Babs Seed-Decemberby Jeb4700ChaptersDecember 1-9December 10-19December 20-31December 1-9December 1st, Year 2012 A new member has joined the Manehattan branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She's nice, funny, but kind of shy. She has a mane like gold and a coat like silver, her name's Silver Shine. She's really good at flying, and can make the sky burst with colors when she sprinkles glitter on her wings and takes off. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, I learned that friends are always there, no matter what. Even when they're mad at you. And if they're there for you, you should be right there next to them always too. Your friend, Babs December 2nd, Year 2012 A member left today. She got her Cutie Mark and smiled at us, the rest of our Cutie Mark Crusader bunch. She looked happy as she nuzzled goodbye to each of us, "Stay strong and keep reaching for the stars until they're right there in your hooves." She said before wiping a tear away from her eyes and trotted off. It was sad to see her go. She was an earth pony named Maroon. She had a white coat with a blonde mane that she kept in braids. Her Cutie Mark was for dying threads, so it was a Dye pot with splatters of dyes near it. It was beautiful, and I'm happy for her. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, I learned today that if you make fun of my friends, I get mad. Really, really mad. I learned that if you get mad, you don't want to kill ponies with kindness. You want to do something worse. It's an awful feeling, but it's in every pony. Your friend, Babs Seed December 3rd, Year 2012 A member joined today. His name is Loli Pop, he's great at making candy. He already has his Cutie Mark, but wants to help all of get ours. He's kinda cute, and makes me blush when he tells me I'm as sweet as a sugar coated strawberry dipped in chocolate. His Cutie Mark is a rainbow, at the end is different types of candy, peppermints near red, lemon drops near yellow, the works. He's kinder than any stallion I know, and his silver mane doesn't match his blue coat, but it makes him stand out. The other mares are really fond of him, but he seems to only have interest in candy and Cutie Marks. Stallions are strange. Your friend, Babs Seed December 4th, Year 2012 Remember Loli Pop? He has a brother named Simon C Sugar. It's odd, Simons' Cutie Mark has nothing to do with sugar, it's a bunch of spikes and I know why. A member, Gold Spark, came back to the group hours after leaving to find some fabric with holes punctured into his skin. "Simon C Sugar," he cried out. He was in a real lot of pain! Loli said it couldn't have been, and ran out while I began tending to Gold Spark, a shimmering gold stallion whose mane sparkles when he moves. Now it shines with blood. I know it's not the friendly nice thing you're used to, but this is Manehattan, where the bullying hurts. A lot. After tending to his injuries, he told me that Simon said he was sick of us being together, and that it would be wise to break up our little group while we could. The nerve! I'll keep you guys updated on Simon and his gang, the Cutie Mark Crusader Crushers. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, I learned I'm really good at undoing tangles! I can undo a really messy knot in a few seconds, including friendship knots! I love being such a great help to other ponies who don't know how to say sorry when they want to, or uncovering and undoing a mean knot of a lie or something mean. I also learned that if a pony makes fun of your imperfections, it means they're ashamed of their own. There's this pony, Simon C Sugar, he's real mean, but hopefully we can be friends. I know he thinks I'm just a Blank Flank, but maybe I can turn that thought around and make him into a nice pony. So many ponies don't like him, in my group I mean, and I just want to give him a second chance. And I will. I'm going to meet him behind the school yard soon, and I'll give you the details of what happens tomorrow. Hopefully I wont be writing it with an injured hoof. Your friend, Babs Seed December 5th, Year 2012 I met Simon in the school yard. It was dark, and had a sense of danger to it. I liked it, it was right up my alley. When I saw him, I saw he brought trouble. Those who make fun of others for insecurities are afraid of their own A few minutes into fighting and arguing, I saw his 'friends' come out from behind the school dumpster. It was horrible. They each had spike studded hoof-lets. Just as they were starting to jump me, I reared up and kicked, bucking to save my life. Simon watched from far out as it started to rain both blood and water, and that's when I noticed something. His Cutie Mark was smearing, running down his coat. It was fake. I saw the others Cutie Marks, and they weren't running at all. Theirs were real. They probably weren't aware that their leader was a phony pony. I looked him in the eye, and in that moment he knew I knew. "Let 'er go, she's not worth it." He called out, fear echoed in his voice but only I heard it. In the dark, it was hard to see a fake Cutie Mark. Just like in the dark, it is hard to build an arch. But he did it, built an arch of lies and deception. And ran. After running away, I sat there for a moment or two, before Loli came out. His eyes were like fire, burning through me, making their mark on my soul. "You know, don't you?" He asked, but the look on my face was answer enough. "Yeah," I responded. "I do. Is yours fake too?" He leaped to his hooves, anger scorched into his face. "What makes you say that? It's lasting through the rain, ain't it?" Suddenly, he wasn't the kind stallion I knew. He was a protective brother. I ran back to the Clubhouse, not saying a word when I got there. I knew if I did, I might as well kiss my chances of survival away. I'm worried for both Loli and the group, I know I put their lives in danger by noticing that fake Cutie Mark, I know I put my own life in danger, Simon will do anything to keep my mouth shut now. But Loli, it looks as if he's a bad guy now, but that can't be true. Not my sweet little Loli Pop. Sorry it's so long. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned that through a storm comes the eye, and after that it gets worse for a while, but better then. I just have to wait out the storm. Until then, Your friend, Babs Seed December 6th, Year 2012 I got scared when a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders: Manehattan went missing. Really scared. It's December, a month of love and cherishing what you have. Hearthswarming is soon too. But all I can think of is the impending danger that strikes with every day that passes. Simon, once so nice and a bit on the mean side. Just a taint in his heart, has become the meanest, rudest, worst filly in all of Manehattan. I think. He's violent, snappy, a trickster, and a phony. Spikes and currents, one is painful, the other changes everything. Looks like I'm caught with both. Loli Pop came back last night. He was nice to every foal and filly, the stallions that acted silly. But me...He glared at me. Tried to pull me aside once or twice. I think he's trying to use his looks against me, when he looks at me, there's anger in his eyes but a friendly smile upon his lips. He acts nice towards me, but only nice enough to be convincing for the others. No real comfort in his words, at least, not for me. In other news, Silver Shine got her Cutie Mark! Turns out making the sky brighten and shimmer was her special talent! Her Cutie Mark sparkles too! It's these gold and silver particles, more like sparkles but I want to sounds smart, so particles. Sounds more Scientific! She was really happy, and flew into the air real high, before remembering how shy she was and gliding down, a blush on her face. Everyone cheered for her and her brother gave her a ride all the way home. He broke both his wings, so now he's a plow horse. Hasn't given her a ride on his back in a long time, Silver Shine said. I felt happy for her, but I know if I show too much emotion towards a member, they might be targeted later, so I just congratulated her. The whole time, Simon watched from the shadows. I saw him, out of the corner of my eye so if I didn't look too hard, he disappeared, which was good. He was sharpening a candy cane with his teeth made by his brother. When the party for Silver Shine was over, and everypony was leaving, I stayed behind to clean up. I quickly did it, cause the second they all left, Simon and his gang emerged from the shadows. I hightailed it out of there. It was a cowardly move, but it was better then staying there and have my sister have to identify my body later. Well, this is getting too long. Bye. Your friend, Babs Seed December 7th, Year 2012 The Cutie Mark Crusader is still gone. Her name was Blending Mist, a great artist who could make anything. She designed a few posters and such. Another one disappeared today, her name was Ray. She was great at sewing, she's a Pegasus while Blending was an Earth pony. I remember every detail about the two, Blending would often have brushes stuck in her hair, paint splattering her mane, covering her baby blue coat and shining white misty hair. Ray had never wanted to fly, always wished she was born an Earth pony, while Blending wished she was a Pegasus. Ray kept needles stuck in her wings, making them shred and tear in an elegantly, yet seemingly painful way. She always chuckled and said, "No, I'm fine! I keep the needles tightly compacted to my feathers, the skin parts of my wings never find pain in their midst. I wouldn't care anyway, other than needle holders, they're pretty much useless to me." She and Blending Mist were best friends. The best of friends. They wouldn't leave one anothers side for the world, they had a sleepover everyday. They were like the Octavia and Vinyl Scratch, only with art, not music. I read reports filed earlier, got detail on everypony that might go missing. It seems as if The Cutie Mark Crusader Crushers might target a pony close to a pony close to a pony close to me. They're kicking them off, making seemingly worthless moves until they get to a pony close to me. Shimmer was close to Ray who was close to Blending. Shimmer is close to me. Real close, we're best filly friends. Even though he's a colt, and I'm a filly, he asked me to call him his best Filly Friend. He acts like a filly to, and speaks funny. But I like that about him. So, deciphering that this is the pattern, he's next. I'll have to guard him with my life, and stop sending letters to Princess Celestia, just for a bit. If anything were to happen to him...I don't know what would happen honestly. He was my best friend ever, protected me from Simon before I went to Ponyville for a little while. Protected me from all of them. And got made fun of at my expense, all because he was different than other colts and loved pink frills. But we were all different, in our own way. Wait a minute... FRILLS! FRILLY FRILLS! Simon C Sugar and his gang weren't targeting ponies close to one another, they're targeting ponies with their name somewhere in the love of other ponies! I can't explain it too well but, Blending had loved the sun, how a ray would dance off her face with warmth. Ray. Ray had loved things that shimmer and shine. Shimmer. Shimmer loves things pink and frilly. Frilly Frills. Everything makes sense now, Shimmer is next, but then it's Frilly. If I can't save Shimmer, I'll do my best to protect Frilly. I have to go now, there's a noise, a crash. If you're reading this, then I'm okay. Fine. And- ... December 8th, Year 2012 A light held only by a metal string swayed above me, going back and forth with ease. No problem in it. I reached up to touch it, but was denied the ability. I don't know what happened, I was writing when a bag was placed over my head, causing me to scratch the paper in a violent manor. I'm writing now, not on my sparkly blue notebook, but on a rock with another rock. Each w word I carve carefully, embedding it into the rock. It takes me awhile, I've spent hours just carving up to here and making it stay in the rock, like a pattern. It's hard when you're shackled to the wall, one hoof above my head, the other hands loosely, but not usefully. I use it to write. When I woke up here, the hoof that had been suspended had popped our of its socket. It was my left, so I have to turn to the left to write on the stone walls. The horrid clatter of me kicking the wall repeatedly, to get a better angle near the stone I had chosen to write on. Everything was scary here. The pony that had brought me here was scary, I think. All I remember about them was a blue coat, and a tint of silver, I'm guessing from their tail or mane. The second I was dropped off here, the force enough to make me pass out, I knew: Getting out of here would be no easy task. I'd have to get unhooked, but even then... Hoofsteps. Click Clack On the track The door opened, it was far down, nearly a hundred feet away from me. It was Loli Pop. As he gazed at me, crocodile tears stung at his eyes. Running to me, I looked