Hearts of Ice and Souls of Fire

by Taranasauruso_o

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Nightmare Moon, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Romance, Pipsqueak, Twist
Length: 10339

Nightmare Moon and Discord return. Pip and his friends must set out on a quest to save Equestria.

Equestria as we know it has vanished, and in it's place stands a barren wasteland. The ponies that survive live in fear for their lives, hiding in terror. Discord and Nightmare Moon rule the world in a state of everlasting darkness and chaos. The elements of harmony have disappeared, and Celestia has been banished to the moon for all eternity.

But, in this bleak world, a shining light stands out. This beacon of hope goes by the name of... Pipsqueak!

Pipsqueak and his friends find an unusual discovery in the Everfree forest, that takes them on the adventure of a life-time. The six must travel all across Equestria in search of their goal.

Will they find what they are searching for? Will Equestria ever be safe? And will Pipsqueak get the chance to finally kiss a mare? All these questions and more will be answered in...

Hearts of Ice and Souls of Fire!

Published 2012-01-10 23:47:11 UTC
Last updated 2012-09-25 02:03:19 UTC

Prologue

Hearts of Ice and Souls of Fire.

By Taranasaurus

-Prologue-

In the beginning, ponies did not live in harmony. Instead, they were separated, alone. Three tribes, The Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth ponies, lived in Equestria. They coexisted side by side, but did not work together. The Pegasi, in exchange for their control of the weather, traded the Earth ponies for food. The Unicorns, in exchange for the raising of the sun at day, and moon at night, took food from the Earth ponies.

This life continued on for decades, neither clan changing how they lived or worked, until the day of the long winter. A large storm brew up, tossing snow and ice in all directions, and causing the place of which the tribes lived to become uninhabitable. So each tribe set out in search of a new place, a place of sun and warmth. Finally, they found the valley that contained all of the things they wanted and more. But the tribes, filled with hate and greed, did not want to share, and so they continued top bicker, and soon the storm was upon them again.

The ponies, in their time of dire need, joined together to survive. This harmony caused the storm to stop, and the snow melted. Thus, Equestria was made from the ashes of their hatred.

Years passed, and the tribes grew closer together, until each tribe was accepted as an equal by the others. Then came Discord, god of chaos. Discord put himself into the role of a god, and the ponies worshipped him, bringing him whatever he desired. He soon became bored of this, and set about wreaking chaos. The land became ravaged, barren and empty. The tribes where all but wiped out, with only a few ponies gathering together to survive.

In their desperate time, the ponies prayed to the heavens, asking for a way to end this tyranny. In answer, two alicorns descended from above, one of darkness, and one of light. Together the two banished Discord, encasing him in stone forever. They then went about restoring the land, returning it to ti’s former beauty and grace. The ponies, ever so grateful as they where, placed the two in the royal house, and crowned them as princesses of the land. Harmony reigned, peace and prosperity where all the ponies began to know, and soon Discord was forgotten.

The two sisters ruled over the land. The elder would bring the sun up and allow for the ponies to live in the day, whilst the younger would raise the moon at night. But the younger sister grew resentful. The subjects that the two ruled over relished and played in the day, but shunned and slept in the night. In her rage, the younger sister created the darkness, which manifested inside her until it took her over completely, transforming her into a wicked creature of the night, Nightmare Moon.

The older sister begged and pleaded with the creature, but to no avail. In her last attempt, the older sister banished the princess of the night to the moon. She then rose to the throne, taking control of both the sun and the moon. The land returned to normal, and, for a thousand years, knew only peace. Then, at the thousandth summer sun celebration, Nightmare Moon returned from her imprisonment.

It was then that the elements of harmony arose from the darkness, and manifested inside six ponies. Together, these ponies stopped the mare of the moon, returning her to her once peaceful state. The princess, no longer held by the darkness, begged for forgiveness. She then arose back to her official duties as princess, including raising the moon and creating the stars.

Many years passed, and the land of Equestria once again grew peaceful. The sisters ruled together, no longer plagued by grief and hatred. But, on the final Summer sun celebration ever to be performed, the land was plagued with darkness. Above, the moon covered the sun in an eclipse, blocking all light from ever reaching the land. Discord returned, and, along with Nightmare Moon, the two banished the princess of the sun from their world. They took over the world, causing chaos and hatred wherever they went.

The elements of harmony, or rather, the element bearers, rose up against the two. They harnessed the energy and power of the elements,and attempted to destroy Discord and Nightmare Moon. Their plan failed, and in a flash of white light, the elements disappeared. With nothing to stop them, Discord and Nightmare Moon took over Equestria, and their reign of tyranny began.

The world was destroyed, leaving only small areas not affected by their chaos. Years passed, with no hope of ever stopping or ending this reign of darkness. Now, from the ashes of the bunt world, a new hero will arise. A team of six ponies will venture forth on an impossible quest to save Equestria. Together, these ponies can save Equestria, and return the princesses to their former selves. The leader of this group, was none other than the brave and amazing-

“... Pipsqueak!”

****

Author’s note: :yay: a new story that is actually semi-cool. Don’t worry, this won’t stop me from writing my other’s, it just means I’ll have less time to do so.

Current stories being written:
1.Silence
2.Hearts of Ice and Souls of Fire
3.Auntie Dash (Oc fic for a few friends.)

Fics aside, lemme get serious.

This will probably be my main priority for a while, seeing as it’s a new concept for me (writing for an older Pip is HARD!)

Things to know:
Character list(Main):

Pip

Applebloom

Sweetie Belle

Scootaloo

Dinky Doo (:yay:)

and

Twist

This story is going to be based on them having to grow up in this apocalyptic world, and how they set off on a quest to save Equestria.

New begginings

Chapter one

New begginings

-

Pipsqueak sighed. He sat, alone, on top of a hill, contemplating his existence. He had been doing so for the past four hours, staring off into space, his eyes glazed over. The moon sat high in the sky above him, casting an eerie white glow onto everything in sight. The trees shined, the grass shined, even he shined, which was a first. The grass stretched out on either side of him, moving out of the horizon without break nor fault. Trees stood tall in front of him, an impenetrable wall glowing faintly in the lush moonlight. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of the camp, where he lived, worked and played. Of course, there was very little of the latter, seeing as he was older now, he had responsibility. He had to watch out for those he cared about, those he loved.

This did, of course, include Dinky Doo. As Pip’s train of thought shifted towards the bubbly mare, he couldn’t help but smile. She had brought him happiness in a time of great sorrow. She had brought him back to life when he had been knocking on death’s door. She had shown him the light, and in return, he had given her nothing. She told him that all she needed was to see him happy, but he knew there was more than that. A firefly drifted past his face, snapping his thoughts and bringing him back to reality. He watched it flutter, soaring gracefully in the darkness of the light sky, illuminating all. It dived, then flew forwards, as if it where in some form of danger. Pip’s eyes followed it, flitting over the detailed surface of it’s tiny wings.

