My vision focused into view as I awakened, but I almost instinctively got a pillow and put it over my head. Unfortunately for me, the pressure almost immediately disappeared, and a voice beckoned.
“Come on, Apple Bloom, get up.” Phalanx’s voice said, and I just grumbled in response. “If you don’t want to miss the train you need to get up.”
I snapped up as he said that, “That’s today?” I exclaimed as I raced out of the room.
“I already have everything packed!” He said just as I exited the bedroom’s door, and I tripped as I practically skidded to a halt. Barely avoiding a fall, I slammed a hoof onto the ground to steady myself.
“Anythin’ else Ah should know Phalanx?” I asked, and he chuckled.
“Nah.” He answered with a smile, “Well, maybe that it’s six o’clock.”
“Shit.” I thought as I realized that I only had an hour and a half to get to the train station. “Why didn’t ya get me up earlier?” I interrogated as I started to get myself together; also known as me taking a shower, I didn’t do any of that makeup crap or the like.
“Because I think that everypony else would prefer seeing you not tired.” He replied as I got water running.
Ten minutes later, Phalanx and I were out the door, with our saddlebags in tow. “You do realize we have over an hour still.” Phalanx seemed to try to remind me.
“Then we have over an hour.” I replied as we walked towards the train platform. I knew that Applejack, Big Mac, and my father would be there when we got there, but as we walked I blinked for a second, and then Rabil was standing on the road, looking as if he was trying to tell me something. I immediately blinked again, and he disappeared, but it still left me chilled. I had been having these for weeks, where I would randomly see him for a split-second, and as soon as I blinked, he would disappear.
“You saw him again?” Phalanx asked, probably seeing my shaken face. I just nodded, and he muttered something.
“The thing that’s weird is that it feels like he’s not there with bad intentions... It’s almost like he’s trying tuh warn me.” I said, and Phalanx gave a dark look.
“I doubt that.” He said, and I remembered the letter I had written to Twilight at one point about it, and she had replied saying it was most likely symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
But, as if to intentionally get me off my train of thought, Pinkie Pie sprang out from behind a house. “Hey Apple Bloom! Hey Phalanx Spear!” She exclaimed excitedly. “Are you excited? Because I’m excited! I’ve never been so excited, well except for that time when I first saw Twilight and I went ‘HUUU’, and that time when I thought that we were going to see Princess Celestia, but instead it was Black Snooty.”
“Yes we’re excited, Pinkie.” I said with a calm that contrasted with her hype.
“Well that’s great!” She replied, “I just can’t wait to see Dashie and Rarity and Twilight! Not mention Spike and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle!”
“Same here, Pinkie.” I said, and as we turned the corner on the road, I nearly smashed into my father's barrel.
“Hello Apple Bloom,” My father greeted, “Phalanx Spear.” He added curtly. Those two still had some... issues with each other, though it was mainly on my father’s part. Nevertheless, Phalanx and him had agreed to not go at each other for the next week.
“Where ya goin’?” I asked, wondering why he was leaving the train platform.
“I forgot something at the farm.” He said, and I just nodded.
“Well don’ let us keep ya.” I replied, and he started off.
“I’ll see you shortly.” He bade, and as he walked away, Phalanx visibly relaxed.
“Yer gonna need tuh get used tuh him Phalanx, at one point or another.” I said, and he sighed.
“Tell that to him.” He replied, although we both knew my father just was in general a little distrusting of Phalanx.
“Hey Applejack!” I heard Pinkie shout, and I just ignored her antics, namely somehow appearing from a door on the train station platform, even though she was next to us a moment earlier.
“Howdy, Pinkie.” My older sister greeted, and Big Mac just nodded, maintaining his normal near-mute demeanor. I think the time he spoke most was, well, when Rabil was around, but I don’t want to get into something I’ve already explained.
As Pinkie started bouncing around, speaking words so fast you couldn’t understand her, Applejack looked over at me. “Howdy tuh ya too Apple Bloom and Phalanx.” She said with a warm smile.
“So where’s Fluttershy?” I asked, partially due to the harassment value of my brother, who now seemed to turn redder than he was already.
My sister gave an evil grin and leaned over to him, “Ah don’ know, where is she Mac?” She asked with amusement. It was no secret to everypony that Big Mac and Fluttershy liked each other, namely due to their awkwardness whenever they were around each other, but both of them were way too shy to admit it.
“Ah don’ know!” He stammered, and everypony except for him laughed. I decided to lay off my big brother for the mean time, and looked at Applejack.
“What’s Pa gettin’?” I asked, and Applejack shook her head.
“Beats me, he said somethin’ ‘bout Ma, but he didn’t go any further.” She said, and she looked at Phalanx. “But Ah’ll make sure tuh keep him in check fer ya Phalanx.”
