Fractured Apple

Chapter Three: A Swift Escape

The second story was almost entirely a bedroom that overlooked the main chamber. It was in the same worn out and destroyed state as the rest of the library had been in. A large window, notably lacking the frame and glass that was now in pieces under it, sat behind a still intact queen-sized bed. The usual tattered pages and book casings littered the floor as well as a few personal effects. Two things stood out to Applejack, a bulky wooden desk and a closet.

Applejack crept over to the closet first with many things in mind, but above all to check if there were any monsters inside. She gulped as she hesitantly pulled open the closet and jumped back, prepared for an attack. With a slow creak the door hit the back wall and stopped revealing many ragged and torn clothes. A shelf above the clothes had a few boxes, but what was on the floor really caught her eye. A faded lavender faux leather satchel with a pair of grey metal six-pointed star clasps.

She put it on noting that it was still in decent condition, tightening the strap to make sure it was secure and snug. After tearing up some of the old clothing and lining the inside with it for padding, Applejack investigated the desk. It was absolutely covered in papers and utensils, a broken desk lamp still hanging above it. She looked through the papers quickly but carefully for any information. None of it was any help, be it the ink was too degraded to read or the paper was torn or aged to the point where it became ash when she touched it.

She looked around for anything as the drawers squeaked from being pulled out. Three had more papers and tools for writing or what she guessed math, the fourth having something that she took. It was entirely empty except for a small brass key on a keyring. It could be the key to the front door, the mailbox, or even some lockbox full of memorable tokens of the past. Applejack tucked it in her new bag and headed back downstairs to the kitchen.

It only took a moment to store three cans of food, a pair of can openers, and a couple of each eating utensil in her satchel. Nopony could say she wasn’t a survivor. Other than shelter, food and water are a must when stranded, which by her standards she was. Applejack peered out the window next to the front door, the light catching her eye. The light was slightly brighter than the light of the stars, but still left the world shrouded in darkness.

As she looked into the sky it took a few moments to believe what she saw. The moon was out, but it didn’t glow its usual pearly white. The lunar orb in the sky was shattered into dozens of pieces all hovering around a third of the moon that was still intact. It was a dull grey, the light barely enhanced by it. Applejack shivered as the terrible truth hit her. The moon was broken, and earlier the sun was gone. She stepped back from the window and sat down.

If the celestial bodies were missing or destroyed, what had happened to the princesses? What had happened to her world that made it this way? So many questions, and nopony to answer them. Sad to admit it to herself, but whenever Ponyville had a problem Twilight usually had an answer, or would quickly find one. Applejack smiled to herself, her friends would always be there to help no matter what the problem.

As she got up she saw a simple door that was ajar on the far side of the room. The door to the basement. Didn’t Twilight have some sort of laboratory down there? She remembered something like that, but more importantly it was the basement. No doubt some sort of creature was down there, the spookiest place of all houses. She poked the door as it opened without a single sound. A set of stone stairs led down to pitch black. Times like this Applejack wouldn’t have minded being a fancy unicorn.

The descent was slow and cautious; she kept her ears open for any noises at all and prepared to retreat back upstairs at the drop of a pin. Applejack’s heart beat loudly in her ears as she still felt the after effects of her earlier fever. She almost tripped over herself as she reached the bottom, a soft hum emitted from the entire room when her hoof hit the floor. Soft yellow lights lit up from the corners of the room shrouding the basement in shadowy light. Her eyes easily adjusted in no time while trotting over to one of the lights. A small gem had been set in the wall, no doubt it was enchanted.

Many odd machines of differing size and bulk lined the north and west walls from coming down the stairs. An out of place metal door framed in red tape sat on the south wall, probably a panic room for that paranoid mare. Another workspace that was complete with a large wooden desk and metal filing cabinets filled the wall that the stairs made ascending. Applejack examined this new desk with fervor.

It was in all ways identical looking to the desk in the bedroom, although was perfectly organized with blank papers neatly stacked on the right side and the desk lamp not broken. She pulled out the drawers to find ash, but this time it looked as if somepony set fire to the inside, its walls were burnt and blackened. As she tried the last drawer, it was stuck. Applejack grunted in annoyance noticing a small keyhole. She contemplated the chances at this being the brass key’s counterpart and how unlikely that should’ve been.