His eyes re-focused and glanced towards the forest. It was cold, empty as usual. But something seemed... off to Pip. The forest looked strange.

The forest was glowing.

****

Dinky sighed, then rolled over, attempting to position herself better. The mattress was lumpy and cold, no longer holding any of the body heat that Dinky had poured into it over the night. She groaned and rolled over again, before sighing and sitting up. She glanced around, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to rid them of her drowsiness. When this proved unsuccessful, she rolled out of her bed and pulled herself upright, facing the exit. She walked forwards, ducking her head low as she left. Outside, the moon shone brightly, covering all with it’s iridescent glow. She smiled, she was always happy during the night. It was so peaceful, so calm. She felt as if she could just float up into the inky black pool that was the sky, and fly forever.

She looked out towards the forest, letting her eyes wash over it’s darkness and serenity. It seemed so quiet, so empty. It didn’t seem dangerous at all. Her eyes darted along the forest’s edge, not sure what they where looking for, but looking nonetheless. They finally came to rest on a hill that stood in front of the forest, bare except for a small brown blob. She sighed, knowing full well what that blob was.

“Oh Pip,” She whispered silently. “How can I ever tell you.” She gazed towards the spot on the hill, a far-away look in her eyes. Something flashed in the corner of her vision, and she snapped back to reality, glancing to see what the light was about.

The forest glowed, and Dinky began to run.

****

Applebloom sat in her corner, whimpering slightly to herself. She rocked back and forth on her haunches, her head between her knees. Her eyes were wide and unblinking, as if they were held forever in that expression of absolute terror. In her mind, the scene played out over and over again. The scene of that day. Of that minute, that second.

“Applebloom, ya have t’ get outta here,” Applejack shouted, her voice barely audible over the roaring flames.

“But what about you?” Applebloom screamed back, but her words where lost in the wind that whipped and stung against her legs.

“Just remember sugarcube, I love you. I will always Love you.” Applejack turned away from her sister, focusing intently on the raging inferno that swirled around her. Applebloom could only stand and watch her sister’s slowly retreating form as it disappeared into the fire.

“I love you too...”

The sound of hoofsteps broke the still silence that reigned around Applebloom’s trailer. Applebloom stood up, her legs shaking as she took a tentative step forwards.

The forest glowed, and as Dinky ran, Applebloom left her sanctuary.

****

Twist wandered through the trees, letting her hooves drag through the leaf covered undergrowth. The trees swayed, whistling slightly in the wind, as if whispering. The wind rushed around her, scattering the once dormant leaves, letting them swirl and swoosh through the air. Twist sighed, turning her head to the side and looking back the way she had came. The path was long and windy, leading quite a distance away, before disappearing into the overgrowth.

The trees made the forest impenetrable, forming a thick, dark wall of wood. A gap in the trees loomed before her, moonlight spilling into the opening. She made her way into the clearing, glancing from left to right, making sure she wasn’t being watched. Satisfied that no one could see her, she began to hum. Softly, at first, but slowly growing louder as her confidence rose. She lifted herself up and twirled, spinning her legs around her in grace and passion. The wind blew leaves towards her, and they twirled around her in a circle, as if by magic. She swung faster and further, losing herself in her rhythmic movements. Lights began to swirl with the leaves, a soft, yellow glow surrounding Twist.

The forest glowed, Dinky ran, and, as Applebloom left her sanctuary, Twist danced.

****

Sweetie swung her sword downwards, smashing it against the branch that leaned onto a tree. A loud snap echoed through the silence that surrounded her, and the branch crashed to the ground, split clean in half. Sweetie Belle lifted her head back up, panting. She let her grip on the sword loosen, letting the sword crash to the ground. She sat back onto her haunches, landing heavily in the dirt. The trees loomed in front of her, casting a dark shadow over where she sat.

It was just like that night. Just like that god-forsaken night.

The wind whipped around the sisters as they huddled close to each other. The trees surrounded them, covering their faces with large shadows. Something dark curled around the area, whispering and flitting through the gaps in the trees.

“R-Rarity?” Sweetie asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“Sweetie, listen to me.” Rarity lifted her sister’s chin up so that she could gaze into her eyes. “Everything is going to be all right.” Rarity turned away from her sister, and stared out into the surrounding darkness. “Who are you? And what do you want?”

Maniacal laughter filled the air, cackling loudly. “Oh ho ho ho. I’m surprised you’ve forgotten me so soon.”

Rarity’s eyes grew wide, and she took a step backwards, braking her embrace with her sister. “Sweetie, you need to leave,” she said, not taking her eyes off the darkness.

“Bu-”

“Sweetie!” Rarity yelled, her voice wavering. “No-” Rarity never finished her sentence, instead she spluttered, falling onto her side. Something white flashed through the air, slicing downwards towards Rarity. Red gushed from-

No! Sweetie would not think about that. Her sister would want her to be strong, want her to continue. She lashed out with her hoof, smacking it against a tree. A loud crack rang out, and bark broke around where her hoof had made contact. A soft whimper escaped from her mouth, and she sank slowly towards the ground, crying softly. Tears rolled down her cheeks, cascading slowly towards the floor.

Why?

Sweetie asked herself this everyday. Everyday, she would question herself, her friends, anypony. Why did her sister leave? Why did they have to destroy everything? Why did she have to leave Ponyville? She knew the answers to these questions, but that didn’t make it any easier.

Ever since everyone had left, since princess Celestia left, she had been on her own. Of course, she had had her friends with her. But they didn’t share her pain, her loss. She had lost more than just her sister, she had lost her friend, her life. Sweetie had spent almost all of her time trying to please her sister, to show her her gratitude.

I didn’t even say goodbye, Sweetie thought to herself, sobbing loudly.

The forest glowed, Dinky ran, Applebloom left her sanctuary, Twist danced, and Sweetie wept.

****

Scootaloo flew in slow, lazy circles. She floated just above the campsite, low enough so that she could still make out it’s shape, but high enough as not to be noticed by it’s inhabitants. A cloud flew in tow behind her, being powered by some unknown force. It had started following her the day she had left, the day that she had stopped talking to her friends, the day that she regretted the most. They had exiled her, banished her from the only place that had felt like home.

Stupid stupid stupid stupid! She was so stupid. She had betrayed her friends, broken their trust, and lost all that was dear to her.

Scootaloo shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her mind.

‘You know, you could always apologize.’ Scootaloo glanced back over her shoulder, looking towards the cloud.

