> Pony Horror Anthology Vol. II
>  by LoreLove
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Trapped
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days in and nights out, the Princess of the Sun always found herself yearning to connect more with her sister. Ever since she had Luna returned to her it had been a conflict of emotions whirling inside the white alicorn. While she wished things to be back to normal it was hard to just simply ignore things that had happened.

If she were to take her sister out to see sights that had been made in her absence where would they go first? If she desired to help the midnight princess learn of activities spawned while away which would be best approached? Even the idea of just having a peaceful evening seemed to nearly worry Celestia, though she knew it shouldn’t.

Her eyes gazed over the walls of her throne room. No, not just hers. Her sister’s as well. The inlaid stained glass telling of tales and adventures that seemed unbelievable decorated the room and only seemed to remind the princess of how much time had really passed.

“I’ll think of something, my sister,” Celestia whispered to herself as her violet eyes studied the craftsmanship of the windows she passed.

While it had been over a year it still weighed heavy on her heart that she hadn’t managed to fully connect as a true big sister for her sibling. They should be able to let their manes down and not talk so formally to one another when the guards aren’t present. Perhaps Luna only wished to show she could be a proper princess after the incident eons ago.

The thought made Celestia smile some as she paused and let it linger. That would be like her, would it not? Luna wanting to show she had what it takes and to make up for lost time within the royal grace. If not for them, it would fall upon the unicorns to take up the movement of the sun and moon. Neither of them wished that upon their ponies.

The flowing aurora mane moved like it were a living being all its own. Celestia stood still as the colors flowed in soft waves along her mane, almost accentuating just how still she was. As much as she would deny it, the princess did lose herself in thoughts plenty. Not that she wanted to but it was hard to not let her mind wander in hopes of mending the bond siblings were supposed to have.

It was more than likely worry for naught as Luna would assure her that their love was strong and they stood united as princesses and sisters forever. It would certainly ease Celestia’s heart a bit hearing such a thing though she would still feel the need to do something. Anything.

Loud creaks echoed into the large room and broke the princess out of her thoughts. Her head turned to source of the noise to see one of the guards checking in. Had an hour really gone by so fast? Sure, it was their duty to see to it the princesses were safe but sometimes she wished to have a little peace.

A kindly smile and a nod from her made the guard return the gesture as he ducked back into the adjoining room once more. The door eased shut with a loud clack and she was left alone once again. Luna would be getting up soon enough to start the evening with her. After that, it would fall onto the blue alicorn to work through the night as usual.

Celestia’s eyes lowered as she sighed softly. Maybe she should take over for a few nights. It would give her sister time to enjoy life outside of the castle more. She could even stay up and have them tell stories or pick out something to read to each other. The idea gave her spirits a lift as she smiled and eased the glowing orb in the sky closer to the horizon.

While it might not be much it could show she cared for her sister’s well-being still. One step at a time. Her mind ran through several other ideas as she turned and began to head towards the adjoining room. Using an effortless spell, she pulled the doors open and stepped through.

The guards looked to her out of the corners of their eyes but stood still. They could do with some rest as well, she noticed. Their stature was strong but the light bags under their eyes told another story. She was almost hoping she would catch them napping to know they were getting rest.

“Your Highness,” one of the guards uttered and attempted to salute.

“That’s not needed,” Celestia said softly and flashed a smile. “Just be sure to take care of my sister.”

“Of course!” they mentioned, nodding quickly.

Perhaps she scared them into thinking they weren’t doing their job properly with how alert they suddenly looked. She didn’t mean to add any stress, should there be. Still, she loved her sister and wanted to have her happy and protected.

Her hooves carried her tall frame along the line of carpet laid out down the room. She was feeling a tad more tired than usual though all the worry might have something to do with it. Things would be better in the morning after a good rest, she was sure. Maybe all her overthinking would be clearer after a nice sleep.

Taking her time, Celestia strode along the room and slowly made her way into a nearby hall. The dimly lit area would only get darker as she lowered the sun. A small spark of magic set the candles and lanterns alight with ease. Seeing the flow of light fill the hall was oddly comforting to her.

It was getting late and only going to get later. The time of evening was drawing closer to night yet the alicorn could hardly keep her thoughts contained enough to rest well. A stroll through the castle would be a good idea to simply tire herself out as her mind ran through all sorts of questions, ideas and much more. The stress of worrying over her sister was bound to add onto it all as well.

Celestia sighed and began her leisure walk down the hall as she gave the occasional glance into various rooms. Some doors weren’t closed while other doorways were simply open to freely move through. Archives, guests rooms, various others that she still didn’t know what to do with. Years of living in a castle and she rarely used half of it herself.

She still remembered the day Luna came back to her. How excited the midnight blue alicorn was to explore the new castle. There had been more than enough times where Celestia had begun to worry when her sister failed to appear when searching. It was all just a fun game to Luna though. Hide and seek was something she excelled at rather well and it would be a lie for Celestia to deny enjoying it with her.

While not the most proper of things to do it was something that brought them closer together during their reunion. Mending the fractured bond was something they had both needed and neither wanted to argue over silly games to be played. Still, it did feel as though there could be more to be done.

Celestia’s head lowered momentarily as she began to drag her hooves. Maybe Luna really was okay. Perhaps all the worrying wasn’t for lack of bonding but for just needing to feel as if she was still the big sister Luna looked up to. The Princess of the Moon had taken on plenty lately and it did seem to get the eldest of the two uneasy.

The flowing mane of soft colors moved with her as she shook her head. Being overprotective is what she was doing. Her sister knew how to handle things. Besides, she shouldn’t always be hovering over her sister’s shoulder but just be there when needed.

There was deep inhale before she let her breath out slowly. She was working herself up for no reason. Slowly, her hooves began to move along at a steady pace once more while she lifted her head and calmed herself. She was just overworked. That was it.

A nod of self-assurance and Celestia moved along as her eyes closed and she practiced a breathing exercise Cadance had told her. Some rest would have her thinking straight again as well as able to take care of whatever might arise in Equestria. It wasn’t as if she was a princess for nothing.

Passing by another mostly empty room seemed to almost draw her attention. The tall pony slowed her steps before continuing on and giving her head a light shake. She was definitely tired even if her mind was going all over the place.

The sound of the flames in the hall seemed almost melodic and hypnotizing. It was faint but so clear at the same time. If her hooves didn’t echo out each step onto the hard floor she could see herself walking circles until she passed out. What an odd sensation.

With the passing minutes, her horn lit up and she did her best to adjust the sun lower and lower. Though something did seem a bit off. Her attempts to bring the evening closer into the night felt as if it weren’t working at all. Again, she could only blame her tired self for thinking such a ludicrous thing.

A quick peer out one of the windows to her side showed everything as still as ever. The orange glow spreading across the land with serene noises of wildlife in the distance deemed quick assurance on things being right. It was peaceful. Celestia felt her brow knit together.

Something still felt out of place. She couldn’t put a hoof on it but there was clearly something lightly picking at the back of her mind. Another look outside and carefully studying the scene wound up with nothing out of the ordinary. Why was she letting her thoughts and odd feelings get to her out of nowhere?

It was beginning to annoy her more than make her worry. Perhaps things only appeared different in her head due to the stress. Her violet eyes stared out a moment longer before she turned away and continued her walk. Heading back to her bedchamber sounded ideal and possibly the best course of action with how she was feeling.

She was nearly ready to turn around and tread back until a light noise caught her attention. Up ahead something had fallen in another room. Either a guard got clumsy or Luna bumped into something. The thought of seeing her sister before bed picked up the alicorn’s spirits immediately. Her wings gave a light fluff before she happily trotted her way towards the source of the noise.

Somehow, it felt as if she had walked further than the small distance she made. The room ahead was her best guess at the noise and so she peered in. The white pony’s small hope of greeting her sibling were quickly quelled upon seeing not a soul in sight.

The room itself looked as if it were nothing more than a basic reading room. Smaller than most and devoid of almost any actual reading material sans the few shelves and oddly out of place book on the floor. It looked almost neatly settled and awaiting her as no other pony were near.

What had caused a book to land in the middle of the floor? The table nearest the object could have been hit but that would have had to be a strong bump into the furniture to slide a book off. The shelves were missing more than several as it were but across the room. Did a unicorn try to levitate it without knowing?

Celestia looked down the hall from one end to the other. She had seen nopony walk out of the room nor any leaving the area. It was strange but maybe just a simple one time mishap. Levitation spells could be finicky though most ponies needed to be within eyesight of the object.

A hoof stepped into the room before she froze and let her eyes scan the area again. It didn’t feel right. Something was telling the back of her mind to just turn around and leave. She couldn’t do that. A princess didn’t run from mild uncomfortable moments, did they?

Another step in and she eventually forced herself to walk all the way up to the book within the room. Her horn lit and the cover flipped open while pages fluttered by. It was a normal book with no indication of anything being wrong with it. Closing it once more and looking to the title made her smile through the uneasy feeling.

It was a tale Luna loved to read. One story she had insisted on having read to her as well. Celestia stared at the cover in reminiscence before floating it up and gently setting it upon a shelf. Maybe Luna had left it on purpose. Just a reminder of some happier times. If she wished it to be read to her once more then Celestia would be the first there to relive a pleasant moment of the past.