“That would be very much appreciated.” Phalanx said, and in the distance we heard the train.
“Ah don’ know ‘bout the rest of y’all, but Ah’m gonna find a place tuh sleep soon as that train stops here.” I told them, and Applejack nodded.
As the train’s engine grew steadily louder, my father returned with an apple in his saddlebags. I knew immediately what it was, and so did Applejack and Big Mac. Phalanx seemed to deduce what it was, and its significance. Pinkie, thankfully, didn’t notice. The train came to a deafening roar and then stopped, and the doors hissed open.
A mix of businessponies, along with ponies who looked like they were settling down, and a few construction workers came out. Ponyville had become the so-called “investment heaven of Equestria.”, something I was both irritated and gladdened by.
As one of the businessponies walked out, they noticed us, and gave a look of disgust. “Yeah, Ah’m the countrypony, and also the reason why yer able tuh give that dumb look at us.” I muttered, and I saw Applejack trying not to go after the stuck-up stallion and give her a piece of her mind.
When no more ponies came out of the doors, I walked in and found a bed. “Hello again, Apple Bloom.” A male voice said, and for a moment I thought my worst nightmares had come true, and Rabil had somehow come back to life. As I turned around, ready to find anything usable as a makeshift weapon, I was relieved to see it was just the train conductor. He looked familiar, and I realized he was the same one I had seen nearly ten months earlier, upon my return to Ponyville.
“Hello there.” I greeted, and he nodded towards me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll let you sleep. I just thought it polite to say hello.” He replied, and walked off. I laid down on the mattress, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep.
My eyes fluttered open, and I was someplace dark enough it was impossible to see in. However, it was like I heard somepony else thinking.
“Where am I?” I heard the feminine voice think, “I died, I know for a fact I died.” The other pony realized they were in a coffin, and for a moment her breathing rapidly accelerated.
“Stop it,” They thought, “Running out of oxygen quicker won’t help you.”
Then, the pony and I seemed to stop as I saw a faint glow. Then, it felt like an explosion went off underneath the coffin, and the pony was slammed to the bottom.
The sound of a hinge turning occurred, and a blinding light appeared. “What’s going on?” The mare demanded, and a shadow appeared. Her eyes focused, and she saw it was a greenish-coated unicorn stallion.
“Relax,” The stallion soothed, “You’re alive.” The mare seemed to be confused by the stallion’s statement.
“I died, I remember it. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t-” The mare protested, but the stallion nodded his head, and interrupted her.
“I know you did. You were dead, that is until I revived you.” The stallion informed her, and the mare now seemed to think this was some afterlife practical joke.
“That’s impossible! Nopony, not even Celestia can resurrect the dead!” The mare accused, and the stallion grinned.
“You are correct on that matter.” He replied, “But I am able to.” The mare decided to humor the stallion, and asked him a rhetorical question.
“Oh, so you can resurrect just anypony, on a whim?” The mare asked sarcastically, and the stallion’s expression didn’t change.
“No, in fact, I was only able to do that once. But I need you for something.” The stallion explained.
“What’s so special about me? There’s a thousand others who would be better to bring back.”
“You are the one who is needed, and I shall explain it.” The stallion said, and the mare started to have an inkling this was the real deal.
“Then who are you?” The mare asked, terrified that something had that ability.
“You may call me Herald, but I will not explain anymore than that.”
“Fine, why am I here?” The mare continued, as she tripped out of the coffin onto the grass. The stallion lent a hoof, and she silently thanked him.
“Because, as I said, I need you for something.” Herald elaborated, as he gestured for her to follow him. It appeared they were in a field, but where were the trees? She had wished to be buried in the forest. “Everything that you ever held dear is at risk, and there is somepony who would wish to prevent somepony else from stopping it.”
“How cliche.”
“It is unfortunately the case.”
I jerked up, and banged my head on the bed above. Something was wrong about that dream, it seemed too real. The only things that were more powerful than the late Celestia and her sister was the creator of the world itself, and her three brothers, one whom I had the pleasure of ending their life.
“Why would they resurrect somepony?” I thought, “What’s happening?” But I calmed myself as I remembered the last time I had been to Canterlot was after I had stopped the insane god. It was probably stress induced by the memories associated with the location. I still had nightmares every now and then about that horrible time.
“You okay Apple Bloom?” Phalanx asked, and I noticed he was reading the newspaper.
“Yeah, yeah, just a bad dream.” I said as I made a mental note to ask Twilight if that was just a bad dream caused by what I thought it to be. I noticed the train engine was blaring, and we were moving. “How long have Ah been asleep?”
“A couple of hours, just as well.” He replied, “We’re maybe twenty minutes away.” He must have noticed something in my expression, because he asked me, “What was in the dream?”