“Yeah, like they’re ever going to forgive me.” She sighed, “Cloudy, I hurt them. I sold them out. I betrayed them.”

‘Ah, but did you?’ the cloud whispered, it’s voice soft.

“What?” Scootaloo stopped flying and whirled around to face it. “Of course I did. I talked to Discord, I told him where the town was. It’s my fault.”

‘You seem to forget,’ the cloud whooshed in close, until it was inches from Scootaloo’s nose. ‘That he tricked you.’

“He didn’t trick me. I walked right into his trap.”

‘You didn’t know it was a trap,’ Cloudy reasoned.

“I was still stupid enough to fall into it.” Scootaloo turned away from her friend, looking back down towards the camp. Something black hurtled towards her. “Wha-?”

The thing crashed into her, sending her spiralling away from Cloudy. She flapped her wings. desperately trying to right herself in the air. She pulled herself up and whirled to face where the creature had struck her, only to find that spot empty.

Something smashed into her side, and a loud crack echoed around them. Scootaloo began to drop, no longer supporting herself in the air. She tried to flap her wings, but as soon as the muscles that controlled them tightened, a wave of pain smashed into her. Scootaloo closed her eyes, allowing the darkness of unconsciousness envelop her.

The forest glowed, Dinky ran, Applebloom left her sanctuary, Twist danced, Sweetie wept, and Scootaloo fell.

****

Pip ran through the forest, his hooves crashing into the small shrubs that covered the forest floor. Strapped to his back laid his sword, swaying slightly in the motion of Pip’s running. Trees whirled passed, just blurs of brown and green as Pip sprinted through them. A trail of lights hung overhead, as if by magic, leading the way forwards. Pip followed it, dodging around trees and leaping over small holes.

“Pip!” He stopped, sliding to a halt with his forehooves pressed into the ground.

“Dinky?” he called out, turning slowly towards the sound of the voice. Dinky stood behind him, her horn glowing softly, surrounded by a white aura. “W-what are you doing here?”

“Same thing as you,” Dinky took a step towards him, her voice level and controlled. “Following the lights.” She pointed her hoof upwards, gesturing towards the floating light.

“Oh, right.” Idiot Pip, he thought, mentally smashing his head against a wall. What else would she be doing? It’s not like she come here to see you. “Do you.. Do you have any idea what they are?” Pip asked nervously.

“Not a clue,” Dinky replied, flashing him a small smile. Pip felt his insides melt. Oh Celestia, that smile. He grinned, his eyes glazing over.

“Uh, Pip?” Dinky took another step towards him, her smile faltering. “You okay?”

“Huh? Wha?” Pip snapped out of his daydream. “Oh, yeah. Yeah I’m fine.” Pip smiled nervously, his eyes bright.

“Well, uh, maybe we should follow it then, huh?” Dinky smiled again.

“Right.” Pip began to walk, marching ahead of Dinky.

“Uh, Pip. The lights go this way.”

****

Scootaloo opened her eyes. Trees loomed around her, their shadows blocking out any moonlight that could have come streaming into the small clearing Scootaloo had made when she crashed. She propped herself up with her hoof, wincing in pain.

Something soft sat below her.

“Cloudy?!” she called in alarm, throwing herself off of the cloud.

‘Ugh, not the lightest load, are we?’ the cloud groaned, shifting slightly in the air.

“Heh, sorry,” Scootaloo, leaned down and nuzzled the cloud. “How’re ya feeling?”

‘Like hell,’ it muttered. But, I’ve had worse. Scootaloo laughed at this, the first time since she had left the camp.

She glanced around, trying to work out where they were. Trees surrounded them on every angle, towering over where the two stood. Leaves surrounded them, they had fallen when Scootaloo had crashed through the tree tops. A large branch lay broken in two, cut clean through the middle. A silhouette stood, staring down at her, up a small hill.

“Wh-who’re you?” it’s voice rang out, echoing loudly in the silence of the forest.

“My name,” Scootaloo began, raising her voice so the silhouette could hear her, “is Scootaloo.”

“No, no it’s not.” The silhouette took a step forward. “I used to know somepony called Scootaloo, and you are not her.” Another step. “She was brave, and kind, the best friend a filly could ever have.” Step. “But she changed. That kind, brave pony I once knew, was no more.” Step. “She sold us out. Told Discord where we were. Her heart grew cold, and with it, so did mine.” The shadow took one final step forward, finishing in the moonlight that streamed downwards from where Scootaloo had crashed.

“S-Sweetie?” Scootaloo’s voice broke. “Is that really you?”

Sweetie Belle stopped, hesitation clear on her face. “You know my name?”

Scootaloo stepped forward into the moonlight, standing just inches away from Sweetie Belle. “Yes, I know you’re name.”

Sweetie Belle gasped, the sword that she was carrying dropped from her magical grasp. “S-Scootaloo?” she asked, not daring to believe her eyes. Sweetie lifted a hoof forward, bringing towards Scootaloo.

Scootaloo lifted her own hoof up, stretching it forward until it made contact with Sweetie’s. Sweetie Belle gasped again, taking a step backwards. Tears began to form in her eyes, and her breathing began to shake. She sat back onto the grass, crying softly.

In an instant, Scootaloo was beside her, her hoof over her shoulders, patting her back softly. “Shhh, Shhh. I’m here now, I’ll always be here.”

“T-they told m-me you’d left,” Sweetie forced out. “I-I thought I’d lost you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m here now.” Scootaloo patted her softly on the back. “It’s okay now.” The two embraced each other, holding on tightly together, sobbing. They shared a moment of sadness together, for times spent alone.

After a while, Scootaloo lifted her head up, her eyes red and puffy. “Sweetie, look.” She patted against Sweetie’s back once more.

“Sweetie, look at the sky.” And Sweetie did.

Lights floated in the air, a soft, luminescent trail that led off into the forest. “It’s... it’s beautiful.”

****

Twist spun and whirled, lost in her own world of rhythm and music. Light swirled around her, but she could not see them, for her eyes where closed. Around her, the winds swirled and flung through the night sky, moving the tops of the trees.

The forest glowed.

****

Applebloom followed the lights. They hung through the camp like floating lanterns, suspended in the air as if by magic. Tents and ponies walked passed, but she paid them no attention. And they, in turn, paid the lights no attention. She reached the edge of the camp, but the lights continued out over the rolling hills and into the forest. The moon was edging lower in the sky, and, on the other side of the sky, the moon began to rise.

That is the way Equestria worked now. There was no day, no sun, no light. When Celestia had left, Nightmare Moon and Discord had removed the sun, showering the world in eternal darkness. Applebloom walked down the hills and towards the forest. In her mind, the world spun and she closed her eyes.