at him blankly. He, he and his awful brother, they had chained me here. For him to get any look from me...No. Never. I wont give him that satisfaction, no matter how small. "Babs," I looked at him, fighting the confusion that tried to snake its way into my eyes. "Babs I'm sorry, I never wanted any of this to happen." I looked at him as he leaned up And kissed me. Shock and surprise registered in my eyes after he left, and I bucked and kicked at an invisible Loli before writing everything past On the track, writing it still. Someone's coming, I hear the door start to open. Someone is here, and I see them now. They have a dark cloak over them and something in their hooves. They're walking, giving me enough time t- . . . Dear Princess Celestia, If you can hear my words now, help me. It had been hours since my capture, and I learned a few things. Some ponies are crazy Some are intelligent Some have gone mad with Science I overhead a conversation from outside the room I've been kept in. My mouth will be sewn shut to keep me quiet, and then? I'll be the first mute Alicorn. I know I'm an earth pony, but those ponies out there...They're crazy. Mad! They have others imprisoned, each blank flanks. They were failed experiments, their wings and one of their horns will be used to sew onto my skin. Celestia help me, if I don't get out of here soon...Things might get bad. Your friend, Babs Seed December 9th, Year 2012 The sunlight poured through though the skies, dashing my sight for a moment, making my vision a clear and beautiful white as I stumbled out of her prison. I looked over as her flank shined. I finally got my Cutie Mark. Darkness danced and pawed at the edges of my vision, but I don't care. I finally made my mark. The world before passed in a blur, and the snow was cold against my skin. The latches that held my mouth cold made it impossible to scream with joy. I saw Loli as he smiled down at me, before my vision was fully encrusted by the darkness I woke up from my dream, only to see the dim lighting of my prison, but Loli was there. Looking at me strangely. "You evil thing you," He started to say. "Looking at me with those eyes of yours, you're like a big puppy dog." He trotted up to me and stood on his hind legs, leaning on the wall on the right side of me to look at me clearer. Suddenly, he jammed something into the chain that suspended my left hoof. Pop. I fell, the thing that he embedded into the rock had shattered the chain. I hit the ground and started running, despite the uselessness of my left hoof. I'd write the letter for December 8th later, but now I was heading out of the prison. As I opened the door, I looked back to see Loli smiling, nodding me forward as I yanked open the door with my teeth and ran out, ran out of wherever my holding cell was. I just know there was sunlight, and ponies, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders: Manehattan Version were looking for me when I stumble out, nearly crashing onto my face. Looks like today's gonna be a good day. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, There was a cloaked pony. He told me about my new wings, how the pony they were getting them off of had similar, if not the same, skin color as mine, same as coat color. After he told me that, he made me sleep. I'm okay though, I've escaped. I learned this morning that friends are there until the end, there to protect you from situations, even if they put you in them. Your friend, Babs Seed December 10-19December 10th, Year 2012 They took Simon and his gang away. I feel like there will be peace once more, at least for a little while. Shimmer is gone. Ray...I don't even want to think about Ray. They found her. Oh Celestia, they found her. Her wings were stretched and torn, as if she was trying to fly but couldn't. Needles were embedded into her wings, try blood circled around the wounds. A look of terror glazed her eyes, it looked like she was looking at someone. "Terror and pain," Silver Shine said. "That's all that was in store for her." They found her in an alley way, cast aside like garbage. But she wasn't garbage, and never would be. She was Ray, a beautiful yellow Pegasus with orange flecks in her mane and stripes on her coat. She wasn't garbage. No pony, no matter how bad, was garbage. No pony needed to be treated like this. But she was. Knowing her, she was stubborn and wouldn't give them what they needed, if they needed anything. Shimmer, and Blending haven't been found, but the Royal Guards tried to console me by saying they might be found alive. My heard surges with so many things, pain, hurt, hope, sadness, it's nearly too much. Oh, and happiness. While I was gone, several of the Cutie Mark Crusaders got their Cutie Marks. Frilly Frills, a light pink mare with a flamboyantly hot pink mane got a dress with frills. She's a dress maker. Concoction, a vibrant green stallion with a neon orange Mohawk and tail got a potion spilling over. Christi Light, a black mare with rainbow dots and a long, now short, mane and tail got Christmas looking likes. I don't know what to feel anymore. Hopefully time will heal. Your friend, Babs Seed December 10th: Dear Princess Celestia, I learned a lot of things. I learned I'm important in the hearts of other ponies, I also learned I can't spell...Heh heh... Oh, and the most important lesson of the day! I'm one of the only ponies writing letters to you. Good Night Princess! Your friend, Babs Seed December 11th, Year 2012 We're losing members. With every member we gain, we lose three because of fear. Simon might be able to break free, they said. Loli, he's still around. He acts like nothing happened, and I guess that's for the best, I mean, if my brother was a psycho murderer, I would pretend nothing happened too. He's real sweet too, I guess I'm still his sugar coated strawberry dipped in chocolate, despite putting his brother away. I think the seas will be calm, by seas I mean here. It seems like the only thing left to worry about, is where Shimmer and Blending Mist are. I know they're okay, I just know. I can feel it. But then again, I feel like Ray is going to streak across the sky, leaving a trail of purple, red, or even amber, depending on what thread she's holding. I feel like she's still here. Still with us. But she's not, and wont ever be. The image of the needles in...Her, it haunts me. It beckons my sanity to slowly wander away with an urge. For some reason, I want to let my sanity slip. But I can't let it. Apple Bloom wrote a letter yesterday night, she and Sweetie are coming over soon, around the fifteenth. If not earlier, her sister said. My sister just smiled nervously before hugging me tight and writing back, 'Sounds wonderful! Can't wait to catch up!' She didn't want to catch up, she wanted to keep them safe, hidden. I know if Simon gets out, my friends will be targeted. I want them to stay safe, I want to stay safe. But we're dealing with Simon, someone who seems like a super genius, crazed and gone mad with power and sadness. He might get a Pity Mark, a mark given right before, or after death. Celestia isn't sure if the death penalty is alright for someone his age. I don't think so, he may have killed many ponies, maybe more, but he didn't mean it. Or, at least I don't think so. He's gone mad, crazy. That doesn't mean he deserves to die. Right? Your friend, Babs Seed December 12th, Year 2012 Tomorrow. Tomorrow. I had a dream last night. Tomorrow. Simon broke out. Tomorrow. The date on the wall, 12/13/12 Tomorrow. Loli wont help him anymore. Refuses to talk to him even now. Tomorrow. I found out he liked Ray, more then he'll ever like me. Tomorrow. Hope for Loli and I, disintegrated when they found that body Tomorrow. There was no hope to begin with, Tomorrow. He was using me to get close to her, and then again Tomorrow So I'd keep my muzzle shut about his brother. Tomorrow. Tomorrow Shimmer will be found, ragged and barely standing Tomorrow But okay, Blending wont be found tomorrow. Tomorrow. I know this dream was a vision, I can feel it. Tomorrow. It's live I've got a sixth sense, like Pinkie. Tomorrow. A Seed Sense. Sounds nice. Tomorrow. The blood is pounding in my ears, best stop writing. Tomorrow. Your friend, Babs Seed December 12th: Dear Princess Celestia, Have you ever felt like you needed somepony more than ever, more than anything, and would give up anything for them, to have them? I feel that way now with a colt named Loli. Loli Pop. But he was in love with another, now dead. It was never me. I was never a sugar coated strawberry coated in chocolate, not that you'd get the reference. I'm looking into a window of myself, hollow enough to see inside. He never thought much of me. A little something here, a smudge there, but that's it. I may as well have been his sister, or even his cousin. Oh, and I learned to trust your dreams. Thank Luna for me, will you? Thanks. Your friend, Babs Seed December 13th, Year 2012 I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Shimmer was found, a few bruises, a scratch here, a scratch there. But in my dream, he was bloody. A broken bone here, a shattered body part there. And Simon, Simon didn't get out. This just doesn't add up! Had Luna mislead me, showed me something that wasn't real, or did I just have a nightmare? Apple Bloom said the fifteenth. Happy thirteenth. It feels like Friday, the thirteenth. I feel crazed, perhaps it's the things I've seen that cause me to be like this, perhaps my dream was an illusion, a way to throw me off. Luna was crazy before, not too long ago. For her to regain sanity, it might take a while, in such a sudden matter is beyond me. Maybe she wanted to show somepony that she wasn't as sane as she claimed. After all, we all have a bit of insanity in us, waiting to burst. Maybe hers is beyond her breaking point. I mean, who would send such horrifying images to a young filly? Not anypony in their right mind! Well, I'm starting to ramble and it's cold, my hooves are going numb, so this will be it for now. Your friend, Babs Seed December 14th, Year 2012 I wasn't wrong, I just got the date wrong. Luna did not lie to me, sure she sent me a nightmare, but we all have our nightmares. All of us. No one is an exception. She seemed to have looked at me and spoke softly, yet loudly, "Everyone has something to fear, Princess to Filly." I see now, it wasn't 12/12/12, no. It was 12/14/12. I must have been dreaming too fast and miss ed it. How do I know? Simon broke out at 12:00am this morning. I found him in my room, or, I thought it was him. It was Loli. When I saw him in the shadows, hunched over what looked like a knife, I screamed loudly. And when he reassured me that the knife like thing was a mirror, and he wasn't Simon, I calmed down a bit. And then he told me Simon got out. I let out a shrill cry, screaming my lungs off, and he slammed my muzzle shut. I think he jammed a few teeth back into my gums with that force. He whispered softly, "Don't worry. Stop screaming." And them for some odd reason, he jumped out the window. Good thing I live on the first floor. When I saw him trot off, I looked at the mirror. Which was a knife. Boys are dumb liars. He must have forgotten it. So now I'm scared for my life for someone who probably wants revenge. And my teeth hurt. Great. Your friend, Babs Seed December 15th, Year 2012 I'm in mourning today. Simon is dead. He died over night, tried to kill somepony and got unlucky. The pony he targeted had an older brother, an older brother who loved them very much. Silver Shine. I don't know why he targeted her, he saw her at the party long ago. December 6th. He saw the protective gleam in her brothers' eyes. I know he did, everypony did, even if he was in the shadows, there was no way he didn't. The way her brother carried her on his back, the way he watched over her, the way he stole glances at the alleyway, everypony knew it. But I guess Simon didn't know. Silver Shines' older brother broke his wings, so he became a plow horse. He missed his wings, and went to the Princesses for help. They gave him some Guard Wings, wings they give the guards when the guards break their wings or wing. Metal, unbreakable, and fast. Very, very fast. He raced home with his new wings, eager to show his little sister, the one he cared for ever since she was small. They had been adopted, left at someponies doorstep. He didn't trust his new parents, so the second he was old enough, he took her and bought a small platform, a complex of sorts. It may have been small, but it had more than enough rooms, and he was just happy to have her, his only family. Anyway, he heard a blood curdling scream that sounded like his sisters', that's what he said on the news. He crashed through the window and pinned the mysterious pony with a large knife in hooves. According to him. He pounded on the pony, Simon, until his life was slithering away from his, draining away faster than any doctor could stop. He made it to a hospital, a neighbor had called the pony-lice, and told his part of the story. I just told you Silver Shines' brothers, Shining