Chapter 1: Black, Red and Amber
It was getting late, a cyan Pegasus had just finished her job clearing the skies and was on her way home. But she couldn't help but feel strange. Something was bugging her and she didn't know what.
"Maybe if I get a good night sleep I'll be fine." She said to herself. "After all I do have plans with the girls' tomorrow." Rarity, who had just hit the jackpot after selling her latest line of dresses, was taking them all out for dinner. Once she got home she went straight to bed.
It was midnight and she started to dream. But it was more like a nightmare. She heard her friend's voices.
"Why couldn't ya tell us?" said Applejack
"Now Twilight is dying," said Pinkie Pie
"She said the princess is next," said Fluttershy
"I thought your Element was Loyalty." Said Rarity
"I'm not supposed to speak of them or else." Rainbow pleated "You must believe me. I want to tell you."
She then woke up from her dream sweating heavily.
"What in Equestria was that? I always tell my friends if I have a problem. I'll bring it up at dinner tomorrow." She went back to sleep.
Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest, three figures walked toward the old castle where the Elements of Harmony were found.
The first one was a black female Unicorn with a mane similar to Twilight's, but more flat. Her cutie mark was an active unicorn horn. She spoke in a cold voice:
"There it is, the castle of the sister princesses. Now all we have to do is get our hooves on the elements."
The second figure was a red male Pegasus with a fiery like mane; his wings had different color feathers on them and his cutie mark appeared to be a red spike. He spoke in a rather grouchy:
"This better be worth it, my wings are starting to ache." He was annoyed.
"Well that's why you have legs, use them!" she snapped "You do remember that you're the one who is going to be carrying them right?"
"Me?"
"Yes you, now let's go."
The third figure was a little yellow Pegasus filly with a red mane and was all messed up, and no cutie mark; she spoke in a quiet shy voice.
"But what if they…"
The unicorn cut her off. "…What if it is too heavy for him to carry? Don't worry you're going to be carrying most of them anyway."
"That's not what I was going to say."
"Then what was it? It better be important."
"What if the elements are not there?"
"Little Amber, that's why mommy has a backup plan" She lied "Now get moving." She kicked Amber away, hard. She looked at the other Pegasus and made a motion to go on ahead. Once the other two were in the castle, she fell to one knee and spat out blood. She was in pain but could still move.
"I must find a unicorn." She stood up and followed the other two.
"What was taking you so long?" the red Pegasus was wondering.
"I had another one." She replied coldly, "But enough about me, where are the elements?"
"There not here," Amber said quietly.
"Then why didn't you tell us they might not be here!" the other Pegasus yelled. "If you told us that before, then we wouldn't have wasted our time. I am going to give you such a bucking."
"But daddy, I figured that there is no harm in to looking anyway." she started to tear up
"Don't give me that, young lady!" he yelled "Now turn around and let me give you you're bucking."
"Red Thorn, Stop it!" the Unicorn called. "It's not her fault, she told me, and I did consider what she said. And she is right; there is no harm in checking. I told her not to tell you until we got here."
"Fine, but what's the plan now." Red Thorn said; he still kicked Amber.
"Listen, while the elements might not be here now; if I'm lucky I can pick up some magic residue if they were used here."
"What's Magic residue?" asked Red Thorn
"It's Enchanted Mold,"
"It what is left behind if magic is used."
"Oh right,"
" I can use my magic to find it."
"And…"
"Then I can track it back to the source."
"That means..."
"We can find the elements."
"Anything else?"
"That's it."
"Good"
"So lets try to find this."
"Good,"
"If we fail I'll rip your feathers off your precious wings one by one."
"I've told you before, Hooves off the wings."
"I won't be using my hooves,"
Oh."
"Good boy, now from what I can pick up right where we are standing, it seems that they were used and me more I move toward the platform over here the magic gets greater; but the magic residue isn't fresh."
"Not fresh?" Thorn raised and eyebrow
"In other words, the elements were used here a while back." At that moment she fell to one knee again and spat blood.
"Looks like you need to charge." Red Thorn said.
