Chapters Last Letters
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have failed you.
Despite our best efforts, my friends and I have been unable to find the Elements of Harmony in the Everfree Forest. We have tried time and again to locate the palace, like you asked, but every attempt puts our lives at greater risk. The deep forest has become even more dangerous and unruly since Nightmare Moon took up residence, and I fear that nothing short of a legion of royal soldiers would be able to make it through Nightmare Moon’s enchantments. It seems she is always one step ahead of me, and I feel that only your presence in Canterlot prevents her from leaving the forest and roaming Equestria at will.
I’m sorry, your majesty, but my friends and I cannot match up to the task you have given us. Shining Armor and his guards agree that any attempts to locate the ancient palace will most likely end in our deaths. The danger is too great, and I do not know how to overcome it.
I’m sorry to have disappointed you, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be the unicorn you expected.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Dearest Twilight,
You have not disappointed me. Nightmare Moon is a mighty foe, one that should not be confronted lightly. For that, my faithful student, I blame myself. For you see, I remember Nightmare Moon from before she became this mare of darkness. I remember her as Princess Luna, my sister, with whom I ruled Equestria before jealousy and anger drove us apart.
I realize that it may be hard for you to accept that Nightmare Moon is my sister, and I understand that to look at us now, it would be all but impossible to believe that we could be related at all. But believe me when I say that Princess Luna was one of the kindest and most loyal ponies I have ever known.
It broke my heart to banish her all those years ago, and when I saw the signs of her return, I could not bring myself to face her again—not like this. I thought that you were up to the challenge. You are both wise and powerful, and though you have not yet reached your full potential, I believed—and still do believe—that you would be capable of harnessing the Elements against her.
Alas, my own fear and cowardice have led me into folly. No pony has visited our ancient palace in Everfree in almost a thousand years, and it was foolish of me to think that you could have located it on your own. It is a task I should not have placed on anypony, especially a pony as young and eager to please me as you.
Dearest Twilight, if anypony is to blame for what has happened over the course of these few months, it is I. I was the one who let fear prevent me from doing my duty. I was the one who sent you—capable as you are—to do something I knew it my heart was my task and my burden to bear.
And now, my faithful student, I must make amends for my mistakes. As Nightmare Moon grows stronger, it is becoming more difficult for me to hold back her night. That is why I have decided to face her myself. I must do now what I should have done the morning of the Summer Sun Celebration—perhaps what I should have done a thousand years ago.
If you do not hear from me again, know that you still have my absolute trust. I believe you and your friends are destined to do great things, and if I do not see you again, I wish you the best of luck.
Your teacher and friend,
Princess Celestia
Doozy
“All right, crusaders,” said Apple Bloom from her position behind the lectern. “We need more ideas to find our cutie marks, and we need ‘em now. Sweetie Belle, what do you got?”
“Well, my sister Rarity’s going gem hunting today,” Sweetie Belle said. “Maybe we could get our cutie marks in gem finding.”
“I heard Rainbow Dash is going flying today,” Scootaloo added. “Maybe she can teach us to hang glide!”
“Naw, I already tried that,” Apple Bloom replied. “Besides, doesn’t Rainbow Dash go flyin’ every day?”
The three fillies spent a few minutes brainstorming ideas and rejecting most of them. It was usually the hardest part of any crusader meeting, but Apple Bloom didn’t mind, especially today. She didn’t know why, but she felt like something big and important would be happening soon, and what could possibly be bigger or more important than getting her cutie mark? Even Pinkie Pie was going around warning everypony about an impending doozy—at least, that’s what Sweetie Belle said—so it seemed only fitting that they put some extra effort into picking the day’s activities to make sure they got the best cutie marks possible.
“Maybe Rainbow Dash can show us how to knock lightning out of clouds,” Scootaloo suggested.
“Maybe Zecora can show us how to make some potions,” Apple Bloom added.
“Maybe Rarity can show us how to make dresses,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Maybe you can head on home, where I told you to stay before I left this mornin’,” said a very unhappy orange mare standing in the doorway. “There’s trouble brewin’, and the last time Pinkie felt a doozy comin’, it wasn’t pretty.”
“Aw, c’mon, big sis,” Apple Bloom protested. “We’re just havin’ our weekly crusader meetin’. Besides, I haven’t left the farm.”
“Home, young filly,” Applejack said. “And you two best be headin’ home as well.”
With heavy sighs, the three fillies left their clubhouse with Applejack bringing up the rear. “She didn’t used to be so strict,” Apple Bloom muttered.
“We didn’t used to have a crazy evil witch livin’ in the forest,” Applejack replied.
As if to emphasize her point, a loud boom tore through the orchard, nearly knocking Apple Bloom off her hooves. When her ears stopped ringing, she looked up to see her big sister yelling at a rainbow-maned pony lying in a heap on the ground. “Consarnit, Rainbow Dash, can’t you warn us when you’re about to do a sonic rainboom?”
“It wasn’t me!” Rainbow Dash protested, rubbing her head as she sat up. “I was just rearranging some storm clouds for the shower this afternoon!”
“Well, if it wasn’t you, then what was it?” Applejack asked.
“You think I know?”
“Maybe it was a cannon,” Scootaloo suggested. “Hey, what if we got our cutie marks for being shot out of cannons?”
“That’s enough,” Applejack snapped. “Whatever that noise was, it can’t be good.”
“I’ll head into Ponyville and see if the guards know what’s going on,” Rainbow Dash said.
“I-I don’t think you need to do that,” said Sweetie Belle, pointing at the sky with a shaking hoof.
“What do you…” Applejack’s voice trailed off when she saw the sun moving quickly toward the horizon. In seconds, the sun was gone, and a full moon had taken its place in the sky. “What's goin' on? It ain’t night time yet!”
A cackle echoed through the orchard, seeming to come from all directions at once. “It’s her,” Rainbow Dash whispered. “It’s Nightmare Moon!” Without another word, she kicked off the ground and sped away.
“You three, stay here,” said Applejack as she ran toward the farmhouse.
“But I thought you said—” Apple Bloom started to say.
“I know what I said!” Applejack shouted. “Stay here until me or Big Mac come and get you.” If she said anything else, the words were lost in the wind.
“Come on,” Scootaloo said, tugging on Apple Bloom’s tail. “Let’s go back to the clubhouse. We shouldn’t be outside in this weather.”
“Are you crazy?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Nightmare Moon’s coming, and my sister’s still in Ponyville!”
“Rarity’s a grown mare,” Scootaloo said. “She can take care of herself. Now come on!”
Sweetie Belle ignored Scootaloo’s words and took off towards town. “Hey! Wait!” Apple Bloom called as she and Scootaloo chased after her. “Come back!”
“Look!” Scootaloo pointed to the sky above Ponyville. Dark clouds had gathered overhead, and a swarm of what looked like dark-coated pegasi was descending on the town. If they listened closely, they could hear faint screams in the distance. “Come on! We have to stop Sweetie Belle!”
Apple Bloom normally would have enjoyed the run from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville, especially this time of year. But now, she felt nothing but terror as she approached the town she called home. The screams were now mixed with the shouting of soldiers and the crackling sound of fire. She could see flames engulfing town hall, and for a moment, she considered turning around and running back to the farm. Only the need to stop Sweetie Belle kept her going.
“This way,” Scootaloo panted as the navigated Ponyville’s crowded streets. Ponies surged around them in all directions, and it was all they could do to avoid being trampled. “She’s gotta be headed for Carousel Boutique.”
They rounded the corner and slid to a halt, eyes wide and mouths agape. The boutique was entirely ablaze, and after a second, the whole building shrieked and collapsed, spewing ash and flame in all directions. “Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom called between coughs. “Sweetie Belle, where are you?”
A towering figure landed on the ground in front of them, spreading its black wings wide. “What’s this?” the figure said in a deep, hypnotic voice. “Two lost fillies looking for their friend?” The mare’s ethereal blue mane drifted under Scootaloo’s chin and lifted her head. “I saw you two at the Summer Sun Celebration, didn’t I?”
Scootaloo jerked her head to the side. “What did you do to our friend?” she demanded.
“It is unwise to raise your voice in the presence of your ruler,” the mare snapped.
“You’re not our ruler,” said Scootaloo. “Princess Celestia is!”
“Don’t you dare mention her name!” the mare shouted. She lifted Scootaloo in her magic and threw her across the square. The orange pegasus hit a building and slumped to the ground. “I am Nightmare Moon, ruler of the night, and not even your precious Celestia could overcome my power!”
“Overcome this!” A rainbow blur shot out of the sky and slammed into the dark mare’s chest, knocking her to the ground. “That’s for what your Shadowbolts did to Fluttershy!”
“Apple Bloom!” The yellow filly turned to see Applejack coming her way. “I told you to stay in the orchard!”
“I-I know,” Apple Bloom said. “W-we were trying to find Sweetie Belle, and—”
“And nothin’,” Applejack snapped. “This is no place for a filly!”
Apple Bloom looked around the square. The dark mare had thrown off Rainbow Dash and was facing down four royal guards led by Captain Shining Armor himself. She saw Twilight Sparkle lift Scootaloo in her magic and vanish in a flash of purple light. “I…”
“Just go!” Applejack yelled, shoving the filly back down the street. “Get out of here!”
“But I—”
“Go!”
Apple Bloom hesitated a moment longer before turning and running from the battle playing out before her. The houses and streets seemed little more than a blur, and she didn’t even notice when the buildings turned to farmland and then to wild trees. All she knew was that something big and important had happened, something she couldn’t quite understand, and whatever it was, it was certainly a doozy.
Camp
Scootaloo’s first clear memory was that of shouting. She cracked an eye open and found herself in what appeared to be a hastily-constructed tent. She heard more than saw the tent’s other occupants breathing slowly in the darkness, and after a moment of listening and letting her head clear, she realized four things things: it was night, the other ponies around her were asleep, she had no idea where she was, and there were at least two ponies arguing outside.
Keen on finding an answer to the question posed by her third realization, and knowing that the first two weren’t going to help, Scootaloo pushed herself slowly to her hooves. The tent spun ever so slightly, but she was still able to walk slowly towards the door without bumping into anypony.
The night was cool and calm, standing in stark contrast to what she could remember from Ponyville. She could just make out a faint purple dome surrounding the camp, blurring the stars a little. A fire blazed in the center of a ring of tents similar to the one Scootaloo had half -exited. By that fire stood a lavender unicorn and a sky-blue pegasus, and it only took a moment for her to realize that they were the source of the arguing that had drawn her from her uneasy sleep.
“I’m telling you, Twilight, we can’t afford to wait,” the pegasus was saying. “She has Fluttershy and Rarity. If we don’t go after them soon—”
“And you think charging into her territory will do us any good?” Twilight interrupted. “Rainbow Dash, you know as well as I that Nightmare Moon’s fortress, wherever it is, is too well-guarded for—”
“You’re thinking about it all wrong,” Dash said, stomping her hoof on the ground. “We’ve tried getting to that old castle as a group, but we’ve never tried sending just one pony. If I went by myself, I could slip past Nightmare Moon’s defenses and—”
“And what?” Twilight demanded. “Rescue Fluttershy and Rarity all on your own? Assuming you were fast enough to get to the castle without getting killed—assuming you could even find the castle in the first place—how are you going to escape with them in tow? Fluttershy’s not nearly as strong a flier as you, and Rarity can’t fly at all.”
“I don’t know, okay?” Dash snapped. “All I know is my friends are in trouble, and I’m not going to just stand here and do nothing!”
