As I struggled to regain my hoofing I noticed there was a sharp pain in my left side. I looked and my wing was twisted and slightly bleeding. I tried to tuck it back into my side, but it only hurt more. I managed to get it in though.
"Guess I'm walking," I said to myself as I looked around my surroundings. "Looks like I'm in some kind of forest, great." I had no idea how I'd gotten there, all I knew was that something terrible had happened to Spike. I saw a billboard and noticed a pony smiling on there. I began to read it out loud. "Got some problems with you're psyche? Contact Dr. Hartcolt for help." Seeing the billboard brought back my snapping at Spike. I didn't like it, neither did I like the colts smug face.
I trotted for a little bit before I noticed an abandoned library, that was my best bet. I could get there and try to calm down, get some magic back and call the local guards for help. As I thought that I looked to the right, I noticed that the tree I smacked into was starting to fall over. It collapsed into the canyon and wasn't quiet on its way down.
"Dang, sorry Fluttershy." I said with a slight giggle.
I was trotting for about a minute or two before a big light flashed in my face. It looks like it came from out of nowhere. I began to run towards it as two small pages began to float to the ground. I looked at the pages trying to make them out. It was a journal containing all of my lessons on friendship. It was called 'Friendship is Magic By Twilight Sparkle" I didn't remember ever making this journal. The next page contained the lesson I learned from my friends fighting over the Grand Galloping Gala tickets.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings. But when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.
This was getting really weird, there were so many questions buzzing in my head. Why was this important? What does this have to do with anything? Where did these even come from? I began to walk some more as I noticed a tiny abandoned lumber mill. The lights were on and the place looked organized and tidy. Maybe I didn't need to go all the way to the library to concentrate. There was a slumped over log that made a dent in the fence blocking my way. I climbed over it and as soon I got in there, things got creepy. There was a visible black-like wind or mist surrounding area. I could hear the rustling of wood and logs in the distance, so I assumed somepony was here.
"Anypony there? Please, I've been in an accident!" I began to move in the direction of the noises and turned to the right of a pile of logs to find what looked like a orange stallion with a blackness around him talking to himself.
"Fail to arrive, you lose the deposit!"
"Hey! Hey, you!" I began to walk towards him, I didn't think he noticed me. "There's been an accident. I need help. I need... to..." but as I got closer, I noticed that there was another colt lying on the ground with what looked like an axe in his chest. The orange stallion began to speak again.
"Premium cabins for rent in Bright Foals!" he said as he pulled the axe violently out of the deceased stallion, moving the body a little in the process. I backed up a little and looked at the stallion in fear and confusion.
"Oh, hell." The stallion suddenly turned his head towards me, he probably heard me, but he just continued to talk about random gibberish.
"Caramel. Pleased to meet you. Non-refundable reservation deposit required. Fair and square." He then bolted off to the right at an alarming speed. I jumped back a little and gasped at that. " Fair and... square." I began to feel like I was in another dream as I began to walk to the building as Caramel started to taunt me some more. "Caramel. Pleased to meet you. Premium cabins. Fair and square." I noticed another manuscript and began to read it but was cut off by caramel jumping from one stack of logs to another above me. I thought it was best to keep moving, so I picked up the manuscript and began to head to the building. "In Bright Foals area. You fail to arrive." I looked to my right to see Caramel standing on a pile of logs with a smirk on his face. "You LOOOOOSE the deposit!" He jumped off the pile and began to run at me with his axe. "It's the latest thing," I immediately turned around and bolted for the building. I jumped up the stairs and slammed the door behind me. "in Bright Foals!" He slammed the axe on the door and I could see the blade come through the door.
I backed away from the door and pulled out the manuscript page and began reading.
Dear Princess Celestia,
My friend Applejack is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she's always there to help anypony. The only trouble is, when she needs help she finds it hard to accept it. So while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
"This was from when Applejack was trying to get all the apples from the apple season by herself. This was the second lesson I ever wrote. I still don't get the significance of-" I was suddenly knocked back on my flank as I heard a giant engine starting up. I got up and looked out the window to see a bulldozer driving by itself towards the building. I then noticed a gun and flashlight on the table next to me. I picked them up with my magic and began to check on them. They both seemed to work, but I heard the bulldozer get closer. I thought I was trapped, until I noticed the door to my right. "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid." I began to run towards the door and jumped out and landed on the ground as I turned in to see the bulldozer take the building down the cliff behind it. "Sweet Celestia, what is happening to everypony around here?" I got up and began to run away from the area, before I was ambushed by two more stallions carrying weapons towards me.
This was very similar to the dream I had. Dark shadow like figures trying to kill me. What did the dream teach me. Think, think.
