Twilight’s hooves were shaking as she gripped her coffee mug.

“It was just a dream…” Twilight told herself while Spike walked around the table and sat down on the opposite side.

“Alright Twi, if you can say, what was the dream? What could have scared you this bad?” Spike asked.

“I-I can’t… I can’t tell you, it's… I can’t,” Twilight muttered.

“Geeze, was the library section burning again?” Spike said, trying to lighten the mood.

Twilight was unamused.

“Ahaha…heh…” Spike sheepishly laughed.

“Good morning,” Trixie said trotting into the kitchen.

“Morning,” Twilight and Spike said.

“I was talking to myself, but morning to you as well I suppose,” Trixie haughtily chuckled.

“Ugh, how long does she have to be here again?” Spike whispered to Twilight.

“Just until she get’s back on her hooves,” Twilight said rubbing her temples.

“Ok Trixie, now try to cast this spell and this one simultaneously,” Twilight said pointing to two different basic levitation spells.

“Two spells at once? What does Trixie look like? A miracle worker?” Trixie said.

“It's not hard with proper focus, watch,” Twilight set the two cups of tea and concentrated.

Both teacups began to float.

“See? Nothing to-” The fiery orange eye flickered in her mind and she gasped and dropped the cups making them shatter.

“You were saying?” Trixie said with a raised brow.

“I-I just had a lapse of concentration, it happens,” Twilight said before looking down in the orange tea on the ground and she could swear a slit eye appeared in it.

“AH!” Twilight stumbled back into a nightstand.

“Are you okay Twilight?” Trixie said more curious than concerned.

“Y-yes, let’s skip lessons for now, I… didn’t sleep well last night, I’ll go take a walk to clear my head,” Twilight said taking her leave.

“Um… ok?” Trixie said.

“Alright, the walk seems to be helping,” Twilight said trying to take her mind off the surreal images she saw last night, she continued on until she saw a familiar figure pop up in front of her.

“Hi, Twilight!” Pinkie cheered, In Twilight’s eyes however she saw a brief flicker of Pinkie’s deceased body.

“AAAAHHH!” Twilight backpedaled.

“Whoa… Uh, didn’t mean to scare you so badly, sorry,” Pinkie said sounding surprised.

“I-it’s fine! I uh- need to-” Twilight began but Pinkie trotted up to Twilight's side.

“No time, we gotta get to AJ’s house,” Pinkie said.

“What? Why?” Twilight asked.

“Applejack sent a note to me to gather everypony and bring them to her house,” Pinkie said.

“Isn’t it too early? She could still be recovering,” Twilight asked.

“Not to worry, she sent them so she must be ready to tell us everything,” Pinkie said dragging Twilight with her.

“Pinkie, I’m really not in the mood for this,” Twilight begged.

“If your feeling sad then having friends around will help,” Pinkie said dragging Twilight into a bush and teleporting to AJ’s house when nopony was looking.

“AH!” Twilight yelped when she hit the ground.

“Hey girls,” Rainbow said and they looked to see Rainbow and Fluttershy there.

“Hello girls,” Fluttershy said.

“Hi! Twilight’s having a rough morning so be gentle,” Pinkie said.

“Is that true? What’s up?” Rainbow asked.

“It… it’s nothing I want to say right now,” Twilight said dismissively.

“Alright,” Rainbow shrugged.

“I’m here!” They turned to see Rarity approaching.

“Good! Then let’s get the meeting a goin,” Pinkie said before knocking on the door.

They waited awhile before the door opened and they saw Big Mac.

“Hey Mac! How’s it-’ Pinkie was cut off by Mac covering her mouth and glancing around.

“Be honest with me, there anypony else but you five here?” Big Mac said.

“No,” Rainbow said.

“Come with me but be quiet,” Mac said leading them into the house.

“I’m a tad worried now,” Rarity said.

“Shh!” Mac said, quieting her.

The group made their way into the house and into the Apple family's living room.

There they saw a despondent Applejack and her sister Apple Bloom and Granny Smith.

“Granny-” Twilight began but Granny gave her a sharp look that quieted her.

“Ah can tell yer afraid of Applejack right now, yer standing on the opposite side of the room from her, get closer,” Granny said.

“Sorry…” The girls said approaching and sitting near the family.

“Ah want not a single judgmental word from any of ya, or ah’m bannin ya from this here farm,” Granny said.

“You don’t have to go that far Granny,” Applejack said “Their right to judge me… Ah’m a monster…” Applejack wept.

“You're not a monster AJ,” Rainbow said in defense of her friend.

“Yes ah ahm, if you girls hadn’t stopped me back there, ah would have… Ah would have killed mah own sister and her friends… just like mah parents…” AJ said with a sob.