Scootaloo crept along the edge of the fire’s light until she reached the next tent over. She peeked inside and saw four more sleeping ponies, all of them much bigger than her. She moved to the next one and saw five more. One of them looked about her age, but she couldn’t tell who it could be in the gloom.
“Look, I know you’re angry,” Twilight said. “We all are. But we can’t just go charging in without some kind of plan.”
“You and your plans,” Dash replied. Scootaloo could practically hear the eye roll in her tone. “What about my plans? I’ve been telling you for weeks to let me search for the Elements alone while the rest of you keep her busy with distractions. If you had just listened to me, we might have been able to beat her!”
“I listened to your plan,” Twilight answered. “I just didn’t like it. It was too dangerous then, and it’s even more dangerous now.”
Rainbow Dash groaned and began pacing around the fire. Scootaloo ducked inside the nearest tent as she drew near. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she’d get in trouble if they caught her. “So what do you want to do, huh?” Dash asked. “Sit around in the middle of nowhere? Wait for Nightmare Moon to take over the rest of Equestria?”
“I want to wait until we’ve had a chance to think,” Twilight replied. “Nightmare Moon captured them for a reason. She’s not going to kill them tonight.”
“And what’s she going to do in the meantime?” Dash asked, rising off the ground with a flap of her wings. “Torture them? Pry out their secrets until they’re begging her to kill them?”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do know that!” Dash shouted, propelling herself across the fire so her face was an inch from Twilight’s. “I saw what she did to Applejack and the royal guards. Of course, you were probably too busy teleporting all over the place to notice!”
“How dare you.” Twilight’s voice was soft, but the anger behind it made Rainbow Dash recoil. “I was out there saving lives, just like you and Applejack and everypony else. Shining Armor and Applejack died to give us a fighting chance, and I am not going to throw that chance away on half-baked plans based more on anger and fear than logic and reason.”
Scootaloo felt her chest tighten and remembered to breathe a moment later. Dash landed and stared at the ground, kicking a rock with a hoof. “Sorry.”
Twilight’s glare softened to a frown, and she sighed. “Me, too.”
Scootaloo backed into the tent and stifled a scream when she bumped into something warm and soft. She whirled around to see a pink mare lying on the ground, apparently oblivious to Scootaloo’s presence. At first, the filly assumed she was asleep, but as she stepped carefully around her, she saw her blue eyes staring at nothing. “Pinkie Pie?” Scootaloo whispered. “What’s going on? Where are we?”
Pinkie didn’t even acknowledge her presence, even when Scootaloo poked her shoulder. “Pinkie? Are you okay?”
“Squirt?” The filly turned to see Rainbow Dash standing in the entrance. “What are you doing in here?”
“I-I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said quickly. “It’s just—well, I woke up and heard you and Twilight arguing and I didn’t know what was going on, so I—”
“You heard that, huh?” Rainbow Dash sighed and walked inside. “Yeah, I guess we were being pretty loud.”
“What’s going on?” Scootaloo asked. “What’s wrong with Pinkie?”
“I wish I could tell you,” Rainbow Dash said. “Let’s just say Pinkie’s taking all of this a lot harder than everypony else.”
“Will she be okay?”
“Will any of us?” asked Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo didn’t answer. She didn't feel the question was really directed at her. “Come on, squirt. Let’s get you back to your tent.”
Scootaloo shot another glance at Pinkie Pie, who hadn’t moved a muscle that wasn’t necessary to blink. She and Dash crossed the camp just as Twilight put out the fire. It took Scootaloo’s eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden darkness. “I’ll take the first watch,” Twilight said. “Get some sleep, Dash.”
“Will do,” Dash replied. “And keep an ear out for Pinkie.”
“Of course.”
Dash opened the tent flap so Scootaloo could enter. “You need anything?”
Scootaloo shook her head before she remembered that Dash probably couldn’t see her. “No, I’m fine.” Dash was just about to walk away when Scootaloo changed her mind. “Actually, would you mind… I mean, do you think you could stay here with me?”
Dash’s silhouette entered the tent, and a moment later, Scootaloo felt her warm body lie down beside her. “Sure,” Dash said with a yawn. “No problem.” A moment later, Dash’s snores filled the tent. Scootaloo stared at the blackness for a while before she too succumbed to exhaustion.
Lost and Found
By the time Apple Bloom realized she was in the Everfree Forest, she had already lost all sense of direction. The trees seemed to press in around her when she could see them at all, and more than once her hooves caught on a rock or root, sending her tumbling to the ground. The deeper she traveled, the thicker the forest became until she found herself pushing her way through tangles of branches and leaves just to make headway.
The filly threw herself against a particularly thick patch and bounced off, adding yet another bruise to her growing collection. Her legs ached from all the pushing and shoving, and her chest and face stung with what felt like hundreds of scrapes and cuts. She looked around, trying to find the way she’d come, but the darkness made it all but impossible. “Is anypony out there?” she called. Her words seemed to travel only a few feet before falling dead against the foliage. “Anypony at all?”
The sound of flapping wings reached her ears. She looked up. The clouds above shifted to reveal the full moon. A moment later, several pegasi flew across the sky, momentarily silhouetted against the night sky.
Apple Bloom’s heart leapt to her throat. They must be looking for me! “Hey! Down here! I’m down he—”
Her words were cut off by a hoof that suddenly pressed against her mouth. “Make not a peep, my little one,” a soft voice said. “These ponies do not serve the sun.”
Apple Bloom let out a soft squeak as the last of the pegasi passed overhead. The hoof left her mouth, and she turned to see a familiar striped face looking at her in the light of a lantern. “Zecora! What are you doing out here?”
“I came looking for some flowers to enhance my potions’ powers,” Zecora said. “Then the night came far too soon, and I feared Ponyville’s doom.”
Apple Bloom’s gaze turned to the sky. The clouds had already halfway covered the moon again. “What’s going on, Zecora? Who were those ponies?”
“Shadowbolts are what they are,” Zecora answered. “They serve the dark mare near and far. She summons them with magic black, and then she uses them to attack.”
“You mean those are the things that set fire to Ponyville?” Apple Bloom asked. Zecora nodded. “Why would they do that? They’re ponies just like the rest of us, aren’t they?”
“I fear not, my Apple Bloom,” said Zecora. “These ponies only bring death and gloom. We must find shelter very soon,” she added before Apple Bloom could ask another question, “or we’ll be caught by Nightmare Moon.”
Apple Bloom nodded as Zecora picked up her lantern and walked into the forest. The filly wasn’t sure how the zebra was able to find a clear path through the trees, but find it she did. She heard wings flapping a few more times as they made their way to Zecora’s hut. Each time, Zecora would leave her path and hide beneath a rocky overhang or thick net of branches. “Why are we hiding?” she whispered at one point.
“They are searching for escapees,” Zecora whispered back. “Their presence fills me with unease.”
The constant ducking and hiding did little to calm Apple Bloom’s nerves. By the time Zecora’s hut came into view, her head was filled with questions, but one weighed more heavily than the others. “Zecora?” she asked as they walked in the door. “Where’s Applejack and Big Mac and my Granny Smith?”
Zecora lit a fire under her cauldron and began searching through her bottles and vases. “Those cuts look like they hurt a lot,” she said. “Let’s give a few of these a shot.”
“Forget the cuts!” Apple Bloom shouted as Zecora grouped several jars on her table. “What happened to my family?”
“Hush! Be silent, little one, or all our efforts will be undone,” Zecora hissed. “Nightmare Moon still roams the night. Against her, we cannot hope to fight.”
Apple Bloom groaned and sat down while Zecora applied a sweet-smelling potion to her cuts. The potion stung, but it closed up her wounds in a matter of minutes. “What is that stuff?” she asked.
“A potion from the south, my dear,” Zecora replied as she reached for another bottle. “This will help to quell your fear.”
“I’m not afrai—” Apple Bloom managed to say before Zecora put the bottle to her lips. The potion tasted like apple cider, and she felt her body begin to relax. “That’s pretty good stuff.”
“Feeling better after all,” Zecora observed. “You’ve been through a lot for one so small.”
Now that she had calmed down, Apple Bloom looked around the hut. For the most part, it looked just how she remembered it—bubbling cauldron, slightly creepy masks, jars all over. However, she also saw a pair of saddlebags hanging on the wall filled with herbs and bottles. “What’re those for?” she asked.
Zecora glanced at the bags as she added something to her cauldron. “My safety here reaches new lows as the dark mare’s power grows,” she said. “I must leave this dreadful place before her servants can give chase.”
“You’re leavin’?” Apple Bloom repeated. “But what about my family? Who’s gonna help me find them?”
Zecora sighed and looked into Apple Bloom’s eyes. “The mare of darkness will not spare those who rose against her there,” she said. “If Applejack attacked head first, I fear we must assume the worst.”
Apple Bloom’s mind suddenly froze. “N-no. It can’t… Applejack couldn’t….”
“Applejack was proud and strong, but she would not have lasted long,” Zecora said.
“B-but what about Big Mac? What about Granny?” Apple Bloom pressed.
Zecora shook her head. “Ponyville was naught but ash after today’s terrible clash. I hate to share this news with you, but I fear that it is true.”
“You don’t know that!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Applejack’s still out there! She has to be! S-she… she…”
Apple Bloom’s voice gave out, and her words were buried under sobs. She felt Zecora put a hoof on her shoulder. Apple Bloom wrapped her forelegs around the zebra and pressed her face into her chest, hoping that somehow it would make everything better.
“I am sorry, little one, that this battle was not won,” Zecora said softly.
“W-what am I gonna do?” Apple Bloom asked, looking up at Zecora through her tears. “Where am I gonna go?”
Zecora gave her a soft smile. “I leave tomorrow for my home in Zebrica, where I used to roam,” she said. “The journey will be quite a hike, but you may follow, if you like.”
Apple Bloom closed her eyes. Everything I know is gone, she thought. Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville… She fought to hold back a fresh wave of sobs and sucked in a deep breath. She knew she had family in Manehattan and Appleloosa, but as long as Nightmare Moon roamed free, how could she feel safe in any part of Equestria?
“Well, my child, what will it be?” Zecora asked. “Whatever you choose is fine with me. Just promise me that you’ll not stay where Nightmare Moon can take you away.”
Apple Bloom swallowed and told herself that she was making the right choice. “All right, Zecora,” she said at last. “I’ll go with you.”
Zecora nodded. “Right now, the dark mare’s too hostile. I want you to rest a while. We will leave at light of dawn, when the Shadowbolts are gone.”
Apple Bloom nodded and curled up in a corner. Her long run through the wilderness had left her exhausted, and the warm fire beneath the cauldron and the soft clink of bottles made her eyelids heavy. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep with only her dreams to keep her company.
Broken Dawn
A soft, familiar voice woke Scootaloo from her slumber. She squinted against the soft flame glowing in a nearby lamp and looked outside. The little triangle of the world she could see through the tent flap was still as dark as it had been when she went to sleep.
“Rise and shine,” the voice said, drawing Scootaloo’s gaze. She expected to see Dash’s violet eyes looking down at her in the flickering lamplight, but instead she found a pair of green irises watching her. “We have a long journey ahead of us.”
“M-Miss Cheerilee?” Scootaloo blinked a couple times to clear her sleep-blurred vision. “But it’s still dark outside.”
“Never mind that now,” said the schoolteacher as she helped Scootaloo to her hooves. The orange filly looked around the tent and found that it was empty apart from her and Cheerilee. “Let’s get some food in your belly.”
