Apparition Amphitheater Presents: A Strange Presence Near the Woods

Chapters

Cannot Describe This Horrendous Fear
I Think I'm Cursed. Tricked and Cursed
I Think I'm Lost. Yes, I'm Lost

Cannot Describe This Horrendous Fear

It had only been last night since Fluttershy had gone missing, as reported by her faithful companion Angel Bunny, but the news was enough to put everyone on edge. Ponyville's festivities became far more quiet as the current events unfolded to the public. The cheerful singing and bright smiles were replaced with cautious murmurs and alert stares. The air was thick and tense, and ponies were determined to make sure not another soul would go missing.

None were hit harder, however, than her friends whom all gathered at the Castle of Friendship. The decorative Hearth's Warming accents that dotted the castle, especially the map room where they all sat, contrasted with the serious faces each mare sported in one way. Rainbow Dash, a cyan pegasus with rainbow colored hair, crossed her forelegs in frustration, only wanting to know what had happened to her childhood friend. Pinkie Pie, whom was normally bubbly, bouncy, and optimistic with her light pink coat and darker pink mane, was far more reserved at this point in time. Applejack, an orange earth pony with a blond tied mane, sat with silent determination, only hoping they could locate Fluttershy safe and sound. Rarity, the alabaster white unicorn with a royal purple mane, tried not to lose her cool from the news and let her emotions get to her. Twilight Sparkle, the purple Princess of Friendship alicorn, whom had gathered her friends at this moment of concern, along with some spell books, and called a meeting to try and find their missing companion. Everyone was waiting with baited breath, as one more member was expected to join.

The doors to the map room swung upon, as Starlight Glimmer, Twilight's protege, had stepped through. The pale, light-greyish heliotrope colored unicorn approached the map table and cantered around one side. Her moderate purple mane with lighter purple and aquamarine highlights bobbed slightly as she sat down on the seat provided for her.

"Thank you for coming," Twilight said.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," Starlight replied.

"Can we get a move on?" Rainbow Dash had asked irritably, "The longer this takes, the longer Fluttershy is in danger. Who knows what's happening to her!"

"Rainbow, I know you're concerned. We all are. But if we rush any of this, we'll only make things worse." Twilight responded.

"Better listen ta Twah, Sugarcube," Applejack added, "The last thing we need is more trouble."

"I... you're right. Just..." Dash said, deflating a little.

"I know, I know. It's gonna be ok..." Pinkie said, trying to comfort the pegasus.

"Alright, Starlight," Twilight turned to Starlight Glimmer, "I have some books here on scrying. Do you think you'll be able to pull off the spell and tell us where Fluttershy is?"

"It's short notice," Starlight answered, "Though, I think I can do it. I'll need to check those books just to make sure I get it right. I've known her long enough to not need something of hers, but if any anyone has something, it might help."

Pinkie then reached into her mane and pulled out a little yellow comb that had Fluttershy's cutie mark labled on it. Everyone turned to the party pony, whom just said, "What? She lent it to me a week ago."

"Ok, that'll help. Thank you, Pinkie!" Starlight's horn lit up with light turquoise magic as the comb was surrounded with the same color. The same happened to the variety of books that Twilight had gathered, where she proceeded to read through them at a rather impressive speed. Upon finishing the last one, she concentrated the magic within her, focusing on Fluttershy, using the comb as an assistance, and began formulating the scrying spell.

The map table picked up on the spell's properties, and soon began to glow. With the combined efforts of Starlight's magic and the magic of the map, soon Fluttershy's cutie mark materialized overhead the now present map of Equestria. The mark moved over to the Everfree forest, spiraled around into it, and moved about within the confines of the forest in irregular patterns and speeds.

"That's a problem," she sighed.

"What?" Rarity asked.

"Well, when you cast a successful scrying spell, especially upon a map, the location should be exact, and the marker made should stop moving unless the pony or object being looked for is moving."

"So, why is it doin' that?" Applejack asked.

"From what I suspect," Twilight guessed, "Either the Everfree's natural magic is interfering with the spell, or..."

"Or?"

"Something else is."

"Ok, well, she's in the Everfree," Rainbow Dash declared hurriedly, "That narrows it down at least."

"We still have to search the entire forest, Darling," Rarity said, "Which, if I recall correctly, is quite an undertaking in of itself."

"Right, so we need to be prepared," Twilight announced. "I've had Spike set up supplies at the foyer at the entrance of the castle here. Once we go down, me and Starlight will cast a teleportation spell to bring us to the old Castle of the Two Sisters."

"Why there?" Pinkie asked.

"I suppose it's because it's the closest landmark to the center of the forest as we can get, and would be much easier to reconvene to if need be," Starlight guessed.

"Correct. Starting at the edge of the forest would cost us time and would make it easier to get lost while looking the deeper we go. Starting at the center at least helps give us a better anchor to where we are. After all, we ALL know where the castle is." Twilight concluded.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"That settles it, then," Twilight announced. "Let's do this. For Fluttershy!"

The six little ponies, all previously disheartened by the idea of their friend going missing, were all now in higher, confident spirits, sure of themselves that together they'll be able to locate the missing pegasus. Upon reaching the Castle of Friendships entrance and each gathering searching supplies and putting on their snow attire, they all gathered around Twilight and Starlight, whom started up a mass teleportation spell around the group, and disappeared with a loud, magical pop.

Mere moments later, with the sunlight still ever present in the day, at the front yard of the Castle of the Two Sisters, the group suddenly appeared with the telltale "pop", some of them still not used to moving from place to place in such an expedient way. After regaining their senses and adjusting to the scenery change, Twilight addressed the girls once again, and laid out the plan.