"Thank you, captain obvious. But where are we going to find a unicorn?"
Red Thorn walked to a window. "I don't know, but we must if we want to find the elements. Remind me, why we going after the elements of harmony if we can't use them?"
"What, you forgetting already? True we can't use them but they are the one thing that can stop us. So it's best that we get them so they can't be used against me."
"Hay what about me?"
"And you. but the fact is I have magic so they pose a bigger threat to me. If my illness doesn't kill me first they will."
"Or maybe..." he was cut off by a sound coming from outside.
"What is that noise?" Little Amber asked.
"Silence you little brat." He said coldly. He peeked out the window. "It looks like you are in luck."
"What?" the Unicorn asked.
Outside there was two ponies camping, one white Pegasus and one pink Unicorn.
"We've got two campers. This is too good."
"Is there a Unicorn?" she asked wanting a simple answer.
"Yes."
"Good, come on. It's time to put on the "act" again." They left castle and walked out to the campers.
"Pardon me," Red Thorn said to the campers in a polite voice, "But could we join you."
"Who are you?" The other unicorn asked.
"We are just some wandering pony folk who need food." Amber's mother said "Our filly gets hungry, don't you Amber?" she kicked Amber lightly.
"Yes," Amber whimpered
"How could we pass up a hungry filly? Lucky Cloud, could you go get some of our leftovers for our friends here?"
"Be right back."
"By the way, I'm Cherry Mane. Lucky and I are from Ponyville. I can't believe that somepony would just show up, tell me are you lost?"
"My wife here gets lost vary easily." Red Thorn joked. She hit him upside the head. "What did you do that for?"
"Can it," she growled.
"You two married?" Cherry asked.
"I'm her uncle." responded Red roughly
"Oh, wheres her father?"
"It's personal." the black unicorn replied coldly.
"Wow, you know your brother is some what hot, madam. I never seen a Pegasus with multicolored wings before"
"I know, but he does lack a few things, brains being one of them."
"Hay,"
"And you want to know what else Miss. Cherry?"
"What?"
"You are a fool." Red Thorn smiled.
"I can't believe you fell for it." The Black Unicorn's words were cold enough that an Ursa Major shiver.
"Fell for it?" Cherry asked in concern, "What do you mean?"
The Black Unicorn Jumped and pined her down. "Now hold still this won't hurt a bit." she got louder.
"I got the left overs" Lucky said coming out from the tent.
"Get him Red Thorn!"
Red Thorn jumped Lucky and pinned him down. Thorn looked down at Lucky and smiled. His teeth weren't like a normal pony's; they were sharp like, fangs. He lunged down and chomped down on Lucky's neck, he screamed in pain and died. Thorn then plucked out two of his victim's feathers and began to attach them to his wings. Cherry was terrified.
"Who are you" she quivered
"Black Rose." The Unicorn stated. Black Rose's horn began to glow. "Suspendisse risus" she chanted in an old language, as she drained the magic from her victim, leaving nothing but a hollow shell. Little Amber stood in horror as she watched her parents commit these horrible crimes.
When the Black Rose was finished she turned to Amber and spoke in a cold voice.
"If you ever say anything about this to anypony, you know what will happen."
"Yes mother" she said trembling.
"Good" she said "Red Thorn, finish up,"
"Ok, but where are we going?"
"Ponyville,"
Author's Note: Suspendisse risus is Latin word for magic harvest
The Visitors
Rainbow Dash woke up the following morning, still feeling strange, even more now because of her nightmare. She realized it was eleven, got out of her bed, and shook out her main and left. Since she didn't have to work today she decided to go for a walk around Ponyville.
'Nothing new today," she said, "I guess I'll just go over to Sugar Cube Corner, and see if Pinkie is there." She opened her wings and flew there.
Once there she went inside. Mrs. Cake was there handing out an order to a customer. Mr. Cake was on break and sitting at the table reading a newspaper.
"Excuse me Mrs. Cake is Pinkie home?"
"Why yes she is dear, she will be up in a moment; she is bringing up some bags of flower from the basement."