“Where’s Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked as she followed her teacher outside. The other tents were in various stages of deconstruction. As soon as she and Cheerilee left, two earth ponies began taking down Scootaloo’s tent as well.
“She’s with the weather patrol,” Cheerilee answered as she led Scootaloo toward the fire at the center of camp, where Mrs. Cake was ladling breakfast into several crude wood bowls. “We’re not sure how these… conditions will affect the clouds.”
A small part of Scootaloo’s brain knew Cheerilee was hiding something, but she was too groggy and hungry to care. She sat down next to the fire and curled up as tightly as she could against the chilly night air. “Here you go,” said Mrs. Cake as she placed a bowl of oatmeal in front of her. “It’s not much, but it’s all we have for now, and it’s hot.”
Scootaloo took a mouthful of oatmeal and grimaced. She’d never imagined anything could taste so bland, much less something made by Mrs. Cake. She thought about asking for some sugar, but glance at the baker’s solemn, exhausted expression was enough to dissuade her. “It’s… great,” she said.
Mrs. Cake gave her a small smile. “You’re just saying that. What I wouldn’t give for a bit of cinnamon…”
“You should be grateful we have any food at all,” said a gruff stallion Scootaloo recognized from a construction project in Ponyville. “If it wasn’t for Twilight, we’d be starving right now.”
“I know that,” Mrs. Cake snapped.
“Now, now, there’s no reason to bicker,” said Mr. Cake as he approached with a bucket of water. “We’ve all had a long night.”
The construction pony snorted. “Well, it’s not ending any time soon.”
Scootaloo gulped down the last of her oatmeal. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Oh, I’ll tell you later,” Cheerilee said with a forced smile. “Come along, now. Let’s see what Twilight needs us to do."
Though practically tasteless, the oatmeal filled Scootaloo’s belly and rejuvenated her senses. As she followed Cheerilee through camp, she began taking note of the ponies around her. The construction pony and the town jeweler were still taking down her tent. A brown stallion with a palm tree on his flank was whispering something to a blue mare with two green bottles on hers. Twilight Sparkle stood nearby, using her magic to levitate tents and poles into an old wooden cart while Spike scribbled something on an unfurled scroll.
“This tent has a tear in the side,” Twilight was saying as Cheerilee and Scootaloo approached. “Probably from Emerald’s panic attack last night. We’ll need to patch it up before it gets worse.”
“Patch the hole in the tent,” Spike muttered. “Got it.” The dragon looked up from his list and into the darkness. “I sure hope she’s okay…”
“I told you, there’s nothing we can do right now,” Twilight said with a sigh.
“I know.”
“Excuse me,” Cheerilee said. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering how Scootaloo and I could help take down camp.”
Twilight looked at the teacher and then down at Scootaloo. “How strong a flier are you?” she asked.
Scootaloo bowed her head. “Not very strong.”
Twilight furrowed her brow and frowned. “You probably shouldn’t go on weather patrol, then. I just hope two pegasi will be enough until we reach Hoofington.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Cheerilee said. “Rainbow Dash is the best weather manager Ponyville’s seen in years. She’ll come through.”
“I know,” Twilight replied. “It’s Derpy I worry about.” Twilight sighed and looked around. “It looks like everything else is under control. Have you seen Golden Harvest or Lucky Clover?” Cheerilee shook her head. “All right. Why don’t you join the other watchponies until we’re ready to leave? I’m sure Coconut could use your help.”
Cheerilee nodded. “Come with me, Scootaloo.” The filly followed her teacher toward the stallion and mare talking nearby. “Excuse me. Twilight asked us to help you with the watch.”
The stallion looked down at Scootaloo and raised an eyebrow. “You sure the filly’s up for this?”
“Do we have a choice?”
The stallion shot Scootaloo another glace before he spoke. “Bottlecap and I will take this side,” he said, pointing to one side of the cart. “You and the filly take the other. Ginger Gold and Mr. Breezy are stationed over there.” He pointed at two ponies standing at the opposite side of camp. “Raise the alarm if you see anything unusual. If you see Lucky Clover and Golden Harvest, be sure to let Twilight know.”
“Will do.” Cheerilee began walking in the direction the stallion had indicated, and Scootaloo had to half-trot to keep up.
“Why are we moving now?” Scootaloo asked. “Couldn’t we wait ‘till morning?”
“I’m afraid there isn’t going to be a morning,” Cheerilee replied as she sat down. The purple dome the filly had noticed before shimmered just a few feet away.
“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked, taking a seat beside her.
Cheerilee closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “You remember what happened at the Summer Sun Celebration, right?”
Scootaloo nodded. “The Mare in the Moon showed up and said she’d cover Equestria in eternal night.”
“That’s why there will be no morning,” Cheerilee said. “I don’t know how, but she’s used her magic to make sure the sun never rises again.”
“But what about Princess Celestia?” Scootaloo asked. “She’s been raising the sun every day even after the Summer Sun Celebration.”
“I don’t know,” Cheerilee replied. “All I know is that Princess Celestia can no longer overcome Nightmare Moon’s power. Until we can find a way to do that, Equestria will remain in darkness.”
“Can’t Twilight use her magic to help Princess Celestia raise the sun?” Scootaloo suggested. “Or maybe Rainbow Dash can do a sonic rainboom and startle Nightmare Moon just long enough for—”
“It isn’t that simple,” Cheerilee interrupted. Her mouth hung open, as though she meant to say more, but then it closed, and her gaze turned to the darkness beyond the barrier.
Scootaloo turned her gaze to the world beyond as well The light from the campfire illuminated a narrow stretch of ground outside the dome. Beyond that, everything was black. “Miss Cheerilee,” she said, “where’s Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?”
Cheerilee’s mouth hung open for a moment, and then she closed her eyes and bowed her head. “I don’t know.”
Scootaloo frowned. “But Apple Bloom was right there next to me.”
“I’m sorry, Scootaloo,” Cheerilee said as she turned away from the filly. “Twilight found you, not me. I’m afraid I don’t know what’s happened to anypony outside this camp.”
A tap on the dome brought Scootaloo’s questioning to an end. Four ponies stood outside—a gray-coated stallion, a yellow-coated mare, a gray cross-eyed pegasus, and an impatient-looking Rainbow Dash. “I’ll go tell Twilight,” Scootaloo said quickly.
“It’s okay, I see them.” Scootaloo turned to see Twilight standing behind her, horn aglow. A moment later, the purple dome vanished, and the four ponies walked into camp. “Did you find anything?” Twilight asked.
“A few wild oats and carrots,” the yellow mare answered with a nod toward her bulging saddle bags. “It won’t get us to Hoofington, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Good work, you two,” Twilight said. “Take them to Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Breakfast is waiting.” The yellow mare and the stallion nodded and walked toward the campfire, and Twilight turned her attention to the two pegasi. “How’s the weather, Rainbow Dash?”
“The temperature’s dropping fast,” the cyan pegasus answered. “It’ll probably start snowing before we reach Hoofington. Derpy and I can keep most of the clouds out of our path for now, but it’ll be more difficult the colder it gets.”
“I was afraid of that,” Twilight muttered. “Thanks for the report. Get yourselves some food before we set out.”
“No problem,” Rainbow Dash replied as she walked past the unicorn, pausing in front of Scootaloo. “You comin’?”
“Oh, um, I already ate,” Scootaloo replied.
“All right. I’ll see you later then.” Without another word, Dash turned and walked toward the fire.
Ruin
Apple Bloom felt like her eyes had barely closed when she felt a hoof on her shoulder shaking her awake. “Arise, my little Apple Bloom,” Zecora’s voice whispered. “We must leave this place, and soon.”
Apple Bloom pushed herself to her hooves with a grunt and blinked in the lantern’s soft light. The shelves were almost empty, and even the large, black cauldron was gone. “Where’re your things?”
“Packed away inside my cart,” Zecora whispered as she placed the last of her bottles in a box balanced on her back. “We need to get an early start.”
Apple Bloom looked out the open doorway. “It’s still dark,” she said. “I thought we were going to wait for sunrise.”
“The hour of dawn has come and gone,” Zecora answered as she picked up her lantern and walked outside. The zebra hung the lantern on a pole attached to the back of a small wooden cart filled with her belongings. “Nightmare Moon’s eternal night is more than a story to give children fright.”
“Eternal night?” Apple Bloom repeated. “You mean the sun is never going to rise again?”
“I do not know, my little one, what Nightmare Moon did with the sun,” Zecora answered. “Just one thing is made quite clear: the sun will not be rising here.”
“But what about the farms? How will we grow food?”
Zecora placed a hoof over Apple Bloom’s mouth. “For now, my dear, we must be gone. To Ponyville we shall press on. We’ll take what food and things we find and leave this ghastly place behind.”
The flutter of wings silenced both as they stared into the darkness around them. Zecora slipped into the cart’s harness and began walking silently into the forest. Apple Bloom followed close behind, jumping every time a shadow shifted nearby. The wagon’s wheels squeaked and rattled over the uneven terrain, accompanied by the soft clink of glass. Apple Bloom’s heart pounded, and she wondered if the Shadowbolts could hear it.
After an eternity, the two stepped into a clearing. A cottage sat at its center, half-charred and smoking. Apple Bloom thought she saw a bear lying just outside the lantern’s light, but when she started to walk toward it, Zecora’s hoof blocked her path. Apple Bloom looked at her companion for an explanation, but the zebra simply shook her head and slipped out of the cart’s harness. “Fluttershy kept food in supply for her friends of earth and sky,” she whispered as she took the lantern off the cart and led Apple Bloom toward the cottage. “Much was lost in the attack, but there may be some we can take back.”
Apple Bloom coughed as the wind blew a cloud of smoke in her face. “How come it didn’t all burn to the ground?”
“Rainbow Dash came her to save her friend, and so put out the flame,” Zecora replied as the doorway drew near. “Stay out here and wait for me. What lies inside you should not see.”
Apple Bloom wanted to ask what she meant, but the zebra’s solemn expression kept her silent. Apple Bloom sat on the ground and listened to the sound of Zecora’s scavenging and what sounded like gagging. A few minutes later, Zecora walked outside with a half-full bag of grain on her back. Apple Bloom frowned. “That’s all?”
Zecora put the bag in her cart, placed the lantern on the pole, and slipped into the harness. “We must press on to Ponyville,” she said stiffly. “I hope that scene won’t make me ill.”
Apple Bloom glanced back at the ruined cottage as Zecora began walking away. “What was in there?” she asked.
“That is not for you to know,” Zecora snapped. “It is time for us to go.”
Still frowning, the filly followed Zecora away from the cottage toward Ponyville. Now that they were out of the forest, Apple Bloom could see smoke rising into the night sky. They rounded a bend, and Apple Bloom came to a halt. Where Ponyville had once stood, there now sat a field of destruction. The streets were strewn with broken brick and blackened beams. A fire still smoldered in the library, the only building still standing.
Zecora slowed as she crossed the bridge into town. “Come along, let us make haste,” she called. Apple Bloom trotted to catch up. “We should not linger in this waste.”
The town’s openness seemed to press down on the filly just as the trees and thickets had before. She stayed near Zecora and kept her head low as they passed one burned-out foundation after another, their path dictated by how little debris stood in their way. Ash filled Apple Bloom’s nostrils, and more than once she had to stop and recover from a coughing.
“Cover up your mouth with this,” Zecora said after a particularly heavy fit, offering Apple Bloom a piece of torn cloth. Apple Bloom tied the cloth around her face like a bandana. “We’ll soon be out of this abyss.”
