AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is where things start to really go downhill, guys. Don't blame me if you get nightmares from reading this!
Some suggested listening for the following scenes:
The Situation's Getting Worse>>Ditzy on the Radio: Polymorphia
Walking Through the Lonely Town: Black Rose
Following a Scream: Witch
Reading Twilight's Book: Mephiles' Whisper
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CHAPTER 3: Ghost Town
How could things have gotten this bad? How had Applejack not seen it coming? The sudden disappearances of some of her friends, the strategic kidnappings—they were all signs. Before she knew it, everything her family had helped to build had fallen apart. Was Ponyville’s social structure truly that imbalanced and delicate?
As Applejack lay at the foot of the town library, her mind began to rewind. Back to before all this madness. Before the disappearances. Before the Ponyvillians had arrived at her door, accusing her family—seemingly the only family untouched by these disappearances—of being the ones behind the kidnappings. (Later on, over some drinks, she was told by none other than local millionaire Filthy Rich that his family, also untouched by the recent events, was accused of the same thing.) Before all… this.
She knew something was wrong right away when she stopped seeing Rainbow Dash flying in the sky. It was as if one of her closest friends had just fallen off the map. Applejack attempted to write letters (Spelling was never her forte; she often had to have her brother Big Macintosh double-check any letters she wrote), but never got a reply. When she asked Ditzy Doo the mail-mare why Rainbow Dash wasn’t responding, Ditzy replied that Rainbow Dash’s mailbox was already stuffed with letters and packages that were several days old. They both got the distinct feeling that something was wrong. So they got Cloudsdale authorities involved.
The detective involved with this case was named Hard Boiled. (Apple Bloom loved the way he introduced himself: Name’s Boiled, Hard Boiled. I carry a badge. She would later often repeat this line at Applejack’s irritation and frequent demands for her to stop.) He was a tough-looking Pegasus with green eyes, a black coat and a short black mane he kept underneath a grey fedora. She couldn’t quite tell what his cutie mark was, since he was wearing a grey trench coat as well. He spoke fast, but with a gruff monotone that made Applejack think of those detective programs Granny Smith enjoyed listening to over the radio.
When Applejack was told that, upon entering Rainbow Dash’s house, there were signs of a struggle, she stifled an “I knew it” that tried to escape her lips. She knew her friend was way too wiry and alert to have let herself be taken off-guard, even if she were asleep.
He asked her and her brother some questions. Where did you last see Miss Dash, Do you know anyone who might have had something against her, and so on. Applejack and Big Macintosh gave as honest an answer as was possible (Not hard for Applejack, the “Element of Honesty” to her friends), but she was unsure if their information was of any use.
As Hard Boiled and his team began their investigations, more ponies began to disappear left and right. The Mayor issued out a curfew of no later than 7 PM, and advised all ponies to keep their doors locked tight, and that all foals MUST be supervised at all times.
Applejack had noticed her other friends had gone missing—a few of them even before the Mass Abduction. She hadn’t heard from Rarity in a while, so she decided to pay a visit, only for the Carousel Boutique to be closed. She had tried to get in touch with Pinkie Pie, only for the Cakes to tell her that they reported her missing a few days ago. Wanted to borrow a book for her lazy afternoons, but there was no one attending the library—and from the looks of things, it had been left a while ago. Despite all the times books were knocked off the shelves, Applejack had never seen the place less than squeaky-clean. The day she arrived at the library, she noticed a layer of dust on the floor.
Applejack began to have a horrible feeling about all this. It was almost as if ponies were being picked off one by one…
She tried to pay Fluttershy a visit, only to be met by Fluttershy’s cottage boarded up. After a knock, Fluttershy politely told her to go away, that nopony was home. After some arguing, Applejack managed to coax Fluttershy into at least acknowledging she was home. However, she wasn’t about to let Applejack in—something terrible was going on outside, and she wanted no part in it. They argued a bit more (that they needed to stay together, but what if it can’t get into locked houses, etc.), but in the end, Applejack gave up in frustration and went home.
The next day she came back to try again to convince Fluttershy to stay with her. Her front door was open.
The house was empty.
*****
One day in the middle of this mess, but a few days before the Mass Abduction, Applejack found Ditzy the mail-mare running about in a frightened panic. Her usually loopy-looking eyes were now focused, pupils shrunk to the size of pin-pricks, her usually grey coat now a paler color.
