do you keep doing that?" She said, looking up at Nightmare Moon as the alicorn frowned down at her.

"What? Harming you? Because thou art foolish, why else?" She said, mouth twisting as though it couldn't decide whether to grin or frown.

"No. I'm familiar with Early Modern Ponish. You keep bouncing between formal and informal speech. 'Thou' one minute, 'you' the next." Twilight said, narrowing her eyes as she forced herself up to her hooves. "Why?" She asked, watching as the mare's face seemed to shut down, turning into a self-righteuous, royal mask that made it impossible to know what was going on underneath. While hers was in many ways much more friendly, Celestia had her own form of this mask, and Twilight was familiar with reading the emotions beneath it.

Nightmare Moon was surprised, and wasn't wanting to show it.

"We do not know what you are talking about, Twilight Sparkle! We wouldst ne'er speak as a friend to you!" She snapped, anger in her tone and face, and under that . . . Was that a tremor of uncertainty? Twilight was not certain, yet, but she thought that maybe, just maybe, if she couldn't fight her way out, then there was still hope she might be able to think her way out of this.

And thinking was, and always had been, her strongest suit.

"Why not?" Twilight said, taking a breath. "Why are you doing all of this?" She asked, and watched the mask waver for a moment as Nightmare Moon blinked.

"Why . . . Because we have no choice!" The Alicorn snarled, fangs flashing as she stepped forward.

Twilight felt her heart catch for a moment, but she refused to give an inch. She simply stood, staring into the eyes of the Night Mare, and lifted an eyebrow. "Why not?" She asked again, and watched the frown on the Alicorn's face deepen.

"Why wouldst ye care?" Nightmare said, narrowing her eyes, glaring at the young unicorn.

Twilight narrowed her eyes back, lifting her chin. "I don't." She said, watching the Alicorn's lip curl up, revealing her teeth. "Yet." She said, hoping she was right in her supposition. "Tell me why. Convince me to care, Nightmare."

"Do not! call me that!" The Alicorn snarled, and Twilight flinched, stepping back from the vehemence in her voice. "The ponies of this land called me that for years! The 'wretched Night Mare', who brought bad dreams to their foals and interrupted their sleep! The fearful shadow in my precious sister's court!"

"Alright." Twilight said, slowly. "So . . . What is your name, then?"

The Alicorn blinked at her, barrel heaving with her fury, before she looked down at the floor. Her breathing slowed, expression distant, thoughtful, as she rose to her full height, turning to look down at Twilight again. "My name . . . is Luna."

Dash was a bit disappointed in her current top speed, to put things lightly. Without being able to take wing, and with one pastern sprained and the other leg bleeding, she wasn't exactly able to hit her usual pace. However, adrenaline was a hell of a drug, and she found herself largely ignoring her pain and discomfort, making a beeline for the door out of the room as though she were only a little bruised. The doorway was wide open, the old door itself a mess of rotted, broken planks on the floor of the corridor beyond, and Dash could practically taste freedom.

And then Fluttershy, or perhaps Flutterbat would be a better name for her, right now, was simply there, blocking her path with a guttural, snarling hiss that exposed her dripping fangs and long tongue.

With another squeak of distress, Dash attempted to put on the breaks, but felt a twinge from her injured pastern, and flopped forward onto her chin and chest, sliding and tumbling across the stone. She came to a stop on her back, groaning at the new layer of injuries, and blinked open her eyes, looking up at the face of the vampire above her, and smiled weakly. "Oh. Hi." She said, just before Fluttershy pounced at her, and Dash lifted her forelegs to cover her face and neck, screaming and bracing for the attack.

But it never came. Instead, she felt something brush past above her, and heard the sound of two bodies hitting the floor, hard, followed by a familiar giggle. She opened her eyes and turned, painfully, and looked, spotting Fluttershy laying on her back, batlike wings spread, while Pinkie Pie straddled her, sitting on her chest with one rear hoof on either side of her. The pink earth pony batted the confused vampire's nose playfully and giggled again. "Silly filly! This isn't THAT kind of story!" She exclaimed, before suddenly rolling off of Fluttershy, just as the vampire attempted to lunge at her.

In a burst of speed that it was hard for even Dash to follow, Pinkie was suddenly halfway across the room, bouncing on all four hooves. "C'mon, Fluttershy! Catch me if you can!" She said, giggling, even as the butter yellow mare took to the air and whipped across the room with a beat of her wings, diving at the earth pony in a blur of movement, too fast for Dash to even cry out a warning.

Pinkie hopped into the air and seemed to float for a split second, as she stuck her tongue out and blew a rather odd sounding raspberry, before disappearing in a puff of pink smoke, leaving a trail out the door, which the vampire pony ('vampony?'), immediately followed.

Dash was left sitting on her haunches, panting and staring after the two, confusion rife upon her face as she shook her head. Finally, after several moments, and struggling to get back to all four hooves, she found the words to best express her feelings.

"What the actual FUCK, Pinkie Pie!?"

Rarity's magic reached out for the doorknob, finding it locked. She gasped and spun, hooves skidding on the floor and going out from under her, sending her falling to the ground, hard, jsut as Applejack, or the thing that had been Applejack, went flying over her. THe great beast slammed into the thick wooden door with a crash, but Rarity did not take time to see what had happened.

Scrambling back to her hooves, the unicorn raced for the window, being the only other exit from the room that she could see, though it was admitedly quite dark. Hearing movement behind her, she leaped up, landing on the window sill, and immediately felt her head spin as she looked down at a harrowing eighty foot drop to the stone of the courtyard below.

The room they had been teleported to was somewhere high up in a tower of the keep, overlooking the courtyard, with its odd little orrery statue below. Heart in her throat, the ivory mare attempted to back up into the room, only to hear movement again. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw burning emerald eyes and a mouthful of teeth, backed by a wall of dark orange fur and muscle.

She screamed, needless to say.

Too late, however, as the beast leaped, catching her in the back, and the pair of them went sailing out of the window. Rarity screamed bloody murder, struggling against the weight of the monster at her back, and the indomitable will of gravity itself which was now pulling her down to an unsightly end on the cobblestone of the courtyard.

Oh, to go out like this?! Who would have thought a mare of her status and regality, ending in a bloody smear on the earth? Fallen to her doom, carried their by some vicious monster she had thought was a friend! If the fall didn't kill Applejack as well, she hoped the mare spent the rest of her days in shame for this! Oh, but what if it didn't kill her, too? Was Rarity's corpse going to be EATEN?! Horrific fate! Not only to die in such an ignominius way, but then to have her body suffer such further humiliation after! It was simply the Worst! Possible-

Her internal melodrama, which all took place rather quickly, was interrupted by a burst of pure terror as she felt the weight of the creature fall on her harder, the beast's legs wrapping around her as she was pulled towards it. THe damned thing wasn't even going to wait?! The bloody cheek!

She felt herself being pulled, even as she struggled, the pair of them spinning through the air, left and right, the wind whipping past her, and then-

CRUNCH

Rarity felt all the air leave her body, pain shooting through her right leg and her neck as it whipped about, as they reached a sudden stop to their long drop, and then her vision went black.

The Unexpected Guest (Hearth's Warming Special)

Author's Note

So, this took me a while to write, especially as I've been working on the next main chapter alongside it! I've been writing on this thing for the last two weeks, nearly solid! I hope you all enjoy! Please, let me know about any spelling errors you spot, and I'll try and get in here and fix them!

The next main chapter should be uploaded in the next week, give or take, AND there's going to be something big hitting my YouTube channel (LINK!) tomorrow, starting around noon, Central Standard Time! :raritywink:

I hope you all enjoy, and have a very Happy Holiday, my friends! Harmonia Invictus!

The Unexpected Guest (Hearth's Warming Special)

Ten years ago, Canterlot, Hearth's Warming Eve

The pegasi had outdone themselves this time, and Canterlot gleamed in the light of the rising moon, frosted with a fine layer of white snow, turning each building into a decorative cake. Ponies wandered the streets, smiling and laughing, singing carols and heartsongs, shopping and eating. Even the baleful stare of the Mare in the Moon, mostly hidden behind the clouds anyway, could not put a stop to the cheer and merriment of the best season of the year; Hearth's Warming Eve.

One family, comprised of four ponies and a single, small, infant dragon, trotted through the streets together, their bellies full of food, and their hearts full of love, for each other, and for this great city they called home. Night Light and Twilight Velvet walked along, close together, the mare leaning against the stallion's side, both smiling good naturedly, the baby Dragon, Spike, holding onto her mane from where he rode on her back, giggling at the snow hitting his scales and melting, as they watched their son, Shining Armor, teasing his little sister, Twilight Sparkle.

Shining had just turned sixteen the month before, and was already developing into quite a strapping young stallion, if still a bit gawky in the legs. He was currently holding a book in his magic, reading aloud the back of the cover, while Twilight, only eight, hopped about beneath. "'. . . .Hoofings' Radiation, which exudes from inside of them.' Gee, Twily, don't you think this is a little too advanced for you?" Shining finished, smirking down at the filly, who pouted, glaring up angrily at him.

"It is not! Understanding the universe is important! Black Holes are a magical anomaly, and understanding how they work can prevent who knows what kind of bad things from happening!" She exclaimed, pouting.

"Shining." Velvet said, and her son turned, meeting her eye, and she lifted her eyebrow. "Give her back the book." She said, and Shining Armor rolled his eyes, but smiled, passing the filly the book in his magic, and tousling her mane with his hoof.

"You're such a nerd, Twily." He said, and she looked up from the book, which she'd been coddling in her hooves, scowling and lifting an eyebrow in a fair imitation of their mother.

"So, how's that new set of O&O figurines, huh, Shiny?" She asked, and he blushed, eyes going wide, before he started laughing. Twilight soon fell into giggles with him, and the family continued on their way through the snow.

They had started Hearth's Warming Eve off with a trip into the upper districts of Canterlot, just below the great, white walls of the castle, where Twilight had been attending classes at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns for a few months, now. The filly was still full of pride at that accomplishment, and her parents weren't far behind her.

However, today was not about Twilight's accomplishments alone, so much as it was about the family, being together. They had a late brunch, and then gone shopping. While they all had gifts waiting for them back home, it was something Velvet liked to do, to give the foals (Sixteen or not, Shiny would always be her little colt) a chance to buy something for themselves.

Twilight, of course, had bought herself a new book, and Shining had stopped in a Comic Book shop and purchased a new set of figurines for his game, along with a comic he said was for Spike, for when he got older. They had then gone to the Hearth's Warming pageant, in the Uptown Theater, and from there had gone out for lunch. They were now on their way home, winding down the roads of the Merchant District, towards the row of bridges that led down to the Upper Residential District of the city, where the better off families lived.

Once they'd arrived at the family home, they would eat dinner, finish their Heath's Warming dolls, sit and tell stories, sing songs, play games and each get to open one of their gifts early. It was their tradition, and Velvet loved it. She loved her family, loved being with them and seeing them have fun and enjoy themselves. Even if, sometimes, she did feel like they did the same old, same old every year. She was a mare who loved adventure, and trying new things. She craved it, almost as much as she craved her grandma's pineapple upside down cake, but that was another matter.

No matter how stale their little tradition might sometimes feel, the one thing that never got old was seeing how happy it made her family, how warm it made her feel to see them all there, together, playing and laughing, and how-

"AND STAY OUT!" The loud, obnoxious sounding voice broke Velvet from her thoughts, and she and the rest of her family all stopped, looking up in surprise, as a figure landed roughly in the snow in front of them, becoming half buried in the drift of white powder. Spike gave a low gurgle in his throat at the sight, pointing and grinning. At the side of the street, a shopkeep stood in the doorway of his business, shaking a hoof dramatically. "Dirty Thief!" He snapped, before catching the eye of the family, and specifically the disapproving glare Velvet was throwing at him. Blanching, he stepped back inside quickly and slammed the door shut.

Turning back to the snow drift in front of them, the family saw a pale, dirty flank, marked with a cutie mark that looked like the sun wearing a fancy costume mask. It wiggled back and forth, as the pony attempted to extricate themselves from the snow. The tail was long and tousled, held in a ragged, unkempt braid, and it seemed so dirty, that it was hard to tell what color it was supposed to be, though Velvet got the sense of a warm color, under all the filth.

Whoever the pony was, they needed a bath, desperately.

As they watched, a pair of wings popped out of the snow drift, the same pale color as the fur of the pony's flank, though again, Velvet got a sense of a darker, warmer color, towards the edges of the primary feathers. Finally, wings beating, the pony pulled themselves free, revealing a pegasus mare, mane worn in what might have been a stylish cut, when Velvet was a teenager. A single narrow braid, as ragged as her tail, hung down the left side of her head, from behind her ear, from which hung a blue feather, dangling from a simple earring. Her mane, as well, near the feather was dyed blue, just a couple of locks, a small splash of color, though it was washed out and covered by dirt and grease, like the rest of her.

She staggered back, flapping her wings a moment, before turning with a grim smile and waving at the shop she'd been thrown out of. "And a Happy Hearth's Warming to you, as well, you-" She cut herself off when she noticed the family standing and watching her. Her voice was . . . odd. Not unpleasant, far from it, its warm, deep tones setting a relaxed, gentle tone that held an undercurrent of strength. It sounded like the voice of a mother, somepony you could trust.

What made it odd was, near as Velvet could tell, this pony looked to be in her twenties, far too young for such a voice. The stranger was continuing, while backing away slowly. "Sorry, sorry, folks, I will be on my way. Sorry to disturb your night." She said, catching Shining Armor's eyes, the young stallion glaring at her as though she were a snake.

"He said you were a thief." Shining said, and Velvet rolled her eyes. Here we go again; Soon-to-be Guardspony Shining Armor, out to prove his mettle against any and all violators of the law, bane too all criminal scum everywhere. "Is that true?"

The mare bit her lip and smiled sheepishly. "Well, sir, you see . . . It has been a while since I last ate . . . And, I don't exactly have a lot of bits . . . or any, really."

"That's not an excuse for theft!" Shining said, taking a step forward, and Velvet decided that was enough.

"Shining Armor." She said, simply. She didn't raise her voice, shout or yell. She didn't need to. At the sound of his mother's voice saying his full name, Shining froze up, ears laying down against his head and tail tucking up between his legs. He turned his blue eyes on her, blushing.

"Mooooom!" He said, gesturing at the mare, who stood, awkwardly in the snow. "She's a criminal!"

"She's homeless, Shining Armor! Some ponies aren't as lucky as we are, and sometimes that's not through any fault of their own!" Velvet said, finally raising her voice a bit, making her son cringe back slightly, glancing around to see several ponies had stopped and were staring. Velvet, meanwhile, turned and took a gentle step towards the stranger. "I'm sorry about him, he thinks a guard is supposed to punish everypony who breathes wrong on the law." She said, holding out her hoof. "My name is Twilight Velvet, dear. What's yours?"

The pegasus glanced between the mare and her son, before smiling softly and reaching out, bumping hooves with her. "No need to apologize. I've met the sort, before, and it's fine. I'd rather have a guard that's a bit too zealous, than one who doesn't care." She said, before lifting an eyebrow. "Twilight, hm? That's an old name, with a lot of history. Mine's Golden Feather. A pleasure to meet you, and I'd love to stay and chat and all, but sadly, I must be going, I'm afraid. Lots to do, laws to break. You know." She said, directing the last to Shining, who clenched his jaw and frowned, even as the pegasus winked at him.

Twilight Velvet, however, was frowning in concern. "Dear, do you have any place to stay? It's getting colder, you know."

"Dearest?" Night Light said from beside her. "Maybe we should talk about this?" He said, lifting an eyebrow, and Velvet turned slowly, lifting both brows in response. He frowned, and she thinned her mouth. Clearing his throat, he nodded, stepping back and looking away, and she turned back to the pegasus, accepting his surrender gracefully.

Golden Feather now found it her turn to frown, even as she spread her wings slightly. "I . . . I'm sure I can find somewhere, there's a few places I can check, and besides . . . I'm a pegasus. We don't get cold like other ponies." She said, biting her lip, uncertainty in her eyes.

Velvet nodded. It was true, pegasi magic made it so the flying ponies did not suffer the effects of extreme cold like others, a trait meant to aid them in surviving flight at 20,000 feet in the air. That said, though, Velvet already had her mind made up. "Nonsense, dear! You're coming back home with us."

"Mom!"

"Velv!"

Shining Armor and Night Light both exclaimed at once, but the mare ignored them. The pegasus stammered in front of her, eyes wide, letting her get a good look at the warm, soft rose colour they possessed. "Um, well, I, er . . . I-I couldn't, Mrs. Velvet! That would . . . No, I really couldn't impose, like that!"

"No imposition, dear!" Velvet said, smiling widely now as she grabbed the pegasus in her magic, pulling her along while Spike giggled and wiggled a claw at the wide eyed mare in greeting. "What sort of pony would I be if I left some poor soul to freeze and starve on Hearth's Warming Eve?! Why, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Come along! It's not far!"

Through all of this, Twilight Sparkle had barely glanced up from her book, too engrossed in reading about the mysteries of the Event Horizon to care about another of her Mom's thrill seeking shenanigans.

The walk back to the family home was not a long one, but throughout the trip Shining Armor's eyes had not left their unexpected guest, as the pegasus chatted with his mother, asking about Spike, and then showing some interest in Twilight Sparkle, and her accomplishments. Something Shining had noticed had him frowning, and, first opportunity he had, he slipped into the conversation, with a question.

"That's a nice necklace you've got on. Where'd you get it?" He asked, eyes running down to the pony's neck. 'Necklace' may have been an understatement: A large, golden trapezoid hung from a chain, close in to the pegasus' neck, three shining emeralds set in the material, which had already required Velvet to keep an eye on Spike, as on several occasions he had tried to reach down for the gems. The pegasus blinked and glanced down, while Twilight Sparkle looked up from her book, eyes flicking to the necklace.

"Shining." Twilight Velvet said, in a warning tone, though her eyes also flickered to the necklace, as though just noticing the fine craftsponyship that had gone into it.

The pegasus, Golden Feather, lifted one wing in a placating gesture, smiling slightly. "It's alright, Mrs. Velvet. It's not an unfair question." She said, before sighing through her nose, reaching up with one hoof to lift the necklace up slightly, looking down at it. She glanced up, meeting Shining's eyes, and he was captured by the weight in her rosy gaze.

"This was a gift, from . . . Somepony I thought I could trust." She said, the last holding a bitter tone, underlaid with a deep sadness. "Turns out . . . my faith was misplaced."

"That's very old." Twilight said, and the adults turned to look at the filly, who was levitating her book beside her while staring at the necklace with a frown. "I read a book on old jewelry. I've never seen anything like that before." She said, before glancing up at the sound of the pegasus' chuckle. A frown crossed the filly's brow, briefly, as she stared at the mare, who cleared her throat, glancing away.

Golden Feather got her smile under control and glanced back to the filly. "That doesn't surprise me, young Miss Sparkle. As you said, it's very old, and from a . . . place, far from here." She said, and Twilight tilted her head, storing her book in her saddlebags.

"Who gave it to you?" She asked, and Golden Feather glanced at her again, seeing a flicker of deep seated curiosity in the filly's eyes. Taking a breath, the pegasus smiled, eyes going distant as she thought.

"A Queen." She said, and the family all turned and stared at her.

"A . . . Queen?" Velvet asked, eyes going a bit wide, while Shining and his father shared an eyeroll. Twilight simply frowned harder.

"But . . . There aren't any Queens in Equestria." The filly said, and the pegasus blinked, looking at the filly closer, before tipping her head back, lifting an eyebrow, smiling slightly.