She pulled the small key and fit in into the lock, turned it, and heard a simple click. Well, a stroke of good fortune? Who was she to complain. Opening the drawer the got a face full of completely stale air, inside was a well preserved book, its cover once a glossy purple and its pages yellowed in age. No, it was rather thin for a book, more like a diary. Applejack’s eyes widened as she greedily grabbed the book and opened it to the first page. The ink had faded in many parts, but most of it being legible.

Journal Entry #001

23 / 12 / 1006 C.R.

A Brand New Day,

I was browsing the convention when I saw this cute booth selling journals, so I bought one to document my scientific studies on a new phenomenon that has recently been discovered. This phenomenon, which was discovered by Professor Quick Thinker, is none other than shadows! How exciting, right? I know you might think that shadows are an everyday occurrence, but it was recently found out that they are not just the dark areas that are created from an object obstructing a path of light. Professor Quick Thinker has found out that they can become tangible, and even be touched as something physical, not a projection!

I’m going to begin my own personal studies on this in hope to discover... well anything. It’s such an excitement to have such a new field of study. Nopony has found an apt name for this field as of yet. I’m sure Princess Luna has known about this, what with being the deity of the night, and will release the correct terminology soon. For now I’ll simply dub it Shadology. Not very creative, I know, but it’s practical.

I’m hoping my equipment in my lab will be sufficient for this, my personal funds are rather limited at the moment. I’ll take stock on everything when I get home, maybe get Spike to help rearrange. He has grown quite tall, yet is still so cute. So many ideas keep rushing to my head that I’m afraid I need to draft them out.

On the train home from the Canterlot Magic Expo

Applejack stared at the first page of the journal. Twilight’s personal journal. Was this some sort of future world? She shook her head in disbelief, but still wondered. If this was the future, was this her future? The date was only four years ahead. She flipped to the second page eager to read on, but stopped as a metallic clicking came from behind her. Her ears fell back as she turned to see a small white glow. Then two, and then three. She froze on the spot as six small black creatures similar to what she saw upstairs crawled out of the machinery on the opposite side of the room.

Slowly, very slowly she put the book into her satchel and clasped it shut, the creatures looking around casually as far as she could tell since they had no face other than a grotesque mouth. She tried to be as silent as possible rising to her hooves, and began backpedaling toward the stairs. She inwardly winced at each clop against the stone floor, constantly watching the creatures as they crawled all over the machines.

As she thought she reached the stairs, she kicked what looked to be a small garbage bin full of crumpled and old papers. Her eyes widened, frantically dashing between the machinery and the trash bin in mid-flight, landing with a loud clunk and proceeded to bounce off the wall and roll noisily right up to the machines. Machines that had the dark monsters on them. She swore she didn’t know her own strength.

All heads quickly turned to Applejack, the glow of their mouths brightening. She knew what was coming and covered her eyes with her hooves right before the intense piercing cry of half a dozen creatures hit her. Her knees buckled causing her to fall to the floor on her side. Her vision began to blur as she couldn’t manage the strength to flee. She felt her right ear begin to bleed again, the wound reopened. She managed to sit straight up before the screech suddenly stopped. Panting heavily she lowered her hooves and looked at what was going on.

All the beasts turned to look at the metal door to the panic room, or what she thought was it. She felt a tremor in the ground, followed by another each with a loud thud. A feeling of encroaching doom encompassed her as she sat there. An awkward silence reigned over the basement.

BANGBANG

Two large dents outward appeared in the metal door. The surrounding yellow light disappeared, replaced with a glow from different gems that bathed the room in a deep red. The creatures backed away from the door in a fit as they scrambled around to hide. If they were scared, then what should she be? Two more large dents popped the door mostly off the frame, held together by its study hinges and lock. Applejack froze as a deep-pitched but all the same screech rang out as the door flew from its hinges and smashed into the wall, bouncing off and landing on the stairs to block her path upwards.