"Alright, girls," Twilight started stating matter-of-factly, "In order to cover more ground in a short time frame, we'll be splitting up into groups of two. I will be searching with Starlight in the north, moving towards the entrance of the forest. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash will search the east. If you run into Zecora, it might be wise to get her to help if you can. Applejack and Rarity will look through the west. Each pack has a flashlight, medical supplies, and a signal flair. Obviously, use the flashlight when it starts to get too dark out to see, use medical supplies if you get hurt out there, or if Fluttershy is found injured, and the signal flair to call us all over if you've actually found her."

"Right," the girls said in unison.

"Rarity," Twilight then addressed.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember how the Teleportation spell works?"

"It may take time to cast, darling, but I'm sure I can perform it if need be. But, I think I'll only be able to do it once."

"That's fine. Use it if you absolutely need to."

Rarity nodded with steely determination present in her eyes. The mares paired up, faced the directions they intended to search, and all went their separate ways, intending on looking for their lost friend to the best of their abilities, with snow crunching beneath their hooves.

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

Pinkie and Rainbow Dash kept up a relatively quick pace as they trekked through the forest, shining their flashlight in any spot of interest, calling out their friends name periodically. The search had only begun, but the darkness of the forest was already hefty enough that even the afternoon light's help was limited. The flashlights that Twilight had Spike pack were a heck of a boon.

"Jeez, even though it's still pretty early, it's seriously dark out here," Rainbow Dash commented.

"Like, almost ADVANCED darkness," Pinkie added, having steadily become less gloomy now that the morale was boosted by the words and bonds of her friends.

"I mean, I wouldn't go THAT far, but it's certainly pretty bad. It's still the afternoon, for Pete's sake."

"This IS a spooky forest full of dangers and wild magic, after all."

The two kept moving through the forest, entirely focused on the mission at hand. It wasn't hard for the two of them, despite their tendencies to be the two most immature out of the lot of them. If there was one thing they could be counted on for, it was that they would see anything through to the end.

As the minutes passed, the forestry around them began to grow darker and denser, with less and less light being present to help them in their search. They slowed down their pacing, only to use their flashlights more to scan locations of interest a little more. The action, however, served to irritate Rainbow Dash a little, whom had vowed to herself that they'd find Flutterhy before evening fell. Any delay in their search or speed reduction in their pacing, however minor, would be an affront to her.

Undeterred, however, the two mares soon found themselves nearing a place they knew well enough. Strange masks and gourds from a very different pony culture decorated an old, knot-hole tree. The smell of something odd seemed like it was coming from within. It was Zecora's place, but something was amiss. The door was left wide open, having the elements of the current season invade the hut. There was signs of struggle left behind as well. Scratch marks around the snowy ground, and some broken objects both outside and inside. Worse, it seemed like that the tracks were fresh. Rainbow Dash growled at the luck of the whole situation. The only comfort granted came from Pinkie, whom suggested that if they find Fluttershy, they'll definitely find Zecora too. The quick tempered pegasus cooled her jets at that suggestion, and decided to hold onto that bit of optimism.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie then took it upon themselves to investigate the hut. Sure enough, those signs of struggle appeared within as well, but not to the extent of the scratch marks and broken objects outside. Whatever happened here to Zecora, it was likely too quick for her to put up much of a fight until she was outside.

Suddenly, Pinkie backed up with a gasp, as her ears flopped in her face.

"Pinkie, what's going on?"

"I'm getting a combo, but..." she trailed off, looking off into the dark of the forest. Before Rainbow Dash could say or do anything, the party pony shot off like a speeding cannonball and disappeared into the shadows. "I'llbebacksoondon'tworryaboutme!"

"Hey, WAIT!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying after her as fast as she could, within reasonable control. She bobbed and weaved through the trees, keeping an eye forward where her flashlight pointed at, while also glancing at the ground to make sure she was following her friend's tracks.

Before she knew it, however, her speed in such a claustrophobic area earned her a sudden tree to the face, which she slammed into while her eyes flicked towards the prints in the snow. Sliding down to the forest's floor, Rainbow Dash gingerly rubbed her face, feeling more wounded in her pride than anything physical. Never-the-less, she stood back up as quickly as she could, and gazed about the dark forest around her. She ran up to the tracks she last spotted, and tried to follow them once again. However, after only a few minutes of following, the tracks suddenly ended.

"What the... what?"

Rainbow Dash felt a pit grow in her stomach over this. Something was wrong. More than what she had ever anticipated. She looked about the area, pointing the the flashlight in whatever direction she could see. "Pinkie!" she called out, trying to address her friend. Then, almost as if on cue, she could hear laughter, but only briefly. Rainbow Dash's first thought was that her friend was trying to prank her. It didn't take long for the pegasus to shake the idea form her head like a leaf that fell atop her hair on an Autumn evening, knowing Pinkie wouldn't be taking the disappearance of a friend so lightly like this.

It was then that Rainbow saw a flash of pink, which cause her to start running towards what she saw, calling out her friend's name. "PINKIE!"

The moment that name left her lips, laughter soon could be heard once again, this time a little louder and all around her. Rainbow Dash stopped in her tracks, and suddenly felt very, very small. She swiveled her ears about to try to locate the source of the laughing, but could never really pinpoint it.

"Pinkie, this isn't funny anymore. It's starting to creep me out!" she pleaded with a hint of frustration mixed with a growing sense of dread. "If it's really you pulling a prank, please stop! We need to find Fluttershy!" She hoped it was just a dumb practical joke to get her to 'giggle at the ghosties'.