"That's true. But as I said, this is from a place far from here, a long way from Equestria. There are many places in Equus that do not follow our laws, and nor should they." She said, in a lecturing tone, making Velvet think of a teacher, speaking to a student.

"Alright, everypony, we're here." Night Light said, interrupting Velvet's thoughts as he turned to head down the walk to the family's grand, old, three story town house. Night Light's family was an old one, in Canterlot society and, while not technically part of the Nobility, they had a lot of money and influence, though her husband rarely spoke to those connections his father and grandfather had cultivated.

Velvet ushered them all inside, before beginning to dish out orders. "Nighty, Shiny, dears, help get the table set up. Twilight, go put up your book and bags, and make sure Spike is settled. Golden Feather . . . " She turned, lifting an eyebrow at the bemused looking pegasus mare, who turned to her with a smile. "Be a dear and . . . No offense, but, could you go upstairs and take a shower, please?" She asked, looking apologetic, but only a little.

Golden Feather dipped her head, blushing slightly, and nodded. "Of course, Mrs. Velvet. I s'pose, if you're going to do this for me . . . that's the least I can do. It . . . Might take a bit, to get all of this off, though." She said, frowning as she looked up at the clock, seeing that it was nearly six p.m.

Twilight Velvet simply nodded, smiling. "That's alright, dear, we understand. We won't start without you! And, please, just call me Velvet." She said, patting the mare on the wither lightly, getting a hesitant smile in return, before the mare headed off upstairs, following Velvet's directions to the bathroom.

Around half an hour later, as the last dish of roast cauliflower and eggplant left the oven and was being settled into the table, and a bit after the sun had set outside, the scent of orange shampoo drifted into the dining room drawing the gaze of the family. Twilight tilted her head, looking up fro mwhere she was straightening Spike's bib, while Night Light choked on the piece of cauliflower he'd snagged from the platter. Shining simply stood, staring, mouth hanging open. Velvet smiled widely, eyes shining.

The pegasus, fur still ruffled from drying, stood in the doorway, wings working to reattach the golden choker necklace around her neck. Her fur was the color of buttermilk, while her mane and tail, which hung loose from their braids, still damp in places, were the rich golden color of wheat under the setting sun, all but for that single lock, by her left ear, which was the warm color of a clear summer sky. Her eyes sparkled like garnets, or dew covered roses, in the warm light of the dining room.

Golden Feather finally looked up and stopped, eyeing the four ponies who were either actively or subtly staring at her. A small smile quirked up one side of her mouth. "What?" She asked, and Velvet snorted.

"Don't you be coy, MIssie! You look stunning! Just ask my husband, who's trying very hard not to stare at you. Or my son, who's failing miserably to do any such thing, even though he already has a marefriend!." Night Light choked again, while Shining suddenly snapped his eyes away from the mare, looking to his hooves as though they were the most interesting things in the world.

"Why does daddy keep choking like that?" Twilight asked, frowning in concern.

"Because he's a lovable idiot, dear." Velvet said, reaching out a hoof to pat her husband's back, grinning from ear to ear the entire time.

Golden Feather blushed, looking down at the ground and shaking her head. "Oh, am I? I don't . . . Really think so." She said, though her smile belied her words, as she brushed her damp mane and the little blue feather on her earring aside. Velvet chuckled.

"Whatever you say, dearie. Come alonmg and sit! We don't want the food getting cold, now do we?" The unicorn mare said, still smiling as she ushered them all to seats at the table.

Dinner started with an awkward silence, Golden Feather smiling down at her plate, while Night Light and Shining Armor paid very close attention to their food, one worrying about his mother telling his marefriend he'd been staring at another girl, and the other wondering how comfortable the couch was going to be, tonight. Velvet, meanwhile, was smirking, while Twilight kept her eyes on their guest.

"Where are you from?" The filly asked, face serious, and Golden Feather looked up, lifting her eyebrows at the question. Twilight Velvet smiled, nodding.

"Yes, dear, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" She said, latching on to the icebreaker offered by her little daughter. Bless her curiosity, if only it wouldn't get her in trouble so often.

Golden Feather cleared her throat, swallowing the bite of cauliflower she had in her mouth, and shrugged. "Well . . . I was born in Fillydelphia, if that's what you're asking. But, as for where I call home . . . I guess that's Canterlot, now, and has been for a while."

"Sounds like you've been all over." Night Light spoke, also grateful for the change of subject.

Golden Feather nodded. "More than you know." She said, smirking slightly.

"Where have you been?" Twilight asked, the filly sitting forward in her seat, eyes wider and starting to shine in that way that the family had grown to know and fear. Her curiosity was in full gear, and it would be like battling Cerberus itself to pull it back down.

"Twilight, perhaps that's too personal of a question." Velvet said, sternly, but was surprised by the pegasus chuckling and waving a wing.

"No, no, it's fine. There are no bad questions, only bad answers." Golden Feather said, sitting back in her seat, taking another bite of food, as she seemed to mull the question over. Finally, she swallowed, and nodded. "I've been all over Equestria, and beyond, little one. From the north lands of Yakyakistan, to the south, in Abyssinia, and over the sea to Griffinstone and the Dragonlands." She said, and the filly's eyes went wide.

"Were you an explorer?" She asked, leaning foward, and the pegasus bobbed her head back and forth.

"At times. Explorer, mercenary, spy, scholar. . . " She said, and Velvet gasped.

"A spy?!" She asked, and the pegasus nodded.

"Oh, yes. Of course, I can't tell you about that." GOlden Feather chuckled, only to be interrupted by a snort.

"Oh, of course!" Shining Armor said, glaring at the mare. "You're awfully young, to've done all that, aren't you?"

"Shining!" Velvet snapped, and the colt turned on her, shaking his head.

"Mom! This is clearly all bull . . . crud." He said, gulping at her warning glare, and quickly changing out the curse for something else. "Look," he continued, "she's obivously lying! She's just some scam artist trying to con you!"

Velvet snorted. "And?! So waht if some of it's not true, Shining Armor? Isn't it part of the season to tell tales? And, as for her being a scam artist, I think such a pony would choose a story a bit more believable, don't you?"

"What? But, I-" SHining stammered, looking to his father for help, but Night Light, long versed in how best to deal with his wife's advernturous streak, simply shrugged.

"She has a point, son." He said, smiling, and Shining shook his head.

"Well, I'm not eating at the table with somepony like this!" He said, standing up, and Velvet frowned, mouth turning down, before a soft voice spoke.

"Cadet Shining Armor." Golden Feather said, and the colt stopped, looking at her, frowning. "You have no reason to trust me. I acknowledge this. But, I do promise you that I have no ill intent towards you, or your family. You have my word, and that is worth a lot to me." The mare said, meeting the stallion's eyes.

Shining stared at her for a long moment, jaw clenching, while a tense silence settled over the table. Velvet's mouth turned down at the corners, and she bit her lip. She didn't mean for anything like this to happen. SHe wasn't an idiot, it was obvious that the pegasus wasn't being honest with them, or at least not completely. Still, there was something about her that put the unicorn at ease, something that reminded her of being a foal in her mother's arms.

Still, she didn't want anypony upset! This was supposed to be a night of fun and happiness, of the family coming together! And now her stupid need for adventure had led her to doing something she shouldn't have! She felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she fought to keep from crying at the table.

She saw Shining Armor glance over at her, and ducked her head, trying to hide the state she was in, though too late. The colt frowned, before he sighed. "Fine. Fine . . . But I don't trust you!" He said, slowly sitting back down, and throwing a glare at the pegasus while Velvet looked up at him, reaching up to wipe her eye with a corner of her napkin.

Golden Feather nodded. "That's fine, Shining Armor." She said, before tipping her head up with a smile. "I sense a great future for you, in the guard . . . if you survive basic training, that is." She said, chuckling, before looking over at Velvet and frowning, reaching out a wingtip to brush away a bit of moisture from under the older mare's eye. "I am sorry, Velvet. I shouldn't have come here." She said, frowning down at her plate.

"No, no, I should . . . I shouldn't have-" Velvet started, before being interrupted by Shining Armor.

"No, Mom. You're just being you, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm sorry." He said, looking at his mother, guilt and worry in his eyes, and Velvet reached out a hoof, and he touched it with his, smiling at her, while Golden Feather watched them both, a warm smile on her face, making her rosy eyes sparkle.

After dinner was finished, the family and their unexpected guest, moved into the living room, where a fire was crackling, the logs enchanted to burn a deep,rosy pink color, like the Fire of Friendship from the story. They gathered together and pulled out their Hearth's Warming Dolls, Shining sitting beside Twilight on the floor, while Velvet and Night Light occupied twin recliners and Golden Feather took a seat on the couch.

The family was putting the final threads through their dolls, to put a final touch to them before placing them on the mantle. Golden Feather watched as Shining Armor alternated between working on his doll, teasing Twilight about the off center mane on hers, and helping his little sister with the stitch line. He caught Golden Feather staring, a small, melancholy smile on her face, and frowned. He glanced at his mother, and cleared his throat, mouth tightening a bit, and made to turn back to his sister and ignore the pegasus.

Twilight, however, had noticed his distraction, and now noticed Golden Feather watching them. "What is it, Miss Golden Feather?" She asked, and the pegasus took a breath, blinking her eyes and shaking her head slightly.

"Oh . . . Nothing." She said, trying to smile reassuringly, though it still had sad edge to it. She waved one wing, sighing. "You two . . . you jsut remind me of my foalhood." She said, sitting back into the couch and sighing softly again.

Night Light spoke up, now. "What did your family do, for Hearth's Warming Eve, then, Golden Feather?" He asked, and the mare pursed her lips, before clearing her throat.

"Much the same as you, I suppose. We followed our tradtions. Every family has their own little eccentricites about it, isn't that so?" She said, and he nodded.

"I suppose so. We like to open a gift tonight, for instance, and I've met ponies who would look at me aghast at the idea." He said, chuckling, and the mare smiled.

"Exactly." SHe said, before looking up as Velvet stood, and the rest of the family did too, each of them using their magic to lift their dolls up to rest on the mantle. Each one a little, simple cloth doll representation of the family members, Twilight's looking a little rough around the edges, the mane not quite centered right, and one button eye a bit looser than the other.

This must have been her first time doing it herself.

After that they all sat again, smiling, even Shining Armor starting to look more relaxed, as each of them lit their horns and pulled a single gift from beneath the tree. Twilight's was a large, rectangluar package, wider and taller than it was thick. Book shaped, one might say. Golden Feather smiled, looking at it, before the filly began to tear the package off with her magic.

As the wrapping came off, the cover of the book came into view, a hardback depicting a copy of an old portrait of Princess Celestia, standing regally on the balcony of Canterlot Castle, overlooking her kingdom below. The title, emblazoned above the image, read 'The Life and History of Princess Celestia Sol Invicta, and her Harmonius Equestria, by Gilded Tongue'.

Twilight lit up like a lamp, leaping up and squealing in surprised glee, thanking everypony in the room, until she found the one responsible, which turned out to be her brother. SHe leaped over, clinging to him, almost in tears from her happiness, and he held her tightly, smiling brightly.

Golden Feather, for her part, smiled at the display of joy, but kept glancing at the book with a small frown, her upper lip curling slightly. Shining Armor noticed.

"You have a problem, Golden Feather?" He asked, eyes hard while he frowned, and the mare blinked, looking up at him as everypony turned their eyes on her.

"Oh . . . No. Not at all." She said, "I just . . . Don't care much, for such forms of literature." SHe said, glancing away.

"Well . . . It's not your book, is it?" Shining said, narrowing his eyes ,and the mare nodded, giving a sour smirk.

"No. It is not." She said, though now Twilight was looking up at her, aghast.

"But . . . But . . . But this is history! And it's about Princess Celestia, and she's the best Princess ever!" She exclaimed, tipping her chin up, bottom lip stuck out and trying her best to look stern.

As such, she, along with everypony else, was taken aback by the surprise burst of laughter that came from the pegasus mare. It did not last long, just a brief, though loud cackle of shocked humour which which bordered on mania, then she had herself under control, but for a tremble in her lip and a glitter in her eyes.

"What?" Twilight asked, frowning in confusion, and the mare held out a wing while she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Oh, nothing, nothing . . . I just . . hehe . . . I'm sure Celestia would appreciate the compliment, dear Twilight, though she might disagree with you . . . As for it being history. . . ." She sat forward, reaching out a wing and laying a single primary feather on the cover of the book. "Always remember, Twilight . . . There is a difference, between what really happened, and what HIstory tells you. Afterall, somepony had to write all these books . . . and they were rarely unbiased in their views."

Twilight frowned up at her, then down at the book, then glared up at her again. "A book wouldn't lie! Why would they write it down if it's not what happened!?" She exclaimed, lower lip trembling again, and Shining stepped up beside her, putting his hoof on her shoulder. His angry scowl was mirrored in the depths of the stern expressions on the faces of Night Light and Twilight Velvet.

Golden Feather took a breath and leaned back, smiling softly. "What do I know?" She said, sadly. "I'm just a homeless pony, invited in on a whim by your mother. You shouldn't listen to me." She said, looking at Shining Armor and his protective hoof around his little sister's shoulders, and Twilight's grim grip on the book, intelligent eyes troubled, as she looked at the golden mare.

Golden Feather sighed, smiling a bit wider, a melancholy edge to it. "You two remind me of my sister and I." She said, softly, before her eyes truned down, brows arching, and she stood, turning and walking out of the room without another word.

The family sat, staring after her, Velvet biting her lip, looking upset, while Night Light rubbed her shoulder. Shining snorted, looking towards his sister. "Good riddance, right si-" He was interrupted by the filly jumping up, book left laying, as she ran after the pegasus mare, to the sound of her family yelling after her.

"Wait!" Twilight called out as she ran out the front door of the house, seeing the mare stopping in the middle of the walk, wings spread. THe pegasus turned, catching teh filly's eyes, and slowly foled her wings, turning to face her as the young unicorn trotted up, coming to a stop a few paces away, in the snow.

"Twilight! Get back in here!" Shining Armor yelled, coming out of the door, horn already glowing.

"Twilight Sparkle, you listen to your brother!" Night Light said, sternly, jsut behind his son, only for both of them to have their ears grabbed in a cerise aura, and tehy were yanked to a gasping halt, as Twilight Velvet stepped out from behind them, looking at them and shaking her head in disappointment. She turned a smile on her daughter and nodded, though she was still frowning lightly.

"Go on, sweetie." She said, and Twilight swallowed hard, turning back to meet the eyes of the stranger.

They stood for a moment, staring into each others eyes, the young filly frowning slightly as something pecked at the back of her mind. Something . . . familiar, about that rosy gaze. Finally she shook it off, and took a deep breath, biting her lip and looking down at her hooves. "I'm sorry, Ms. Golden Feather. I didn't mean to upset you, and I shouldn't have snapped like that. It wasn't polite."

Golden Feather took a breath of her own and let it out, gently. "It's alright, Twilight. You were only standing up for what you believe in. Don't ever stop doing that." She said, smiling down at the filly, who looked up at her, smiling back slightly, before she frowned again.

"You've got a sister?" She asked, remembering the last thing the mare had said, before the argument had boiled over again. She watched as the mare's face fell slightly, eyes going distant and sad, and her breath caught. "Is . . . Is she . . . dead?" She asked, hesitantly.

Golden Feather looked up, blinking, and smiled slightly. "No . . . So far as I know, at least . . . She's still alive." She said, taking another deep breath, this one less steady than the last as she let it out, looking up into the dark, cloud filled sky above. "She's just . . . a long way away from here. I . . . I haven't seen or spoken to her in a . . . very long time." She said, blinking again as she looked back down to the little filly.

"Why not?" Twilight asked, frowning, and the mare thinned her mouth, looking thoughtful.

"We . . . Had a falling out. I . . . used to drag her along on my adventures, when she just wanted to sit at home and read a book. I never had time for book learning, back then." She said, taking a breath.

"You . . . You're not that old, though." Twilight said.

"Thank you!" Shining said from behind her, only to be silenced with a grunt from his mother's elbow in his ribs.

Golden Feather smirked slightly, shrugging. "Things are not always as they seem, Twilight Sparkle. I'm older than I look." She said, smiling kindly down at the filly.

"Oh." Twilight said, looking thoughtful, before turning her eyes back up to the mare. "So, where is she? Your sister? Why haven't you spoken to her? Will you see her again?"

The mare took another breath, shaking her head slightly, eyes downcast. "A very long way away, someplace I can't go. That's why I can't speak to her. As for that . . . " She lifted her eyes up, looking the filly over for a moment, before smiling slightly and meeting her eyes. "I'm hopeful, that I might see her again, soon." Her face fell again slightly. "I just . . . I don't think she'll be very happy to see me, though. I . . . To put it simply, Twilight, I was not a very good sister." SHe looked up, at Shining, where he stood behind his sister, and back down to the filly, smiling sadly again.

"It's very special, the relationship you have with your brother, Twilight. Don't ever let anything come between you and it, either of you. Even if it seems harmless, or more important . . . Nothing in this life, nothing can be more important, and nothing can cause more harm than that which would separate siblings who are so close." She said, eyes glistening with tears for a moment, before she looked down, turning away slightly.

She stopped, Shining gasping, as Twilight ran forward and hugged her leg. Golden Feather froze, looking down at the filly in shock, as Twilight looked up at her, eyes sad, but also smiling. "I'm sure everything will be alright, Ms. Golden Feather, and if you apologize to her, I'm sure she'll forgive you!" She said, eyes glistening, and Golden Feather bit her lip, eyes tearing up again, before she gently hugged the filly back, smiling sadly.

"I hope you're right, Twilight. I hope you're right." She said, softly, before slowly breaking the hug adn stepping away. "I've taken up all of your time enough. I should go."

"But, it's so cold!" Twilight said, shivering as though just now realizing she was standing out in the weather without any coat or anything.

Golden Feather smiled, ruffling her mane gently. "Don't worry about me, little one. I have a place or two to stay that are nice and warm." She looked up as the other members of the family, led by Twilight Velvet, stepped up alongside the filly, looking at her with various expression, though it was mostly guilt.

"Thank you all, for your hospitality, and for dinner." The pegasus said, her smile matched by Velvet and Twilight Sparkle's. "I jsut wished I'd gotten to have dessert!" She said, chuckling lightly, and Velvet tilted her head, smirking, as her horn lit. With a pop of displaced air, a spare saddlebag appeared in the air, tied off and bulging slightly, floating in the unicorn's aura.

"Here, dear. Let others know, if you can, that while we only have so much, if anypony out there needs help, we're willing to do what we can." She said, smiling again as the pegasus mare donned the saddlebag across her barrel.

"Thank you, Velvet." She said, smilign warmly, before she hugged the mare. "You're a good mother, and have a great family, truly." SHe said, softly. "Your son's going to go far, in the guard, I promise." She said, patting her back, before she stepped back, giving everypony there a final look.

"Keep reading, Twilight Sparkle. Study, learn, and most importantly, seek to understand what you learn." She said, nodding her head, before turning and, with a beat of her wings, taking off into the snowfilled sky above, quickly disappearing from view of the family below. . . .

Snow fell softly from the heavy, dark clouds above, which were kept under control by roving patrols of weather pegasi. The ponies of the Hearth's Warming weather team were some of the most skilled that Cloudsdale produced and were paid triple to work on the night before the festival. Theirs was a time honored and ageless tradition, to make certain the ponies of Equestria had a white Hearth's Warming.