“What?...” Twilight said in surprise, Granny gave Twilight a stern look warning her to watch what she says.

“Ah… ah killed them, because ah can’t control this monster in me,” Applejack cried.

Fluttershy got up and hugged Applejack.

“It’s okay…shhhh,” Fluttershy said soothingly.

After a few seconds Fluttershy backed off and Applejack seemed to have calmed down a little.

“We’re here to listen dear, tell us everything,” Rarity said.

“...Ok…” Applejack said before proceeding.

“Ah was once a normal pony, but only when ah was little, ah made the mistake of venturing into the Everfree…” Applejack seemed to shudder at an unpleasant memory but continued “Ah was always so shy back then, the local colts teased me for being a coward for relying on mah brother when they were teasing me, ah wanted to prove them wrong by taking a dare from them. If ah hadn’t been so stubborn, ah wouldn’t have lost somepony who meant the world to me,” Applejack said sadly.

“Do you need another hug?” Pinkie asked.

“No, just listen,” Applejack said before continuing “ah was told to go into the Everfree and get a cromba fruit,” Applejack said.

“A what?” Twilight said confusedly.

“Ah wish ah knew they were making it up at the time but ah was so determined to prove mahself brave, so ah went on mah journey fer nothing, and it wasn’t long before ah was lost and nighttime fell, ah heard the sounds of a search party looking for me and so ah tried ta follow the noises, that’s when… she appeared,” Applejack said the word she with a bitter tone.

“Who’s she?” Rainbow asked.

“A Timberpony she looked injured, and ah found the remains of a hydra near her, ah thought she was just a weird pony and needed help so ah made the mistake of trying to help her and not just leaving her.” Applejack said angrily.

The group glanced at eachother and then back at Applejack with some nervousness.

“She saw me and ah simply asked if she was alright, she then attacked me, sank her fangs into mah foreleg and tossed me around like ah was weightless before collapsing.” Applejack gestured to a barely noticeable scar on her foreleg.

“I never noticed that,” Rarity said.

“Is that how you got infected?” Twilight asked.

“No, contrary to popular knowledge, Timberponies can’t infect others with bites… but it did mark me to be the next Timberpony,” Applejack said.

“Mark?” Twilight questioned.

“Yes, when they bite ya, less they bite somepony else your marked as the next one, afterwards, all it takes to transfer the curse… is death,” Applejack said “She seemed to die of her injuries afterwards, and the curse transferred to me, and ah turned into one mahself,” Applejack said.

“So… that rumor is just a rumor, I see,” Twilight mumbled.

“That’s horrible,” Fluttershy said sadly.

“The worst part ain’t even here yet,” AJ said “when the curse hit me, ah turned into a monster, only since ah had no idea how to retain mah sanity ah was like a wild animal, but ah was at least somewhat aware before things went hazy,” Applejack said with tears in her eyes. “Ah… ran towards the noise of mah parents searching fer me… the rest ah don’t remember, but… ah woke up next to them both….Dead…” Applejack broke out into fresh tears.

Fluttershy held back tears of her own and Rarity looked horrified but also pitying of AJ’s situation.

“Ah killed them… Ah did… ya see why ah didn’t want to relive this?” AJ said sadly.

“Oh AJ,” Pinkie said with tears in her eyes.

“Now all you all know, now ya know why ah hate what ah am, and why ah’ve been trying to find a way to end the curse,” Applejack said. “The thing you don’t remember Twilight, is the fact that the cellar has been made into a holding pen fer me and research area, to study mah curse and find a way to fix it,” Applejack said.

“So that’s the memory that Rainbow suppressed… I suppose that makes sense,” Twilight said.

“If ya’ll don’t want ta be around me anymore, ah understand,” Applejack said.

“Applejack! Why would you think we’d abandon you?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, we’re not exactly normal either if you remember,” Rainbow reminded her.

“What do ya mean by that?” Granny asked.

“I…uh,” Rainbow forgot that the rest of the Apple Family didn’t know.

“If it's alright with ya girls can ah tell them later? Ah’m tired of keepin secrets,” Applejack asked.

The other elements looked at each other and nodded.

“So long as they don’t tell anypony else,” Fluttershy said.

“Pinkie promise?” Pinkie added.

“Pinkie Promise,” AJ said.

Everypony sat back stewing the conversation in their heads.

“And I thought my story was tragic….” Fluttershy said in her head.

“Now that ya know can we still be close friends?” Applejack asked.

“Of course Applejack, in fact, if it's a cure your looking for, how about I help, after all, I am quite the studious one,” Twilight said.

“Thanks Twilight, that's a good plan, ah hope ah don’t get in the way of progress,” Applejack said honestly grateful.