However, Rainbow Dash began to hear Pinkie's voice, coming from all directions. Different emotions. Different attitudes. Different words or phrases. But it all sounded like gibberish. Nothing said made sense. It was like Rainbow was hearing the Pinkie clones once again after encountering them such a long time ago. Only, this seemed less deliberate.

"PINKIE! Please answer me!"

Then, all at once, the voices stopped. The laughter, too, was absent. The forest was once again silent, save for the crunching of the snow beneath Rainbow Dash's hooves. She gazed about, trying desperately to find her friend. As luck would have it, she finally saw another pink flash, this time it lead to what seemed like her friend, just sitting down in the snow a hop, skip, and jump away. Rainbow, ever cautiously, approached Pinkie, keeping the light pointed at her, partially out of fear of losing track of her again. Or worse.

As she got closer, Rainbow Dash's body began to shake, her heart skipping a beat in anticipation and fear. She then spoke once more, addressing the figure before her. "Pinkie?"

'Pinkie' turned her head towards Rainbow Dash, whom screamed in reaction. Gazing back at her was Pinkie's face, as if someone slid her left eye, socket, and eyebrow down to her cheek at some point like some poorly done cut and paste collage. Then, as if realizing the face wasn't right, the eye slid back up the face, and settled into its proper spot with a soft "thuck" noise.

As softly glowing yellow eyes began to emerge all around them, the 'Pinkie' before her asked, "What's wrong, Dashie?"

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

To the west, the duo of Rarity and Applejack trekked through the snow and darkness with caution and patience. Diligently, they scoured and scanned every likely direction and nook they could find, being careful not to overlook anything. Flashlights slowly swept across the trees, bushes, and snow dunes, briefly bringing light to the darkness. When nothing was seen or found, be it clue or track, they pressed onward.

"Applejack?" Rarity piped up.

"What's up, Sugarcube?" she replied.

"I just want to let you know, as a close, dear friend, that I've really been putting on a brave face."

"Whaddaya mean?"

Rarity gave a sigh, "What I mean is... being in the forest, in the dark..."

"This isn't the first time we've cantered through this forest, though."

"Well, yes, but this is so much worse. The winter makes everything look darker, even though it's not even the evening yet, and we're here under dire circumstances. I mean, ponies don't just 'disappear', especially not someone as careful as Fluttershy."

Applejack understood what her fashionista friend was trying to get at. It wasn't just the forest's strange quiet nature, or the fact it's so dark and getting darker still as time passes. Rarity was fearing for Fluttershy, her missing friend's safety, and afraid of what caused this and what they may find in the end. Truth be told, Applejack herself was in the same boat. This was a highly unusual moment in their lives, even more unusual compared to the adventures they had been on saving the world. In an effort to comfort her, Applejack got beside Rarity and gave her a gentle pat on the back for reassurance, and to help reinforce her own nerves.

"Everything's gonna be ok, Rare. We'll find Shah, and get out of this dang forest. We've got a Hearth's Warmin' party to get to after all is said n' done."

Rarity gave a slight sniffle, as if she were holding back the overflow of emotions, and gave her friend a smile. "Thanks Applejack."

It was then they saw movement among the trees. Their attention and flashlights snapped towards the direction the disturbance was coming from. Then, as they watched with bated breath, they caught sight of a shadow darting away. For a moment, it looked like Fluttershy.

"Hey, WAIT! FLUTTERSHY!" Applejack called out, already booking it into a full gallop.

Rarity, who had been surprised at the outburst, didn't have much time to react as she watched Applejack disappear into the forest, with only the light of her flashlight indicating where she was going. Rarity then called out after her brazen friend. "Applejack! Wait for me!"

Having been used to darting between trees for a variety of reasons, including roughing it in the woods, Applejack soon was further and further away from sight, leaving Rarity behind in the darkness of the woods. Even Applejack's flashlight, which would have told Rarity where her friend was going, soon became too obscured to see in the distance. Rarity soon found herself all alone in the dark of the forest, despite her best efforts to keep up with her very much athletic friend.

Rarity would be one to pull out a sassy remark about how much like Rainbow Dash Applejack can be, being stubborn, brash, and quick to jump the gun under circumstances. The irony was not lost on her over the fact it was Applejack herself that would usually keep the pegasus in check from doing this exact same thing, and lamenting that she didn't have something to pull her cowpony back. However, any humor she'd want to bring up was quickly snuffed from the shaking and shivering she had from the crawling fear that prickled at her, let alone the nipping cold.

Instead, she scanned her immediate surroundings, and considered her options. She could either stay here for the time being, and hope that either: A) Applejack was correct and had found Fluttershy, and would likely send up a flare to indicate where she was, or B) Applejack would return after realizing she just abandoned Rarity in the middle of the forest, and apologize for such a faux-pas. Or, on the other hand, there was the option of continuing to move on her own. Despite her reservations, Applejack was correct on that they all had experience going through the forest, darkness or not. That said, she remembered she had her own flare if she were ever in trouble. If she were to get lost, at least she had an out.

She took a deep breath, and gave a lengthy sigh, before she decided to just keep moving. Relying on Applejack's return would ultimately be a bad idea, as there was no telling if or when she would. It also wouldn't do her anxiety any favors if she just sat in the snow and dark and twiddled her hooves. It was better to be proactive.

Just as she started taking her first steps from her decision, she heard a noise nearby. Casting her flashlight over to the origin of the noise, which ended up being right behind her, she witnessed something somewhat unusual. It was Applejack, slowly cantering towards her.

Rarity gave a sigh of relief, before she huffed in anger. "What were you thinking, just leaving a Lady like me alone in the dark. What if you went missing too!"

Applejack said nothing.

Rarity, feeling flustered, then blurted out, "Well? Say something and apologize!"