For a city as large as Canterlot, it took quite a large team to manage, and often times Canterlot Weather Control had to bring in extra wings to help out. As such, one more pony that none of the locals knew was not something of much note, and one set of golden edged wings made use of this to blend in with the clouds and snow, as she flew above the city, angling herself higher and higher.

Thoughts of the night ran gently through her mind as she arched her way up, catching drafts and currents that even some of the most skilled fliers would have had a hard time finding. Things had gone south of planned, right after the shopkeep had caught her snagging a little bit of fruit cake off the shelf. She'd only wanted a taste! Still, she supposed . . . she probably could have waited.

Fruit cake wasn't even her favorite, anyway.

Then . . . The Sparkles were there. Her fortune in this could not be ignored, and it made her wonder if more than mere luck had been a factor in it. Twilight Velvet inviting her to their home had been a shock, but a welcome one. Getting a glimpse into that family's dynamic and home life was a treat she had not expected, when heading out that afternoon.

Twilight Sparkle . . . She really was special. Her cutie mark would have shown that, no matter what. Marks depicting celestial objects were rare, and often denoted great magical talent, be it in the practice or study of such. However, Twilight's mark was even more interesting to certain parties. A great, six pointed star, surrounded by a ring of other, smaller stars, and overlaying and even larger one.

. . . . The stars shall aid in her escape . . .

The mare turned her attention back to the world around her as the structure of the castle formed out of the clouds ahead of her, just a few dozen yards away. With a deft tilt of her wings, as of one who had been flying for many, many years, she turned her body, gliding along the surface of the building so close she could have reached out and touched the whitewashed stone with her hooves.

She twisted midair, feeling the cold bite of the freezing winter wind through her fur, felt it whipping her mane and tail, and smiled, grinning broadly while she cheered to the heavens above and the earth below. She had not felt so joyous in a very long time, but now, for the first time in a long while. . . .

She twisted again, coming in low, and landed nimbly on a snow covered balcony, by a partially open door. Inside the room, a fire crackled warmly, greeting her as she slipped inside and shook herself like a wet dog, flinging bits of snow onto the floor to melt, before idly kicking the door shut with one rear hoof.

She paused briefly in front of the fire, laying the package from Twilight Velvet down on a nearby table, while shaking her wings out and basking, warming herself, before she turned and trotted over to a painting on the wall. She lifted it off, revealing a blank, mahogany wall paneling behind. Setting the painting aside, she turned and stretched up, slightly, pressing one forehoof against a small section of broken panel. The section shifted, and then slid in with a faint click, and a section of wall roughly seven feet tall and four feet wide loosen and slowly swung inwards at her push.

She smiled slightly and stepped inside the old, walk in safe, trotting past portraits, gilded caskets, gem encrusted crowns and old stone tablets, to stop before a small, slightly dusty glass case which was empty. She pressed another button, disarming the alarm on the case, and then carefully lifted the glass free, revealing the dark, velvet covered form of a dispaly stand for a necklace.

She reached up, slowly, and took the necklace off, holding it in her hooves, so it was still in contact with her body. She stared down at it, at the glittering facets of the emeralds, set into the face of the gold plated piece of steel. The craftsponyship was exquisite, but, as young Twilight had (surprisingly) noted, foreign to how such things would have been made in Equestria.

As she stared at it, her mind drifted back, to a warm summer day, in an open field of flowers, by a burbling brook. To the heat of the sun on her back, in her mane and flowing from her pores. The heat turning to fire, scorching the flowers, grass and the very dirt itself to ash. To the screaming. . . .

"I thought you got rid of that." A calm, deep, stoic voice with a posh, Trottingham accent spoke from behind her, and she jumped so hard she nearly dropped the necklace and tripped over a display case of rare coins nearby. Spinning around, she saw the figure of an Earth Pony stallion, with a dark auburn coat and white mane and tail, along with a neatly trimmed pair of sideburns, staring at her over the frames of his half moon spectacles. He was wearing a proper looking bowtie around his neck, and his cutie mark was of a quill over a desk.

Blowing out a harsh breath, the mare rolled her eyes, standing up to her full height, which put her about eye level with his chest. "Oh, Writing Desk! You should really not go around scaring ponies like that! You could give them a heart attack!" She chided, and she thought she saw the briefest of smirks lift up one corner of his mouth, before his face returned to its usual stoic mask.

"I hardly think I need worry about that, Your Majesty." He said, quirking an eyebrow. Snorting, she turned back to the case, cliutching the amulet in one hoof and, with a focus of her will, triggered the spell that lay within.

The emeralds glowed, then lit up with green fire, which raced up from the amulet, over the mare's hoof and leg, across her neck and head, and down her back, until she was engulfed in roiling, emerald flames. For his part, Writing Desk barely blinked, as the fires died down and left standing before him, looking slightly disheveled but smiling triumphantly, Her Royal Majesty, Princess Celestia Sol Invicta, ruling monarch of Equestria.

Shaking her wings slightly, the Princess turned, magic lifting the amulet and placing it gently upon the stand, before she closed the display case back. Turning with a breath, she looked down at the steward, and pursed her lips. Something about his impassive features managed to impart a sense of dissappointment, such as to make a father blush.

"Oh, come on, Desk, you can't begrudge me a bit of fun on Hearth's Warming Eve, right?" She asked, poking him in the chest with a primary feather, before skipping past him, humming.

This did manage to break the stallion's impeccable facade, a slight frown furrowing his brow as he turned to follow his Princess out of the vault, which she promptly shut behind him. "Pardon me, Your Majesty, but . . . if I may be so bold as to say, you see quite a bit more . . . cheerful, tonight, than is often the case." He said, and she looked at him once more, thoughtfully.

"Do I? Am I really so dour, all the time, Desk?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow, and he cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable, and she positively beamed, internally, of course.

"Well, no, Your Majesty! Of course not! I simply meant . . . erm . . . Well, you hardly spend your time skipping about in such a way. What . . . May I ask, what happened out there?" He asked, frowning again at her, and she took a breath, a warm smile on her face as she walked over, looking down at the crackling fire.

"I had a splendid visit with a most . . . wonderful family. Certainly, it caused a . . . bit of chaos, perhaps, but only a little! And it let me see . . . " She paused for a moment, eyes glowing in the firelight, while the stallion watched on, seemingly impassive, but waiting on baited breath for her to continue.

Finally, she blinked her eyes and turned, looking up at him, and her smile warmed more. "How is little Raven, Desk?" She asked, and he blinked at the change of topic.

"Er . . . She's well, Your Majesty! Or, um, as well as any filly her age, I suppose?" He said, non-plussed, and she bit her lip, stifling a grin, before walking over and patting his shoulder with a wing.

"You have a wonderful family, Writing Desk . . . Speaking of . . . shouldn't you be at home, right now?" She asked, lifting her brow and giving him a concentrated look, very similar to that of a mother about to chastise her youngest foal.

He cleared his throat. "Yes! Yes, I simply had some paperwork that-"

"-COuld have waited for the end of the week, Desk." She finished, and watched him deflate, slightly. She shook her head, smiling. "You have served me well, and I have no doubt you will continue to do so for many moons yet to come, but right now . . . it is Hearth's Warming, Writing Desk! Go home to your family! Work will wait." She said, patting his withers again before stepping away, to the still open balcony door, her breath fogging slightly in the cold air blowing in.

"Erm . . . Yes. Of course, Your Majesty." He said, bowing his head. "Have a Happy Hearth's Warming, Marm." He finished, bowing again, before stepping out of the room, seeing his Princess once more lost in thought, as she stared out of the window.

Outside, the city danced gaily with lights of every hue, and bonfires were being lit to celebrate the season, while the sound of many voices rose on the air, singing carols and hymns of old. And above, for the first time that night, the pegasi began clearing away some of the cloud cover, letting the moon shine down upon the city, making the snow glitter and shine like diamonds in her light. The face of the Mare in the Moon looked down upon them, and no doubt made some foals, and even older ponies, feel a shiver of thrill or fear at the legend of Nightmare Moon.

But one pony looked upon that grim visage with a different emotion, one she had not allowed in her heart in a long time. One spawned by the warmth of friendship, and family, and a renewed since of joy in all such things. One that lit as a fire in her heart, warming her soul from the bottom up until she could not help but smile up at the face in the moon, a face who's true self she had not seen in nearly a millennium.

For the first time in a long, long time, Celestia allowed herself to Hope.

A while later, when she opened the gift from Velvet, her mood only improved upon finding a delicious looking slice of pineapple upside down cake.

If only there had been more than one.

1:9 The Nightmare's Tale

Author's Note

So, this is a bit shorter than I'd originally intended, but I got a bit sick over my last weekend. Don't worry, it wasn't the 'You-Know-What'. Just a mild sinus infection that's already pretty much passed, but it slowed me down a bit, and before that I think I was suffering some mild burnout from working so hard on all the stuff for x-mas.

However, I got this to a decent stopping point last night and decided to just publish this bit, and work on the next bit. I've already got an idea for it, and it's gonna be a bit different. :raritywink:

1:9 The Nightmare's Tale

Nightmare Moon, or rather, Luna, looked down at Twilight, eyes narrow and thoughtful. "Ye thinkest we shall be talked out of our endeavor, is that it, Twilight Sparkle?" She asked, voice hard, and Twilight bit her lip.

"Maybe. I might hope so. But, more than that, I geniunely want to know why. You were sisters, what could lead you to hate her so much?" Twilight asked, not lying to the alicorn, as she had a strange feeling that would not go so well.

Luna scoffed. "Pah! Hast ye any siblings, Twilight Sparkle?" She asked, standing up to her full height, and Twilight tilted her head.

"You read my mind. Didn't you find out, there?" She asked, curiosity burning.

Luna's frown deepened. "Nay. 'Twas not the information we were after, Sparkle. We have long been most capable at our arts. If we had wanted to, ye would be a slobbering husk on the floor, bereft of all memory or sanity." She said, face cold, distant. At the Celebration in Ponyville, upon first seeing the 'Night Mare', Twilight had thought her eyes those of a monster, with no care or feeling for any creature around her. Now, though, she saw that face for what it was; a mask, meant to hide the alicorn's true thoughts and feelings from those around her.

It made Twilight feel sad. "I do, then. Shining Armor, my older brother." She said, watching as the mask cracked a little, with a frown.

Luna continued. "Then, surely you must understand the pains, of ever being thought less of! Of being second in everything! Of being cast aside and hidden evermore in thy sibling's shadow!" The dark alicorn pressed, turning and looking Twilight in the eyes, her sapphire orbs boring into Twilight's purple gaze.

Twilight slowly shook her head. "No, Luna. No, I don't. We've had our disagreements, from time to time, but . . . Shining was my hero, growing up, before he left for the Guard Academy, and I went off to Celestia's school."

Luna lifted her chin, eyes going distant as she turned away. "I see . . . Thou left thy sibling your foalhood. With thy thoughts of him pure, those of a hero . . . My sister was mine hero, as well, you know? Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be like her . . . To be worthy of her love." She said, voice soft. "But as we grew, and time took its toll, so, too, did fame, and she . . . Her and her precious sun became all they wanted! All they saw! And I . . . WE were left in the dark! And she . . . She did not . . . She wouldst ne'er listen to us!" She said, voice wavering between rage and hate, before sliding back into despair. As though coming to her senses, she straightened up, rounding on Twilight with a growl. "You shall not change our goals, Twilight Sparkle!"

"Luna! You . . . You're no idiot, surely you know what will happen if the sun doesn't rise again? The world will die!" Twilight begged, and Luna ground her teeth, turning away from the mare, to stare out the window.

"That . . . We will see to it that shalt not come to pass. The ponies of Equestria will bow before me, and in that display of love, they will earn their lives, and then, perhaps, we shall let them see their precious sun again." The dark Alicorn said, and Twilight shuffled her hooves.

"You . . . What have you done with Princess Celestia?" She asked, and watched the Alicorn's ears flick back towards her, her head turning and one gleaming eye locking onto her for a moment. She looked . . . confused, for just a second, before she clenched her jaw and turned her head away.

"She is taken care of." She said, simply, and Twilight felt her heart stumble in her chest.

"Is . . . Did you . . . She's not-" Twilgiht stammered, feeling a cold spot spreading in her chest, before the alicorn shuffled her wings, not turning to look at her, though Twilight saw her duck her head slightly.

"Nay. She lives." Luna said, and Twilight felt her knees go weak from relief.

"Then . . . Where is she?" Twilight asked, and Luna turned to look at her shrewdly.

"You thinkest ye willll free her, if you can get out of this room. Well, knowest thee, she layeth in her old room down the hall. Asleep, ne'er to wake until we allow it." She smiled cruely as she watched the young unicorn's eyes widen. "Our sister was always so lauded for her magical strength! Forsooth, she could knock a mountain down, such was her might . . . But where her power lay in raw strength, ours was always more subtle, complex, the art of toying with the mind and dreams." Her smile shifted, changing slightly, becoming almost wistful as she turned to look out the window once more. "We once used it to help . . . to heal. But that was before . . . " She said, softly, vocie turning dark at the last.

"Before . . . Before what?" Twilight asked, shaking slightly. "What happened?"

Luna stiffened, wings rustling along her back. "Our sister betrayed us!" She growled, low in her chest, and Twilight frowned, feeling a sudden anger and indignation of her own.

"No! Princess Celestia would never do that!" She said, firmly, only to recoil in shock as the alicorn suddenly spun on her, fangs flashing in the moonlight, eyes burning like blue fire, Luna roaring in fury and, beneath that . . . confusion.

"Why dost thou call her that!?"

"Ow. Ow. Ow." Rainbow Dash grunted rhythmically in time with her steps, as she hurried down the hall, trying to catch up to the sounds of the chase, if you wanted to call it that. Pinkie Pie had led Flutterbat a merry chase through the dark, moonlit halls of the ancient castle, popping into one room, only to pop her head out of another door entirely a few seconds later, or even appearing once in a suit of armor, without seeming to take the time to get into it, in the first place.

This strange act of teleportation, flying in the face of Pinkie being an earth pony and lacking any sort of magic, was something Dash had caught bits and pieces of, as she painfully limped along, trying to keep an eye on the pair, while also trying to find Twilight and the others.

For Flutterbat's part, she seemed to be getting increasingly irritated, and less and less ponylike as time went on. At this point, her fur had faded to a dark, msutard yellow, almost grey in places, like that stupid, fancy Prench mustard Rarity liked to use that tasted like crap, and was named after it, too.

Her eyes glowed a sickly, blood red in the dark, and she kept snarling and growling in anger every time she came a few inches from snagging Pinkie, only for the pink pony to suddenly disappear, only to reappear a few yards away, or in some cases right behind her. Such moments were often followed by the pink pony shouting "ARIBA!" or something of the sort, sending the batpony into a startled spasm, before Pinkie sped away.

Also, a couple of times Dash thought she'd heard music, something fast paced and silly, playing in the background, but that was impossible. She must be worse off than she thought . . .

Then again, everything Pinkie was doing was in direct contradiction to all known laws of physics or reality. Dash was far from any kind of egghead, but even she knew that. Still, it was keeping the vampony busy, for now.

Now, if only she could find the others-

She nearly jumped out of her skin as she passed by an open window, showing a view of the castle courtyard from, probably, the third floor, about forty feet up. What made her jump was her thoughts being interrupted by a decidedly unladylike scream as something whipped past outside the window, plummeting to the ground below.

Dash staggered to a halt, instinctively trying to snap her wings open to go to the rescue, and promtply flinching at the pain that went through her abused body. "R-Rarity?!" She gasped, rushing to the window as fast as she could and leaning out, casting her eyes down to the courtyard below, where the sound of a meaty impact still echoed softly. . . .

"That . . . That's her title." Twilight said, nervously, uncertain of what she might have done wrong.

Luna's eyes narrowed and she shook her head. "Nay! My sister was . . . Her title was Queen! 'Twas always Queen!" She said, insistently.

Twilight blinked, shaking her head. 'What? No! That . . . " She went silent, blinking and glancing aside in thought. "Oh." She said, softly, eyes softening as she bit her lip, ears laying back against her head.

"What?" Luna questioned, tilting her black furred head to the side, moonlight glinting off the polished silver plating of her helm. "What lie wouldst ye tell me now, Twilight Sparkle?" She demanded, though her heart did not seem to be in the accusation. She said it as though she were simply playing a part, and one which bored her, as well.

Twilight looked up at her, swallowing tightly. There was much more behind this frightening face before her, than it seemed. She had been painted by legend and history as a villain, a monster and a demon who ate foals and terrorized the kingdom. In appearance, she was exactly as the stories claimed, all vicious fangs and dark, foreboding presence. And yet, that was not who she was . . . the voice that spoke to Twilight wore a thin visage of evil, of superiority, while underneath was a depth of sorrow, anger and spite. Something had driven her to feeling the way she did. Something her sister, Twilight's own beloved mentor, had done.

Taking a breath, Twilight spoke, softly. "Princess Celestia . . . forebade the use of the title 'Queen' in Equestria . . . over eight centuries ago. She stated that, 'never again will any leader of this nation take a title greater than Princess, nor shall any leader be considered greater in power or title than any other.'" She said, quoting directly.

She watched as Luna drew back from her, face unreadable. The looming, black mare turned away, walking to the window and stopping, staring out at the moonlit forest below. Twilight took a tentative step forward.

"You . . . You and Celestia once bore the Elements of Harmony, right?" She asked, and saw the lunar alicorn turn her head slightly, lip curling to show a fang at the mention of that which had banished her so long ago.

" . . . Yes, we bore the foul things. Until such as our Sister took to use them against us! We are not certain what happened, then, though obviously she was unable to bear them alone." Luna said, sounding angry, sad and thoughtful, all at once.

"What are they? I assumed they were just . . . a metaphor, simply a stand in for the virtues they're named after, but if they really did all those things . . . and you're speaking like they did . . . what are they?" Twilight asked, her curiosity peaking a bit, though she kept her mind firmly on her task at hoof.

Luna clenched her jaw and turned back to look out the window. "Dost thou thinkest we are foolish, Twilight Sparkle?! That we wouldst tell thee of the weapon to banish us once more!?"

Twilight lifted her head. "I . . . I don't want to banish you, Luna. And . . . I don't believe that Celestia meant to do so, either."

Luna whirled, growling. "How wouldst thou know?! Thou?! Who were not even a glimmer of a thought in the expanse of the multivere when it befell us?!" She said, stamping her hoof to the floor, cracking the marble tiling there, and Twilight straightened her back, trying not to show the panic that spiked through her.

"You're right, I wasn't there! But I know Celestia, Luna . . . I know her now. Not the mare you once knew, who . . . Who betrayed your trust, broke your heart . . . whatever she did to you, it had an effect on her, as well!" She said, clenching her jaw, before softening her tone. "You . . . You once bore Honesty, didn't you?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

Luna took a slow step back, face unreadable once more, before she swallowed and nodded. "Yes." She said, simply, turning back to the window once more, wings shuffling while her back hunched slightly.

"Then . . . you know I'm telling the truth, don't you? And . . . Correct me, if I'm wrong. I'm assuming the Elements are, in fact, some sort of . . . enchanted object, as the book claimed? But which can only be used by those who possess the virtues for which they are named?" Twilight pressed, tone gentle, but insistent. She would have answers on this.

Luna took a breath and let it hiss out of her nostrils, but she nodded, stiffly. "Mostly, thou art right. Though . . . They be similar most to blessings, rather than enchantments. Sometimes, in the past, objects have been used to aid in the Bearers' focus, but they are not needed. The Elements are gifted unto those which possesseth their virtues."