Even though she hadn’t seen her sister she did feel better. The room itself gave an awkward vibe but she merely brushed it aside as her thoughts were in a much better place than before. Regardless, the silent picking in her mind did not subside. Being so cautious to enter, she left the room far easier and her head held high.

Looking down the corridor with lit lanterns and candles yielded no other pony around in the quiet castle. Her legs moved and she started walking along her path once more, down the windowless hall and keeping Luna in her thoughts. Oh, how she wanted to tell her about finding the book and let them talk for hours of when they were fillies and more.

During her more elated walk, there was a faint sound that nearly lingered just long enough to be noticed. Any closer inspection would always yield the same answer of it being the almost exact mimic of each flame for the hall. How she could hear such a noise even so quietly was a thought that merely came and left.

While such flickers of flames might have somehow been picked up by alicorn ears, there was no problem with them in general and it was only barely distracting. Celestia could only look ahead with her muzzle up and a smile lightly decorating it. Luna would be so happy to know of the book being found, would she not?

It was until she had nearly progressed half of the hall before her steps slowed once more. Something else was bothering her again. That odd feeling that she couldn’t place. Did she forget something? Was there another thing in the room she didn’t quite pick up on a moment ago?

Instead of turning around to go check, her slow but steady walk continued. The more she went the more it felt that there truly was something amiss. The biggest problem was trying to pinpoint whatever it could be. The lights offered no answer as she gazed to a lantern nearby.

Upon reaching the door her hoof lightly pressed to it. While she could easily use her magic it all felt surreal to her. It was as if she weren’t someplace but all the same seemed to be. The feeling of the door moving was a bit easier on her and seemed to calm her nerves enough to step through and into the next room.

Odd. Did she enter where she left? Her poor mind must be so tired. Giving a soft laugh to ease herself, Celestia brushed aside any worries quickly. Even though she had been through the castle more than enough times she did still get a little confused when fatigue set in. At least she could just follow her way back out.

The moment she turned there was a much different noise than before. No thump of a book hitting a floor but more as if somepony had nudged some small furniture in a haste. Raising a brow, the princess headed in the direction of the slight disturbance.

She almost felt as if she were creeping up on some unsuspecting guard, though the idea did make her slightly giddy. The peer around the doorway and into the room only seemed to confuse her a little more. There was much that she expected but an empty room with no light was hardly one she thought of.

“Hello? Is somepony there?” Celestia asked while stepping fully into the doorway.

No answer.

“You aren’t in trouble. Just come out, please,” she urged, her eyes trying to focus on the darkest of areas.

There would have been more authority in her voice but she didn’t wish to make a possibly scared or lost pony feel threatened. Even so, no movement shuffled in the black corners and there were no other sounds than those she had known prior. No whimpers or panting. Not even the sound of a breath being exhaled save her own.

She was planning to speak up once more but the loud clap of the door shutting down the hall startled her. The alicorn gasped and took a few steps to the side with wide eyes before breathing a sigh of relief. A wing extended and hid her face as she ducked her head for a moment out of embarrassment.

“Just the door,” the mumbled, almost irritated with herself for being a little jumpy.

While she may be a princess she was also still just a pony. She had worries, thoughts, scares and more just as any other. Some never seemed to see that but it sometimes helped. Either way, she still was a little annoyed with how she had reacted.

A thought spawned. Her wing tucked back to her as she looked up at the door once again and then into the darkened room. Had the pony fled without her noticing? Teleportation spell maybe? There were more questions now than before.

It didn’t take her long before she turned to gallop down the hall and to the door that made her jump. Her shoulder pressed it open as she ran in and looked around though she waited not for a noise. Each room was quickly checked as she passed by. Most of them appeared dark to which she used a quick illumination spell on her horn just to be sure nopony was hiding.

The doors ahead were open completely and showed a hall curving around to end out of sight. Celestia hurried on and began to check through the curved corridor while calling out here and there. A few instances she could have sworn she heard something but it didn’t seem to resemble any voice.

It wasn’t until she neared the last few rooms of the hall that led into another that she had a thought. If Luna had left the book for her to see than perhaps she was also pulling this prank? Would one call it a prank though? She did love hide and seek as a filly.

A smile crept up on the alicorn’s muzzle as she dawned on the idea. Luna must have planned to relive a little bit of their old days. It was funny how Celestia had planned to find a way to not long ago and there her sister was just making it happen. The princess chuckled softly to herself and decided to play along.

Small hops and bounds to some rooms were made just in case her younger sister were watching from the shadows. The chance to put aside all her duties and just enjoy a moment with her sibling had her happier than she could remember last. She even hummed lightly as she approached a few rooms and poked her head inside.

The fun play had her in higher spirits than earlier. Subconsciously, she thought she may have needed it more than her sister. Minutes seemed to stretch on as she peeked under tables and checked behind several other pieces of furniture. One instance confused her greatly when she pulled aside some curtains to find no Luna. No window either.

“Luna~” Celestia called out, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice. “I’m going to find you~”

The echo of her voice was a bit strange. She couldn’t remember noise in the halls sounding out so much. With the doorway ahead being devoid of her advance, Celestia moved into the next area.

A large room with barely much decoration stood around her. It almost reminded her of her throne room but far less welcoming. The tapestries were blank and the strip of red fabric down the center was absent. No throne were at the end either.

She didn’t recall such an area ever before. The pillars and arches seemed somewhat familiar but there seemed to be little else that resembled anything she had known. No stained glass windows lined the walls to tell of the stories of old and new. It was almost as if she walked into an area she wasn’t meant to be.

Another noise rang out from all the way across the empty chamber. One of the rooms ahead must have been disturbed. She didn’t feel comfortable at all in such a place. It wasn’t like the rest of the castle and it made her wary of walking through to the other side.

“Luna?” the alicorn asked while glancing around. “I think it’s time we call it a night.”

Still, no answer came. Celestia got closer to the two entryways at the end and looked between them. No curtains or doors block their path at all but she couldn’t see inside either. The lights from the candles above barely reached past their entry.

Another noise. A shuffle as if somepony were moving around. Celestia perked up and looked to the room on her right. At last, she had finally managed to find Luna and end the fun game. While she did enjoy the start of it, she was beginning to feel as if things had dragged on for longer.

Carefully and silently, the white pony edged near the wall and as out of sight as possible from the room. Her hooves did their best to tread lightly while she smiled and inched closer and closer. She could finally tell her sister of all the thoughts she had running through her mind! There was only a moment of waiting before she decided to leap out and stand in the doorway with her horn lighting up the room.

“Gotcha!” she shouted, almost ready to brace for a pounce from her loving sibling.

Silence. The room was empty of all. No furniture, books, not even a simple blue feather to let her know a pony had been there before. The smile faltered from her face as she tried to find anything at all to look at. An absence of windows looked to be the cause of the foreboding darkness within.

“Luna?” Celestia called out cautiously. There was a waver in her voice.

If her sister had been there then she wasn’t now. In any case, it was starting to unsettle her a bit. The castle felt different around her and the fun game had turned into one of uncertainty. It wasn’t making sense to her.

No longer wanting to wait, the alicorn turned and bolted down the chamber. Her hooves clopped against the hard floor while she ran out and into the hall from whence she came. She didn’t stop. The running was fueling the unknown feeling inside her but she didn’t know what else to do. Several times she called out for her sister in hopes there would be a reply.

Down one hall and through another. The process repeated itself more than a few times. No doors blocked any exit or entrance and the flames upon candles and within lanterns flickered as if the had done so for years. Why was she panicking? What part of the castle had she seen?

Eventually she did come to slow down and take a moment to catch her breath. She was overreacting over nothing and yet her instincts told her to keep going. There was deep seeded feeling of something that urged her not to stop. Perhaps it was just getting as far away from that odd and empty room as possible.

A sudden thought emerged as she glanced around before taking a deep breath to relax. It had been a while and she probably needed to lower the sun for her sister entirely. A look to the side showed just a blank wall following all the way from one end of the hall to the other. The other side was lined with entries into rooms but not a single door could be seen.

Looking back, the alicorn noticed the doors were also missing from the corridor she had fled through. Walking forward and checking only verified the next barriers also removed. Where had they gone? Did somepony take them or was she just in an unfamiliar part of her castle?

“Where…?” she said softly, not finishing her question as she stared at the blank wall.

Not a single window was even outlined against the solid surface. When had it happened? Why didn’t she notice before? Something was clearly off about her surroundings. A small check to the archways and entries turned up no indication of a door ever having rested against them.

Luna wouldn’t pull such a trick on her. She knew that. There was something else at work but it was unknown to her. She hadn’t heard of a tale or any such occurrence of something happening to a pony before.

Instead of shouting for her sister or calling for help, Celestia tried to regain her nerves and think logically. Twilight would rationalize the odd moment in some manner and she was most certainly the brightest pupil the alicorn’s taught. There seemed to be no reason she couldn’t think things through either.

Looking into several rooms showed most of their furnishings either gone or mostly bare. Books that would have lined shelves were absent while quills or scrolls seemed to have vanished from their own places. The most Celestia seemed to turn up was a table left in one or two of the barren rooms.

