Equestria: Crystal Chronicles

by Azure-Spark

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Alternate Universe, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 12796

From Cutie Mark Crusaders to Crystal Caravaners... At least they're no strangers to adventure...

Crossover with Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (concept-wise)

Six years have passed since the day the miasma came to Equestria. No one know where it came from, or why it's there. All they know is how dangerous it can be.
The government has all but dissolved. The Princesses are gone from the land, though it comforts many a pony to know they are still pushing the sun and the moon every day and night.
Even the Elements of Harmony have been long lost.
Only the crystals keep the miasma from ending the lives of every pony in the land. And these guardians, left as a gift by Celestia herself, aren't perfect. Without a replenishing of the myrrh, the essence of good, purity, and harmony, the crystals will fail. Once a year, every still-intact town and city in Equestria sends out a "crystal caravan" to hunt down the myrrh hidden in the dangerous reaches of the land. Three trees, three drops, and they can return home to rest easy for another year.

This year, Ponyville's caravan falls under some unfortunate circumstances and the caravaners-in-training need to take their place, perhaps prematurely. Ready or not, Ponyville has no choice.
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle need to step up to the plate. Not just for themselves, but for the lives of everyone in Ponyville.

–

Special thanks to ~J-Webb for helping with Zecora's dialogue
Cover Art by K

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-02-05 07:17:09 UTC

Chapter 1: Morning Sky

Morning Sky

“Death is not one’s final moment in this world.

One only ceases to exist once they are forgotten.”

Dreaming of the stars on high

That speak to me in secret sighs

Drifting on a breeze

Only I can feel and hear...

Sweetie Belle sang the words at a hushed whisper. She sighed and took a good look around her. This used to be a popular hilltop in Ponyville. Now the buildings were ruined, covered in vines, and charred, the ashes a grim reminder of the first few days. Sweetie Belle thought back to the days of the Cutie Mark Crusaders: her, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. They had been so happy, so optimistic, so hopeful. Now what? Sometimes it just seemed that all they were was grateful to be alive.

“Six years,” she said under her breath. “It somehow feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago at the same time.”

She stared out over the top of the hill. The sun was just peering over the horizon. She lifted a hoof and carefully reached out with it. There was the line, not five inches from her. That strange tingling sensation wasn’t something you forgot once you knew what it was. She held her hoof there for a moment, then yelped and pulled it back. She could hear the sizzling of her coat. There was even smoke coming from it. Her hoof was a sore red now, like from a bad rug burn. She shuddered. After testing her weight on the hoof, she hobbled away from the line to find a safe place to lie down.

Her pack lay next to a bush on the path up the hill. All the roads had been torn up in Ponyville due to the frustration of maintenance for all the untrained ponies. Dirt paths with plenty of grass and trees along the sides had sprouted up in their place.

Sweetie Belle rooted through her saddlebag with magic. She found what she was looking for: a two-inch wide sapphire, saved from the drawing she had made for her sister as a filly. She brought it close and clutched it tightly. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, washing onto the dirt.

“I miss you, Rarity,” she whimpered.

Apple Bloom strained herself against the heavy cart. There was just enough room for two, maybe three of the carts side by side between the ridges on the sides of the road. The left wheel of her cart bounced on a rock, knocking loose a bushel of carrots onto the dirt path.

Forget it, she told herself. I can come back for it later.

The path from Sweet Apple Acres was the only quiet part of her days lately. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Still, it wasn’t like it was a lonely trek. She and Big Macintosh always made the deliveries together. He still wasn’t much for talking, however. Apple Bloom couldn’t blame him though. He did take two carts at once, each just as full as hers.

“Today’s the day,” said Big Macintosh. Apple Bloom nearly jumped out of her cart’s harness.

“What day?” she asked.

Big Macintosh pulled at his carts more forcibly to bring himself alongside Apple Bloom.

“Six years ago today is when this all started.”

Apple Bloom frowned and stared at the ground. “Have we really been at this that long?”

“Eeyup. Don’t forget to keep pushing.”

Apple Bloom looked up. Her brother had gotten at least a cart-length ahead of her. She shook her head and broke into a gallop to try to catch up.

“Isn’t this around when we sent out the first caravan, too?” she asked. She groaned against the cart. Big Macintosh slowed down for her.

“Yup,” he replied. “They left last night for this year’s run.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “I guess I missed seein’ ‘em off then.”

“Of course you did,” said her brother.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hey, what you do with your friends every night is your own business,” he said plainly. “All I know is that you come home at sunrise every morning, instead of at sunset like I’ve told you to.”

Apple Bloom averted her eyes. “And I told you, it’s important...”

Big Macintosh shook his head. “I’m just worried, Apple Bloom. You’re the only sister I got left.” He stopped and ducked out of his harness. “Alright, we’re here,” he said.

“Want any help unloadin’ today?” asked Apple Bloom as she slipped out of her own harness. She walked around to the side and lifted her saddlebag out of the side of the cart.

“Nah,” her brother replied. “But thanks.”

“Anytime, big brother,” said Apple Bloom. She slung her saddlebag on and trotted up to her brother. She rest her head on his shoulder for a moment, and he rested his on her neck. Hastily she galloped away after the quick “hug”. Big Macintosh slowly made his way to the cart and started to lift boxes of produce out.

Apple Bloom galloped quickly through town, ducking between stands, homes, and the occasional other pony. Sure, this was a daily event for her, but every day brought something new. She could remember back to the good ol’ days, riding in a wagon behind Scootaloo’s scooter, scaring half of everypony in Ponyville to death as they flew around town. Even now that the they were older and bigger, they couldn’t get that same reaction anymore if they tried. There just wasn’t a “crowd” anywhere in town anymore. The population, or at least of ponies that weren’t sick, was more than just a mite bit smaller. On the bright side, at least Apple Bloom knew everypony’s name by now.

She passed by the town hall, or what passed for it now. All it really consisted of was a wooden stage at the foot of the town’s crystal. The crystal, no matter how many times Apple Bloom got a look at it, was simply beautiful. It stood almost twelve feet tall and shone a bright blue-green with the energy that kept them all alive. What did Zecora call it? Myrrh?

“Hey Apple Bloom!” called Scootaloo from the foot of the stage. She was reclining lazily against it in a patch of grass.

Apple Bloom smiled brightly and trotted over to her. “Good mornin’, Scootaloo!” she said. “You ready to go find Sweetie Belle?”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I can already tell you where she is today.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “Where’s that?”

“Where do ya think?” said Scootaloo. “Same place she was last year, and the year before that, and—”

Apple Bloom hung her head and muttered, “Oh.”

“Can you do the talking this time? If I have to I might just make her cry again,” said Scootaloo. She stood up, using her wings to help lift herself, and righted her scooter from its resting place in the grass.

“You could try bein’ a little sensitive,” Apple Bloom cracked snidely.

Scootaloo sighed. “Hey, if you’ve gotten over it by now, so can she.”

“Nopony ever said I got over it, Scoots.”

“Do you still cry about it?”

“Well, no, but I—”

“Then you’re doing better than Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo raised her wings. “Now can we hurry up and get her? You remember what happened last time we were late for practice.”

Apple Bloom shuddered at the thought, then nodded. Scootaloo took off, flapping her wings to push herself. Apple Bloom galloped alongside her.

Back on the hill, Sweetie Belle lifted herself off of the ground slowly. There was a salty mud puddle where she had been laying. I think I’m all cried out for now, she thought. With a sniff, she returned the sapphire to her pack. She heard frantic hoofsteps and an odd buzzing noise getting closer. In a panic, she tossed some dirt over the mud.

“Uhh, hey girls!” she called down the path. Scootaloo skidded in the dirt as she rounded the corner. She saved herself from flying into the bushes by breaking into flight, letting her scooter swing forward and around on the momentum. Apple Bloom wasn’t far behind. When she arrived, she was panting. Scootaloo laughed.

“I win again, Apple Bloom!” she said.

“I bet ya wouldn’t be so fast without that scooter!” Apple Bloom laughed at herself. “Oh, listen to me, I’m startin’ to sound just like Applej—” She caught her tongue. “Like, uhh, somepony I used to know.”

Sweetie Belle frowned and shook her head. “Like your big sister,” she said. “It’s fine, Apple Bloom. You don’t have to act special around me.”

Apple Bloom saw some of the puddle underneath Sweetie Belle’s hoof. “Are ya sure? I mean you—”

“I’m fine! Really!”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Great. You’re fine, we’re fine, everypony’s fine. Can we get going already?”

