That one town no one knows about.

"Ugh, what is taking her so long?!"

Scootaloo complained for the third time already. Sweetie Belle was pacing around in their club house, peeking out the window every now and then.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon, she said that she'll drop by Zecora's house to fetch something super amazing that will help us get our cutie marks!"

Sweetie smiled at scootaloo, trying to get the other filly to smile back, but Scootaloo required more than just a false hope and a smile to abandon her scowl. She got up from the table and calmly started heading towards the door.

"Well I can't wait any longer! I'm going over there myself!" She insisted, but the lighter-colored filly stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

"No, let me! You hurt your hind leg the last time we tried to get our cutie marks, so you should rest it!"

Scootaloo hesitated. She was in a bit of pain, but such a brave pony as herself would never admit it.

"No, I'm fine  Sweetie Belle-"

"No you're not!" Sweetie let out a pout and stomped down with her front hoof. "Just stay here, okay? Guard our base! I'll be back in two slits of an apple!" She said cheerfully and headed out the door.

"Were you taking talking lessons from Applejack?!" Scootaloo called after her, but was replied with only a giggle as Sweetie Belle dashed off in to the Everfree forest.

Once inside the woods, Sweetie slowed down to a light trot as she merrily looked around the flora of the forest. Despite Everfree being a spooky place most of the time, on a bright sunny day in this weather it looked quite charming. So many unseen flowers were blooming all around, the bright colors and the sweet scent calling any pony towards them. Sweetie was no exception and soon she trailed off of the path and in to the meadow. "Maybe if I make a pretty bouquet, I'll get a flower arranging cutie mark?" She asked herself, but without waiting for any pony to reply, she started picking some of the flowers. Sweetie got so in to her role of a flower arranger, that she started getting picky about which flowers to add in to her bouquet. The young filly walked around and around, trying to find the most perfect flowers she could, thinking about maybe presenting her older sister with her result. Rarity loved pretty things, and a bouquet filled with the most beautiful flowers the Everfree forest could offer was sure to put a smile on her face and earn her a praise!

Sweetie Belle wandered out of the meadow, picking the oddest little plants her eyes could spot, some of them weren't even blooming. She believed they added to the originality of he bouquet, who'd want to get one filled with just plain old flowers anyway? Her search for different looking plants made her lose her way completely and only when the sky started to turn a shade of red did Sweetie realise that she was now completely and utterly lost. "...A...apple Bloom?" She called out timidly and looked around. Sweetie was so focused on looking at the plants that she paid no attention to the path she was taking, so now she had no idea what direction she even came from. "Z...zecoraaa?!" She called out again and whimpered. Fear had rendered her immobile for the time being and tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. "R...rarityy...." Her last yell came out more of a timid fluttershyesque whisper. Sweetie Belle huddled up in to a small ball of a pony and began sobbing, a tremble running up and down her frightened little body.

Suddenly a buzz and a hiss were heard nearby and made Sweetie jump up. "w-who's there?!" She called out and quickly wiped away her tears, but the gloss in her eyes was still clearly visible. Another buzz and a hiss were heard from a different direction now. And another. And another. Sweetie was frightened and she would've ran, if not for the sounds coming from every single direction.

"Blaaannkkkk...." Something hissed out in a raspy voice.

"Blaannkk!" A similar voice repeated, but louder.

"Blaaaank!" "Blaank!" "Blaank!" Suddenly many hissing voices were heard, repeating the word over and over. They got louder and closer. Sweetie Belle was not able to handle much more and she let out the loudest, most high pitched scream she could muster up. "Stay away! Stay away from meee!" Sweetie yelled, tears dripping from her eyes as shadows started forming all around her. Blue lights in shape of eyes appeared in these shadows as they started surrounding Sweetie, engulfing her in to their darkness. Her final scream was not heard by anyone in the Everfree forest, as she was now gone, leaving behind only a crumpled bouquet.

This was not the end of Sweetie Belle however, for the shadows have not harmed her. Using magic, these misshapen creatures carried Sweetie in to a small town in the middle of nowhere and left her by the entrance. It took a few good moments for the young filly to realise that she was still very much alive and now somewhat safe, as the shadows disappeared. "Where am I?" She whispered to herself and looked around. On the entrance gate there was a sign. An old, partly rotted wooden sign that welcomed ponies to the town Markone. That was an odd name for a town, but this was no time to question such things. It was getting dark and Sweetie wanted to get home. Hoping that somepony will know how to get back, Sweetie Belle ran towards the houses as quick as she could. "Hello? Anypony? Can somepony help me?" She called out, but no one seemed to answer. She called out again, trotting through the empty streets.

"Is... somepony outside?" A faint voice called out. It was not hissing, nor raspy, just sounded a bit tired.

"Yes!" Sweetie called out, feeling so relieved!" Where are you? Could you please help me?" Sweetie looked around.

From one of the houses exited a young mare, coat a faded salad green and long blonde mane with light red streaks. "We're beyond help..." The mare whispered silently, making Sweetie Belle at a loss for words. Beyond help? What did she mean? What was going on?