“Ah honestly don’ know, it was kinda like when Ah saw what Rabil was doin’, but it was not as... vivid.” I said, and he looked at me, “It was somepony comin’ back from the dead, and somepony else helped them up and told ‘em that they wanted ‘em fer somethin’.”
“What do you think about it?” Phalanx asked, and he knew that my gut feeling was usually pretty accurate.
“Ah think it’s just somethin’ like Twilight would say.” I answered.
“If you think so.” Phalanx said sincerely. His eyes returned to the newspaper, and then he looked a little surprised. “Huh, take a look at this Apple Bloom.” He gave me the newspaper and I looked at where his hoof was pointing.
Theft at Royal Canterlot Archives
At 2:00 a.m. this morning, a Security Officer at the Royal Canterlot Archives reported a theft. Fifteen minutes earlier, the Officer reported hearing glass breaking near the section on Ancient Equestrian History, and upon arriving, they reportedly saw a unicorn, with several books. Upon ordering the culprit to stop, the unicorn ran off, and after giving chase, the Officer lost the culprit.
“Although this crime seems petty,” The Officer in question stated, “It disturbs me and the police here. There have been zero crimes reported in the past ten months here in Canterlot, and this is a truly out-of-the-blue occurrence.”
Investigators have closed off the Ancient Equestrian History section of the Royal Canterlot Archives, but in the meantime all other parts are open to the public.
“Weird, isn’t it?” Phalanx asked, and I just nodded, and got myself out of the bed.
“Fluttershy here?” I asked, worried for some reason that she hadn’t come.
“Yes, not too many others are on the train though.” Phalanx replied.
I looked out the window, and saw the city of Canterlot growing larger and larger. “May as well, go see what the others are up to.” I said.
I walked into the next compartment, where Pinkie Pie was surprisingly sleeping in a seat. “So we’ll see ya later at the plaza?” Applejack asked, and I nodded.
“Arriving at Canterlot Station!” The conductor shouted, and Pinkie Pie bursted up.
“We’re here!” She exclaimed, and bounced over to the exit.
I smiled, I was going to see my old friends again. We had communicated through letters, but nothing beat seeing somepony face-to-face.
“See ya at the plaza Phalanx.” I said as the doors opened, and he nodded.
“I’ll be there Apple Bloom.” He said, and I walked outside, into the city of Canterlot.
I walked outside, and was immediately assailed by a roaring ocean of ponies. I could barely make out the intercom saying something, and I was, to say the very least, surprised. The last time I had been to Canterlot on a relatively normal trip, the city had been somewhat filled. But it was nothing compared to what it was now, it seemed like no space was left unoccupied.
I looked over the crowd for either of my friends, which was a difficult task. “At least nopony seems to realize I’m here.” I thought, my guilt over what had occurred months earlier still affected me. I decided to try and see if I could find my friends further out, and entered the mass.
“‘Scuse me.” I said to a magenta unicorn.
“No problem.” The female replied with surprising kindness.
I continued sifting through the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle. Then, by sheer luck, a unicorn smashed into me. “Hello Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle greeted with an excessive cheerfulness.
“Uh, hi Sweetie Belle. Ya think ya could watch out next time?” I asked, and she sheepishly grinned and helped me up.
She gestured for me to follow, and after a moment of walking through the crowd, we finally got to Scootaloo, who was near the exit of the station. “Apple Bloom!” The pegasus greeted with surprising calm. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle’s amount of restraint seemed to have been reversed in the past ten months, not that it mattered.
“Hello to ya too Scootaloo.” I replied just as calmly, but that stopped for a second as I felt something... creepy. It instantly went away, and I once again dismissed it as my PTSD.
“Something wrong, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked, noticing my expression.
“It’s nothin’, just the ‘PTSD’ Twilight told me about.” I said, trying to convince them as much as myself.
Scootaloo looked concerned for a split-second, but then she grinned. “Why don’t we go show you around the city? It’s a lot different than before.” She said, and I willingly took the opportunity to get myself away from my own negativity.
Scootaloo nodded and led us out of the train station, and I thought for a moment we hadn’t stopped at the right station. Instead of the royal elegant buildings that had once stood, grey concrete or steel buildings towered. But in the background, the palace still stood, but there was another building, colored muted brown, that was near it, and looked nearly as massive as the palace, if not more.
“How...” I breathed in awe, and Sweetie Belle beamed.
“They’ve been busy the past few months, a lot of the government departments have made their headquarters, and a lot of reconstruction has happened. Well, second to Ponyville that is.” Sweetie Belle told me, and my curiosity took over.
“What government departments?” I asked, and looked at Sweetie Belle, “And please don’ tell me in song, Ah ain’t in the mood.” I wasn’t in the mood for one of the Equestrian pastimes, I hadn’t ever since ten months ago.