"Gifted? By who?" Twilight asked, frowning.

Taking another breath, the alicorn's horn lit, softly, the blue aura taking hold of her helm and lifting it clear of her head, with only a moment's hesitation. As it came loose, the flowing waves of her midnight blue mane fell free, billowing gently about her head as she stared out at the night time forest. She lay the helm to rest on the windowsill, and slowly turned to look at the young unicorn.

"Harmony." She said, simply.

The first thing Rarity was aware of was pain. A lot of pain. She wasn't certain if she'd ever hurt this badly in her entire life, not even that one time when she was a filly, and a nasty old hornet had stung her on the nose. That had been awful.

This, though, was different. A bone deep ache in her back, that seemed to be washing back and forth from her right hind leg, up her spine to her neck. She groaned, shifting her weight slowly, and grimaced at how tight and hot her body felt. She felt something . . . soft and warm under her, and became dimly aware that it was rising and falling in a shallow fashion, as of something . . . breathing.

Her eyes snapped open rather quickly and she forgot about her pain as she leaped to her hooves, scrabbling quickly away with a yelp of fear. This turned into a low keen of pain as her neck twinged sharply, and her right rear leg tried to give out on her. Gasping, she barely kept her balance, as she turned her eyes towards where she had been laying.

The creature that lay there was as she remembered it, and yet it looked different. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, or perhaps it was the way it was twisted, awkwardly, crumpled in a heap on the stone courtyard floor, back twisted in a way that was not natural or healthy. Its dirty orange fur was matted with a lather of sweat, and its breathing was shallow, pained.

As she watched, it twitched, and a low pitch whine issued from its throat. She thought she saw a flicker of glowing emerald eyes for a moment, before the creature shivered all over. "A . . . Applejack?" She hesitantly said, torn between trying to run, and an odd desire to stay and help. It was ludicrous! This creature had attacked her! Tried to kill her! It had thrown her from a window, for Celestia's sake!

Of course . . . it had then gone out the window with her . . . .

And . . .She recalled how the creature had grabbed at her, in the air, how they had twisted and spun, before her memory went dark but for pain. Had . . . Had this thing been trying to . . . get between her and the ground?

She grimaced in pain, feeling her back leg and neck twinge again. Obviously, it hadn't worked . . . or, rather, she was still injured. But, of course, she had fallen eighty feet to a stone floor. Of course she was hurt! But . . . she wasn't dead.

Another whimper pulled her eyes back up to the figure laying on the stone floor, twisted and broken, and she felt a sudden, terrifying thought rip through her mind. This was Applejack . . . And she had saved her life. By taking the force of the fall on herself!

"Applejack!" She gasped, staggering over to the creature and finally letting herself drop to her haunches. This close, she saw blood on the ground, and nearly fainted when she realized it was coming from one of Applejack's forelegs, which was bent backwards on itself, bone sticking up out of the flesh. A compound fracture. Rarity might have taken first aid classes, but she'd never cared for the sight of blood, and had actually fainted during one of her lessons.

She bit her lip, though, and forced her stomach to settle. She should set the bone, but . . . looking at the . . . mare? Wolf? Wolfmare? Looking at Applejack . . .she wondered if there was any point. The werewolf's back was twisted in such a way that . . . there was no way it wasn't broken. There wasn't anything Rarity knew that would help with that! Aside from . . . not moving her, but . . .

As she worried and fretted, her eyes were caught by a building, emerald glow, and she looked down, gasping again and shuffling backwards, as static discharges of magic washed over the creature from head to tail. The wolf whimpered and yelped, jerking away from her as it writhed, it's body twisting with a sickening cracking sound that threatened to leave Rarity swooning.

As she watched, the figure, now covered in flickering, emerald arcs of magic, was growing smaller, and the whines and growls were slowly deepening, turning into the familiar, throaty tones of her friend. As the light and magic faded, Rarity shuffled forward, wide eyed, as she looked at Applejack, apaprently healed and fine, laying on her side, barrel heaving as she breathed deeply, eyes half open and looking dazed.

"Applejack?" Rarity questioned, hesitantly, limping closer slightly. Applejack lifted her head slowly, blinking tiredly and looking woozy.

"Ra . . . Rarity?" She question, looking around, before suddenly jerking upright, leaping to her hooves and turning her eyes, still glowing slightly, to the ivory mare. "Rarity! Are you- Oh, sweet Celestia!" The farm pony exclaimed upon seeing the shape Rarity was in. "Oh, no! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I couldn't stop it! I just- I didn't want-"

"Darling, darling!" Rarity said, shocked at the almost hyper, panicked way her friend was speaking. "Darling, stop! I'm . . . Well, I . . . I'm in a lot of pain but, I don't think it's anything permanent. Whiplash and a sprained hoof, best as I can tell . . . And it would have been a lot worse, if you hadn't broken my fall."

"That wasn't me!" Applejack snapped, glaring. "And it wouldn't've happened in the first place, if I could just control it! Or . . . If I jsut wasn't there. Now look at ya!"

Rarity frowned at her. "Applejack, what . . . What do you mean it wasn't you?" She asked, and APplejack frowned.

"That damn . . . monster, livin' in my brain . . . Ain't nothin' but a threat to everypony around me! I thought I had it under control, well enough, but . . . tonight's shown me, ain't it?" THe farm mare snapped, eyes going wider as she went, pacing back and forth and shaking her head. "And now you're all messed up, an' we don't even know where the others are! And it's my fault!"

"Applejack!" Rarity snapped, causing the farm mare to stagger to a halt, turning to look at the brusied, dirty fashionista, her tail cut short and her mane all out of sorts. she stood wit hher head tilted slightly, and one hoof up off the ground, clearly hurting. And yet, there was a hardness to her face and a fire in her eyes that made Applejack really stop and see her. "Now you listen here! None of this is your fault! If it is as you say, and you have no control over that . . . wolf, of yours, then even what's happened to me is no fault of yours!"

"But-" Applejack started, only for the unicorn to light her horn, her light sapphire aura wrapping around the farm pony's muzzle, holding it shut.

"No buts! You will cease this mindless blaming of yourself, this instant! It serves no purpose but to drag you down! If it had not been for you, why, poor Rainbow Dash might've died at that bridge earlier!" Rarity said, stepping forward and moving her magic to press against the other mare's chest.

Applejack stared at the unicorn, wide eyed, before frowning and looking down, ears tucking against her head. "You did as much to save her, or more!" She said, trying to argue, but Rarity was having none of it.

"All I did was tie a tacky old piece of cloth around her leg! ANd . . . And break some pony's wing." Rarity said, stuttering slightly at the last. "BUt, it's hard for a tourniquet to do anything if the pony is already dead, and if you hadn't jumped over and kept Twilight safe while she fixed the bridge, and kept the rest of them off of Dash, we all could have been killed!"

Applejack put her hoof down, glaring at the other mare, griding her teeth. "Damnit, Rarity! I don't care what you say! Helping Dash don't make up for what I am!" SHe said.

"APplejack! As far as I'm concerned . . . Well, so far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with you! I'm almost certain that . . . this 'wolf' of yours helped me, too! If it hadn't turned us so I was on top when we hit the ground, I would have died!"

Applejack waved a hoof, snorting harshly. "Luck! That damn monster don't give a rat's ass about nothin' but it's own self! And killin' anything it can get its claws into." She said, voice going distant and cold, and Rarity frowned, taking a step back. However, she lifted her chin, best as she could, and looked Applejack in the eyes.

"Whatever you say, I don't believe it. It did not have to move me like that, and it did do it on purpose, Applejack!" Rarity snapped, and Applejack's eyes went wide.

"Goldurn, you are stubborn as a damn mule, Rarity!" She snapped, before shaking her head. "I don't care if you think-"

At that moment, their argument was interrupted by a high pitched scream which came from somewhere higher up, inside the castle. The fact that they could hear it so clearly was astonishing to Rarity, who turned, wide eyed, staring up at the looming structure behind her, and she painfully stepped back, to be beside Applejack.

The two turned and stared at one another. "Perhaps we should put this disagreement on hold until after we've gotten out of this castle, darling?" Rarity suggested, and the farm pony nodded, clenching her jaw.

"Eeyup." She agreed, stiffly.

"Harmony?" Twilight Sparkle asked, frowning. "What do you . . . Wait, you mean that hokey religion?" She watched as a frown once more marred the features of the black alicorn. When she wasn't snarling in rage, or casting possibly fatal spells at her, Twilight had to admit, Luna was actually quite beautiful, her coat like the sky on a moonless night, and her mane and tail holding all the stars of the sky.

Twilight was an avid stargazer, and found it fascinating to note actual constellations within the two voluminous wells of magic.

"Hokey . . . What?" Luna asked, snapping Twilight back to the present. "What is this thou speak, Twilight Sparkle?"

"You . . . spoke of Harmony as an object or entity. The only way I've seen it spoken of that way before is in scriptures written between the third and fourth Centuries B.N.M, by a Religious Sect known as the Harmonists. It seems to have been quite a popular religion for osme time in Equestria, but it has since fallen away, the last few centuries-"

"What?!" Luna snapped, mane flickering with small bursts of lightning while her bright, blue eyes glowed.

Twilight gulped. "Um . . . " Before she could speak the other mare whirled, stamping one hoof down and sending a crack through the floor and up one wall, as lighting snapped out, striking the wall nearby, scorching the image of her, but not her, that was painted on the wall.

"Hath mine sister lost what little sense she ever had!?" She whirled on Twilight, seething. "Harmony was not . . . some 'religion'! Some Mythology! 'Twas the truth! An Entity older than us! Older than Equus, even! And it seeks to maintain the balance of this world and others!" Seeing the doubt written plainly on the unicorn's face, she ground her teeth. "What did you think the Elements of Harmony were?! You said it yourself, they need not require objects, as the Bearers are enough! Chosen, not to carry some objects, but as they already possess the virtues needed!"

Twilight shook her head. "That's just magic! Not some . . . ancient entity or pseudo-deity's will! Harmonic magic is a well studied school, founded by Starswirl himself, and he very firmly denounced the idea that any such entity was involved!"

Luna waved her hoof. "Do not speak unto us of that windbag!" She growled, and Twilight blinked rapidly, stepping backwards in shock. "He was our tutor in magic! And all he ever seemed capable of doing was touting his own accomplishments, and spouting his own opinions!" She shook her head. "We are surprised, Twilight Sparkle . . . We thought our opinion of our sister could not get any lower! But if she has truly allowed you to so foolishly keep believing in that idiot's teaching, she has become far worse than ever we imagined!"

Twilgiht stood and stared, shaking for a moment, blinking rapidly, before shaking her head. "You . . . You studied under Starswirl?!" She asked, eyes glowing, and Luna turned, spitting and walked to the window.

"As though we might's well not speak at all!" She snapped, stepping up to the window, and Twilight blinked, frowning.

"Starswirl . . . I'm not a fool, I'm not going to say he was perfect. I didn't know him. I . . .Well, he died a long time before I was born. I just . . . He still made a lot of progress in furthering the intellectual and scientific study of magic. You can't just ignore that!" She looked up and blinked again, seeing Luna staring off out the window, while her face was blank, eyes distant.

"Disappeared." She said, softly.

"What?"

"There was never any sign that Starswirl died. He simply . . . Disappeared, along with . . . ." She sighed, her head dropping slightly. " . . . Though, I suppose . . . It doesn't really matter, now." She stared at the windowsill, silently, for a long moment. "One thousand years. . . . " She said, slowly turning and looking at the unicorn with one eye. "Be it as all we once knew now turned to nought but dust and ash, floating in our memory. . . . " She said, turning back to the window and looking out over the broken, ruined castle courtyard below, really seeing it for the first time, how desolate it was. "Twas a great city, once . . . Before . . . " She grit her teeth, frowning, and turned, looking at Twilight. "Dost thou still wisheth to know, Twilight Sparkle? What transpired that night, so long ago?"

Twilight , who had been staring in rapt fascionation and . . . pity, at the black alicorn, now blinked, and bit her lip. Did she? Princess Celestia had been her idol and hero since she was a filly. She knew the Princess, in ways others did not, she knew that, but . . . she still didn't know her on the most personal levels. Not like a sibling might. Did she really want to know that truth?

That settled it, and she looked up, glaring almost at the alicorn of the night, and nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do, Luna."

The alicorn stared at her a moment, before a small smile quirked up one corner of her mouth, gone almost as quickly as it appeared, and she turned away again, looking up at the now blacked, soot covered image of herself, in younger days. Her horn lit, and her magic reached out, wiping away the scorching as though it had not been.

The magic washed over the room, the alicorn's brow knitted in concentration, as she swept the room with her indigo aura and, as it passed . . . the room was left sparkling, clean and neat, everything looking as it must've a thousand years ago. Twilight stared in awe. For all that Luna said Celestia was the stronger of them, this simple performance of a mass age spell was so beyond anything Twilight had thought possible, it left her gaping, even as she looked back to the dark mare.

Luna's eyes opened, those big, blue eyes, and they seemed to capture Twilight's gaze, and pull her in. "Close thy eyes, little filly, and I will take thee . . . to a dream within a dream, and beyond, to mem'ry."

1:10 Withered Dreams

Author's Note

So, this isn't quite all I had meant to write for this chapter, but I hit a good stopping point, and I feel like it's been a bit longer than I'd like without an upload, so . . . here ya go! :pinkiehappy:

We have one more chapter, if it all works out the way I intend, and then we'll be done with Episode One! Also, I'm having some ideas that don't fit in perfectly with the overall story here, but that I'd like to do.

As such, in order to keep Timberjack from getting too muddied, I may well be starting work on a side series of stand-alone one shots set in the same universe, mostly involving stories of a more . . . Horror/Sci-Fi persuasion.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think with a comment down below, and maybe hit the like button if you've not already. It's amazing how nice it makes me feel when I see that counter go up. That said, positive feedback in the comments is even nicer!

Have a good day, all! Until next time! Harmonia Invictus!

1:10 Withered Dreams

There

You are unware of where you are.

The light flickers and dances around you, and through it, images appear. Feelings, emotions, thoughts and ideas bubble up from a well within you, and yet you are somehow aware that they are not your own. You feel fear, pain, love, lust, hate and envy, and a bone deep need . . . a need for recognition, for inclusion. To be a part of everything around you, and yet you somehow know that you are always and ever apart.

Through the lights and the fog of the strange place you find yourself in, you see a pair of young fillies, unicorns, running through a field of flowers and high grass, laughing and playing. One is noticeably older than the other, probably twelve years of age, around six or seven years the elder of the other. She was starting to have the gangly, long limbed appearance of one on the cusp of young adulthood. Her fur was pale, so pale it may as well have been white, though her soft pink mane and tail brought out highlights of that color within it. Her eyes were a deep, soft rose color, that seemed like it sparkled with laughter. You knew those eyes.

In spite of her age, it is immediately apparent that she does not yet have her cutie mark.

The younger filly gallops awkwardly alongside the elder, he dark blue fur and light, soft blue mane and tail standing apart from the pale colors of who you knew to be her older sister. She had an odd marking, like a birthmark, on her flanks; large, black splotches that covered both sides. However, she, too, was without a cutie mark.

Both fillies tumbled and jumped through the grass, a windmill visible in the distance, as they played and laughed. . . .

And a young tree stood before you, its genus lost on you in its pure beauty, its leaves a deep, glowing silver, its bark a soft gold. It radiated a soft feeling of hope and love and warmth. . .

And the image morphed, shifting, as fear became a prevalent feeling, along with some strange sense of duty. The lights around you whirled and flickered in a rainbow of colors, as you became aware of some image . . . a stone balcony, as of a great, old castle, and the air around you was thick with magic, like ozone on your fur, in your mane. It spun and danced through the air like an aurora, and through it you saw the fillies, older now, the eldest in her middle teens, easily, and both with cutie marks. The older, pale unicorn had a sun wheel emblazoned on her flanks, while the younger had a crescent moon, which seemed to lay perfectly against the dark markings of her own fur.

And, as you watched, the spell they were trying to weave built into a crescendo, the power such that their manes floated as they were lifted from the ground, in the current of magic that lifted then and entwined around their souls. . . .

The tree now stood, a great specimen of its kind, whatever that may be, the glow coming from it bright and powerful. . . .

As the pair stood, the same but different,, horns and wings both aloft as they faced down some great beast you vaguely recognized as a cyclops. They stood upon the burning rubble of a building, winged figures, only half seen and unimportant, flying around in circles, while the sisters stared down the beast.

With a roar, it charged them, lifting a massive, wooden club, the size of a large tree, above its head. And both their horns lit as one, and the image shifted.

A great crevasse had opened in the ground, and somehow you knew that the beast had fallen into its depths. The winged creatures circled, and somehow you felt their love and adoration, their gratitude, and it filled you, made you shine.

Shine like the tree, which now was so bright in its glory that you could not really make out its features any more. However, even as the image began to shift, you thought you felt, more than saw, a flicker of darkness along the peripheral.

Then, you were standing in a place at once familiar and alien, that you recognized as the courtyard of the ancient castle in the Everfree, and yet this place was clean, bustling and full of ponies. Ponies that stood below, looking up at you, no, at the two sisters, who stood looking down at them. They both now wore crowns, one of regal gold, the other of blackened steel.

You somehow knew they had defeated some great evil. They had freed the ponies of Equestria from a terrible threat. And yet, something did not quite feel right. You saw the younger, darker sister look aside and frown slightly. You felt that she was unnerved by the crowd cheering below, but also that she enjoyed it, just as she had the adulation of the Griffins, once before.

But now, seemingly without thinking, her sister stepped forward, slightly, face alight, rosy eyes sparkling, as she moved ahead of the younger sibling. The sun shone from above, and the elder sister, still taller than the younger, even now they were fully grown, cast a shadow over the other mare's features. . . .

The tree was visible again, and it still glowed brightly, its beauty greater than anything found in nature, in the real, waking world. And yet, as you watched, a leaf came free and fell slowly towards the blank expanse of nothing the tree seemed to grow from. . .

And that darkness, again, writhed at the edges of your vision, the image flickering away before you could see what it was. . . .

A battle had occured. You knew this, as you had known things so far, as a feeling, a sudden understanding of something, without real imagery. You only knew this battle had been fierce, and long, and bloody, and it had not ended well.

You watched as the sisters, both clad in armor befitting their themes, stood upon the balcony in the castle again, though now it was subdued, ponies staring up without cheering, some weeping openly, while the eldest spoke. You could not hear words, but you knew somehow that the speech was sorrowful, but also uplifting, picking the crowd up from their sadness while also joining them in it.

As you watched, the crowd rose, faces glowinbg in the late afternoon sunlight, and ponies began to cheer, and wave their hooves, and even sing. And all of it was for her. They cheered for her. They waved their hooves and danced for her. They sang for HER!u

You felt it, then: An anger, burning deep within you, like nothing you'd ever felt, fed by the timber of your hope, and of the spite that you could feel gnawing on the edges of your heart.

They were Sisters. They were meant to be equals! And yet . . . She called herself Queen, while you . . . No, not you, but yes, you, but not . . . Thou were but a Princess in her shadow!

In her shadow.

In shadow.

The tree now lay in shadow, the glow of its leaves but a dull flicker, the bark a peeling darkness. Leaves lay, dead and curled, around it in piles of sad, pale corpses, as more fell from the branches above, and around it. . .

Slithering, clinging, crawling and climbing, the dark, twisted forms of vile, thorned vines wrapped around the trunk of the tree, growing out along the branches, slowly creeping up the height of it, and everywhere they touched, the long, curved thorns dug in deeply, and from those wounds a pure, silvery white blood leaked, staining the trunk. . . .