Apple Bloom put her hoof on Sweetie Belle’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be sad,” she said. Sweetie Belle sniffled. “But it’s been a long time since it happened. You can’t be sad forever.”

“I know,” said Sweetie Belle. “I know...” she whimpered.

Scootaloo grumbled to herself and leaned on her scooter impatiently.

“It was easier for me, since I still had Big Macintosh and Granny Smith,” said Apple Bloom. “I know she’s not really family, but I’m sure— no, I know Ms. Bon Bon loves you like her own. And I’m sure your parents, wherever they are, they’re fine.”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “Thanks Apple Bloom,” she said as she stood up. “Scootaloo’s right, we don’t wanna be late for practice.”

“Now that’s what I was waiting to hear!” said Scootaloo. She lifted the front wheel of her scooter up and re-angled it down the hill. “Come on you two, we’re pushing it as it is!” She glided down the hill on the scooter while waving behind her for the others to follow.

“If ya want, I’ll volunteer to go first this time,” Apple Bloom whispered to Sweetie Belle.

“C-could you please?”

Apple Bloom chuckled. “Of course, Sweetie! Now come on!” She galloped ahead. Sweetie Belle tossed her saddlebag over her back before running after Apple Bloom. A light breeze dusted off the dirt of the road, revealing the mud puddle once more.

The path they took winded around Ponyville. They mostly stuck to the more scenic back routes, as usual, so that no pony would see where they were headed. The lush greens of the trees and bushes they got to see on the way made it a rather pleasant walk on most days. It was a secret for a reason, or so they had to be reminded every now and then. Luckily, even though they were making much more noise than usual, no one seemed to be around.

Scootaloo was first to round the corner on the final stretch. She gasped as she tried to make a hard stop. The scooter’s wheels tilted too far; she skid across the dirt and rocks right up to the minty-green hooves of their teacher. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rounded the corner at the same time. Both nearly slid on the same loose dirt, but they were going slow enough to regain their balance.

“You’re late,” said the mare standing above Scootaloo. Her piercing golden orange eyes were locked with Scootaloo’s in a disapproving stare. Scootaloo smiled nervously.

“It’s my fault, Ms. Lyra,” said Sweetie Belle with a sigh. She hung her head and slowly walked forward.

Lyra tilted her head. Her eyes widened as she made the connection to what day it was. “Alright, alright,” she said. “Just a warning this time. But don’t let it happen again.”

The three nodded nervously.

“Now come on, we need to get to work,” Lyra added.

Apple Bloom stepped past the other two while Sweetie Belle helped Scootaloo up. “I’ll go first today, Ma’am.”

Lyra chuckled. “Well if you’re sure, Apple Bloom.” She walked over to a small clearing in the road. There was a wide circle outlined by rocks on the ground. Behind it was a small, run-down shack with smoke coming from the chimney.

Apple Bloom nodded. She set her saddlebag down against the side of the road and pulled out a chunk of wood in the rough shape of a sword. She gripped it in her mouth tightly, then hopped into the circle.

Lyra levitated a similar piece of wood off of a pile next to the shack.

“Remember what I taught you,” she said. “Fight defensively to get the advantage.”

Apple Bloom nodded. Lyra brought the practice sword in front of herself and waved it back and forth. Apple Bloom watched it carefully.

Lyra’s sword lashed out towards Apple Bloom. Casually, Apple Bloom raised her weapon to parry the swing. Lyra repeated the strike from different angles. Apple Bloom countered each one harmlessly. Suddenly the sword swung around, aiming at the side opposite where Apple Bloom had her sword pointed. She loosened her grip on her sword and swung her head to the side. The sword spun around. She gripped once more, just in time to catch the other weapon before it hit her side. She swung forcibly back against it, and Lyra stumbled back from the strain against her magic. Apple Bloom jumped at her. She flipped her sword back as she sprang, stopping just short of her teacher’s neck.

“Wow, Apple Bloom, you have been practicing!” said Lyra. She smiled snidely as Apple Bloom felt a poke on her back. She looked around to see the tip of Lyra’s sword resting there. “You still need to work on watching your surroundings though.” Apple Bloom laughed nervously.

Scootaloo smiled and laughed. “Show off!” she yelled playfully. Apple Bloom set her sword down and stuck her tongue out at Scootaloo.

“It’s your turn to ‘show off,’ Scootaloo,” said Lyra.

Scootaloo groaned and trotted forward into the circle. Apple Bloom grabbed her sword and brought it back to her bag. She sat down next to Sweetie Belle.

“Hey, pay attention,” Apple Bloom whispered. “If nothing else, watching this catastrophe oughta cheer ya up.”

Sweetie Belle smiled and giggled quietly.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright, let’s get this over with,” she said. She took a practice sword from the pile in her hooves. Lyra shook her head.

“Where’s the one I gave you?”

“Home, maybe. Does it really matter?”

“Are you practicing with it?”

“Every now and then. Sheesh, get off my back!”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “Just try to last a little longer today, will ya?” She readied her weapon in front of herself again. Scootaloo fluttered over to the far end of the circle. She gritted her teeth and growled.

“I think she tries to fight like a mad dog or something,” Sweetie Belle whispered to Apple Bloom. “But frankly she ends up more like an angry kitten.” The two snickered in unison.

Between waves of her sword, Lyra saw Scootaloo start a flying charge. Scootaloo started attacking repeatedly. Her strikes were quicker than the last time, but just as wild. Lyra sighed as she parried the blows, barely moving her sword.

“Come on, Scootaloo, we already went over why that doesn’t work.”

Scootaloo ignored her teacher. She flew back a few feet, panting. She bounced her sword between her front hooves. After a half a minute of this, Lyra smiled. She went for a simple stabbing strike. Scootaloo harshly kicked off of Lyra’s sword. She used the motion to fling herself for Lyra, sword first. Just as she was about to reach her target, her sword got knocked into her chin. She felt it push against her. Over and down she went as Lyra’s sword pushed against hers, pinning her to the ground. Once more, Lyra stood over her.

“Gah!” Scootaloo yelled in frustration. “That’s not fair!”

“It doesn’t have to be fair,” said Lyra calmly. “You have to be ready to face anything out there. There are creatures with way more powerful and strange abilities than just unicorn magic that can get in your way.”

“Well yeah...” Scootaloo said as she looked away from Lyra.

“Still, you are getting it, however slow.”

Scootaloo grumbled as Lyra let go of her. “Where did you learn to fight, anyway?” she asked. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both leaned in for her answer.

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking now? Well, fine,” she said. “Remember way back when the whole thing started? When Celestia left a few guards here?” she asked. Scootaloo and the others nodded. “Me and a few others wanted to make sure our home was safe, so we volunteered to learn from them to make up Ponyville’s town guard. It wasn’t that hard to learn how to fight since we were so willing back then. Now if I could just get Scoots here in the right mindset...”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’m no star student like Apple Bloom. Isn’t it time for Sweetie Belle’s turn?”

Lyra chuckled to herself. “I guess you’re right,” she said. “Come on, Sweetie Belle, let’s see what you remember from last time.”

Sweetie Belle nervously looked at her friends. Apple Bloom smiled at her. Scootaloo was more focused on her own problems. Sweetie Belle gulped as she stepped up. “W-what should I start with?”

Lyra used the end of her sword to trace a bull’s eye in the dirt. “Aim the Fire spell there.”

Sweetie Belle stared at it blankly. “I, umm... I can’t remember the words.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “It’s not that hard, Sweetie Belle,” she said. “Ahem: Flickering light and heat so dire, the power doth burn in Fire.”

Scootaloo snickered obnoxiously. Apple Bloom nudged her hard.

“What!?” said Scootaloo defensively. “Those words are so dumb!”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “No they aren’t. Right Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle stared at Lyra unamusedly. “I’m gonna side with Scootaloo on this one. What’s with the ‘ye olde’ whatsit?”

“Look, I think it sounds a bit dumb or cheesy or whatever the word is,” said Lyra. “But it’s supposed to make it easier to remember. Besides, a rhyming incantation works good with a musical talent. Sweetie Belle, try singing the words.”

“I don’t wanna!” she pleaded.

“Just do it!”

Sweetie Belle sighed in annoyance. She focused at the center of the target, then shut her eyes. “Flickering light and heat dire, something something something FIRE!”

Her horn glowed as she sang the couplet. The glow intensified on the final word, and a burst of fire appeared; unfortunately, she only hit one of the rocks on the edge of the circle. She opened her eyes, but frowned when she saw the look on Lyra’s face.

“I don’t get it, Sweetie Belle,” she said. “You’re a bright young mare, and it’s not like this magic takes a lot out of a pony or something.”