“But what about food?” Apple Bloom asked, her voice slightly muffled through the cloth.
Zecora shook her head. “Nightmare Moon took great care to leave this town completely bare. No provisions could have lasted where all these buildings have been blasted.”
A sudden rush of wind drew their attention toward the forest. Apple Bloom thought she heard the beating of wings before she felt Zecora pushing her into one of the ruined buildings. The two scrambled under the wreckage just as a legion of Shadowbolts shot overhead, led by Nightmare Moon herself. A small squeak slipped out of Apple Bloom’s mouth as she crouched lower in the ruins. She spied a team of four Shadowbolts hauling a cage, but what it contained remained a mystery.
“The dark mare flies for Canterlot,” Zecora muttered once the last of the Shadowbolts had passed. “She takes the ponies that she caught.”
“She has prisoners?” Apple Bloom asked. “Who?”
“Their fate is out of our control,” Zecora replied as she stepped out of their hiding place. “Be glad we escaped their patrol.”
Apple Bloom started to protest, but she stopped when she noticed a familiar shape fluttering in the breeze. A brown hat lay pinned under a pile of stone. “Applejack,” the filly muttered as she brushed aside the debris and examined the Stetson more closely. “Zecora! I found Applejack’s hat!”
“Come out of there, you foolish mare,” Zecora called, but Apple Bloom has already moved deeper into the rubble. If Applejack’s hat was here, Applejack couldn’t be far away. She shifted a few broken beams to the side before she felt a strong set of teeth clamp around her tail and yank her back. “Get out and go stand by the cart,” Zecora hissed, fixing the filly with a glare. “This place is going to fall apart.”
“But I found Applejack’s hat!” Apple Bloom repeated, holding the dirt-covered Stetson as evidence. “Maybe she’s in there somewhere.”
“And if she is, what can you do?” Zecora asked. “Your sister died protecting you. It would therefore be unwise to bring about your own demise.”
Apple Bloom hung her head. “I’m sorry, Zecora. I just thought…”
Zecora’s gaze softened, and she placed a hoof on the filly’s shoulder. “My dear, I know just how you’re feeling. This loss has left your young mind reeling. I understand that you must grieve, but for now, we both must leave.”
Apple Bloom looked back at the pile of rubble. In her heart, she knew Applejack was in there somewhere, buried in Nightmare Moon’s destruction. “Do you think…” she started. “Do you think one day… we could come back and give her a proper burial?”
“When it is safe, we might return,” Zecora answered, nudging Apple Bloom toward the cart. “For now we simply must adjourn.”
Apple Bloom followed Zecora to the cart, Stetson still in hoof. She took one last look at the building, trying to memorize it so she could find it again. “Don’t worry, Applejack,” she muttered, placing the Stetson on her head as the cart began to rumble down the road. “I’ll come back. I promise.”
Underground
The road to Hoofington was long, dark, dull, and cold. Rainbow Dash and Derpy did their best to keep the clouds out of their path, but by the time Hoofington came into view, the snow rose halfway up Scootaloo’s legs, and she had to half-hop to keep up with the others.
“W-We’re almost there, little one,” Cheerilee said through chattering teeth.
“I… can’t…” Scootaloo stumbled, and the next thing she knew, she was surrounded by cold whiteness. She felt somepony tug on her mane and set her on her hooves.
“We’ll rest once we get to Hoofington,” Cheerilee said as she brushed the snow off Scootaloo’s face and body.
“Come on, everypony, you can do it!” Twilight’s distant voice carried through the black chill. Through blurry vision, Scootaloo could see most of the Ponyville ponies moving slowly down the road with bowed heads. “Rainbow Dash has flown ahead to tell the Hoofington ponies we’re coming.”
Scootaloo took a couple more steps before tripping again. Once again, Cheerilee lifted her by the mane and stood her upright. “J-Just a little farther.”
The rest of the journey was a blur to the pegasus filly. She remembered seeing strange ponies carrying torches and somepony putting her in a cart, and then she heard voices talking about blankets and hot water. The next thing she knew, she was lying on a stiff bed with a nurse from Ponyville hospital looking over her.
“It looks like she’ll be all right,” the nurse said, her voice echoing in Scootaloo’s ears. “She was just cold and exhausted.”
“Are you sure?” Scootaloo turned her head slightly to see Miss Cheerilee standing at her bedside.
The nurse nodded. “Just keep her under those blankets, and make sure she eats something.”
“Of course.” Scootaloo felt Cheerilee’s hoof brush her mane. “If there’s anything we can do for you, please, let us know.”
“Thank you. If you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to attend do.” The nurse turned and walked away, leaving the filly alone with her teacher.
“Miss… Cheerilee?” Scootaloo’s voice sounded weak, even in her own ears.
“Hush.” Cheerilee’s gentle voice echoed a little less than it had before. “It’s all right, little one.”
“Wh… where are we?”
“Hoofington,” Cheerilee answered. “Thank Celestia Rainbow Dash was able to convince the ponies here to send help. Otherwise…”
The strange ponies Scootaloo had seen before surfaced in her mind. She looked around and saw more unfamiliar faces moving around what looked like a cave. She saw a few other ponies lying in uncomfortable-looking beds, most of them from Ponyville. The nurse was standing near Pinkie Pie, who was still as motionless as ever.
Scootaloo heard the clink of dishes and looked at Cheerilee, who was holding a tray with a bowl of salad and a glass of juice. Scootaloo suddenly noticed how empty her stomach felt and dove in. She wasn’t usually a fan of spinach, but her hunger overrode any protest her taste buds could make.
“Well, at least you’re feeling better,” Cheerilee said with a tired smile. Scootaloo nodded. “You should rest,” Cheerilee said through a yawn as she got to her hooves. “I should probably do the same.”
For a while, Scootaloo drifted between consciousness and sleep. She caught occasional snippets of conversation from ponies walking by, but most of them made very little sense to her. A couple were looking for pickaxes. Another was asking if there were any ponies strong enough to work. The nurse always seemed to have harsh replies for them, so they usually left quickly.
It was in the middle of one of these conversations that Scootaloo’s mind fully awoke. A gruff-looking pony in a hard hat was talking quietly to the nurse and, strangely, Twilight Sparkle. “I understand your concerns,” the gruff pony was saying, “but it won’t be long before the world above these cellars is uninhabitable, and we must make room for everypony.”
“I’m aware of our situation, Mine Shaft,” the nurse replied, “but these ponies are simply too exhausted to work right now.”
“My ponies have been working nonstop since nightfall,” the pony called Mine Shaft said. “I don’t want to overwork them, and it’s only fair that the Ponyville ponies do their part.”
Scootaloo started to push herself out of bed, but a magenta hoof held her back. “Stay in bed, little one,” Cheerilee said softly.
“What’re they talking about?” Scootaloo asked.
“Shelter,” Cheerilee replied. “It’s going to get very cold aboveground.”
“The Hoofington library has several books on energy boost and rejuvenation spells,” Twilight spoke up. “With a little practice, I’ll be able to help the miners work longer and harder without suffering any serious side effects.”
“It’s either this or freezing to death,” Mine Shaft added before the nurse could answer. “We’ve agreed to give you a home. It’s only fair that some of you help us build it.”
Nurse Sweetheart sighed and nodded. “Very well. I’ll round up a few ponies to help with the excavation. But if I hear you’re pushing them too hard, you will have to deal with me.”
Mine Shaft rolled his eyes and left the cave, and the nurse returned to her duties. “Are you feeling all right?” Twilight asked.
“Does it matter anymore?” the nurse replied. “We pushed through that snowstorm to get here. All of us need to rest.”
“We don’t have any other choice.”
“I know.” Nurse Sweetheart let out another sigh. “What have you heard about… you know.”
“Nothing new,” Twilight replied, lowering her voice. Scootaloo had to strain her ears to hear. “Rainbow Dash went to do some reconnaissance, but I don’t think we’ll find anything surprising.”
Nurse Sweetheart nodded. “I suppose any survivors would go to Trottingham. You will keep me updated, won’t you? If there’s any chance my sister made it out…”
“I understand,” Twilight said. “If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you, Twilight.”
Twilight nodded and walked away, leaving the nurse alone with her patients. “Miss Cheerilee?” Scootaloo whispered. “What’s going on out there?”
Cheerilee gently stroked the filly’s mane. “Don’t worry yourself about it right now. Just get some rest.”
Invitation
A distant part of Sweetie Belle’s mind felt the Shadowbolt nudge her side, and her legs responded by moving her forward. Red light from the flames and pale, smoky light from the moon bounced off Canterlot Castle’s once-pristine walls and entered her eyes. Rarity’s indignant protests and Fluttershy’s soft squeaks found their way to her ears, but none of this really registered in the filly’s mind. When she found herself entering the castle, the only thing she could remember was the smell of ash and blood, a smell that still lingered in her nostrils even after the Shadowbolts closed the doors behind her and the pitch-black mare of darkness appeared before the throne.
Sweetie Belle glanced up and briefly met the dark mare’s narrow-eyed stare before quickly looking away. She had never been inside Canterlot Castle. Shadowbolts were tearing down tapestries and banners decorated with Princess Celestia’s sun and replacing them with ones bearing a black moon on a purple background. “Do you like them?” Nightmare Moon’s deep, melodic voice echoed through the room and sent a jolt through Sweetie Belle’s heart. She felt the guard jab her again and squeaked.
“They’re, um, nice,” Fluttershy muttered. Sweetie Belle was certain only she and Rarity heard her.
“I, for one, find them dreadfully gloomy,” Rarity replied. The curls in her mane had begun to droop, and her coat was covered in dirt and ash, but her eyes still shone.
Nightmare Moon frowned. “Odd. My spies told me you had an eye for fashion and decoration,” she said with arched eyebrows.
“Forgive me, your majesty, if I do not share your taste in décor,” Rarity replied. “It’s certainly not the only thing we disagree about.”
“Yes, I imagine so,” said Nightmare Moon, crossing the room to stand in front of the white mare. “Still, I find myself in need of somepony who can make me a royal gown.” A wisp of Nightmare Moon’s mane lifted Rarity’s chin, forcing Rarity to meet the dark mare’s gaze. “You are the most qualified candidate I’ve managed to locate, and so I am willing to forgive you our differences of opinion if you can create a gown to my liking.”
“As tempting as that sounds,” Rarity said, jerking her head away, “I’m afraid you are beyond even my help. Besides, your minions destroyed my equipment and supplies when they razed my boutique.”
“A boutique?” Nightmare Moon chuckled. “I thought that was a thrift shop. No matter. I’m certain we can procure everything you need. I must look every bit the princess I am.”
“A diamond dog is still a diamond dog, your majesty, no matter how you dress her.”
Nightmare Moon’s eyes widened. “How dare you!”
“You’re right; I wasn’t being fair to the dog.”
The dark mare’s horn glowed. A Shadowbolt abandoned the banner it was hanging and dove from the ceiling, slamming itself into Rarity and knocking her to the ground. Fluttershy let out a barely audible gasp that sounded like “omigoodness” before falling over herself in a dead faint.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle’s mind finally engaged, and she lunged at the Shadowbolt. She hit its side and bounced off, landing on the floor in a heap. “Leave her alone!”
Rarity tried to stand, but the Shadowbolt placed a hoof against her neck and pinned her to the floor with a growl. Sweetie Belle started to lunge again, but another Shadowbolt stepped in front of her with teeth bared. “Stay back, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity shouted as she struggled against her captor, but no amount of squirming could free her.