She was shouting for her daughter, Dinky. She demanded she come back right this instant! This is NOT a funny joke to play on Mama, young lady! Applejack attempted to calm her down, but was surprised when Ditzy suddenly shoved her away and collapsed. I-I only had my back turned for a second, she said between sobs, it was just a second. She didn’t even scream, she didn’t make a noise, I turned around and—and she was just gone.
Gone. Just a second. Back turned just a second. Didn’t scream or make noises. Just gone. Applejack never felt so terrified as she did then, seeing somepony as happy-go-lucky as Ditzy be victimized in such a horrible way, reduced to fear-induced shock.
As other ponies gathered to try comforting Ditzy and offer her help in searching for her filly, Applejack raced back home. She checked every floor of her house until she finally found Apple Bloom, coloring a picture she drew with Granny Smith as her audience.
After telling them what happened in town that day, Applejack and Big Macintosh set to work boarding up the windows and setting traps in their orchard. Granny Smith had brought out her husband’s shotgun and found the bullets for it. For the entirety of the next week, the apples on the branches of Sweet Apple Acres began to rot as the Apple family holed themselves up in their house, stocked on supplies as if a great cataclysm were about to befall them.
How right they were. Sweet Celestia’s mane, how right they were.
All of a sudden, in the time span of just one night, the Mass Abduction occurred: several homes seemingly abandoned—many without so much as a sign of entry. It was as if they had all just vanished into thin air in their sleep. The most disturbing aspect of this was that this Mass Abduction reduced the entire population of Ponyville by nearly one half.
And after it had happened, things somehow got even worse. It was as if the spirit of hospitality that Ponyville was closely associated with had been abducted too. The remaining ponies did either one of two things.
The first half decided to just pack their things and leave. Probably the smartest thing to do, considering. They had family elsewhere, they had second homes, they had other places they could be, so this was their best option.
The second half was not as fortunate. They either had no family in other towns, had too much stake in this town, or they were just too scared to think straight.
The remaining ponies who did not leave or were abducted began to revolt against local authorities. Applejack couldn’t blame them: all this time they spent investigating, they came up with nothing. There was no reason for any of this to be happening. The fact that it happened pluck out of nowhere was what scared Applejack the most.
They had learned all this by listening to Granny Smith’s radio. As the days rolled by, they learned that things got worse, and worse, and worse. Finally, after a week or so, they heard one final broadcast.
The news anchor was in the middle of the breaking news that investigators still had no idea how the mass abduction occurred, with no leads, clues, or evidence left behind by whoever was responsible. As he was finishing his sentence, a smash was heard. At first, Applejack (who was upstairs at the time) thought someone had broken through one of their windows and immediately grabbed Granny’s shotgun—only to remember that all their windows were boarded shut.
The sound had come from the radio.
The anchor suddenly broke from his report and began to scream. Granny Smith held tighter onto Apple Bloom as the little filly’s eyes began to shimmer with tears of fright. Then—BANG!—and a thud. Turn it off, Apple Bloom pleaded. As Big Macintosh went to turn off the radio, they heard a familiar voice come over the speaker.
It was Ditzy’s.
Dinky, she said, Mama knows you’re out there! Mama’s gonna find you! You’re gonna be OK! The sound of choking and sobs. You’re gonna be OK!! Suddenly, she broke down into unintelligible moaning as sounds of more crashing occurred. Then sounds of a struggle. WHERE’S MY BABY?! A gun firing.
Then static.
As he switched off the radio, Big Macintosh was visibly shaken. His large frame shivered as he felt cold sweat on his brow. He looked at Applejack as she came back downstairs. She had heard everything.
They embraced, brother and sister, holding each other for much-needed comfort. They reached over and pulled Apple Bloom, now crying hysterically, and their grandmother toward them. And as a family, they stood together, afraid for their lives more now than they had ever been.
*****
Almost another week passed after that incident.
When they tried listening to the radio, all they got was haunting white noise. Over the next few mornings, Applejack tried using the telephone to call every pony residence in Ponyville. Any long-distance calls she made simply refused to go through. Predictably, there was no answer from any of the local numbers.
All but one.
Filthy Rich answered his phone himself, which was unusual, but given the circumstances it was likely that many (if not all) of his servants were missing or were killed in the middle of this insanity. It turned out he had the exact same idea the Apples did: hole themselves up until they thought of something else.
But as they spoke, they both reached the inevitable, horrible conclusion.