It was time they learned how to love the moon as much as the sun, or they might never see either again.

Here

Rainbow Dash had panicked, just a little, when she looked out the window and spotted Rarity laying in a crumpled heap in the courtyard below, next to a . . . bear, or something. However, she had little time to process this, as she heard an enraged snarl from somewhere behind her, and turned to see Flutterbat thrashing a suit of armor. The steel plate went flying, covered in dents the size and shape of the normally meek pegasus' hooves, and Rainbow Dash looked up, gulping, as the yellow pony caught sight of her, and her lips curled back, revealing dripping fangs and a long, slender tongue.

"Nuts!" Dash swore, and dove to the side just as the batpony leaped, clearing the distance between them in a flash, and smashed into the wall, cracking one of the heavy cobblestones that made up the interior wall of the corridor.

Pain shot through Dash's body, but she barely had time to think about it. Scrambling to her hooves, she went running down the corridor, practically feeling the hot breath of the vampire at her fetlocks. Internally, she swore with every step, but she had practiced running enough to know how to control her breathing.

That said, she was also in pain, and suffering from fairly severe bloodloss. As such, it was little surprise that she barely made it halfway down the hall, before something snagged her tail, and she fell in a tumble, landing on her back. Immediately, the yellow mare was on her, pinning her to the floor, snarling into her face.

"Fluttershy!" Dash squeaked, and watched the vampire hesitate a moment, eyes seeming to clear a bit. She took a breath, hoping to say something, anything to capitalize on this moment.

And then, Pinkie Pie barreled into Fluttershy from the side, and sent both of them tumbling across the floor.

"Godsdamnit, Pinkie!" Dash swore, blinking up at the ceiling.

Rolling painfully to her hooves, she looked around, and saw the pair of ponies. They tumbled to a stop, and Pinkie rolled off of Fluttershy and bounced up to her hooves with a grin. "Tag, Fluttershy, you're it!" She exclaimed, before darting off towards an arched doorway at the end of the corridor.

Fluttershy snarled and leaped to the air with a beat of her wings, taking off after Pinkie with a hiss.

"Shit." Dash said, sighing, and began to limp after them as quickly as she could. "Ow. Ow. Ow."

Then

You watched her come through the doors to the throne room. Saw then the anger and confusion on her face, as she demanded to know why the moon did not set, even as her sun rose. You snapped, then, and told her. Told her that which was in her your heart, which was in your mind.

And you saw them, those sniveling cowards, courtiers and nobles, who followed her around like hounds with their noses in her rear, begging for a scrap from her table, fawning over her, and always, always, she smiled and accepted them, as they threw their adoration over her like a blanket.

And you were left cold, and alone.

You snapped at her and snapped at them, and watched the fear and hate on their faces, and felt your magic growing.

An ancient practice, used by powerful mages for centuries, to make themselves stronger, and terrifying in combat. A spell that used a lot of energy, but gave it back tenfold, until such time as it was released.

You felt it, ready in your mind without you even thinking about it, and it gave you pause. Were you really ready to do that? To fight? To declare war on your own sister?

And then, with a huff and an angry glare, Celestia turned. "Fine! If you shall not lower your moon, and instead act as a child, then I will do it for you!" She snapped, horn lighting, and you felt her magic push through yours, shoving it aside and grab a hold of the moon.

Your moon.

And that answered your question.

With a scream of rage that felt like acid and flame burning its way up your throat from your stomach, you unleashed the spell, and felt your magic twine around your body, like a tornado of indigo fire that swept over you, lightning flickering through the air as it passed, like a swift and terrible storm, and looking down upon them you knew what they saw, and their fear made you cackle.

You saw them, these sniveling hounds and wealthy beggars, the "pride" of Equestria, stumble over their own hooves as they tried to flee, screaming like foals. Saw the door burst open, admitting four stallions, all wearing that ugly, garish gold armor that Celestia insisted they wear. Saw your sister turn, eyes wide in shock, just before your horn lit.

Your magic struck her like a shot, bowling her over and knocking her through the air, to crash through one of the pillars near the entrance, and then right through the wall, and out into the courtyard.

With another scream of anger, you reached out, your magic building, and your moon shifted, aligining where you wanted it, even as you grabbed a hold of her sun, and with a guttural sound in your chest, forced it down below the horizon.

As sudden darkness fell, the guards made for you, yelling and brandinshing spears and one, a unicorn battlemage, igniting his horn. With a snarl and a narrow of your eyes, your horn lit, batting the first two aside, to strike the wall hard enough to crack the stone, only to fall limp.

The mage fired his spell, and you glanced aside, the magic fizzling out midair and dissipating at your command. With a snort, you struck him down, throwing him into one of the pillars, before turning to watch the final guard rushing out the door, calling for help.

You reached out for him, grabbing him in your magic, feeling it squeeze around his throat, and felt something inside you, then . . . something dark and twisted, and it wanted pain. It wanted to hurt the guard, to kill. You blinked your eyes, hesitating, and that's when it struck you. A blast of energy that felt like pure fire across your fur. You went spinning backwards, smashing through your sister's throne, breaking it in half and quickly being buried by a half ton of polished marble.

Now

Pinkie had not had this much fun in ages, and that was saying something. She was worried about her friends, new and old, of course, but still . . .

Playing 'Catch Me If You Can' with Flutterbat was amazing! She wished she'd known about Fluttershy's little secret earlier!

It wasn't too hard to keep ahead of the vampire, of course, not for her. If you'd asked her how she was able to do so, she would not have been able to tell you. She knew it was something most ponies, especially earth ponies, could not have done, but she just . . . did. It was like blinking, or twitching your tail, something you could just do without thinking about how or why. A reflex action, almost.

Still, the most harrowing, and exciting, moment of the chase so far had been going up the winding staircase. The tight stone walls, and slick stone steps, covered in moss and lichen in places, made for a near claustrophobic, slippery ascent at top speed. Still, she kept out ahead, but barely.

Popping out of the staircase, she found herself in a long, dark corridor, lined with rusty old suits of armor, tattered, moth eaten tapestries and crumbling torch sconces. Oh, and doors, all down one side.

Perfect!

She turned, smiling at Flutterbat as the vampire came snarling up the stairs behind her, fangs flashing. The pink pony stuck her tongue out, giggling, before she flexed that muscle that it seemed nopony else really had. She didn't fall through space and time, like a unicorn seemed to when they teleported, nor did she split apart at a subatomic level and reorganize herself, or a clone of herself, rather, at some other point. That would just be crazy.

No, it was more like she blinked, and then was simply sat inside one of the suits of armor. She watched as Flutterbat, snarling in rage at having lost sight of her, went streaking past. She wasn't sure how a creature so good at hunting could not smell her, but it was yet another thing she simply did not think about or question. Still, Flutterbat not knowing where she was wasn't very fun. She should let her know.

She was about to lift the visor on the helm and shout, when she felt something, a tremor that tingled through her body, across her tail and down one leg. Somepony was sleeping in, it seemed. Suddenly, she had a more interesting thing to think about, than Flutterbat, and so she blinked again, and found herself outside the suit of armor, standing in front of a door to a room.

She could feel magic radiating off of the door and, dimly, as though from the edges of her vision, rather than something she was looking right at, she saw sigils and runes carved into the frame around it. A protective spell, like the one Rarity had once put on her secret stash of chocolate to keep Pinkie out. In Pinkie's experience, though, such things only worked on her when it would be amusing for it to do so. Like a lot of things.

Hoping this wasn't a comically inconvenient moment, she reached out and pressed a hoof to the door. The sigils and runes all glowed brightly . . . before burning out with a little popping noise, and the door creaked open, loudly.

Down the hall, FLutterbat snarled, and her wings flapped.

"Oh, Crackers!" Pinkie exclaimed. Often times, things also didn't work on her when it was comically convenient. Leaping forward, she pushed the door open, then turned and slammed it shut, just as the snarling face of Flutterbat could be seen on the other side. The vampire slammed into the door, making it shake in its frame, and Pinkie actually felt the strain in her legs as the creature of the night battered on the door. Many ponies underestimated her strength, seeing her as a small, pudgy mare with little muscle. This wasn't untrue, but it also wasn't true, either. Pinkie had grown up on a rock farm, and even though she'd lost some muscle mass in exchange for fat over the last ten years in Ponyville, she still knew how to use her strength to advantage.

She also knew how to make use of her oddites to aid her in such situations. Her tail lashed out like a bullwhip, snagging a heavy wardrobe that was . . . oddly still very solid, in spite of how long it must've sat in this room, and tugged it over. She leaped back, just as the wardrobe landed across the door, barricading it. The door vibrated in its frame for a moment longer, before going silent. Outside, a snarl and the flap of wings signaled Flutterbat leaving.

Pinkie hoped she didn't go after Dashie, again, but trusted in her Sense to let her know if she needed to be there to help.

Feeling that odd sensation again, her Sense telling her that somepony who should really be up was not, she turned and examined the room. It was a large, old room with plastered walls, which had been painted with murals of the sun and bright blue skies. The edges of the windows, the baseboards, all of that, looked to have been gilded, though the gold leaf had either worn away or been covered over with a dark patina. The furniture was heavy oak or mahogany, and all of it, like the wardrobe, seemed to have somehow been enchanted to last much longer than it should have.

This included a heavy, ancient vanity, the mirror set into it was, at one time, polished copper, though it too was now covered in a thick green patina, and a large, old, four-poster bed, its drapes, as well, somehow far less damaged than they should have been, after so long unused.

From within, behind those drapes, something was breathing softly.

Moving forward on tip-hooves that still had the floor creaking . . . even though it was made from stone, Pinkie stopped beside the bed. "Helloooo? Is anypony a sleepy head?" She said, softly, standing up on her rear hooves and reaching for the drapes.

At which point, the window behind her exploded inwards in a shower of old glass and rotted wood. The dirty yellow form of Flutterbat burst through from the night sky outside, with a high, shrieking cry, tongue hanging out over fangs that glistened wetly, even as her wings snapped open behind her, leathery surfaces catching the air and halting her forward momentum.

Pinkie gasped and leaped backwards, tangling in the drapes, legs kicking and thrashing, tail flicking, even as the figure below somehow continued sleeping. The vampire pony beat her wings, zipping across the room and coming to a halt in front of Pinkie Pie, where the earth pony hung, now, tangled and suspended in the drapes, her limbs still thrashing, one hoof catching the blanket below her and pulling it half off the figure below.

Pinkie's struggling came to a slow halt as the growling form of the vampire came within a few inches of her, red hot eyes glaring into soft blue ones. The pink pony grinned awkwardly and giggled. "Hehe . . heeee . . . Heya, Fluttershy . . . How're you?" She wheezed.

THe vampire moved forward, tongue sliding out over fangs, eyes completely devoid of emotion or recognition of the pony in front of her. Pinkie started struggling again, and this spurred the vampire into leaping. Pinkie squealed, and the two of them fell, struggling.

And as they did, both their eyes caught sight of the sun.

And the bat pony screamed. Not a snarl, or a roar, or the shriek she'd given when she burst through the window. This was a scream, and while Pinkie was always up for a bit of a screaming contest from time to time, this was something else. She thought her eardrums were going to burst, or at least do a rimshot followed by a double bass roll and an epic fill, and she fell, hooves clutching her head, eyes watering from the volume, as the bat pony staggered back, fell over the side of the bed, and then shot away. It seemed she'd forgotten the open window, as she chose instead to try and burst straight out the door, wardrobe and all.

She almost succeeded, as well, smashing the wardrobe to splinters as she flew through it, but then she hit the door. Which, it seemed, had recharged and rebooted its little enchantment since Pinkie had closed it. One touch of the vampony's hooves sent a burst of magical lightning through her, her body frozen for a moment as her fur and hair all stood on end. Pinkie though she saw her skeleton through her skin for a moment, before the bat pony was suddenly thrown away from the door to smash into the wall beside the window. She then slid down to the floor below, eyes half open, chest rising and falling shallowly, clearly dazed. As she watched, Pinkie saw the other mare's features return to a semblance of normalcy.

Taking a breath, Pinkie worked to extricate herself from the drapes, finally succeeding as she fell of the side of the bed with a thump. She rose with a pained groan, and looked back to the bed, to where that image of the sun had been, and saw it again, now clearly plastered on possibly the largest flank she'd ever seen. She ran her eyes up the pale, still sleeping form in the bed, to the gently flowing aurora of a mane, and smiled.

"Ohhhhh. So that's who the sleepyhead is!"

In Moonlight's Embrace

You felt the scream rip from your throat as you poured more energy into your horn, a blast of pure, raw magic channeling out of your horn in a bright, azure beam that slashed through the night sky, impacting the golden sphere that encompassed your sister. You could barely see her past the light, and almost felt it a grace, that you were saved looking at her smug, self-important face.

As more power funneled into your 'spell', if you really wanted to call such a clumsy use of power a spell, you could feel it as the shield spell began to crack. You could barely believe it. You . . . you were overpowering her! Celestia, who had always been known as the strong one, always the one with the power, was buckling under your strength! You had always known that your battle form was powerful but this . . .

Momentarily, the thoughts flickered through your mind, a small voice, that should have been easy to ignore, and yet it seemed loud in this moment. Why had your sister not taken her battle form? Why was she only putting up a shield, when you knew that defense was not her strongest suit?

Why was she not fighting back?

That did not MATTER! All that mattered was that you were winning! Finally, after all these years, all these decades, you were going to show her, show all of them that you were just as good . . .no, you were better than her! And then, maybe, finally . . . They would love you as much as they did her.

And, maybe, she would show you the respect you deserved.

The scream tore itself from your throat, hard enough you felt like you had damaged something, even as your horn burned and your head ached, and the beam flared white hot. And you felt her shield crack, shattering into a hundred sparks of flickering magic that fell like stardust upon the burning city below you. You had already shown the power of the mind, earlier, before your rage had totally consumed you.

And the city burned for it, ponies screaming in terror in the streets as they were assailed by demons of the mind, forms of nightmare.

And now, she fell. You watched your sister tumble through the sky, struck down by your magic like a bug from a flame. She spun and tumbled, and fell through the roof of the castle's main foyer, shattering stoen and tile in her passage.

With a tuck of your wings and an exhausted, triumphant grin, you followed, the wind whipping past your head, whistling in your ears, and for a moment that rush sounded like applause, adulation and adoration in equal measure as you stood in the light, feeling its warmth on your fur. . . .

You shot through the hole, snapping your wings open to bring yourself to a level hover, looking down at the floor. Blood streaked it, a trail leading away from an impact crater, where Celestia had landed. Following the trail, your eyes found your sister, trying to move towards the front door, as though she would find escape outside. You felt something, a momentary twinge in your heart as you saw the bleeding wounds that covered her.

You shook yourself free of that moment of sentiment. How often had you been hurt, and she showed no care to you?!

But she did care. The small voice spoke, but you drowned it under your rage.

Lies! She cared only for herself! She never gave you the dues you deserved! And it was time she saw that. Igniting your horn, you launched yourself forward, your magic aura reaching out and snatching her up from the floor. You brought her up to you, twisting her harshly in your magical grasp, and she gasped, looking up, rose eyes meeting your own sapphire orbs, and you stopped, for a moment.

"L . . . Lu. . . " She gasped, barely able to speak past your grasp on her throat.

"NO!" You snapped, your rage boiling over at the foalhood nickname. "Not anymore! You let them call me what they wished! So now, that is what I shall be! Luna no more! I . . . am Nightmare Moon!" You snarled, baring the fangs of this form at her, and watching her face twist in a grimace of fear and pain, before you took wing, twisting in the air lithely and, with a whip of your head, sent your pathetic sister flying.

She struck the wall near the front door, smashing through it like a shot, knocking stones many times her own mass free and sending them crumbling to the ground outside, while she disappeared from view. Leering, feeling hate and anger fueling you, you flapped your wings and followed her, feeling satisfaction in your heart as well, as you flew outside and saw ponies cowering nearby in fear, shock and horror on their worthless, sun-loving faces as they beheld you.

You spread your wings, staying aloft more through magic than flight, as you looked at them, vaguely aware of your sister, crumpled on the ground nearby. "Ponies of Equestria!" You shouted, voice blaring loudly, magically enchanted to echo around the city, to reach every subject. "BOW! Bow before your new Queen!! Who's sight you fled and love you rejected! Now, Love me! Love me or despair!" You looked upon them, feeling your smile grow, cold and cracked, as they recoiled, some actively weeping. "For if you do not love me, then your precious sun shall never return! And this, my beautiful night, shall last forever!" You finished, feeling a maddened, painful cackle, almost more sob than laugh, burst forth as you beheld the fear you had begot.

"Luna." Her voice spoke, broken and pained, and you turned to see your sister leaning against the base of the statue built to honor the Elements of Harmony, as though they needed such physical representation, over that which lay in the heart of their Bearers. Celestia looked up at you, and you met her eyes as her horn dimly started to glow. "Please." She said, and you sneered, but, for just a moment, found yourself doubting.

You shook it off, before conjuring to your side a spear, made purely from raw magical energy. "If you will not love me . . . will not respect me . . . then to Tartarus with you, Celestia!" You snarled, your rage guiding you as you leaped forward, brandishing the spear, with every intent in that moment, to plunge it into her heart and watch her die.

And then her horn lit brightly, not with her own golden aura, but with a rainbow of hues . . . and the six spheres of the statue began to glow as well. What? No! The thought shot through your mind, along with a burst of confusion and panic as you felt something, something ingrained deep inside, down to the depths of your very soul, rend itself apart and shatter.

And then you felt, more than saw, a whirling mass of rainbow light begin to encircle you. The magical spear at your side vaporized as though it never existed, and you began to feel yourself being pulled. This was not a physical sensation, as your body was stuck, hovering in the air, held by a force not your own, but rather . . . somewhere inside, in that same place that had broken, something there was being pulled, back and up, away from you. You turned, thrashing, and were only vaguely aware of the feeling as you struggled against this magic, so much older than you, and looked back to see the face of the moon, shining and bright, behind you.

In that moment, you felt something shift, and felt the power pulling on you grow stronger, and more directed, and then . . . you felt fear, and doubt, and you spun back, desperation, panic and sudden realization, of all you had done, all you had intended to do, coming together at once in your mind as you locked eyes with your sister, seeing her staring, gaping and wide eyed with shock, shaking her head slightly, trying to step forward on one injured leg.

"Tia." You said, softly, feeling tears welling in your eyes.

Then you felt everything you knew be ripped apart, and the world disintegrated into a swirling, black nothing, which soon turned white around you. . . .

. . . . And then Twilight Sparkle awoke, gasping and struggling on the floor of Luna's old bedroom, eyes wide and darting back and forth as she tried to escape from the inevitable pull of that magic, so great and powerful, so much older than herself, or anything she had ever thought could exist.

As her struggles slowed, she rolled to her stomach, looking up, and blinked. Luna, still wearing the terrifying shape of her battle form, sat on the edge of the bed, helm in her forehooves, looking . . . tired.

The Mare of the Moon slowly looked up at the younger mare, and sighed. "So . . . Now, you know."

1:11 Flee the Dark -Part I

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Pilot: The Shed in the Woods

It was cold. Colder than she thought it ought to be. Wasn't it nearly summer?

It was cold, but she was warm. Frost hung on the boughs of the trees above, silhouetted against the gray of the night sky, the moon hanging full and round above, the shape of a unicorn's head, some said an alicorn's, seeming to glare down upon the earth below. Anger ever seemed to radiate from it, for some reason.