Even if items are missing the rooms are still connected. Despite no windows she could still go into the next area freely. The castle was still intact as a whole, or at least it seemed to be. The one thing she couldn’t understand at all were the sounds she heard before. Somepony or something had obviously been moving around.

The idea of teleportation suddenly arose and the pony rolled her eyes. Of course. She could just teleport outside and inform others that there was an odd happening in the castle. She could kick herself for being so absent minded.

A small lift of her head and her horn lit up. The flash of light was instant and there she was. Still in the castle.

“What?” she verbally asked herself, looking around in confusion.

Another attempt. The light, the zap, then nothing. She stayed in place from where she stood. The windowless hall hardly welcomed her back as if she had never left even for a fraction of a second. A realization set in that made her stomach turn. She was trapped in her castle.

Pacing in a circle, she tried to calm herself by running through any kind of number of answers that sounded even slightly plausible. Nothing helped draw her any closer to the truth than where she sat. It was almost maddening not knowing what was going on with no way to fix it. Perhaps Twilight would have had a better time thinking it through.

It didn’t matter. The sudden noise at one of the end of the hall paused all thoughts. It wasn’t just a shuffle or a light bump. It was slightly rhythmic in nature. Two different instances of the same noise? Or was that three or four?

Hooves? No, they didn’t sound out against the floor. There was an odd notion to it all and very light sounds following immediately after. Maybe she was just hearing it differently and it was another pony. The thought did calm her some.

Just as she was about to call out there was another sound. One that she couldn’t even describe to herself but it chilled her to the core. That was no pony. If her magic wouldn’t let her leave she didn’t want to find out if it would fail to protect her.

Celestia turned in the opposite direction and ran. Her legs kicked and the echoes tones of her hooves sounded out as she traveled. The thing she had heard was not one of her own and of no other origin she knew of. Dragons, griffons or any other creature within Equestria never made a noise like that.

Down one hall and into another identical looking one. Her pace slowed as she passed the rooms and looked in them to see them all entirely empty. Not even the odd table was present anymore. It all looked so bleak and the same. It was almost hard to distinguish one wall from another. Even the lighting from the ever-burning candles and lanterns seemed to feel like it was all the same.

The thought of the thing possibly following her sped up her gallop once more. The alicorn raced through what felt like several or more of the same looking halls before she eventually had to stop. Panting and looking back to make sure she was safe, Celestia took a moment to catch her breath and press a hoof to a wall. No give. Nothing was falsely blocking the windows.

It felt as if she were trapped there for hours but she had no clear indication of time to go by. The thought of being trapped there forever almost sent her mind spiraling out of control. She had to get a grip on things and believe there was an exit at least somewhere. Wherever she was it didn’t seem like her castle anymore.

Pacing down the end of the next hallway and into an empty room had her turning circles to study every angle she could. Not even a light crack in the foundation had shown up. Her mind felt like it was unable to comprehend the situation and only insisted she was lost. The faults of her own limits were trying to surface but she didn’t want to let them. It would be terrible to let things go from bad to worse.

“There is a way out,” she assured herself and mumbled a bit incoherently. Her hooves continued moving until she saw she was just walking in circles.

Her stomach growled at her as she sat down and closed her eyes. It must have been hours she had been trapped but she wasn’t sure. It didn’t feel like it but at the same time it did. Minutes, or what could only be thought of in the timeless hold of her trap, passed as she sat silently with herself.

There would have to be an exit of some kind from a place such as this. Nothing could be sealed off entirely and so seamlessly. Could it?

Celestia shook her head, mostly trying to shake the doubts from her mind, as she stood up. All she had to do was go in one direction until she came to a stop. From there, just determine which end of the maze she was in and head out. It sounded simple enough. In renewed vigor, the princess looked ahead and nodded. She would find a way out.





•••••





The amount of rooms had been astounding. Halls, rooms, chambers and more all connected yet not. She had ran through more than she could count and they still went on as far as she could see or run. None of them held a single answer for her in the hours of searching. Had it been days? The loss of time was getting to her.

Several moments in her trek she had heard the distance noise that rattled her soul. The sound that would keep her up at nights for years should she make it out. Whatever was in the place with her seemed to be stalking her. Thankfully, she had not come face to face with it. She didn’t want to admit it but she doubted she would have the strength for such a meeting.

Those legs and hooves ached severely. So much running and standing. It was a miracle she was still able to keep going. Her stomach had not ceased its protest for lack of food either. Things were far from looking better.

Same colored walls and floors were quickly pulling at the princess’ sanity that there might be anything different. A small assurance to herself helped but only for so long. Just recently she had to remind herself who she was and quickly felt terrible for having to. Why was such a thing happening?

If the place getting to her enough that she was beginning to forget who she was then what hope would she have of leaving? There were things she still wanted to do and see. Her sister needed her.

The silent tears dropped to the floor as the anguish set in more. The fear of not seeing Luna again hurt her dearly. So many questions as to what was happening but nothing was any closer to being answered than when she first noticed the changes. Her ears lowered as she tried pushing away such unpleasant thoughts, wanting to just have everything be back to normal.

There it was again. Celestia lowered her head as she quieted herself instantly. Somber feelings were replaced with those of dread. The thing was close again.

In haste, the pony stumbled forward with her sight blurry and trying to stifle herself. The loss of focus only made her surroundings harder to navigate as she bumped into a wall and followed it along until she ducked into the first room she came across. Her foreleg rubbed at her face as she hugged the other side of the entryway and waited.

Those steps drew closer. She had never heard it as close before. That sound resonated and echoed where she just was. Her heart nearly leaped into her throat when it moved around and drew ever closer to where she hid.

She had no clear idea what was going on and could only judge actions based on the noises. As much as she wanted to cover her ears she needed to know when it would leave. If it left. The thought made her tense up more when something pressed or rubbed against the opposite side of the wall she was against.

A scream wanted to come out but she wouldn’t let it. Her head turned and she clenched her eyes shut as the noises persisted so very close by. The sounds of something that shouldn’t be. Celestia’s tears started again but not out of sadness. Fear gripped her like no other as she did what she could to stay as still as possible.

Then, just as soon as those sounds had started, they stopped. No more audible terror. The feeling of dread had lessened but not entirely. The wait for more lasted a while until the alicorn couldn’t handle it anymore and tried looking out of the room.

It was gone. She had never seen it but knew if she did that it would haunt her far more than the noises it made. At first she assumed it didn’t belong there but it had started feeling more as if she was the one that didn’t belong. Something else knew she was there. What would it do if it found her? Celestia shuddered.

Things would only get worse if she kept thinking of such outcomes. To focus on the hope of leaving and remembering things to keep the drone of the forever castle at bay from her mind would be her only peace. Though, the castle felt more like a dungeon even if it didn’t quite resemble it.

Celestia’s heart was hammering against her chest as she tried to calm down and steady herself. Somehow the thing had left. For now. She was still safe and she still had a chance to look for a way out.

Slowly, the princess began moving and heading out once more. Her mind was unable to remember if she had been in one room or not. Lights never went out but only glowed their dull orange as usual. It was the sound of flames when she was close to them that barely held her together at times.

She would make it out. She had to.





•••••





How much time had passed? If not weeks or months then what? As hungry as she had gotten it seemed her famished state merely lingered and pestered her than going further. Sleep was something of a luxury she never had time for anymore.

The Princess of the Sun wandered aimlessly through a hall and looked into another identical room. The heavy bags under her eyes made her appear so weak and frail. If she were to collapse it would have happened long ago. Something was keeping her there and keeping her from everything else.

“I…,” she spoke quietly to herself. “I am… Celestia.”

It was so strange to hear a voice, even her own. Sounds followed her everywhere but not a single voice had called to her. It almost startled her for speaking with how broken the silence become from it. Though she felt it was needed. To remind herself.

An attempt at marking areas had turned out useless since walking through one passage and back would show the mark removed. A way to track her progress would have been something to stave off the sanity breaking rooms. Her mind was as tired as she looked.

“Luna is my sister,” she mumbled as she turned to enter another room.

The alicorn was not speaking to anypony in particular. She had chosen to recite common knowledge about herself some time ago every so often. It helped her remember who she was and not be entirely lost. Something that she had begun to think wasn’t working.

Room in and room out there was never a thing to find. Lighting stayed the same everywhere and the constant fear she lived in only had her worried about every corner. That dreaded sound haunted her so much that she thought she could hear it at times where there was nothing. It almost seemed like a nasty trick to her.

It was hard to keep going. Time was as lost as she was. A few times she began thinking back to not reading or hearing of such tales before. How there had been no accounts of things happening as they were to her. Then it led to the thought of perhaps no other pony had a chance to tell said tale.

Comfort was a distant memory. Celestia knew little of it or could recall even less. The world outside, if there were still one, was as unknown as the bleak interior she was trapped in. It was impossible for her to feel level headed. The stress and fear that blanketed the alicorn never let up and only seemed to become far more intense when the thing was near.

As much as she tried to come up with a name for it there was none that fit. Nothing seemed right about it and trying to name it only made her far more uneasy. It was just better to not think about it for as long as she could. Not having it on her mind even for a second had her feeling better than most of her time spent wandering.

How it found her or followed her were things she was sure she would never know. Even though she had nearly run into it before, she had yet to see even a small glimpse of the thing. At least she could be thankful for that.