Before Sweetie Belle could answer, she felt her body being lifted off the ground, wrapped in Nightmare Moon’s magical aura. “I have little patience for ponies with an inflated sense of importance,” Nightmare Moon said. “Surely you will not let your sister pay the price of your pride?”
Rarity froze, her eyes wide. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Nightmare Moon smirked. “You don’t think so?”
Rarity sighed, and her eyes narrowed. “Fine. But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”
The aura around Sweetie Belle dissipated, and she squeaked as she fell to the floor. “Take her to her room,” Nightmare Moon ordered. The Shadowbolt released Rarity and escorted her out of the room with one of its companions. “Take the pegasus as well,” she added. “It appears I’ll have to find another use for her.”
Sweetie Belle rubbed her head as she sat up. The doors closed, sending an echoing slam through the room. “My sincerest apologies,” she heard Nightmare Moon say. The filly turned to see the dark mare standing above her. “Your sister has been rather obstinate, and my patience for her wears thin.”
Sweetie Belle’s hooves scrambled against the floor as she backed away. “What are you going to do to her?”
“Nothing,” Nightmare Moon replied, “provided she chooses to cooperate from now on. Her attachment to you was enough to save her this time, but I must wonder whether that will be enough in the future.”
The dark mare stepped toward her again, and Sweetie Belle suddenly noticed the absence of wingbeats. It only took her a moment to confirm that she and Nightmare Moon were completely alone. “W-what do you want with me?”
Nightmare Moon chuckled. The sound was surprisingly soft to the filly’s ears. “Tell me this, little one. Would I be correct in assuming you care for your sister just as much as she cares for you?”
“Y-yes.”
“Yes, what?” Nightmare Moon arched an eyebrow. “You are in the presence of royalty, after all.”
“Y-yes, um, your majesty.”
“Good.” Nightmare Moon lay on the floor in front of her and looked her in the eye. “Understand, little one, that I don’t enjoy all this violence and bloodshed. However, since your Princess Celestia was so determined to deny me the crown that is rightfully mine, I was forced to take drastic measures. That is why your sister despises me so. She does not truly hate me, but rather the rumors and lies Celestia spread. In a gesture of goodwill and forgiveness not only toward your sister but to all of Equestria for believing Celestia’s lies, I have decided to offer a place here in Canterlot Castle to all who have had to suffer because of my actions.”
Sweetie Belle blinked. “You’re letting me and Rarity live here?”
“Oh, it’s much better than that,” said Nightmare Moon. A tendril of her mane snaked toward Sweetie Belle and gently stroked her face. “I would like you to become my personal student. I will teach you everything I know about magic so that, one day, you can help me rule this land in peace.”
Sweetie Belle jerked away. “I’m not helping you!”
Nightmare Moon laughed. “Dear child, I understand your aversion. It’s only natural that—”
“You destroyed my home!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “Princess Celestia said you were bad, and now I know why!”
Nightmare Moon’s smile melted into a scowl. The doors opened, and a pair of Shadowbolts entered. “Very well,” the dark mare said. “Take this filly to her room. Perhaps over time, she will come to rethink her foolish decision.”
Gift
It was only after Ponyville had disappeared into the distance that the truth began to sink into Apple Bloom’s mind and eat her heart.
It started with the silence. Zecora insisted the filly make no noise as they walked along a road that was beginning to disappear beneath the snow. Apple Bloom had assumed at first the zebra was still worried about the Shadowbolts, but as they drew farther from Ponyville and Canterlot, she began to realize this was something else entirely. Zecora, while reserved, was not one to reject a conversation, and in the quiet sounds of crunching snow, Apple Bloom began to wonder what was really on Zecora’s mind.
Apple Bloom’s thoughts soon drifted back to the ruins, beginning with the one that had buried Applejack. As she dwelt on her sister, she suddenly realized she hadn’t located Big Mac or Granny Smith. She started to open her mouth to tell Zecora, but the zebra’s past rebuffs made her shut it again.
That’s okay, she told herself, taking a few deep breaths. When I go back for Applejack, I can look for them.
In that moment, it hit her.
“Applejack,” she whispered, so softly that the sound went unnoticed by Zecora. “Big Mac. Granny.”
The sound of crunching snow suddenly ceased. Apple Bloom looked up to see Zecora staring back at her. “Come along, we must be gone,” Zecora said, jerking her head down the road. Apple Bloom nodded and picked up her pace, but her head was reeling with one realization.
I’ll never see any of them again. And not just them, but Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle and…
The weight of a list of names descended on her tired mind like apples falling one by one from a tree. With every step, another face flashed in her memory, and by the time she and Zecora reached Trottingham, she noticed neither the cold nor her aching hooves over the empty terror within.
The sound of other ponies brought her out of her reverie, and soon she found herself being ushered inside a building and down a long flight of stairs. The stairs ended at an earthen tunnel lit by torchlight. Her escorts took her to a room occupied by a few ponies she didn’t recognize. “You’ll stay here, for now,” one of the ponies said.
“Where’s Zecora?” Apple Bloom asked.
“She’ll be along soon,” the pony replied. Without another word, he and his companion turned and walked away.
Apple Bloom drifted to a wall and sat with her back against the cold stone. Her eyes drifted around the stony hollow, examining the faces around her for any sign of welcome. A green mare stared at some pebbles. A blue stallion ate some hay in silence. A white mare looked away when Apple Bloom’s gaze fell on her. Apple Bloom curled her legs under her and sighed, squeezing her eyes shut and praying that Zecora would come back soon.
Some time later, the filly felt a hoof on her shoulder. Her eyes shot open, but the face that greeted her was not that of her companion but that of the white mare. “Hush,” the smiling mare whispered. Strands of her maroon mane fell across her face. “What’s your name?”
“A-Apple Bloom.”
“You arrived with the zebra?”
“Yes.”
The mare’s gaze darted to the filly’s flank. “I see you’ve yet to discover your cutie mark.”
Something about the mare made Apple Bloom want to curl up tighter. “Y-Yes.”
The mare smiled. “My name’s Flora. Why don’t you come with me?”
Apple Bloom scooted farther back against the cave wall. “Um, they said I should wait here for Zecora.”
“Oh, we won’t be gone long,” Flora replied. “I just wanted to show you some of my plants. I thought it might cheer you up, seeing as you look like the farming type.”
Apple Bloom shook her head. “I think I should wait here.”
Flora’s smile waned as her eyes darted around. “Oh, come now. We’re all friends here. There’s no place for trouble with everypony crammed into these caverns. Besides…” Flora leaned closer and lowered her voice. “You’ve lost everything. I can help you get it back, but you have to come with me now.”
Apple Bloom frowned. “How did you—”
“Too many ears,” Flora hissed. “Either come with me now, or live the rest of your life in exile.”
Apple Bloom glanced at the cave’s other two occupants, who looked just as indifferent as before. Flora’s yellow eyes bored into hers, making her wish she could burrow into the ground. “Okay,” she gasped, slowly getting to her hooves despite her pounding heart.
Flora nodded and turned toward the tunnel. “Just keep quiet and stay by me. Don’t look anypony in the eye.”
Apple Bloom kept her gaze fixed on the ground as she followed Flora through the tunnels. The two occasionally ducked out of the way of another pony coming toward them. Finally, Flora pushed open a small door and stepped to the side. “Inside, quickly.”
Apple Bloom entered the room and gasped. The cavern was much bigger than the little cave she’d been in before. At the top, a strange light glowed yellow, illuminating several tables laden with plants. “What is this?”
“It’s my herb garden,” Flora replied once the door was shut behind them. Apple Bloom saw a blue flower on her flank as she walked toward one end of the cavern. “The guards let me keep it because we need the medicine. Sometimes I think this room and my talent are the only things that keep me safe.”
“Safe?”
Flora sighed. “You know what it looks like out there, Apple Bloom. Dark. Cold. And it’s going to get worse. Rumor has spread that Celestia is dead and the sun will never rise again, and some ponies have decided to take advantage of the crisis.”
“What do you mean?”
Flora shook her head. “I don’t have time to explain.” The mare hurried across the room to a bookshelf. “I need you to do something for me.”
Apple Bloom looked around at the herbs. For a moment, she felt like she was in Zecora’s hut. In one corner, she could just make out a cauldron. “What’s that thing on the ceiling?”
“It’s a sunlamp,” Flora replied over the sound of rapidly turning pages. “Keeps the plants growing underground.”
“How’s it work?”
Flora grabbed a page in her mouth and pulled. The sound of tearing paper filled the room. “Come here,” she said as she turned to one of the herb-laden tables. “How much do you know about herbology?”
“Not much,” Apple Bloom replied as she walked over to Flora. “Just what Zecora’s told me.”
Flora grunted as she gripped a blue flower in her teeth and yanked it out of its soil. “Beggars can’t be choosers, I suppose,” she muttered as she wrapped the flower in cloth.
“That plant,” Apple Bloom said. “It’s Poison Joke, isn’t it?”
Flora paused and looked at the filly, then gave her a smile. “You’re sharper than you give yourself credit.” Flora finished wrapping the flower before folding the page and stuffing both into Apple Bloom’s saddle bags.
“Hey! What’re you doing?” Apple Bloom asked as she jerked away.
A knocking sound echoed from the door. “Flora!” a voice called. “Get out here!”
Flora closed Apple Bloom’s bag. “I don’t have time to explain,” she hissed. “Keep that flower wrapped up until you find someplace warm. Then, show that paper to the zebra. She’ll understand.”
“Flora, open this door at once!”
“But why me?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Because I can’t,” Flora replied as she walked toward the door. When she opened it, Apple Bloom saw two stallions standing outside.
“Where is the filly?” one demanded.
“Over there, looking at my herbs,” Flora replied. “I thought it might cheer her up.”
“The filly was told to stay where she was,” the stallion snapped. He and his companion pushed past Flora into the room. “Come with us,” the stallion barked. “You and your companion are leaving.”
“Leaving?” Flora said. “You can’t be serious, not with the—”
“That’s enough from you,” the stallion interrupted. “We’ve let you keep your garden so long as you cooperate. Remember that.”
Flora bowed her head. “Yes, sir.”
The stallion nodded before turning his attention back to Apple Bloom. “Come on,” he said. “It’s time for you to go.”
Apple Bloom was careful to avoid making eye contact with them as she exited the room. As she followed them down the tunnel, she glanced back at Flora. The mare nodded toward her saddle bag with a wink. Apple Bloom quickly returned her gaze to the floor and didn’t look up until she and Zecora had left the town.
Recruit
Scootaloo coughed in a cloud of dirt and dust as she lifted a bucket full of pebbles and rocks and wove her way through the work site. Stallions and mares of all shapes and sizes paid little mind to her as they struck the stony walls with picks and hammers or piled debris into buckets like the one Scootaloo carried. Their underground home had more than tripled in size since the Ponyville refugees had arrived, but more survivors continued to make their way to Hoofington from the surface, and they expected more would continue to come as other options dwindled.
Everypony knew the excavation was necessary. This room in particular was scheduled to be fitted with a sunlamp in a few days, and another team was preparing soil and surviving plants for the underground garden. Twilight estimated this garden would provide food for a third of the survivors once it reached maximum production, and Scootaloo’s stomach couldn’t argue with that. However, her innate claustrophobia and constant soreness could.
Scootaloo left the room and pressed herself against the wall of the tunnel to avoid the constant stream of ponies coming her way. She made it to a t-intersection where a cart was waiting and emptied the contents of her bucket. A stallion at the front of the cart pushed himself to his hooves and began moving, making way for the next cart in line.
