Imprint First Sight

Stare at the dark too long, and you will eventually see what isn’t there.

—> Unkown

Three small figures made their way out of town. The sun had just risen, and the air was brisk but warm. Ponyville, one of the small towns of Equestria, was a peaceful and harmonized place where ponies lived peacefully and lived together by the magic of friendship. On this day the trio were starting their way towards a forbidden area, one they were told to never venture. But since their older siblings weren’t around to watch them, This gave the Cutie Mark Crusaders the perfect opportunity to successfully sneak out of town and into said forbidden place.

“Uh, why the heck are we going in here?” Scootaloo asked as they entered the Everfree outskirts.

“Well, y'all remember Winona’s favorite ball?” Applebloom reminded her two friends, both of which nodded. “Well, while ah was in the middle of playing fetch with her, ah kinda bucked the ball too hard and it flew all over the Everfree. So that’s why we’re here.” She finished, pointing at the Everfree forest.

“But doesn’t she have more balls?” Sweetie Belle wondered aloud. “Surely she still has some of those few balls to play with, right?”

“Well, yeah she does. But that one ball was her most favorite. Ah couldn’t just replace it.” Applebloom explained.

The three continued onward until they reached the edge of the Everfree forest. They found an isolated clearing, a dirt path stretched long and far. The ground was covered with a thick layer of grass, and trees lining the edges. There were several bushes on either side of the path, with leaves as soft as silk.

Applebloom led the way into the forest, the other two following close behind. As she walked, she noticed the flowers blooming from every side. It was like walking through a field full of colorful daisies, all growing together and swaying gently in the breeze.

The forest had become too quiet. The only three inhabitants seemed to be the three of them as they made their way into the entrance, following the path along the swamp, past more trees, quickly approaching a new spacious area.

The air had felt thick between them. None of them had spoken since they had started walking. The only sounds they heard were their hoofsteps and the occasional breeze that seemed to blow through the leaves above.

Finally, Sweetie Belle broke the silence. “So, how close are we?” She asked, turning to her shoulder towards Applebloom.

“We should be just about… here…” Applebloom said, gesturing to the left of her. The path suddenly widened, allowing for more space to walk on. “It’s this way.”

They followed the path up a hill. The path narrowed considerably, making for difficult climbing. Each step took its toll. The three soon came to rest near a large stone. A single flower grew in front of it, surrounded by vines with a few branches reaching toward the sky. All that could be seen from the top of the hill was a cliff, and the view below.

Scootaloo looked down and gasped. The sight before them filled her with awe. Below them stretched a vast valley of tall trees and sparkling streams. In the distance lay a round yellow ball, bobbing lazily against the surface of a lake.

“There it is!” Applebloom cheered. “That’s Winona’s ball we’ve been looking for. Come on girls!” She encouraged, motioning forward. She jumped off to the first cliffside branch and climbed down carefully, leaving a trail of hoof-steps for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to follow. One hoof at a time they continued to climb down, careful not to slip and fall.

Eventually they reached the bottom and Applebloom scanned the area cautiously, eyes darting around for any sign of danger. When nothing showed, she relaxed. “Looks clear.” She smiled, turning to face the others. She pointed at the lake. “Alright, we should be able to get in and out without getting wet.”

The three of them start their way closer. The water of the pond seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. The sun hung directly overhead, casting a warm orange glow across the water.

After walking for some time the trio arrived at the lake itself. Sweetie Belle’s eyes darted to the ball floating on the lake’s surface. Her horn lights up slightly as she stared at the ball, levitating it in the air with her magic. Subconsciously she motions the ball towards her and brings it down gently onto the grassy shore.

Applebloom reaches for the ball and takes it into her hoof. Swiftly she zips open the pocket of her saddlebag and puts said ball inside. Then she closes the bag once again and throws a strap over her back.

“Alright, now let’s get on outta here before mah sister finds out where we are!” Applebloom laughs as she starts towards the path leading back to the hilltop. She beckons for her friends to follow, and the three make their way up the hill. Once they reach the crest of the hill, the trio turns to their right and starts moving slowly towards the Everfree Forest.

Sweetie Belle stayed close to Applebloom, staring ahead into the dark forest. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, her ears flicked back. She looks over at Applebloom who continues walking. After a moment, Sweetie Belle follows suit, her gaze also scanning the darkness. Progressively, feeling takes over her. Something’s wrong. A deep uneasiness begins to settle in Sweetie Belle's stomach. She turns behind her and scans the area with her eyes, trying to find anything that might give her an indication of what she's sensing. However, nothing is visible beyond the trees. She continues walking.

