The Beginning, of the End.
A few weeks had passed since Robins very first visit to the castle. His life seemed to go into a routine, walk around, help where needed, and eat the occasional cupcake. He had to admit though, every time he sent a letter to Luna he was always more than excited for the next letter! They always carried a small trinket, a caring and feeling paragraph, and usually a funny picture to boot. This day was different from most, usually he was as he put it 'Swapped' around with the gang so one night he'd sleep and learn from Twilight, another he might practice sowing from Rarity. The list just keeps going on! But instead of 'swapping' to another ponies house, instead they all planned on a picnic/camp out in the apple families orchard!
Robin and Twilight were the last to make it though, on account of Twilight needing to carry nearly thirty books for how to make picnics fun! Dear Celestia! Does she really need all these books!? Robin had to carry most of them sadly sense Twilights bags could only hold so many. Finally they were at the apple orchard gate. As soon as Twilight opened the gate, a rainbow blur shot by! Scaring both of them, and causing Robin to drop all twenty four books in his hands. Robin and Twilight both gave Rainbow Dash a nasty glare, but she only laughed harder at the sight of their faces.
"Rainbow Dash! Why would you do that? Do you have any idea how hard it is to hold twenty four books!?"
"Ah calm down. Heehee you should see your faces, Ohh man. Okay, okay.." Rainbow Dash tried to hold it but only busted into more laughter. At the same time, AppleJack and Pinkie had noticed the laughter as Rarity and Fluttershy were setting up the blanket and dinner.
"Hey, what's goin on over here?"
Robin pointed a thumb at Rainbow Dash. "Ask Mrs. Speedsalot." Pinkie immediately started to giggle and tear up a little.
"Mrs. Speedsalot, that's a good one!" Pinkie finally started an outright laughing riot! rolling around, bumping into trees, jumping around. Was it really that funny? Robin thought to himself for the entire duration of her laughter. She finally stopped, took a deep breath and said. "Who's ready for cake?"
Twilight looked back at her books, then to Pinkie. "What about my books? I can't just leave them."
"I got'em Twilight!" Pinkie calmly stated as she carried all the books over to the picnic. Robin leaned closer to Twilight
"How did she do that?"
"It's Pinkie, I don't bother trying to figure out any more." Twilight shrugged and kept walking. Robin looked at Pinkie, then to Rainbow Dash who gave an equally agreeable shrug and flew off. Robin shrugged as well Screw physics, It's Pinkie Pie!. Finally everyone was assembled at the picnic blanket. The sun was starting to set so a few stars started to come out. The meal so far was down right delicious! And Robin was only halfway through the appetizers. Man, you'd think they had an entire feast planned out!. Twilight was looking through her books and found an idea for a mid-dinner game.
"Hey! How about we play truth or dare?"
AppleJack gave Twilight a funny, almost confused look. "I thought that game was for sleepovers?"
"Well isn't this a picnic, sleepover mix?"
Rarity noticed this and piped in, excited to see what she could get Pinkie or Robin to tell or do. "You do have a fine point there Twilight, why not? Who wants to start us off?"
Rainbow Dash Immediately raised her hand. "I call it!! Pinkie!" Pinkie looked up from the platter of cupcakes she was consuming at an ungodly rate. "I dare you to throw a cupcake at a tree!" Pinkie gasped, her eyes nearly leaving her head.
"Are you crazy!? These aren't boring normal snacks, these are cupcakes, CUPCAKES!"
Rainbow Dash gave a sly grin and slowly floated by Pinkie. "If you don't you loooose." Pinkie frowned.
"Oh fine!" She selected the nearest tree, grabbed a chocolate cupcake. She took aim, and threw as hard as she could! A loud doughy slap filled the air as the cupcake collided with the tree.
"My cupcake!!" Pinkie went sprinting over to the tree and started to lick up the remaining cupcake, she slowed and thought for a minute. "You know, the tree sap really compliments the chocolate!!" Immediately Pinkie took her cupcakes and started to throw them left and right, eating off the remaining sappy cupcake remains. AppleJack, now thoroughly disgusted shot Rainbow Dash an angry stare.
"Now look what you done! If she eats the tree on accident..." AppleJack started to grumble a little to herself, watching pinkie eat the tree flavored cupcakes. Rarity looked around the circle.
"Alright, who's next?" Silence was the answer for a few minutes until Fluttershy piped up.
"Robin." Robin took heed of his name being called and looked up from his salad.
"Yeah Fluttershy?"
"Truth, is Robin your actual name?"
Rarity saw the interesting gossip worthy information she could get out of this one. "Oooh! Good one Fluttershy!"
Robin looked at the ponies, he flung his head down, giggling a little to himself and shaking his head. "You won't believe this, but it actually isn't."
"Well then what really is it?" Fluttershy was almost as intrigued now as Rarity!
"Well. I can't just tell you, I have to explain it, see. It goes a little something like this. My parents wanted to call me Robin based on this book and movie series called 'Winnie The Pooh'. Well, They were going to but everyone in our family said I would just be made fun of and it wasn't a name in our family bloodline. So finally after enough complaints and pointers, my mom went with 'Tailer' my dads last name, for a middle name."
Rarity was a little confused as to who this Winnie the pooh Robin was, "But darling, we don't know who this Robin you've nicknamed yourself after is."
"Oh! Right, in the books. Christopher Robin was this human boy, the world it was set in was his imagination for his toys, a bear, a tiger, and a few other animals. The reason they wanted to name me after him was because they think I was as imaginative and creative as him, well they kept the Christopher part."
"So what is your full name?" Fluttershy and Rarity were leaning closer to Robin, intent on hearing every syllable of his name.
