Sweet Apple Acres is going under. No longer able to support it, Applejack and Big Mac ask for their cousins help to run the farm, while they enlist in the Royal Equestrian Army. They had no other options, and must support Apple Bloom and Granny Smith somehow. This is their story while at boot camp.

This was written as a story for a secret santa exchange.

Some memories never fade.

For Rainbow Dash, there's too much truth in that statement. The war, the fall of Cloudsdale, and especially the death of her closest friend all remain as vibrant in her tired mind as if it were happening to her for the first time.

Meanwhile, another has taken a forbidden road to escape the darkness in her past, and in doing so, she may plunge Equestria into darkness once again.

With everything on a silent path to destruction, the only one able to stop it may be too conflicted with her own feelings to save her home, her friends, her country... herself. Will she even be able to reach the answers hidden in the shadows?

After all... some things are best left forgotten.

This is the sequel to "The Eversleep". It is not necessary to read that story first.

Cover art commissioned by DragonMew: http://dragonmew.deviantart.com/#/d55frrj

When the world turns upside down for the Kingdom of Equestria, is it impossible for it to recover? When final words are spoken, all of Equestria will be forced to take sides. A select few must shoulder the burden of restoring balance to the kingdom, doing whatever it takes to bring back the peace, risking the sacrifice of all they hold dear.