“Maybe she needs a little different approach,” said a sweet voice from inside the shack. The door opened and out walked a cream-coated mare with a blue and pink mane, carrying a tray of fresh bread.

“Hello Ms. Bon Bon!” said Apple Bloom cheerfully. Sweetie Belle quickly trotted up to Bon Bon as she set the bread down on a table.

“Good to see you, Apple Bloom,” she replied. She sliced a piece of bread off of the loaf. “Here you go, Sweetie. Everypony else, get in line! Breakfast is ready!”

Scootaloo smiled and zipped in front of Lyra. Lyra nudged her; they shared a quick laugh. Apple Bloom shook her head and she calmly got in line behind Lyra.

The next ten minutes or so were spent without much talking. Everyone was too busy eating and enjoying the fresh bread. Sweetie Belle was the first one finished, and the first one to start talking again.

“So, Aunt Bon Bon,” she said. “What did you mean about a different approach?”

“Well I thought I heard Lyra talking about it...”

Lyra swallowed what food was in her mouth. “I wasn’t really being serious, Bon Bon. The only place in town where we could get information about unicorn magic training is, well, the library.”

Scootaloo coughed, laughing as she ate. “What, you’re not afraid of him, are you?”

“I’d be afraid of anyone that far gone, Scoots,” Lyra replied.

“Well I’m not,” said Scootaloo. “I can go get whatever you need. Sounds easy.”

Lyra and Bon Bon looked at each other with concern.

Apple Bloom swallowed. “I could go with her if that’d make ya feel a might less nervous.”

“It’s for me, so shouldn’t I go anyway?” Sweetie Belle added.

Lyra chuckled. “You know what, fine,” she said. “Worst case, it’ll be good practice for dealing with danger.”

“Cool!” said Scootaloo. She stood up and shook her wings loose. “Whenever you’re ready, I am.” Apple Bloom nodded.

“Thanks for the bread Ms. Bon Bon!” Apple Bloom added before she collected her bag.

Sweetie Belle stood up and smiled. “What exactly should we look for again?”

“Anything about how different unicorn ponies learn magic differently,” said Lyra between bites.

Bon Bon put a hoof on Sweetie Belle’s shoulder. “Do be careful, Sweetie.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” she replied softly. Bon Bon hugged Sweetie Belle before bidding her on her way. The three younger mares galloped up the path into town. Bon Bon stared after them and sighed.

“Remember when they were just little fillies? Now look at them...”

Lyra swallowed once more and sighed with satisfaction. “I’m sorry, did you say something?” Bon Bon giggled and rolled her eyes.

“Nevermind. Come on, help me clean up,” she said with a quick nuzzle to grab Lyra’s attention.

Flickering candle light was the only illumination in the dark room of the library. Mounds of books and papers filled the floorspace. Many were left open, lying pages-down. Most of the pages were folded, torn, or crumpled. Of course, the lighting was so poor that only the library’s sole resident could see all of this anyway. He skimmed a finger down the pages of another book while he grumbled to himself. He reached the end of the final page and slammed the book shut. He tossed it aside and pulled another one from behind into the direct light.

Apple Bloom stared into the dark window through a crack in the curtains. She gulped and backed off.

“Are y’all sure about this?” she asked nervously.

Scootaloo laughed sharply. “Come on, Apple Bloom. It’s Spike! What’s he gonna do, yell at us?”

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom sympathetically. “If you want, you can stay out here...”

“No,” said Apple Bloom. She shook her head and sighed. “I gotta be brave. Besides, Scootaloo’s probably right. He hasn’t really hurt anypony before, has he?”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both shrugged.

“I’ll just take that as a no,” said Apple Bloom. She turned and knocked on the door with her tail.

“What!?” Spike yelled from inside.

“Uhh, hello? We just wanted to borrow a book or two, and—” asked Scootaloo.

Spike growled. “You again!? I told you to stay away from me. And don’t think I don’t know that was you throwing stones at my window the other night!”

“He’s makin’ that up, right?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Well...”

“A-ha!” Spike yelled.

“Ain’t nopony ever tell ya not ta shake the beehive!?” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Wait,” said Spike, “Scootaloo, Apple Bloom... is Sweetie Belle with you?”

“Y-yes,” Sweetie Belle whimpered.

There was a pause of silence, then Spike grumbled, “Door’s open.”

Sweetie Belle entered first, followed by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo side-by-side.

“What makes her so special?” Scootaloo whispered to Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom shrugged.

Spike didn’t appear to have aged a day in six years, not counting his ever-paling scales. Apple Bloom didn’t even know scales worked that way until she saw him with her own eyes. He pulled open some curtains to let some of the sunlight in, then practically stomped back over to the small gap in the book piles he came from.

“Help yourself to whatever you need. Just don’t bother me,” he muttered.

Scootaloo stared at the mountain of books in front of her and frowned. “How are we supposed to find anything in here?”

“Figure it out!” said Spike bitterly.

Sweetie Belle walked up to Spike calmly. “Spike,” she said in a low, soothing voice, “We need to find something that’ll help me learn the magic I need to. Have you seen anything like that?”

He sighed. “Just had it. White cover, stack against the wall, about halfway down.”

Apple Bloom looked around. When she did find the pile, her eyes widened. Somehow, braced against the wall, there seemed to be more books above the only white-covered one than below it. This was saying nothing about how precariously the stack stood. It gave Apple Bloom the sense that it was already wobbling slowly.

“How are we supposed to get that!?” she asked.

“Again, figure it out! It’s not my problem,” said Spike.

“I’ll make it your problem you little—” Scootaloo started before Sweetie Belle cut her off.

“It’s not that hard, if you think about it,” she said.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at her like she had two heads.

“Look, if I brace the books above it with magic, Apple Bloom, you can take the book out while Scootaloo replaces it with something about the same size.”

Apple Bloom smiled and nodded. “On it!” she said. Scootaloo scratched her head, but started looking for another book anyway.

Sweetie Belle focused on the stack of books. This was a lot of weight for her to manage, even with magic. A faint glow covered the stack, and Apple Bloom quickly grabbed the book and darted back away.

“Hurry up, Scootaloo!” she said. She watched Sweetie Belle shut her eyes to maintain focus.

Scootaloo flew back to the stack and tested a few nearby books. Finally, one with a dark green cover managed to fit the spot.

“We’re good, Sweetie!” said Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle released the books and gasped for a breath. The stack wobbled for a moment. Scootaloo winced and ducked, but the books settled properly in a few seconds.

“Phew...” she said. She slowly and carefully crawled away from the stack.

They heard a slow clapping from the other side of the room. “Bra-vo, girls,” said Spike. “You got a book! Congratulations, you’re ready to go out and save Ponyville. No, you’re ready to save all of Equestria!”

“Hey, Sweetie Belle, any way we coulda made the books fall on him?” asked Scootaloo.

“Be nice, Scoots,” said Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle levitated the book away from her and looked at the cover.

“Magical Talent: The Beginner’s Guide to Using Magic,” she read. “Sounds about right. What did you need this for, Spike?”

“Same as usual,” he replied, suddenly much more calm. “I was wondering if there was any places in there that Twilight might’ve fled to that I missed in the other books.”

“Alright I think we need to get going,” said Scootaloo conspicuously. She pushed her friends toward the door.

“Uhh, sure...” said Apple Bloom.

“Thanks for the book, Spike!” called Sweetie Belle.

“Uhuh, sure thing.”

“Yeah, thanks!” said Apple Bloom.

“Bite me.”

Scootaloo slammed the door open and left in a huff. Apple Bloom frowned, then followed.

“Oh, and one more thing, since I just love the opportunity to stir things up every now and then,” Spike called after them. “Sweetie Belle, I better get that stack of books you borrowed the other day back soon, or I’m gonna have to ask Bon Bon about them myself!”

“Y-yes sir!” said Sweetie Belle quickly. “I’ll have them back by tonight, I swear!”

“Perfect,” he said as Sweetie finally passed the doorway. He jumped up and grabbed the door handle. “As always, a pleasure doing business with you, Sweetie.” He slammed the door hard enough to rattle the library’s windows.

Sweetie Belle turned around and jumped. Both of her friends were glaring at her.

“What?” she asked.

“You’ve been talking to him!?” Scootaloo burst out. “Are you crazy!?”

“He’s not that bad...”

“Sweetie Belle,” said Apple Bloom. “He’s known as the town nutcase for a reason.”

“But—”

“How long has this been going on?” asked Scootaloo.

“A few... years...” Sweetie Belle hung her head.