Ponyville, the very town in which they raised their livelihood and spent most of their lives, was finally beyond saving. There was nothing left to do now but leave.
To escape.
Applejack told Filthy Rich to gather only the important things and get ready. Neither of them decided which town they should settle in, until Applejack suggested going to Canterlot, since she knew the Princess. They could figure out what else they wanted to do after they got there.
Before they hung up, Applejack asked Filthy Rich how his daughter Diamond Tiara was handling herself. After she had asked, she immediately regretted it. She expected him to tell her the worst: she was kidnapped, she was killed, she was… fine, he said. She was just fine, considering all her schoolmates were gone. Applejack told him Apple Bloom was still here, which delighted him.
Applejack broke the news to the rest of the Apples. Apple Bloom was all for the escape, since Ponyville was no longer safe. Granny Smith attempted to veto the idea: all her memories were here, all their livelihood, too. Big Macintosh reminded her that their livelihood went up in smoke the moment Ponyville did. Reluctantly, she agreed, and they all packed their most important belongings.
Before leaving their house, Granny Smith gathered the family around. She offered them all a prayer. To Celestia, she prayed for their safety and health, and for their friend Filthy Rich and his daughter and remaining servants, whom they chanced to meet in these darkest times. As they finished their prayer, they engaged in one more group hug, tears in their eyes. Afterward, Applejack and Big Macintosh undid the boards in front of the door, opened it, and they all left.
Before they left the porch, Big Macintosh turned around, looked inside the house, taking in everything he was leaving behind. He nodded sadly, closed the door, and never looked back.
*****
The day outside was insultingly sunny, as if the rest of the world hadn’t cared about what happened in Ponyville. For all Applejack knew, they probably didn’t. Celestia hadn’t even shown up, and her prized pupil had lived here.
The apples hung lower on the branches of their orchard. Applejack bucked one tree that had the best-looking ones. They all gathered the fallen apples and put them in their sacks for eating on the trip. Big Macintosh lifted Apple Bloom up and she rode on his back—easily the smart thing to do, Applejack felt. Good old Big Mac, always knew what to do.
Sweet Apple Acres was in horrible shape, and not just from neglect. Several of the traps Applejack and Big Macintosh had set had been set off, the bear-traps stained red at the teeth (apparently, their victims had escaped) and the trick-ropes hanging from the trees cut (these seemed no better at keeping victims). Many of the trees had been stripped bare of apples by thieves.
They were careful to avoid the remaining traps they had set earlier. However, they ended up seeing the end result of one of them. A blue Earth pony stallion had been caught in a trick-rope, and hung by his leg from the top of a tree. His glassy eyes stared at the center of Applejack’s head. She looked to Apple Bloom, don’t look, Apple Bloom! she had said. Don’t look!
There was a knife on the ground near him. It was evident that he was a rioter who had come to break into their home, as Applejack suspected some ponies would. He probably decided to hang out in the orchard (plenty of food after all), and wound up getting snared in their trap. How long had he been there? Probably near the start of the Apples’ holing-up, if he had died of starvation. For a morbid second, Applejack thought he gave up on living, and simply allowed himself to starve than face this horrible reality.
And she had helped him. She tipped her hat low, paying him one last respect before they moved on.
Through the town they went, weaving between the empty, lonely buildings, not saying a word. Many of the windows were broken, trash littered the allies. No sound was made but the rustling of leaves. There was an awful feeling in Applejack’s gut throughout that time. She had the distinct feeling they were being watched, followed. No matter where her eyes darted, she couldn’t detect anything.
The sun still shined above, as if laughing at them. The grass, still green, crunched beneath their hooves. Applejack wondered if Cloudsdale hadn’t been hit with this.
It was the closest town, after all. And some of the kidnapped were pegasi—heck, Rainbow Dash had been abducted in her own home, which she built out of clouds! Applejack looked back at her family and slowed her step so that she was among them as opposed to leading them. The thought that nopony was safe from this phantom-like kidnapper, whether they were magic users, or lived in clouds… Applejack shivered.
As they neared the town square, they heard hoofsteps beside their own. Granny Smith warned them to be on their guard—there was no longer any way to know if anypony was trustworthy. At the water fountain in the middle of town square, they spotted a few ponies. Strangely, they just lumbered about, mumbling, looking at the ground.
Applejack was disturbed by the image of a mare, face-down in the water fountain, unmoving. All the other ponies nearby (All four of them) walked by as if this dead pony was not even there.