Or maybe that was just in her mind.

Sticks snapped beneath paws, a distant feeling to her, as though sensed more than felt, even as her mind wandered. Was it a night like this? Was it a night with the moon so full and angry and the branches all covered in rime?

Perhaps it was . . . .

A voice called, somewhere in the distance, calling a name she knew. Her own, she thought. Paws turned, following the sound of the voice, and she felt a sense of dread beginning to overtake her, flickers of memory, snatches of conversation.

The taste of blood in her mouth, like copper acid, burning her tongue.

She began to scream and cry and beg, but she could not hear her own voice, only whimpers and growls, and she felt her desperation turning to anger, as she raged against this, against seeing this, against allowing it to happen again.

It could never happen again. Not ever. She wouldn't let it.

And yet, she was powerless, as she saw a figure ahead of her, colors warped and distorted, as it turned, looking towards her. The last thing she saw was a soft, curly blonde mane, and a pair of emerald eyes, so very familiar, widening in horror.

A scream echoed through the woods, overtaking the sound of snarls and whines of the beast, as it leaped. . .

The shed had seen better days, but then, so had the field it was in. The old South Orchard had been abandoned a decade ago, to act as a buffer against the forest that wrapped around the farm to the south and west.

It was meant both as a windbreak, protecting the fresher crops from the violent, wild storms that would blow up out of the Everfree Forest, unchecked by Pegasi magic, and as a shield against some of the more . . . aggresive flora and fauna of the Forest.

As such, while the old growth trees still showed signs of the neat, even spacing and tender love and care that marked the rest of the farm, they had also grown up quite noticeably, with weeds and brush, as well as wild seedlings popping up here and there throughout the once well kept paths. Cobwebs hung here and there, along with a hornet's nest, the angry insects buzzing about the tree closest to the old tool shed.

The shed itself was worn, its only window broken, and several boards missing here and there. The old woodshed behind it lay sprawled over a pile of mostly rotten logs, one of its posts broken and sticking up at an angle into the air.

However, many passing by might have noticed that, while the shed itself looked worn and abandoned, the door into the shed was much better kept, looking to have been replaced, recently, and the hinges were well oiled.

The silence and peace of the old Orchard was shattered by a scream, a sound of terror and rage and despair that would have sent a chill up the spine of the most hardened of soldiers. It carried up, from somewhere inside the shed, the sound muffled and distorted, but still audible, to those close enough to the small building. Birds scattered, crying out angrily at the sudden start, flying away into the late spring air.

The large red stallion who was making his slow way out to the shed only paused, looking up in the early morning light. He sighed, blowing a lock of ginger mane out of his green eyes, before frowning and continuing on to the shed.

Inside, the shed looked as abandoned as it did outside, with cobwebs in the corner, and a hole dug under one wall by some enterprising critter or other. However, there was also a heavy trapdoor in one corner, made from iron banded oak, nearly four inches thick.

The stallion walked over, pushing the four bolts, made from heavy steel, out of their slots, unlocking the door. He took the rope handle in his mouth and lifted, neck bulging slightly as he pulled the door open and looked down the narrow staircase which made its way into the darkness beneath the shed. He lit a lantern that hung nearby and, with a casual toss of his head, caught it on his back, between his withers, and began making his steady, cautious way down into the basement.

It used to be a root cellar, once upon a time. However, very little could be found now to remind one of this room's humble origins. It had been expanded a bit, and a wall of the same heavy, iron banded oak as the trapdoor had been set up to stop anypony from entering the room past the first few feet out of the stairwell.

Into the wall was a door, of similar make, with a small window set in the upper half, just at eye level with the stallion. He walked up, cautiously, though he calmed some, hearing the sound of soft sobbing coming from inside.

He stood still, waiting until the sounds had died down to a low murmur, before lifting his hoof and knocking softly on the door. "Applejack?" He asked, deep voice rumbling in the still air of the cellar/prison.

After a moment, a voice, husky, deep and sounding like it was in dire need of a drink, responded. "Mac. I'm awake. 's'okay."

Nodding with a sigh, he unlocked the door and opened it outwards.

The interior was the most changed from what it had once been. Every wall and even the floor had been covered over in thick iron plating, the floor covered over by a light coat of sand. A large bowl sat in one corner, tipped over, the sand still showing signs of being damp from the water that had spilled out. Next to it was another bowl, stained red from its former contents.

The plating on the walls here and there showed signs of having been attacked, long vicious marks that gouged into the metal and dug at it, each evenly spaced apart, just the right size for the claws of some great beast.

The inside of the door showed the most damage, as though whatever had struck it recognized that it was a weak point. He'd have to work on it some, once the harvest was done.

Big Macintosh sighed, finally turning his eyes to the room's soul occupant. The orange mare sat in the middle of the room, fur mussed and filthy, as though she'd been rolling in something she shouldn't, mane and tail tangled and in a similar state. Her emerald eyes were tired, heavy bags under them, and showed the signs of her heavy crying.

The fur of her face and forelegs was stained a dark, rusty red, the color turning brown in places where it had dried already, and beginning to flake off.

Once, she used to spend these sorts of mornings retching into a bucket for a while, trying to get the taste out of her mouth. Now, though . . . She seemed to've just accepted it.

Mac wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"AJ." He said, softly, and she glanced over at him, throat working as she tried to swallow. He glanced over again, before taking a breath. "Ya spilled yer water."

"Ain't mine." She growled, jaw working as she ground her teeth, and he nodded.

"Right. Sorry." He said, softly, before sighing. "Are ya . . . " He drifted off, unsure of what to say.

She sighed roughly, nodding. "Yeah. It's . . . It's gone, for now." She slowly stood up, grunting slightly as she did. She looked up at him, then down at the door and flinched. "Gonna need to fix that, soon." She said, mouth working as though to say something else, before shaking her head.

She moved to the door and he stepped aside, letting her out first. He followed her up the stairs and into the shed itself, where she did not hesitate in heading out into the morning sunlight.

He watched as she took a deep breath, letting it out shakily, before turning and heading for the rusty old water pump that sat nearby. She cranked the handle, getting the water flowing, and ducked her head under it, gasping lightly at the cold well water as it washed through her mane. She stepped back, shaking her head, and getting it out of her eyes, before setting to work trying to scrub the old, dried blood off her face and forehooves.

Mac stood nearby, having turned the lantern off and left it inside the shed, after checking that it still had an ample supply of fuel. He ground his teeth, wanting to speak, but unsure how to begin. Her ear flicked, and she frowned, not looking at him.

"I c'n hear your teeth workin', Big Mac. Spit it out." She said, voice low as she ducked her head and took a long drink of the water from the spigot.

". . . . Can't keep on, like this, Applejack." He said, softly, and her ear twitched again. She turned a gimlet eye on him, chest moving up and down as her breathing quickened.

"Ain't gotta last much more, Mac. Y'all know that. Summer Sun Celebration's a week off, an' the damn thing always settles down, after that." She said, as he passed her a towel from the bundle on his back.

"Eeyup." He said as she dried off, before continuing. "But what if this time, it don't?"

She stopped in her motions, before finishing quickly and lowering the towel, glaring at him. "What d'ya mean?"

"Applejack . . . You know how things work . . . . You an' I, we built enough sheds and barns to know, that without proper care, things break." He said, and watched as his sister narrowed her eyes at him.

"Gimme my hat." She said, holding out a hoof.

He took a breath, frowning, even as he reached into the bundle and pulled out Tallulah, the old Stetson that had once belonged to their father, before he passed it on to AJ. "Applejack, I-"

"I don't wanna hear it, none, Big Mac! It'll be fine! Ain't got no other choice!"

The big stallion set his jaw, stiffening up and nodded. "Eeyup." As she put her hat on her head and turned away, he spoke up again. "Sooner or later, Applejack, somethin's gonna break, if we don't find some other way o' dealin' with it. And way it's goin' right now, that thing is either gonna be you, or that door."

She stopped, turning and looking at him with a hard eye. "Then it'll be me, Mac." She said, eye twitching as her breath caught. "I ain't gonna let that . . . monster hurt no more o' my family!" She said, before turning with a shake of her head. "I gotta go make sure Apple Bloom fed the pigs. You comin'?" She asked, not waiting for an answer.

Mac wanted to say more. To argue more, but it wasn't his way. He'd already spoke more than he normally did. Instead he took a deep breath, watching his stubborn, fool of a sister as she walked away, and silently prayed, to anything that might be listening, to send some help.

But ya already are, Applejack. He thought, nodding his head sadly before plodding along behind her.

The old stool wobbled on the warped, applewood planks of the farmhouse kitchen. Apple Bloom shifted her weight, amber eyes going a bit wide as she braced against the countertop, until she had regained her balance. Sighing, the yellow furred, red maned filly went back to work, washing the dishes from breakfast.

"Is ya excited, Apple Bloom?" A creaky, aged voice called from nearby, still energetic, in spite of the many years it boasted, and she looked over her shoulder, frowning at the pale green, grey haired figure of Granny Smith.

"Whatcha mean, Granny?" Bloom asked, forehooves still working to scrub some stubborn syrup off of the plate she'd eaten her pancakes off of.

"Fer the Celebration, o' course!" Granny said, and Bloom frowned.

"This is feelin' a might expository." She grumbled, and Granny quirked an ear.

"Eh? See, now, tha's what we send ya ta school fer, young'n! Dem big words like that! Anyways, as I was sayin'. . . "

Granny proceeded to go on about how this was the first time the Summer Sun Celebration had been held in Ponyville since before Bloom's Pa was born. This had the effect of causing Apple Bloom to drift a bit, mind wandering off into her own thoughts.

She didn't really remember her parents much, except for a few hazy images of a smiling face. She hadn't been but a few months old before . . . it happened. Now, she was ten, and she'd grown up pretty good, she figured, with AJ and Big Mac and Granny workin' to raise her, once her big sister had got back from her trip to Manehattan, that was.

She was a little sore about the fact she still didn't have a Cutie Mark, and that this tended to make her a bit of a target in school, given her age. That wasn't her family's fault, though. Still, she often found herself wondering what it would have been like . . . How she might've turned out, if they had . . . still been around.

A glimpse of motion outside, through the window over the sink, drew Apple Bloom's attention, and she looked up to see her big sis, looking a bit weary, coming around the corner of the barn, BIg Mac following along behind her. To most ponies, the big stallion wouldn't have looked much different than he normally did, but to Bloom, he showed all the signs of being upset, and having had some sort of spat with AJ. Though, what about, she wasn't sure. He'd seemed okay when he left earlier, to go meet up with Applejack in the South Orchard.

"Granny?" Bloom asked, interrupting some long winded tale or other that the old mare was telling.

Blinking, Granny Smith glared at the filly. "Now, Apple Bloom! Y'all was raised better'n that! Ya shouldn't be interruptin' yer elders when they's talkin'!"

Bloom lowered her ears, nodding. "Sorry, Granny! I just . . . Why's she do it?"

"Eh?" Granny asked, frowning in confusion.

"Applejack." Bloom said, looking back out the window. "Why's she go out to the ol' orchard so often?" She asked, watching her sister head into the barn, probably to check on something. As such, she missed the flinch that crossed Granny's face, before the old mare schooled her expression.

"Er, well . . . " Granny began, Bloom continuing without really noticing.

"I mean, there ain't hardly nothin' there! Just some ol' trees, rotten apples and, ugh, spider webs." The filly shuddered, having had a bad experience once, when she was younger. She'd ran out to an old tool shed in the South Orchard, opened the door and come face to million beady eyes with a nest of star spiders. The things had literally been covering the inside of the door and the wall around it, crawling over and around each other, all spindly, hairy legs and dark eyes, the shining stars on their backs glowing faintly in the dark of the inside of the shed. Since then, the filly hadn't liked either spiders OR the old orchard.

"Well, Apple Bloom, y'all gots to remember, the old orchard also butts up along the Everfree. Yer sister just has to go out to check an' make sure ain't nothin' come onto the farm that don't belong!" Granny said, nodding her head and smiling at the filly, who looked back at her and frowned.

"Ya mean like . . . Timber wolfs?" She asked, breathing a little quicker.

Granny walked over, patting the filly on the withers with one hoof. "An' . . . other things. Now, don't you worry, Apple Bloom. Yer sister ain't gonna let nothin' hurt ya. I promise." The old mare said, smiling at the filly with a worried frown.

Apple Bloom nodded, looking back out the window, before turning back to the dishes in front of her. She knew Applejack wouldn't let anything hurt her. She was the best big sister ever, afterall, and was stronger than a lot of stallions her age. Still . . . What if some of them spiders got inside the house?

The thought made the filly squirm, which sent the stool wobbling again, and Bloom gave a yelp as it fell over, soap suds and water splashing her as the bowl she'd been cleaning flipped up into the air, did a half corkscrew and a backflip and landed on her head.

This was the scene that greeted Applejack as she opened the back door, and the orange mare stopped, quirking an eyebrow, even as she smiled, watching the filly grumble as Granny Smith cackled.

"Y'alright there, Bloom?" Applejack asked, shaking her head at the accident prone filly.

"Dandy." The filly replied, taking the bowl off of her head and glaring at Granny, who waved her off, still smiling.

"Oh, I knew ya was fine, Apple Bloom!" Granny assured her. "Ain't nothin' ya ain't had happen afore, and yer sister took some licks way worse'n that, when she was younger'n you!" The old mare said, before her smile faltered and she cleared her throat, Applejack glaring at her.

"Like what?" Apple Bloom asked, looking up at her sister, who sighed and looked back at her.

"Nothing, Apple Bloom. Just . . . just a foal being dumb, is all." She said, grimacing. "Now, did y'all feed the pigs?"

Apple Bloom frowned, thinning her mouth at the obvious change of subject, but nodded anyway. "Well, yes! Honestly, Applejack, I'm ten, now! I'm practically an adult!"

Applejack snorted, stamping a hoof on the floor. "Hardly, Apple Bloom. Still, y'all know how its done, so I'm gonna trust ya did it right. Course, if'n I find out ya didn't you'll be muckin' out their stalls, later." The farm mare said, glaring at her younger sister, who gulped.

"Uhhh . . . I just remembered . . . I need ta do . . . Somethin'." She said, before shooting off out the back door like a rocket, leaving Applejack to chuckle, shaking her head, before walking over and grabbing a mop to clean up the floor in front of the sink.

Granny snorted, shaking her head as she trotted over to the table, picking up another plate from the top in her mouth, sitting it on her back and making her way over to the sink. "That filly's got a hyper streak a mile wide." She said, shaking her head, and AJ snorted as well.

"Y'all c'n say that again." She said, finishing cleaning up the floor and putting the mop away, coming over to help Granny with the dishes.

The two stood side by side, Granny washing while Applejack rinsed and put away. Granny took a breath, frowning out the window. "Where'd Mac git off ta?"

Applejack sighed, shaking her head, not looking at Granny as she put the plate away. "Went to get some tools. The, uh . . . " She stopped, gritting her teeth slightly and frowning. "The shed needed some . . . work." She finally finished, and Granny took a breath and let it out.

"Uh-huh. You should go an' take a proper bath, Applejack." She said, nodding her head. "Only so much that nasty ol' well water c'n do . . . an' you smell like a wet dog!"

The orange mare turned around, shooting her grandmother a glare. "I do not!" She said, and Granny snorted.

"Oh, please! Spill yer water again?" She said, looking at Applejack, who bridled.

"It ain't-"

"Yeh, yeh, I heard it afore! Don' matter too much whatcha call it, Applejack . . . You still smell like a wet dog, and yer still takin' a bath afore I lets ya do anythin' else today!"

Applejack frowned, jaw working as she grit her teeth, turning away. "I almost prefer Big Mac!" She muttered, and Granny flicked her side with her tail as she passed.

"I may be old, but I ain't deaf! Not chet, at least! An' y'all should listen to yer brother! He got a better head on 'is shoulders than either o' us, that's fer sure." The old mare said, meeting Applejack's eye as her granddaughter glared at her again.

"We've had this argument before, Granny! There ain't nothin' else to be done!"

"We ain't even bothered lookin'. I'm too old, an' anytime Mac brings it up, ya dern near bite 'is head off! Figure o' speech." She said, adding the last quickly as Applejack stiffened up. "Alls I'm sayin' is, ain't no harm in lookin' for some . . . other ways to go abouts this."

"Ain't no other way." Applejack said, jaw set and eyes hard. "Ain't gonna risk it. Not with y'all here, not with Apple Bloom." She said, shaking her head, before turning and stomping off to go upstairs and bathe.

Granny just sighed and shook her head, turning to head out to the porch and her favorite rocking chair. Only one more week until the Summer Sun Celebration came to town, and she'd be damned if she let her daughter's sour mood ruin it for her.

Not that Applejack's mood wasn't earned, but at the same time she could at least try! Granny remembered how it was in the old days, before . . .

She stopped herself, sighing. A pony didn't live as long as she had without feeling a fair share of heartache, but she'd had her share and then somepony else's too. Nopony should outlive their own children, and that was a fact.

Later that evening

Applejack sighed as she sat down at the dinner table, looking over the fine spread Granny had thrown together for them. Mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, a fresh baked loaf of whole grain bread and a small wheel of cheese, along with haycakes and hashbrowns. And, of course, topping it off was a steaming hot apple pie, made using an old Apple family recipe.

Applejack had loaded her plate up, while listening to her little sister go on about her day at school, and she now sat there, looking at it. She was hungry, and she knew she was. She hadn't eaten much at lunch, and it had been a long day bucking trees and hauling baskets full of apples to the barn.

She was starving, but the food barely interested her. She could taste something else in her mouth, something she didn't want to think about. She distracted herself by tuning in more to what Apple Bloom was saying.

". . . she said I couldn't be that bright, or I'da got my Cutie Mark already!" The filly snapped, clearly upset, even as she dug into the plate of food in front of her.

"Who said this?" Applejack asked, frowning, and earning a small glare from her brother, which was quickly hushed by her hoof against his pastern under the table. He barely even flinched.

"Diamond Tiara." Apple Bloom grumbled, turning to look at Applejack, and the older mare took a breath.

"Filthy's daughter?" She asked, frowning as Apple Bloom nodded.

"She's always so awful t' me! She ain't got her Cutie Mark yet, neither, but she thinks it'll happen any day now. I hope she never gets it!"

"Apple Bloom!" Granny Smith snapped. "Now, wishin' ill on somepony's bad enough, even if they are a stuck up li'l bully, but that is takin' it too far. Not a pretty thing, to wish somepony never finds their purpose!"

Bloom snorted, shaking her head. "Best I c'n tell, Diamond's purpose is bein' a pain my aaaa. . . . flank." She said, catching the glare all three of her family members were throwing her way.

Applejack took a bite of her food, chewing slowly as she thought. Ponderance about Apple Bloom's apparently expanded vocabulary aside, if her little sister was being bullied, something ought to be done about that. Diamond Tiara. . . . Why'd it have to be her? Filthy Rich and her family went back a long way. In fact, if it hadn't been for the Apples, Filthy's store, Barnyard Bargains, might have never gotten off the ground when he started out. That wasn't long before she was born, if she recalled right, about twenty years ago, give or take.

"Hmm." She grumbled, swallowing and washing it down with some fresh, clean apple cider. "I'll go have a word with Filthy, tomorrow. Maybe he c'n-"

"No, Applejack!" Apple Bloom complained, looking up at her sister with the biggest, wettest set of puppy dog eyes the world had ever seen. "If y'all do that, he'll talk to her, and then she'll make my life miserable fer the next week!"