“Years!? Is this why you can’t get over your sister being gone? Do you honestly believe his craziness!?” Scootaloo through her hooves in the air as she shouted

Sweetie Belle turned to Apple Bloom with a tear in her eye. “You feel it too, don’t you!?” she yelled.

“Feel what?” asked Apple Bloom.

“That tug, you know,” said Sweetie Belle. She broke down into full-blown sobbing. “That special connection you feel, that you know your sister’s still alive and well, and she’s just out there, and—”

“Yeah, I know that feelin’,” said Apple Bloom. “Guess what? It ain’t real.”

“... W-what?”

“I’ve felt that since six years ago. I still feel it every now and then. But I know Applejack ain’t comin’ back. It’s been too long. The world is still so dangerous. We haven’t even got word of anything. Not from any o’ them.”

Sweetie Belle collapsed on the ground, weeping. Apple Bloom rest her head on Sweetie Belle’s.

“It’s hard to take, I know, but-”

“You just have to at some point,” Scootaloo finished quietly. A tear began to well up in her eye, but she turned with a “Hmph” before either of her friends saw.

A bell rang out across Ponyville. Scootaloo’s eyes widened as she stared at the crude tower by the town square. Apple Bloom looked up too. The last time that bell had been used, it was to announce the death of Mayor Mare from “sickness”. Now the chimes just sounded eerie to the ponies of Ponyville. Even Sweetie Belle looked up at the bell tower, just to make sure it was real.

“Come on,” said Apple Bloom quietly. Without another word, the three galloped away towards town square.

The town’s ponies gathered in a worried mob in front of the stage of town hall. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were almost the last to arrive. On stage stood Cheerilee and Zecora, the replacements for Mayor Mare and her staff. Cheerilee spotted the three and nodded in their direction with a blank, grim expression.

“Attention, citizens of Ponyville!” Cheerilee began. The crowd hushed immediately. “As you know, our town’s crystal caravan left last night to begin their yearly journey. Earlier today, we found them, unconscious, at the town gate.” The crowd immediately rumbled again with worried conversation.

Zecora slammed her hoof on the stage. “Settle down, you ponyfolk! Cheerilee's news is not a joke!”

“Thank you, Zecora,” said Cheerilee. “As far as we can tell, they will be fine eventually. They have some miasma burns, but no confirmed cases of miasma sickness.” She stepped aside on-stage to reveal the members of the caravan, laying and faintly groaning on stretchers. “They will, however, be unable to recover in time for this year’s caravan.” The crowd broke into a loud roar.

“Order! Order!” said Cheerilee. Sweetie Belle’s heart stopped. She looked at her friends. They were transfixed on their former teacher. They knew exactly what was coming.

“However!” Cheerilee continued. “We have planned for this. We had kept it a secret from most of you in at attempt to keep everypony’s hopes up, but we have been training a backup team to run our town’s caravan.”

She turned towards the three. “Wait, don’t tell me you three—” said Spike from behind them. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo jumped.

“Where’d you come from?” asked Sweetie Belle. Spike burst into laughter rather than answering.

“Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, please step up onto the stage,” Cheerilee commanded. Reluctantly they made their way through the crowd. They slowly ascended the ramp and took their scripted places beside Cheerilee.

Apple Bloom sighed. We’re ready for this. We have to be, she thought.

“I have had the personal pleasure of seeing these three raised from fillies into the fine young mares they are today,” Cheerilee continued. “I have seen their growth first-hoof, and I can honestly place my full confidence in them.” The crowd cheered and clapped their hooves.

“Now do not celebrate too hastily,” said Zecora. “They might not be quite ready.”

“They’re close enough!” called Lyra from the back of the crowd.

“We won’t know until they actually head out, Zecora,” said Cheerilee. She covered her mouth from the crowd and whispered, “Besides, we don’t have a lot of options.”

Apple Bloom felt something touch the back of her hoof. “Gah!” she yelped and jumped. One of the caravaners was rising. Apple Bloom recognized him from her school days: Snails. It was unnerving to see him so bruised and burnt-up.

Cheerilee gasped when she saw him moving. “Snails! Are you alright?” she asked.

“That thing...” he groaned. “Never seen anything like it. It was too big. Too strong.”

“Is that what did this to you?”

He shook his head weakly. “Something saved us. It sent is home. Some bright light.”

“It would seem what is hurt the most is his head,” said Zecora. “We may be lucky that he is not simply dead.”

He shut his eyes again. His hoof started tapping at the ground.

“W-what is it, Snails?” asked Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood behind her, watching in fear.

“There was a shape... to the light,” he said. He continued to tap and scratch at the floor of the stage.

Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, looking around. Her eyes lit up as she walked to the edge of the stage. She focused her magic to scoop up a pile of dirt from the ground. She set it down in from of Snails’ hoof, letting it spread around where he was motioning. The shape he was tracing slowly took an actual form.

It was roughly a six-pointed star, with five smaller stars around it.

Zecora stopped his hoof once he started a second trace. Everypony on stage stared in disbelief and silence. The crowd behind them grew restless.

“What’s the big deal?” Spike muttered as he made his way through the crowd. He hopped partly onto the stage. When he caught sight of the pattern in the dirt, he nearly slipped off. He hastily pulled himself up and pushed past Apple Bloom to see it.

“I knew it!” he shouted excitedly. “This is proof!”

The crowd stared at him, confused.

“It’s Twilight’s cutie mark! She saved them! She’s still alive! And so are the rest of them, probably!”

An uproar broke out among the crowd. Cheerilee and Zecora turned quickly and tried to regain order.

Apple Bloom couldn’t take her eyes off of it. “It really is—”

“It’s not exactly a unique shape for a cutie mark though,” said Scootaloo. “R-right? I mean without color—”

“It’s hers,” said Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo stared at her for a moment, then silently nodded. Apple Bloom was already nodding continuously.

“I have to see her. I have to get to see her with my own eyes,” Spike muttered to himself. He turned to Apple Bloom. “I’m coming with you,” he said.

“What? No, you can’t—” Cheerilee interjected, overhearing them.

“Can’t what? Defend myself? I’m a dragon. I can handle myself. Besides, with hands it’ll be easier to carry that cup thingy.”

“The chalice,” corrected Cheerilee. “We don’t know anything about this yet, Spike.”

“What’s the worst that can happen? I get proven wrong while helping the town out for once?” he asked.

Cheerilee sighed. She turned to face the girls. “Are you all okay with this?”

“Yes,” said Sweetie Belle immediately.

“I guess so,” said Apple Bloom.

“I’m already outvoted, so why not?” said Scootaloo.

Cheerilee smiled. “Very well,” she said. She turned so that the crowd might hear. “In light of recent events, we have an additional member for the new caravan team: Spike. I might not be able to say as much about him as the others, but I know that at least at one time he was the most reliable assistant a pony could ask for. I hope the better side of him may shine through on your journey.”

The crowd cheered once more, although more uneasily. Cheerilee dismissed the town meeting. The ponies dispersed slowly. Within minutes the town was back to how it always was at mid-day, just quieter.

Cheerilee turned back towards the group. “Now, you’re going to have to get properly equipped and acquainted with the chalice and the cart. Zecora can handle explaining your duties more clearly. I’ll go talk things over with your trainer and the smith to make sure we have equipment that you each can use. With any luck, you’ll be out and on your way by tomorrow morning. Understood?”

All four of them nodded.

“Spike, you might have to show Lyra how you ‘handle yourself’ before we get too far. You can come with me. In the meantime, Zecora, would you mind explaining the chalice?”

“There is much about their task that I have to tell,” she replied, “But first I must help in treating the unwell.” She motioned towards the unconscious ponies behind them.

Cheerilee nodded. “Fair enough. Girls, you might want to go home and talk things over with your families while you wait. I probably won’t see you until the equipment is ready. Until then, just relax and try to enjoy the rest of the day,” she said. She hopped off of the stage and said, “Come on, Spike.”

Scootaloo sighed. “I’m gonna go try to find something for lunch,” she said. “You’re both welcome to join me after... whatever.”

“I’m gonna go talk with Aunt Bon Bon for a while,” said Sweetie Belle. She hopped off of the stage and walked away quickly.

“I’ll join ya in a bit, Scoots,” said Apple Bloom. “I just gotta—”

She stopped and stared out in front of the stage.

“Just gotta what?” asked Scootaloo. She looked out where Apple Bloom was staring.

Big Macintosh stared back. He sighed and turned away.

“Wait! Big Macintosh!” Apple Bloom called after pleadingly. “I’m sorry, Scootaloo, I gotta go.” She hopped off the stage and galloped after him.