Apple Bloom tried to get the attention of one, only for Granny to shush her. However, she did get the attention of one pony—Caramel, a young Earth pony stallion Applejack knew since they were foals. As he lifted his head, Applejack was horrified. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in weeks.
Caramel? she had asked. Wha’s happen’d to ya? Gitcherself together, sugarcube! We’re tryin’ t’ leave, why don’cha come with us?
What for? he asked. His voice held a miserable quiver. Everypony’s gone. Can’t leave.
Applejack asked him what he meant by “can’t leave”, but he began to cry. Afterward, he fell to his knees, proclaiming that there was nothing left, and that they were wasting their time. In time, he sobbed, you’ll be gone, too, Applejack. You, me, everypony. A demented grin suddenly possessed his face, a horrible image that Applejack could never rid her mind of as long as she lived. You’re not safe. You’re not safe out here. Not safe in your own house. Not safe in your own bed. There’s no way to escape. It’ll get you, like it got everypony else!
The Apple family left him behind as they continued their journey. It’ll get you! he shouted after them. MAY THE RATS EAT YOUR EYES!! The Darkness comes… Applejack heard Caramel fall to his knees, his voice becoming a gurgle. It comes…
The sheer emptiness of the town was grating on Applejack’s courage. She looked at Big Mac’s face and saw fear, too. She slowed down her pace and walked closer to Big Macintosh, whispering to him to not be afraid. Granny Smith joined her yung’uns, surprisingly moving the swiftest she had in years.
By the time they reached Filthy Rich’s mansion, it was mid-afternoon. The sun was starting to dip in the sky, and the clouds overhead were beginning to pile up. The mansion stood like a fortress, in defiance of the recent horrors, the trees and walls around it making it look even stronger. Applejack could see why Filthy had decided to stay in his mansion.
She knocked on the large double-door. After a few seconds of waiting, she heard someone ask, Who is it?
’S Applejack, an’ the res’ o’ the Apple fam’ly.
With that, they heard a series of clicks. Applejack wondered how many locks were on the door. It opened, and they were greeted by an earth pony with a white coat and blue, curly mane. He had a small, triangular sandwich on a plate for his cutie mark. He greeted them each politely—even referring to them by name!—and led them inside. He closed the door and redid the locks. Applejack was right: there must have been at least twenty of them.
The door-pony led them through the mansion, which must have been beautiful before all this happened. However, it was apparent that it hadn’t been cleaned in some time (Although Applejack was certain the remaining servants were doing the best they could to keep up with the maintenance), and the windows, like her house’s, had been boarded up.
At last, they met Filthy Rich in his mansion’s library. He had Diamond Tiara with him, as he likely always did these days. Apple Bloom jumped down from Big Macintosh’s back and trotted over to Diamond Tiara. Applejack remembered they weren’t exactly the best of friends, but because of recent events, it seemed it was time to put their past behind them. They nuzzled, the hatchet buried.
They had brought some of their own food, but Filthy Rich had had his cook prepare one more meal before they left Ponyville for good. As the cook, a purple unicorn stallion with a chef hat for a cutie mark, brought it in, Filthy Rich insisted they eat. They ate the dinner right there in the library: potatoes both mashed and baked, cranberry jam, sliced red onions and cabbage with vinaigrette dressings, and of course, apples. All in all, a hearty dinner.
As they ate, they discussed their plan. Applejack still had it in her mind that the Princess would help them if she knew what was going on. Filthy Rich pointed out that Ponyville’s situation was all over the news. There was no way she didn’t know; she just wasn’t doing anything about it. Applejack, instead of arguing, changed her mind: when they got to Canterlot, she would have to ask Celestia why she was doing nothing.
They finished up their meal and got their things together. The only two servants left—the cook and the doorpony—already had their things packed. Diamond Tiara had had a tough time earlier deciding which things she wanted to bring, but ultimately settled on leaving behind all her dolls, save one. She didn’t explain why that one in particular, but hearing her gush about how much she loved it did leave Apple Bloom curious.
It was already evening, so Filthy Rich asked for the Apples to stay the night and they would set out in the morning. Applejack agreed, since most of the kidnappings had occurred during the night. He had his doorpony show them their guest room. They set their saddlebags down at the foot of their beds. Apple Bloom was already sleepy.