"I'm... sorry..." The voice that came from Applejack sounded odd. It was definitely her voice, but something was wrong. It was harsher, almost clumsy. Rarity took a step back as she kept her flashlight trained on her friend.

"Rarity!" Applejack called out from behind Rarity at a distance, from the direction she originally took off towards.

Rarity quickly realized that this 'Applejack' was an imposter. Before she could make a move, the false 'Applejack' moved quickly towards her, losing color and shape. Soon, all she could see approaching her were black tendrils, sharp teeth, and horrible glowing eyes that dotted its mass. The last thing she heard before passing out from fear was Applejack screaming.

I Think I'm Cursed. Tricked and Cursed

The sun was nearing the horizon, entering the evening phase of the day, as Twilight and Starlight's continued rescue efforts wore on diligently. They kept a steady pace, but were careful not to over look anything. Systematically, they cleared each spot of the forest in their section to scour, scanning their flashlights across the darkness, and investigating any location of interest that may have their friend hidden in. It was a much longer process, but the two mares were able to push each other to eliminate redundant over-checking and press on forward to spots not yet searched.

Despite following the unspoken protocol the two had managed to work out rather wordlessly in their efforts, Starlight had a few questions that she wanted to ask her benefactor. It's not that she didn't trust Twilight, but she saw flaws in how the rescue mission was conducted, however minor. So, with a swallow of personal fear of not wanting to alienate her former nemesis turned dear friend, she decided to press the issue.

"Twilight, do you mind if I ask you something?" Starlight started.

"As long as we stay focused, ask away," Twilight replied, keeping her eyes towards the darkness and her senses alert.

"Well, I just wanted to know why you set us up the way you did."

Twilight paused for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean how you paired the six of us up, and had us set in three of the four directions of the forest. I just kinda wanna know the reasoning behind it, because..." Starlight trailed off, try not to sound condescending or judgemental over the perceived issues she noticed.

"Because you saw flaws in my logic, right?"

"I don't mean it like that, but..."

Twilight laughed with a wry smile, "Hey, don't get flustered, I know why, but there's a very good reason why I set it up the way I did." All while she continued her duties to scan her surroundings and search the forest high and low, she began to explain. She talked about how she paired Pinkie with Rainbow Dash knowing that, out of everyone else, Pinkie would be the only one that would be able to keep up with Rainbow's speed. Furthermore, considering Zecora lived in the forest, and on the possibility that there was indeed SOMETHING here that had already foalnapped Fluttershy, they would be be only two that could get to her fast enough if she wasn't taken already. It was a gamble, but it was what made sense in that direction.

"I suppose then Applejack and Rarity were leftovers, then, since you and I are searching the Northern portion? If I recall correctly, Northern Everfree is the largest portion of the Everfree forest." Starlight guessed.

"While it's true the northern portion is the largest, Applejack and Rarity aren't 'leftovers'," Twilight countered, "They are both capable mares on their own, but on the chance they are in any danger, I had them the closest to safety than all of us."

Starlight thought about it for a moment, before realizing that Everfree's western portion of the forest was the closest to- "Sweet Apple Acres."

Twilight giggled, "Yup, the very same. If anything were to go wrong, and it's within their ability to do so, Applejack and Rarity would easily be able to get out of the forest the quickest and get help the fastest."

"So, we're the leftovers."

"Aside from the northern portion being the largest section of the forest, I'm afraid to say that, yeah, we are. As for the southern portion, if we couldn't find her yet, we'd all get together, and search the south together."

Starlight gave a smile, coming to respect her teacher that much more. However, "What if, and I mean with all do respect, there is something out there stealing ponies like Chrysalis would, and said thing is much more than we can handle?"

Twilight paused for a moment. Starlight, starting to get concerned, attempted to try to brush it off as a frivolous question, but Twilight beat her to the punch with a rather sombre tone. "I can't account for everything. No matter what we do, we're all taking a huge gamble. Even the Royal Guard would have just as many issues, if not more due to having very little experience here. I'm hoping that whatever is going on is something any one of us can handle, but... chaos theory is a thing."

It was then, while mulling over Twilight's sobering answer that Starlight noticed it. On the ground, just a few paces away, was a discarded flashlight. She called Twilight's attention, and approached the object slowly, all while becoming aware of other clues around them. Chicken scratches, hoof prints, strange scratch marks, broken twigs, and it seemed like something was being dragged away before that mark faded off, as if whatever was being dragged was lifted after a while. It didn't even need to be said. They both knew this is where it happened. Both mares slowly searched the scene of the incident, trying to piece together a sequence of events that could make sense and justify the evidence lying around. Despite all of that, nothing there really told them what they really wanted to know: Where is Fluttershy?

They then heard a noise. A twig snapping just nearby. They pointed their flashlights towards the direction of the noise, trying to find the source. "Who goes there?" Twilight commanded.

After a few moments, their light catches something. It was Rarity. A mix of relief and confusion washed over the both of them, but Twilight was quicker to the kick, already asking questions. "Rarity! Thank goodness. What are you doing here? Where's Applejack? Did something happen? Why didn't you use a flare?" Rarity stood there, eerily silent for a moment, making the already gloomy atmosphere feel that much more haunting and foreboding. Twilight slowly felt a creeping sense of dread and wrongness from this encounter with her friend, and it was beginning to scare her. "Rarity... what's going on?"

"Twi... light... Need help... Need..."

Before Twilight could respond or react, Starlight jumped in front of her, and erected a magical force field before them. Surprised, she called out Starlight for an explanation, but Starlight took it in stride, answering with conviction. "That is NOT Rarity."

"What?"

"Look at her back left leg."