Scootaloo stood on stage and grumbled. She had forgotten Zecora was still there until she spoke up.

“Unless you want to risk getting sick, I suggest that you go someplace else, and quick.” Her tone was still rather annoyed. Scootaloo jumped off of the stage. She grabbed her scooter and took off on a ride to anywhere but there.

Chapter 2: One More Night

One More Night

“Goodbye can mean until tomorrow, or forever.

The hardest goodbye is when you don’t know which it will be.”

Scootaloo rolled lazily around a curve, past some houses and into the street. She had too much on her mind to really pay attention to where she was going. This was too fast, too sudden. She’d never admit it, but she knew she wasn’t really ready. Sweetie Belle was even worse off. She couldn’t even cast the spells she was supposed to correctly! How could she possibly stand up to the monsters they’d have to fight? And then there was Spike. Why’d he have to join in? Why!?

She refocused on what was ahead of her just in time to keep herself from crashing into somepony’s house. One quick motion let her fly for a second before riding off the side of the building. She smiled on reflex as she stuck the landing. It was that kind of riding that she quite frankly lived for, and she almost missed it with all her worrying. That would’ve just been stupid, especially if she got hurt over it.

“Hey, look!” said an onlooker. “She’s supposed to be on the caravan now, right?” Scootaloo couldn’t help but overhear. She smiled and slowed down as she passed.

“Yes, yes, it’s me,” said Scootaloo. Finally, a little recognition.

“What’s wrong with the others?” asked the mare. “The old caravaners, what happened to them?”

“They uhh, got beaten?”

The mare shuddered. “Oh,” she said solemnly. “Well good luck taking their place, Scootaloo.”

“Luck?” Scootaloo scoffed. “I don’t need luck, I’ve got plenty of skill to back me up.”

“Well so did Snips and Snails. As well as five years of practice.”

Scootaloo slammed on the brakes on her scooter. She frowned and stared toward the ground. The mare walked away silently.

Scootaloo remained silent, slowly drifting through town on her scooter. She stopped using her wings for propulsion. Instead, she passively stepped with her hoof every now and then. She rolled out into the middle of the market square before she ran out of momentum. She sighed and hopped off the scooter.

“Get it together,” she muttered to herself. “You can do this. You’ve been training, you’ve gotten practice. You just need to focus, that’s all.”

She heard the clanging of metal against metal faintly. One ear raised up as she tried to find where it was coming from. She hopped back up on her scooter and pushed off towards the sound. A stand or two lay in her way, but it was nothing she couldn’t squeeze through.

“Alright, what do I have to do again?” said Spike on the other side of the stands. Scootaloo stopped herself. She ducked behind an unattended stand and looked past the cover as it fluttered in the breeze.

“It’s simple, Spike,” said Lyra. She was standing in front of the smith’s home, or so it looked like from the light of the forge. Scootaloo saw her wave one of the practice swords in front of her hooves. “You just have to do a quick practice fight with me so we know what kind of equipment we need to make for you.”

Scootaloo saw Spike roll his eyes when the wind picked up. “So, by practice fight, you mean I don’t try to kill you or anything?”

“Spike!” Cheerilee interjected. Scootaloo couldn’t see where she was.

Lyra laughed sharply. “Yeah, sure,” she said. “I don’t care if you are a dragon. You’ve been cooped up in that library for so long, I’m surprised you’re not getting tired from walking around town.”

“How’s Bon Bon, by the way?”

“Just take a weapon already,” Lyra snapped. She slid a pile of wooden practice weapons over towards Spike.

Scootaloo squinted at them. “How come we only got to pick from swords?” she whispered to herself.

Eventually Spike found something. He slowly dragged out a short spear. Well, it was a short spear for a pony. For him, it was almost twice his height.

“Yeah, this’ll do,” he said.

“Really?” asked Lyra. “Spears are kind of crude weapons...”

He lowered the spear in front of him. His tail twitched. “Just fight me already so I can prove a point.”

Lyra spun her sword on either side of herself, then leveled it like always. “Whatever you say, Scaley.”

He didn’t change his stance. He slowly sidestepped in a circle around her. She followed carefully, sidestepping in the same manner so as not to expose her side. She lashed out with her sword, aiming at Spike’s right side. He swatted it away with the back of the spear’s shaft.

“Whoa,” muttered Scootaloo. She felt herself sweating, despite the cool wind.

Lyra repeated the attack several times, from both sides. Still, they remained at a standstill. Spike relaxed his shoulders. Lyra sprang at the opening. Her sword thrust quickly towards him; he ducked to the right and swatted away and down with his spear. He glared at Lyra and spat out a burst of flame. Lyra recoiled. Scootaloo saw her sword drop completely to the ground as it lost that certain magical glow. Spike jumped through the fire and swiped sideways with the spear. The blow connected with Lyra’s jaw, knocking her to the ground. He hopped up on the side of her foreleg and leveled the spear’s tip with her neck.

“Wait,” he said. He tossed the spear aside. “Sorry, forgot we were just practicing for a second.”

“That’s enough, Spike!” Cheerilee shouted.

Lyra laughed. “It’s fine,” she said. She cracked her jaw and winced. “He knows what he’s doing. That’s what we wanted to find out.”

“But how!?” Scootaloo clapped her hooves to her mouth.

Spike chuckled to himself and stared sideways at Scootaloo. “You catch all of that, Scoots?”

Scootaloo gritted her teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the sword twitch on the ground behind Spike.

Spike turned back to Lyra. “So do I get my weapon now?” he asked.

“Just one more thing.”

“What’s—”

The sword flew across the clearing and slammed into Spike’s back. He was pushed off of Lyra and pinned to the ground.

“Ow!” he cried. A puff of fire came from the sides of his mouth.

Scootaloo fell back behind the stand laughing. “Nice one, Lyra!” she shouted.

“What was that for!?” Spike growled.

“That,” said Lyra, smiling snidely as she picked herself up off the ground. “That was for letting your guard down. Bon Bon’s doing just fine, by the way.” She let Spike up off the ground. “Now let’s go get you a spear and some dragon-shaped armor.”

Cheerilee’s face peered over the stand at Scootaloo. She turned back to the street and called, “Lyra, wait just a moment!” Scootaloo calmed down and wiped a happy tear from her eye.

“Get up, Scootaloo,” said Cheerilee. “I just had an idea. Bring your scooter out front, will you?”

Scootaloo sat up with a puzzled look on her face. She shrugged and rolled around the side of the stand. Spike leaned against the wall of the smith’s house. He rubbed his back, flaking off a few purple-white scales.

“What’s up, Cheerilee?” asked Lyra.

“Just trust me on this one,” she said. “Scootaloo, show me how you collapse your scooter.”

Scootaloo hopped off of the thing, but paused. “What? Why?”

“Trust me.”

She rolled her eyes. Gripping the scooter’s handle in both front hooves, she swung it overhead. Sharply, she pulled back in the other direction. The hoofstand snapped down against the handle.

“Freeze!” Cheerilee shouted.

Scootaloo looked up at what was in her hooves. She lowered it and braced one hoof further along the handles’ support bar. Now she recognized it. It was like an odd-shaped hammer.

“Now,” said Cheerilee with a confident smile, “Try another practice fight.”

Lyra stared at Cheerilee bewildered. “You’re crazy,” she said.

“Am I?” Cheerilee asked. “Spike used a personal advantage to beat you. Why can’t Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo smirked. “Come on, Lyra! Show me whatcha got!” She snapped the scooter back into the open position and took her place on top of it. Her confidence rose immediately.

Lyra sighed and lifted a new sword into place. “I really don’t think this’ll go as well as you think, Cheerilee,” she said. “But if you insist, let’s begin.”

It began just like every other fight. Scootaloo had memorized the pattern. First Lyra would wait for an early attack. Failing that, she’d go for the light attacks. If you took too long there, she’d get serious.

Scootaloo stood on her scooter and pushed off gently. She rolled on around while leaning at a slight angle, circling just like Spike had tried to do. Lyra once again strafed around to keep her eyes on her opponent. Scootaloo started to flap her wings. She picked up speed, and Lyra managed to track her... up to a point. Soon Lyra found her hooves bumping into each other and her vision obscured slightly. In a panic, she jumped around one-eighty degrees, facing slightly ahead of Scootaloo. Scootaloo laughed, and Lyra growled.

The sword flew out and swung at Scootaloo’s legs.

“Hah!” said Scootaloo as she jumped around the sword. She swung the scooter’s base around in the same motion. Cheerilee jumped in excitement. The sword came back in to Lyra. She shut her eyes and shook her head.