“Macintosh, Big Macintosh!” Applebloom called, her voice hoarse from shouting.

“What, what is it Applebloom?” Suddenly, Mac was by her side.

“It’s sis, Mac. She- she ran off. I don’t think she’s comin’ back.”

Macintosh lifted his head up and stared towards the burning farmstead. “Not if I can help it,” he growled, taking off in a run.

“No, Mac don’t go!” Applebloom shouted, but her words where ripped away by the wind. That was the last time she ever saw either of her siblings again.

Applebloom’s eyes opened. Around her, trees stood, tall and strong, yet wise and old. The lights still hung overhead, but now, they burned brighter. The further along she followed them, the stronger the light they omitted became. She looked ahead, trying to distinguish where to go next. The lights seemed to manifest in front of her, swirling and dancing in a clearing not far away. Something swirled within, something white and red.

The forest shone.

****

“Dinky... Dinky could you slow down,” Pip puffed, pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow.

“Not a chance Pip,” came the reply from ahead. “We’re almost there.”

“Wait, how can you tell?” Pip ran to try to catch his friend.

“The lights, they’re getting brighter.” Pip could see it now. The lights were, in fact, getting brighter. Glancing behind him, Pip noticed that the way they had come was now completely dark, the trail of lights they had followed now gone.

“Pip,” Dinky called, her voice sounding slightly uneven.

“What is it?”

“Pip.” Pip caught up with Dinky, and stood next to her, surveying the scene in front of them. “Look at it.”

Lights swirled and danced through the air, circling a small, spinning figure.

“Twist?” both ponies muttered in unison.

****

“C’mon Sweetie, we’re almost there.” Scootaloo paused, allowing both her and Sweetie Belle a much needed break. Sweetie sat down heavily, crunching into the thick undergrowth.

“My legs,”she moaned, sticking her lower legs out in front of her and sinking deeper into the ground. “They’re killing me.”

Scootaloo walked forward, passing the tired Sweetie Belle and heading towards the top of a low incline. She could hear Sweetie’s calls, questioning her about where she was going.

“I’ll be back soon, I just need to... to, stretch my legs.” She continued on, leaving Sweetie alone. The hill that Scootaloo climbed was not a high one, yet it felt as if it took a Melania to climb. The wet grass caused her hooves to slip and slide as she climbed, making her wish even more that she had wings.

‘Here, let me help you,’ Cloudy whispered, suddenly by her side. He shot underneath her, squeezing himself under her belly. Cloudy then pushed up, lifting Scootaloo into the air as if she weighed nothing. He then floated upwards, lifting both of them until they where above the hill’s top.

In front of the hill stood Dinky and Pip,standing side-by-side as they stared out at the scene that displayed in front of them. To her right, Scootaloo could see Applebloom, standing at the edge of the clearing with a look of awe on her face. A large light swirled in the centre of the clearing, littering the ground with light that could envy that of the late sun.

“Sweetie Belle, I think you may want to see this.”

****

The wind whirled around Twist as she danced, her eyes still shut firmly. She could feel it, the rhythm of the song she sung. It was as if she had heard the song all her life, and yet it was totally new to her. She twirled faster and quicker, keeping in time with the tempo of the song. She could feel light on the back of her eyelids, as if the sun shone on them, but she dared not open her eyes, in case she was proved wrong.

The wind spoke to her.

It said, My little ponies.

End part one.

Authors page: Holy crap! This was one hard thing to start off with, seeing as the first chapter starts off at just under 3,500 words.

Now, I have a few things to say.

One: Art. If you, or someone you know, are pretty good at drawing, why not give it a go. I’ve always wanted someone to draw fanart for something, but to actually have it done? That’s like a dream come true. I can’t draw for the life of me, meaning that either someone else has to do it, or I hire my eleven year old sister to (She’s a beast at drawing).

About the fic. Yes, I know. It’s a little strangely written, and it’s lacking a lot of action. This is how I write, surprisingly enough, I always start out slow. Don’t worry, you can expect at least one battle in the next chapter.

I need cutie marks! If you have an idea for a cutie mark (All but Twist lack them at them moment), why not post a comment or send me a PM with your idea.

Comments. Comment comment comment comment! Anything you notice, anything that you want to say, even if totally unrelated, stick it in a comment. I read them all (‘course), so don’t feel as if you’re comments going to get passed over without a glance. On the subject of comments, or FiMFiction, why not check out my blog posts? I regularly put up posts on what I’ve been doing, the status of my fics and sneak peaks.

That’s right, sneak peaks. I post a few little things from stories that I’m writing that I know won’t ruin the storyline, but I want everyone to see. I may post things about an OC competition, in which you send me a list of things based on your OC, and I write a story on them.

Big thanks to my parents for not killing me whenever I took the PC over for hours on end. Now, off to Japan! Bye! *Waves

Love
-Taranasaurus

First Steps

Chapter two.

First steps

-

Fireflies floated in the air, no longer contained by the magic of Twist’s dance. Pip stared at them in awe, pulled into a trance by their magical aura. Dinky Doo stood beside him, also transfixed, but not on the glowing bugs. Instead she stared towards the center of the clearing, towards a large, glowing orb. The orb began to rotate, pulsating as it spun around in circles.

“Pip, what is that?” Dinky took a step forward, entering into the clearing for the first time. Pip followed her, unsure whether it was safer in the clearing or outside of it. The orb continued to pulsate, spinning wildly and emitting random flashes of light. It began to shrink as it spun, as if pulling itself from the inside out. Something pushed and prodded against the top most part of the sphere, forcing its skin to bend and flex. The ball grew smaller and smaller, until a cone-shaped object was almost fully visible at the top. As the orb grew smaller, the base of the cylinder began to expand, extending outwards slightly. The sphere shrunk until it disappeared completely, leaving a lone figure standing in the centre of the clearing.

“P-Princess?” Pip squeaked.

‘Hello, my little pony.’ A voice filtered in from around the princess, as if created from the breeze. Dinky stared at the figure, her eyes and mouth open in disbelief.

“B-b-b,” was all she managed to stammer out. A loud gasp followed by a thump came from behind her, and she and Pip whirled around to see what the source of the noise was. Sweetie Belle lay, face down, at the bottom of the hill.

“Sweetie?!” An orange blur whirled forward from the top of the hill, not paying any attention to the celestial figure that stood in the clearing. It scooped up the fallen mare in it’s arms, turning her over slowly to inspect for damage. When satisfied, it turned away from Sweetie Belle and looked towards Dinky and Pip.

“Uh, hi,” Scootaloo said, blushing slightly.

“Scootaloo?!” both of them said in unison.

“Yeah, that’s me.” Scootaloo stood up, laying Sweetie on the ground as she did so.