Twilight did as she was told, and noticed there seemed to be two extra back legs. In response, the 'Rarity' before them tried to turn the hindquarters away to be obscured from view, but the damage was done.

"It's the same for her right leg," Starlight continued, "Something is posing as Rarity. I think we found whatever took Fluttershy last night."

"And if it's posing as Rarity..." Twilight dare not finish that thought.

"Show yourself, you imposter!" Starlight angrily spat.

A look of surprise could be seen on the fake 'Rarity's' face, before it began to walk closer towards Starlight's shield. It stopped, cocking its head to one side, before they saw something that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Rarity's appearance, from her colors to her features, melted away, changing to a deep black shade. The form too began to lose shape, becoming something shadowy, amorphous, almost as if the life-form before them was actually almost liquid. Then, eyes glowing yellow, with predator like irises, opened up, dotting around the "non-shape" it was, along with sharp needle like spikes of various sizes, Extending from the mass were tendrils, also dotted with eyes and spikes, with one of them slowly reaching towards the shield.

Much to Starlight's shock and horror, the tendril easily pierced the magic as if it were never there in the first place. In a panic, Starlight cast a spell of force, that caused the ground to upheave beneath the shapeless thing and cast it back into the dark of the forest.

"That was close," Starlight managed to say without stammering, despite her racing heart. She turned to Twilight with an expression of determination. "Twilight, listen to me. I don't know what this thing is or what it can do, but we are NOT prepared for something like this. Go get help. Get Luna. Get Celestia. Get Discord. Anyone! Everyone! This is an emergency."

"But what about you?!" Twilight rebutted.

"I'll try to hold it off. Keep this... thing occupied."

"I can't just abandon you!"

"You don't have a choice right now. Please, Twilight. For Everyone. GO!"

Twilight faltered, if only for a moment, before she began to fly out of the Everfree forest. Once clear, she reasoned, she could teleport to Canterlot and seek out the Princesses. However, before he plan could even fully bake in her mind, she heard the sound of Starlight screaming. Panic instantly set into the young Alicorn's head, as her desire to save her friends had her race back to where she last saw Starlight and the creature. By the time she got there, not a soul was present. Only the cold snow and the cold wind were her company, along with the unsympathetic gaze of the emerging stars above.

"Rainbow Dash!" She yelled out, "Pinkie! Applejack! Rarity! Starlight!... FLUTTERSHY!" Her voice became hoarse as her voice echoed among the trees the names of her missing friends, followed by the sobs she let free, feeling utterly hopeless in such a situation.

Before she could recollect herself, the heavy crunching of snow kicked her out of her sorrow, and threw her back into a state of fear, as the strange presence that had haunted them in these woods slowly emerged from the darkness. This time, much to her shock, it was now wearing her own face. However, that was the only thing it was wearing. Despite it taking a vague pony shape, its liquid like body ever shifted, eyes emerging and disappearing into its inky blackness all around its mass, never looking the same for a single moment, That is, except, for Twilight's own face the imposter wore, that stared back at the frightened Alicorn.

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

A knock rang out across the amphitheater's room, kicking the master of building out of its deep concentration and immersion from the story being told. Gazing towards the door that had previously swung open to let in some of the snow, it noticed that an uninvited guest had made way into the realm. A mismatched creature featuring the right leg of a lizard, the left leg of a goat, the right arm of a lion, the left claw of an eagle, the grey head of a horse with uneven features and two different horns. His long, brown snake like body displayed a bat wing on his right side and a blue pegasus wing on his left, with a serpent like tale trailing behind him that capped with a tuft of white fur. The intruder, was Discord.

"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry for interrupting your little story time, but I'm afraid I have to step in."

I wasn't expecting a guest, but you are more than welcome into my amphitheater. What can I do for you, God of Chaos?

"No no. 'God' is such a unfitting title. It implies one to be omniscient, and that just won't do. What's the fun of being me if I could correctly see everything happening at all times? I only ever do that when I'm bored. Though, thinking back, that's probably why I lost in season 2. No, I am Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, since 1987."

The master of the building smiled.

And what shall I owe the pleasure of your presence?

"A small, teensy little request."

Discord started strutting towards the stage. He stopped for a moment, raising an eyebrow, gazing towards the heavens as if he heard something irritating him.

"Oh, but before that, stop narrating my actions, It's a little annoying."

The master gave a small laugh.

Very well.

"I came here today because I have a problem with how the story was supposed to end. I've been feeling rather festive this year, and was really hoping to spend it with my favorite little interlopers, but I can't do that with such a bleak 'all hope is lost' ending. Yes, I get it. It's a horror story after all, and the heroes and heroines don't always emerge the victor. That said, I don't think that the... creature deserves a bad end either. So why don't we do something about it. After all, it is the holidays. Why not make this a proper, happy ending?"

The master of the amphitheater pawed at its chin for a moment, contemplating how the story went, up until now, before being struck with an idea.

"I take it you agree?"

You have your wish. Merry Christmas, Mr. J.

"That's Q!"

The two laugh for a moment, before Discord disappears with an audible pop.

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

The nearly shapeless being slowly approached Twilight, eyes around its body remaining fixated upon her while they still remained. The little alicorn, scared out of her mind, having backed herself up against a tree, shielded herself from it with her forehooves, hoping and praying for a miracle.

The sound of an audible pop was then heard, which caused Twilight to hazard a glance, and saw the towering, heroic figure of one she didn't expect to be saved by like this. The creature too was taken aback slightly.

"Well, well," Discord tutted, "Talk about close encounters."