The sound of approaching hoofbeats and quiet “Excuse me”s managed to draw Scootaloo’s attention. Mine Shaft was coming her way. “You there. Pegasus,” he said. The ponies around her backed away a foot or two. “Scootaloo, right?”
“Um, yeah.” The orange filly set her bucket on the ground and looked up at him.
“The council wants to see you,” Mine Shaft said. A colt stepped around him, picked up Scootaloo’s bucket, and walked toward the excavation site. “Come along.”
Scootaloo wasn’t sure what to think. On the one hoof, she didn’t want to be in the mines, but on the other, she was a little worried what the council might want with her. The council, made up of Hoofington’s political leaders and a few ponies from Ponyville, were in charge of just about everything, and she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to draw their attention.
“Don’t be so nervous,” Mine Shaft said as the two made their way toward the council chamber. “You’re not in trouble—or if you are, it has nothing to do with mining,” he added quickly. The two came to another fork. “Take this passage left until you reach the kitchens, then turn right.”
Scootaloo nodded but said nothing. It was a lot less noisy, dirty, and stuffy here, but it didn’t make her feel any better. She reached the kitchen and turned right just before a familiar voice called her name.
“Scootaloo! Wait up!” She turned to see a rainbow-maned pegasus coming toward her. “What’re you doing here?”
“Um, the council wanted to see me,” Scootaloo answered.
“Really? That’s weird. They called me off patrol for the same reason.” Rainbow Dash turned the corner and began walking toward the council chamber, and Scootaloo followed just behind her. “So, how’s life in the mines?” Rainbow Dash asked after a moment. “Looks like you’ve been working hard today.”
“It’s okay, I guess,” Scootaloo answered.
“Doesn’t sound like it. I’d hate to be cooped up underground all day.” The two reached a pair of wooden doors flanked by a pair of sentries. “Then again, I’m out in the cold all the time, so I guess it evens out, huh?”
Scootaloo secretly wondered how Dash could sound so energetic as the doors swung open. “Anyways, somepony said they had a new recruit for me,” Dash continued, though in a lower voice, as they entered the council chamber. “Guess there were some pegasi in that group of refugees that came in—”
“Thank you for coming.” Rainbow Dash fell silent as Hoofington’s mayor spoke. “If it’s not too much trouble, we’d like to keep this short so we can all get back to work.”
The two pegasi sat in the center of the room and looked at the ponies sitting in a half-circle around them. Some chairs were empty, and the only faces Scootaloo recognized were those of Hoofington’s mayor and Twilight Sparkle, both of whom looked like they hadn’t slept in days. At Twilight’s side sat Spike, wearing a strange mechanical contraption that resembled wings. Scootaloo had seen him using it to fly over crowds in the tunnels while delivering messages.
“As you know, Miss Dash,” the mayor began, “your department has been requesting additional horsepower for quite some time.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dash said. “I saw a few pegasi in the group that—”
“It will take us some time to determine where to assign them,” the mayor interrupted. Dash’s mouth snapped shut. “However, the newcomers do give us the flexibility to amend some policies that many have viewed as controversial.”
Both Scootaloo and Dash blinked. “Meaning?” Dash said.
“What she’s saying is with more adult ponies to work in the mines, we’ve decided to pull the fillies and colts out,” Twilight answered.
“Well, it’s about time!” Dash said.
“That does not mean they will be free from responsibility,” the mayor interrupted with a raised voice. “Miss Dash, we are charging you with the training of this filly. Miss Sparkle and your fellow Ponyvillians recommend you very highly, and I am confident you will—”
“Wait,” Dash said. “Training her for what?”
“To join your squad,” the mayor replied. “You will be given access to—”
“My squad?” Dash repeated. “We’re recon and sentries! You want to send a filly against those Shadowbolts?”
“Dash, please,” Twilight said.
“And you agreed to this?” Dash snapped, shooting the unicorn a withering glare. “You thought I’d want to personally train her to go up against Nightmare Moon’s cronies?”
“Miss Dash, that is quite enough,” the mayor said.
“No, it isn’t,” Dash replied. “Look, I get that everypony needs to pitch in, but she’s a filly, for Celestia’s sake! She can’t even fly yet!”
“That’s why we’re assigning her to you now,” Twilight said. “It’ll take time for her to learn to fly, and you’re the best flier we have.”
“Well, why don’t you just send Spike out there while you’re at it?” Dash demanded. “He’s got wings now. What’s his excuse?”
“That’s enough!” the mayor shouted. “Miss Dash, you will hold your tongue.”
Dash sat down and ground her teeth, still glaring at Twilight. The mayor cleared her throat. “Miss Scootaloo, do you have anything you’d like to say?”
Scootaloo looked from Dash’s frown to Twilight’s weariness. “No, ma’am.”
“Very well.” The mayor handed some papers to a guard, who delivered them to Rainbow Dash. Dash stuffed them into her saddle bags and resumed glaring at Twilight. “Miss Dash, you will be given access to the dining chamber between meals to teach Miss Scootaloo. I expect we will shortly have a few more pegasi to fill the holes in your patrols. Any questions?”
“Not for you, ma’am,” Dash muttered.
“Good. You’re dismissed.”
Message
Sweetie Belle's time in Canterlot started in a stone-cold cell Nightmare Moon called a guest room. The bed was scratchy, the covers thin, and the chamber pot revolting. She didn't even know chamber pots still existed. Moonlight shone like a pillar of ice through a high, narrow window, playing off Sweetie's misty breath as she stretched and rose.
A small desk and chair rested in the moonlight shaft, the glow illuminating a book on the fundamentals of magic. At first, she ignored it out of stubbornness, but as time wore on, curiosity and boredom won out. What started as casual skimming turned to reluctant study, which in turn led to a careful consideration of every word the book contained. More than once she told the Shadowbolts that delivered her meals that she needed something else to read, as well as warmer blankets, but if her requests ever reached Nightmare Moon, they fell on cold ears.
Eventually, boredom turned to desperation, and she decided to put one of the book's many spells into practice. She chose a simple spark spell, something to start a small fire. Despite the book's detailed instructions, she struggled. On the one hoof, her constant failure was infuriating, but on the second, perhaps her incompetence would lead Nightmare Moon to pick someone else to be her student. But on the third hoof, there was no evidence that the dark mare was even paying attention to her, much less her failures, and on the fourth, she dreaded what might happen if she suddenly lost her usefulness.
With three hooves against one, she kept trying, until finally, she succeeded. Well, 'success' probably wasn't the right word for a spell that left her bed in embers, but it did accomplish one thing: It got Nightmare Moon's attention.
"What happened?" the dark mare asked while her Shadowbolts dragged the charred bedframe from the room.
"I-I..."
"Speak up." Nightmare Moon's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm as a glacier.
"I messed up the spell," Sweetie blurted as she shied away, though Nightmare Moon did not move at her words. "I-I was trying to do a spark spell, and—"
"And you set your bed on fire." Sweetie Belle swore she saw a flash of amusement on her face. "A clumsy attempt at magic, but an attempt nonetheless." The dark mare turned and walked toward the doorway. "You've learned well on your own. My Shadowbolts will take you to a new room. I will see you for dinner."
Sweetie Belle stood in shock for a moment, before the Shadowbolts prodded her forward. The thought of dinner with Nightmare Moon scared her. Not because she feared some evil would befall her—knowing that would have almost made it easier. No, it was the uncertainty that gnawed at her. She had been left alone in a cold room for Celestia knew how long, but Nightmare Moon hadn't done her any real harm—not yet, anyway. Her concern only deepened when she saw her new room—a comfortable space with a soft mattress, worktable and warm fireplace. Despite herself, she rushed into the room and sat by the fire, savoring the warmth that felt at once foreign and familiar. She hardly noticed the time go by until the Shadowbolts returned to take her to dinner.
Sweetie Belle was surprised by how elegant the dining room looked. Nightmare Moon's black-moon banners lined the walls, illuminated in the blue-white light of candles mounted between them. Nightmare Moon stood near the long table in a gown that could only be Rarity's work. The dark purple fabric billowed around her, like her star-studded mane and tail. Sweetie almost didn't recognize her without her armor.
"Welcome," the dark mare said, fang-like teeth peeking through a small smile. "Is your new room to your liking?"
Sweetie slowly nodded. "It's nice."
"I'm glad." Nightmare Moon gestured for her to sit at one end of the table, and Sweetie Belle obliged. The dark mare took her seat as well. "Your friend Fluttershy has prepared this evening's meal for us," Nightmare Moon said. "Why don't we talk about your experience here so far, while we wait?"
Sweetie Belle's hoof gave an involuntary nervous tap. "I... uh..."
"Don't be nervous." The dark mare's voice was soft, almost charming. "I told you, I bear no ill will toward my subjects." Sweetie's voice refused to dislodge itself from her throat, so Nightmare Moon continued speaking. "I know your previous accommodations were a bit austere, and I apologize for the discomfort. I had to make sure my predecessor hadn't left any... unfortunate surprises."
Sweetie couldn't help herself. "What do you mean?"
"She left quite a few traps," Nightmare Moon said with a sigh. "Some rather nasty ones, too. It would have been unfortunate for you, or anyone else, to stumble into them unprepared."
"B-but, that doesn't sound like—"
"Something she would do?" Nightmare Moon finished her sentence with a smile. "Yes, she played the role of benevolent ruler well."
A door opened, and a yellow pegasus stepped meekly through, two covered trays balanced on her back. It took Sweetie Belle a moment to realize it was Fluttershy. "Y-Your majesty," the pegsasus said, her voice barely a whisper.
Nightmare Moon smiled at her. "Ah, Fluttershy. Is that a wonderful meal I smell?"
"Um..." Fluttershy hid behind her mane, but not quickly enough to hide the bruises around her cheeks and eyes. "Y-Yes."
"Splendid. Sweetie Belle and I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival." She gestured toward the filly. "Please, serve my guest first."
"Y-Yes, your majesty." Fluttershy's walk down the table seemed to take hours, though Sweetie Belle knew it lasted only a few seconds. "H-Here you go," Fluttershy said, placing a tray in front of Sweetie Belle. The smell could have made her stomach growl even if she had just eaten a whole sundae from Sugar Cube Corner.
"Is everything all right?" Sweetie asked.
Fluttershy gulped. "O-Of course," she said, voice still a soft monotone. "I-I'd better serve the princess." Fluttershy practically scampered to the far end of the table to deliver Nightmare Moon's tray.
"Thank you, Fluttershy. That will be all," the dark mare said, waving her hoof toward the kitchen door. Fluttershy shot Sweetie Belle a furtive glance before bowing and wordlessly leaving the two alone. Nightmare Moon smiled. "Please, enjoy."
Sweetie Belle removed the cover and set it aside. The scent of a bowl of warm vegetable stew, a baked cinnamon apple and a slice of cherry pie with ice cream assaulted her nose, making her momentarily dizzy. Before she knew it, the food had half-vanished down her throat, and only the sound of Nightmare Moon quietly clearing her throat brought her back to her senses.
"Please, continue eating," the dark mare said as Sweetie watched her with a renewed sense of suspicion. "I wanted to ask you what type of magic you would like to study next."
Sweetie Belle gulped, and not just because her mouth was full. "Um..."
"Anything you like," Nightmare Moon continued. "I know your spark spell needs a little work, but I'm sure you'll learn that one quickly enough, now that I can properly devote my time to your education."
Sweetie Belle shivered. "I—I don't know," she stammered.