“How- Wha?” Pip took a step forward, not taking his eyes from Scootaloo.

“Surprise?” she said, with a lop-sided grin on her face.

“You!” Dinky pushed past Pip, her eyes suddenly full of fire. “How dare you show your face here after what you did!” she snarled, spitting the last word of her sentence.

Scootaloo back-peddled, trying to sputter a response. “I- I, Dinky just wait!”

Dinky lifted her hoof back, preparing to strike Scootaloo, all of her former amazement from seeing the princess again suddenly gone. Before she could swing, a large ball of dirt flew up from the ground and smashed into her face. She spluttered, taking a step back and using her raised hoof to try and wipe away some of the grime.

“Don’t touch her.” Sweetie Belle was suddenly in front of Scootaloo, staring towards Dinky, her eyes ablaze.

‘Stop it!’ Celestia’s voice boomed across the clearing, causing the assembled ponies to freeze where they stood. Slowly, they all swiveled around to face the awaiting princess.

“Princess?!” Scootaloo stepped back in shock at the sight of Princess Celestia. She looked... different. Instead of her usual white coat, a golden one shone brightly. Her once colourful mane now only had one colour, a bright yellow. Her body was made from fireflies who hovered around, shaping Celestia’s glowing body.

‘Yes, it is I, princess Celestia,’ Celestia said, taking a step forward. Her hoof connected with the ground as if it were solid, and yet made no sound.

“B-but, how?” Scootaloo asked.

‘How is not important at the moment. The most important reason is why.’ Celestia turned away from the ponies and called out into the forest. ‘Applebloom, Twist, you can come out now.’ Slowly, two figures emerged from the trees on the far side of the clearing. Applebloom hung her head low, ashamed for having watched without the knowledge of her friends. Twist, on the other hand, was blushing heavily, embarrassed at being watched whilst she danced.

“You’re here too?” Sweetie asked, staring in disbelief at her friends.

“Guess we got the whole gang, huh Sweets?” Scootaloo nudged Sweetie Belle in the ribs, chuckling slightly.

“Er, hi guyths,” Twist said, her lisp showing up strongly as she spoke.

“Yeah, hey y’all.” Applebloom walked over and stood next to Twist, who sat near Pip and Dinky.

‘Good, now that we’re all here, it’s time I told you why I’m here.’ Princess Celestia walked into the middle of the circle of ponies, glowing brightly. ‘As you know, my sister and Discord have returned, and I have been banished from equestria. I have a short amount of time to talk, as it’s talking all of my strength to keep this spell running. I have a task for you to complete, a task which may remove this dark veil from Equestria and allow my sun’s light to shine once more.’ She turned around in a slow circle, looking each pony in the eye as she spoke. ‘You must recover what once made this land whole.’ Her body began to flicker as she spoke, the light that she emitted wavering for only a fraction of a second. Celestia seemed to slip, falling onto her front knees.

“Princess?” Pip asked, stepping forward.

‘I am fine.’ Celestia pulled herself up from her kneeling position, raising herself to her full height once more. ‘Do not worry, but my time is running short. I-.’ The princesses words were cut short as she stumbled once again, her strength faltering. She opened her mouth to speak once again, but no sound came out.

“P-princess?” Dinky took a step forward, stopping just beside Pip. Celestia leaned down and grasped a stick between her glowing lips. The stick rose upwards slightly, before slipping through the grasp of the fireflies. It clattered to the ground with a dull thud, causing Celestia to stamp her hoof in frustration. She leaned down again, attempting to grasp it once more. This time her grip stayed and the stick floated upwards.

Quickly, she pointed the end towards the ground and dug it into the earth, using it as some form of quill. She began to write, words flowing freely from the end of her make-shift pen. A poem began to take shape from Celestia’s writing.

A forest is where the answer lies,
Not green and full of life,
Here the truth will arise,
A canopy of red and strife.

The forest burns alone at night,
A silent provider of insanity,
A fiery lantern burning bright,
Not the biased cause of calamity.

Head forth across the frozen planes,
Around which time doth slow,
Keep close that of friendship’s chains,
To stop death’s final crow.

Your destination lies beyond
A town of which you know,
In which lies that will strengthen your bond,
And leave with all to show.

Celestia reached the bottom of her poem and scrawled something on the ground below where she had written. With a cry of pain, she dropped the stick and rose onto her hindlegs. Celestia’s light began to glow brighter and brighter, until it reached a level of brightness that caused Pip to look away. Celestia exploded, sending fireflies spiralling away from her. When Pip looked back to where she stood just moments before, he found the spot empty.

“Princess?!” He ran forward, desperately searching for Celestia.

Dinky, meanwhile, began to read the poem to herself, whispering it softly into the wind. “A forest is where the answer lies, not green and full of life... The forest burns alone at night, a silent provider of insanity... Burning forest, burning, forest. That’s it!” She cried out, leaping back in joy.

“What’s it?” Scootaloo was standing next to Dinky, reading over her shoulder.

“We’ve got to go to the Forest of Flames!” Dinky bounced around in a circle, beaming proudly at her realisation.

“What, why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Dinky stopped bouncing and made her way to where the second verse was written. “Look,” she said, gesturing towards the first line. “The forest burns alone at night, the forest burns! A burning forest. How many forests do you know that are on fire.”

Scootaloo looked up into her skull, pretending to count. “One... two... three... er, none!”

“So, it’s clear, we’ve got to head to this ‘Forest of Fire’ place, where ever that is.”

“You’ve never heard of it?” Sweetie looked appalled. “Never?”

“Why, should I have?” Sweetie rolled her eyes at her friends’ reaction.

“Ugh! Never mind, just... just,” Sweetie paused. “We have to go there, okay?”

“Alright alright, calm down,” Scootaloo said, backing away from her fuming friend. Something pink and fluffy zoomed downwards, crashing into the top of Scootaloo.

‘Oof!’ it said, bouncing slightly as it collided with Scootaloo.

“Ow, cloudy!” Scootaloo fell over, landing on her side as she collapsed. Sweetie Belle jumped back in alarm, gasping at the sudden intrusion.

“What the heck?!” Sweetie fell back onto her hindquarters, a look of shock evident on her face. “What is that thing?”

Cloudy lifted himself from the ground, shaking slightly in an attempt to clean himself. ‘Thing?’ The cloud seemed to put on a hurt expression, but, being a cloud, it was hard for Sweetie to tell.

“That,” Scootaloo said, pulling herself to her hooves. “Is a cloud. A sentient one at that.”

“Why is it following you?”

‘Because I chose to,’ Cloudy said, floating over to hover by Scootaloo’s side. ‘She found me, and I found her.’