Wing, version. Here's Simons': It was dark, cold too. I was just polishing my knife, and the filly was giggling happily when I accidentally cut my hoof, she screamed. And then, just like that, I was on the ground being pummeled to a pulp. There was glass everywhere, and Silver was trying to get Shining Wing off of Simon, but to no avail. His last words chilled me in a way, they couldn't be true. "I was just saying goodbye to my Special Somepony, Silver was my Marefriend." Those were his last words before he blinked out like a light. I thought he just wanted to die, but hearing those words...He had it coming to him then. Silver Shine couldn't have been his Special Somepony, would never be his Marefriend. But...Why is she so sad? Your friend, Babs Seed December 16th, Year 2012 Apple Bloom's here! And guess what? She brought Sweetie and Scoots! They came late last night, I was tucked in and snoring softly by then, but waking up to hear Apple Jack and my sister conversing about current problems made me so excited, I nearly forgot about yesterday! But then I saw Silver Shine and it all came flooding back, like a bad storm. She seemed sadder than yesterday, but there was a glint in her eyes, it wasn't mean or anything. It was like an overwhelming amount of sadness had clouded her thoughts, caused her to flip over the edge. Or maybe it was the sun. I've been suspicious of her, so maybe I was imaging it, trying to prove my suspicions right. Scootaloo was tired when I woke up, still getting used to not sleeping on a cloud, or, as I call it, Cloud 9. Apple Bloom and Jack slept in my room, Scootaloo and Sweetie slept with my sis. My sis had a dozen blankets, and Scoots and Sweetie wanted to whisper in the night, but Apple Bloom and Apple Jack were tired from walking, and I was already asleep, so it only made sense that way. That, and my sis is a heavy sleeper. Their talking wouldn't have kept her up. Silvers' brother Shining was honored today, for his heroic acts. He beamed, but when he searched the crowd, it looked like he couldn't find who he was looking for, his smile faltered. Silver Shine wasn't there too, some strange stuff. She normally is always there for her brother, and he's always there for her. Odd. Anyway, best get back to Sweetie, Apple, and Scoots. We're going to a roller rink! Your friend, Babs Seed December 17th, Year 2012 Had a huge amount of fun with Sweetie, Apple, and Scoots! Silver Shine even decided to join us, even if it was only for a few hours before her brother showed up looking for her. She didn't look happy to see him. I don't know why. He's her brother, and he saved her from one of the most dangerous ponies I know..Or....Used to know. Loli Pop is happy, kinda. He's sad that his brother is no longer in Equestria, but glad there won't be any deaths for a while, if at all. No pony in all of Equestria is in mourning for that evil colt, not even Silver. Oh no, she's just unhappy. Don't know why, the colt tried to kill her! And the Ponyville Cutie Mark Crusaders have no idea what's going on, and it's better they don't. If they knew, they wouldn't stay, and I really need some comfort right about now. Apple Jack and my sister chat it up all day, no need to worry if they're having fun. They talk about apples and fences and how Big Mac sprained his hoof last week, and how last year he completely broke it. Apple Jack knows. I fear the look she gives me now, it's like she's hiding her fear of me, though I've done nothing wrong. Does she fear me? Does she wonder how I almost died? Does she think less of me for some reason? I wish I knew the answers, but I don't. And probably never will. I've had to hide the journal I've been keeping these entries in, and no, it's not a diary. Scootaloo and Sweetie have been snooping around lately, they know something's up and they want to know what. Scootaloo found a piece of torn paper with a tiny smudge of writing on it, she wants to find out what the full page was instead of finding the word 'Simon'. I can't let her know, but secrets aren't fun. They're awful, and they ruin friendships. Hopefully I can keep all of this a secret until they leave in a few days. Hopefully. Your friend, Babs Seed December 18th, Year 2012 Scootaloo is still snooping! I'm so confused, it'll take a while for her to find them, why does she still look? She may never find them, and yet she keeps her eyes sharp for any stray paper or journal. As if I were that stupid. And Sweetie had decided to help, great, with twice the help Scootaloo might actually find something. They leave by the 20th, so if I can keep this journal hidden for two more days, I'm in the clear zone! Free! If I can manage two more days. And Loli, he wants to know my thoughts on EVERYTHING! The chamber, the deaths, the holdings, everything. I'm just a filly, what is this!? This is crazy! And Silver Shine visits Simon C Sugars' grave every afternoon. I'm starting to suspect Simon wasn't lying, and with each passing day, Silver looks crazier and crazier. But oh well. Guess it's just a phase, like everything. Your friend, Babs Seed December 19th, Year 2012 She found it. Scootaloo found my journal, this journal. I had gone to see Octavia and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra play Carol of The Bells, magnificent by the way, and when I came back...Scootaloo was reading my journal. She looked up at me in slight horror, and whispered to Sweetie Belle, no doubt about me. Bad Seed, guess that's all I'll ever be. She didn't read all of it, but a good part. Was I really that stupid to let my guard down? Could I have done something different? I find myself asking those questions about the murders, more often than not. I was trotting down the main avenue when I spotted Silver Shine, she and her brother were arguing. She had something strange about her, and then I realized her wings were gone. Instead, she had a large horn on her head, and it was clear she didn't plan on using it for magic. The mare who had been so shy, only wanted to make the air look pretty with sparkles and colors, now, I can't even recognize her. She looked at her brother with such disdain, and he shouted something to her, I pieced together a bit of it: 'Horn...Needs...Go! Wings...Back!' That's all I heard before an ear shattering cry erupted from Shining Wings' lips as Silver jumped up, head angled in a way so that the horn pierced through her brothers' neck. She left him there too, after cleaning her horn of any blood, she just walked away. I ran up to the stallion, and sure enough, he was breathing. The would wasn't fatal, but it could have been, if she really wanted it to be. The look in his eyes as he pawed at his neck, trying to see the damage. I tried to calm him down, but to no avail. I sent a letter, kicking it with my hind legs and watching it poof to the Princess, who came a short time later. He wouldn't say who did it, but after a large crowd of ponies gathered to see why her Highness was there, I could see him eying Silver Shine. It was easy to spot her. Her horn shimmered like ice, and stood tall like an icicle. An icy adjustment to a cold heart. Simon would have been proud. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, Thank you so much for coming! And I know you want to know who did it, but I just can't tell you. I hope you understand. But if you look close enough, the pieces will come together. Today I learned trust is not an issue, when you have suspicion on your side. Your friend, Babs Seed December 20-31December 20th, Year 2012 The Apple gang has left. This will be short, my hooves are numb. Loli decided to move, he'll be gone by Christmas Silver is still hiding Shining is in pain Everything's the same. My hooves are too numb to write. Your friend, Babs Seed December 21st, Year 2012 I've got invited to a reunion! At Sweet Apple Acres! It's going to be so much fun! There's going to be food, and apples, and apples (Family), and everything, and everyone's just going to have a big amount of fun! And Shining can come too! Even though he's not an Apple, I asked if he could come in a necklace. A picture necklace, and they said yes. Loli, oh Loli. He's halfway gone now, and by that I mean he got hurt. Not bad, but to an extent of where one might not want to live anymore, they have him in care. A few hours ago he came up to me, roses in mouth. He looked like he had a cold, a really bad cold. Before he had the chance to explain, I cut in. "I'm sorry Loli, I just don't like you like that. Not anymore, I'm not sure if I ever did. I-I'm sorry, but you know that now." Before turning around to trot away. I heard his cry, a light whimper, and the roses fell out of his mouth. "Fine, not like I wanted you to come with me anyway." He spat the words out with malice, but I understand completely. I heard him trot away, and next thing I know he's in a psychiatric ward for wanting to die. Silver Shine can make wings for herself, and I noticed her body temperature is lowering itself. I also noticed her silver coat starting to darken, no one else has noticed, but it's blackening and freezing over, like her heart. She's one of those ponies, a bit of a nopony to be exact. No parents, her brother's in care, she lives alone. No one would notice unless you took the time to study her. She stays hidden most of the time, but I see her in the shadows. She has a gleaming horn, it shines with ice. It's extremely long, and pointier than Lunas, even Celestias! Wherever she trots, she leaves an icy patch behind. It's odd, and scary. Her eyes, once blue and sweet, are slowly turning a shade of red. And her golden mane! Once golden, now looking brash and olden. It was gray yesterday, It's jet black today. I saw her in the shadows, heard her hoof steps. Heard her. I saw the smoke her breath made, and how she seemed unaffected by the seemingly never ending cold. She's also grown taller, as tall as the new princess, Cadence! Once being my size, to that! I've noticed strange things as well, the air as become colder. With the fumes here in Manehattan, that doesn't happen really. And the small ponds never freeze over, but since Simons' death, they've become white with frost, and you can Pinkie stomp on them, they won't break. Shining Wing, the naturally dark stallion with a golden heart and amber eyes, he's scared. But the older pony protects me, and gave me a necklace with his face in it. I want to bring it to the reunion so I'll have him by me, to protect me, even when he's not really there, he will be. Guess this is getting too long, Your friend, Babs Seed December 22nd, Year 2012 Not sure when the reunion is, all I know is I've been preparing like heck! I've got a fancy shmancy dress to wear, and manners, I need to learn them! Oh, this reunion is going to be fantastic! They'll be Apples and Oranges, Seeds and Pears, everyone! My sister is so excited, she can't wait to see Big Mac! Big Mac and her used to race, back when they were fillies and he had the agility for it. They would race and race and race, sis said. It's going to be beautiful! Well, enough about that, lets talk about what you really wanna read! Loli glances at me sadly, whenever our paths cross. He always asks if I'm sure, course I am! He was the one I wanted, but ponies change. They can change in an instant, or a few years. Shining Wing is by my side all the time now, doesn't matter if he should be somewhere else or not, he's always by my side for whatever reason, but I don't mind. I feel safe when he's there, even safer than with my group. My group! That's right! I forgot to add that yesterday, a new member emerged! Minty Evergreen is her name, she's really young! She says she wants to get her Cutie Mark so her little sister, born three days ago, will look up to her. She's a mint green mare with brown and black splotches on her coat, her mane and tail are a lighter shade of mint, with red streaks coursing through her mane, it looks really cool! She's best friends with Ice Blast, one of our Mentors. I don't believe I've noted that I made a new system. It's where a Mentor, a pony already with a mark, helps a pony without a mark. Ice Blast is a kind stallion, all white with beautiful blue eyes. His Cutie Mark is a few icicles cause he's a Pegasus and he helps the Weather Patrol create snow and ice! So cool! Oh, and his best friend was Silver Shine, before she...You know. Silver Shine, Silver Shine, what can I say about her today? There's not much notable info I can reveal. When she trots, there's an ice patch. Her coat is still darkening, but it's almost fully dark now. It gleams with what looks like ice, but ice doesn't stick to ponies. And her eyes! They resemble Trixies when she found the Alicorn Amulet, they're so red and dark! And I saw her make Ice Wings for herself, since her natural ones have gone somewhere. Maybe on vacation. Her mane is a silvery gray, and someponies have started to notice her around the city. It's hard not to, an Alicorn? In Manehattan!? Unheard of. Especially not one widely known. Oh, and before I end this, I should tell you: There's been