Chapter 1 - A Grim Memory
“You remember that incident?” Lightning spoke, as Applejack sits near her, listening closely.
Lightning sighs...
“The old pony story, Boogeymane... that father was once told me to scare me to sleeping?” Lightning asked, as Applejack tries to recall that memory...
“Yeah, Ah remember that ol’ story of yer Pa.” Applejack said, remembering that story...
“Well, it’s not just a story...it’s true... and he’s out to get foals and fillies... just like what happened back home...” Lightning said, with fear in her voice... Applejack did not understand what she means, but when Lightning said... ‘Just like what happened back home’, Applejack quickly goes back to that time, when several fillies and foals disappeared and was never found... Applejack thought that this might be it, but she didn’t believe Lightning on such thing...
Lightning knows deep inside that Applejack won’t believe her one bit... so she didn’t bother to stop she went to her side of the story...
---Lightning’s Story---
It was the night of Nightmare Night... and every pony is out trick or treating... I was one of them... I was with other ponies, my friends... Gummy Bounce, Star Shine, Caramel Lush and Sweet Kiss... We went door to door, getting as much candy as we can, that night we gathered tons of candy, in every house we go we were given at least a bowl full...
“This is so awesome!” Gummy said, while tossing and catching the bag of candy to the air...
“Hey! Don't play with your food!” Caramel said, while leaning over to him.
“Nah! It’s alright; it’s in my bag anyway.” Gummy shot back.
“You better listen to Caramel...” Sweet Kiss said. “You might have a wicked bad tummy ache if you eat that later...”
Star Shine who was with me and behind the three were looking over to the side of the street, over to an old house. Star Shine and me stopped...
“Did you see that?” Star Shine said.
“I did...” I said softly, “They say that... Boogeymane is in there...” I said, with a hint of fear in my voice...
“Should we go in?” Star said, wanting to see if it’s true.
“Are you crazy?!” I shouted, making the others look back... I should have never shouted...they should have kept going, but because of my voice, they turned and went towards Star and me...
And went inside...
“What happened ta them?” Applejack asked, curious to know...
Lightning continues...
We went inside with lanterns and explored that house... We saw that the house was wide, and spacious....It was dark, and had an eerie feeling to it. Despite my plead to go home, they all went through the house, I was forced to come along... The door closes behind us as we venture to the dark house inching closer and closer to the former living room. The living room was dusty, and filled with cob webs and drapes... It was scary enough for me to see spiders let alone the odd noises we keep hearing...
“Guys, I have a bad feeling about this...” Caramel said, literally shaking in fear...
“Don’t be such a filly,” Star said. “We just want to see if Boogeymane is really here...”
But in reality, all of us but Star was scared of the dark... Gummy and Sweet kiss were cuddling to each other, terrified of what might jump out of the shadows...
Star was in the lead while I Gummy and Sweet Kiss were behind him... Caramel was in front of me while I was far behind...
My mind starts to imagining something’s lurking into the darkness... My eyes keeps shifting to the left and right, and swearing to myself that something or some pony is watching us from the darkness...
Then... we all heard something... Something that made all of us go silent and listened for it to come again... then after a minute or two, there it was again...
A loud bang coming from upstairs, we all looked at each other… then back at Star as he gestures us to go up...
Star took the lead and we all followed closely behind as we venture to the second floor of the house... We all followed Star who was searching where the loud noise came from, Star stops at a door and listens...
“This is it...” Star said, as he points to the door, all of us gulped as he opens the door slowly... it was a bed room... but it was filled with dozens of scratches and dark smears all over the walls...
“What happened here?” I asked, as I went inside with Star.
“Did, someone painted this room and got mad?” Caramel said as he went inside as well.
“Ewww... It’s so dusty here!” Sweet kiss said, as she sees the room completely covered in dust...
“Well who ever lived in this house, left in a hurry...” Gummy said, as he picks up a plate of donuts that haven't been eaten...
“Or maybe the owner was too lazy to clean up and just left the house to rot...” Star said as he scuffles to the stuff...
