The Last Light of the Evening Star

She had known it would be a disaster. She wasn’t one of them. She wasn’t a hero. She was a librarian.

She wasn’t even that anymore. She was nothing, less than nothing. Stupid, useless, selfish, ugly, weak…every time she tried to help, she only made things worse.

They would all be better off without her. She would get home, pack her favorite books and leave. She had no intentions to stick around until Starlight told Trixie and the others what Evening had done.

She hadn’t wanted to hurt anyone. But she had. And that was all that mattered. There would be no redemption, no happy ending for her. She hadn’t deserved it. She didn’t belong, not in this town, not surrounded by so many happy ponies with loving families.

It was a relief. She wouldn’t need to pretend to be normal, to try to get friends. She would be better off, accepting the way she was and allowing herself to slip out of their lives before she did any more harm.

Still, she didn’t gallop home. She took the scenic route and slowed her gait to admire the last light of the sun. It was hard to believe there could be evil, in a place as bright and beautiful as this one. But then she’d never fit in to begin with.

She paused, to look up at the stars appearing in the pinkish-purple haze of the horizon. The Dullness lay someplace behind her, waiting to destroy every ounce of beauty, to swallow up all the friendship and magic in this place and replace it with something sterile and unremarkable.

But what could she do? She wasn’t a hero. And every time she tried to be one, it just ended up being clearer how she much she did not deserve the title.

That’s when she felt it again. The sensation being watched. Slowly, she turned around, and as she did, she heard the sound of something moving quickly down the dusty road, in her direction. The churning dread she’d had in her stomach, when she first saw The Dullness, returned in a wave.

Whatever intelligence Starlight had accidentally released when she peered inside Evening’s mind, took control of her limbs, galloping her away from this new threat faster than she had from the last one.

Whatever the damned thing was, its very existence was offensive. Like the Dullness, it so obviously did not belong. It did not just belong in Ponyville or Equestria. It did not belong in this world. It was the antithesis of everything familiar and safe, an aberration that brought with it terrible implication for the stability and sanity of the universe.
Just like her.

She paused on the edge of town, staring down main street, where helpful ponies were relaxing after a long day of repairs with jokes and drinks. She stilled her breath, rage overcoming instinct, guilt superseding survival.

She turned back toward the road and listened for the approaching footsteps. Whatever the thing was, she deserved it. And she could not spend the rest of her life, however short it might be, galloping away from it. Whatever hideous punishment the universe had devised for her undisclosed crimes, she would gratefully face it, if it meant an end to this life of confusion and uncertainty. She would rather than live with the misery that escape offered.

“Who…whatever you are…just come and take me already!” She cried out. “I don’t care anymore! So just…show yourself!”

She waited, her eyes closed, her ears raised. She waited for the telltale tingling which informed her she was in the thing’s line of vision again.

Then she heard the guffawing, coming from behind her and getting steadily louder.

She turned to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash, side by side, each with one leg slung over the other’s shoulder, to keep the other from falling over. They each carried an empty tankard in their free hoof.

“It’s not my fault you can’t hold your shider…” Dash said, as her legs stumbled on the perfectly unobstructed path.

Applejack rolled her eyes, clearly the more sober of the two (although that wasn’t saying much). “Speak fer yerself…it’s ya pegasi are the big lightweights. Heh, get it? Lightweights…’cause ya’ll can fly.”

Dash unentangled herself from the friendly embrace. “Hey! At leasht we don’t have an…infi-inferiory-inferiority thing!”

“Earth Ponies da' not have an inferiority complex!” Applejack asserted.

The two stared at each other as if in anger. Then they both burst into laughter, leaning on each other again and as their ribs trembled and their bellies shook.

“Aw, shucks…we sound just like two fillies fightin' over a colt.” Applejack said, wiping a tear from her eye.

“I guess it wazsh pretty silly…” Rainbow Dash admitted, unsteadily getting to her wings.

“Woah, there, ponygirl. What’s the first rule’a irresponsible drinkin’?” Applejack demanded.