rumor of a new Princess! Not the Princess of the Sun, not of the Night, but of Ice and the Cold! I can't wait to meet her! Your friend, Babs Seed December 23rd, Year 2012 I wonder if the new princess is nice, and if she is, I wonder if she's pretty. All Princesses are pretty, of course, but I've never seen or heard of an Ice princess. I wonder if she's made completely out of ice. Or maybe snow! Maybe she's a walking snow pony! Like Snowy the Snow Stallion, except we don't need a hat, or if we do, we can get one. I head she's pretty, but isolates her. But then another pony said she's shy. Maybe she's like the Crystal Ponies, kept in a tomb for longer than she could manage, for got what equine kind was like. Kind, warm, nice. Maybe it's because we're warm to other ponies, and show lots of kindness that she's scared. She is an Ice princess, after all. I'm sending a letter to the other Princesses, maybe she's their sister! Oh, that would be so exciting! Anyway, The Apple Family Reunion was yesterday, it was awesome! I got to see my favorite cousin, and even though the games and things weren't exciting, Apple Jack made it right by listening to others. Apple Bloom and I actually got to spend time together! When I got back, Loli was there, waiting. Weirdo. Also, the air was freezing! There were icicles on ponies coats, and the coats they wore on top of them! So weird, we've never had a White Hearths Warming here, maybe we'll have one finally. I couldn't find Silver, but that's fine. She's starting to scare me. Shining Wings was there! We nuzzled noses and he trotted me around to talk to me. He's like a brother to me, so sweet! I didn't even ask him to nuzzle noses with me, he just did it. I think a brother would do that too. Gotta cut this short, Shining Wings is knocking at my door! Your friend, Babs Seed December 24th, Year 2012 Hearths Warming Eve I forgot to write the Princess a letter! Ugh. Well, I'm sure somepony did, I heard the Princesses were in Manehattan to visit their sister, the Ice Princess! Rumor has it, she's no Princess, she's a queen! But there's no way, there hasn't been a queen in...Well....Ever! I hear hoof steps now, in my little cavern. I've decided to keep my Journal in a small crawl space, and only write in it. The hoof steps aren't light, they sound angry. "Where is she?!" An angry voice is crashing through the crawl space. I'm kinda scared. But not really, I'm Babs Seed, tougher than any nail! "I-I don't know, honest!" A small voice cried. Minty Evergreen. I looked through a small hole in the space to see the small green mare look up at Silver Shine. She cried again, "I really don't know Miss Ice Princess." Ice Princess?! She's no Princess, she's a demon! I looked closer. Her appearance might make it seem like it, icy wings, long horn with the tip frosted over. Her eyes were captivating, beautiful, deadly. I continued to look as Silver stepped past the quivering foal. She disappeared into my house, muttering to herself, "By sweet Simon, where could that mare be!?" I continued to look when I dropped my pen. It didn't make a sound, and I didn't either as I bent to pick it up, but when I tried to sit up, I found myself unable. Looking up, I saw a glowing and glaring eye looking through the small hole. Using my best instincts, I crouched low, so she wouldn't see me. She left a few minutes later. I've got to say goodbye, see if the foal is alright. Your friend, Babs Seed December 25th, Year 2012 Hearths Warming Day It's a wondrous day, can't really say how so, just is! I adore my gift, and I hope you adore yours! Can't really fill you in today, time to spend some much needed time with family. Have a great day everypony! Your friend, Babs Seed December 26th, Year 2012 Had an amazing day with the family, it was great! Can't wait until the next Hearths Warming, and the next reunion! Now, let me tell you what you REALLY wanna hear, shall I? Silver is looking for me, the Princesses are looking for Silver. The Ice Princess isn't nice, there's a blizzard outside. She can't be nice if she caused that. Loli is gone, he tried to nab me yesterday, placing a bag over my head and dragging me into a ditch. I bucked him harder than I bucked any pony before, think I knocked his jaw loose. Don't make that sound dirty. I got a letter from Scoots, Dear Babs Seed, I know your secret. YOU'RE THE ICE PRINCESS! How do you do it? Why did you want to keep it a secret? Homigosh, I can't believe I KNOW the Ice Princess! Everypony has heard of you, I hear the Princesses are in Manehattan, searching. Hey, why did you send an ice storm over your home city? And why did those weirdos wanna kidnap you? Thanks for letting me read your diary, Your friend, Scootaloo. That crazy pony, I'm no Princess! Quite the opposite really. And I didn't send an Ice Storm, I don't think there is one. Yet, at least. Who knows, with Silver Shine controlling the weather. Shining Wings tries to keep me safe, I told him what I saw a few days ago. He keeps me huddled under his wings when he feels she's close by. He's so nice to me. I think I like him, not sure if more than a friend or not. Your friend, Babs Seed December 27th, Year 2012 Shining Wings took me for a flight earlier today. It was amazing! The beautiful scenery, the amazing animals in the sky, Did you know there are such things as geese?! I sure didn't! After we landed, he made sure I was alright, making sure that Silver hadn't made it too cold. He's so nice. I was Celestia and Silver together, Luna hanging back in the sidelines. It was just a quick glance, but it looked like they were arguing. There was a large cloud above them, and it looked like small ice crystals were shooting from it. Odd. Shining wouldn't look, said he only wanted to look at the old Silver Shine, not the new one. Sad how a death could tear a family apart like that. Oh well, can't do much, Your friend, Babs Seed December 28, Year 2012 Some pony needs to help us. Silver Shine has gone completely power crazed. She visited Simon C Sugars' grave, and Celestia, demanding to know why she was there, who she was, and why her wings were made of a clear substance known only to ponies outside Manehattan do to the lack of snow here. Celestia, still weak from the Changeling attack, charged up her horn, got ready for battle, And lost. Silver Shine and her fatally cold magic turned that LARGE Alicorn into a LARGE Ice statue. She's the equivalent to Discord, just made of ice. Princess Luna wanted to help, but she was weaker than Celestia in her weak state. "Ponies of Manehattan," Silver Shine had cried into the sky, making sure every pony heard. "Bow to your new Princess!" Every pony did so, even me. Well, almost every pony, Shining Wings didn't. He's in the ER now. She's flown up, to the palace. Celestias statue is in the middle of Manehattan, if anyone tips it over, we may never be free of Shines rule. Oh dear Luna, please help us! Your friend, Babs Seed December 29th, Year 2012 Some of the best Unicorns have gathered in town square. There's Twilight Sparkle, The Great and Powerful Trixie, a Unicorn named Mary Rose. Many more, all gathered in the center, around what I call the Celestial Ice Statue. They created a really big bubble, and with it we could see Silver Shine, she was performing something, I don't know what. Twilight Sparkle had gasped, "Necromancy!?" But...I don't know what that it. We saw Luna too, she was chained. The great Princess of the night, chained up. We saw the look of defeat pass through her eyes, before defiance did. We saw her stand and rear up, we saw her create a bubble with her magic, to deafen the sound of chains breaking. We saw her trot behind Silver Shine and cry out, "FOR TIA!" She reared up and slammed down on the evil Alicorn, bearing down upon her with a force that could have caused a thousand earth quakes, but barely scratched Silver. Luna got up, looked directly at us, and pointed with her horn, "This is about to get ugly, no need to look," A smile grew up her lips before Silvers blood red eyes appeared behind her, Luna only got a shot of magic out before who knows what happened, the last image from the bubble was Silver Shines' teeth, and Luna slamming to the ground. Twilight can't get the reception back, and an odd Zebra followed by the rest of the Harmony ponies are trying to find out what to do. The Zebra looks nice, but kind of scary, never seen one up close before. Your friend, Babs Seed December 30th, Year 2012 We can hear the echo of silence, an epiphany of nothing. Lyrical on it's own, deafening without need of sound. Perhaps we're just ponies, unable to escape reality, so we make our own. Wrap ourselves around it, destroy the reality that escapes into our blackened world. Add some color here, destroy sanity there, it all adds up. The powerful Unicorns and fast flying Pegasi raced over to the Palace, only to find a bloody spot. And a crown. Some composers play their sad songs of silence and serenity, when in reality, there is nothing playing. Just the silent sound of tears spilling over the edge as angels play silent harmonies and ponies wash over in an unheard grief. There was never a need of sound to know ones grief, every pony just thought there needed to be something they can hold on to, a song, a voice, something. But there is nothing. No one knows where the Ice Princess has gone, Shining has disappeared from the hospital, no doubt to go find his sister. It started pouring rain over us, a sign that Silver Shine was still here, still watching, but it was dismissed. No pony moved towards their warm home, or followed a friend. We all just sat huddled around each other, not looking for warmth or comfort. Just listening to the soft echo of the rain, and the screaming cries of silent despair. The Harmony ponies have all but lost hope, a cyan blue colored one flashes through the sky, trying to light our hopes with rainbows, when not even her spirits are lifted. Apple Jack protects the Celestial Statue, as I call it. Twilight works with the powerful Unicorns, and some times the not so powerful ones, "We need all the help we can get," She said. A yellow Pegasus mare tries to calm the young fillies, but the wave of grief is too much for her too, and she broke down into silent tears. A Unicorn with gems for a Cutie Mark is sewing blankets by hoof, something that must not be easy, just using her hooves and horn. She's pricked herself many a time. A pink and bubbly Earth bounced around, but after seeing the hopes of so many ponies crushed and obliterated, she sat and gave up, her mane growing straight. That's all I can think of at the moment, there hasn't been much. Just the sound of cold winds, rain falling, and silent sadness. Your friend, Babs Seed December 31st, Year 2012 Defeat lays in the heart, but in my mind, there is NO defeat! I will fight to the end, not letting anyone harm any friend. I'll buck and tackle until it counts, and when it does, oh ho ho it will be a great day! Glorious. I talked to Twilight, she said we Earths could help. We've been busy making defense mechanisms, and I've been yelling encouragement all the while. I wont let any pony give up like we did, never again. Silver is somewhere, and I'll feel proud to see her fall to the ground, face in the dirt, realization in her eyes. Maybe she'll go back to normal, if not, I'll make her! After all, my name isn't Babs Seed for nothin'. Ponies all over Equestria are helping, not just us here in Manehattan. I remember yesterday, there were black skies, blackened hopes, but not anymore. I'll scream till my lungs let out, and then I'll do it again when my throat heals. No one is giving up. I don't know where Shining is, but I know he wouldn't have given up. Your friend, Babs Seed New info! Can't cut this journal short! New flash! Silver Shine WAS practicing Necromancy, I just saw Simon leap from above us. Deceased ponies, like the Changlings, flooded everywhere, everything, no pony is safe. But I'm not giving up. Others have, galloped to their homes at full speed, not letting any pony get in their way of safety. Shining Wings stands boldly next to me, or, he did. He's running against the undead, becoming a battering ram to protect me. I love him for it. "Go!" He shouted. "Go on, get to somewhere safe! If you don't, I'll forever be mad at you!" I trotted off faster than I ever did. To my shelter, the crevice. I'm using a strange red light to write this with, not sure where it came from, but it blinks on and off at times, I'm not completely sure why. But oh well. It's a light source. I haven't given up, but I can hear the undead breaking into my house. I also hear someone, something, whispering my name. It sounds familiar, like an old friend. But it's repeated, I'm slightly scared because it sounds like Silvers. But that's impossible. The red light is growing bigger, and it's really cold in this crawlspace, I'm kinda getting scared, but I'm Babs Seed, I don't get scared. Something nicked me, I turned to find nothing. I'm afraid of turning back around. I think Silver is behind me, it makes sense. The cold, the red light which would be her ey- End