“Luna,” she repeated and let her mind drift to her sister. The sibling she kept nearly forgetting how she looked.

It seemed like her memories were becoming as empty as the labyrinth she was in. In time she might even forget simple things. Would speech be something she lost as well for not talking after a while? Perhaps only simple statements about herself would be the thing to she had to say forever. What of her pupil and the other ponies in Equestria? Would she remember them?

Did she remember them?

Celestia’s head lowered as she tried to concentrate on what her student’s name was. Just a name to let her hold onto something else as well. She could almost see her. That purple coat and a striped mane, right?

That sound. It hit her soul hard as she felt her legs weaken. All thoughts ceased and her instincts took over. It had sounded close. Her hooves took her from one room to the next as she tried outrunning the thing, though it never seemed fully chase. Weaving through entries one after the other, the princess ran and hurried faster.

Everything stopped when she finally got to another chamber. The large area was as empty as all other placed. She was familiar with it but also not. It was like the throne room yet held no life in it save her own. The rooms that would lead to the bedchambers would either lead on to more halls or an empty room beyond.

She couldn’t hear it anymore. The thing. It had stopped its search for now it seemed. Her legs gave out at the news and she collapsed to the floor, barely making it half-way across the room. There was so much the place was missing as she let her eyes take in the same scenery once again.

The thrones ahead with the crescent moon and blazing sun. Tapestries to decorate the pillars and those beautiful stained glass windows between. She missed it all so much. She missed her sister.

Celestia grunted and pulled herself back up as she wobbled forward and sat down facing the wall at the end. Her sister’s throne should be right before her. At least she could remember that much. It was hard to recall much else with the current state of her mind. Why she was stuck in some place that barely resembled one she once knew was beyond her knowledge.

Time was something she knew nothing of any longer. How long she sat and stared didn’t matter. Her eyes only lingered along the wall as if hoping to spawn the throne before her. While it was a fruitless hope she still held onto it. Then it happened.

She knew better. It was so much closer than ever. Hope was just that and nothing more. The intense fear that seized her heart and crept up her back was beyond measure. That sound was directly behind her.

It was impossible to have not been noticed where she was. Her eyes refused to close as she stared forward and felt her breathing come in ragged pants through her nose. The feeling was worse than anything she had ever felt before. It was amplified with the worst sensation of being watched as well. Running would be useless.

Silence.

Once again, the noise filled her lowered ears and shook loose the sanity she was holding onto. Every fiber of her being was rattled but she couldn’t move. It was so much closer. She could feel it behind her.

Against any better judgment and with that noise causing her mental grip to break, Celestia found her head slowly turning. Her eyes took in the view changing as she began to shake. Her wings hugged to her tightly. She could feel the tears try to well up in her eyes.

Celestia looked.
> Lunar
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yawning and never feeling quite rested, Luna stretched and awoke as best she could from her slumber. Her wings splayed out to help with all that lax muscle from her sleep, doing what she could to make sure her dark blue form could at least move without being too sluggish. She didn’t even have to have her sister wake her for once. The thought drew a sleepy eye open as she scanned her room.

Things looked to be in just the right places as usual. Celestia wasn’t looming over her while awaiting for the moon to begin its rise either. All in all, a solid start for the afternoon. The Princess of the Moon yawned again and clenched her eyes tight as her hooves moved out before her and that back arched. Somehow, it always felt so nice to just give into the stretches upon waking.

Luxuries aside, the duties of a princess were to come soon enough and her body rolled over until she practically tumbled out of her bed. A wing helped glide her to plant all four hooves onto the floor before she walked over to her mirror and waited until the sleep spell wore off.

If Celestia knew that her sister had used a sleep spell even once she might never hear the end of it. It was just a rough late night or early morning was all. A simple thing to help her rest easier wouldn’t hurt so long as she didn’t abuse it. She never quite understood the overprotective nature of her older sister but she did love her dearly.

“Luna? Are you up?” came the familiar voice of the white alicorn from the other side of her doorway.

“Mhm,” Luna replied in a mumble, clearly not ready for the rest of the day and the night to come.

“Okay,” the eldest answered before adding, “I’ll leave you be~”

That was new. Usually she had to have an earful before getting ready. Maybe she just slept in a bit too much. Well, ‘maybe’ was an understatement. She was the pony of dreams and the night. She had to make sure nightmare and the like were kept at bay. Not that she thought her sister’s duties were any less work but sometimes she did wonder.

The sound of Celestia’s hooves walking away had Luna feeling a little more relaxed. For once, she actually felt a tad more refreshed and at ease for the start of her waking hours. Instead of being stressed or burdened with the reminder of duties she was now left to take them at her own pace. It had happened before though rarely.

Bit by bit, the blue alicorn got herself ready. Regalia, crown and all were donned as she rubbed her cheeks with her hooves. The light bags under her eyes would fade as the went on. Her mind was far more clear than before and she seemed to feel rather good about it all.

Celestia had been caring with her and only looking out for her best interest. Even if it annoyed her once in a while she did thank her for it. It was just that she did enjoy sleeping as much as all the other ponies she looked after. Those cerulean eyes looked over every last part of her within the mirror before she finally nodded.

With her midnight mane flowing behind her, Luna headed out and in search of her older sibling. A simple greeting, some nice chat, maybe a good bit to eat and then the evening would be hers soon enough. The whole list of things were hardly much but she looked forward to them nonetheless.

Her hooves sounded out along the castle as she made her way to the dining hall. Opening the doors, she was greeted with the standard buffet of fruits and even some pancakes to freely partake in. Sometimes she wondered if her sister went just a little overboard with it.

“Greetings, Luna!” Celestia called out from one end of the table. Her plate was only partially full but the crumbs were evidence of what happened to the rest.

“Dearest sister,” Luna nodded and smiled, making her way over to her sibling.

The two embraced in a warm hug before backing away and returning to their daily routine. Luna magically grabbed a few pieces of fruit then hesitated at the large stack of pancakes. One or two wouldn’t hurt. Quickly, they went onto the plate.

As she hovered her late breakfast over to a chair, the princess gave a grunt and plopped herself into the seat. Her magic did most of the work of peeling fruit and cutting the pancakes while she merely opened her muzzle to accept the food. She couldn’t help but feel eyes on her and the growing intensity of them got her a little unsettled.

“Yesh?” Luna asked, mouth full of her waking food.

“Luna, please,” Celestia said though she was having trouble hiding a smile. “Not with your mouth full.”

A quick gulp with a small sip of orange juice that was poured for her and Luna looked to the ceiling. She didn’t like being stared at. Despite being a pony to watch over others she had an odd distaste for having others watch her.

“What is it, sister?” the moon princess asked before lightly turning to face the white alicorn.

“Oh, just that I couldn’t help but notice the bags under your eyes. Have you been sleeping well?” Celestia asked, sipping her own glass of juice.

“It’s nothing. They’ll go away shortly,” Luna brushed off and nibbled on an apple. “Why?”

“Well, I’ve noticed you’ve had trouble waking up at times and wanted to make sure things were okay,” the sun princess mentioned and let her violet eyes lock to her sister’s. “If you’re having trouble sleeping you can let me know.”

“It’s fine. I just enjoy the rest,” came the reply. Luna wanted to be annoyed but she couldn’t.

Deep down she knew that her sister was just watching out for her. If her rest became troubled she at least knew who she could turn to. It just didn’t seem like anything serious in the first place. Some ponies had trouble sleeping and she was no different.

“Okay then. I know the nights can be hard on you. If you ever need a break for a bit let me know,” Celestia said calmly and smiled.

Those words did ease the pony of the night’s heart plenty. She never once thought of basically asking for a night off from her duties. While she wasn’t planning on using such an offer instantly it did at least linger in her mind through the rest of her meal.





•••••





The sun had been lowering as per Celestia’s will and the day had begun setting into evening steadily. It felt sooner than usual to Luna though she only seemed to attribute it to waking well. Perhaps her more upbeat mood in some manner had let time pass quicker than it appeared.

Luna let out a light breath as she raised the moon carefully. It had to be a certain amount every hour and so on. Her hooves carried her out onto a balcony where she watched the evening fade into a twilight. The orange hues mixing and altering into a purple haze that seemed calming. It really was a lovely sight.

With the gentle breeze and the sound of ponies moving about below, the whole scene was almost serene. Almost. Soon, Luna would have to enter the dreams of those ponies and be certain they were free of any nightmares. The thought did sour the mood some.

She had let her fears and insecurities take her before. The nightmares that manifested themselves into a form that was all the more terrifying as the rational part of her mind took a backseat to it all. Never did she wish to experience such a thing again. If she could keep from other ponies having such a scary outcome as well then she was willing to do her duty to protect them.

Her stomach turned lightly as her brow furrowed. It was only for a moment but it certainly left her confused. Where had that come from?

The Princess of the Moon looked around before her eyes moved up to the twinkling stars just beginning to peek out from the sky. A quick study showed nothing out of the ordinary though something was bothering her lightly. A feeling she didn’t enjoy too well.

“Luna!” came the voice almost directly behind her.

The blue alicorn nearly screamed, leaning against the railing of the balcony. Her forelegs clung neatly to the stone before she eased off and took a deep breath before turning around.