Applejack was so scared for Apple Bloom. All her friends had disappeared, except for one who really wasn’t much of a friend before; this whole situation must be terrifying for her. But as little Apple Bloom jumped up onto her guest bed, curled up, and fell right to sleep, Applejack admired her younger sister. Keeping it together, what a kid.
Applejack ran her hoof through Apple Bloom’s bangs, tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips. She kissed her sister on the forehead, wishing her good dreams, even in the midst of all this madness. Applejack was going to go talk to Filthy Rich, and Big Macintosh agreed to stay put and keep an eye on both the youngest and oldest members of the clan.
Downstairs, Applejack found Filthy Rich playing his piano in the ballroom. The music he played was beautiful, but hideously lonely; it was like walking the entirety of the moon. You could walk forever on that beautiful, mysterious, and amazing sight, but you look up and see Equestria, and you realize what it is you’re really missing.
Filthy took her to his bar, also located in the ballroom. There, he prepared some drinks, a cider for her and a brandy for himself. They shot the breeze a while, trying to relax and find a sense of normalcy in spite of what was going on in the world outside. After some conversation, they heard a thump from the second floor, then a scream.
They both shot for the quickest way to the second floor, and followed the noise to Diamond Tiara’s room, where the cook was standing, a knife floating before him in his telekinetic grip. He screamed into the room at something—Get away from her, you BITCH!!— then ran in. Applejack attempted to follow him but the door slammed shut as if by a magical force.
Applejack turned around and bucked at the door. It was a solid door, and did not move for the first couple of kicks. Finally, it gave way and Filthy Rich ran in, yelling at whatever was in the room to leave her alone, to leave his daughter alone!
But as Applejack walked in, she saw, in dismay, that the room was empty, save for Filthy Rich and herself. Filthy began looking under the bed, inside the dresser, anywhere for his baby, increasingly panicked, begging—pleading with whatever godly force existed anymore to give him some sort of sign...
But there was no trace. Both Diamond Tiara and her would-be rescuer were gone.
Applejack ran back to her guest room, which was down the hall. Apple Bloom was up and alert, terrified by the sounds she heard. Big Macintosh looked like he was ready to attack anything that came into the room—and he almost did before he recognized it was his sister.
She told them what happened. They all walked into Diamond Tiara’s room and saw, with horror, Filthy Rich lying across his daughter’s bed. His back and shoulders shook as he wept. I’m sorry, he managed to say, I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.
Daddy’s sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.
*****
The next day, no one really felt like doing much. They still knew it wasn’t safe, even in a locked-down mansion. But to Filthy Rich, what was the point anymore? They took his baby, whatever they were. And Celestia only knew what they would do with her. His eyes were bloated and red from weeping almost nonstop since Diamond Tiara’s disappearance the night before. His door-pony tried to console his master, but nothing seemed to work.
Applejack felt for Filthy Rich, as she knew how she would have felt if it had been Apple Bloom. She felt bad for the door-pony too, since all of his co-workers were gone, his master’s daughter was taken only last night, and he was just as scared as any of them.
It took several long hours to convince Filthy Rich to come with them, but somehow they managed. He picked himself up off Diamond Tiara’s bed and straightened himself back up. The door-pony, faithful to the end, set up Filthy’s saddle bags. His eyes fell on the saddlebags the cook and Diamond Tiara were going to wear, and suddenly, he stopped. Filthy Rich looked behind himself and saw his door-pony weeping uncontrollably like a lost child.
Applejack nuzzled the door-pony, telling him to be brave. He mumbled something about how the cook and he had only recently earned enough money to go back home; that they were brothers who ran away as foals, and he was so, so, so, so, so very sorry for running away from his parents, that this wouldn’t have happened to his brother if they’d just been good. Applejack didn’t know exactly why the door-pony was dumping all this information on her right now, but if pouring his heart out helped calm him down, she just sat there and listened.
After everypony had collected their wits and their courage, they left the mansion behind them and departed for Ponyville’s town limits. As they left, Applejack looked to her little sister, and noticed she had Diamond Tiara’s doll stuffed away in her saddlebag. In all this terror, Applejack had not noticed how Apple Bloom had handled Diamond Tiara’s kidnapping. And they had only just become friends, too.
A cloud of grief and sadness followed the group as they journeyed to the edge of the town. Applejack got that feeling that the cloud wasn’t the only one following them. Once again, her eyes began to dart about. She noticed both Big Mac and the door-pony doing it, too. There was something out there, they knew.