I was searching the room when I stumbled upon a key... it was hidden under a fallen pillow, I showed it to the others and went closer to check the key out...
“Whats it for?” Sweet Kiss said, as she looks down at the key...
“It’s for opening a lock, Duh!” Gummy said, and laughed at his own joke... Sweet Kiss puts out a tongue at him and looked back to the key...
I was looking for something to open with a key... I looked high and low with my lantern to find some sort of lock... I raised my lantern to a top of a drawer to search. But when I shined my lantern above it something appeared in the mirror, it was dark, but has a face that you can only see in a nightmare. I was paralyzed, not moving at all... The figure in the mirror drew closer and closer, and then reached out to me...
“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH~~~~~~!!!!”
I screamed so loud that the others charged towards my aid...
“What happened?” Star asked, with a worried face on him... I pointed out to the drawer mirror for them to see a dark figure in it, but nothing was there...anymore... Then Star spots something else, it was behind the drawer... Something is hidden behind it!
“Guys! Help me with this!” He tried to push it out, as the others helped him push it as well... The drawer topples down revealing a locked door behind it... it has chains wrapped around the door, and a huge padlock on it...
All of us looked at each other, then at the key Star was holding... Star knew that this was the key to it...the key that can open this door... Star nods and goes to open it, but I stood up and stopped him... He looked at me surprised...
“Don’t do it Star!” I said, looking serious as I could...
“Why not?” he asked as he holds the padlock...
“I feel like there’s something in there! I think that we should not open it! Please Star!” I begged Star not to do it...he goes silent for a while then looks back at me... He ignored me and goes to open it anyway...
I tried to stop him anyway I could, but every time i do so, my plans and I were pushed back...
I had nothing to do to stop him; he reaches towards the lock and slowly puts the key in... I knew that there’s something behind that door that was not good about it, and the reason that there are chains and a huge padlock locking the door... and there’s nothing I could do to stop Star from opening it...
Star removes the lock, and the chains fell down, with a loud thud on the wooden flooring... I watched as the last chain fell across the room... the door flung open and a gust of wind blasted inside of it...
All of us looked at each other...
“Well that wasn’t ba~” Star was cut off when something grabbed his hind hoof and drags him towards the open closet... All of us grabs his front hooves and starts to pull him out! He was screaming to the top of his lungs, asking us to help him...
All of us tried all our might to pull him out, I looked at Star, as saw a single tear drops from his cheek... he smiles at me and told us...
“Run...”
We all suddenly knocked backwards as Star was dragged inside the dark area.
“STAR!!!” We all shouted and went to the door, Caramel peeks in and called out, but there was no response...
“Guys! I don’t see anything!” Caramel said, but then he was also grabbed in by the dark figure inside the door...
“CARAMEL!!” Sweet kiss shouted as she watches Caramel sucked inside the door...
I quickly stood up, and grabbed Gummy and Sweet Kiss. “Come on! We need to get out of here!!!” I shouted, as I pulled them down stairs...
“W-w-what the hay was that thing?!” Gummy said, as he lags behind us...
“How the hay should I know?!” I said to Gummy, but when I looked back, he was gone!
“CELESTIA!! BUCK IT!!!” I shouted, nearly cussing out of my word...
Sweet Kiss was already crying... we tried to run out of the house as fast as we can... but Sweet Trips and fell down the floor... I helped her up but something grabbed her hind hoof... She screamed for help... I picked up an old chair and hits the thing grabbing her repeatedly, it loosens her hoof just enough for me to pull her out to safely and charges outside...
We both looked back in the house, but the creature didn’t came out...the door slams shut, leaving me and Sweet Kiss crying outside...
That morning... Several Pony Police came looking for us, as well as the others, when we all failed to show up at dinner... They found us outside of that house and was brought to the Pony Stables...
My parents came to pick me up, as well as Sweet Kiss’s Parents. We went home that night, but not without some scolding in the cart while we went home... I was not listening, instead my mind was somewhere else... I didn’t mention about that incident to anyone
That morning, reports of missing foals was the main story of Daily Equestria. Those missing colts were...