"Hey I'm not done yet. The reason I decided to take it as a nickname was because first off everyone in our world automatically nicknames Christophers Chris, which I find incredibly annoying. Secondly, I feel like my parents were onto something, I don't know if it's just me or there really is a connection. Bah who knows, anyways onto my name! Fillies and gentle colts. My full honest real name. Is Christopher-" Robin was cut short. Lightning blasted somewhere nearby. Clouds had started to form overhead, the wind was starting to howl. Robin had to nearly shout.
"I thought the weather was going to be clear?"
Rainbow Dash was looking over head. "I don't know! There was nothing on the schedule." The light from the stars was starting to fade, the shadows grew deeper, and longer. A voice called from the skies, its malignant tone sent chills down there spines.
"I have arrived! you pathetic little beings, calling yourself entities makes me sick. It is time you were erased from the universe! Prepare for shadow!" The area became even darker than before, they could barely see the barn.
"Prepare for suffering!" AppleJack looked around terrified, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Sis?" AppleJack whipped around to see Big Macintosh there.
"Big Mac! Where's everyone else? How di-" As she stepped closer, her brother started to rot, his eyes started to glow a faint crimson red, after only a few brief moments, AppleJack was staring at a grotesque, rotting monster! It slowly started to limp to them, keeping straight eye contact with AppleJack at all times.
"Prepare, for the ending of the light. Prepare for DEATH AND DARKNESS!" Immediately from the shadows sprouted several other rotting forms. Some small, skinny, large, frail. Any shape of any pony was limping towards them, soulless, lidless eyes, not a word upon their dry husked lips. Robin looked around disgusted, what was all this!? He looked around, the gang was all around the picnic.
"We have to get back to town! We need a light!" Twilight and Rarity both immediately, without a second thought. Brought a magnificent light in the darkness. The monsters faces could more easily be distinguished, they knew these ponies, there! That was Cheerilee. Over there was Mister and Misses Cake! Even Applebloom was among them. These were relatives, friends, even acquaintances. All turned into monsters! Robin saw the gate was still open, they had a clear shot! Immediately he stood up and pulled out his weapons, he started to shuffle to the gate, the others took heed and followed, Cheerilee was right in front of him, slowly walking to him.
"Cheerilee, don't make me do this! Your a good teacher!" The monster that was once Cheerilee took no heed, it attempted a charge, head-first to Robins stomach. Robin deftly jumped over the charging carcass I'm sorry! Robin brought the dagger and blade down, striking through the soft rotten flesh. Immediately the monster screeched, the screech was nothing of pony nature! It was a noise that could never be conceived by any living thing! As it fell to the ground it started to dissipate, slowly the monster melted back into the shadows it originally spawned in. The group was finally out the main gate and on the road, they sprinted to town! Terrified of what they may find there, but hoping for an answer! Luna! I hope you're safe!
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At the castle, the courtyard had become a battlefield. The monster had arrived at the castle just as badly as ponyville! Celestia was right in the fray, feinting left and right, shooting magical bolts, setting barriers where needed. She had done this before it was not new. She suddenly felt a warm and calming thought in her mind, it wasn't hers, it was Robins! She didn;t know why she was the one to hear it. But faintly she could hear Robin think. Luna! I hope you're safe! Celestia remembered the book, if there was any hope they had to be together! She slew a few more of the monster and looked around frantically calling over and over. "Luna! Luna! Where are you!?"
From the middle of the courtyard she could finally catch a glimpse of her sister, she wasn't as weak a child as she used to be. Luna was dashing around top speed! Impaling foes on the spot, shooting magic arks at any foe trying to get close. Finally Celestia had fought her way to Luna.
"Luna! You must get to Ponyville!"
"Why sister!? I am needed here!"
"The darkness wants you here! What is at Ponyville?"
Luna thought for a moment but realization hit her like a carriage "ROBIN!!" Immediately she flew off. Already out of site.
"Fly sister, and please make it, for all our sakes." Celestia let a tear drop. Only to be interrupted by another of the ugly beasts.
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Finally at the center of town. All was quiet, no one was around, the monsters were gone, even the weather died down. In place of Celestias statue was a scarecrow, its head was limp, as if it didn't have enough hay. Its head slowly raised up and sniffed a little, only to put on the grin that disturbed Robin weeks ago.
"Soooo, the wall appears. It must know how pathetic it must be? You have only slayed one of many. Heehee, I hope you are prepared, wall of light. For you shall CRUMBLE!! Just like the rest of the universe!" Immediately from out of the nearest shadows, the monsters all slowly dug there way out of the darkness, only to look more horrifying than before. There eyes were now pure red, organs showed and leaked. skin was frail and torn. Robin looked at the gang, they were petrified, he knew they wouldn't attack, they were scared stiff! He looked at Pinkie This is my only chance! No, this was our only chance.
"Pinkie!" Pinkie slowly glanced at Robin. Keeping slight eye contact with the monsters
"What did your Grandmother tell you when you were little?" Robins voiced became gentle, he started to lightly sing, the others started to take notice.
"When I was a little filly and the sun was going dooown, the darkness and the shadows used to make me frooown."
All the ponies knew the rest, there hope was slowly returning! They all sang together.
"She said Pinkie you gotta stand up tall, learn to face your fears, you'll see that they can't hurt you!" There faces wore grins, there eyes a flame of bravery! He had them back from the clutches of fear. As they continued the rallying song. Robin faced back forward, his weapons drawn, he stared right in the scarecrows blank eyes as it tore itself off its post, claws extending from its gloves.
"Now that the field is leveled." Robins face had no fear, he knew they could do this! He was confident, fear could only go so far! "Let's see you crumble the wall of light!" Immediately they sprang into action, the main six were dispatching the monsters left and right. As Robin and the Scarecrow met half way to the center of town.