"Discord!" Twilight called with relief in her voice, "Thank goodness you're here! You have to help. My friends are all in danger. You have to-"

"I know, I know," the spirit of chaos interrupted, "I'll be doing just that." He then turned to the near shapeless creature, whom stared up at Discord, with the face of Twilight almost looking at him in awe. "Now, do you mind telling me what you are, what you're doing here, and why are you scaring the pickles out of these ponies?"

The thing stared up at Discord for a moment, before it, while swapping between the voices of her friends at random moments, began to speak. "Crashed... Lost here. Scared... Needed thoughts. Needed emotions. Need memories. Needed learn. Miss home. Can't go home. So scared. Sorry. So so sorry. All safe. Just hidden. Tree. Glowing tree. Below strange pointy rock."

"Can you take us to them?" Discord asked gently.

It remained silent for a moment, before it wandered over to Twilight. She flinched when it got close, which caused it to stop for a moment, before, it cautiously approached her. "No fear, please. Must see. Close eyes."

Twilight stared at the thing that still wore her face. It then closed its own eyes, along with the eyes of its "mask", and remained silent. Twilight reluctantly mimicked the creature and obeyed the request. After a moment, she was flooded with images, showing her the faces of her friends, a cave, and then.

"The Tree of Harmony!" She exclaimed, opening her eyes. She gazed back at the creature, who only gave a silent, expecting stare.

"Ah, should have known," Discord muttered, "Well, no time like the present. We all have a holiday to get back too very soon, right? So, let's go get your friends." Twilight and the creature, the latter of which that discarded its mask and became nigh faceless save for the myriad of eyes, stepped closer to Discord as he snapped his fingers and popped them from where they were standing to right next to the Tree of Harmony. "Ugh, this thing is as garishly bright as always."

Twilight gazed about the cave, and saw everyone there, safe and sound, though tied up in a similar looking material that of the creature's own. Even Zecora and the little chicken Fluttershy had looked for were there. Speaking of, Fluttershy was among the group too, whom sported a few bandages from some injuries that Twilight would probably ask about later.

"Guys, you're alright!" she cheered, relief fully washing over her.

"Yup. Safe and sound!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Though, I'm still probably gonna have nightmares for the rest of the month." Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"I don't blame you, Darling," Rarity added with a deadpan tone.

"I'm glad everything turned out all right," started Zecora, "Despite our 'guest' giving us all such a fright."

After a moment, their black inky bindings disappeared, and the ponies that were gathered there all rose back to their hooves and celebrated their safety.

"I can't believe it moves that quickly," Starlight said, absentmindedly, "And who knew its own body can act like a two way portal."

"What was that?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, nothing important. Not right now, anyways."

"Ladies, ladies, may I have your attention please?" Discord called out, gaining everyone's awareness for the moment. "I do believe that, while the implications are there, it would be prudent if I explained as to why this transpired. This young little... creature got lost somehow while traveling across the universe, and needed help after accidentally stranding itself here."

"If you needed help," Applejack started, "Why didn'chya ask?"

"Scared..." It said in Fluttershy's voice.

"Even of me?" Fluttershy herself asked.

The creature nodded.

"That's both funny, sad, and kind of ironic," Rainbow commented.

Laughter erupted among the ponies, whom all began to settle down a little more.

"Now, before we conclude this night and take the next logical step in fixing this problem, why don't we all treat ourselves, by having some festivities here?"

The idea was unorthodox, but the appeal was there, and they all agreed they could use some cheering up. So, with a snap of his fingers, Discord transformed the inside of the cave into a highly decorated Hearth's Warming hall. The Tree of Harmony, which acted as centerpiece, became decorated with all sorts of lights and trinkets that sparkled and shined with the crystal's alluring sheen, and had wrapped gifts placed below it, each having a name written on them. Off to one side was a veritable buffet, which featured a feast fit for any pallet and showed off perhaps the nicest set of snacks and sweets to punctuate the feast a pony could have from there. Off to the other side, a DJ stand had appeared with Vinyl Scratch playing tunes, whom shrugged in acceptance over her current situation.

All of the girls present, Discord, Elizabeak, and even the amorphous creature itself danced and partied, enjoying the festivities and forgetting the nightmare that came before all of this. Discord then turned and declared, "Merry Christmas," waving to no one in particular. The creature gazed towards the mismatched spirit, as if it were puzzled.

"What Christmas?"

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

Wrath finished the story with a smile. Indeed the story ended on a much happier note, and the master couldn't be more pleased. It was true that horror stories largely demanded something dour to feel thematically appropriate with the story being told, but sometimes, especially when the holidays call for it, there can be exceptions to the rule. It was a season of giving, forgiving, and good will to all, after all.

And that marks the end of another tale. I do hope you've enjoyed this little cosmic horror story with a pleasant, mundane twist. To all of you out there, beyond this realm, I wish you all Happy Holidays, and hope to see you in my theater again soon. Now, if you'll excuse me.

With that, the book was closed once again, and the storyteller left the stage, only to approach the seat it had taken previously, wrap the blanket around its shoulders, and reached down for the cup of cocoa it had left behind. With a gentle sip and a relaxed sigh, the lights of the building began to fade, as all became silent and comforting into the good night.

I Think I'm Lost. Yes, I'm Lost

The cold wind rushed through the barren trees, kicking snow up and swirling it about the air. The glittering flecks whipped and whirled about, carried by the gale with expert care, swaying to and fro between the gaps in the forest, all while bellowing a haunting cry. The moon's light shined upon the still white and lined the naked wood in silver, undisturbed by the wandering wind that flew ever closer to the heart of this lonely forest. Twinkling stars, contrasting the inky, pitch black cosmos, looked as if to give silent, gentle approval to the mimicking flakes.