The first thing that came out was a sickle-shaped claw that was followed by another, only these claws were twice the size of a pony leg. It slowly dragged itself out of the room as a deep hum of machinery came from inside. It was identical to the small creatures standing in fright across the room, but it was a little over twice her height and many times bigger than its brethren. Its tail was so long that it could only stay in the other room as it whipped wildly against the walls. Applejack stared up in horror as the glow in its mouth was not a pale white, but a pale red seemingly lost in the already red glow of the room.

Her body moved before she thought to and ran straight for the stairs. She jumped to clear the metal door, barely making it over before a piercing screech rang out for only a few seconds, dazing her landing and caused her to fall off the stairs onto the desk. She rolled over to fall on the floor, and rose to her hooves with her ears now burning in searing pain. She looked wearily at the huge monstrosity and it seemed to laugh it a weird chirping manner.

It was intelligent, far more than the small ones. She backed toward the base of the stairs preparing for another dash upwards. While it stared straight at her with its featureless face, it raised a claw and struck the desk ripping it in half. It was practically daring her to try and run. Applejack bent down in a position to pounce; the beast bent low and stretched out both its claws in a sweeping motion.

The moment dragged on for minutes, each being in the room tense as can be, both the prey and the predator. Applejack wasn’t sure how long it would keep toying with her, but watched in the corner of her eye as a small one crawled out of a machine made of two large cylinders and jumped at the large one. Its claws sank into the large creature’s armor causing it jump slightly and look down in anger.

She looked between them and the panic room, the doorway half-filled with a monstrous tail. The large one reared its head back and with a swift bite swallowed its offender. In a split second decision Applejack released the built up pressure in her legs and dashed toward the doorway. The large creature turned its attention to her and struck out, both claws slicing the ground next to her as she jumped over its tail and into the room. A deep screech louder than its last hit Applejack and sent her tumbling herself.

Catching herself, she ran down a large hallway filled with glowing red gems. The tail, reaching all the way down to the main room ahead, thrashed side to side trying to crush her. She managed to duck under the first blow, receiving the second to the back that winded her, and the third slammed her against the wall. Running through the pain in her chest and head she managed to tumble out into an expansive metal room.

Sleek metal walls covered in scratch marks the size of her leg filled all but one wall in the room. The rightmost wall was destroyed, most of the metal torn inwards revealing a massive cave leading on into darkness. Comfort items such as a table, couch, and bed were torn apart and scattered across the room along with any furniture at all. Gems were embedded at places in the walls, all dark except the ones glowing red. A door on the opposite side of the hallway seemed to be the exit, blocked by only a massive bulb and stinger on the end of a large tail.

Applejack dashed to the right and held herself close against the wall as the tail thrashed around the room in a fit of rage. Screeches sounded down the hallway but weren’t nearly as painful as up close. The door was locked by a lever on the wall next to it, only a pull away from freedom. She readied herself, trying to time her dash with the movement of the tail, when she noticed a glass box surrounded in faded red paint, emergency written in all capitals above and below it. She unclasped her satchel, ran over while hugging the wall and smashed the glass with a powerful buck. She forced herself through the pain of glass shattering on her hooves, small pieces sticking in her legs. A small brown bag, the size of a coin purse, sat on a pedestal. Applejack snatched it up, put it safely in her satchel, clasped it shut, and dashed for the door.

She ducked under a sharp black stinger as it pierced one of the metal walls; a thin dark purple fluid flowed from the stinger as it pulled itself out. She yelled as she yanked the lever down, the hiss of air filled her ears as she jumped through the half open door. She looked back, and saw the monster facing right at her.

The door was sliding open. The monster dexterously maneuvered its tail to stab her. Her eyes widened as she jumped over a flying stinger and slammed a leg upwards on the lever. The door reversed its movement. A screech of terrible rage. Clopping hooves against stone. Wooden doors bursting open. Sudden rush of freezing night air. Burning pain from across her body.

Applejack ran away from the cellar doors as fast as she could, her body screaming at her to stop and rest. Shadows moved on the edges of her vision as she ran through the town. A crumbled candy building moved into view as she bolted down the street. She slowed down and as quietly as she could while gasping for air, she opened the front door to the bakery and locked it behind her. Slumped against the door, she could no longer hear anything but the beat of her heart and the sound of her breaths.