“Sister,” Luna greeted in an annoyed tone.

“Jumpy?” Celestia asked softly before looking over her younger sibling carefully. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you that bad.”

“But a scare was indeed the intent?” asked the night horse. Her starry mane flowed in a calm rhythm despite her less than amused look.

“I apologize,” the white alicorn said though the mused expression didn’t leave her face. Her eyes moved past her sister. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Very,” Luna agreed, looking away and towards the sky once more. She was happy to change the topic off herself.

“You know,” Celestia said quietly, walking closer to the railing and her sister, “I never liked raising the moon myself.”

There was a bit of silence. Whether there was something meaningful to say after, Luna knew not. An ear twitched before her head turned to face her sister once more.

“I could see it being daunting. Raising both the sun and moon surely was-” the blue alicorn began but stopped when she saw the light shake of her sister’s head.

“No. Not in combination. I just…,” Celestia tried to explain before frowning some. “I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right to me. Something else.”

Luna stayed quiet for a bit longer in thought. The random tumble in her stomach might have been due to her raising the moon. It was somewhat explainable, was it not? Her sister seemed to not enjoy doing so in her absence so maybe it just had a strange side effect of doing so.

“Worry not, dear sister!” Luna proudly proclaimed and stood in a more proper stance. “Luna of Canterlot shall take care of the moon for you!”

The two laughed softly after at the light tease before they stood a bit longer. Considering how she never felt such a thing when moving the moon until recently, it begged the question if she had just got used to it before or ignored it. Still, there was something else lingering away at her that should couldn’t quite place but it didn’t matter.

Luna leaned against her slightly taller sister and watched the sky for a while longer with her. They exchanged no other words. No playful banter or other nonsense. Instead they just let the sounds of Equestria speak for them. The only thing that even seemed out of place was how Luna’s attention kept being drawn up to the night sky.





•••••





Hopping from dream to dream was little more than a mundane task to some degree. Luna had found herself watching several of them as a form of entertainment to pass the time. Nightmares were swapped and ponies slept peacefully. As routine as it got.

The jump back to reality had Luna closing her eyes and just savoring the quiet for herself. It was peaceful at night and the silence was something she adored. After so many dreams of loud noises or ponies yelling it was something she cherished to come back to. If only she hadn’t felt the odd sensation of something still lingering from earlier.

Those cerulean eyes opened as she found her sight drifting up her wall and to the ceiling of her room. The feeling was as if she were being watched. How or why she couldn’t say. She only knew of what it was.

A glance around her chamber turned up only herself within it. Not a soul seemed to be lurking around the area. It wasn’t normal for her to feel it so often and she knew that it was further from that to experience it while alone. The pony frowned and got up, making a decision to take a walk around the castle or outside.

Those hooves and their silver regal wear made the distinct echoes throughout the castle. Her walk only seemed to make her feel like something was even more wrong than before. Each step had the sound rebound off walls and ceilings to only confirm over and over that she was alone.

Then why the strange sensation? What reason was there to have such a feeling? She didn’t want to admit it before but the troubled sleep had been due to rough bouts of unrest and a strange feeling that sneaked into her mind and soul. Maybe the sense of being watched was there before she knew what it might be.

Her head shook as she continued on her way and let that starry mane and tail trail behind in an elegant manner. It was just silly to be thinking of such things when it had to be something more grounded. Nopony actually had such feelings that kept them up at nights. Just stress or excitement that kept them from a proper sleep.

Walking through the throne room and down a hall, Luna kept to her thoughts. Her silent thinking continued to toss one way then the other. Reasoning would attempt to persuade her how things were normal but some deep part of her mind kept trying to unnerve her. If she kept it up then she might be in for a headache before bed and that was something she didn’t like the idea of at all.

The front doors of the castle magically opened as she let the cool air wash over her and cleanse her thoughts for a short period. It was refreshing though colder than usual. The Running of the Leaves should be taking place sometime in the coming weeks. Winter would be there soon after.

Stepping out and into the open air further, Luna felt herself shiver. It wasn’t from the temperature at all. Her eyes were once again attempting to move up but her head ducked down as she forced herself to stare at the ground.

Was she having an issue with her duty as a princess? Did she need a break? As much as it did sound nice it wasn’t something she wished to burden on her sister. After learning that Celestia rather detested raising the moon in her own manner, Luna couldn’t put that weight on her again.

For some strange reason, being out in the open and without cover almost put her on edge. The sense of eyes on her only seemed to grow stronger. All the ponies in Canterlot were asleep so none should be looking out their windows at a slightly distressed princess. Something was wrong but she wasn’t sure if it was her or something more.

Her head slowly rose as did her eyes and she eventually let her gaze take in the dark sky speckled in tiny dots of light. The glowing moon stood overhead almost in an accusing nature which made her feel a bit wary in general. Why did she feel the need to check above her so often?

The moon stayed hanging above as Luna looked it over. She had been banished there before. For years she was kept locked away and had no voice to speak out. Not once did she blame her sister though. Yet, something was different about the moon she stared at so intently while it did the same in return.

Was it even the same moon she had been banished to? Her eyes narrowed as she looked it over as best she could while standing in the cool night air. The orb looked the same but was it truly? Was there something else?

That feeling crept up her back and made her blue coat stand on end. It was worse than before. Luna cowered lightly before backing up and turning to run back into the castle. Her magic yanked the doors closed though the slam was unneeded.

She must be overreacting. There was clearly no need to act in such a manner over a weird feeling. Her coat still seemed to be raised along her back from the chill she got but was settling slowly. Walking by a window had her grimace before he magically pulled the drapes closed.

A sleep spell was sounding rather nice about now. Silly as it may be it still left her feeling uneasy for some reason. Whatever reasoning for it that her sister or her pupil might come up with, Luna knew she at least didn’t like it.

For the new few hours, Luna sat in her room moving the moon as needed and only peeking out once in a while. She was ready for her rest to forget about the giant sphere and all those strange feelings. Each time she checked the moon had stayed right where she left it. Her mind kept trying to reason with her the entire time.

“As if it could move so freely,” she muttered aloud and ducked away from the window.





•••••





“Wakey wakey~” Celestia cooed softly, nudging Luna’s slumbering body with a hoof.

Only grumbles were uttered as the blue horse turned and pulled the covers over her head. She felt drained for some reason. The rest that she managed to get hardly felt like enough to any extreme.

“Oh, don’t start now,” the white alicorn teased lightly and lightly pulled the covers away. “You’ll need your breakfast for the day.”

It was a little past noon but Celestia always manage to make sure it was breakfast for her little sister when she woke. Luna was thankful each time but it just seemed that she wasn’t feeling up for waking currently. The night had made her worry and stress over basically nothing yet everything.

“I don’t want to,” Luna finally groaned and opened her eyes.

“You ha… Luna?” her eldest asked, looking worried. “Are you sleeping well? You don’t look too good.”

“Thanks,” the tired princess replied though she knew it. “But no.”

“Why not?” Celestia asked. Her form stood patiently at her sister’s bedside while she waited for an answer.

“I don’t know. Last night was… different,” Luna tried to explain but she knew it wouldn’t make sense.

“Different in what way? Were there troubles?” her sister asked. Always caring, Celestia looked out for her little sister.

“It was just different. Wasn’t feeling right,” was the best Luna could say without sounding oddly paranoid over nothing.

Both of them stayed quiet for a moment, mostly out of contemplation of the next step or simply unsure how to move the conversation along. With how things had felt the night before, Luna wasn’t sure if it was merely a fluke or something deeper. It troubled her to wake up having to dredge the memories up right away.

“Don’t worry,” Celestia said quietly and smiled. “I’ll take care of the mo-”

“No!” Luna nearly shouted. It scared them both equally before she tucked her ears to her head. “I mean, you don’t have to. I can do it.”

She couldn’t let her sister doing both again. Not if she could help it. No matter how unsettling she felt doing it, Luna would be sure to keep her sister from having to do everything and more. She just wanted to help where she could.

“Alright then,” was the reply before Celestia leaned in to nuzzle at her sister’s brow. “Just take it easier if you have to.”

“I will,” the alicorn muttered lightly in bed, though the soft nuzzles seemed to help ease her. “I’ll go get breakfast in a moment.”

Celestia smile and nodded before she turned and tried to quietly leave the room. Whether it was to let her sister get a little more peace before waking herself or just to be polite Luna didn’t know. The thoughts of the night still seemed to swirl around in her head as she laid in bed and sighed.

Whatever had happened must have just been her nerves getting worked up. Over what? Nothing, plain and simple. It wasn’t anything to fret over and she was obviously capable of handling things herself. A sleep spell once in a while wasn’t going to hurt anypony.

Begrudgingly, Luna knew she had to get up either way. Her magic threw her covers off as she stayed laying down before slowly sitting up. The sun shining through her window showed that her sleeping in had been for a tad longer than usual. Celestia probably let her rest a bit more.

The routine went the same as it always did. At least for the most part. It was when she turned and saw her cutie mark in the reflection of the mirror that she halted. The moon would be waiting for her tonight again.

Luna felt her chest tighten for a moment until she looked away. What was stressing her out so much? There had to be something else going on other than her own insecurities. A pony didn’t just feel so uneasy for no reason. Not any she knew of anyway.