December 1-9December 1st, Year 2012 A new member has joined the Manehattan branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She's nice, funny, but kind of shy. She has a mane like gold and a coat like silver, her name's Silver Shine. She's really good at flying, and can make the sky burst with colors when she sprinkles glitter on her wings and takes off. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, I learned that friends are always there, no matter what. Even when they're mad at you. And if they're there for you, you should be right there next to them always too. Your friend, Babs December 2nd, Year 2012 A member left today. She got her Cutie Mark and smiled at us, the rest of our Cutie Mark Crusader bunch. She looked happy as she nuzzled goodbye to each of us, "Stay strong and keep reaching for the stars until they're right there in your hooves." She said before wiping a tear away from her eyes and trotted off. It was sad to see her go. She was an earth pony named Maroon. She had a white coat with a blonde mane that she kept in braids. Her Cutie Mark was for dying threads, so it was a Dye pot with splatters of dyes near it. It was beautiful, and I'm happy for her. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, I learned today that if you make fun of my friends, I get mad. Really, really mad. I learned that if you get mad, you don't want to kill ponies with kindness. You want to do something worse. It's an awful feeling, but it's in every pony. Your friend, Babs Seed December 3rd, Year 2012 A member joined today. His name is Loli Pop, he's great at making candy. He already has his Cutie Mark, but wants to help all of get ours. He's kinda cute, and makes me blush when he tells me I'm as sweet as a sugar coated strawberry dipped in chocolate. His Cutie Mark is a rainbow, at the end is different types of candy, peppermints near red, lemon drops near yellow, the works. He's kinder than any stallion I know, and his silver mane doesn't match his blue coat, but it makes him stand out. The other mares are really fond of him, but he seems to only have interest in candy and Cutie Marks. Stallions are strange. Your friend, Babs Seed December 4th, Year 2012 Remember Loli Pop? He has a brother named Simon C Sugar. It's odd, Simons' Cutie Mark has nothing to do with sugar, it's a bunch of spikes and I know why. A member, Gold Spark, came back to the group hours after leaving to find some fabric with holes punctured into his skin. "Simon C Sugar," he cried out. He was in a real lot of pain! Loli said it couldn't have been, and ran out while I began tending to Gold Spark, a shimmering gold stallion whose mane sparkles when he moves. Now it shines with blood. I know it's not the friendly nice thing you're used to, but this is Manehattan, where the bullying hurts. A lot. After tending to his injuries, he told me that Simon said he was sick of us being together, and that it would be wise to break up our little group while we could. The nerve! I'll keep you guys updated on Simon and his gang, the Cutie Mark Crusader Crushers. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, I learned I'm really good at undoing tangles! I can undo a really messy knot in a few seconds, including friendship knots! I love being such a great help to other ponies who don't know how to say sorry when they want to, or uncovering and undoing a mean knot of a lie or something mean. I also learned that if a pony makes fun of your imperfections, it means they're ashamed of their own. There's this pony, Simon C Sugar, he's real mean, but hopefully we can be friends. I know he thinks I'm just a Blank Flank, but maybe I can turn that thought around and make him into a nice pony. So many ponies don't like him, in my group I mean, and I just want to give him a second chance. And I will. I'm going to meet him behind the school yard soon, and I'll give you the details of what happens tomorrow. Hopefully I wont be writing it with an injured hoof. Your friend, Babs Seed December 5th, Year 2012 I met Simon in the school yard. It was dark, and had a sense of danger to it. I liked it, it was right up my alley. When I saw him, I saw he brought trouble. Those who make fun of others for insecurities are afraid of their own A few minutes into fighting and arguing, I saw his 'friends' come out from behind the school dumpster. It was horrible. They each had spike studded hoof-lets. Just as they were starting to jump me, I reared up and kicked, bucking to save my life. Simon watched from far out as it started to rain both blood and water, and that's when I noticed something. His Cutie Mark was smearing, running down his coat. It was fake. I saw the others Cutie Marks, and they weren't running at all. Theirs were real. They probably weren't aware that their leader was a phony pony. I looked him in the eye, and in that moment he knew I knew. "Let 'er go, she's not worth it." He called out, fear echoed in his voice but only I heard it. In the dark, it was hard to see a fake Cutie Mark. Just like in the dark, it is hard to build an arch. But he did it, built an arch of lies and deception. And ran. After running away, I sat there for a moment or two, before Loli came out. His eyes were like fire, burning through me, making their mark on my soul. "You know, don't you?" He asked, but the look on my face was answer enough. "Yeah," I responded. "I do. Is yours fake too?" He leaped to his hooves, anger scorched into his face. "What makes you say that? It's lasting through the rain, ain't it?" Suddenly, he wasn't the kind stallion I knew. He was a protective brother. I ran back to the Clubhouse, not saying a word when I got there. I knew if I did, I might as well kiss my chances of survival away. I'm worried for both Loli and the group, I know I put their lives in danger by noticing that fake Cutie Mark, I know I put my own life in danger, Simon will do anything to keep my mouth shut now. But Loli, it looks as if he's a bad guy now, but that can't be true. Not my sweet little Loli Pop. Sorry it's so long. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned that through a storm comes the eye, and after that it gets worse for a while, but better then. I just have to wait out the storm. Until then, Your friend, Babs Seed December 6th, Year 2012 I got scared when a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders: Manehattan went missing. Really scared. It's December, a month of love and cherishing what you have. Hearthswarming is soon too. But all I can think of is the impending danger that strikes with every day that passes. Simon, once so nice and a bit on the mean side. Just a taint in his heart, has become the meanest, rudest, worst filly in all of Manehattan. I think. He's violent, snappy, a trickster, and a phony. Spikes and currents, one is painful, the other changes everything. Looks like I'm caught with both. Loli Pop came back last night. He was nice to every foal and filly, the stallions that acted silly. But me...He glared at me. Tried to pull me aside once or twice. I think he's trying to use his looks against me, when he looks at me, there's anger in his eyes but a friendly smile upon his lips. He acts nice towards me, but only nice enough to be convincing for the others. No real comfort in his words, at least, not for me. In other news, Silver Shine got her Cutie Mark! Turns out making the sky brighten and shimmer was her special talent! Her Cutie Mark sparkles too! It's these gold and silver particles, more like sparkles but I want to sounds smart, so particles. Sounds more Scientific! She was really happy, and flew into the air real high, before remembering how shy she was and gliding down, a blush on her face. Everyone cheered for her and her brother gave her a ride all the way home. He broke both his wings, so now he's a plow horse. Hasn't given her a ride on his back in a long time, Silver Shine said. I felt happy for her, but I know if I show too much emotion towards a member, they might be targeted later, so I just congratulated her. The whole time, Simon watched from the shadows. I saw him, out of the corner of my eye so if I didn't look too hard, he disappeared, which was good. He was sharpening a candy cane with his teeth made by his brother. When the party for Silver Shine was over, and everypony was leaving, I stayed behind to clean up. I quickly did it, cause the second they all left, Simon and his gang emerged from the shadows. I hightailed it out of there. It was a cowardly move, but it was better then staying there and have my sister have to identify my body later. Well, this is getting too long. Bye. Your friend, Babs Seed December 7th, Year 2012 The Cutie Mark Crusader is still gone. Her name was Blending Mist, a great artist who could make anything. She designed a few posters and such. Another one disappeared today, her name was Ray. She was great at sewing, she's a Pegasus while Blending was an Earth pony. I remember every detail about the two, Blending would often have brushes stuck in her hair, paint splattering her mane, covering her baby blue coat and shining white misty hair. Ray had never wanted to fly, always wished she was born an Earth pony, while Blending wished she was a Pegasus. Ray kept needles stuck in her wings, making them shred and tear in an elegantly, yet seemingly painful way. She always chuckled and said, "No, I'm fine! I keep the needles tightly compacted to my feathers, the skin parts of my wings never find pain in their midst. I wouldn't care anyway, other than needle holders, they're pretty much useless to me." She and Blending Mist were best friends. The best of friends. They wouldn't leave one anothers side for the world, they had a sleepover everyday. They were like the Octavia and Vinyl Scratch, only with art, not music. I read reports filed earlier, got detail on everypony that might go missing. It seems as if The Cutie Mark Crusader Crushers might target a pony close to a pony close to a pony close to me. They're kicking them off, making seemingly worthless moves until they get to a pony close to me. Shimmer was close to Ray who was close to Blending. Shimmer is close to me. Real close, we're best filly friends. Even though he's a colt, and I'm a filly, he asked me to call him his best Filly Friend. He acts like a filly to, and speaks funny. But I like that about him. So, deciphering that this is the pattern, he's next. I'll have to guard him with my life, and stop sending letters to Princess Celestia, just for a bit. If anything were to happen to him...I don't know what would happen honestly. He was my best friend ever, protected me from Simon before I went to Ponyville for a little while. Protected me from all of them. And got made fun of at my expense, all because he was different than other colts and loved pink frills. But we were all different, in our own way. Wait a minute... FRILLS! FRILLY FRILLS! Simon C Sugar and his gang weren't targeting ponies close to one another, they're targeting ponies with their name somewhere in the love of other ponies! I can't explain it too well but, Blending had loved the sun, how a ray would dance off her face with warmth. Ray. Ray had loved things that shimmer and shine. Shimmer. Shimmer loves things pink and frilly. Frilly Frills. Everything makes sense now, Shimmer is next, but then it's Frilly. If I can't save Shimmer, I'll do my best to protect Frilly. I have to go now, there's a noise, a crash. If you're reading this, then I'm okay. Fine. And- ... December 8th, Year 2012 A light held only by a metal string swayed above me, going back and forth with ease. No problem in it. I reached up to touch it, but was denied the ability. I don't know what happened, I was writing when a bag was placed over my head, causing me to scratch the paper in a violent manor. I'm writing now, not on my sparkly blue notebook, but on a rock with another rock. Each w word I carve carefully, embedding it into the rock. It takes me awhile, I've spent hours just carving up to here and making it stay in the rock, like a pattern. It's hard when you're shackled to the wall, one hoof above my head, the other hands loosely, but not usefully. I use it to write. When I woke up here, the hoof that had been suspended had popped our of its socket. It was my left, so I have to turn to the left to write on the stone walls. The horrid clatter of me kicking the wall repeatedly, to get a better angle near the stone I had chosen to write on. Everything was scary here. The pony that had brought me here was scary, I think. All I remember about them was a blue coat, and a tint of silver, I'm guessing from their tail or mane. The second I was dropped off here, the force enough to make me pass out, I knew: Getting out of here would be no easy task. I'd have to get unhooked, but even then... Hoofsteps. Click Clack On the track The door opened, it was far down, nearly a hundred feet away from me. It was Loli Pop. As he gazed at me, crocodile tears stung at his eyes. Running to me, I looked at him blankly. He, he and his