"Ok," Dash replied, "Mr. Cake could I look at your paper when you're done with it?"
"That's fine with me." He said, "But why do you want to read it? We didn't think you would be one to read the paper."
"I want to see if the Wonder Bolts are in it."
"Well I just read this paper cover to cover and nothing on the Wonder Bolts."
"Oh, well then what is in it?"
"Well read this then." He got up and handed her the paper. It was opened to a page with a large headline that said "Ponyvill Citizens Lost and Found"
"This title sounded reassuring," Rainbow said.
"Keep reading." Mr. Cake said
"The Everfree Forest seems like a nice place to go camping, but it's not. Well not for local pony folk Cherry Main and Lucky Cloud. The two went camping four days ago, their bodies were found last night. The Pegasus, Lucky Cloud was found with a large bite mark around his neck. It was to be believed that this was done by some wild animal but that idea was thrown out the window when some of his feathers were missing and when Cherry Main's body was found. She was a unicorn but when the body was found her horn was nothing but dust. It is unknown what could have caused this, but all we know is that this isn't the first time something like this has happed. For the most part the victims were far apart but this time the victims were found together. Who or what could have done such a thing? We will keep posted in the days to come.
"This doesn't sound awesome," said Rainbow Dash. "Well whoever did this isn't getting my feathers."
"Hay here comes Pinkie Pie." Mr. Cake said. "Pinkie, Rainbow Dash is here."
"Ok, I got the flower." Pinkie said "Hay Dashie, what brings you here?"
"Well…"
"You're here to try the new cookies we baked."
"No I'm just here to see if you are still coming to Rarity's dinner tonight."
"Of coerce I am. I never forget." Pinkie said with a smile.
"Well that's good to know." At that moment Dash's stomach cramped up.
"Is something the matter Dashie?"
"I've been feeling weird since last night."
"What's happened?"
"I was getting off my shift from clearing the clouds and I saw several of my coworkers getting together and leaving."
"And then what?"
"That's when the cramps started. I thought it was because of work, surprising the thunder clouds are heavier then they look. But anyway I headed home and went to bed, I thought that a good night sleep would help it and that's when I had a horrible nightmare."
"A ni-ni-ni-nightmare?" Pinkie said shuddering. "Was it Nightmare Moon?"
"No it was worse. You and the girls were there and you say "Twilight is dying."
"Oh, I would never say something like that."
"I know I was going to tell everyone at dinner tonight."
"I think you should, it's good to tell your friends if you have a nightmare."
"What's worse is that I think it may come true."
"What makes you say that?"
Rainbow handed Pinkie the newspaper open to the article.
"Read this."
Pinkie speed read over the article. Next thing you know she darted up to her room screaming.
"That was scary to her; wow she is easy to spook." Dash said raising and eyebrow. "Well I best be off."
"Rainbow Dash," Mrs. Cake said.
"Yes?"
"I heard that there are some new pony's in town why don't you go say hi."
"Maybe I will." With that, Rainbow Dash was off.
The following events take place before Rainbow Dash woke up.
"I've been flying all night, my wings are tired, are we there yet?" the red Pegasus complained.
"You want me to give you a second reason to call you Red Thorn?" the Unicorn said sounding annoyed.
"You know you don't scare me?" Red Thorn replied, "It's just I have been carrying the little brat all night."
"Stop complaining, you all need your rest. So when the little brat wakes up you can walk." Black Rose said, "You know walk it's what you do with your legs."
Red Thorn scoffed at the remark.
"Don't give me look."
"I'll give you any look I…" he stopped and sniffed the air.
"What is it? What do you smell?"
"Hot apple cider. I think we are getting close." He sniffed again. "It is that way."
"Wake up Amber and let's get moving."
Red Thorn grabbed Little Amber of his back and through her down violently.
"Daddy, what's going on?" still sounding sleepy
"Food, that's what." He kicked her and she stood up quickly. "Now move."
"Hurry up you slowpokes!" Black Rose yelled.
They ran through the forest until they wound up at Sweet Apple Akers.
"It's an apple orchard?" Black Rose said flatly, "Well that explains the cider smell."