“Told you.” Scootaloo said, and Sweetie Belle took a swipe at the ground with her hoof, defeated. We walked to a spot that seemed to be where the majority of the towers were.
“That’s the Equestrian Department of the Sun and Moon.” Scootaloo pointed a hoof towards a smaller tower that seemed to have a glass top. “They take care of that instead of Cadence, well at least the unicorns in there do.” That was interesting, I remembered that the unicorns used to bring up the sun and the moon from Hearth’s Warming Eve’s history, but the fact that was once again being done was surprising. I realized there were probably checks so there wouldn’t be anything that would cause a standoffish situation.
“That’s the Equestrian Department of the Military; Babs, well, works there I guess you could say.” Scootaloo continued pointing to wide scarlet red-bricked building. It looked a little out of place, as there were Royal Guards standing outside, stolidly watching the day go by.
“Gotta remember tuh ask Phalanx about that.” I muttered, wondering how he was trained to stand so statue like for hours on end.
“Then there’s the other Departments, The Equestrian Department of Reconstruction,” Scootaloo pointed to a tower, that looked near identical to the others, “Education, Agriculture, yadda yadda yadda.” She said, and I looked at her weirdly. “You know, the works.”
“What’s that big buildin’ near the palace?” I asked, curious to know.
“That’s the Equestrian Parliament building.” Sweetie Belle answered, “Trust me, it’s huge.”
“You know who else is huge Sweetie Belle...” Scootaloo teased, and Sweetie Belle glared at her, her face turning red. It was probably about Spike, whom Sweetie Belle and him seemed to be stuck in a similar situation as Big Mac and Fluttershy.
“Anyways, Babs sent me a letter this morning that she would actually like us to drop by, if that’s alright.” Sweetie Belle said, overtly attempting to steer off topic. I thought I may as well bear with her.
“Why not?” I said, and we walked towards the red-bricked building. As we approached the building, one of the guards, a white pegasus, eyes turned towards me, and surprisingly he broke his stature.
“I thought I heard you were coming into town.” He said, and the voice seemed familiar. The other guard glared at him, but otherwise retained his stolid pose, and the guard who was speaking to us seemed to give him a look that said “Shove it.”
“Who are ya?” I asked, and he smiled.
“Harthan, the medic who attended to you months ago in the palace.” He reminded me, and it dawned on me. His face seemed the same, but his coat was probably not his normal greenish color because of the standard white coat that was applied weekly; I had learned that from Phalanx which he had complained about to Shining Armor about before, saying that it was a lot easier to spot a guard that way.
“Suppose the tactical stuff doesn’t apply right now.” I thought, knowing we weren’t in that dark time anymore.
“Well it’s good tuh see ya Harthan.” I said quite sincerely, and he nodded.
“I won’t keep you, I’m on duty as it is. I’ll see you around, Apple Bloom.” He said as he gestured for us to go in, and I noticed the other guard’s composure broke as soon as he heard my name, his jaw dropping. I hurried inside, and as I walked in, I was on some level impressed.
From what Phalanx had told me, the old Guard’s headquarters was mainly for show, there were some recruiting posters there, and on a lucky day maybe more than two Royal Guards actually around. It also was built pretty much like the palace, with the white walls and all. But this... this looked like it was prepared for a war if it was declared that very minute. The walls seemed to be made of a hybrid of steel and concrete, and yet was entirely smooth. There were some chairs, more like benches built into the wall that seemed to be built to be used as cover when turned over. There were multiple guards, some of them appearing to be Royal Guards, milling about, all of which who looked very busy, while there were others who noticed us but didn’t say anything. A recruitment poster on the wall next to the entrance said: “Only YOU can help prevent tragedies!”
I noticed a desk of sorts, although it seemed to slightly resemble a miniature bunker, with a very... tough-looking mare was sifting through paperwork. I walked up along with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle and the mare didn’t even look up as she asked quite sharply “Yes?”
“We’re here to see Commander Seed.” Sweetie Belle said, and the mare looked up quizzically, seeming to assess us for a moment.
“The Commander is busy at the moment, if you wish to arrange an appointment with a senior-ranking officer, please file the appropriate form at the Parliament building.” The mare seemed to drone, and looked back at her paperwork; she seemed to not be taking us seriously, probably thinking we were just some random ponies off the street.
I resisted groaning and gave a little bit more of a tap yet not exactly a slam onto the desk, which earned a look from one of the guards. “Look, Ah’m here cuz Ah was told mah cousin wanted tuh see me. She certainly ain’t busy enough tuh tell me that.” I told the mare quite bluntly, and she looked at me. For a moment, she seemed to be about ready to slam a hoof into me, but then she seemed to humor me, and grabbed a microphone and headset of sorts and spoke into it, after a moment, she seemed surprised and looked at us.