Twilight’s eyes widened “...What did you say?” Twilight asked.

“Uhm… Ah don’t want to get in the way of progress, ya know, of finding the cure, since ya’ll are so smart,” Applejack said.

“P-progress…” Twilight said her mind is flashing back to the dream.

“Why cry? They got in the way of progress, and brought their own ends upon themselves,”

“NO!” Twilight shouted startling everypony.

“Twilight?” Rainbow said confusedly.

“Is everything alright?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I-I am fine… I need a washroom,” Twilight said trotting off hurriedly.

“...Is she alright?” Big Mac asked.

“She’s been really spooked since I saw her,” Pinkie said.

“Must have had a bad dream…” Fluttershy guessed.

Twilight splashed water on her face and panted.

“It was just a dream! Why is it haunting me so much?... could it be…” Twilight remembered the corpses of her friends. “Where was Luna? Why didn’t she help me out in such a surreal dream?” Twilight muttered.

She sighed and looked up at the mirror.

And screamed.

Staring back at her from the mirror was a mare that looked like her but with slit fiery orange eyes, a white coat, and a mane like fire…

“It’s destiny Twilight, why fear the inevitable?” It spoke in a warped double-layered voice that mixed hers and a darker tone.

“What are you?... Why are you haunting me?!” Twilight demanded.

“In due time, my little Twilight,” It chuckled before the image returned to normal.

“Twilight?” a voice rang in Twilight’s ears and she screamed again and retreated to the bathtub.

“Ah’m comin in!” The voice said and the door was bucked open. “Twilight!?” Applejack said seeing a pale Twilight sitting by the tub and she ran to her.

“What’s wrong? What happened? We heard ya screaming from the living room,” Applejack asked as the others entered the bathroom, voicing their concerns.

Twilight latched onto Applejack and sobbed.

“I want to go home…” She whispered.

“Ah get it, calm down,” Applejack said rubbing her back as the others came up to her and tried to calm her down.

Everypony went with Twilight back to her house, at her request.

As they walked back Rainbow addressed what everypony was thinking.

“Ok Twilight, what’s been going on? I know you're scared but you're not going to feel better until you get this off your chest,” Rainbow said.

“...” Twilight looked conflicted.

“Please Twilight, you can tell us anything, we won't judge you,” Fluttershy said.

“Later, I don’t want anypony else to hear, and I’m just too tired right now,” Twilight said.

“Alright, just take it easy for no-” Rainbow was interrupted by Trixie running into her.

“Ooof!” Rainbow grunted as she staggered back “Hey, watch where your- Trixie?” Rainbow said.

“Hmm? Did you already forget that Trixie is crashing at Twilight’s now?” Trixie asked with a raised brow.

“I guess I did, what do you want?” Rainbow asked.

“Twilight’s little dragon friend asked me to deliver this, apparently it's a summon request from Celestia… lucky’s…” Trixie said bitterly.

“I will take it, Twilight has had a rough morning,” Rarity said levitating the scroll to her hooves.

“Very well, now if you all don’t mind, Trixie is going to go not spend Twilight’s bits at the make-up parlor,” Trixie said trotting off.

“Yeesh,” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“What does it say?” Pinkie excitedly asked.

“Let’s get Twilight home first, she still quite stressed,” Rarity said.

“Ok,” Pinkie said.

The group continued to the castle and went inside and Twilight moved to lie down on a couch while the other girls looked at the scroll.

“So? What does it say?” Twilight asked.

“It simply says that Celestia is coming here in a few hours to personally oversee preparations for a possible threat to Equestrian lives. What it is is unknown,” Rarity said.

“Then we need to get the castle ready, wash the dishes, organize the books, sweep the floor, rearrange the-” Twilight was getting up but Pinkie reappeared next to her and laid her back down.

“Leave it to us, you get some rest,” Pinkie said.

“But Pinkie, girls I can-” Twilight was cut off by Applejack.

“No need ta worry, we got this, we’ll get Spike’s help too,” Applejack said.

“O-ok,” Twilight said laying back and relaxing.

“Alright girls, let’s get cleaning!” Pinkie cheered pulling a vacuum out of her mane.

“Alright,” The others scattered and went about their chores.

As they worked Twilight stared at the ceiling and sighed.

“There’s something wrong with me… I need to know what, before something bad happens,” Twilight said before shutting her eyes and drifting off.

Author's Note

Hey guys, I decided to dedicate this short chapter to AJ's confession and Twilight's reaction to her nightmares.

Are these mere hallucinations? Or is a certain entity trying to contact her? Or just haunt her?

And how will this upcoming meeting with Celestia go?

Tune into next chapter to see how this all goes.