Scootaloo remembered to jump on these moments, just like Lyra or Apple Bloom would. She turned with a sharp burst of speed from her wings. She hopped off of the scooter and turned to fly at Lyra. She snapped the scooter into the folded-up position.

Lyra opened her eyes. She slashed vertically towards Scootaloo, who blocked with the bar of the scooter. Scootaloo’s rear hooves touched the ground from the stop. She smirked. She drew the end of the makeshift mace down and to her left, pulling the sword with it. Lyra snapped the sword back, panting. Scootaloo swung the scooter back the way it came. On a hunch, she had angled the base away from Lyra. It worked: the base swung back into the open position. Lyra barely ducked the swing, then thrust forward with the sword. Scootaloo snapped off the lock for the handles’ support bar and pulled left sharply. The bar blocked the sword, then the base clamped around it.

Lyra gasped as Scootaloo tossed the sword aside. Scootaloo swung the scooter out again; Lyra jumped it. Once extended, Scootaloo refastened the bar’s lock. She switched her grip, ready to swing back again...

“Okay, that’s enough!” Lyra shouted, ducking and covering her head.

Scootaloo blinked. She reopened the scooter normally and stood on it. “Did I win?” she asked. “It doesn’t really feel like it.”

“It was bad enough with the sword,” said Lyra. “But with something you can actually use pretty well? Really Scoots, I appreciate the enthusiasm, just not when we’re practicing, alright?”

Cheerilee laughed to herself. Spike rolled his eyes.

“So what does this mean?” asked Scootaloo.

“It means,” said Cheerilee. “That we need to make you a new scooter.”

Lyra sheepishly raised her head. “Can you please take these two to the smith yourself? I have a massive headache now.” Once again her jaw cracked audibly.

Cheerilee walked up to Lyra and helped her stand. “Sure thing,” she said. “You’ve trained them well, Lyra. You deserve a break.”

Lyra nodded slowly.

“Come on, you two,” said Cheerilee. “Let’s go see what we can’t get made for you.”

Spike stared blankly at her as he stood up. Scootaloo rolled up behind her, then they all walked off inside the smith’s place.

Lyra clutched her head with one hoof briefly before walking in the opposite direction. “Two down,” she said with a sigh. “One Sweetie Belle to go.”

Bon Bon sat in her home, paging through the Beginner’s Guide slowly by candlelight. She skimmed the pages one at a time. Occasionally she’d do a double-take, but to no avail.

Sweetie Belle paced nervously back and forth on the far side of the table.

“Anything yet?” she asked. Of course she knew the answer, but she felt she had to do something besides wear away at the floor.

“Patience, Sweetie,” said Bon Bon. “We’re not going to get anywhere until Lyra gets home anyway.” She shook her head. “The good news is I found the chapter on teaching methods,” she said. “I should be getting cl- aha!”

Sweetie Belle looked up with a wide smile.

“Musical talents,” read Bon Bon. She continued reading down the page quickly while muttering the words under her breath. Her hoof slipped off the bottom of the page and she frowned. “It only says to try the rhyming method, like we already were.”

Sweetie Belle’s smile turned over into a solid frown. She slumped over. Bon Bon shut the book and walked around the table.

“It’s not the end of the world, Sweetie,” she said softly. “We’ll just try to find easier rhymes to remember, alright?”

“But we’ve already tried that...”

“We’ll just have to try harder.” Bon Bon rested her head on Sweetie Belle’s.

Sweetie Belle shook her off and walked to the next room. She began to sing the same song from that morning at a whisper.

“Dreaming of the stars on high, that speak to me in—”

“Sweetie Belle?” asked Bon Bon.

She stopped singing and looked up at Bon Bon.

“What was that?”

“It’s just this song I heard once...” Sweetie Belle averted her eyes.

“How much do you know?”

“Not that much. A few lines maybe.”

“Could you please sing what you do know for me?” Bon Bon asked.

Sweetie Belle frowned. “I’d rather not,” she said. Bon Bon frowned as Sweetie Belle closed the door behind her.

Three knocks came from the front door of Bon Bon’s home about twenty minutes later.

“Hello?” asked Lyra from outside.

Bon Bon smiled gently. “Coming!” she said. She trotted up to the door and opened it. She gasped. Lyra had a nasty looking bruise on the side of her face. “Oh dear, come inside,” she said frantically.

Lyra smiled weakly. “Got any ice?” she joked. Nopony had electrical power anymore. Not for four or five years now. There simply wasn’t enough space or time to run an electrical grid when living and farming space were limited by the range of the guardian crystals.

Bon Bon shook her head as she lead Lyra inside. “I’ve got some herbs in the cabinet that’ll make it hurt less,” she said. “What happened anyway?”

“Spike happened,” Lyra grumbled. Bon Bon nodded as she looked through her cabinets. “I’ll be fine though,” Lyra added.

Bon Bon set a few small, fuzzy leaves down on a plate in front of Lyra. “Just dab those on the bruise. It’ll make it hurt less.”

“Thanks,” said Lyra with a smile. She levitated the leaves and carefully tapped the fuzzy sides against her face. She winced from their touch at first. “Oh, of course it stings,” she said.

Bon Bon chuckled. “It’ll be worth it later,” she said.

Lyra sighed and set the leaves down. “I do bring good news though,” she said.

“Hm?”

“Scootaloo finally found a way she can last in a fight.”

“Really? That’s great! How?”

“Crazily enough,” said Lyra. “She can actually be pretty vicious with a scooter.”

Bon Bon sat down and stared at Lyra skeptically. “A scooter?”

“Who’da thought, eh? Anyway, did you talk to Sweetie Belle?”

Bon Bon motioned for Lyra to lower her voice. “She’s in her room,” she whispered. “We took a look at that book, but we couldn’t find anything useful.”

Lyra shook her head. “I wish there was something else we could do. I mean look at Scoots. All we had to do to fix her problem was to incorporate her natural talents. Why isn’t that working with Sweetie Belle and her singing?”

Bon Bon raised her hoof up. They both turned towards Sweetie Belle’s door. A sweet sound drifted out from the room. Bon Bon smiled warmly at it. Sweetie Belle was singing, just without the words. Lyra stared unmovingly.

“That’s it...” she muttered.

Bon Bon looked at Lyra, puzzled. “Huh?” she whispered.

Lyra pointed at the edges of the doorframe. Bon Bon’s jaw dropped.

The door was glowing a faint pale green.

“Sweetie Belle, get out here!” Lyra yelled once the song was finished. She looked at Bon Bon and smiled. Bon Bon tried to return the optimism, but could only manage half of a smile herself.

Sweetie Belle cracked the door. “Why?” she asked.

“Just do it,” said Lyra.

The door shut. Lyra frowned.

“Sweetie?” asked Bon Bon. “Is everything alright?”

“Not really!” Sweetie Belle yelled back.

Bon Bon paused for a beat, then said, “Well I think we have something that can cheer you up! Really!”

The door slowly opened. Sweetie Belle stepped out and glared at the two. Her eyes were red as she sniffled.

Lyra cleared her throat. “Sweetie Belle, sing me a G sharp.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Don’t ask, just sing,” Lyra glared at Sweetie Belle.

“Laa~” she sang. Her tone was unwavering. Lyra smirked.

“Now give me an F natural.”

She did so.

“Now sing ‘fire’ at F natural.”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes lit up.

“Fire~” she sang, holding the “re” for a second. Her horn glowed for a moment.

“Now,” said Lyra as she levitated over a small plate. “Burn the plate.” Bon Bon stared at Lyra, jaw agape.

“Fire~” Sweetie Belle sang again. An orange light flashed on the surface of the plate as a small flame lit up briefly. She frowned.

“Forget the word,” said Lyra. “Picture the flames in your mind, and sing the F.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Ahh~” she sang. Her eyes locked on the plate and her horn’s glow grew brighter. An orange-red light flashed in front of the plate. Lyra saw the magic swirl into the center before—

“Gah!” Bon Bon jumped away from the round burst of flames and smoke. The plate was left scorched and black from the two-foot wide blast.

Sweetie Belle jumped in excitement. “Finally! Oh my gosh, yes!!”

“That was perfect, Sweetie Belle!” said Lyra. “Now, there’s four more spells to make up the Magicite Set...” Sweetie Belle ceased her celebrations. “And six more natural notes in an octave,” Lyra continued. “How’s this sound: C for cold, or the ice spell, E for electricity, or the lightning spell, G for the disease remedying spell, and A for the wound healing spell?”

Sweetie Belle thought for a moment. “How about, B for blizzard, C for disease curing, E for healing, and G for lightning because that’s what it ends with?”