“Apologies, Ms. Apple Bloom, I was not aware of the Commander’s invitation.” She said the last word a bit strangely, as if she was trying to think of the best word for a seemingly non-military action. “I will have a guard escort you along with Ms. Scootaloo and Ms. Sweetie Belle to the Commander’s office.” Sure enough, a Royal Guard came out of a door and nodded for us to follow. I could tell that Phalanx would think this was the correct way to do the Guard, and I was somewhat impressed. If something along the lines of Rabil occurred again, we certainly would be better prepared.
After going through multiple corridors, downwards stairwells, and through checkpoints, we finally arrived at a seemingly out of place wooden door of sorts, I could tell it definitely wasn’t real wood, but it seemed to have a similar texture. The guard knocked on the door, and after a moment, it swung inwards, and the guard went in, with us following. “Sergeant Mulberry reporting ma’am!” The guard said with the military voice, “I brought the three here as ordered!”
“Thanks, Sergeant.” A familiar voice said with a Manehattan accent, “You are dismissed.” The guard turned and left and I looked to see Babs smiling at us from her desk. “Hello Apple Bloom, sorry about Lieutenant Wire, I’ve been trying to see as few ponies as I can today, and she can be a little... stuck-up.”
She got up and I looked at her, conveying my message of “Don’t tell me you’ve been setting aside important work for me.”
She got the message, and simply said, “Don’t worry, though, I’ve been looking through reports on the Library break-in that were sent to me from the ponies over at the Department of Justice.”
“Good tuh hear.” I deadpanned, and she seemed to chuckle slightly.
“Come here, I want to show you three something.” She beckoned, and we followed her through a door into a room that was dominated by a large central table of sorts that had a model of Equestria. “This is what we call ‘The War Room’, if you noticed just how deep we went, we’re pretty much in the center of Canterlot’s platform. If anything happens that causes Canterlot to come off the mountain, this is probably one of the safest spots except for not being in Canterlot.”
I wasn’t falling for the act she was trying to put up. She was obviously trying to lead us off the scent of something, but what?
“Just get to the point, Babs.” I said.
“I was wondering if you would notice.” Babs stated, and then she got something out of a drawer. She gave us three envelopes, each one being addressed to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle or me and I was definitely intrigued. I opened it up and there was a sheet of paper:
“Apple Bloom,
You are invited to a reunion, held on September 21st of 1004, of the group who followed you and your friends through Equestria in order to stop Rabil, and those who fought him as well. The reunion shall take place at Warehouse Nine in Canterlot, starting at 4 o’clock. Please don’t inform anypony else this is occurring unless they have received a letter as well.
From,
Shining Armor
P.S., Especially don’t tell the guards, I may have misled them when I said Cadence and I had somewhere important to be, and I’m only taking two guards, both of which were with us months ago. I think all of us would appreciate not having half the palace guard watching our every step.”
There was a silence that didn’t seem to break until Sweetie Belle apparently finished reading the letter. “Wait a minute... You made it today on purpose didn’t you?” Sweetie Belle rhetorically asks.
“Actually, it was more of Shining Armor’s idea for having it today because of you, but I’ve been helping organize the whole thing.” Babs said, and I looked at the letter again. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go, because it had felt like the guilt was still looming over me, yet I knew it would be good for me to go.
Eventually I spoke, “Ah hay why not?”
An hour or so later, Babs headed somewhere, and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and I headed for the plaza. As I noticed Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, I was noticed something for a split-second out of the corner of my eye. I thought I saw somepony looking down at me, but my mind seemed to forcibly distract itself.
“Hello!” I greeted, “Ah just have been waiting tuh see y’all again.”
Twilight seems to look concerned, and asks “How are you Apple Bloom?”
“Alright, Ah guess. Ah wanted tuh ask ya somethin’ if ya wouldn’t mind.”
Twilight nods, and I walk a little away from the rest of everypony. “Twilight, earlier today, Ah had a very odd dream.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s nothin’ like Ah’ve had previously.” I explained to her the dream, and she frowned for a moment.
“To me, it sounds like you’re subconsciously giving a new chance to Canterlot honestly.” She said, and I looked at her.
“Are ya sure?” I wasn’t sure the answer was that simple.
“I honestly can’t think of anything else. Dreams are hard to interpret, they are random.”
I nodded, and after a moment of silence I walked back to everypony else. Today was going to be an interesting day.
3 Hours Later
This portion of Canterlot was unfamiliar, instead of the elegant buildings, or even the new utilitarian buildings, it was very industrial. This definitely was someplace nopony would think some gathering would occur at.
“Warehouse Nine... Warehouse Nine...” Babs said, looking from a map to the street and back again. “Here it is!”
We stopped in front of a large slate-gray building that looked like it could contain enough food for a town for a year. Babs walked up to a relatively small door in comparison to the rest of the building and knocked.