Upon the last rush reaching the door, the tiny bits of snow scattered against the surface, assisting the wind in pushing it open ever so slightly. Snow building up just beyond the frame tumbled inside haphazardly in a misshapen mess, and slowly degraded further to the warmth that strangely existed within. Lights along the walls remained on, giving the interior a moody atmosphere, though no soul was there to appreciate it. No soul, that was, except for one peculiar entity, sitting at the front row, a thick dark blue blanket around its shoulders, wild brown hair draping over the back. Its sharp, cloven hands gingerly cradled a simple black mug with an inky brown and white mixture inside, careful to not let the hot liquid spill upon its light grey hoodie or dark grey jeans, or to let the barbed wire catch upon its clothing. One leg crossed over the other, foot slowly tapping to a phantom song only it could hear. Its eyes peered through its strange mask; a jawless skull with a rusty nail poking through its forehead. Eyes that eventually wandered to the side, only to widen in surprise.

Oh, do forgive me.

The entity placed its beverage down upon the ground and removed its blanket before it stood up. It then walked to the side of the amphitheater, where the lights dimmed in anticipation, approached the stairs that lead to the stage, and ascended them before making its way to the front and center of the platform. Upon taking its place, the spotlights turned on, and illuminated the master of this house once again.

Good evening, my friends. I am Wrath B. Forgivnez, and welcome back to this beautifully hollowed amphitheater. I must apologize. I fear I had gotten far too comfortable in my role as guardian and storyteller that I must have missed my previous appointment. I had brought forth no tale to haunt the soul when I had so previously recounted nearly every year prior on All Hallows Eve. Or, as the 'other world' would call it; Nightmare Night.

However, I suppose horror stories aren't bound to one day, are they? Any time, any where, any manner of strange, unusual, haunting, or even otherworldly things may happen... or exist. With this thought in mind, I then propose a special story this time around, one for a holiday normally known for good cheer, but one so strangely celebrated in the dead of winter, where darkness is at its strongest. Tonight, I present to you, my dear friends, a story about...

A Strange Presence Near The Woods

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

Hearth's Warming Eve was near again. Ponies all abound the town of Ponyville decorated every spot they could conceivably reach with practiced patience and glee, giving everything a spark of joy that only this kind of holiday could bring. Green garland, magically colored lights that twinkled in expert patterns, golden bells and red ribbons that accented them all adorned by houses and stretched between buildings. Even evergreen wreaths, peppered with gold and silver stars or their own colored lights, and fastened with a silk, crimson bow, hung upon the front door of most, if not all, abodes that diligently celebrated the time of year. Even the cold and snow did nothing to deter these ponyfolk from their festivities, and it was for good reason.

The legend of the holiday carried a cautionary tale of how mistrust and antagonistic actions create a cold world where few can survive, as well as the celebrated founding of their home land of Equestria under the unification of the three tribes. It was a story passed from pony to pony, generation to generation, and while many rebuke the events as myth, they all carry the spirit and intent with a strong conviction. Nothing could dissuade them from being optimistic and cheerful towards each, especially for the holidays.

It was, however, a few nights before Hearth's Warming where if any pony were to cast their gaze to the infinite black of the dark sky above, they would witness something peculiar. A ripple of bizarre colors crawled through the sky, and a strange streak of light fired down to the Everfree Forest. The ground shook for a moment, rousing the town from slumber, and had the inhabitants murmur and question the current events. Soon, the colors in the night's canvas faded away, and so too did the thoughts of the night's events. Peace and normality returned to Ponyville.

However, deep in the sprawling, untamed wilds of the Everfree, where magic flowed freely and spontaneous, the crater, where the streak of light struck, cradled an odd piece of stone. As the object began to cool, something black from its cracks began to fester.

-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-

"Oh my, what that was all about?" wondered Fluttershy; the sweet yellow pegasus that gazed outside her window, watching the Everfree Forest. It had been quite the busy season as Hearth's Warming approached, and she had just finished wither her own decorating and gift wrapping. She had taken the time to relax on her couch which sat beside her window, all snuggled up under a blanket with a book she had been wanting to catch up on for some time now. The sound outside was enough to draw her attention to the woods beyond the borders of her home, as her ears swiveled to try to get a better listen. She brushed aside a stray strand of her rosy pink hair back to its rightful place. While her attention was drawn outward, she noticed the chicken coup next to her house was now in disarray, with harrowing squawks and feathers flying all about in the chaotic panic. Loud noises always seemed to send the little birds into a tizzy, she thought. One would think they would be used to such a phenomena when living close to Ponyville. Never-the-less, the animal caretaker rose from her seat and bundled herself up in the appropriate winter attire, complete with red scarf, pink earwarmers, and green boots.

She trotted outside, shivering lightly to the cold only for a moment, before she turned her attention to the scared fowl. With a gentle reminder that they are indeed safe still, and a little stare to get them to fall in line, she counted the lot of them to make sure all were present and accounted for. Unfortunately, she soon realized she was one hen missing from the coup, and knew exactly which one it was. She also noticed the panicked bird tracks leading to the fence, heavy scratching in the snow, and more tracks leading towards the forest. The hen had jumped the fence.

"Oh, Elizabeak, you silly bird," she chastised. Turning back to the remaining flock, she gently ushered them back into their safe, warm coup. Then, she swiftly returned to her home, gathered some light supplies for emergency search and rescue, came back out, and approached the edge of Everfree.

No matter how many times she had entered these dark and dangerous woods, no matter her experiences and expertise, there was something so much more foreboding during a cold winters night. She contemplated on whether or not she should go and ask one of her friends for assistance, but the fact of the matter was every minute wasted was that much longer the little, defenseless chicken was in danger. If she wanted to guarantee the safety of the little bird, she needed to go in now. Besides, at this point, the chicken probably wasn't too far in. That's how she reasoned it, at least.