awful brother, they had chained me here. For him to get any look from me...No. Never. I wont give him that satisfaction, no matter how small. "Babs," I looked at him, fighting the confusion that tried to snake its way into my eyes. "Babs I'm sorry, I never wanted any of this to happen." I looked at him as he leaned up And kissed me. Shock and surprise registered in my eyes after he left, and I bucked and kicked at an invisible Loli before writing everything past On the track, writing it still. Someone's coming, I hear the door start to open. Someone is here, and I see them now. They have a dark cloak over them and something in their hooves. They're walking, giving me enough time t- . . . Dear Princess Celestia, If you can hear my words now, help me. It had been hours since my capture, and I learned a few things. Some ponies are crazy Some are intelligent Some have gone mad with Science I overhead a conversation from outside the room I've been kept in. My mouth will be sewn shut to keep me quiet, and then? I'll be the first mute Alicorn. I know I'm an earth pony, but those ponies out there...They're crazy. Mad! They have others imprisoned, each blank flanks. They were failed experiments, their wings and one of their horns will be used to sew onto my skin. Celestia help me, if I don't get out of here soon...Things might get bad. Your friend, Babs Seed December 9th, Year 2012 The sunlight poured through though the skies, dashing my sight for a moment, making my vision a clear and beautiful white as I stumbled out of her prison. I looked over as her flank shined. I finally got my Cutie Mark. Darkness danced and pawed at the edges of my vision, but I don't care. I finally made my mark. The world before passed in a blur, and the snow was cold against my skin. The latches that held my mouth cold made it impossible to scream with joy. I saw Loli as he smiled down at me, before my vision was fully encrusted by the darkness I woke up from my dream, only to see the dim lighting of my prison, but Loli was there. Looking at me strangely. "You evil thing you," He started to say. "Looking at me with those eyes of yours, you're like a big puppy dog." He trotted up to me and stood on his hind legs, leaning on the wall on the right side of me to look at me clearer. Suddenly, he jammed something into the chain that suspended my left hoof. Pop. I fell, the thing that he embedded into the rock had shattered the chain. I hit the ground and started running, despite the uselessness of my left hoof. I'd write the letter for December 8th later, but now I was heading out of the prison. As I opened the door, I looked back to see Loli smiling, nodding me forward as I yanked open the door with my teeth and ran out, ran out of wherever my holding cell was. I just know there was sunlight, and ponies, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders: Manehattan Version were looking for me when I stumble out, nearly crashing onto my face. Looks like today's gonna be a good day. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, There was a cloaked pony. He told me about my new wings, how the pony they were getting them off of had similar, if not the same, skin color as mine, same as coat color. After he told me that, he made me sleep. I'm okay though, I've escaped. I learned this morning that friends are there until the end, there to protect you from situations, even if they put you in them. Your friend, Babs Seed
December 10-19December 10th, Year 2012 They took Simon and his gang away. I feel like there will be peace once more, at least for a little while. Shimmer is gone. Ray...I don't even want to think about Ray. They found her. Oh Celestia, they found her. Her wings were stretched and torn, as if she was trying to fly but couldn't. Needles were embedded into her wings, try blood circled around the wounds. A look of terror glazed her eyes, it looked like she was looking at someone. "Terror and pain," Silver Shine said. "That's all that was in store for her." They found her in an alley way, cast aside like garbage. But she wasn't garbage, and never would be. She was Ray, a beautiful yellow Pegasus with orange flecks in her mane and stripes on her coat. She wasn't garbage. No pony, no matter how bad, was garbage. No pony needed to be treated like this. But she was. Knowing her, she was stubborn and wouldn't give them what they needed, if they needed anything. Shimmer, and Blending haven't been found, but the Royal Guards tried to console me by saying they might be found alive. My heard surges with so many things, pain, hurt, hope, sadness, it's nearly too much. Oh, and happiness. While I was gone, several of the Cutie Mark Crusaders got their Cutie Marks. Frilly Frills, a light pink mare with a flamboyantly hot pink mane got a dress with frills. She's a dress maker. Concoction, a vibrant green stallion with a neon orange Mohawk and tail got a potion spilling over. Christi Light, a black mare with rainbow dots and a long, now short, mane and tail got Christmas looking likes. I don't know what to feel anymore. Hopefully time will heal. Your friend, Babs Seed December 10th: Dear Princess Celestia, I learned a lot of things. I learned I'm important in the hearts of other ponies, I also learned I can't spell...Heh heh... Oh, and the most important lesson of the day! I'm one of the only ponies writing letters to you. Good Night Princess! Your friend, Babs Seed December 11th, Year 2012 We're losing members. With every member we gain, we lose three because of fear. Simon might be able to break free, they said. Loli, he's still around. He acts like nothing happened, and I guess that's for the best, I mean, if my brother was a psycho murderer, I would pretend nothing happened too. He's real sweet too, I guess I'm still his sugar coated strawberry dipped in chocolate, despite putting his brother away. I think the seas will be calm, by seas I mean here. It seems like the only thing left to worry about, is where Shimmer and Blending Mist are. I know they're okay, I just know. I can feel it. But then again, I feel like Ray is going to streak across the sky, leaving a trail of purple, red, or even amber, depending on what thread she's holding. I feel like she's still here. Still with us. But she's not, and wont ever be. The image of the needles in...Her, it haunts me. It beckons my sanity to slowly wander away with an urge. For some reason, I want to let my sanity slip. But I can't let it. Apple Bloom wrote a letter yesterday night, she and Sweetie are coming over soon, around the fifteenth. If not earlier, her sister said. My sister just smiled nervously before hugging me tight and writing back, 'Sounds wonderful! Can't wait to catch up!' She didn't want to catch up, she wanted to keep them safe, hidden. I know if Simon gets out, my friends will be targeted. I want them to stay safe, I want to stay safe. But we're dealing with Simon, someone who seems like a super genius, crazed and gone mad with power and sadness. He might get a Pity Mark, a mark given right before, or after death. Celestia isn't sure if the death penalty is alright for someone his age. I don't think so, he may have killed many ponies, maybe more, but he didn't mean it. Or, at least I don't think so. He's gone mad, crazy. That doesn't mean he deserves to die. Right? Your friend, Babs Seed December 12th, Year 2012 Tomorrow. Tomorrow. I had a dream last night. Tomorrow. Simon broke out. Tomorrow. The date on the wall, 12/13/12 Tomorrow. Loli wont help him anymore. Refuses to talk to him even now. Tomorrow. I found out he liked Ray, more then he'll ever like me. Tomorrow. Hope for Loli and I, disintegrated when they found that body Tomorrow. There was no hope to begin with, Tomorrow. He was using me to get close to her, and then again Tomorrow So I'd keep my muzzle shut about his brother. Tomorrow. Tomorrow Shimmer will be found, ragged and barely standing Tomorrow But okay, Blending wont be found tomorrow. Tomorrow. I know this dream was a vision, I can feel it. Tomorrow. It's live I've got a sixth sense, like Pinkie. Tomorrow. A Seed Sense. Sounds nice. Tomorrow. The blood is pounding in my ears, best stop writing. Tomorrow. Your friend, Babs Seed December 12th: Dear Princess Celestia, Have you ever felt like you needed somepony more than ever, more than anything, and would give up anything for them, to have them? I feel that way now with a colt named Loli. Loli Pop. But he was in love with another, now dead. It was never me. I was never a sugar coated strawberry coated in chocolate, not that you'd get the reference. I'm looking into a window of myself, hollow enough to see inside. He never thought much of me. A little something here, a smudge there, but that's it. I may as well have been his sister, or even his cousin. Oh, and I learned to trust your dreams. Thank Luna for me, will you? Thanks. Your friend, Babs Seed December 13th, Year 2012 I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Shimmer was found, a few bruises, a scratch here, a scratch there. But in my dream, he was bloody. A broken bone here, a shattered body part there. And Simon, Simon didn't get out. This just doesn't add up! Had Luna mislead me, showed me something that wasn't real, or did I just have a nightmare? Apple Bloom said the fifteenth. Happy thirteenth. It feels like Friday, the thirteenth. I feel crazed, perhaps it's the things I've seen that cause me to be like this, perhaps my dream was an illusion, a way to throw me off. Luna was crazy before, not too long ago. For her to regain sanity, it might take a while, in such a sudden matter is beyond me. Maybe she wanted to show somepony that she wasn't as sane as she claimed. After all, we all have a bit of insanity in us, waiting to burst. Maybe hers is beyond her breaking point. I mean, who would send such horrifying images to a young filly? Not anypony in their right mind! Well, I'm starting to ramble and it's cold, my hooves are going numb, so this will be it for now. Your friend, Babs Seed December 14th, Year 2012 I wasn't wrong, I just got the date wrong. Luna did not lie to me, sure she sent me a nightmare, but we all have our nightmares. All of us. No one is an exception. She seemed to have looked at me and spoke softly, yet loudly, "Everyone has something to fear, Princess to Filly." I see now, it wasn't 12/12/12, no. It was 12/14/12. I must have been dreaming too fast and miss ed it. How do I know? Simon broke out at 12:00am this morning. I found him in my room, or, I thought it was him. It was Loli. When I saw him in the shadows, hunched over what looked like a knife, I screamed loudly. And when he reassured me that the knife like thing was a mirror, and he wasn't Simon, I calmed down a bit. And then he told me Simon got out. I let out a shrill cry, screaming my lungs off, and he slammed my muzzle shut. I think he jammed a few teeth back into my gums with that force. He whispered softly, "Don't worry. Stop screaming." And them for some odd reason, he jumped out the window. Good thing I live on the first floor. When I saw him trot off, I looked at the mirror. Which was a knife. Boys are dumb liars. He must have forgotten it. So now I'm scared for my life for someone who probably wants revenge. And my teeth hurt. Great. Your friend, Babs Seed December 15th, Year 2012 I'm in mourning today. Simon is dead. He died over night, tried to kill somepony and got unlucky. The pony he targeted had an older brother, an older brother who loved them very much. Silver Shine. I don't know why he targeted her, he saw her at the party long ago. December 6th. He saw the protective gleam in her brothers' eyes. I know he did, everypony did, even if he was in the shadows, there was no way he didn't. The way her brother carried her on his back, the way he watched over her, the way he stole glances at the alleyway, everypony knew it. But I guess Simon didn't know. Silver Shines' older brother broke his wings, so he became a plow horse. He missed his wings, and went to the Princesses for help. They gave him some Guard Wings, wings they give the guards when the guards break their wings or wing. Metal, unbreakable, and fast. Very, very fast. He raced home with his new wings, eager to show his little sister, the one he cared for ever since she was small. They had been adopted, left at someponies doorstep. He didn't trust his new parents, so the second he was old enough, he took her and bought a small platform, a complex of sorts. It may have been small, but it had more than enough rooms, and he was just happy to have her, his only family. Anyway, he heard a blood curdling scream that sounded like his sisters', that's what he said on the news. He crashed through the window and pinned the mysterious pony with a large knife in hooves. According to him. He pounded on the pony, Simon, until his life was slithering away from his, draining away faster than any doctor could stop. He made it to a hospital, a neighbor had called the pony-lice, and told his part of the story. I just told you Silver Shines' brothers, Shining Wing, version. Here's