The door opened and a familiar looking pegasus stood there. “Hello there, Apple Bloom! It has been too long.”
As I started to ask how I knew him, he morphed into a changeling, and I realized it was Cocoon, and just smiled. We walked in, and the building seemed almost exactly as I had pictured it; it was mostly empty and open, with crates scattered here and there.
There were a few ponies moving things around and setting up tables, chairs, and other things. I noticed Shining Armor walking over, and decided it would be inappropriate to bow to him, not that I would. Not to sound impolite, but I’ve done more than my fair share for Equestria.
“It’s good to see you came, I wasn’t sure if you would on such short notice.” Shining Armor said.
“Well, what am Ah supposed tuh do?” I replied, “Not go knowing everypony else will be here?”
“Touche.”
He walked off, and I thought back to what Twilight had said. I trusted her, yet it seemed like what that dream was about didn’t have that simple of an answer.
“Uh, Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo asked, drawing me out of my thoughts. “It would probably be a good idea to find a place to sit.” I realized a lot of other ponies would be coming, and I followed her advice.
Almost as if on cue, lots of ponies found their way in. I saw Ditzy Doo and her family walking in, and smiled slightly. My father finally came around along with Phalanx and the others, and then... then there was somepony who looked familiar, not a surprise in itself, but it looked like I had seen them not too long ago. I tried concentrating on them, but it seemed like I couldn’t bring myself to determine any traits of them.
“Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo hissed to me, and I realized a lot more ponies had come in. I tried to find the pony I was staring at, but they were lost to the mass.
“What?” I asked, slightly miffed I had lost the odd pony.
She just simply nodded her head towards a platform that had been set up, but that dumbfounded me. Even I couldn’t set up a platform that fast!
Shining Armor walked onto there, and cleared his throat, proceeding to speak into a microphone.
“Fillies and gentlecolts,” He spoke, and everypony turned to look at him, “We are gathered here today because we all sacrificed many things precious to us: family, friends, and even our own welfare ten months ago because of Rabil. We are also here to remember those who fell by his hand.” Finding no more words to say, he bowed his head and walked back.
I noticed that somepony was starting to play theNational Anthem, the new one adopted after Rabil’s death, and everypony started reciting it:
“From the ruins risen newly,
to the future Ponies stand.
Let us serve our Princess truly,
Equestria, our Land.
Ponies used to live in sorrow,
But in unity we won.
For we shall attain a morrow,
when over Equestria,
there is radiant sun,
there is radiant moon.
May both peace and joy inspire,
For Equestria, our land.
Peace is all Ponies desire,
With the Princess in Command.
With the Ponies now united,
We shall crush every great foe.
Let all paths by peace be lighted,
that no Pony shall again
mourn their foal in woe,
mourn their foal in woe.
Building the nation is our goal,
learn and work as never yet,
A free world for every foal,
faith in its own strength beget!
Pony youth, for whom the striving
of our Ponies is at one,
For the sake of reviving,
and over Equestria'
there is radiant sun,
there is radiant moon...”
A moment of silence and stillness followed, and finally everypony started quietly talking to each other, and Phalanx walked over. “Apple Bloom.” He said, and I looked at him.
“Yes?”
“Your father’s been a bit... odd.”
I rolled my eyes, “Of course he’s gonna be-”
“No, I lost track of him earlier, when he said he was going to go do the thing with the apple, and then he reappeared suddenly not an hour ago.” Phalanx explained.
“Ah’ll admit that is a bit odd.”
“Not just that, he arrived talking with somepony I couldn’t seem to focus on no matter how much I tried.” My eyes widened at his statement.
“Ya saw them as well?”
“I’m going to see what’s going on with him.” Phalanx said, and he walked off. Then, it hit me why this inability to focus was familiar. Sweetie Belle had used the same spell ten months ago when we had prevented my father from returning to Ponyville. But this couldn’t be her, there was something different about the inability to focus, it seemed much more... refined.
I decided to see if I could find Sweetie Belle, who had walked off, and as I looked for her, I bumped into somepony.
“Sorry.” I said, and then I realized that I didn’t seem to want to look at them. I vainly attempted to turn around and try to determine something, anything, about them, but they once again vanished into the mass.
I looked at something that must have been dropped by that pony, and stopped in my tracks as soon as I saw it. Staring back at me was a picture of what had to be unmistakably Applejack and Big Macintosh, although they looked a lot younger.
I snatched the picture up, and looked for Phalanx. Whoever these ponies were, they somehow had their hooves on this, and that couldn’t be good. I found him, along with my father and I slammed the photo onto the table. “Look what Ah found, whoever is the pony we can’t seem to focus on dropped this.”