After another minute or so, Sweetie Belle notices something move to her left. Instantly, she snaps her head in that direction. Nothing. Yet again Sweetie Belle tries to scan the area, but she can’t seem to locate whatever it was that startled her. Sweat drips down her forehead. What if she really did see something? She looks away from the darkening trees and stares down the mountain path. She hopes that there was nothing there. With a shaky breath she looks back at the woods, searching desperately for a shadow.

Suddenly she feels a tap to her shoulder. Turning around, almost jumping back when she sees Applebloom and Scootaloo next to her and watching her with confusion written all over her face.

“Y’all alright Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom asks, placing a hand on Sweetie Belle's arm reassuringly.

“Yeah, you seem a bit on edge. Is everything alright?” Scootaloo asks, a bit concerned.

Sweetie Belle inhales deeply and then exhales slowly, composing herself. “Yes, I'm fine! Just… lost in thought for a second, sorry.” She chuckled nervously.

“Well hey, ah guess we're lucky we got here fast then huh?” Applebloom commented, her gaze now set on her hooves as she kicked a pebble on the ground. She then lifts her head up, smiling sheepishly. “Anyways, let's get goin'.” With that, she began to trot forward once again.

Before anyone could protest Sweetie Belle hurried after her. Her eyes remain glued to her surroundings, her mind racing with all that has happened that day.

She shakes her head slightly, focusing on keeping her balance. “No reason to get distracted.” She muttered, forcing herself to stop thinking about whatever strange feeling she had just experienced. She needed to keep moving. She needs to…

Sweetie Belle was abruptly brought out of her thoughts when she saw that Applebloom and Scootaloo had halted in their steps. They both seemed frozen, gazing silently into the distance.

“What’s wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked, raising an eyebrow at them questioningly.

The atmosphere instantly turned tense. Applebloom and Scootaloo didn't respond. Slowly they both turned their heads to stare blankly at her, their wide eyes seeming to fill with terror. Both of them were shaking. Their breathing rapid. Their faces pale.

Sweetie Belle immediately became nervous. She slowly trotted towards the two until she stood by Applebloom’s side. She glanced at both Applebloom and Scootaloo, who hadn’t moved a muscle. Their pupils had dilated as big as saucers. They were staring ahead blankly, completely silent. Slowly, Sweetie Belle turned her head to the direction the frozen duo were staring and immediately froze in place.

Two beings were standing in close proximity to them. The shadows cast by the surrounding trees completely obscured their bodies. The creatures were of the same size as turkeys, but taller than a filly, with straight tails and muscular limbs. The creature on the right was covered in dark crimson leather, with black stripes resembling those of a tiger covering both its back and flank. Its neck was adorned with downy feathers, forming a mane and creating a crest at the back of its skull. Small two-fingered arms protruded from each side of its body.

The same was true for the creature next to it. The other creature was also draped in downy feathers, and its body was covered in basil green leather, sharing the same black tiger-like stripes covering both its back and flank.

The crusader’s bodies shook in fear. The trio were dumbstruck; unable to speak or process the sight of the creatures standing ten feet away from them. They stood unmoving, barely even breathing. For a moment, no one dared to make a sound. None more so than Sweetie Belle.

Right now, all she wanted to do was run away with her friends and never look back. She could keep running until she was out of the forest, out of her mind. She was overwhelmed by panic; so much so that she could feel beads of sweat forming on her brow. Her breaths grew shallow, her chest tightening with every new intake of air. She felt like crying, her heart racing so hard she thought her ribs would break. She was terrified, yet paralyzed; unable to move. It took every ounce of strength within her not to scream.

Applebloom was just as terrified as her friends. Not just by seeing the creatures but upon recognizing them instantly by their three-toed feet, short arms, triangular jaws, and boxy heads:

Tyrannosaurs. Two living, breathing, baby Tyrannosaurs.

Thoughts began to appear in overdrive.

How are these dinosaurs here? What are these dinosaurs doing in the Everfree? Is this the reason why mah sister told me not to come out here? How fast are they? Do they eat ponies?

What should ah do?

A low, resonant growl interrupted Applebloom's thoughts. At the same time, the trio gradually raised their heads and observed the gargantuan, reptilian feet that clutched the earth with black talons. Applebloom's gaze ascended the muscular legs, up to the massive heaving chest and short arms with two-fingered claws, and finally to the thick musculature of the neck. Even in the shade of trees, Applebloom could distinctly perceive the animal's majestic mane.

Applebloom gazed upwards and noticed the colossal creature's head towering twenty feet above. Its rectangular jaws opened and closed, savoring the air, while its razor-sharp teeth dripped with blood. The nostrils located at the end of its snout flared open with a rumbling snort, and its small, black eyes peered into Applebloom's own.

The mother Tyrannosaurus Rex growled and took a step forward.