The heavy bags under her eyes looked worse than before. While they might go away by nightfall it still worried her that Celestia might suspect the use of a spell for them appearing more. The problem was that she felt as if she needed to use it just to get to sleep.

Night would be soon enough. Luna wasn’t looking forward to it but also didn’t plan on leaving it for her sister to do. She just hoped that there wouldn’t be any uncomfortable talk at the table.





•••••





It was a slight struggle to raise the moon for the evening. Luna had been frightful of the effects from last time and the uneasy feelings. Though it didn’t explain her inability to bring the moon barely on time. She could almost feel as if it were fighting her.

At least she had it raised and the night was underway. The important part was done and all that was left was to check on any ponies in need during their dreams. Lucky for her, depending on how she looked at it, there were no cries of nightmares currently sneaking their way into the innocent minds of ponies.

A small plunge into the dreamscape offered little more to do than watch the ponies enact various scenes. Ponies finding love, fending off evil themselves and even just relaxing in a snowy cabin were the only real highlights. Luna’s duty was to just tend to the floating sphere in the sky and wait until morning now.

The alicorn stayed cooped up in her room for a while. As she had feared, when moving the moon there was a distinct pit in her stomach that grew. It only happened upon the start of twilight into the night. Afterwards, there was another sensation that haunted her.

Her eyes looked to the window of her room before she felt herself scoot away lightly. Why was it that she had suddenly begun to fear the very thing that she was in charge of? She had been banished to it for years as well. It should bother her no more than any other object.

The princess shifted a bit as she tried to get comfortable on her floor but to no avail. It wouldn’t go away with her just sitting there. The feeling dug into her more than the night before and somehow felt a bit more intense.

With the days almost flying by and the nights starting to feel as if they overstayed their welcome, Luna wondered if maybe her unknown fear caused the idea of nights lasting longer. The focus on negativity could explain why it seemed to appear as though the dark skies lasted beyond their intended nature. It just didn’t answer why the moon seemed to scare her and drive her to being nearly sleep deprived.

A few more checks on the position of the orb in the sky and she was quickly moving away from the window again and again. Just being within sight of it upset her some. The alicorn knew it was a silly thing to start being afraid of but that didn’t stop how she felt. Her eyes were only the victim of her curiosity.

More often than not, Luna found herself with her entire head turned to face the window as if expecting a visitor. There were no ponies awake in the late hours to greet her, much less ones that would be climbing into her window of all places to do so. Her mind wanted to understand what was going on even if she said she didn’t.

It was a subconscious thing to do. With all her knowledge and experience over the years of being a princess it was something that she knew nothing about. The moon itself was nothing too fascinating after spending so long with it. It was just that there existed a new curiosity. One of the unknown that was almost calling to her.

The wind blew in a cold breeze that made the pony shiver. Her magic pulled up the covers from her bed and draped them around her. It wasn’t like her to get cold so easily. It also wasn’t like her to be fearing an object in the sky that had been there longer than she had.

It was a strange thing to experience but she had little else to do. No tales had been spun of a moon that did whatever it was that Luna was feeling. Many ponies would probably think she was just loony. Loony Luna.

A grimace appeared on her muzzle. While she could possibly explain it to her sister it was the fact she knew none would believe her entirely. She would be met with various offers of support to either get more rest or maybe that it was only in her head.

Maybe it was. The whole thing had started up seemingly out of nowhere. Perhaps she just thought it up over the stress of other things.

“No,” Luna said quietly, almost at a whisper.

If it was in her head then she would have felt it long ago. Something else was at play and she had no idea what it could possibly be. Her eyes shifted to the window and back to her floor, trying to keep from looking up or out at the hanging terror.

She could be strong. If it came without warning then it would leave just the same. A small stomach ache does the same thing. Why shouldn’t things be fine in a day or two?

Luna let her eyes relax and allowed them to take in the view of her open window. The dark sky seemed a little different but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She could beat it. There would be no way to lose to it.





•••••





It had been merely a week and she could hardly take it anymore. The days were basically nonexistent to her and the nights dragged on forever. Each night had made her feel worse by a mile. The bags under her eyes stayed and were hardly from use of the sleep spell. Her mane flowed much more slowly than usual and she could have sworn that some stars within were missing.

Every night had changed from a routine duty to an agonizing tread into terror. She seldom spoke to her sister the last couple of days, wanting to not sound insane. The sleep spell didn’t work any longer. It would be a miracle if she could rest for an hour without waking.

Celestia could tell things were wrong and had asked several times. Her kind nature was the radiant hope that Luna held onto for support despite keeping things to herself. Social contact with another pony helped the midnight alicorn forget her fears and the deep dread of what was to come over and over.

Every night only made that turning in her stomach wretch and tumble more. She had even begun to have more trouble in raising the moon than usual. The night before had her almost think it wasn’t about to rise. One thing that also bothered her was how it had been a full moon for over a week with no change.

Luna sat in her room once again as she awaited the sun to lower once more. Her heart was heavy with the stress of the nights. It appeared she was slightly lucky for one night though. The overcast from the weather covered most of the sky and seemed rather hard to find even the sun through it. At least she could have the blanket of the clouds to ease her some.

When asked how long it would last, the pegasi had been rather clueless as to how it even occurred. It seemed to just spawn out of the blue. The rain on a cold night would mean ponies would be in a very deep sleep at least. Hardly any tending to their dreams would be required.

It wasn’t much but she would take it for every ounce it offered. For once it appeared things were going to clear up for her. She looked downright terrible and she knew it but at least her mind and heart could mend. It felt as if her soul itself was in need of a very relaxing night.

The light from the sun turned the sky darker as the minutes passed and Luna waited just long enough before starting her ritual. With no stars to aid guidance by, it would be a slow process. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating as much as she could.

“Please,” she said, using her magic to attempt and move the moon once again.

It seemed as if it was all okay but the sudden snag and the feeling of something blocking her magic halted all progress. Luna felt her heart beating faster from the stress of what she was hoping wouldn’t happen. The moon refused to come out. Her power almost felt worthless in the frantic work to get it in place.

With her stomach dropping and her mind reeling from the struggle, Luna pleaded silently as she continued. It felt useless to try. Her eyes opened as she cautiously moved to the window while she looked up into the dark clouds. She couldn’t feel its presence at all or even the sense of feeling watched.

While she did want to jump for joy at having the latter sensation gone it didn’t please her that the moon was currently absent. A few searches with her magic found it somewhat in a strange area. It wasn’t even near them. When she tried to bring it closer, the moon would only stutter in place in response.

Her magic could only do so much despite her best efforts. Luna tried to calm herself and breathe slowly while she thought of what to do. Her sister would be quite upset at the sudden disappearance of their moon. What else could she do?

Just as if on cue, the clouds ushered in a faint glow through them. It was impossible to see through them but the familiar glow of moonlight danced along the brewing storm above. Luna thought the light was brighter than usual but didn’t wish to worry herself any further than she was.

A distant roll of thunder drew her attention away for a moment while she glanced out along the horizon. It was dark. Darker than she expected it to be for just a thunderstorm at night. At least the moon was out but that sense of dread only grew stronger with her.

Even though she couldn’t physically see the looming sphere she could feel that disturbing fear. The terror of something that haunted her for days and nights seemed far more foreboding than any other time. Everything in her felt as if were going to break. Her sanity almost seemed to be hair thin.

It took a moment before she backed away from the window, panting and pressing a hoof to her chest. She was shaking. There really was something wrong. If she got herself checked out and they said it was only her then so be it. It was just that she knew there was something else wrong.

With the stars blotted out from the sky and the storm rolling in, Luna was left with the darkness of the land and the dull light of the terrorizing moon. She might struggle and she might be scared but the Princess of the Night would see through it just to try and enjoy another day. While that light attempted to pierce the thick clouds on high, the alicorn hid in her room as she usually did as of late.

The worry and stress of things weighed heavy on her poor soul. Every minute was spent in a state of panic when she tried to move the moon further. She thought she could feel it moving but it didn’t look to be from the light. It had to be her state of mind playing tricks on her.

Long hours of the night and the heavy rain wore down the weary princess quickly. Her diminished sleep returned easily to claim her as she did her best to position the moon to be ready for morning. Finally, she could rest.





•••••





“Luna!” Celestia’s voice barked in the cold silence.

The blue alicorn jumped awake as she scrambled to grab onto something with her forelegs. The dream she had left her far from being well-rested. Something was after her but she couldn’t get away from it. That and the feeling of some entity haunting her. It all ended only when she heard her sister’s voice.

“Luna, please! We have to move to moon!” the Princess of the Sun mentioned with a worried look. “You forgot to do so last night.”

“I…,” Luna began before looking away in confusion. “I did move it…”

Celestia gave a confused look before glancing to the window. It was still plenty dark but the rain had subsided. The glow of the moon stayed heavy with the thinning clouds. Even the sun’s rays weren’t out for some reason.

“I promise, I did,” the younger sibling said with her brow peaking in the center. “I don’t know what… It…”

The loss of words and her more than tired expression looked to be the best Celestia was about to get. While Luna tried to change directions of the moon above it seemed unyielding. When her sister tried and the same problem presented itself they both merely sat in silence for a while.