Rainbow Dash groaned and rolled her eyes. “No flying, because I could get hurt.” She let out a noise that was probably supposed to sound dismissive, but because of her inebriation, just made her seem more drunk. “I’m the greatest flyer in Equestria…I could get home if I was blindfolded!”

“As appealing as the thought a’ ya smacking yer stupid head into a bunch of stormclouds is, Ah’ll pass.” Applejack smirked. “Ah ain’t lettin’ you outta mah sight for the resta the night.”

“Oh, yeah?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes gleamed with competitive spirit, only sharpened by her dulled foresight. “That shounds like a challenge!”

“Well, it ain’t one, so don’t ya go gettin’ any crazy ideas in that feather-brained heada yours.” Applejack said. “Oh, there you are, Evenin’ Star!”

Applejack tossed the tankard off into the pasture as if afraid it might offend her. Then she blushed and scratched behind her head with her hoof. “Sorry if we’re a little outta sorts. Me and Big Mac cracked open a case of the hard stuff, as a reward for everypony workin’ together and well, one thing led to another…”

“I told Applejack I could drink more than she could!” Rainbow Dash blurted. “And I was right!”

“Apologies if we’re a little outta sorts.” Applejack said.

“That’s okay,” Evening said, able to smell the fermented apple-juice off both of them. “Everypony deserves a break after what they’ve been through.”

“You can shay that again!” Rainbow Dash said, toasting her tankard to the stars.

“Say, why don’t ya join us for supper, Evening? Granny’s been cookin’ up something special for me and Mac.”

“I appreciate that…” Evening Star said. “…but I should really get to packing. I’m going to be leaving soon…”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other.

“Where are you going?” Rainbow asked.

“I don’t actually know…” Evening Star admitted. “But umm…I think it will be best for everypony if I leave.”

“Aw, fiddlesticks! Yer a local celebrity, Star.”

“Yeah, you totally kicked butt!” Rainbow said, almost kicking Applejack’s hat off with a lacksidasical swipe of her leg. “We need your help to protect the town!”

“Plus, Ah never thanked ya properly fer savin’ mah big brother and my little sis from that wren.” Applejack said, scowling at Rainbow. Then she smiled and it felt like the sun had just turned on for Evening Star. “Please give us a chance, Evening.”

Evening Star stared at her for a moment, then her stomach rumbled. Well, she may as well enjoy one nice meal before everypony hated her again.

“Okay.” She said.

Applejack and Rainbow shared a smile and clapped their hooves together in victory.

The aroma of ripening apples met the trio before they even reached Sweet Apple Acres. It complimented the crispness of the air to create an autumnal feeling, despite the fact that Spring hadn’t even ended yet.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash had taken up singing a rude and rather embarrassing song. Evening Star rolled her eyes at their off-key slurring of the lyrics, but she couldn’t help but smirk at the determination with which they stumbled from one verse to another.

They’d just stopped when she’d gotten the first whiff of what lay inside the Apple family home. The night was alive with the mouthwatering scents of hot cider, apple fritters and vegetable dumplings and it all mixed wonderfully with the inviting light of the porch lantern, to become a beacon of rustic comfort against the terrors she’d endured.

The visit only got better once she was actually inside. Applejack’s grandmother was a surprisingly spry pony, with a face full of smile wrinkles and an unwavering intent to feed Evening Star until her stomach ached.

Applejack’s brother was the strong and silent type, almost twice her size, who watched the proceedings with glint of pride and a great deal of amusement.

And then there was her little sister. She was firecracker of a filly, as adorable as she was precocious. Evening Star could tell that both Applejack and Big Mac were a little peeved by the barrage of questions she sent in Evening’s direction. But Evening didn’t mind. Not at first, at least.

“Do you like being a librarian?” Apple Bloom asked, after they were all seated and most of the food which was going to be eaten had been.

“Course she does, sugarcube! You shoulda’ seen how eager she was to save those books, when the Ursa Major attacked…” Applejack said with a hearty chuckle.