Applejack frowned. "Well, I can't just let it go, Apple Bloom. Besides, maybe he c'n rein 'er in." She said, nodding.

"Uggghhh." Apple Bloom groaned, leaning forward as though to faceplant in her mashed potatoes, but a warning growl from Granny Smith about wasting food stopped her, and instead she took a big bite of them. "Shkool shucks!" She said, mouth full, and Applejack fought the urge to cuff her in the back of the head. Thankfully, she swallowed before continuing. "Why I gotta go, anyway? Applejack didn't go!"

"An' I regret that!" Applejack snapped. "Only so much schoolin' at home can do."

"I can learn all the same stuff here as I can there!"

"'Cept how to get along with others. Sure, you can talk t' us, but ya need to learn how to deal with everypony else, too." Applejack said, pointing a hoof at Apple Bloom, who grumbled and crossed her forelegs, not looking at her sister. "If it makes ya feel better, remember that you got two weeks off after the Summer Sun Celebration."

Apple Bloom blinked, looking up at AJ, and a smile broke across her face. "That's right!" She said, before a frown crossed her face. "Though . . . I dunno what I'll do durin' it."

Applejack snorted, grinning. "Well, I guess ya c'n help on the farm. Ain't you got no friends at school?" She asked, frowning, and Apple Bloom glumly poked her fork at her plate, shaking her head.

"Not really . . . I mean, there's Twist, but . . . she's about it. Still, I guess I c'n ask her what she's doing fer her break!" She said, cheering back up again just as quickly as she had gone down.

Filly's got some kinda roller coaster goin' on her brain, I swear. Applejack pondered, not for the first time. Still, she smiled. "There ya go! A couple good friends, that's all ya need. Now, see, ya wouldn't know Twist, if'n ya didn't go to school!" She said, nodding, and Bloom rolled her eyes.

"I guess yer right, sis." She said, sighing, before turning back to her nearly empty plate.

Dinner was finished, and desert served, but again, Applejack couldn't really do much but pick at her plate and occasionally take a small bite. Granny and Big Mac both watched her, frowning occasionally. It was such that even Apple Bloom noticed.

"Y'alright, sis? You've barely touched yer food all night." She asked, frowning at Applejack, who just smiled tightly.

"I'm fine, Bloom. Just . . . A bit tired, is all." She said, which was . . . technically the truth. Still, it made her frown, looking down at the mostly intact slice of pie. "Sorry, everypony, I just . . . I guess I ain't much myself, today. I'm gonna go wash up. Bloom, help Granny with the dishes and get ready fer bed. Let me know when you're ready, I'll come tuck ya in."

"I ain't a baby, sis!" Bloom said, and Applejack just rolled her eyes.

"I know, I know." She said, smiling softly, before getting up from the table and heading out. She walked through the foyer, hooves tapping on the old, stained applewood planks that most of the farmhouse was built from. She turned left and headed up the staircase, passing pictures of Apples, past and present. She paused, as she often did, in front of one particular image, turning and looking at it slowly, feeling her throat tighten up.

The air was cold, and the sounds of screaming echoed, mixing with the sick feeling in her stomach, as-

She pulled herself away, turning and looking at the stairs going up, breath coming fast and hard as she fought to keep from hyperventilating. She moved upstairs a little uneasily, making a beeline for her room, stepping inside and shutting her door behind her.

It was a simple room, with a decent sized bed set to the right, just inside the door, a window on the other side of the bed, while an old steamer truck lay at its foot and across from that was a small dresser with a mirror, and an old mahogony wardrobe stood to the left.

Applejack shut the door behind her, rear hoof kicking the latch to lock the door, as she fought to control her breathing. Images, sounds and smells continued to flicker through her mind as she stumbled over and fell against the dresser.

The ground was hard, frozen over, beneath her hooves . . . no, her paws. Paws that had sharp claws, which dug into the earth and helped her keep her traction as she ran, following scents here and there, this way and that, before a sound drew her attention away. It was the sound of a voice, half-familiar, calling out, saying something, a word that part of her recognized.

'Applejack!' The voice called, and without thinking, paws turned on the hard packed, frozen dirt, while snow fell gently through the wild branches of the trees up above, making for the source of the sound-

She pulled herself out of the half formed memory with a gasp, which broke off into a sob as she leaned on the dresser, trembling. She felt cold, down to her soul, while her stomach felt empty. She looked up, and froze, flinching at the image in the mirror. Her emerald eyes had altered, the green irises taking up much more of the orb, leaving only the tiniest hint of white sclera around the edges, while her pupils had narrowed to pinpricks in the light of the single lantern that was burning overhead, which seemed as bright as day to her, right now.

Her fur was . . . moving, dancing almost, like there was lightning in the air, and little flickers of static electricity, like green fire, arced through it here and there. Her ears seemed sharper, and her teeth certainly were, small, but sharp canines poking out over her lip.

She spun from the mirror, panting. She had to calm down, to get a grip on herself! It had been . . . Had been a long time, since she'd allowed herself to lose it like this. She had never allowed the beast to be free, had sworn she would keep it locked away inside of herself, and when she couldn't, then she'd lock herself up in the cellar of the old tool shed.

She squeezed her eyes shut, thinking of Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith and Big Macintosh-

The big fool! Arguing with her about this! He'd got her all het up and she'd been in a mood all day cuz of it! This was his fault! He needed to stay in his place! She was alpha here, not him!

She spun with a growl that sounded far too animal like. She grimaced, moving over, feeling like her hooves were unsteady on the floor, as she forced open a drawer on the dresser, digging down to the bottom of it and pulled out a small baggie. Inside was something rare. Not illegal, but certainly something which would have made plenty of ponies lift an eyebrow or two, especially if it was found in the home of a respectable farmer, like the Apples.

Imported from Griffinstone, it was a bag of chicken jerky. She opened it up, the smell hitting her nose and instantly making her mouth flood with saliva. She swallowed it down, before tipping her head back and pouring some of the dried meat into her mouth. The flavour was like ambrosia, and she had to stop herself from dumping the whole bag down her gullet.

As she chewed and swallowed, she tried to push the feelings of guilt and shame away from her thoughts. It wasn't like they didn't raise chickens and pigs on the farm for more than just pest control and trash disposal. Every other year, a load of them were shipped off to Manehattan, where they'd be loaded on a boat and taken over to the Griffin lands, to be sold for slaughter.

Still . . .

She swallowed the last bite, feeling, if not well fed, at least content, for the first time that day. She closed the bag up, her breathing back to normal. As she turned to put the bag away, she glanced up, hesitantly, to the mirror. Everything seemed back to normal, and she watched as a last small arc of static lightning flickered over her fur, before burning out. She sighed in relief, nearly sobbing before her head was pulled up by a knock on the door.

"Sis?" Apple Bloom's voice called out, and Applejack double checked herself in the mirror quickly, sighing again, before turning.

"Yeah! I'm comin', Bloom!" She said, walking over to the door, to go put her little sister to bed.

Author's Note

Welcome everyone, to another trip into my weird ass brain!

I have only a vague notion of where this is going, and no idea what it might turn into. That seems thematically fitting, so let's stick with it! Here's hoping you all enjoy! Until next time, ponies! Harmonia Invictus!

Intermission: Where Evil Grows (Nightmare Night Ep)

Author's Note

Hello, everyone! And welcome to my late ass Nightmare Night special! Now, to those who read through this and ponder upon it, who think to themselves "Well, this was nothing scary or really all that special. There was no horror, here." To you, I propose a question: What is more horrifying? A slavering beast with gaping jaws and jagged fangs, ripping and tearing until there is no life left in its prey? Or having to sit and watch as a monster is birthed before you, and being totally unable to stop it from happening?

I hope you enjoy. Happy Samhain, and Nightmare Night, belated though it may be, to you all. :raritywink:

Harmonia Invictus!

Intermission: Where Evil Grows (Nightmare Night Ep)

"In a world such as ours, dictated so strongly by destiny, where our little ponies run about looking for their cutie marks, for their purpose in life . . . What would it mean to discover that your destiny is, in fact, to be the villain of your own story?" - Celestia Sol Invicta, Princess of Equestria

A few years ago, October 20th, Fillydelphia.

"So, what are you going as?" Kind Heart asked, glancing over at her friend. She called her Honeybee. She acted like one, always so busy and shy. Scarlet eyes looked up, meeting her own fuchsia ones. A slight frown furrowed Honeybee's brow, and she blinked.

"What?" She asked.

"Nightmare Night! Duh!" The filly snorted, seeing the look of confusion on her friend's face. "I mean . . . You have gone out for Nightmare Night, before, right?"

Honeybee shook her head, looking around, and she felt her heart flutter. The pair were sitting at the cafeteria table at North Fillydelphia Primary School, eating lunch and chatting. Or, well, she was chatting. Her friend had her muzzle buried in a book, as usual.

She had glanced at the title when she sat down, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. Honeybee was always reading big books that a lot of the teachers said were too mature for her, but the principal supported her reading anyway. A lot of students picked on her for being a teacher's pet, for always getting high grades and stuff like that, but Kind Heart liked her. She was fun to talk to, and always knew all kinds of cool stuff.

Except, she had apparently not gone Nightmare Nighting before, and the thought of getting to walk her friend through her first had the filly all kinds of excited.

"Oh, it's so great! You get to dress up as a spooky monster or . . . just anything you want really, and go door to door and ponies give you candy! Then, at the end of the night, you go and give up some of your candy to the statue of Nightmare Moon in the old park, so she won't come and gobble you up!" Kind Heart said, and watched her friend blinking.

"Nightmare Moon isn't real, though. She's just a myth." She said, and the filly scoffed.

"Feh! It doesn't matter, that's not the point!" She said, and Honeybee shook her head.

"Then . . . what is?" She said.

"Having fun! Getting scared! It's a holiday to put on a mask and pretend to be something you aren't!" She said, giggling. She was going as a Princess. As a unicorn, she only needed a set of fake wings, and she'd had her mother order her some very fine ones, along with a gown made by a top designer from Canterlot. It was going to be so much fun!

Honeybee titlted her head, blinking at her. "An . . . Anything?" She asked, biting her lip, and Kind Heart nodded enthusiastically.

"Yep!" She said, grinning from ear to ear as she watched a small smile grow on her friend's face, scarlet eyes lighting up at the idea, before they fell again.

"I dunno if my Mom'll let me, though. She never told me about it. . . ." She said, hesitating, and Kind Heart waved a hoof.

"Oh, don't worry! Just go tell her you wanna come with me, Nightmare Nighting! I'm sure she'll let you go!"

Her mother stared down at her, eyeing her severely. The young filly, only eight, shifted her wings on her back, biting her lip. She hated the feeling of her feathers against her fur. Her parents' horns looked so much more elegant, really. And powerful. She couldn't forget that.

She wasn't sure how it worked, a pegasus filly being born to a family of unicorns, but that's what her mother told her happened. She hadn't seemed pleased about it, when she did. Mother often seemed displeased, though, so that wasn't out of the ordinary. However, right now, her mother seemed . . . she couldn't tell. She had a hard time telling what other ponies were thinking, a lot of the time, anyway. All she knew was that her mother was looking at her in a way she had never looked at her before, and it was making her nervous.

Her nerves were already high strung, after she had to force herself to come ask her mother about Nightmare Night. She had expected to be told 'No', outright. So, this long silence was stressing her out even more.

Finally, in a cold tone, her Mother spoke up. "Why?" She asked, simply.

The filly frowned. "Um. . . Well, b-because Kind Heart said it would be fun. . . . " She answered, not quite meeting her Mother's gaze.

She heard the older mare take a breath, before letting it out, hoof tapping on the floor for a moment, before she glanced away and sighed. "Fine." She said, turning to walk away.

The filly blinked, shaking her head, before starting and trotting after her mother. "R-Really?!" She asked, beginning to feel excited.

"Yes." Her Mother said, walking into the kitchen of their home, the spacious room all full of marble and stainless steel. "Now go to your room, and think about what costume you want." She said, turning an eye on the filly, brow softening slightly. "I won't spend too much on you . . . but I will get you what you want." She said, and the filly, practically dancing in place, nodded rapidly.

"Yes, Mother!" She said, turning to leave, before suddenly turning and running back, hugging her Mother's forelegs. "Thank you!"

Her Mother stood, sitffly, before patting her back slightly. "Yes, well. I suppose there's no reason to keep you from going out that night. Now, go. Get to your room!" She said, voice hard, and the filly stepped back quickly, nodding quickly once more, before rushing out of the room.

She had to call Kind Heart.

The following Saturday evening

Kind Heart stepped out of the bathroom in Honeybee's house, walking down the hall towards the other filly's bedroom, her hooves padding softly on the luxurious carpeted floors. This was nothing new or special to her, as both their families were quite rich and well respected. She had heard some murmurs about such an upstanding Unicorn family having a pegasus foal, but nopony was rude enough to mention it out loud.

Well, except for kids at school, like that bully, Shimmer Plate. But then, that colt was rude to everypony.

She and her friend had set this sleepover up after the other filly had called her via arcanophone, to tell her excitedly that her mother had said she could go out for Nightmare Night, and that she needed to come up with a costume. She had no idea what to get, so they had set up the sleepover so that Kind Heart could help her out.

She stepped into her friend's room, looking around at the posters on the walls. They were eclectic, to say the least; colt bands, comic books, even the Table of Magical Elements, and a list of Runes for casting sigils and enchantments. Her friend had always been a bit fascinated with magic, and some of the books she read were about it. Even as a unicorn, Kind Heart had little interest in studying magic beyond the basics, so she always found it funny how her little pegasus friend studied it so hard, even though she would never be able to use it.

Kind Heart trotted over to the bed, where Honeybee was laying on her stomach, flipping through a book. A glance showed that it was a library book, some old thing showing a bunch of old outfits and stuff on the page. "What're you reading?" She asked, frowning, and the other filly glanced up at her, wings ruffling against her back.

"I'm trying to think of what to wear . . . " She said, frowning, an expression which only grew deeper as Kind Heart giggled. "What?"

"Oh, Honeybee, you silly goose! That's not how this works!" She said, reaching out to take the book in her hooves. "You don't look for outfits, especially not old ones like this! Just use your imagination!" She said, giggling.

The filly frowned. "Yes . . . I got that, but I need some inspiration." She said, and Kind Heart tilted her head.

"Oh, uh . . . Well, what about your comic books?!" SHe asked, hopping over and pointing at a poster on the wall. "You could go as Batmare! Or one of the Power Ponies! I like Mistress Marevelous, personally!"

"She's an earth pony." Honeybee said, sniffing slightly, before shaking her head, pushing a lock of blue mane out of her eyes. "I dunno, Kind Heart, I've thought about all of that! I've looked at my comics, and my magazines, and some of my books I thought would help, but nothing's right! I went and got that book from the library yesterday to look over, but . . . It wasn't really helping either. I see clothes I like, but I can't think of how to put them into some kind of . . . costume!" She said, laying her chin down on her forehooves and sighing heavily.

Kind Heart frowned, walking over and putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder, kindly. She sat down on her rump, reaching up to tap her chin with a hoof and think. Of course, she should've known her friend would actually be ahead of her already with this. Honeybee had such a good imagination, and was always reading and thinking things up. The other filly had told her a story once, that Kind Heart had been convinced was true all the way to the end, when Honeybee flubbed something that clued her in. Still, just the fact that she had been able to tell it so well . . . She could be a famous writer, Kind Heart swore! Maybe she'd get her cutie mark for that!

Hearing sound coming from the small television in the corner of the room, the unicorn filly turned her gaze to the screen, frowning. Honeybee was always watching old movies and stuff, so Kind Heart hadn't really thought anything of it. However, she tilted her head at what was on the screen. It was so old, there was no color, everything in black and white instead. On screen, a young unicorn filly with, what looked at least, to be a thick, black mane and tail, both done up in adorable looking curls, was dancing skillfully about with an older zebra stallion, who was grinning down at the filly, clearly impressed.

"What's this?" She asked, pointing at the screen and Honeybee barely glanced over.

"Oh, just Sable Curls." She said, turning back to her funk.

"Who?" Kind Heart asked, which warranted her friend lifting her chin up from her forehooves and staring at her.

"You don't know who Sable Curls is?!" She asked, wide eyed.

"Uh, no! This is the tenth century, Honeybee! Nopony watches old stuff like this, anymore! . . . well, except you. No offense." She said, tacking the last on quickly, when she saw her friend frowning in annoyance.

"Pfft! Sable Curls was Applewood's sweetheart! She was a legend! A skilled dancer and actress by the time she was ten! And she could sing, as well! She's my Mom's favorite!" Honeybee said, turning a smile to the screen, tilting her head slightly, eyes becoming a bit wistful.

Kind Heart looked at her friend, then to the filly on the screen. They didn't look much alike, but, still. . . . "Why not her?"

With a blink, Honeybee looked over at her. "Huh?"

"Yeah! Why not go as Sable Curls? It'd take some mane dye, and a decent skirt, but . . . I think we could make that work!" Kind Heart said, grinning widely, as her friend looked at her in shock, before snatching up a pillow with one wing and throwing it at her.

"Eep! Ow! Hey, that hurt!" Kind Heart said, as the pillow landed in the floor, rubbing her head where it had hit her.

"You dolt! Why didn't you tell me I could go as a real person?!" Honeybee asked, seeming to ignore her friend's admonishment. Kind Heart shrugged it off, though, seeing the excitement in the other filly as she dug through her bookshelf. "Here!" She said, pulling out a thick old coffee table book and carting it over, dropping it on the floor by her bed.

Sable Curls herself graced the cover, and, when the young pegasus opened the book up, there were numerous pictures of her, along with all kinds of facts and trivia. "This is an abridged account of her career. I've got her full biography, as well, but this has more pictures!" Honeybee said, looking up at Kind Heart, grinning from ear to ear.

Smiling back at her friend, the unicorn filly moved forward and the two put their heads together over the book, beginning to do their research. . . .

Her Mother glared down at her, eyebrows knit of her turquoise eyes. "You want what?"

The filly gulped, licking her lips, breathing heavily. "I . . . I need to go to the salon. For my costume. I need my mane and tail done . . . special." She said, and her mother looked down at the list of clothing she'd given her. It had taken her and Kind Heart another day to get everything worked out, spent mostly looking through every fashion catalog that Kind Heart could get her hooves on, but they were ready.

Now, it was just a matter of getting her Mother to agree to this.

"This . . . These are not cheap clothes, filly." Her mother said, looking up at her with a hard look in her eyes. Still, if she was only calling her 'Filly' rather than using her full name, she couldn't be too upset. Now if only she could manage this just right. . . .

"I know, Mother. I know it might be more expensive than you had wanted, but . . . It's special. It's the perfect costume, and I think, if you let me put it together, you'd agree!" She said, looking pleadingly up at the mare, who narrowed her eyes.

"I see no reason to agree to this! You do not need a special costume to go Nightmare Nighting. The same thing all the other fillies are wearing should suffice." She said, sniffing and turning away, moving towards the trash can.

"No, wait, Mother!" The filly gasped, wings beating as she fluttered across the ground to land in front of her, hoof outstretched. "Please! . . . . If you get me this, I'll . . . Um . . . I won't ask for anything for Hearth's Warming! You won't need to get me anything!" She said, eyes large and shining.

The mare stopped, tilting her head. She looked at her daughter for a moment, before tightening her lips. "I've been talking with some of your teachers, young filly." She said, slowly, and the filly felt her gut tie up in a knot. "It seems you've won over the principal, but Square Root has always been soft. Some of your other teachers, however, have been telling me tales . . . Of your behaviour towards other students, and towards them. They say you barely pay attention in class, and ignore their attempts to discipline you. They even say you've skipped detention on more than one occasion."