Star Shine, Gummy Bounce and Caramel Lush...
They searched for them for months until they weren't found... Several weeks later... Sweet Kiss became missing, after another month passed she was never found...
You know the rest what happened…
Prologue - Away from it all.
“Come on, Lightning! The train will leave soon!”
Lightning Crash, a typical pony who lived somewhere in Fillypines. Kind, easy going, and a good friend… she was planning to have a spring vacation to her cousin’s farm, Sweet Apple Acres.
“Coming!” Lightning called out as she packs her luggage and heads down. Since the death of her father which she won’t dare to remember the reason of his death, that she must forget and just get away from it all… she needs sometime alone and away from the horrible memories of her house.
“Now remember, behave and don’t go wild over there now okay?” Her mother said, while fixing her mane...
“I know mom” She said with a sweet smile on her face.
“I know it’s been hard for you, since your father’s death and going to that psychiatric ward. But try and relax while your stay in Ponyville, okay sweetie?” Her mother gave her a kiss on the head and lets her go to the station...
It was noon, when Lightning got to the station. As she goes up to the platform, she noticed something on the corner of her eye, when she looked to that direction, it was gone... She shrugs this off and boarded the train. She pushed her luggage at the top of her bed space and jumped on the mattress and dozed off...
She begins to have the same dream since she was a little filly. Her dream goes… as she was in a long corridor with rows of doors on both sides. Her father was screaming in pain and agony, she rushed to where her father was screaming and found him, only to stand there horrified of what she was seeing. A black figure was dragging her father on a closet! She screamed on the top of her lungs but didn’t let out a sound...all she can do is watching her father being dragged down to the dark abyss never to be seen again...
“DAAAAD!!!” She yelled, as she woke up in cold sweat, this was the reason she got into that ward in the first place. She looked at the darkness of her cabin, when she looked at the corner of a closet, then something caught her attention.
“H-hello?” she asked, but all she had for a response was silence...
She’s beginning to get uncomfortable to this atmosphere. She stood up and was about to open the lights, when all of a sudden something grabbed her hoof. She yelped and tumbles backward, while the thing topples on top of her. She frantically grabbed the lamp and lit it up...
Only to see that her attacker was nothing more than her coat...
She blushed, and hoped that nopony heard her terrified yell... but sadly, somepony did...
“Are you alright ma’am?” The worried conductor rushed to her room, and peeked in to see if everything is alright...
“Y-yes, nothing to worry about...” She said shyly.
“Are you sure?” The conductor asked, making sure she was alright and not in any trouble.
“Yes, I’m sure...thanks for your concern, kind sir” She replies and gives a sweet smile, the conductor tilts his hat and bid her goodnight and went back to his station.
She looks at her lit room, wondering if something is watching her in the dark... She ignored this once more and went back to her bed; she lied down and closed her eyes, as she went to sleep with the lights on through the night...
TOOOT! TOOOT!!!
The sound of the train’s horn woke Lightning up, she sluggishly got out of the bed and fixed her mane and took her luggage. As she got off the station, an orange earth pony waved her on the station, and yelling her name.
“Lightnin’! Over here!” She yelled in a country accent. Lightning thought that this must be Applejack, and went on over to her carrying her luggage. As she went near, Applejack holds her hood and gave her a good old Apple Family greeting. Lightning barely stood in balance since Applejacks shake was faster than the hurricane she made last week...
“Welcome to Ponyville,Lightnin’. It’s really a pleasure that you could come ta visit” Applejack said, in a friendly, hospitable tone.
“Uh... Thanks AJ, It’s good to be here.” Lightning said, as she picks up her luggage again.
“Well come on!” Applejack took her luggage off her mouth and gestures her to follow her.
“AJ, I think I should carry those...after all they’re my luggage and I don’t want to be a burden...”
“Non-sense, we cousins stick together, right? We help one another, so don’t cha’ give me that burden stuff in yer head fer.” Applejack said, smiling as she leads Lightning to her barn.
“Well you haven’t changed a bit did you AJ?” Lightning said, as she walks along with Applejack.