“Come outside with me when you can, Luna,” Celestia said while turning away. There was something in her voice that didn’t sit right with the youngest of the two. The sound of that motherly voice wavering, as if on the verge of breaking.

It didn’t take long for the stress pony to begin getting ready. While she didn’t want to head out of the castle still feeling the uncomfortable sensations, there was a matter she needed to deal with. Her eyes looked more than tired as she stared into the mirror. She was in dire need of a good sleep for what felt like days.

Her weak body shuffled out of her room and through the various halls as fast as it could take her. There was a wrongness about things that she could sense. With such darkness staying around it made it hard for her focus. She couldn’t shake the feelings she had from over a week.

The front doors to the castle were already open with guards posted but paying no mind to royalty. Their heads were pitched up as they stared curiously above. Luna rushed past them as they barely managed a salute while looking confused.

Outside stood quite the crowd of ponies. At first, Luna expected them to be yelling and upset with her inability to remove the night sky. It was just that none of them were speaking. All of them stared up at the sky while clouds were drifting apart.

“Sister!” Luna called, spotting her tall sibling among the crowd and looking rather worried. “I’m here! I’m he-”

The blue alicorn quickly slowed her steps as her body suddenly felt as if it were being watched much more closely. Her eyes scanned all the ponies within moonlight but none were even turned to her. All their attention was focused above.

Luna stopped entirely in her tracks as she tried to breathe normally. Her anxious nature was being worked up so much and she couldn’t control it. The immense dread that rained down on her was overbearing. She didn’t want to look. She knew she shouldn’t look.

It didn’t take her long before she craned her neck to stare up into the sky. The clouds had mostly cleared and left little to hinder any clear look. At first she couldn’t believe it. There was no explainable nature to it. The alicorn’s mind could hardly wrap around what she was seeing.

Four moons stood motionless in the dark sky. All within sight but looking so very off. Something clearly wasn’t right and it only strove to go against everything she knew.

“How…?” Luna whimpered and folded her ears back.

The pitch black sky offered no stars in return. The only light was what the moons cast. It didn’t make any sense. None of it made any sense.

The more she tried to understand the more her sanity frayed. Luna felt herself close to hyperventilating as she stared up into it. She stared at what was above and what had tormented her so much for nights on end. Then she noticed the most horrifying detail that caused her to scream.

It was staring back.
> Don't Look
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sun shining and the warm air of summer were always a welcome feeling. The young Mayor Mare had been enjoying her lay on the grass to soak in the rays Celestia’s light before a small noise had happened to draw her attention. Wasn’t every time the filly had heard others out on the field just outside of Ponyville.

Her head turned as her eyes studied for the sound, curious and ever waiting. It didn’t take long for the sight of her beloved canine to come into view. The bounding dog seemed rather pleased with finding their caretaker and more-so upon being discovered. Who was she to deny to the excited hopping of her friend?

Mayor Mare smiled wide and hopped to her hooves as fast as her filly body would allow. Her legs stretched before she leaned her head down near the grass in a playful manner. The dog barked excitedly and wagged that tail like no other. She couldn’t help but giggle.

In an instant, the canine turned and ran circles for a few moments until it began to run the opposite direction. Strange. The earth pony couldn’t remember when her pet had ran away from her. Perhaps it was just a simple game of chase. The idea did seem well within a reasonable answer and she was soon following along, laughing the entire way.

Over the fields and into the town of Ponyville they ran. Ponies paid them no mind as barking and laughing trailed all over the area. It was a fun experience even if something about it felt a bit strange. While she couldn’t pin down the reason she also didn’t seem to mind too much. They were having the time of their lives and nopony could stop that.

The dog let out another series of barks and scampered along the path towards Sugarcube Corner. With the bottom half of the door opened, Mayor Mare’s furry friend slipped inside without hesitation. The filly herself ducked under shortly after to nearly slide along the floor with the pace she had been running.

It was amazing to see so many books in the bakery. Shelves lined with numerous colors and texts. The only problem was she seemed to have lost track of her dog in the Golden Oak Library. The filly stopped for a moment to slowly recollect her thoughts.

Outside, she was heading into the bakery, was she not? She would have called out for her pet except one issue suddenly occurred. The poor filly had somehow forgotten their name. It was a strange thing indeed but it started becoming more confusing the more she thought.

Nopony seemed to be within the library itself other than her. Twilight Sparkle’s home seemed rather vacant. No, not her current home. Was it? The walls shifted lightly and the filly closed her eyes to steady herself.

“Ponies of Equestria!” a voice rang out. It seemed to be everywhere and nowhere.

Mayor Mare knew that voice. It was the Princess of the Night. Lady Luna had called to her! The slight worry from moment prior were replaced with joy as she hopped in place and prepared to call out in answer.

It was a flash of light before her hooves felt the ground outside. Night had taken over from the warm daylight and a numerous amount of ponies were suddenly around. Plenty had silly outfits and other things going on but all were focused ahead.

Princess Luna hovered before them, her wings gently flapping and sending cool night breezes as she surveyed the growing crowd. More ponies popped in from seemingly nowhere as they all looked visibly confused but hopeful. If anypony had answers to what was going on then it had to be the princesses.

“I’ve summoned you here for a very important warning!” Luna spoke loudly so all could hear.

Many glanced to one another and shifted a bit.

“There is not much time so please listen carefully!” she continued and her strong gaze changed to one of worry. “I cannot keep you here! You must awaken and not return to sleep until it is deemed safe! Do not open your doors! Do not look out your windows or make any light! Do not make a sound until it has passed!”

The ponies let out a mumbling within the crowd. Nearly all of them were a bit scared of such a strange warning. There seemed to be no reason for such a thing with a simple look around. Mayor Mare had even forgotten about her now lost dog though she knew now where she was.

“It is not safe to return to sleep! Please, do not attempt to look outside and do not investigate any noises! Cover your windows!” Luna yelled before her eyes widened.

A deep and loud bellow of what sounded like distant thunder echoed out from nowhere. All the ponies cowered and looked around. A few of them looked to nearly panic and spin circles before they just simply popped out of existence with a light cloud.

“No,” the princess mumbled as her ears flattened to her head. “Awaken!”





•••••





Mayor Mare gasped and shot up in bed. Her hoof pressed to her chest as she panted and looked around the dark room. The sudden jolt awake had her mind reeling and things scrambled about before she could start piecing it all together. She sat in silence as she regained her thoughts slowly.

Of course she couldn’t remember her pet’s name. It was a dream. It had also been so many years ago before they ran off, likely to enjoy the great world without her. While it did sting, she managed to move on and only wished them the best. The dream must have clouded some details like a name and the layout of Ponyville itself.

Other than the pieces eventually falling into place such as Twilight’s true residence and the like, one thing still bothered her. While she knew of Luna’s presence in dreams it was rare to actually witness the princess in them. She had even called all ponies across all of Equestria to heed a warning.

The warning replayed itself in the earth pony’s mind as she sat still and let it sink in. There was no detail as to what the warning was to keep them safe from. An Ursa on the loose? A pack of wild timberwolves prowling the streets? Just a nasty storm?

An ear perked up as she listened closely to what may indicate was outside. For the most part she could only hear her own breathing and the lightest shifting in her bed. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary outside of her feeling a bit odd for waking in the middle of the night. Perhaps whatever it was didn’t come as close as her house.

Doubts and speculation went swiftly the moment she leaned over in an attempt to grab her candle. The mattress only barely made a shuffle but the distant noise had her freeze in place. The thundering noise rolled and clapped outside. It was terrifying and simply chilling to hear something so low be so loud. It almost sounded as if it were right near her house though the echoing tone left her believing she at least had some distance from it.

Still, it rattled her to the core. The sound nearly pierced her very being with how haunting it was. She almost felt just by hearing it that something knew she was in her home. Why did it upset her in such a way? It couldn’t be a storm. There was something else hidden in the noise to cause such a fear.

A distant cry somewhere in the town rang out. It was clear and in distress before being silenced almost instantly. Mayor Mare glanced around her dark room as a sudden realization set in. She was told specifically not to look outside or make noise. While being a voice of reason on the level of other ponies in Ponyville, she suddenly felt completely helpless.

There would be no way for her to tell them to calm down or to keep them in check. No way to stop them from panicking or doing as the princess had told. She was a pony just like them and it was why they felt comfortable talking to her and letting her guide them. In a way, the princesses spoke through her to give the ponies a more common ground and not appear as royalty but as one of them.

It was different now. None of them could rely on her to help stay calm through the strange happening. She wouldn’t be able to keep things in some understanding nature or to assure a simple end in sight. It bothered her dearly for feeling so useless.

Another scream cried out, this time much closer than before. A door banged against a wall, probably due to being thrown open, and the sound of the scream abruptly halted. There was nothing she could do. All that was within her power was to simply sit and listen to terrified ponies around her. What happened to them after their silence was a mystery and only disturbed her more.

The only thing seemed to be worrying her more was the sheer silence around her. No crickets, rain or even a breeze. It made the rare scream all the more jarring whenever they were heard. Whatever was out there wasn’t making any noise other than the sound from earlier.