“Yeah, we’ve been together ever since those guys forced me to leave,” Scootaloo huffed, shrugging her head in the direction of the others. Pip, Dinky, Twist and Applebloom all sat, huddled in a circle, whispering.

“Forced you out?” Sweetie asked, confused. “They told me you left.”

“They what?!” Pip and the others whirled around to face Scootaloo, surprised at the sudden outburst. She advanced towards them, her head low and eyes hard.

Pip started to back away. “Listen Scootaloo, you gotta understand-”

“Understand what? That you lied to my best friend?!” Scootaloo spat on the ground again. “That you told me she never wanted to see me again? Is that what I gotta understand, that you broke both of our hearts?!”

“With good reason!” thundered Dinky, suddenly by Pip’s side. Applebloom took a step back from the circle, Twist still by her side. “You sold us out! You gave away the location of our friends and family's to Discord!”

Sweetie looked towards Scootaloo, her face full of confusion. “Really? Did you do that?”

Scootaloo lowered her head, letting it hang in shame. “Yes, I did.” She let the pent up tears begin to fall, splashing softly in the dirt below. She lifted her head suddenly, staring hard at Dinky. “But did you ever stop to think why? Why I did all those things? I did it because... because...” Scootaloo inhaled deeply. “Because he had my sister.”

Dinky’s eyes shot open, and she took a step back, suddenly unsure of what she had said. She opened her mouth to speak, but Scootaloo waved her away. “No, let me finish. He had her, and he said he’d give her back if I helped him, if I...”

“If you tell me where all your little ‘friends’ are hiding, the I’ll return her home, safe and sound.” Discord leaned down above Scootaloo, grinning wickidly.

“So, if I tell you, you’ll give her back?” Scootaloo asked, edging away from the god of chaos.

“Yes, that’s what I said.” Discord leaned down until his face filled all of Scootaloo’s vision. “Well?”

“I’ll tell you, but you have to promise me that you won’t hurt them.”

“I promise.”

“He... he said he wouldn’t.” Scootaloo looked towards the ground once more, no longer crying, but still shaking uncontrollably. “But, when I came back to Ponyville, it was... it was... burning. I couldn’t find anyone. When I found you five, I tried to explain, but you wouldn’t hear me. So I, I left.”

“Scootaloo I-” Sweetie began.

“Had no idea, yeah, I figured,” Scootaloo said, turning to face Sweetie Belle. “I understand, it’s not your fault. It’s nopony’s fault, except mine. And I’m sorry.” She turned to look at the rest of the group, who huddled near the scrawled poem.

They stood there, nobody breaking the silence, until Twist stepped forward. “I forgive you Thcootaloo.” And, as if the dam had broken, the rest of the group came upon her, whispering heartfelt apologise.

After the moment of warmth, they split apart, turning back to the poem.

“So,” Pip began. “Where to now?”

Sweetie pointed her hoof towards the trees on the far side of the clearing. “That way, through the forest, and out onto the ice plains. After that, we should reach Hoofington, and, hopefully, the Forest of Fire.”

“And y’all are sure that’s where we’re supposed ta go?” Applebloom asked, stepping up to Sweetie.

“Positive!” Sweetie beamed, the air around her seeming to glow.

“Well then, What are we waiting for?!”

****

The coldest winds are those that hit when you leave the warmth of a loved one’s embrace. Fortunately for Pip, the winds he and his friends were experiencing were just the regular, run-of-the mill cold winds, and not the loss of something more. The group sat, huddling together for warmth, on the edge of the frozen plains. Before them stretched a seemingly endless expanse of white, broken only by the brown tips of small mountains.

The group had managed to pull up a tent, housing all of them from the howling winds. Well, almost all of them.

“G-gawsh darn-nit, I always p-pick the s-short straw!” Applebloom pushed herself closer to the tent, attempting to steal the little warmth that it emanated.

“We picked the short straw.” A small cloud drifted lazily downwards towards Applebloom, an orange pegasus on top.

“But y’all’ve got that cloud, and all Ah’ve got is what Celestia gave me.” Applebloom shivered slightly and scooted closer to the tent.

“I’m sure Cloudy wouldn’t mind an extra passenger.” Scootaloo looked down towards the cloud that she sat on.

The cloud seemed to sigh. ‘Fine.’ It lowered itself towards the ground, until it was resting on the floor. Scootaloo pulled herself over on the cloud, then patted the space beside her.

“Hop on up!”

“Er, but won’t ah just... fall off?” Applebloom reached out a hoof and poked the edge of the cloud experimentally. To her surprise, her hoof connected with it, allowing her to lean slightly. The cloud felt slightly soft beneath her hoof, as if made of carpet.

“Nope, Cloudy here’s a special type of cloud,” Scootaloo said, rubbing the top of the cloud with affection. “He used to be a pony, but was cursed by Discord.”

Applebloom scampered up the side of the cloud, sitting down next to the orange pegasus. “Used to be a pony? What happened?”

‘I...’

Cloudy had once been a pony. Tall, sporting a chestnut coloured coat and a dark brown mane, he had stood out for his wacky inventions that he was so famous for. He could create a machine that could pull food from non-existence and force it into reality, without the use of magic. He had even been asked to visit Celestia herself at one point, in the hope of making a scale that could detect even the slightest change in weight.

During his stay at the royal castle, he had been allowed to wander around the grounds freely. He would do so often, taking his time as he walked through the botanical gardens that surrounded the palace. On one such occasion, he happened to be strolling along a path in the statue section of the gardens. He happened upon a quite peculiar looking statue; a creature with miss-matched body parts making up its existence.

The statue seemed to talk to him, as if inviting him to join it in eternal damnation. He stepped closer to the statue, mesmerised by it, as if his legs had a mind of their own. Before he could stop himself from his imminent death, the statue began to glow. The glow enveloped the inventor, rapping him forever in its perfect beams.

‘... After that, I woke up near Ponyville, next to Scootaloo.’

Applebloom stroked the cloud below absent-mindedly, thinking. Scootaloo turned towards Applebloom, smiling slightly. “We’ve been stuck together ever since, he needed me for company, and I needed him for survival.”

The two turned back towards the snow plains that stretched out beyond their position. “Tomorrow,” Scootaloo began. “We find out the real meaning for our quest.”

Next up: An Icy Reception!

A/N: Hey there

Hopefully this update didn’t take too long, I was kinda caught up with school. Don’t worry, I should be able to update more regularly now, so that’s that sorted.

Big thanks to SanityLost for helping me not lose my sanity whilst writing, without him, I might’ve turned out a pile of rubbish.

Also, thanks to MarsOZ, for helping me write the poem. We are Shakepseare!

As always, comment, track, thoughts, all that shtuff!