(Flashback) "The darkness protects him from all harm. Only light can drive the darkness away and make him vulnerable again." (Present) Ok, here goes, I began to shine the flashlight at the stallions and I heard that exact same noise from the dream. Both stallions jumped back and a light erupted from them. I also shot the stallion in the dream, but that was it, just a dream, I couldn't murder another pony, even in self defense. I realized I had no other choice, so I aimed the pistol at them and fired a bullet at each one. I looked back and they were still there, so I fired another bullet, and another.
My head pounded with the concussion. I'd never fired a gun before, and now I'd just killed somepony, or something. There were no bodies though -- they'd just disappeared. If I was dreaming, it felt real enough to make me sick.
I shined my flashlight at a wall and suddenly, a yellow arrow appeared. I followed it and found a box with a big candle painted on the wall behind it. I trotted over, opened it and inside was a flare gun. I went back to find another fence with a log on it. I hopped over it and made my way to the gas station, when suddenly, another dark colt appeared from behind another machine and threw a small axe at me. I dodged it, but it still cut my face a little. I dealt with him and noticed another page to my left. It said:
Dearest Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that it's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice. Though it's impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it is possible to control your own behavior. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who's true will surely come to light.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
I still had a long way to go 'til I got to the library.
*31 Minutes later*
I happen to come across another part of the old lumber mill. I had dealt with many taken (that's what I'm calling them now) and I climbed over a gate. I was so close to the library, I could feel it. I also started to hear a disturbingly familiar voice. Caramel was back and he was taunting me again. I saw him climbing onto another pile of logs and he was joined by three more taken. The three jumped down to come after me, but I pulled out my flare gun and aimed it at the middle of them. It exploded and took all of the taken with it. Caramel then climbed off and started bolting at me. I shinned the light at him and he covered his face, not looking were he's going and slamming into a pile of chopped wood. I continued to shine the light at him and he erupted into the light. He began running at me and swung the axe towards my neck. I jumped to the side and began firing at him like crazy. I emptied a full clip and he still wasn't down. He pulled the axe out and hit me in the side of the face. I lost control of my balance and fell over. He jumped on me and plunged the axe into the ground (guess he thought he would hit me). I grabbed the pistol, put in a bullet and put the gun in Caramel's mouth.
"Sorry" I said as I pulled the trigger and turned my head away, closing my eyes. He disappeared and I got up, and started running towards the library.
I finally made it, the whole place was covered in lights. I felt like a safe haven from Celestia. I then saw a picture of her with the words 'Annual Summer Sun Celebration In 7 Days.' It had been two weeks away when we arrived. If the day count on the banner was right, I was missing a whole week from between the night we got here and now. I turned to the left to see another journal page.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have learned a very valuable lesson about friendship: I was so afraid of being thought of as a showoff that I was hiding a part of who I am. My friends helped me realize that it's okay to be proud of your talents, and there are times when it's appropriate to show them off... Especially when you're standing up for your friends.
I turned around and entered the Library. Thankfully, there were working lights, but the place was trashed. Looks like there was some kind of fight here. Suddenly, a light erupted from a projector and started playing on a white board, what looked like... me. I was talking frantically and moving back and forth.
"I'll write. I'll keep writing. Outside there's only darkness, outside the cabin, outside the story, there's only darkness. I can feel his presence in the dark. I'll reach her, I'll fix it. I'll bring him back. The story will come true. If I stop, she's lost." The Projector turned off and started smoking up. I don't believe this. Was I losing my mind? I didn't worry about it though, as I picked up and started to calm down. After a few minutes, I finally called the guards office.
After about seven minutes of waiting, a carriage with two Pegasus pulled up and I saw an orange unicorn with an orange and red mane riding in it. She stepped off and I got out of the library ad I couldn't believe my eyes.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle, you need my help, I'm flattered."
"S-S-Sunset Shimmer?" my jaw dropped and I began to rub my head. "I thought you were still in the other world."
"Nice to see you too. I thought I'd visit Equestria again, to see how things are. My guess is, not good with you."
"I was in an accident and Spike's missing!"
"Calm down Princess." she said with a calm tone.
"We were staying at a cabin, on Coltron Lake."
"What are you talking about, there's no cabin there. At least not since the big eruption ten years ago." She said with a confused and amused look on her face.
"I can take you there, ok." she began to examine me.
"You look like you've gotten attacked." I began to slump to the ground. "Are you ok?"
"Listen -- "
"Well figure this out. Please get in the carriage. We'll swing by the lake, and then we'll go to the station. Okay?" she began to help me up as she looked at me. "Twilight, have you seen Caramel? The colt who owns this place?" I realized I couldn't tell her what had happened in the forest. She wouldn't have believed me, and then she wouldn't have helped me with Spike.
We finally arrived and I began to look at the lake. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I looked back at Sunset and she nodded her head and gave me an assuring look. I looked back to the location to confirm what I saw. The cabin was gone.