Simons': It was dark, cold too. I was just polishing my knife, and the filly was giggling happily when I accidentally cut my hoof, she screamed. And then, just like that, I was on the ground being pummeled to a pulp. There was glass everywhere, and Silver was trying to get Shining Wing off of Simon, but to no avail. His last words chilled me in a way, they couldn't be true. "I was just saying goodbye to my Special Somepony, Silver was my Marefriend." Those were his last words before he blinked out like a light. I thought he just wanted to die, but hearing those words...He had it coming to him then. Silver Shine couldn't have been his Special Somepony, would never be his Marefriend. But...Why is she so sad? Your friend, Babs Seed December 16th, Year 2012 Apple Bloom's here! And guess what? She brought Sweetie and Scoots! They came late last night, I was tucked in and snoring softly by then, but waking up to hear Apple Jack and my sister conversing about current problems made me so excited, I nearly forgot about yesterday! But then I saw Silver Shine and it all came flooding back, like a bad storm. She seemed sadder than yesterday, but there was a glint in her eyes, it wasn't mean or anything. It was like an overwhelming amount of sadness had clouded her thoughts, caused her to flip over the edge. Or maybe it was the sun. I've been suspicious of her, so maybe I was imaging it, trying to prove my suspicions right. Scootaloo was tired when I woke up, still getting used to not sleeping on a cloud, or, as I call it, Cloud 9. Apple Bloom and Jack slept in my room, Scootaloo and Sweetie slept with my sis. My sis had a dozen blankets, and Scoots and Sweetie wanted to whisper in the night, but Apple Bloom and Apple Jack were tired from walking, and I was already asleep, so it only made sense that way. That, and my sis is a heavy sleeper. Their talking wouldn't have kept her up. Silvers' brother Shining was honored today, for his heroic acts. He beamed, but when he searched the crowd, it looked like he couldn't find who he was looking for, his smile faltered. Silver Shine wasn't there too, some strange stuff. She normally is always there for her brother, and he's always there for her. Odd. Anyway, best get back to Sweetie, Apple, and Scoots. We're going to a roller rink! Your friend, Babs Seed December 17th, Year 2012 Had a huge amount of fun with Sweetie, Apple, and Scoots! Silver Shine even decided to join us, even if it was only for a few hours before her brother showed up looking for her. She didn't look happy to see him. I don't know why. He's her brother, and he saved her from one of the most dangerous ponies I know..Or....Used to know. Loli Pop is happy, kinda. He's sad that his brother is no longer in Equestria, but glad there won't be any deaths for a while, if at all. No pony in all of Equestria is in mourning for that evil colt, not even Silver. Oh no, she's just unhappy. Don't know why, the colt tried to kill her! And the Ponyville Cutie Mark Crusaders have no idea what's going on, and it's better they don't. If they knew, they wouldn't stay, and I really need some comfort right about now. Apple Jack and my sister chat it up all day, no need to worry if they're having fun. They talk about apples and fences and how Big Mac sprained his hoof last week, and how last year he completely broke it. Apple Jack knows. I fear the look she gives me now, it's like she's hiding her fear of me, though I've done nothing wrong. Does she fear me? Does she wonder how I almost died? Does she think less of me for some reason? I wish I knew the answers, but I don't. And probably never will. I've had to hide the journal I've been keeping these entries in, and no, it's not a diary. Scootaloo and Sweetie have been snooping around lately, they know something's up and they want to know what. Scootaloo found a piece of torn paper with a tiny smudge of writing on it, she wants to find out what the full page was instead of finding the word 'Simon'. I can't let her know, but secrets aren't fun. They're awful, and they ruin friendships. Hopefully I can keep all of this a secret until they leave in a few days. Hopefully. Your friend, Babs Seed December 18th, Year 2012 Scootaloo is still snooping! I'm so confused, it'll take a while for her to find them, why does she still look? She may never find them, and yet she keeps her eyes sharp for any stray paper or journal. As if I were that stupid. And Sweetie had decided to help, great, with twice the help Scootaloo might actually find something. They leave by the 20th, so if I can keep this journal hidden for two more days, I'm in the clear zone! Free! If I can manage two more days. And Loli, he wants to know my thoughts on EVERYTHING! The chamber, the deaths, the holdings, everything. I'm just a filly, what is this!? This is crazy! And Silver Shine visits Simon C Sugars' grave every afternoon. I'm starting to suspect Simon wasn't lying, and with each passing day, Silver looks crazier and crazier. But oh well. Guess it's just a phase, like everything. Your friend, Babs Seed December 19th, Year 2012 She found it. Scootaloo found my journal, this journal. I had gone to see Octavia and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra play Carol of The Bells, magnificent by the way, and when I came back...Scootaloo was reading my journal. She looked up at me in slight horror, and whispered to Sweetie Belle, no doubt about me. Bad Seed, guess that's all I'll ever be. She didn't read all of it, but a good part. Was I really that stupid to let my guard down? Could I have done something different? I find myself asking those questions about the murders, more often than not. I was trotting down the main avenue when I spotted Silver Shine, she and her brother were arguing. She had something strange about her, and then I realized her wings were gone. Instead, she had a large horn on her head, and it was clear she didn't plan on using it for magic. The mare who had been so shy, only wanted to make the air look pretty with sparkles and colors, now, I can't even recognize her. She looked at her brother with such disdain, and he shouted something to her, I pieced together a bit of it: 'Horn...Needs...Go! Wings...Back!' That's all I heard before an ear shattering cry erupted from Shining Wings' lips as Silver jumped up, head angled in a way so that the horn pierced through her brothers' neck. She left him there too, after cleaning her horn of any blood, she just walked away. I ran up to the stallion, and sure enough, he was breathing. The would wasn't fatal, but it could have been, if she really wanted it to be. The look in his eyes as he pawed at his neck, trying to see the damage. I tried to calm him down, but to no avail. I sent a letter, kicking it with my hind legs and watching it poof to the Princess, who came a short time later. He wouldn't say who did it, but after a large crowd of ponies gathered to see why her Highness was there, I could see him eying Silver Shine. It was easy to spot her. Her horn shimmered like ice, and stood tall like an icicle. An icy adjustment to a cold heart. Simon would have been proud. Your friend, Babs Seed Dear Princess Celestia, Thank you so much for coming! And I know you want to know who did it, but I just can't tell you. I hope you understand. But if you look close enough, the pieces will come together. Today I learned trust is not an issue, when you have suspicion on your side. Your friend, Babs Seed
December 20-31December 20th, Year 2012 The Apple gang has left. This will be short, my hooves are numb. Loli decided to move, he'll be gone by Christmas Silver is still hiding Shining is in pain Everything's the same. My hooves are too numb to write. Your friend, Babs Seed December 21st, Year 2012 I've got invited to a reunion! At Sweet Apple Acres! It's going to be so much fun! There's going to be food, and apples, and apples (Family), and everything, and everyone's just going to have a big amount of fun! And Shining can come too! Even though he's not an Apple, I asked if he could come in a necklace. A picture necklace, and they said yes. Loli, oh Loli. He's halfway gone now, and by that I mean he got hurt. Not bad, but to an extent of where one might not want to live anymore, they have him in care. A few hours ago he came up to me, roses in mouth. He looked like he had a cold, a really bad cold. Before he had the chance to explain, I cut in. "I'm sorry Loli, I just don't like you like that. Not anymore, I'm not sure if I ever did. I-I'm sorry, but you know that now." Before turning around to trot away. I heard his cry, a light whimper, and the roses fell out of his mouth. "Fine, not like I wanted you to come with me anyway." He spat the words out with malice, but I understand completely. I heard him trot away, and next thing I know he's in a psychiatric ward for wanting to die. Silver Shine can make wings for herself, and I noticed her body temperature is lowering itself. I also noticed her silver coat starting to darken, no one else has noticed, but it's blackening and freezing over, like her heart. She's one of those ponies, a bit of a nopony to be exact. No parents, her brother's in care, she lives alone. No one would notice unless you took the time to study her. She stays hidden most of the time, but I see her in the shadows. She has a gleaming horn, it shines with ice. It's extremely long, and pointier than Lunas, even Celestias! Wherever she trots, she leaves an icy patch behind. It's odd, and scary. Her eyes, once blue and sweet, are slowly turning a shade of red. And her golden mane! Once golden, now looking brash and olden. It was gray yesterday, It's jet black today. I saw her in the shadows, heard her hoof steps. Heard her. I saw the smoke her breath made, and how she seemed unaffected by the seemingly never ending cold. She's also grown taller, as tall as the new princess, Cadence! Once being my size, to that! I've noticed strange things as well, the air as become colder. With the fumes here in Manehattan, that doesn't happen really. And the small ponds never freeze over, but since Simons' death, they've become white with frost, and you can Pinkie stomp on them, they won't break. Shining Wing, the naturally dark stallion with a golden heart and amber eyes, he's scared. But the older pony protects me, and gave me a necklace with his face in it. I want to bring it to the reunion so I'll have him by me, to protect me, even when he's not really there, he will be. Guess this is getting too long, Your friend, Babs Seed December 22nd, Year 2012 Not sure when the reunion is, all I know is I've been preparing like heck! I've got a fancy shmancy dress to wear, and manners, I need to learn them! Oh, this reunion is going to be fantastic! They'll be Apples and Oranges, Seeds and Pears, everyone! My sister is so excited, she can't wait to see Big Mac! Big Mac and her used to race, back when they were fillies and he had the agility for it. They would race and race and race, sis said. It's going to be beautiful! Well, enough about that, lets talk about what you really wanna read! Loli glances at me sadly, whenever our paths cross. He always asks if I'm sure, course I am! He was the one I wanted, but ponies change. They can change in an instant, or a few years. Shining Wing is by my side all the time now, doesn't matter if he should be somewhere else or not, he's always by my side for whatever reason, but I don't mind. I feel safe when he's there, even safer than with my group. My group! That's right! I forgot to add that yesterday, a new member emerged! Minty Evergreen is her name, she's really young! She says she wants to get her Cutie Mark so her little sister, born three days ago, will look up to her. She's a mint green mare with brown and black splotches on her coat, her mane and tail are a lighter shade of mint, with red streaks coursing through her mane, it looks really cool! She's best friends with Ice Blast, one of our Mentors. I don't believe I've noted that I made a new system. It's where a Mentor, a pony already with a mark, helps a pony without a mark. Ice Blast is a kind stallion, all white with beautiful blue eyes. His Cutie Mark is a few icicles cause he's a Pegasus and he helps the Weather Patrol create snow and ice! So cool! Oh, and his best friend was Silver Shine, before she...You know. Silver Shine, Silver Shine, what can I say about her today? There's not much notable info I can reveal. When she trots, there's an ice patch. Her coat is still darkening, but it's almost fully dark now. It gleams with what looks like ice, but ice doesn't stick to ponies. And her eyes! They resemble Trixies when she found the Alicorn Amulet, they're so red and dark! And I saw her make Ice Wings for herself, since her natural ones have gone somewhere. Maybe on vacation. Her mane is a silvery gray, and someponies have started to notice her around the city. It's hard not to, an Alicorn? In Manehattan!? Unheard of. Especially not one widely known. Oh, and before I end this, I should tell you: There's been rumor of a new Princess! Not the Princess of