“Actually, Apple Bloom, that’s a picture I’ve kept with me for the past couple of months.” My father said, and took it. “I must have dropped it before.”
Phalanx seemed to share my suspicion, but we decided not to push the issue with him. A little voice in the back of my mind seemed to reassure me, “It’s probably nothing... He probably did drop it. I mean, what reason would my father have to lie to me?”
“Alrighty then.” I said a bit hesitantly and my father seemed to be thankful. I walked off to once again attempt to find Sweetie Belle, my resolve to know if she knew anything about what was going on now doubled.
Luckily enough, I found her relatively quickly, and I asked her immediately. “Sweetie Belle, do ya know anythin’ bout that spell ya used to make us not be able to be focused on?”
She looked at me and shook her head, “If you mean if I’ve used it, no. Why would I? And anyways, I don’t think anypony else can use it, even Twilight doesn’t know how to do some of the stuff I can do.”
I decided not pursue the issue further, and asked a relatively normal question. “Do ya have any idea ‘bout what’s gonna be happening with this whole gathering?”
“I think Babs mentioned something about Vinyl Scratch.” Sweetie Belle replied, and I realized that was probably what they were setting up speakers for on the platform. They seemed to be taking their time too, and was probably for the best. It would be very inappropriate to start doing that while everypony reminisced on some very dark times.
I talked with a lot of different ponies, many whom had been in Manehattan, or Stalliongrad, and after maybe an hour or so it seemed like the mood was more appropriate for whatever the pony DJ had planned, which she seemed to notice. She and a unicorn stallion, who seemed to wear very similar sunglasses walked onto it.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, Neon Lights and Vinyl Scratch!” A stallion announced, and asong started to play:
“Pony Rock! Yeah! Woo! Let's go!
Scratch and Neon's in the club tonight. (Oh yeah!)
Oh yeah, we're gonna have a good time. (Yeah!)
So grab some pony now don't be shy. (Pony Rock!)
It's our job to make you feel alright. (Clap your hooves!)
Let's raise the roof, tonight's the night. (Come on every pony!)
We're gonna' party till the morning light.
The house is hot, the beat is tight.
We just wanna' see you ...shake it!”
After a moment, the stallion started singing by himself:
“The name's Neon Lights and I wanna' see you shake it.
I'm the host of this party and I'm glad you could make it.
I've got the music that booms, show me what you've got.
Now do your thing girls and flaunt that plot.
On the dance floor is where we're living.
You keep moving to the beat and the beat I'll keep delivering.
Now that's a promise, we're gonna' commit.
Hey, Vinyl Scratch! Spin that.”
Responding to his statement, Vinyl Scratch sure enough started singing by herself as well:
“Ayo what's up? I'm the other half of this duo.
Got my bass cannon set to max it's gonna' blow.
It's Pony Rock! (It's Pony Rock!)
Yeah, so get them tails a-bouncing and get them
hooves up in the air 'cause we are announcing it is-!”
The two of them started singing together once again:
“Scratch and Neon's in the club tonight.
Oh yeah, we're gonna have a good time.
So grab some pony don't be shy.
It's our job to make you feel alright.
Let's raise the roof, tonight's the night.
We're gonna' party till the morning light.
The house is hot, the beat is tight.
We just wanna' see you... shake it!”
Then, seemingly to the surprise of everypony, Pinkie Pie jumped up onto the platform and started singing as well:
“Everyday I'm partying!
Put the lights on me. It's time for the only true party pony.
It's Pinkie Pie here and I know you all missed me.
But hey, wait! There's room for three.
Let's get some balloons! (The pretty ones!)
Let's turn up the bass! (Getting louder now!)
Gummy's here with me! (He's rocking out!)
Now it's a party! (With thanks to me!)”
Get up. Get down. Put your hooves up to the sound.
Jump up. Stomp down. Every pony hit the ground.
Get up. Get down. Put your hooves up to the sound.
Jump up. Stomp down. Every pony hit the ground.
Every pony hit the ground.
Every pony hit the ground.
Every pony hit the ground.
Get up. Get down.
Get up. Get down.
Put your hooves up to the sound.
Put your hooves up to the sound.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.”
With that, Neon and Vinyl once again started singing, but Pinkie continued with a background input as well:
“Every pony's in the club tonight. (Put your hooves up.)
We're gonna' keep on having a good time. (Put your hooves up.)
We got some help from Pinkie Pie. (Put your hooves up.)
With Vinyl Scratch and Neon-on-on Lights.
Woah (Put your hooves up.)
Woah (Put your hooves up.)
Woah (Put your hooves up.)
Woah (Put your hooves up.)
Everyday we're partying!
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.
Put your hooves up.”
I noticed that everypony else had been dancing during the song, while I had just stood there, observing the scene like an outsider. The duo bowed and went off the stage, but I just continued standing, trying to understand why I had done what I had just done.