“Well, shucks... I have changed...kind of.” She said, blushing a bit.
“Why did you blush? Did I say something embarrassing?” Lightning said, as she raised an eyebrow and gave a grin to her.
Applejack knows what she was thinking, and asked her never to speak of it. Lightning nods as she trots closer to the barn...
“Here we are, it’s not much... but its home.” Applejack said, as she opens the door for Lightning to go inside.
“Thank you very much, AJ” Lightning said, grateful of her hospitality... As they went inside, Applejack took a deep breath...
and yelled...
“LIGHTNING’S HERE EVERYPONY!!!”
As soon as she said that, three ponies rushed to the living room; one was a red stallion, with a green apple on his flank, the other was light orange with red mane, the other was a slow old pony, Lightning, immediately recognized her as Granny Smith.
“Hi ya, Granny Smith!” Lightning said, greeting the old pony.
“Haloo there, Lightning... It’s been a while since your last visit, uh... when was that?” She stood there on the spot and tries to remember it, but in reality... Lightning only visited when she was still a young filly...
“Don’t worry Granny Smith, It’s no big deal.” Lightning nudges at Applejack to back her up, which Applejack knew quickly what to do, she went to Granny Smith and talked to her.
Lightning tries to remember the names of the two remaining ponies in front of her, she soon remembers their names and spoke each of them to confirm her suspicions.
“Your... Big Macintosh, right?” She points to the red colt, and only replies with a simple...“Eeeyup”
She then turned her attention to the little one, and kneels in front of her. “And you must be, Applebloom...right?”
Applebloom quickly launched herself to Lightning’s hooves, hugging her as she latched her self to her. “So your mah big Si's cousin!” She nuzzles her with excitement, that she had a cousin that she never knew.
“Aww, it’s good to meet you too, Applebloom...” Lightning said, she broke away from the hug and stood up as Applejack walks towards her.
“Let me show ya to your room, Lightnin’, It’s upstairs.” Applejack goes up first, while Lightning picked up her luggage, she told Applebloom that she’ll play with her later, after she puts her stuff at her room.
Lightning goes up the stairs and noticed the upper portion of the house; it was simple, much like her old home, it has that old feeling yet comfortable sense of security along with it...
“Hey, AJ?” Lightning said, while looking down the stairs.
“Yeah? What is it sugar cube?” Applejack said as she opens the door to her room.
“You know, you have a very lovely home here...” Lightning said, and meant it.
“Why thank ya, Lightnin’. That’s a sweet thing ta say.” Applejack said, as she helps her up with her luggage. “Well it’s not much, but please...make yourself at home...” Applejack said, as she goes out of her room.
“I will thanks...” Lightning replies, as she sets her bag on the mattress and unloads it.
“If ya need anything, just holler.” Applejack said, as she went down the stairs to prepare dinner.
Lightning starts to pull out some of her stuff, when she suddenly felt something... something she dare not to remember.
*Creeek....*
The sound of a door opening...
She knows it’s the closet...
Then she hears hoof steps, coming closer...and closer...
Lightning was frozen to her position, not moving an inch...
The hoof steps are getting closer.... and louder...
Her eyes widened, and begin to sweat rapidly...
Then...a cold hoof touched her shoulder... She felt like her head is going to explode... all she can do... was yell out a terrified scream...
Lightning jumped back, startled at the hoof that fell down upon her shoulders, only to see Applebloom behind her.
“Ahm sorry, did I scare you?” Applebloom said, looking down the floor boards and feeling sorry for scaring her.
“N-not at all, Applebloom... It’s quite alright.” Lightning pats her head, assuring her that she didn’t do anything wrong..
Applebloom smiled at her and gave her a hug. “Can we play now, Lightnin’?” Applebloom said, really wanting to play with her.
“Okay, what do you play then?” Lightning asked, as she waits for Applebloom’s decision...
“Hide ‘n Seek!” Applebloom blurts out, Lightning nods and gets started, because she was “It”.
Lightning puts her head on the wall to cover her eyes, while Applebloom looks for a hiding place. She soon finds the closet and hid inside, she closed the door and waits for Lightning to find her.