Your faithful writer,
Taranasaurus.

An Icy Reception

Chapter 3

-

An Icy Reception

The wind gashed and tore at his coat, causing the fabric to ripple and flex. Snow battered against his face, nearly sending him blind as it threw itself at him. He could hear the hoofsteps of his companions, masked only by the sound of his own, as they followed him blindly through the blizzard. Pip turned his head to the left, attempting to make out the grey blur that struggled through the snow next to him. A light yellow scarf fluttered from the blur’s neck, acting like a shining beacon in the haze of white.

“Dinky!” Pip shouted, his voice barely a whisper above the roar of the wind. “That you?!” The blur moved closer, expanding slightly as it came into focus. It was indeed Dinky, who was shivering slightly from the cold.

“Y-you called?” she asked, her teeth chattering. Pip was shaking as well, but the red scarf he wore kept most of his body heat inside.

“Yeah, do you think we should stop?”

Dinky cocked her head. “Why? We’ve only been walking for a few hours.”

“And we’re getting nowhere fast,” Pip said, stopping. He turned around to face his group of friends, who trailed a little way behind. Applebloom, Twist, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all huddled in a tight group, using each other for warmth. They all smiled when they noticed him turning around.

Scootaloo spoke up. “Something you wanted?”

“Yeah!” Pip called out over the wind. “I think we should call it a day, we’ll continue tomorrow when the weather’s died down!” Scootaloo and the others visibly sagged, letting the physical pain show. They all dropped their packs onto the ground, propping them up in a pile as some form of wind shield.

Pip turned back to Dinky, his saddle bags already sliding off his back. “I’ll set up the tent, you go join the others.” Dinky smiled, then complied, heading off in the direction of the small barrier. Pip tore open the bag and busied himself with the tent preparations.

Minutes passed, filled only with the sound of Pip’s work and the consistent howling of the wind. Snippets of conversation drifted over from the others, filling the crisp air with sounds of their laughter.

Dinky, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Twist all sat with their backs to the wall of bags they were using as a wind shield. Dinky had, using her limited knowledge of magic, created a small fire that the group now huddled around, chatting. The conversation drifted between topics, but generally centred around one specific thing; what had happened during the previous day.

Sweetie Belle led the discussion, her high and energetic voice drowning the others out.

“Look, all I’m saying is, we know where to go, so let’s go.”

“Sweetie, it’s not that simple, it takes time,” a slightly deeper voice interjected.

“Huh, time waits for nopony, especially us.” Sweetie’s voice rose and fell, wavering on the point of bursting.

Before she could, however, Scootaloo cut in. “Sweetie, we are going, that’s why we’re out here, in the middle of the frozen plains, remember?”

“Well, I guess...”

“Good, now, where’s the rest of those apples? I’m starving.”

****

Pip dropped himself down next to Dinky a few minutes later, looking absolutely exhausted. Mid-way through setting up the tent, a large gust of snow and wind had lifted the tent up and sent it spiralling away from him. He’d then spent the next two minutes chasing after it, until finally he managed to catch it. After that it had been simple to set up, but all the running through the deep snow had tired him out.

“Aw...” said Dinky, tousling Pip’s hair slightly. “Is little Pippy-wippy tired~?”

Pip scowled. “No!” he said, before turning around. Applebloom and Twist suppressed giggles as they whispered to each other behind their hooves. “Well,” he began, hopping onto the defensive. “I’ve been doing most of the work, so maybe I have a reason for being tired.”

Applebloom stopped giggling and looked down at her hooves. “Sorry pip.”

“Yeah thorry Pip,” Twist added, also looking downwards in shame.

Dinky, attempting to break the tension that had been created from the moment, stood up. “Now, how about we all head over to that nice warm tent and grab ourselves a bite to eat?” This caused a cheer from the other ponies, and they took off, leaving only Pip and Dinky in the snow.

Dinky sat down, pulling her long scarf over Pip. “A bit for your thoughts?”

“I just don’t know what we’re doing. We get contacted by the princess after years of being alone, and we’re just expected to drop everything, all of the peace and order that took so long to establish, and just run off?” Pip sighed, turning away from Dinky. “I’m just not sure if this was the best decision.”

Dinky pulled Pip’s face around until their eyes were locked. “Pip, you weren’t the only one to make that decision, the others, they all had a choice, and they chose to follow you. We all chose, and we chose to come.”

Pip Smiled back, his eyes dancing slightly. “Dinky, I.” he trailed off. “I just... You’ve been my best friend for years now, and I just.” Pip’s hooves rustled underneath him. He heaved in a large gasp of air, and closed his eyes. “Dinky, I think I lo-”

An explosion rocked the world around Pip and Dinky, cutting Pip’s words short. Ice and snow rained from above as darkness lingered around the point of impact. A small carter stood just metres from where the two lay, small tufts of burnt grass poking up from beneath.

A shout came from towards the tent, and they both whirled to see what it was. Applebloom floated above the camp, struggling against the tight bonds of darkness that bound her. Below, Twist kicked and bit at a dark tendril that filtered through the air, snapping back at her. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stood off to the left, both looking ready to pounce, and yet not sure if they should.

“Dinky, we’ve got to-” Pip turned to his friend, who was already on her hooves.

“- Help them, yes, I know.” Dinky reached down and pulled Pip up, before running towards the others. Pip trailed behind her, reaching around in an attempt to grab his sword from its scabbard. Cursing himself for being born an earth pony, he drew out his blade, and leapt towards the fray.

He swung and slashed at the darkness, causing the creature to release howls of pain and anguish. Dinky stood stock still, her eyes clamped shut and her horn blazing. Purple energy whizzed and spun about, attacking the creature from every vantage point.

The creature roared again, leaping back into the air. It whipped one of its tendrils forward and released three beams of dark energy that shot towards Dinky. She noticed at the last second, dropping her magic and leaping out of the way. The darkness collided with the ground, sending out trails of smoke. Pip sprung at the creature, his sword held high. As he neared the top of his arc, he pointed his head downwards, bringing his sword into parallel with the ground. He fell downwards, tumbling straight for the monster.

A large ripping sound filled the air as the sword made contact, causing the other ponies to cover their ears. The creature let out a howl as it tumbled downwards, its screech echoing around the battle scene. Pip landed, strips of darkness swirling in the air around him. A soft thud indicated that Applebloom had also landed, and was busy picking herself up.

“Wha- What was that thing?” Pip asked, breathless.

“Not a clue,” Dinky replied, picking up some of the debris that had been tossed about when the creature attacked. “But it can’t be alone, there’s most likely going to be more. We’ve got to get out of here, we can’t stay.” Dinky turned to the tent, and started to pull it down.