"Ok, Fluttershy, you can do this," she muttered to herself, steeling her resolve. If nothing else, I could probably ask Zecora for help while looking. With that comforting thought in mind, Fluttershy retrieved a flashlight from her supply saddle pack to help light her way through the thick darkness, and entered Everfree.

Crunching snow and creaking tree limbs echoed about through the vast brush, with wind lowly howling between the forest gaps. Despite how far she had come as a pony, there was no doubt that fear still clutched her heart tightly. Every groan of the forest. Every echoing crunching sound from beneath her hooves. Every whistle and yowl of the wind racing by at different intensities. Even though the winter season surely put most of the creatures of the forest to sleep, the noises that persisted made it feel the forest was much more alive than it looked. That said, it also felt far more threatening that it seemed.

For a solid half hour, Fluttershy followed the tracks of Elizabeak, trying to keep a decent pace, but also being cautious and alert to the potentially hostile surroundings she was trekking through. Once again, despite knowing that the vast populous of animals and enchanted creatures that called this place home were likely hiding away for the season, there were still some that she didn't quite know the behavior of during the season, or holding the belief that there were some creatures out there that she had yet to even encounter. Timberwolves, for example, were one of those beings where she had some gaps in knowledge. Despite being comprised of enchanted wood, she couldn't quite remember if they were active during this season or not. It had been those thoughts that kept herself vigilant.

The wind picked up, howling louder now and tossing snow about, as if to intimidate the little pony. Or, perhaps, to warn her. Never-the-less, she pressed on, keeping a close eye on the tracks of her beloved little bird, careful to point the flashlight to highlight the trail and keep her aware of her surroundings. As time went by, however, her concern grew insidious feelings within her; Doubt that she'd even be able to find her lost hen at this hour, even if she did decide to try to seek out Zecora now, and a growing fear of the darkness surrounding her despite the light she wielded.

It was then that Fluttershy felt it. A sensation she couldn't quite explain, but one that all but demanded her to turn back now. The wind died down, and the woods became silent. The trees had stopped creaking and clicking to the wind. The snow stopped scratching at bark and dunes. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her heart, her own breathing, and the crunching of the snow for every step she took. Something was off. Something was wrong. She took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, trying hard to ignore the instinct that begged her to abandon her quest here and now. With a sigh, she kept moving forward, following the tracks until... they just ended entirely.

It felt like time had stopped. There was no sign of Elizabeak's presence, no change in direction or even evidence of something happening. Not even a loose feather from a bird's flapping wing. Fluttershy trotted ahead, trying to find the tracks re-starting somewhere in the snow. She searched all around the immediate area, getting more and more scared. There was nothing.

Her breathing hitched. She didn't understand. This didn't make sense. How could a chicken just up and disappear? She gazed about her immediate surroundings, pointing the flashlight in every sensible direction. She knew she should stay quiet, lest the unknowns of the forest hear her, but she couldn't help it.

"E-Elizabeak!" she called out, hoping and preying that maybe she actually was close enough, and her hen was in some overlooked spot. She waited a moment in the silence and in the dark, and nothing came from it. She hazarded another attempt, louder this time. "ELIZABEAK!" she yelled out, which reverberated through the forest, echoing ever so slightly and filling the silence, even if for a moment. Then, all was silent once again. "ELIZABEEEEEAK!" She shouted, tears starting to well up in the corners of her eyes, fear starting to press her heart harder than it had ever done before. She kept scanning the woods, trying to look for any sign, any stray feather or even a flash of the little bird's comb caught by the shine of her flashlight. Her ears swiveled back and forth, trying to catch any sound that might even slightly point her in the right direction.

"E... liza.... bea..."

Fluttershy froze. Her heart plummeted. That was her voice, but it sounded seriously wrong. She swallowed hard, and tried to reason that maybe it was just the echo catching back up to her.

"El... iza... be..."

There it was again. Her voice, but scratchy, harsh, almost desperate sounding. It terrified her.

"E... liz... abeeeak..." It sounded closer now.

Then, the dam in her heart broke. Fear kicked in and her wings flung upon. She shot up into the sky at a speed that she never knew she was capable of, ripping through the knife like branches that stretched among the canopy. The harsh cold wind combined with the branch scratches she got left light red lines all around her face as she desperately climbed the skies. As she neared the roof of the forest, knowing she was almost free, something wound around her leg. Suddenly, she stopped ascending, and was violently pulled back down, as the branches snapped and whipped at her during involuntary descent.

Fluttershy hit the snow with a thud, thankfully having not been too injured from the sudden fall, but very soon realized the danger she was in. Looking down at her leg, a strange, black tendril was wrapped around her fetlock. She panicked, kicking desperately to get it off, but her actions only made her realize one thing: the length of it lead into the darkness just beyond her currently limited night-vision. It then started to tug, pulling her more into the darkness. Her breathing became erratic, as she looked for anything to get the black thing off of her leg. She then noticed the flashlight that landed nearby her, which had shut off sometime when she fell. Managing to reach it, she curled up towards her snagged fetlock and gave it a smack. The result clicked the flashlight back on and caused the tendril to shake. Almost immediately, there was a pained yelp that sounded just like her.

Then, she noticed something about the tendril that she didn't quite pick up on before. There were eyes along the length. Yellow, faintly glowing, predator-like slit eyes, all staring directly at her. Her own eyes widened upon seeing this, now slowly pointing the light toward the source. What she saw shook her right to the core.

However, before fear could overtake her, there was a sudden strong pull from the tendril, and Fluttershy was yanked screaming into the darkness, dropping the flashlight in the process, which flicked off upon striking the ground.