“But doesn’t ‘healing’ also end—” Bon Bon started, but thought better of it.

“Whatever works, Sweetie,” said Lyra with a laugh. Sweetie Belle hopped over to Lyra and threw her hooves around her neck.

“Thanks, Lyra,” she said.

“Oh don’t thank me yet,” said Lyra. “We’ve gotta go outside and work on the rest of the spells now.” Sweetie Belle gulped.

Bon Bon snickered. “Don’t worry,” said Bon Bon, “You’ll do fine.”

“If you say so...” Sweetie Belle muttered. She hopped off of Lyra. Lyra opened the door with magic and motioned for Sweetie to lead the way.

“Be back in time for dinner!” Bon Bon called after the two as they left.

“We will!” said Lyra. Sweetie Belle waved before turning to talk to Lyra about the spells.

“Big Macintosh, I—”

“I don’t wanna hear it right now,” said the colt. He refused to look at his sister. He just kept pushing down the path back home. The sun was getting low in the sky, drawing long shadows from the roadside trees across the ponies while they walked.

“I woulda told ya, it’s just- Cheerilee and Zecora said it was important not to, and—”

“You coulda said ‘no.’”

Apple Bloom stopped in her tracks and stared at the ground. She shook her head.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because your family needs you, Apple Bloom.”

“I know that!” she snapped. “I also know if I had said ‘no’, it’d be up to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Spike to keep us all from dyin’ before next year!”

“And what’s wrong with that? That’s three, isn’t that enough?”

Apple Bloom trotted up to catch up with her brother. “Well, uhh,” she said. “No offense, but neither o’ my friends have been doin’ so well. I’m just sayin’, I don’t think they’d be able to do it by themselves. And Spike is, well, you know...”

“Nuts?”

“Yeah, that.”

Big Macintosh stopped. He finally turned toward Apple Bloom.

“What gives you the right to say they aren’t doing so well again?”

“Well, I uhh,” she said. She couldn’t look him in the eye. “I guess I’m the only one really payin’ attention to Ms. Lyra’s lessons.”

“Is that all?”

She nodded slowly.

Big Macintosh sighed. He bent over and picked up a stick in his mouth. Apple Bloom tilted her head.

“What’re you—”

“Think fast!” he said. He gripped it by one end and swung wide and forcibly.

Apple Bloom ducked the stick. She bounced in the air, knocking it loose of her brother’s grip with her back, then flicked it away with her tail. She froze up with her tail still in the air. The look from her brother made her heart sink.

“Unbelievable,” he said, shaking his head.

Apple Bloom’s knees gave out. She shuddered on the ground as her brother walked away.

“Whatever happened to that sweet, peaceful Apple Bloom?” he asked. She couldn’t speak.

Big Macintosh lay on the Apples’ front porch, watching the sun. It had been hours since he last saw Apple Bloom. He sighed. So much had changed without him noticing. Apple Bloom was grown up now, he couldn’t deny that. He could see, over the rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres, the cutoff point where they couldn’t farm any more. The trees there were surrounded by weeds and other plants that sprung up without the Apples’ interference. If only ponies could be like the plants and survive out past the line...

He heard the front door creak open. Granny Smith hobbled outside.

“Here, Granny,” he said. He let her brace herself on his back on her way to the rocking chair. At least she was still alive and well.

“Thank you, deary,” she said. “Where’s your sister?”

“Probably in town still.”

She sighed. “I heard the news of today. Somepony stopped by to let me know not long after the town meeting.”

“What all did you hear?”

“Just that our little Apple Bloom’s gonna be on the caravan this year.”

Big Macintosh snorted and looked away from her. She nudged him with her cane.

“Well don’t get too excited,” she said. “Here she comes.”

He looked up and saw that familiar red mane galloping up the road.

Apple Bloom sighed and sniffed as she trotted up the front steps. She shut her eyes and muttered, “I’ll tell Cheerilee I can’t go if you really want me to.”

“If who really wants you to, dear?” asked Granny Smith.

“Me,” said Big Macintosh. He sat up and beamed over Apple Bloom.

“What!?” asked Granny Smith.

He didn’t stop glaring down at Apple Bloom. “It’s in her best interest, Granny,” he said.

“Hogwash!”

“Granny!?” Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh asked in unison.

Granny Smith grabbed Big Macintosh’s ear and pinched. He buckled back down the floor of the porch.

“Now listen here, sonny,” she said, “She’s a capable young mare now. You can’t treat her like your baby sister anymore!”

“But Granny—”

She swatted his back with her cane. “She’s going on this caravan whether you like it or not, Big Macintosh! All of Ponyville’s countin’ on her and her friends. As far as I’m concerned, she’s a heroine now.”

Apple Bloom smiled at Granny Smith. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Granny turned to face Apple Bloom now. “I couldn’t be more proud. And I’m sure if Applejack were still here she’d be sayin’ the same thing.”

Apple Bloom hopped past her brother and hugged Granny Smith gently. She sniffled and said, “Thank you.”

“I love you, sweetheart.”

Big Macintosh sighed again. Apple Bloom looked down.

“I need some time to think,” he said. He stood up and trotted off the porch.

Apple Bloom sniffed back another tear with a frown. “Big Ma—”

“Let him go, dear,” said Granny Smith. “I’ll have a talk with him when he gets back.” Apple Bloom jumped off of Granny’s chair. “Now, don’t you have someplace to be tonight?”

Apple Bloom looked behind herself and gasped. The sun was half set already. And since the miasma grew stronger at night, this brought with it the shift of the line.

“Gah!” she yelled, frantically picking herself up and turning to run back the way she came. “Sorry, Granny Smith, I gotta run!”

Granny chuckled. “Have fun dear. And good luck!”

Apple Bloom kicked off of the front porch and galloped down the path. Slow down, Celestia! she thought, staring at the sun in terror.

Almost there, thought Apple Bloom. The ever-increasing darkness didn’t exactly help to pick out landmarks among the shady plantlife. It was a straight path to Ponyville, mostly, so she wasn’t worried about getting lost. All she knew was that there was a good reason she couldn’t make it home after training once the sun was down.

Sweet Apple Acres was fortunate enough to get its own guardian crystal. Or rather, there was a connection between Ponyville’s guardian and the one for the farm. There was nothing shielding ponies from the miasma in between, however, so somewhere along the path between home and town was a gap at night. No one knew just where or how wide it was, just that it was there.

I gotta make it, thought Apple Bloom. I can’t mess this up. Granny Smith’s right, everypony’s counting on me. On me, on Scootaloo, on Sweetie Belle...

A sudden realization slowed down her world. A pale white light glinted on the corner of her vision. She felt for a brief instant a strange tingling sensation over her entire body.

In the next instant she collapsed on the ground, writhing in a searing pain.

Apple Bloom felt like everything was fading away. She could barely even hear her own screaming. The tears in her eyes and the smoke coming from her kept her practically blinded. The pain seemed to be everywhere. Outside, inside, it didn’t matter.

That was dumb, she thought. And now I’m gonna die just ‘cause I couldn’t wait ‘til morning.

She remembered back to the early days, back before they knew about the line. No one knew just how bad the miasma could be. Of course, the ponies in her class joked about going out into it, but no one really was brave enough to do it. It was Diamond Tiara that first had her doubts about it. She accepted the dare from somepony, and waded out a good five feet past where they were supposed to be. It took exactly six seconds.

Apple Bloom would never forget her screaming. It was beyond haunting. Silver Spoon tried to save her friend, but only managed to get back maybe a foot before she fell to the same fate. Cheerilee, still their teacher at the time, called out for help, but none of the adult ponies wanted to chance it. It was Twist, Snips, and Snails who finally worked together to fight the pain and saved the tortured fillies.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon died of the miasma poisoning later that night. The rest were treated, with varying degrees of success. Twist was left completely blind, but she eventually got used to it. Snips and Snails spent a few more days under medical care, but both were mostly fine. None of the children were completely okay after that. That was the day they learned just how easy they could die if they just walked in the wrong direction.

Apple Bloom imagined her screams must’ve sounded similar, except no one was around to hear her. No one was going to save her.

Apple Bloom...

She wanted to look around for the source of the voice, but she couldn’t move. She was quickly blacking out.

Where’s Apple Bloom?

She thought she recognized the voice now.

Applejack? she asked in her thoughts.

I gotcha, Apple Bloom. Everything’s gonna be alright...

What makes you say that?

There was no answer.

Applejack? Applejack!?

“Laaa~” Sweetie Belle sang. She couldn’t bear to look at Apple Bloom in her state, but she could remember where she was by keeping her hoof nearby.