“Yeah, she totally almost got crushed.” Rainbow interjected, as she scarfed down viddles, earning a glare from Applejack.
Evening blushed. “It has its good moments too…”

“But yer so good at magic!” Apple Bloom said. “And Ah saw you’re cutie-mark! It sure don’t look like your destiny is just to be a librarian.”

“There ain’t no shame in being a librarian!” Granny Apple said as she slammed her utensils down on the thick applewood table. “Why, in my day, most ponies woulda given their left hoof to have more than one book on the shelf!”

“And just because of you and yer friends think yer cutie-mark gurus, don’t make it alright to go around tellin’ ponies what they should or shouldn’t be doin’ with their lives.” Big Mac chided.

Apple Bloom deflated and glanced back at Evening Star. “Sorry, Miss Star…I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”

“It’s alright. The truth is I’ve never really been able to figure out what my cutie mark means.” Evening Star admitted.

She had not expected the looks of concern she received from this statement, or the gasp of horror that Apple Bloom released. “That’s terrible! No pony is supposed to go their whole life, not knowin’ what their cutie-mark means!”

“It’s not that bad really…” Evening said. “There are worse things to forget.”

In the silence that followed, Apple Bloom stared at Evening Star, Granny Smith and Big Mac stared at Applejack, Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash stared glumly at her licked clean plate.

“Well, I reckon it’s gettin’ late…” Applejack said, picking up her hat and using it to fan her flushing face.

Evening Star smiled. “It’s okay, Applejack…I’m just glad you all let me have dinner with you.”

This attempt at kindness only served to deepen the atmosphere of grief which had overtaken the table and Evening Star, realized that she had yet again, in trying to help others, only worsened the situation.

“I should go…” Evening Star said, as she clambered off the bench.

“Wait! Don’t tell me your staying the night in that library again!” Rainbow said, floating up over her chair.

Evening Star paused and focused on the cracks in the smooth floorboards at her hooves. “I’ll be fine.” She said, at last.

“Horsefeathers!” Granny Smith said, popping up from her seat. “Yer staying the night here!”

Evening Star turned to her in surprise. “What? Oh no, I can’t…I have to-”

“I said you were stayin’ and that’s final!” Granny said, putting her hoof down.

The rest of the Apple family grinned in unison at the display.

“C’mon, sugarcube…you already done so much walkin’ today, you must be exhausted.” Applejack coaxed.

“And you haven’t heard one of Granny’s stories yet!” Apple Bloom chimed in.

“Yeah, and it’s dark out there…” Rainbow Dash said, having somehow become the voice of reason in this insane situation.
“And there might be another monster attack halfway through your walk and no one would be able to protect you.”

“Eyup!” Big Mac said with a grin.

Evening Star looked between all of them, the hope in their eyes and the firmness on their faces. Suddenly, she did not want to be out there in the darkness, with the sound of the footsteps and the feeling of those eyes on her. Suddenly, she realized that all the time she’d spent re-reading the same books and dusting the shelves, could have been spent out here. Among ponies who were more than friendly, but who felt like home.

She realized then she’d never be able to enjoy their company again, after Starlight revealed her.

“If you’re willing to have me…I’d love to stay.” Evening admitted.

There was a chorus of cheers, followed by an attempt by Rainbow Dash at an impromptu toast. The attempt was mercifully cut short by Applejack’s insistence that Rainbow had already had more than enough cider to drink and by Apple Bloom’s infectious excitement for Granny’s storytelling.

After they’d all found spots either on the couch or kneeling in front of it, Granny sat down in one of the house’s larger rocking chairs and began to recount a story she’d supposedly heard from her great, great aunt. It was unlike anything Evening had read in her books. It was a winding, half-remembered thing which backtracked so much on itself that any kind of plot was all but made irrelevant. Still, it was hysterically funny, and Evening Star couldn’t help to eventually join in with the peeling laughter of the rest of the audience, as the hilarity increased exponentially with the repetitions in the tale.
When the story had ended, her lungs hurt from laughing and she had been so enraptured by the strange and enchanting custom, that she’d forgotten all of her troubles.