the Sun, not of the Night, but of Ice and the Cold! I can't wait to meet her! Your friend, Babs Seed December 23rd, Year 2012 I wonder if the new princess is nice, and if she is, I wonder if she's pretty. All Princesses are pretty, of course, but I've never seen or heard of an Ice princess. I wonder if she's made completely out of ice. Or maybe snow! Maybe she's a walking snow pony! Like Snowy the Snow Stallion, except we don't need a hat, or if we do, we can get one. I head she's pretty, but isolates her. But then another pony said she's shy. Maybe she's like the Crystal Ponies, kept in a tomb for longer than she could manage, for got what equine kind was like. Kind, warm, nice. Maybe it's because we're warm to other ponies, and show lots of kindness that she's scared. She is an Ice princess, after all. I'm sending a letter to the other Princesses, maybe she's their sister! Oh, that would be so exciting! Anyway, The Apple Family Reunion was yesterday, it was awesome! I got to see my favorite cousin, and even though the games and things weren't exciting, Apple Jack made it right by listening to others. Apple Bloom and I actually got to spend time together! When I got back, Loli was there, waiting. Weirdo. Also, the air was freezing! There were icicles on ponies coats, and the coats they wore on top of them! So weird, we've never had a White Hearths Warming here, maybe we'll have one finally. I couldn't find Silver, but that's fine. She's starting to scare me. Shining Wings was there! We nuzzled noses and he trotted me around to talk to me. He's like a brother to me, so sweet! I didn't even ask him to nuzzle noses with me, he just did it. I think a brother would do that too. Gotta cut this short, Shining Wings is knocking at my door! Your friend, Babs Seed December 24th, Year 2012 Hearths Warming Eve I forgot to write the Princess a letter! Ugh. Well, I'm sure somepony did, I heard the Princesses were in Manehattan to visit their sister, the Ice Princess! Rumor has it, she's no Princess, she's a queen! But there's no way, there hasn't been a queen in...Well....Ever! I hear hoof steps now, in my little cavern. I've decided to keep my Journal in a small crawl space, and only write in it. The hoof steps aren't light, they sound angry. "Where is she?!" An angry voice is crashing through the crawl space. I'm kinda scared. But not really, I'm Babs Seed, tougher than any nail! "I-I don't know, honest!" A small voice cried. Minty Evergreen. I looked through a small hole in the space to see the small green mare look up at Silver Shine. She cried again, "I really don't know Miss Ice Princess." Ice Princess?! She's no Princess, she's a demon! I looked closer. Her appearance might make it seem like it, icy wings, long horn with the tip frosted over. Her eyes were captivating, beautiful, deadly. I continued to look as Silver stepped past the quivering foal. She disappeared into my house, muttering to herself, "By sweet Simon, where could that mare be!?" I continued to look when I dropped my pen. It didn't make a sound, and I didn't either as I bent to pick it up, but when I tried to sit up, I found myself unable. Looking up, I saw a glowing and glaring eye looking through the small hole. Using my best instincts, I crouched low, so she wouldn't see me. She left a few minutes later. I've got to say goodbye, see if the foal is alright. Your friend, Babs Seed December 25th, Year 2012 Hearths Warming Day It's a wondrous day, can't really say how so, just is! I adore my gift, and I hope you adore yours! Can't really fill you in today, time to spend some much needed time with family. Have a great day everypony! Your friend, Babs Seed December 26th, Year 2012 Had an amazing day with the family, it was great! Can't wait until the next Hearths Warming, and the next reunion! Now, let me tell you what you REALLY wanna hear, shall I? Silver is looking for me, the Princesses are looking for Silver. The Ice Princess isn't nice, there's a blizzard outside. She can't be nice if she caused that. Loli is gone, he tried to nab me yesterday, placing a bag over my head and dragging me into a ditch. I bucked him harder than I bucked any pony before, think I knocked his jaw loose. Don't make that sound dirty. I got a letter from Scoots, Dear Babs Seed, I know your secret. YOU'RE THE ICE PRINCESS! How do you do it? Why did you want to keep it a secret? Homigosh, I can't believe I KNOW the Ice Princess! Everypony has heard of you, I hear the Princesses are in Manehattan, searching. Hey, why did you send an ice storm over your home city? And why did those weirdos wanna kidnap you? Thanks for letting me read your diary, Your friend, Scootaloo. That crazy pony, I'm no Princess! Quite the opposite really. And I didn't send an Ice Storm, I don't think there is one. Yet, at least. Who knows, with Silver Shine controlling the weather. Shining Wings tries to keep me safe, I told him what I saw a few days ago. He keeps me huddled under his wings when he feels she's close by. He's so nice to me. I think I like him, not sure if more than a friend or not. Your friend, Babs Seed December 27th, Year 2012 Shining Wings took me for a flight earlier today. It was amazing! The beautiful scenery, the amazing animals in the sky, Did you know there are such things as geese?! I sure didn't! After we landed, he made sure I was alright, making sure that Silver hadn't made it too cold. He's so nice. I was Celestia and Silver together, Luna hanging back in the sidelines. It was just a quick glance, but it looked like they were arguing. There was a large cloud above them, and it looked like small ice crystals were shooting from it. Odd. Shining wouldn't look, said he only wanted to look at the old Silver Shine, not the new one. Sad how a death could tear a family apart like that. Oh well, can't do much, Your friend, Babs Seed December 28, Year 2012 Some pony needs to help us. Silver Shine has gone completely power crazed. She visited Simon C Sugars' grave, and Celestia, demanding to know why she was there, who she was, and why her wings were made of a clear substance known only to ponies outside Manehattan do to the lack of snow here. Celestia, still weak from the Changeling attack, charged up her horn, got ready for battle, And lost. Silver Shine and her fatally cold magic turned that LARGE Alicorn into a LARGE Ice statue. She's the equivalent to Discord, just made of ice. Princess Luna wanted to help, but she was weaker than Celestia in her weak state. "Ponies of Manehattan," Silver Shine had cried into the sky, making sure every pony heard. "Bow to your new Princess!" Every pony did so, even me. Well, almost every pony, Shining Wings didn't. He's in the ER now. She's flown up, to the palace. Celestias statue is in the middle of Manehattan, if anyone tips it over, we may never be free of Shines rule. Oh dear Luna, please help us! Your friend, Babs Seed December 29th, Year 2012 Some of the best Unicorns have gathered in town square. There's Twilight Sparkle, The Great and Powerful Trixie, a Unicorn named Mary Rose. Many more, all gathered in the center, around what I call the Celestial Ice Statue. They created a really big bubble, and with it we could see Silver Shine, she was performing something, I don't know what. Twilight Sparkle had gasped, "Necromancy!?" But...I don't know what that it. We saw Luna too, she was chained. The great Princess of the night, chained up. We saw the look of defeat pass through her eyes, before defiance did. We saw her stand and rear up, we saw her create a bubble with her magic, to deafen the sound of chains breaking. We saw her trot behind Silver Shine and cry out, "FOR TIA!" She reared up and slammed down on the evil Alicorn, bearing down upon her with a force that could have caused a thousand earth quakes, but barely scratched Silver. Luna got up, looked directly at us, and pointed with her horn, "This is about to get ugly, no need to look," A smile grew up her lips before Silvers blood red eyes appeared behind her, Luna only got a shot of magic out before who knows what happened, the last image from the bubble was Silver Shines' teeth, and Luna slamming to the ground. Twilight can't get the reception back, and an odd Zebra followed by the rest of the Harmony ponies are trying to find out what to do. The Zebra looks nice, but kind of scary, never seen one up close before. Your friend, Babs Seed December 30th, Year 2012 We can hear the echo of silence, an epiphany of nothing. Lyrical on it's own, deafening without need of sound. Perhaps we're just ponies, unable to escape reality, so we make our own. Wrap ourselves around it, destroy the reality that escapes into our blackened world. Add some color here, destroy sanity there, it all adds up. The powerful Unicorns and fast flying Pegasi raced over to the Palace, only to find a bloody spot. And a crown. Some composers play their sad songs of silence and serenity, when in reality, there is nothing playing. Just the silent sound of tears spilling over the edge as angels play silent harmonies and ponies wash over in an unheard grief. There was never a need of sound to know ones grief, every pony just thought there needed to be something they can hold on to, a song, a voice, something. But there is nothing. No one knows where the Ice Princess has gone, Shining has disappeared from the hospital, no doubt to go find his sister. It started pouring rain over us, a sign that Silver Shine was still here, still watching, but it was dismissed. No pony moved towards their warm home, or followed a friend. We all just sat huddled around each other, not looking for warmth or comfort. Just listening to the soft echo of the rain, and the screaming cries of silent despair. The Harmony ponies have all but lost hope, a cyan blue colored one flashes through the sky, trying to light our hopes with rainbows, when not even her spirits are lifted. Apple Jack protects the Celestial Statue, as I call it. Twilight works with the powerful Unicorns, and some times the not so powerful ones, "We need all the help we can get," She said. A yellow Pegasus mare tries to calm the young fillies, but the wave of grief is too much for her too, and she broke down into silent tears. A Unicorn with gems for a Cutie Mark is sewing blankets by hoof, something that must not be easy, just using her hooves and horn. She's pricked herself many a time. A pink and bubbly Earth bounced around, but after seeing the hopes of so many ponies crushed and obliterated, she sat and gave up, her mane growing straight. That's all I can think of at the moment, there hasn't been much. Just the sound of cold winds, rain falling, and silent sadness. Your friend, Babs Seed December 31st, Year 2012 Defeat lays in the heart, but in my mind, there is NO defeat! I will fight to the end, not letting anyone harm any friend. I'll buck and tackle until it counts, and when it does, oh ho ho it will be a great day! Glorious. I talked to Twilight, she said we Earths could help. We've been busy making defense mechanisms, and I've been yelling encouragement all the while. I wont let any pony give up like we did, never again. Silver is somewhere, and I'll feel proud to see her fall to the ground, face in the dirt, realization in her eyes. Maybe she'll go back to normal, if not, I'll make her! After all, my name isn't Babs Seed for nothin'. Ponies all over Equestria are helping, not just us here in Manehattan. I remember yesterday, there were black skies, blackened hopes, but not anymore. I'll scream till my lungs let out, and then I'll do it again when my throat heals. No one is giving up. I don't know where Shining is, but I know he wouldn't have given up. Your friend, Babs Seed New info! Can't cut this journal short! New flash! Silver Shine WAS practicing Necromancy, I just saw Simon leap from above us. Deceased ponies, like the Changlings, flooded everywhere, everything, no pony is safe. But I'm not giving up. Others have, galloped to their homes at full speed, not letting any pony get in their way of safety. Shining Wings stands boldly next to me, or, he did. He's running against the undead, becoming a battering ram to protect me. I love him for it. "Go!" He shouted. "Go on, get to somewhere safe! If you don't, I'll forever be mad at you!" I trotted off faster than I ever did. To my shelter, the crevice. I'm using a strange red light to write this with, not sure where it came from, but it blinks on and off at times, I'm not completely sure why. But oh well. It's a light source. I haven't given up, but I can hear the undead breaking into my house. I also hear someone, something, whispering my name. It sounds familiar, like an old friend. But it's repeated, I'm slightly scared because it sounds like Silvers. But that's impossible. The red light is growing bigger, and it's really cold in this crawlspace, I'm kinda getting scared, but I'm Babs Seed, I don't get scared. Something nicked me, I turned to find nothing. I'm afraid of turning back around. I think Silver is behind me, it makes sense. The cold, the red light which would be her ey- End