“Come on, Apple Bloom,” said Scootaloo. She stood over top of her sizzling friend. A pleasant turquoise aura surrounded Apple Bloom. The smoke ceased. The patches of melted hair on her coat started to grow back, while the simply burnt patches of her coat regained their color. As the hair grew back, Scootaloo saw her raw, red skin healing as well. In just a minute, Apple Bloom looked like herself. She was just still unconscious.

“Keep going, Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo said frantically.

“That’s all that spell can do!”

Scootaloo lifted Apple Bloom in her hooves and shook her violently. “Wake up! Wake up, you stupid filly, wake up!” she cried frantically.

Tears fell from both Scootaloo’s and Sweetie Belle’s eyes.

Apple Bloom groaned.

Scootaloo smiled widely. “About time, you jerk!” she said as she hugged Apple Bloom tightly. Apple Bloom felt Scootaloo’s tears on her back.

“Applejack...” she mumbled.

Sweetie Belle leaned closer to her. “What was that?”

“I heard... Applejack...” Apple Bloom’s eyes shut again.

“No!” Scootaloo shouted. “I didn’t just ride through that stuff for nothing. Wake up!”

“She needs Zecora. Now,” Sweetie Belle insisted.

The next morning, at the sun’s first rise, Cheerilee and Zecora stood on the stage in the town square. The sun’s light refracted in the giant crystal, showering the stage in a subtle rainbow. The caravan’s carriage was pulled immediately next to the stage by a pair of cattle. Cheerilee unhooked them with the help of a young volunteer. The volunteer escorted the cows away as Cheerilee stuck her head inside the cloth cover.

“So do you all think you’ll fit?” she asked. “It’s a long, long ride.”

“I think we’ll be fine,” replied Apple Bloom. She stretched out on the right-side bench. Scootaloo lay in the bottom, while Sweetie Belle sat on the left bench. Spike sat on the outside front seat and lashed the loose reins passively.

Cheerilee smiled. “Well then that’s handled. Would you mind getting out so Zecora could explain the rest to you?” Everyone but Spike in the group nodded and hopped out onto the stage. Spike flopped off the side of his seat, then hoisted himself slowly onto the stage.

Zecora stepped forward. “The first thing you all need to understand is the sort of curse has come to our land.”

The three ponies of the group gathered in closely. Spike yawned.

“The energy around us, the miasma, is airborne evil. It exists for one purpose only: to harm, torture, and to kill.”

Apple Bloom shuddered.

“How do we fight it, you ask? Why, that is why you have your task. Celestia has blessed Equestria with the myrrh, purest essence of good. It is harvested from trees around the land, made of magic rather than wood.”

Even Spike was intrigued now.

Zecora slid a large, hole-covered cup out from behind her. There was a red, glowing crystal on a piece jutting up on the side.

“This is the chalice to which I refer. You will use it to collect the myrrh. Three drops of myrrth is all you need, however, my warning you should heed. You will all need great strength, for a journey of such length. The trees are guarded by monsters who wish no well to our kind. This is why you’ve been prepared, for the dangers on your myrrh-find.”

“Why are the trees in such hard-to-get-to spots if Celestia put them there? Wouldn’t she just try to make them right outside of where ponies live?” asked Spike.

“There is something you have yet to comprehend,” replied Zecora. “Not even Celestia is immune to the miasma’s rend. She protects Equestria with a line of defense, but suffers from a great personal expense. She now lives in the sky, watching with a mournful eye. Luna watches with her too, some say their reign is long through.”

“The trees, Zecora,” said Spike. “I asked about the trees.”

“When Celestia left for her life up in the sky, she left the ponies with what we needed to get by. The chalices and the guardian crystals would come first. Just by her will, every chalice and crystal knew no thirst. It was too much though, even for the Sun Princess. She scattered the trees when she left, with her last request: ‘Everypony must be strong, every village must learn how to cope. Equestria shall not fall so long as one pony still has hope.’”

Spike’s expression softened. Sweetie Belle frowned nervously.

Cheerilee chimed in. “The crystals in the chalice and the cart are charged to last on just sun and moon light. The town’s crystal, and therefore the one on Sweet Apple Acres requires a direct dosing of myrrh at least once per year because they protect so much wider of an area. You can’t see it now, but the chalice’s protection, at a much smaller scale than the town’s crystal, is distinct enough that you can visibly see the ‘line.’ The crystal in the cart is less reliable than the one in the chalice, but that only really concerns the cattle that will be pulling the cart. Frankly, we’re not even sure if they can get hurt by miasma, but we’d rather not take any chances.”

“Now,” said Zecora, “Does anyone have a question? Or are you ready to begin?”

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom, who looked at Scootaloo, who in turn looked at Sweetie Belle. They all shook their heads.

“I think he has one,” said Spike. He pointed over his shoulder.

Big Macintosh stood at the food of the stage, staring patiently up at Cheerilee.

“Big Macintosh!?” exclaimed Cheerilee. “What are you doing here? Didn’t Apple Bloom already say goodbye last night?”

“Well she didn’t,” he said. “But that’s not exactly why I’m here.”

“Then why are you here?” asked Apple Bloom.

The stallion sighed. “Apple Bloom,” he said. “There’s one thing I told myself I’d do after Applejack was gone. That was to take care of you.”

“But you heard Granny Smith, I—”

“I’m not gonna stop you.”

“Then why-”

“Cheerilee, I’d like to request to take the role of cart-puller for this year’s caravan.”

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Spike were speechless.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “This is getting ridiculous. We can’t just have anypony who wants to go away for this thing! Besides, we need at least one of the Apples to help with the harvesting.”

“Not for a few months you don’t. We’ll be back by then, right Apple Bloom?”

Apple Bloom nodded sheepishly.

Cheerilee groaned. “I don’t think I could stop you if I tried.” She sighed and said, “Very well, welcome aboard...”

Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up. Scootaloo nudged her.

“This could get real awkward around the fire now, if you think about it,” she whispered mockingly. Apple Bloom sighed and shook her head.

“You’ve all said your goodbyes, correct?” asked Cheerilee suddenly. Everyone nodded. Spike just crossed his arms.

“Then we’re all set,” Cheerilee said quietly. “You’ll leave in just a few minutes, once your supplies are loaded.” She paused and smiled. “Good luck. To all of you. Ponyville will eagerly await your return.”

Cheerilee and Zecora nodded at each other, then left the stage. Sweetie Belle levitated the chalice they left behind over to the group.

“I’m saying this right now,” Spike insisted, “I am not the designated cup-carrier for this whole trip just because I have hands.”

“Well duh,” said Sweetie Belle. “Magic, remember?”

“I don’t know,” said Scootaloo. “Maybe we oughta try it, just once. It might get him more focus on the myrrh and less on the crazy.”

Spike growled at Scootaloo. “I am not crazy!”

Big Macintosh hopped his front onto the stage and tapped at Apple Bloom’s hoof. She glanced back.

“They aren’t gonna be fighting the whole time, are they?” he asked quietly.

Apple Bloom was about to respond when Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at the dragon. “Yeah probably,” she said cynically.

“Ready!” Cheerilee called from the far side of the cart. Apple Bloom sighed with relief as she hopped off the stage.

“All the armor and weapons are inside the bottom,” said Cheerilee. “There’s food in the sacks underneath the benches. There’s also a map inside one of the food bags. If you need to restock, just make your way to another town, understand?”

The three mares nodded in unison.

“Perfect. Now, off you go!”

Big Macintosh was already being fastened to the front harness with Spike’s help. Spike jumped onto the “driver’s” bench and whistled for the others. They piled in, Scootaloo first. Spike snapped the reins; Big Macintosh glared at him.

“I’ll let you know when I’m sorry,” said Spike.

The colt shook his head. He slowly started off, getting used to the weight with three ponies and a baby dragon added to the cart.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stared out the back of the carriage at the light from the town’s crystal as they left. Sweetie Belle kept the chalice at her feet. Scootaloo restlessly looked around out the front.

“This is so cool!” she said. “This is gonna be the most fun we’ve ever had, right girls?”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, then nodded at Scootaloo.

“Got any songs to make this a little less boring, Sweetie Belle?” Spike called from the front.

“I think I have one, but I wrote it...”

“Well let’s hear it!” said Apple Bloom eagerly. Scootaloo smiled in anticipation.

Sweetie Belle nodded and cleared her throat. She didn’t have the heart to sing the saddening words, but she kept the tones intact as she sang. The words played in her mind, however, as the others listened intently. The beautiful sounds combined with the rising sun, promising good things to come.