Nightmare Moon smiled again, and this time, Sweetie though she saw something sinister behind it. "Of course. You need some time to think about it."
Sweetie took a deep breath. "I—I mean... um..."
The dark mare raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Well... I'm..." Her heart pounded. "I don't know if I want to be your student."
Nightmare Moon's smile twitched. "I see." The mare carefully dabbed her mouth with a magically raised napkin. "You still don't trust me."
Sweetie's courage failed, and she looked down at her plate. It was then she noticed a tiny square of paper sticking out from beneath her stew bowl.
"My dear filly," the mare continued, her gaze now firmly fixed on the filly before her. Sweetie tore her eyes away from the paper and focused on Nightmare Moon. "I understand that you still bear some resentment toward me, but I assure you, I have only the best interests of Equestria at heart." Nightmare Moon rose from her chair and wandered toward the center of the room. As quickly as she dared, Sweetie retrieved the paper from beneath the bowl and concealed it in her hoof. "I suppose I can't fault you for not seeing my true colors like the others have—after all, you had to stay in your room while I made sure this castle was safe." The mare turned to face Sweetie Belle again. "Fluttershy, and even your sister, have come to see me as I really am—not only the rightful ruler of Equestria, but the better ruler as well."
"W-Well, maybe if I talked to them, they could—"
"No." The word came quickly, and Nightmare Moon followed it with a chuckle. "Not right now. Not when there's so much work to do." Nightmare Moon returned to her seat at the table. "Please, think not of the lies your former princess told you. Think of the way I have treated you tonight, and I'm sure you'll come to see things my way."
Sweetie forced herself to sit up straight. She was sure the paper in her hoof would soon begin to crumble with sweat. "I—I will," she said. "I think I should go to sleep now."
"Of course. You've had a busy day." A pair of Shadowbolts appeared, and Sweetie Belle stood to follow them. "Sleep well, my child, and know that I am watching over you."
Sweetie said nothing as the Shadowbolts led her through the quiet halls to her room. She waited a full minute after the door closed behind her to unfold the paper and read the familiar writing within.
Don't trust her, the note said. I will come for you. —Rarity
Zebrica
Apple Bloom wasn't sure how long it had been since she and Zecora left Trottingham. Between the constant darkness and ever-present urgency to find shelter, timekeeping felt like an unnecessary chore, and Apple Bloom had never been fond of chores. Zecora said they were headed south, toward Zebrica, where she said they could escape Nightmare Moon's reach. But after so much time in the frozen cold, Apple Bloom wondered if it really mattered any more.
Sometimes, the only thing that kept her going was Flora's gift—the Poison Joke flower and its mysterious note. True to Flora's instructions, she kept both in her saddle bags. She had no idea if the eternal night would stop at Equestria's borders, and she had a feeling Zecora didn't know, either. The zebra said very little, and Apple Bloom was too tired to speak herself, but when they stopped to rest, Apple Bloom would sometimes see her staring out at the sky with glass eyes.
Finally, she decided to break the silence. "What'cha thinkin' about?"
Zecora didn't answer for a moment. "It is strange, my little friend, to watch the starts when night won't end."
"What d'ya mean?"
Zecora gestured for her to come closer, and Apple Bloom obliged. Through the entrance of the cave in which they rested, she could make out a familiar starscape. "These astral lights traveled the skies when night did end and sun did rise," she explained. "Now they stay in one fixed place, and standing still have lost their grace."
Apple Bloom frowned and looked up. "They just look like normal stars to me."
Zecora shook her head. "On many nights near Ponyville, I watched the skies for hours until I mapped their course and came at last to tell the time as stars did pass."
Apple Bloom looked at the stars again. She'd never thought of using the stars as a clock. "That sounds real neat," she said.
Zecora nodded. "It's a trick that zebras learn while in their youth and travel yearn. Though constellations are different here, their patterns do not disappear."
Apple Bloom pondered these words for a moment. "I bet that helped remind of you home."
Zecora nodded. Her mouth smiled, but her sigh did not. "Rest now, my little Apple Bloom. Find respite from all this gloom."
A few hours passed, and the two resumed their journey. The snow began to grow thinner, and the air warmed a bit. Apple Bloom saw a hopeful glint return to Zecora's eye, a hope that began to swell in her chest as well. Then, as they reached the crest of a hill, they saw it: light.
Zecora held out her foreleg to keep Apple Bloom from rushing forward. Not a stone's throw away, Equestria's darkness met the daylight of a dense jungle, as though a line had been drawn to keep the night at bay.
"This must be the farthest end of Nightmare Moon's dark power, then," Zecora mused. She adjusted the cart's harness. "Come, little one. We must be gone."
The two approached the border with cautious optimism. When they reached the line, Zecora carefully put a hoof into the sunlight. Apple Bloom did the same; the feeling of warm, humid air on her coat felt almost foreign. Zecora nudged her, then gestured forward, and the two left Equestria behind.
Apple Bloom thought it strange that a place so far from Sweet Apple Acres could make her feel more at home than she'd been in... days? Weeks? She couldn't be sure those words even held meaning in her home anymore. The jungle air was thick, and she soon began to feel light-headed.
"Drink this potion, my young friend," Zecora said, holding out one of her potions. Apple Bloom drank it in one long gulp, quenching a growing thirst she hadn't noticed before. "Our journey's nearly at an end."
The jungle was thick, but Zecora deftly led the way through the trees and vines. "So, this is Zebrica," Apple Bloom said. "Are we lookin' for a town?"
"My people's towns are few and distant. With nature, we are coexistent," Zecora replied. Suddenly, her ear twitched, and she paused mid-stride.
"What is it?" Apple Bloom asked.
"The sound of lumber being cut," Zecora said softly, altering course to follow. If she strained her ears, Apple Bloom could just make out the sound of saws. "The noises worry me somewhat."
"Why's that?"
Zecora gestured for her to be silent, and Apple Bloom obeyed. As they made their way toward the sound, Apple Bloom began to hear voices—some of which sounded vaguely familiar.
A sudden sound to the right drew a startled squeak from Apple Bloom's lips. Another zebra, this one carrying a spear, was crouched in the underbrush. Zecora stepped between the stranger and Apple Bloom and spoke softly. "I give my greetings, noble friend. With what force do you contend?"
The zebra nodded toward the sound. "Strangers from the frozen land have entered here and now expand. They tear down trees and vines alike, behavior we do most dislike."
"They're ponies?" Apple Bloom asked. Zecora gestured for her to be silent, but the other zebra addressed her nonetheless.
"You travel here with zebrakind, but do not think that makes me blind," he said.
"I have claimed this child as mine," Zecora said with a stern stomp of her hoof. "I suggest your words refine."
The zebra glanced at her, and then nodded. "Very well, you two may go. Now, these strangers we'll o'erthrow."
"What?" Apple Bloom couldn't help but step around Zecora and face the zebra directly. "You can't hurt them! They're runnin' for their lives!"
"Hush, little one. Let us be gone," Zecora hissed. The other zebra ignored her outburst.
"No! Listen!" Apple Bloom slipped away from Zecora's restraining hoof and moved in front of the zebra. "They're just tryin' to get away from Nightmare Moon. I'm sure they don't mean to—"
A nearby crash cut her protest short. She turned to see a young stallion with yellow fur and yellow-orange mane was stumbling to his hooves a short distance away. He brushed some dirt off his brown vest and straightened his Stetson hat before peering in her general direction. "Someone there?" he asked.
Apple Bloom's heart soared. "Braeburn!"
The stallion's eyes widened as Apple Bloom burst out of the jungle and tackled him. "I can't believe it!"
"S-Slow down, cuz," Braeburn stuttered. "How in Equestria did you get here?"
"Zecora helped me," Apple Bloom answered, gesturing toward the zebras, who stood watching them in stunned silence.
"Well, it looks like I owe you my thanks," Braeburn said, tipping his hat at her. "My name's Braeburn. I hope we're not causing any problems, but—"
"You are indeed a nuisance here, cutting down trees we hold so dear," the other zebra said.
"W-What?" Braeburn took a couple steps back. "I-I'm sorry. It's just, we didn't have anywhere else to go, and—"
"Pony problems are not our concern," the zebra said, pointing his spear at Braeburn's chest. Braeburn gulped. "From this place you must adjourn."
Braeburn scowled. "Look, we're just tryin' to find a new home," he said.
"Perhaps, if I might interject," Zecora said, "an agreement we could perfect." Both Braeburn and the zebra looked at her warily. "I've just come from the darkened land. Their presence here is most unplanned. They flee disaster, as they've said, and leaving now could leave them dead."
The zebra's gaze flitted between Zecora and Braeburn. Then he nodded, and the two zebras began speaking in a language Apple Bloom didn't understand. "Hey, cuz," Braeburn whispered. "What's going on?"
"The zebras don't like cutting down trees. They're sort of sacred to them," Apple Bloom explained.
Braeburn sighed. "Every time. Why can't we find a good homestead that's not sacred to someone else?"
Their conversation was cut short as the male zebra turned to face them. "It seems I was too quick to judge. On this matter, we might budge," he said. "We'll speak of this matter more, and hopefully avert a war."
"War?" Braeburn's pupils dilated for a moment. "I mean, yeah. Sounds good. We, uh, don't want to cause trouble."
The male zebra nodded, then bounded into the jungle and vanished from sight. Braeburn let out a long breath. "Thank you," he said with another hat tip toward Zecora. "That's two I owe you."
"I think it best we move, for now," Zecora said. "Why not show us your new town?"
An eager smile came to Braeburn's face. "Of course. Right this way—" he paused to rear up "—to New Aaaaaaaaaaapleloosa!"
Zecora and Apple Bloom stared at him for a moment. Then Apple Bloom spoke. "Seriously?"
"Aw, come on," Braeburn sighed. "It's fun."
As they made their way toward the sound of construction, Apple Bloom suddenly remembered the flower hidden in her bag. "Hey, Zecora," she said as she removed the note. "One of the Trottingham ponies gave me this. She said you would understand."
Zecora took the paper and read it quickly. Then she paused in her tracks and read it again. Apple Bloom rubbed a foreleg nervously. "What is it?"
Zecora tucked the note inside her cart and resumed her pace. "Not now, my dear. The town draws near."
"What do you mean?"
Zecora did not answer, and by her stern expression, Apple Bloom guessed it best not to press her again.
True colors
It wasn't long before dinner became the worst part of Sweetie's existence. And that was saying something.
"Again." Nightmare Moon's voice repeated. She stood on the opposite side of the room while Sweetie Belle tried once again to conjure a levitation spell. A magical aura enveloped the fork. It shuddered, and then the magic was gone, and Sweetie was left panting and with a headache worse than before.
"Again."
"I can't!" Sweetie could hold in her frustration no longer. "My brain's about to fall out of my head."
"I said, again!"
Sweetie growled, bared her teeth, and focused. Once again, the fork shimmered, twitched, and lay still. Sweetie's vision blurred, and it was all she could do to stumble until she regained her balance.
"Again!"
Before Sweetie could regain her focus, a sudden clattering rang through the hall. Both Sweetie and her so-called mentor turned to see a wide-eyed Fluttershy attempting to pick up a fallen plate. "You!" Nightmare Moon's voice rang. "Get out!"
Fluttershy barely managed a squeak before fleeing through the kitchen door. Nightmare Moon took a deep breath, and when she turned to Sweetie Belle, her voice was soft. "I apologize for the intrusion. Let us continue."
"I don't want to!" Sweetie's voice came out a shrill squeak. "I'm not your student!"