“Forty nine, Fifty! Ready or not here~” Lightning didn't finish as she sees Applebloom being dragged inside the closet by something dark.
“APPLEBLOOM!!!” Lightning rushed inside to grab her out, desperately pulling her out of the dark entity, until at some point she manages to pull her out, just in the nick of time...
Applebloom fainted and was out for a while... Lightning looked back at the closet, and it moved a bit. Not wanting to look inside of it, Lightning went down quickly with Applebloom on her back.
Later that evening, Applejack and Big Mac was watching over Applebloom, wondering why she suddenly fainted in Lightning’s room... Applejack looked at Lightning, a little worried.
“Lightnin’...” Applejack started. “What happened back there with Applebloom?”
Lightning just looked away, not wanting to scare these ponies, or to think that she’s crazy.
“She just...” Lightning stops, thinking what she have to say...
“Well go on...” Applejack insisted.
“She just, heard a scary story...that’s all...” Lightning said, lying for the fact that something sinister is luring in the darkness of their closet.
“A... story?” Applejack was not sure if Lightning was telling the truth or just plain lying. Either way, Lightning was hiding something from her.
“Come on, Lightnin’. You can tell me...” Applejack persuades Lightning to tell her the truth, Lightning looked at her with such a worried face. Applejack knows this look all too well, and just gave her a pat on the shoulder.
“Okay Lightnin’ I won’t force you to tell me... But Someday though, I need to know.” Applejack moves to the kitchen to fix up a batch of pancakes. Lightning feels horrible, and scared at the same time... The entity who she forgotten had followed her here, and almost took another pony’s life... She went back to her room and blocked the door to her closet hoping that “It” won’t come out..
It was already night time, and she has to get some rest, for tomorrow...she’s going to town and help out...
But every single time that night... She wakes up, and always getting an uncomfortable feeling...
She tossed and turned but this feeling was getting worst every hour she passed... It was already 6:00 in the morning when she almost went to sleep, but was interrupted by the sound of an alarm clock... which made her even worse than before.
“Rise and Shine, everypony!” Applejack yelled, sending the message all across the house.
Lightning just gave out a sigh, and stood up from her bed and went down.
She went straight to the kitchen and saw Applebloom sitting on the table and eating some pancakes, from last night.
“Hi, Applebloom... You alright?” Lightning asked Applebloom, as she sits down near her.
“Yup, and ready to crusade!” She shouts in such an energetic tone, seemingly not remembering that event happened last night.
Lightning nudges Applejack a bit, “What did she mean “to crusade”, Applejack?” She whispered, not knowing what Applebloom meant by that.
“It’s their “Cutie Mark Crusade”.” Applejack whispers back, “Just go along with it, its hard to explain...”
Lightning pats Applebloom on the head, and gave her a smile. “Do your best, Applebloom.” Lightning said, pretending she knows what’s she’s going to do exactly.
Applebloom smiles at her, as she finishes her last batch of pancakes and trots outside. Lightning was left at the kitchen with Applejack, Lightning noticed that Granny Smith and Big Macintosh isn’t there...
“Hey, Applejack. Where’s Big Mac and Granny Smith?” Lightning asked, as she looks over Applejack.
Applejack just gave her a glance and went back to her cooking,“ Big mac is at the orchards, while Granny Smith is at town, in our stall sellin’ some apples...” She said, finishing off her batch of pancakes.
Applejack served it to Lightning, then to herself... But before Lightning can eat, Applejack looks at her with a worried face. Lightning took notice at this and asked her. “What’s wrong AJ?”
Applejack remained silent, the spoke... “I know about it, Lightnin’.” The moment she said that, Lightning dropped her fork in surprise.
“Its “IT” again isn’t it?” Applejack said, in a low soft voice. Lightning looks at the ceiling and sighs as she nods to Applejack.
“Let’s eat first...after this...were gonna have a serious talk...” Applejack said, as Lightning prepares herself for the “Talk” Applejack and her are gonna do later on...