It didn’t last though.

Soon enough, Apple Bloom need to head upstairs to bed, and by the time she had been finally cajoled into doing so, Rainbow Dash had passed out with her head on Applejack’s flank.

Applejack just rolled her eyes. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to be able to use them fancy magic powers o’yers to help me get this one up the stairs, would ya?”

Evening Star was more than happy to oblige, using her telekinesis to lift Rainbow’s curled up form, without disturbing her rest, and managing to maneuver her up the staircase without striking the walls of the Apple family home more than half a dozen times.

“How is she still asleep?” Evening Star whispered, as she and Appljack ascended behind the levitated pegasus.

“Ha! Dash can doze through a hurricane if she’s tired enough.” Applejack said, as they finally reached Applejack’s bedroom. Two piles of hay had been arranged on the floor in front of the bed, and after receiving a nod from her host, Evening Star lowered Rainbow Dash gently onto the first one.

“Thanks for agreein’ to do this…” Applejack said.

“Oh, it’s no problem, I use my horn to lift heavy books all the time…”

“Not that! Thanks for agreein’ to come over…thanks for agreein’ to stay. I know it means the world to Apple Bloom.” Applejack said.

Evening Star nodded and moved toward the unoccupied pile of hay.

“Oh, no ya don’t! Mah first nursery was a pile of hay and Ah’ll never hear the end of it if Ah let a guest sleep on the floor.” Applejack said, trotting over to the pile and waving a hoof dismissively. “Now you get yer rest, ya hear? We gotta lotta work tomorrah.”

Evening Star nodded, and reluctantly slid into bed. She cast a glanced toward Applejack one last time, the mare’s loving smile illuminated by the moonlight that fell through the bedroom window. But the mare wasn’t staring at her (thank goodness). She was staring at Rainbow Dash.

The two were true friends, the way that Evening and Trixie never would be. Tied together by fate and sonic rainbooms. But for the first time in a long time, Evening Star didn’t feel jealous or bitter or depressed at the thought. No, she was just grateful, that she’d been given a chance to see what life could be like, before it all went away.

She closed her eyes and slipped off to sleep, too tired to be scared of what she might see.

It was empty. Sweet Apple Acres was empty. Not just of the Apple Family and their lively if sometimes overbearing antics. Not just of the contented oinking of the pigs or the squawking of the chickens from within their barracks.

Sweet Apple Acres was empty of life. There were no apples on the trees, no grass on the ground. The barkless gray branches were unburdened by birds' nests, just as they were free of the fruitbats which had been allowed to help pollinate and fortify the orchard.

All that was left were the empty, unlit buildings and the lifeless clawing hollows.

“Twilight, you have to stop this!”

She turned, her eyes searching between the bleached white trees, for any sign of the creature behind the tremulous voice. “No! I have to fix this! I can’t just leave it the way it is!”

“IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE!” The voice declared. “EVERY-TIME YOU TRY TO FIX THINGS, THEY JUST GET WORSE!”

“I know, but I can’t leave them like this! This isn’t the way things are supposed to be!” She turned again, trying to catch the location of whatever was haunting her.

“Please, Twilight…I’m begging you, stop before it’s too late.”

That’s when she saw it, the shadow looming behind one of the thicker trees. Watching her with eyes as warm as moonlight.
The shadow, bigger than any pony she’d yet to encounter, slid out from behind its hiding place and moved toward her…

Evening Star was awoken by the shouting. But any drowsiness left in her was shaken out by Rainbow Dash grabbing onto her shoulders and violently shaking her.

“We gotta go! Now!” Rainbow yelled, over the hubbub.

Evening Star yanked herself out of Rainbow’s grasp, rolling off the bed and moving to the window, to see if the Dullness had widened during the night.

Any relief she may have felt at having this possibility dispelled for her, was overtaken by her horror at the billions of scorpions that had swarmed Sweet Apple Acres.