Nightmare Moon's eye twitched, but her composure did not break. "My dear Sweetie Belle, you must have patience," she said as her mane reached out to caress Sweetie's cheek. The filly turned away with a scowl. "Now, now. I know it seems difficult now, but believe me when I say—"
"No!" Sweetie tried to run, but Nightmare Moon's magic quickly bound itself around her. "Let me go!"
Sweetie was rotated mid-air to face her captor, whose pleasant guise, forced as it was, had been replaced with a narrow-eyed stare. "After everything I've done for you, you still cling to Celestia's lies," she hissed. Her magic faded. Sweetie crashed to the floor and lay there, dazed. The dark mare took another deep breath. "Very well. If you refuse to see me for who I am, then I shall be the mare you believe me to be."
In an instant, the kitchen doors burst open, and a pair of Shadowbolts dragged Fluttershy into the room. The pegasus' mane was wild, her coat stained with dirt and meals past. The Shadowbolts tossed her in a heap and stood back while Nightmare Moon stepped toward her.
"Fluttershy," she said. The pegasus quivered at the sound. "I have been ever so patient with you, and yet, somehow, you always seem to disappoint me."
Fluttershy may have squeaked out a response, but Sweetie Belle couldn't make it out. Nightmare Moon fixed Sweetie with a cold glare, then kicked Fluttershy with the full force of her hind legs. Sweetie felt as though the blow had hit her in the chest. Fluttershy's cries echoed across the chamber until they were cut short by her collision with the wall. "Frankly, I find this mare to be more trouble than she's worth," Nightmare Moon sighed as she approached Fluttershy's limp body again. Fluttershy scrambled to her hooves, but not quickly enough to avoid the next strike from Nightmare Moon's armored hoof. "The only question, I suppose, is how to dispatch of this useless wretch."
The feeling drained from Sweetie's body as Nightmare Moon wrapped Fluttershy in her magic. The pegasus flailed and struggled for breath. "Tell me, student," the dark mare said. "How would you do it?"
Sweetie couldn't tear her eyes away from Fluttershy's paling face. "Stop it," she gasped.
"What?"
"I-I said, s-stop it," Sweetie stuttered. "L-Leave her alone."
Nightmare Moon cackled. "Oh? And why should I?" Fluttershy's struggling grew sluggish. "What favor do I owe an ungrateful urchin like you?"
"Let her go!" Sweetie croaked through her clenched throat. Her eyes began to burn with tears.
Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed. Fluttershy's rolled back in her head. "Why?"
"B-Because.... Because if you do, I'll be your student!"
The dark mare's icy expression turned to a sickening smirk. Her magic faded, and Fluttershy's limp body fell to the ground—unconscious, but still gasping. In an instant, the Shadowbolts dragged her from the room once again. "Let me make something very clear," Nightmare Moon growled. "I am your ruler. You are my subject. As such, you will do as I say, or you will face the consequences of your defiance. Is that clear?"
Sweetie quailed under her teacher's gaze, and she could barely speak a word between her building sobs. "Yes, your majesty."
"Then get back to your room." The dark mare turned and walked away. "When we meet tomorrow for dinner, expect better than today's pathetic display."
Sweetie sat alone in the dining room for a moment. Then, her numb shock faded, and she burst into tears. Her body curled into a ball, and she lay on the cold stone floor for what seemed like an eternity.
A touch on her shoulder made her scramble away. Her vision cleared before her hooves found their way beneath her, and she found herself facing not her malevolent master, but her disheveled, bruised, but still bright-eyed sister. "R-Rarity?"
Rarity smiled. "It's me, Sweetie Belle."
The filly practically jumped into her big sister's outstretched hooves. Her sobs came anew, but this time, they were not sobs of terror, but sobs of tranquility. Rarity stroked her mane and held Sweetie's heaving body close. "It's all right," she whispered. "I'm here." Sweetie pulled her face out of Rarity's chest and put on her best tearful smile. "Fluttershy told me what happened," Rarity continued. "That was very brave of you to stand up to Nightmare Moon for her."
Sweetie Belle sniffled and tried to clear her throat. "I-I didn't feel very brave," she said. "I said I'd be her student, a-and—"
"Hush." Rarity pulled her close again, and Sweetie savored the warmth of her loving embrace. "I don't have much time before Nightmare Moon comes looking for me. When I leave, I want you to go straight to your room and study your magic."
Sweetie Belle frowned. "B-But, that's what she—"
"It's what she wants. I know," Rarity agreed. "But as long as we stay on her good side, we stand a much better chance of getting out of here."
"Out?" Sweetie's heart trembled at the thought. "B-But how? And where would we—"
"You let me and Fluttershy worry about that," Rarity said. "The best thing you can do to help is do what Nightmare Moon asks, for now. It may keep her distracted while we plan our escape. Can you do that for me?"
Sweetie Belle nodded. "Just promise me everything will be OK," she said.
Rarity smiled. "Of course, my darling. No matter what it takes, I promise we'll leave this place together."
Mentor
After weeks of intensive training, the time arrived for Scootaloo to take her first shift on patrol. At first, Scootaloo was excited to get out of the tunnels and into the open air. Then, the trouble started.
It began early, when Rainbow Dash called everypony to roll call. Scootaloo was by far the smallest pony in the group, but she tried not to let it bother her. In this world of eternal night, it seemed, childhood was a luxury that could no longer be afforded.
"All right, we all know the drill," Rainbow Dash said. "Scouts circle out a thousand trots, then check in with the lookouts. Lookouts then become the new scouts for the next shift. Nopony—and I mean nopony—goes anywhere alone."
One of the older pegasi, Downdraft, raised a hoof. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Yeah?"
"I was just wondering if the kid is going to do any scouting," he asked.
"No," Dash answered. "She'll stay at her lookout post."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Dash fixed him with a scowl. "Excuse me?"
Downdraft's voice was calm, in spite of Dash's glare. "She needs to learn to face danger, and she can't do that from a sentry post. I think at least one scouting shift would do her good."
"In case you haven't noticed, she's a filly," Dash said, drawing out each word.
"I have noticed," Downdraft replied, his graying mane and feathers ruffling in the wind.
Dash waited for him to say more, but his mouth remained closed. "Well then," Dash continued. "If that's all, I think it's time for us to do our jobs."
Downdraft's expression remained stoic as he, and all the other pegasi, took to the sky. Scootaloo's wings beat furiously, and she was just able to keep up with the others. The pegasi split into six groups of four and spread out across Hoofington. Scootaloo and hear team were stationed at Hoofington's observatory, one of only two scout posts with decent cover. Scootaloo couldn't be sure how cold the other's got—Dash had yet to assign her to one.
The four pegasi landed inside the dome and looked around at each other for a moment. "Well, looks like Plume and I are off," one of the pegasi said. "Take care, you two." With that, the first-shift scouts left, and Scootaloo was left alone with a lanky pegasus Scootaloo didn't recognize.
"S-So," she said through chattering teeth. "W-What's your name."
"Tempest Gust," the pegasus replied. He had already settled into position "And you're Scootaloo, the kid who can barely fly."
"Hey!" Scootaloo flared her wings indignantly. "I can fly just fi—"
"Look, I don't really care," Tempest drawled. "Just go to your post and watch for danger, since that's apparently all you're good for."
His words brought a stinging to her eyes. "Fine," she spat before turning to take up her post.
The two sat in silence for nearly two hours. Scootaloo stretched her wings from time to time, until she caught Tempest shooting her sideways glances when she did. "Problem?" she asked.
Tempest rolled his eyes. "Just wondering why you keep fidgeting with those numbs of yours."
Scootaloo sucked in a breath. "What's your problem, anyway?" she snapped.
"The problem is you," he shouted back. "You're dragging us all down. Everypony who comes through here might have to take a double shift scouting 'cause you're too weak to handle the job." He sneered. "Guess old-timers like Downdraft will just have to carry your dead weight, huh?"
Scootaloo's voice caught in her throat, but before she could unstick it, an angry voice answered for her. "Shut it, newbie!" Rainbow Dash hit the floor hard and flared her wings in Tempest's face. The scrawny pegasus scrambled back. "You wanna repeat that to my face?"
"I-I was just—"
"You were just nothing," Dash yelled. Tempest covered his ears and turned away from her. Dash's partner, Downdraft, stood quietly near the entrance while Dash continued to back Tempest against the wall. "Let me explain something to you, punk. If you have a problem with the ponies in this patrol, I'll be more than happy to send you to excavation. This job's hard enough without jerks like you taking cheap shots at fillies half your age! Now, apologize!"
Tempest glanced in Scootaloo's direction. "I-I'm sorry."
"LOUDER!"
"I'm sorry!"
Dash straightened and adjusted her goggles. "We have nothing to report," she said curtly. "Now, if you're done wasting my time, Downdraft and I will be off."
"Ahem." Downdraft's eyes flitted between Scootaloo and Tempest. "I'd like to propose a change of plans."
Dash raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"I want to take Tempest with me," Downdraft continued. "It sounds to me he's not very happy with his current job."
"H-Hey, wait a minu—" Tempest started to protest, but glares from both Rainbow Dash and Downdraft silenced him. Dash took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Yeah. OK," she said. A smirk crept onto her face. "Looked like you were starting to slow up out there anyway."
Downdraft raised an eyebrow. "What can I say? Old wings don't work like they used to." Dash took off her goggles and handed them to Tempest, whose hoof shook a little as he took them. Downdraft held out a hoof to help him up. "Come along, young'un. Looks like you're getting a chance to show this filly how well you pull your own dead weight, eh?"
Tempest scowled but said nothing. Without another word, he and Downdraft lifted off and continued their journey.
Dash fluffed her feathers and took Tempest's position. "Whelp, looks like it's you and me, Scoots." Scootaloo rubbed her foreleg with a hoof, and not just because it generated a little heat. Rainbow Dash watched her. "You're not taking that jerk seriously, are you?"
Scootaloo couldn't answer. Her throat was still too tight. Dash stood and walked beside her, placing a wing over her body. "Look. Just ignore what ponies like him say. Just because you're not the strongest flier doesn't mean you're weak."
"But I'm in the way. I can't even scout," Scootaloo choked out.
"Bah! He's just a big blowhard."
"But he's not the only one," Scootaloo continued. Tears began to drip down her muzzle. "Downdraft has to take a double shift because of me."
Rainbow Dash let out a long sigh. "Listen. Scoots." She turned to look Scootaloo right in the eye. "I switched teams to scout with Downdraft, so I could find out what his deal was earlier. He told me something really important."
Scootaloo wiped her face dry. "W-What?"
Dash smiled. "He was worried I might be going too soft on you. He said if I don't let you take risks, you'll never be the best pony you can be." She sighed and stared ahead. "I was really mad when they gave you this job. To be honest, I didn't think you'd be ready, even after all that practice we did. But then I realized something. I remembered the first time I ever did a sonic rainboom. There was no way in Equestria anypony could have known I was ready to do that, but if I hadn't tried, I never would have known."
Scootaloo waited quietly for Dash to finish. "What I'm saying, Scoots, is you're one of the bravest ponies out here right now. Even though you're just a kid, and your wings might not be a strong as everypony else's, and Celestia knows you don't deserve to be doing this..." She chuckled. "What I'm saying is, you've got guts. And believe me, that counts for a lot more than strong wings."
Scootaloo felt a warmth in her chest. "So, does that mean we're going scouting next?"
Dash smiled. "In a couple more hours, Scoots, you'll be a full-fledged sentry. And no matter what happens, I'll be right there, believing in you."