“So what, we’re just going to take off back out into this blizzard?” Scootaloo asked, stepping forward with Sweetie Belle. “That’s suicide.”

Dinky stopped what she was doing and turned to face Scootaloo, her eyes burning brightly. “I still haven’t forgiven you for what you did, so don’t think you can just waltz in and fix everything.” Dinky lifted a hoof and pointed it at Scootaloo. “And anyway,” she began, her breathing heavy. “Do you have a better idea?”

Scootaloo backed away slowly, her expression one of shock.

“I agree with Dinky.” Pip’s voice shot out like an arrow from a bow, breaking the tension. “We should get moving. I know we’re all tired, but the blizzard is dying down, and we need to get to some form of shelter.” Pip turned to face the raging white, and pointed a hoof out. “I saw a stone ridge, just a little while that way. We should head there and see if we can find a cave to spend the night in.”

Dinky nodded her head in satisfaction, turning back to the tent. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo walked over to the pile of bags and started to pick them up, their tired frames barely able to lift the heavy satchels.

The wind continued to howl and whip at the group as they started out into the white storm. Pip strode forward, straining his head against the wind. The others all moved in a huddled group, attempting to stay warm in the sub zero temperatures. The large rock formation mentioned earlier had disappeared in the white haze as soon as they had started out, but the hard brown rocks had begun to shove through the blanket of snow, slowing the group’s progress somewhat.

“We’re close!” Pip roared into the wind, glancing back over his shoulder at the others. Dinky smiled at him as she pulled herself up onto the rock under his hooves.

“Finally,” said an exasperated Scootaloo, her shoulders sagging. “I don’t know how much further I could carry this damned tent, I swear I’ve broken a wing from it!” Dinky threw her a look of loathing, which was met with an equally loathing look.

Sweetie placed a hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder, turning her head slightly to face her. “Just let it go,” she said, turning to Dinky. “You too.”

Dinky grunted in response, before swinging back around to Pip. “Well then, show us to this cave, then.”

“Gladly, milady,” Pip replied, lowering his head into a sarcastic bow. He straightened up, before gesturing towards the rocks. “Right this way.” Dinky rolled her eyes as the others giggled softly, the light humour breaking apart the icy tension that hung in the air.

The snow continued to swirl around them, but thinned out as they reached the edge of the rocks. A dark opening split before them, causing Pip and Dinky to sigh with relief. The rest of the group shivered, the packs on their backs shaking in the extreme weather.

“C’mon, inside. Quickly!” Pip said as he twirled around to face his friends. They nodded in reply, before pushing past him and into the waiting warmth. Dinky’s horn lit up as she forced light out into the darkness filling the cave. Scootaloo and the others dropped their packs on the ground, shivering from the cold.

“I-i-is t-there anyt-thing we-we c-could use t-to keep w-warm?” Sweetie Belle stuttered through chattering teeth.

Pip nodded, before turning to one of the larger packs and tearing open the frozen zip. After a few moments of rummaging he emerged, a large blanket clutched in his jaws.

“Here yowth go,” he said, his voice muffled by the blanket. He stepped back and flicked the blanket upwards, sending it stretching outwards. The large cloth floated downwards, wrapping up the other ponies in a tight embrace. Pip smiled as they all let out sighs and pulled the blanket in closer, before spinning around to see a smiling Dinky.

Pip blushed, before walking over to where she sat.

****

Snow still swirled and piled near the entrance to the cave, but it was no longer a raging storm outside. Pip awoke to find himself underneath a blanket as well. When he glanced to his left to find Dinky, all he could see was a pony-shaped hole where she had been sleeping in the blanket. The others were still all fast asleep underneath the larger blanket, their quiet snores filling the cave with warmth.

“Dinky?” Pip called out, his voice low and soft. When no answer returned, he pulled himself from the warm blanket and stood to his hooves, glancing around the cave. A small crevice swung around a corner to his left, leading off into the darkness. But, a small yellow glow shone out in the black, pulling Pip towards it, as if it were magnetic somehow.

He called out his friend’s name again, still walking towards the light. The light then seemed to flicker slightly, before dampening.

“D-Dinky?” He called out, his tone rising slightly.

“What?” whispered something into his ear. Pip shot upwards, a silent scream etched on his face. Dinky stood, smirking, as Pip disentangled himself from the roof.

“Dinky!” he scolded, rubbing his head where it had collided with the roof.

She continued to smirk, before turning towards the direction of the light. “You saw it too, huh?”

“Saw wha- Oh, yeah.” Pip replied, squinting in the darkness.

“Well, c’mon then,” Dinky said, striding forward.

“What? Shouldn’t we wait for the others?” Pip asked, glancing around nervously.

“What others?” asked Sweetie Belle. For the second time in as many minutes, Pip had to remove himself from the ceiling.

“Gah!” he moaned, rubbing his head again. “Geeze, why does everyone do that?”

“I don’t know,” began Sweetie Belle, giggling softly. “Because it’s funny?”

Pip shot her a glance, before turning back to Dinky. She smirked back at him, and he sighed in exasperation.

“Well,” said Dinky, turning back around. “Let’s go.” She marched off, followed by the others. Pip groaned again, before taking off as he attempted to catch the others.

After a few minutes of walking, the cave lit up again, as the light opened up once more.

“What is it?” asked Scootaloo.

“Not sure,” Dinky replied, also staring at the light. “But we’re about to find out.”

As the group approached the light source, it seemed to glow less and less, until, as they reached it, it was almost invisible.

Dinky snorted in frustration, bringing a hoof down against the wall. “Where is it?” she demanded, twirling in every direction in search of the light. As she pulled her hoof away to run up to another spot that looked promising, she noticed a speck of light against her hoof. She lifted it, revealing a pinprick of sun. She smiled, before striking the wall again. The gap grew wider with each hit, until it had amassed to the size of a pony. Light now filtered in from the outside, both warming and blinding the occupants of the cave.

Pip raised a hoof up to shield his eyes, blinking rapidly in protest of the light. Dinky crawled through, before gasping. Pip followed, and then the others all trickled out. The bright light gave way to the edge of a forest, and that, in turn, gave way to the tops of buildings in the distance.

“W-where are we?” Twist asked.

“Is that… Hoofington?”

****

A/N: Hey there, well it's been a while since I've updated this, and with good reason. I lost the chapter. Yeah yeah, excuses excuses. Anyway, it's here now, and should be okay in quality.

A quick update on how the chapters will be added from now on: I'm going to be updating my oldest story, Silence, periodically, before updating anything else. This story in particular is going to be rather long, so it may be the last to get updated, but I'm certainly going to try!

Edit: Apparently I left this chapter on unpublished, so that's why it was invisible. Sorry Feurisson!

Bye.