The filly had drawn back, not meeting her Mother's eyes as the older mare spoke, her own scarlet orbs dancing about, trying to think of something to say or do.

The mare snapped her name, and the filly jumped, bringing her gaze to her Mother's, seeing the cold steel in those eyes, and she felt her heart skip a beat. "Listen to me when I am speaking, young filly!" She snapped, and the filly nodded her head rapidly.

"Y-Yes, Mother . . . But, if you'd just let me-"

"NO! I will have none of your excuses or lies! You will promise me, here and now! You will straighten up and pay attention in class! You will treat your teachers with the respect they deserve and your classmates with less disdain! AND . . . You will also not ask for anything, for Hearth's Warming."

The filly froze for a moment, looking wide eyed at her mother, breathing heavily once more, staring fixedly on her as the mare looked back at her. Finally, her Mother took a breath a nodded. "Do that, and if I believe you . . . I will get you what you're asking for. Understood?"

The filly stared for a moment, before a grin split across her face and she bounced up and down on her hooves. "Yes! Yes, Mother, I understand! I promise! I promise all of it!"

The mare held up a hoof. "Swear it! Tell me what you will do!"

The filly sat back, biting her lip, before holding up her hoof to match the mare. "I swear! I swear to do better in school! To pay attention and give the teachers and my classmates more respect! And I won't ask for anything for Hearth's Warming! I promise!" She said, nodding her head rapidly, looking up at her Mother, wide eyed and grinning.

The mare looked down at her for a long moment, gritting her teeth slightly and narrowing her eyes. It was enough that the filly began to wilt, thinking perhaps her Mother had not, in fact, believed her. That she would have to try something else to convince her of her sincerity, when, finally, the mare sighed and nodded.

"Fine." She said, and the filly leaped up, squeeling with glee and ran in a circle, before hugging the mare's forelegs again.

"YAY! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mommy!" She said, hugging her legs.

The Mare frowned, looking away, and shook her head. "Alright, alright. Get back. We've only got a few days, so I suppose we shall have to go out to the shops, won't we?"

"Yes!" The filly exclaimed, smiling up at her. "Oh! I need to call Kind Heart! She'll wanna come, to see the costume!"

The mare frowned again, but nodded, waving her daughter off. Without a second thought or hesitation she ran off to call her friend up again, to let her know the good news.

Later that day

Kind Heart skipped through the shopping mall alongside her older brother, Charming Wit, and, ahead of them, was Honeybee with her Mother, Mrs. Hearth Gleam. The unicorn mare was quite sophisticated and, just like every time Kind Heart met her, she couldn't help but feel both awed and a bit intimidated. She stood taller than average, slender of frame and delicate of features, but with a hard cast to her turqouise eyes, which were just beginning to show a few wrinkles around the corners. Her pale, alabaster fur stood in contrast with the dark russet color of her mane and tail, which were both worn long and well styled.

Kind Heart hoped she could be just like her when she grew up!

Honeybee trotted along behind her, smiling from ear to ear, even as she struggled slightly under the weight of a pair of bags from the clothing shop. Kind Heart also carried several bags as well, as did Charming Wit, though in his case they were mostly for his own costume. He was going to be their chaperone, on Nightmare Night, but he had his own plans for after they were done.

Kind Heart skipped forward, coming up alongside of her Honeybee, who grinned over at her as they saw the salon up ahead. She knew her friend was super excited to show her costume off to her mother. She had told her she was keeping it a secret, who she was going as, so she could surprise her with it. It seemed a little silly, to Kind Heart, like the other filly was doing this costume just for her Mom. Still, if it made little Honeybee happy, that's all that mattered.

As the grou came up on the salon, the other filly stepped up ahead and turned, a nervous look on her face. "Okay, Mom, you promised you'd wait-"

"Yes, yes, I know. I suppose it will give me a chance to look through their catalogue, see what is in this season, as far as mane and tail styles go." The older mare said, mouth thin and looking slightly annoyed. Honeybee didn't seem to mind or even really notice, though, a small smile on her face as she turned, grinning to Kind Heart and, giggling, the two fillies ran out ahead. The appointment had been booked ahead of time by Mrs. Gleam, so they didn't even need to worry about waiting in line.

Kind Heart bit her lip as she stepped outside, excitement practically leaking from every pore the filly had as she skipped over to the side, glancing at where Mrs. Gleam was waiting, turning with an unconcerned look on her face towards the door. Such poise and class! Kind Heart was sure the older mare must be excited, how could she not be? And yet, she showed none of that aside from a slightly raised eyebrow.

And, from the door, stepped her Honeybee.

The costume had taken some time to put together, but now she was there. Her mane and tail had been styled so that they hung in bobbing, bouncing curls, held fast by white ribbons. They had been dyed a glossy midnight black, to match Sable Curls' namesake. The mane had also been styled so that it fit over the headband the filly wore, hiding it from sight, so that only the ivory colored unicorn horn stood out amongst the curls.

Even her fur had been dyed white, to match the former star, covering up her own, much better to Kind Heart's eyes, rosey pink color.

The dress she wore was a perfect match for those worn by the old timey child star, all frilly lace and soft velvet and silk, that just so happened to be the right fit to hide her wings under. It was in an off set white, with soft rose colored embroidery on the hemline and neck, while the lace was a deeper reddish-black color.

Kind Heart had tried to get her friend to go the extra step of getting contacts, but she had freaked at the attempt to put a pair in, so they had left that out. As such, amongst all the monochrome color pallete, her eyes stood out like twin beacons of scarlet flame, the little bits of red accent here and there making them pop.

Kind Heart danced in place, her excitement boiling over as she gave a giddy little giggle. Her Honeybee, though, did not take her eyes off her mother, throat working slightly in a silent swallow as she looked up at the grand mare. Kind Heart turned, grinning, and addressed Mrs. Gleam. "Isn't it just grand?" She said, trying to sound sophisticated.

The mare slowly turned and looked down at her, and the filly felt her excitment sink away as she blinked in surprise. The older mare's eyes were cold, distant, giving little away, but Kind Heart still felt as though something was wrong. She swallowed harshly, feeling an inordinate amount of relief when Mrs. Gleam's eyes turned away from her, back to her daughter.

The filly stood there, barrel heaving, eyes wide as the older mare stepped forward, cold eyes scrutinizing. She slowly paced around her daughter, pausing here and there as her horn lit, magic taking a hold of some part of the costume and giving it a flick or a tug. She finally stepped around, stopping once more in front of the filly, who was looking up at her, shaking like a leaf.

"Hm. Not bad." She said, a small smile crooking up one corner of her mouth, and Honeybee's eyes lit, a smile curving up her lips, as she stood up straighter. The look of pride and joy on her was such that it infected Kind Heart as well, making the filly forget her moment of worry before, and dance in place again.

Mrs. Gleam's horn lit again, her turqouise aura reaching out and sliding over the costume horn piece, as her smile faded. "Shame." She said, slowly drawing the headband out from beneath the delicate curls of the filly's mane, lowering it to float in front of the filly's frozen, staring eyes. "It will never be perfect." Mrs. Gleam said, before releasing the headband to drop to the floor with a clatter of hard plastic, as the horn broke into two pieces.

"Oh!" Kind Heart said, confusion and shock warring in her mind as her little Honeybee shook violently, face falling as she looked up at the older mare as she turned away.

"Mommy!" She said, and the mare stopped, turning and looking at her, and the filly stepped back, blinking as her eyes teared up, before looking down at the ground.

"Enjoy your Nightmare Night." The mare said, cooly, before turning and walking away. Charming Wit stood, looking around awkwardly with a frown on his face, as Kind Heart rushed over to her friend, bending down beside her.

"Honeybee! Are you alright!?" She asked, worry and concern in her voice.

The filly was staring down at the broken horn as she breathed heavily, withers moving up and down harshly as she fought against the dress she wore, trying to spread her wings to get away. As Kind Heart spoke, she snapped her head around and locked eyes with her. Her own burned as brightly as her tear stained cheeks, pupils narrowed to little pinpricks that left her irises looking like deep pools of crimson.

"Shut. Up! That is not my name, and you know it! What do you care, anyway!? This is all your fault!" She snarled, taking a step towards her friend, head held low, teeth bared, almost, as Kind Heart staggered backwards, eyes wide.

"W-What? Honeybee, I-"

"I SAID DON'T CALL ME THAT!" The other filly shouted, stamping her hoof. "'Kind Heart'? HA! How would you like it if I called you something silly? How about 'Dream Destroyer'? "Life Ruiner'? How about that?!"

"Hey!" Charming Wit exclaimed, stepping between them. "Relax!" He said, before the little filly turned her gaze on him. Kind Heart saw her big brother, nearly fourteen and so strong and brave looking, who planned on joining the guard one day, almost take a step back, before he set his jaw and stamped his own hoof.

"Cozy Glow!" He snapped, and the filly lifted her head sharply, narrowing her eyes. "Calm. Down." He ordered and, after a second, she stepped back, looking around as though just noticing the crowd that had gathered, staring at the scene before them and muttering amongst themselves.

"What's going on?"
"She just lost it."
"What a little freak."

The filly's eyes darted about, landing on Kind Heart, who was cowering behind her brother, tears running from her eyes, and she frowned, confused as she noticed the disapproving scowls of the adults around her, and Charming Wit's angry glare. "What is wrong with you?" The stallion asked, upper lip curling.

"I was only trying to help, Cozy G-Glow!" Kind Heart exclaimed, choking back a sob, and her friend's frown deepened and she grit her teeth, looking around, ears flicking and chest heaving.

With a guttural scream that left several of the nearby ponies clutching their ears, the pegasus in disguise turned and ran off into the crowd, rather than deal with what was happening.

Kind Heart sniffed slightly as her mother finished straightening her wings. Merry Draft smiled sadly down at her little filly, and put a hoof under her chin, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "There. Perfect balanced, as any princess should be."

Kind Heart smiled up at the sapphire maned mare, but there was still a sadness in her eyes and bearing, and Merry's heart broke a bit. Kind Heart and Charming Wit had told her what had happened at the mall, with Cozy Glow. Merry had always been a bit worried about her daughter hanging around that one, not because she was a pegasus, though it did raise some eyebrows, but because of what some of her friends told her, about what their foals had told them about the filly.

Still, Kind Heart always seemed genuinely happy to have the other filly around, and the two seemed close. So, to hear about the filly snapping as harshly as she did at her little Kind Heart had, needless to say, made the older mare rather upset with her, and she had called the other filly's mother. That conversation had not gone as well as Merry Draft would have liked, but then Hearth Gleam had always struck Merry as being a bit of a bitch, simply put. Her nose stuck so far up in the air, she could've used her horn as a back scratcher, as Merry's mum would've said.

Still, the mare had said she would speak to her daughter about it, and then hung up, and that was the last she'd heard about it. However, her sweet little Kind Heart had been upset ever since, both worried about her friend, but also angry and sad at what Cozy Glow had said about her. Merry Draft had tried to get the filly to move on, to focus on the holiday and her plans with her other friends, but Kind Heart had simply dwelled for the last three days on the events at the mall.

"Mommy?" She asked, looking up at Merry, who blinked and tilted her head.

"Yes, sweetheart?" She asked.

". . . .Do you really think I'm perfect?" She asked, biting her lip, and Merry blinked again, standing up straighter, before smiling slightly and giving a little snort.

"Well . . . Of course, dear! To me, you are perfection itself!" She said, smiling once more, though she was frowning at the same time. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

Kind Heart took a breath and let it out slowly, not meeting her mother's gaze. "I . . . I was thinking about that day in the mall. About what . . . What Mrs. Gleam said, to Cozy." She said, gritting her teeth. "She was talking about the costume but . . . Was she saying that Cozy wasn't perfect, to her?" She asked, looking up to Merry again, her heart in her eyes, which were brimming with tears.

Merry Draft let her breath out slowly and stepped over, sitting down beside her daughter and putting a foreleg around her shoulders. "Kind Heart, listen . . . Cozy Glow has always been a bit of an . . . oddity." She said, hesitating, and her daughter spoke up.

"You mean because she's a pegasus? But her family's all unicorns?" She asked, and Merry sighed again, nodding.

"Yes, sweetie . . .Um. You'll understand better when you're older, why that is important. For now, just know that . . . it makes ponies think some negative things about her mother. And, well . . . I'll be honest with you, sweetheart. If I was to choose somepony to win an award for being Mother of the Year . . . It probably wouldn't be Hearth Gleam." She said, petting her daughter's back. "A good mother loves their children, no matter what! But, I'm not sure Mrs. Gleam understands that." She said, seeing the tears in her daughter's eyes. "Do you feel sorry for her? Cozy Glow, I mean?"

The filly nodded sadly, reaching up to wipe her eyes. "I know she was mean to me, Mommy, but . . . Her Mom was even worse to her!"

Merry smiled softly, leaning down to kiss her daughter's forehead, just under her horn. "That's my filly. Always living up to your name. Just remember, though . . . Just because you understand why somepony does something, doesn't mean you have to agree with or accept it. No pony should be talking to you like Cozy Glow did. Whether she had a good reason or not, she should apologize, at least, for that." She said, kissing her little filly again before standing up. "Understand?"

Nodding and wiping her eyes, sniffling, the filly stood up, smiling again, this time with a bit more light to it. "Yes, Mommy! Thank you!" She said, and Merry Draft chuckled.

"Come on, then, little filly, let's get out there and get you some candy, yeah?" She said, turning to head for the door where Charming Wit, dressed up as a classic vampire, was standing and waiting for his little sister and mother. Charming was too old for Nightmare Nighting, but he still liked dressing up for the occasion, and there was nothing wrong with that.

Merry Draft herself was dressed as Robin Hoof, a bit of a misnomer as Robin was an earth pony, in the old stories. Of course, he was also a stallion, so what did it matter? She loved the character, and that's all there was to it! She trotted over to the door, smiling at her son, her daughter at her tail, and, smiling back, Charming opened up the door.

"Hi, Kind Heart!" A chipper, cute sounding voice, familiar to all of them, said from the other side, and they turned to see the form of a ivory furred, black maned filly in an old fashioned black and white dress in front of them, wings sticking out through crudely altered holes in the dress, ruining the fabric. She was smiling widely, staring at them with her big, scarlet eyes.

"Cozy Glow?" Kind Heart asked, blinking in surprise. "Wh-What are you doing here?" She asked, frowning and shaking slightly, ears folded down against her head. Merry stepped up closer to her, putting a hoof on her little filly's wither.

It was Cozy Glow's turn to blink in surprise, and frown. "What? What do you mean, Kind Heart? We've been planning this for a week, I wasn't gonna miss it!"

"But. . . BUt your mom! I thought . . . She wasn't letting you go." Kind Heart said.

"Especially after what you did at the mall!" Merry said, frowning, and Cozy turned to look at her, eyes looking redder for a moment. "I called her and told her about how you treated Kind Heart."

"Mom!" Kind Heart said, looking up at her with wide eyes, and Merry looked down at her.

"I wasn't letting that pass!" She said, before hearing a soft giggle and looking up at Cozy Glow, who was smiling again, as though nothing at all was wrong.

"She told me about that! And . . . She said I should come apologize." The filly said, face and tone growing more serious as she looked down, then back up biting her lip. "So . . . I'm sorry." She said, smiling slightly again.

Kind Heart frowned at her for a moment, before stepping forwards, away from Merry. The mare kept a close eye on her little one, but let her go. She needed to get this off her chest.

"COzy Glow . . . Is that it?" She asked, frowning, and Cozy blinked, looking around.

"What do you mean?" She said, seeming confused.

"Cozy! You were super mean to me! All I tried to do was help you and have some fun, and you made me feel like . . . like, just awful! You called me those awful things! I . . . I guess you were upset, but that doesn't excuse it! You can't treat me like that!" By the time she was done, tears were running down her face and Cozy was leaning back slightly, ears perked and eyes wide. She glanced around, at Merry and Charming, and then over her shoulder, before looking back at Kind Heart, teeth gritted.

"Kind Heart, I . . .Wh- . . . I . . . " She stammered, before Kind Heart turned, as though to walk back to her mother. "WAIT!" Cozy snapped, reaching out but missing the filly. Flapping her wings, she leaped forward, landing in front of Kind Heart, shaking all over. "Kind Heart! Please! Stop!" She said, biting her lip, tears starting to run down her cheeks.

"What do you want, Cozy Glow?!" Kind Heart said, choking on a sob, and the other filly stepped forward, slowly bowing her head, tail tucked and ears folding down.

"Kind Heart . . . I . . . I was a jerk. I'm sorry. Like you said, I was upset! I wasn't thinkin'! But . . . B-but . . . Kindy, you're my only friend!" She said, lip trembling as she sat on her rump in front of the other filly, bowing her head, wings hanging limp by her side. "I don't have anything without you! I'm sorry!" She begged, tears flowing now as she choked on a sob.

Kind Heart stood, biting her lip, her own tears still running, before taking a step forward. "You . . . You promise that you won't call me things like that, again?" She asked, frowning slightly.

Cozy Glow nodded without looking up. "Yes! Anything! I p-p-promise!" She stammered, shaking like a leaf. Kind Heart held back a moment longer, before breaking and jumping forward, pulling her friend into a hug.

"Oh, Cozy! You're my best friend! I can't stay mad with you! Please, don't cry! I promise, I won't go anywhere!" She said, holding the other filly close. SLowly, Cozy's forelegs and wings lifted up, wrapping Kind Heart in a tight embrace as well.

"Y-You promise?" She asked, softly.

"Promise!" Kind Heart said, sweet as could be, and Merry Draft smiled. Her little filly, such a good pony. She'd make such a fine mare one day.

Cozy finally stood up, hugging Kind Heart back tightly and grinning through the tears staining her cheeks. "Ohhh! Golly! What would I do without you?!" She said, stepping back and smiling at her friend.

"Lose your head, probably!" Kind Heart said, giggling, before looking at the costume. "What did you do to it?!"

Cozy glanced back, lifting her wings up and shrugged. "Eh. It wasn't comfy! And, without the horn, there wasn't much point in trying to be Sable Curls, anyway." She said, eyes turning away while her ears snaked back a bit.

Kind Heart bit her lip, reaching out gently to touch her friend's wither. "I'm sorry, Cozy Glow." She said, and Cozy turned, looking at her hoof for a second, before meeting her eyes.

"It's okay, Kind Heart." She said, before leaning in close to her friend, hugging her again. "One day," she said, softly. "One day, I'll be in charge! And we won't have to worry about dumb adults telling us what to do, ever again!" She said, stepping back and smiling at Kind Heart.

The unicorn filly giggled at her pegasus friend's words, shaking her head. "Oh, Cozy Glow! You're so silly!" SHe said, before skipping forward. "C'mon! Let's go Nightmare Nighting! You're gonna love it, I promise!"

Cozy Glow turned, skipping along beside her friend, giggling along with her as Kind Heart told her about the best houses to visit, and what to say when they answered the door. Merry Draft walked along behind them, smiling to see the friendship rejoined, and her daughter so happy and smiling again.

Charming Wit walked more slowly, watching the pegasus filly closely. He would never forget, for as long as he lived, those eyes boring into him at the mall. They hadn't looked normal, anymore. They'd looked crazed, distorted, like pools of blood. They had looked angry, hateful.

Soulless.

“Not all the monsters have fangs.”
― J.A. London, Darkness Before Dawn