It was because I felt guilty still, and I knew it, yet I had refused to acknowledge it and put it aside. The rest of the night came and went, and by the time the event was finished, I had learned more ponies had survived then I had thought. Braeburn had helped defend Appleloosa with the buffalo, while Soarin’ of the Wonderbolts before Rabil (and unfortunately its only surviving member) had helped in Cloudsdale. It did my guilt some good, but it definitely didn’t cure it.
As I left the building, I talked with Phalanx about whatever the hay was happening before with my father.
“He knows somethin’.” I said, and Phalanx nodded in the moonlight.
“I know, when I talked to him, he seemed to be very steadfast that he didn’t notice anypony like that, too steadfast to be telling the truth.” Phalanx replied, and then looked at me. “And, he seemed to be in a conversation with somepony, who he denied having a conversation with.”
I knew something was off, but I decided to make as blunt of a statement as I could, but I knew I wouldn’t rest until I had somepony else’s opinion. “Ya don’ think Rabil’s somehow returned, do ya?”
“If he has, I think, no I’m sure, you wouldn’t be able to answer that question.” Phalanx replied, and I gave a sigh of relief.
“Ah know, Ah just wish Ah knew what was goin’ on.”
“Me too.”
“So, you wish to know the answer to your most important question?” A voice said, and we both turned around, and standing there was a pegasus stallion, a Night Guard.
“You’ve been listening in on us?” Phalanx asked with fury, and the the stallion nodded.
“I know where I am needed, and where I am not.”
“What?” I asked, wondering what the hay this guard was trying to tell us.
“My name is Stormy Specter.” He said, almost as if knowing somepony else would explain it.
“I’ve heard of you...” Phalanx said, “Apparently he was a bit of an oddball in the Night Guard. He spoke really cryptically, but he knew what was going to happen in advance, and he would give some seemingly random piece of advice, that would turn out to be really applicable.”
“Indeed, Son of Spear.” The stallion replied.
“So, why were ya listenin’ to our conversation?” I asked.
“I’m not sure I could explain it to you, daughter of Pacific Rose.”
“Try me.” I said, not even bothering to ask how he knew who my mother was.
“Literally, it was a part of my ancestor’s curse-” The stallion stopped, as if realizing something. “I just said that! I JUST SAID THAT!” He eagerly exclaimed.
Phalanx shrugged, but something about this stallion kept me from labeling him as an insane pony. “And what’s so special ‘bout sayin’ somethin’ bout a curse?”
“Come with me, daughter of Golden Apple, I shall explain.” He asked, as if asking a favor.
“Why not?” Phalanx said, and we followed the pony as he started off towards somewhere. After a few moments of silent walking, we finally arrived... at where we were staying?
“How?” I asked, but he didn’t seem to hear the question.
“May I enter your temporary residence?” He asked, and I looked at him intrigued by his choice of words.
“Sure.” We went into the house where we were staying, and he sat down in a chair.
“Many years ago, there existed a house of Specter.” He started, as if recounting a tale. It sounded like a tale though, and it seemed fitting. “For many years, the house had been in servitude to the Princess of the Night, but after her corruption and imprisonment, the house of Specter found itself without purpose.”
I looked at him, wondering if somehow Doctor Whooves had brought this pony from another time.
“But, on one fateful twilight, the house of Specter was forever cursed when a great jet-black sliver fell from the heavens.” Stormy told, “The only child of the house of Specter found herself near it, and when she touched the sliver, the house of Specter was forevermore cursed.”
“How so?” I asked.
“The descendants were cursed to forever know what needed to be done, or said, for every single pony they met, and the inability to explain its origins to none outside of the house of Specter; but they were also condemned with the knowledge of how to rid of the curse.” He explained, “The only way to rid of the curse was to find the one whose knowledge of the house of Specter’s advice would aid most. Then, and only then, would the curse cease its passing from parent to child. And it appears I have finally been blessed to find the one who requires this.”
“And what is this advice pray tell?” I asked.
“The first knowledge that must be known, Apple Bloom, is that there shall first be tremors, then an earthquake.”
“What the hay is that supposed tuh mean?” I inquired.
“I am not sure, although I am positive it is not literal in its intention.”
“What other knowledge am Ah supposed tuh know?”
“I cannot say, for it has not come yet.” He sighed, “But, I know I will see you again soon, daughter of the house of Apple.” With that, he turned and left, and Phalanx and I were left to wonder what the pegasus had meant, and if was sane. Unfortunately, we would find out all too soon.
Author's Note
Well, here it is! After a month of writer's blocks, several iterations of this chapter, and other stuff, I have finally finished it! I will try to make sure that chapters do not take this long again, because I enjoy writing these stories. See you around!
-Phalanx Spear