As they continued, they came across several ponies lying in the road. A few of them weren’t breathing. Applejack saw the look of horror on Apple Bloom’s face. She was now holding onto Diamond Tiara’s doll, squeezing it for comfort. The door-pony attempted to speak to some of the ponies who still were breathing, only for them to give him an “I don’t care anymore” speech. Applejack told him not to waste his time. If they wanted to die on the roadside like roadkill, let ‘em.
It was a harsh assessment, but given the circumstances, it wasn’t as if they had enough time to inspire ponies to follow them. It took them long enough to get Filthy Rich to come back around, but they couldn’t expend anymore time on anypony else at the moment.
By the time they reached the edge of town, it was the middle of the afternoon. The weather today was worse than before, the clouds now wholly blocking out the sun. It looked like it was about to rain, which Applejack wouldn’t have minded, really. A little cleansing rain would certainly help raise her spirits.
They saw in the distance, another pony coming toward them. Applejack recognized her—Bon-Bon, an Earth pony whose candy-like mane was now in a mess and her eyes in a depressing shape. Applejack had wanted to stop and say hi, but she knew that Bon-Bon probably wouldn’t hear it.
That was when Bon-Bon’s face perked up a bit upon seeing them. She ran toward them, almost elated by their presence. She slowed and stopped a bit before meeting them. Applejack, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, Filthy Rich… Bon-Bon looked at the door-pony, tapping the ground with her hoof as if trying to remember his name. Faithful, he told her. She smirked. Her attitude was still there at least.
You guys! she said, you can’t get past there. I know, I’ve tried.
Applejack’s stomach nearly fell out of her when Bon-Bon told them how she tried to escape the town with her friend Lyra in tow. How their escape met with failure when, upon fleeing the town… they ended up back in the middle of Ponyville.
Bon-Bon couldn’t explain it herself, and didn’t try. She was not well-versed in magic, and neither was Lyra (despite that Lyra was a unicorn), but she was certain that it was some kind of spell. That was when Apple Bloom asked her where Lyra was. For a moment, Bon-Bon fell silent and her mouth wavered. Applejack told Bon-Bon it was going to be OK, that they’d find a way out… but before she could finish that sentence, Bon-Bon tackled her.
Calling her names, biting her, thumping her face with her front hooves. Big Macintosh picked up Bon-Bon by her tail, and threw her off. Granny Smith helped her granddaughter to her feet as Filthy Rich demanded Bon-Bon to explain herself. Angrily, Bon-Bon stood right back up and bellowed, You IDIOTS! Haven’t you FIGURED IT OUT?! We CAN’T! ESCAPE!!! Anypony who’s tried ended up right back where they started! Those ponies who tried moving away some weeks ago? Those ponies on the side of the road on the way here? Same thing happened to them! Why do you think Celestia hasn’t sent us any help?!
Applejack connected the dots. We’re cut off fr’m th’ rest of th’ world.
For a while, they all stood there, dumbfounded and defeated by their own bad luck.
*****
Night had fallen. They had all gathered in Twilight’s library, now covered with dust from months of neglect. They were all camping out on the library’s lobby floor, all in the same room to ensure safety. Bon-Bon had joined them, since there’s strength in numbers after all. She wasn’t certain what abilities she could add to their little team of misfits, but it was better than being alone.
Faithful was telling Apple Bloom stories his Grand-Mum told him when he was a foal to keep her occupied. Filthy Rich listened in, as he knew Faithful’s Grand-Mum was an excellent storyteller. Big Mac readied some bedding (which really was just some sheets Twilight Sparkle had stored away), with Bon-Bon finding some candles to light the entire room. Granny Smith found herself a comfortable sitting spot on the rug, and soon fell asleep.
Applejack felt so sorry for forcing her grandmother through all this. She knew her Granny Smith was a tough old bird, but being constantly moved about for hours on end was probably murdering her old joints. Big Macintosh laid a sheet over their grandmother, tucking her in. Applejack gave her a loving nuzzle. Granny smiled in her sleep.
As everyone else slept, Applejack was reading one of Twilight’s books on spells by candlelight. It was the first volume (of many), and a large book at that; and every page was covered in teeny-tiny print that forced her to constantly squint. This encyclopedia had a lot to say on different spells of many natures. One section that caught her interest was mind-control spells.