"Maybe we can find who ever works here and get some answers."
"So you do have something in that cranium of yours."
"That wasn't funny."
"Stop complaining and let's see who lives here."
The three of them walked to the nearby farm; Red Thorn kept kicking Amber all the way there.
"Ouch," Amber squeaked.
"Quit whining."
"Why do you keep kicking her?"
"One to annoy you, two so she won't speak about what we do and three it's fun."
"Well I do it just to keep her in line, and she can't speak about what we do."
"Oh right, not if she wants to louse her tongue."
"Mommy, Daddy,"
"What do you want?" Red yelled.
"Thorn, that's not how you ask." Black Rose said. "What is it you little brat?"
"Uh… uh…" she was trembling
"Spit it out or hold your tongue," Black said coldly
"It's just, there is somepony over there."
"Well then speak up next time," Red Thorn replied
"You two stop babbling and come on." They walked over to the pony; he was a big red earth pony.
"Pardon us," Black Rose asked.
"How ya doing, the names Big Mackintosh but everypony calls me Big Mac."
"Pleaser to meet you," Thorn replied.
"Say what are the three you yawl doing my family's orchard?"
"Well you see… we thought this was part of the forest and we didn't expect to run into anypony."
"I understand, say what yawl names are?"
"I'm Black Rose; this is my husband Red Thorn and this is our daughter Little Amber."
"Help me," Amber lip spoke at Big Mac.
"Well I do say she's a perishes little thing." Big Mac said. "I've got a little one myself, not a son or daughter or anything, a little sister."
"You do?" Red Thorn beamed.
"Pardon us for a moment," Black Rose said as she pulled Red to the side, "What are you planning?"
"We can leave the brat here so we can get rid of her. Plus she can't speak about us anyway."
"So you do have a brain." She turned to Big Mac, 'Say is it possible to meet your little sister?"
"I don't see the harm in that, but why?"
"Little Amber hasn't had a pony her age to play with in a long time."
"With the exception of poison ivy," Red Thorn mumbled. Black Rose elbowed him.
"I don't see why not," Big Mac said, "Apple Bloom, there is somepony I want you to meet."
Before you knew it three fillies appeared. It was Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo.
"You wanted to see me big bro." Apple Bloom said.
"Yes, it seems we have some new pony folk and they have a daughter."
"We were just wondering if she could play with you, and your friends." Black Rose said
"Say hi Amber," Red said, gently kicking her.
"Hi," Amber said shyly.
"Speak up," Black Rose said.
"It's ok, I heard her." Apple Bloom said.
"Well aren't you three cutest thing." Red Thorn said as he approached them.
Apple Bloom took a step back. Sounding nervous she said, "I take it that you're her father."
"Yes I am, but why do look so nervous, come on show us a smile," He said sounding cheery. "Watch I'll smile." He forced himself into making a big grin that sounded like bones creaking and it showed his sharp teeth.
"Nice to meet yawl," said Apple Bloom
"Me too," said Sweetie Bell,
"Same here," said Scootaloo. She and Sweetie Bell were out of there leaving a cloud of smoke. Apple Bloom stayed behind.
"Thorn, I told you not to make that face." Black said.
"Pipe down Rosie."
"Don't call me Rosie."
"I see ya got a way with ." Big Mac said, "What's with your teeth?"
"Well you see, because we do a lot of traveling, we need to keep Amber safe, so we sharpened our teeth to frighten off anything that would pose a threat."
"Wait both of ya has sharp teeth?"
"Yes," Black Rose said, "See," she grinned a little, "But I prefer not to show them off."
"I see," Said Big Mac, "well let me take ya to town, we always welcome new ponies,"
"Thank you Mr. Macintosh."
"Call me Big Mac."
"OK, let's go Red Thorn," Black Rose said, "Little Amber, you… are… aloud… to play… with Apple Bloom and her friends." She forced the words out.
"Calm down, Rosie, she won't say anything."
"Whatever, let's go."
From there Black Rose and Red Thorn went with Big Mac and Little Amber went with Apple Bloom.