They were difficult spells to pull off, first of all. Many unicorns well-versed and talented in other forms of magic weren’t able to master this in its entirety—and the ones that were used it sparingly, as mind-control was only temporary and required constant renewal. Which of course, cost more of a unicorn’s magic. (Applejack remembered Twilight Sparkle mentioning that using too much magic in one day tires a unicorn out as if they had run laps around the entire country.) The study of mind-control was put underneath a moral microscope eventually, with Celestia ruling the entire thing unethical—and illegalizing its use and any further study soon after the birth of the country of Equestria. Her ruling declared that those who practiced it could receive a life sentence in a best-case scenario, and capital punishment if the offense was grave enough.
Was grave enough. Three words only vaguely describing a situation that Applejack felt uncomfortable thinking about. What would the controller have his victims do? Anything he wanted.
Her eyes fell on the illustration on the page, of an evil-looking unicorn sorcerer commanding a large earth pony stallion to beat his sister to death. Under it was written Nevermore the Perverse, leading practitioner of mind-control magic, used his powers to assassinate members of royal families as well as take advantage of its female members, amongst other atrocities. He was hanged in the year 1223, for his hundred-plus crimes against ponykind. The actual body count was never revealed to the public. Applejack’s bottom lip quivered as she looked more closely at the earth ponies.
The victim getting beaten to death looked a lot like Applejack.
Suddenly, she heard rustling. Applejack snapped the book shut, turned around and saw that Bon-Bon had stood straight up. What’s wrong? Applejack had asked. I think I just figured something out, Bon-Bon told her.
Celestia would still have come even if there was no news coming from Ponyville, simply for that one reason alone. Having received no letters from her student, and with there being no news developments in Ponyville would also raise suspicion… unless somepony was already broadcasting fake news developments and sending Celestia fake letters.
Applejack asked her how she thought Celestia would be dumb enough to fall for such a thing. Bon-Bon began to pace about the well-lit room. I don’t know, she admitted, Maybe whoever’s responsible is just a very convincing liar. It was a strong possibility, Applejack could not deny.
Or maybe there’s more than one liar at work, Bon-Bon finished. Which also seemed reasonable: if these spells were as powerful as was described in Twilight’s book, it would be too much magic for one unicorn to expend. So the suspects would have to either be unicorns-the-plural or some group of magic-using monsters they aren’t… aware… of…
… ohhhhh, holy horse apples.
Applejack had seen it for just one second, but she was certain she’d seen it: a gnarled, bloated, pony-like figure, standing in front of the window, its visibly pale eyes looking in at them. It vanished just as Applejack had locked eyes on it. She asked if Bon-Bon had seen it, to which Bon-Bon replied, no.
Applejack quickly woke everyone up, telling them to be alert. Something had come in the middle of the night, she told them. They all stayed up longer, the candles relit. Big Macintosh stood guard by the door, while Filthy Rich and Faithful took rounds by the windows, keeping an eye out for anything moving outside. The mares all gathered in the middle of the room, Granny Smith with her husband’s shotgun readied.
They waited another hour, and after no sign of intrusion, they decided to get back to bed. They left the lights on, with Big Macintosh volunteering to keep watch just in case.
Nothing else had happened that night. Not anything Applejack was aware of.
Which made the next morning even more terrifying.
*****
By the next foggy morning, everypony was gone. Applejack had woken up in the middle of an empty library. After a frantic search throughout the entire building, she broke out of the front door screaming the names of her family members. She tried calling for Filthy Rich, for Bon-Bon, for Faithful.
But no one came. No one heard. Applejack looked around. There wasn’t even anypony in any direction at all—not even the dead bodies from before. The entire town had been swallowed by this nightmare, erased.
Applejack had finally had enough. She went down on her knees, right there in front of that library, accepting her failure to protect her family, her friends, her home, her town… After a few minutes, she lay over on her side, crumpling into a heap, her prized hat falling from her head. And in the cruel, cold minutes of that foggy morning, Applejack quietly, patiently waited for death.
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DELETED SCENES:
"Burn It Down!" -- A group of rioters attempt to set fire to Sweet Apple Acres because they think the Apple family is behind the kidnappings. Edited out because it caused the chapter to run on too long and does not advance the main plot.
"Forgive Me, For I Have Committed the Greatest Sin" -- Applejack attempts to take a restroom break, only to come across a mare who has hung herself from the ceiling with this phrase painted over her chest. Cut out for being too disturbing, and for not advancing the story in any way.