With silence stalking her, Mayor Mare sat in the dark and tried to think of how long it might be until morning. She could hopefully stay quiet until then. One daybreak happens, the scare of the night would be gone, wouldn’t it? She tried ignoring her mind telling her that Luna had no said if the princesses would tell them when it would be over.

Stopping a sigh, the Mayor of Ponyville reasoned silently with herself. Of course they would be given an okay from the princesses once it was all over. The only issue was that none of them knew when. The doubt that lingered refused to let go.

Her dark blue eyes had begun to adjust to the blackness of her room. Leaning over, a hoof reached for her glasses on the nightstand before she stopped and perked her ears up. If she wasn’t to make a sound then she needed to be extra careful. It felt like an eternity reaching to the frames and gingerly bringing them back to set upon her snout.

The beige pony tried her best to refrain from making even the lightest grunt as she turned and made such a simple task of getting out of bed into the toughest thing she’s done in so many years. Having to be steady and still while also needing to move was something was never good at but things were clearly on the line for her and other ponies. It was a good several minutes but she did eventually manage.

It wasn’t until all four hooves were on her floor that she felt a little better. Since she couldn’t merely go back to sleep she had to at least move a little and get out of bed. Why she wasn’t allowed to rest did confuse her but the idea of the thing or things outside being able to reach into her dreams made her shudder. Whether or not the thought was true didn’t matter as she didn’t intend to find out, so long as she could help it.

Each step felt as if she were about call attention to herself somehow. The wooden boards along her home were never quite so friendly when under pressure. A quick look to the windows she could see showed the curtains in place. The relief was instant but so was the fear the longer she looked.

Behind the curtains outside her windows, Mayor Mare saw the slightest hint of movement. While she heard nothing it was still visible. Shadows shifted and altered through the dull glow of the moon against the fabric. The worrisome part was that it seemed to be in no way a pony outside. The shapes were always changing with no rhyme or reason to them.

The absence of wind even let her know it couldn’t possibly be the clouds moving or branches swaying. Even if they were, no trees were that low or near to her home’s windows. It wasn’t a fact she liked knowing. The deafening silence and the strangeness beyond her curtains seemed so otherworldly to her. It was as if she had woken from a dream and into a nightmare.

She had to be extremely careful. Not a sound and no pulling away her curtains. Even if she was curious as to what it was threatening them she didn’t wish to risk everything to know. Her heart weighed heavy the more she heard faint cries in the night that were swiftly silenced. If only she could do something.

A quick thump against the back of her house nearly drew out a shout from her throat. She was rather quick to stifle the noise and shut her eyes tight. Something had hit her home just hard enough to shake the walls for a moment. The whole situation had her scared beyond belief.

If she were to move around, even a little, then it would be at a snail’s pace if she were lucky. Exactly how attuned to sound it was seemed to be unclear. She still wished not to even let a pin drop if she could help it. Steps were taken as if she were about to tread on eggshells.

When she managed to make it out of her room and down most of the hallway, the pony let out a careful breath through her nose. She had at least made it to a rug to keep the noise under check easier. The threads beneath her hooves soaked in the tiniest of sounds as she stood still and waited longer. It was best she didn’t get ahead of herself. The waiting only made her a little more uneasy since the stillness itself felt foreign to her.

Shadows loomed and stretched across every corner of her house making her familiar abode feel far more unwelcome than she had ever known. The unseen threat outside could be anything and possibly within her own home. As much as she wished not to think of such things they still crept into her mind and gnawed at her conscience.

There would be no sleep for the night as Luna had strictly stated to keep from doing so. As to why, the only reasons Mayor Mare could come up with left her with chills. Perhaps the thing could also reach into their dreams to take them? Maybe being asleep made it easier for them to be taken?

Her eyes stared down at her hooves in the dark. If ponies were being taken then where were they being taken to? More thought on the subject only turned her stomach as she tried to push the thoughts out of her head. Had the ponies that vanished during the warning been unlucky?

Another sound startled the beige pony as she bit her lip and tensed up. Something pressed and rubbed against the side of her home. It was big. Just the noise of it sliding against the outer wall indicated as much. It also seemed to be moving… up? Was it that tall?

Shapes moved by her window once more then seemed to darken the moonlight. That was no overcast. Mayor Mare’s heart began beating furiously in her chest to where she could hear every thump of the beat in her ears. She knew it was right outside her house now. Something had blocked the light and now refused to move.

Did it know she was in there? Did it know she was right near that specific window? The thought didn’t sit well at all as she forced herself to look away from it. While the darkness seemed more complete in her home she was thankful to at least grow somewhat accustomed to it.

Each step of her hooves would have to be even more careful with the black interior eating away any visible light. For the moment, she remained upon the rug and simply stood still. There was a deep fear that tugged at her within.

It felt as if something was watching her. If not her then in her general area. A glance to the window made her wince a bit and turned her head away. Was it waiting? Did it even know?

“HELP!” cried a voice across the street.

Mayor Mare perked up and nearly reached for the curtains but stopped. As her heart was in the right place she knew she couldn’t risk checking. Of all the things she couldn’t do it was not being there for her ponies that made her the most anxious.

“PLEASE! HE-” the voice called out again before abruptly stopping.

Silence.

The mare shivered in fear. There was no noise to accompany anything happening to them. It made her all the more curious and worried about them. If there had been anything to go on then at least she could draw some kind of conclusion. Instead, only the quiet and still surroundings presented themselves to her.

There appeared to be no more movement beyond the window but also hardly any light being let through. Whatever had moved in the way seemed to stay put. She could sense it lurking there but it also felt as if it were lurking all around as well.

One leg at a time, the scared pony tried to walk again. Each step only amplified how silent it all was. She missed the sounds of nature and more just outside her home. Every second was tense and nearly wore her out just getting across the hall and into her living room.

She hated having to navigate the room in the dark. All she wanted was to sit on her sofa but she wasn’t sure it would be a good idea depending on the noise that might come from such a feat. Why she even got out of bed was starting to feel like a regretful action. Her mind wanted to keep telling her how foolish it was to attempt anything but at the point she was at it was either she commit to her initial idea or trek back and risk more noise.

A look down her hall, from what she could see, only made her shudder. The thing outside had an ominous presence that she couldn’t understand at all. While she wanted to do a number of things her abilities and actions were very limited. She also didn’t want to go past that window again.

Carefully, Mayor Mare made her way around the room, brushing against the back of her sofa to keep it in mind. Her hooves nearly knocked against the coffee table in the dark though she was lucky to be inching her way around. Had she moved a hoof forward just a little faster and who knows the noise that might have made.

In time, her forelegs found a cushion on the seat and pressed lightly. There was a slight noise but muffled a good deal. Contemplating her desired action, the cautious pony drew in a silent breath and slowly tried to lift herself up and onto the sofa. The weight of her hooves into the cushion had her almost sweating with the noise beneath her.

At first, she thought the thing outside had maybe passed or possibly become disinterested in her. The sounds she was making just moving onto the seat weren’t loud by any means but did raise her heart rate more than she wished. She was only partially onto the cushion when the beams above her creaked and groaned.

Mayor Mare tensed up and stood motionless. The weight on the roof had made the wooden beams sound out in distress. The thing outside was far bigger than she thought and it was right on top of her home. What was it?

Instead of opting to continue her risky idea, the beige earth pony slowly eased off the furniture and back onto all hooves. Whether or not it actually heard such minuscule noises wasn’t worth the possible nightmarish outcome. Her head tilted as she looked at the ceiling to the best of her ability before giving up. There was no way she could see any kind of structural damage in the dark.

How much time had even passed? She had moved through her house at such a slow pace she felt like hours had gone by but knew that wasn’t likely. An hour at most would have been a better account of time but still felt she may have exaggerated it some. In any case, there were no sounds of ponies outside to rid the threat of the town.

If the princesses were to stop whatever was going on then why hadn’t they? With so many times they’ve saved Equestria it was strange to not have them on top of the problem suddenly. Mayor Mare stood as still as she could be while in thought. It wasn’t usual for a delay on the safety of ponies to happen.

While she though, her body moved in natural progression. She often walked to help herself think at times. It was just a few steps, nothing more. The only she stopped was the creak of the floorboard beneath a hoof giving its own protests rather loudly.

Her eyes darted down the guilty board in the dark before snapping to the window in the hall. Only a second seemed to elapse before the front door creaked and stressed against the frame. As much as she wanted to yell or cry, Mayor Mare bit her lip to keep from making any further noises.

The door billowed and almost seemed to stretch while staying barely inside the frame it rested. She was sure it would break open and fly off the hinges at any moment. With how it warped and groaned it appeared inevitable for it to fail.

Then, just as quickly as it had started, it stopped. The sounds eased up and the door began to settle back into its rightful place. There was a moment where she waited to see if it might be back but nothing happened. No more insistence to be let in or straining against her only barrier between her and what lay beyond.

Minutes went by while she stared at the door before eventually letting out a breath through her nose. Far less noise that way at least. Her body was shaking from the experience and just how close she was to meeting what was just outside. She didn’t wish to meet it under any circumstances.

Gently, her hoof eased off the particular spot that had created such a scary encounter and stood in place. If she had to sit in one spot then maybe she would just deal with it. After all, things would be back to normal soon enough, wouldn’t they? Morning would come and then it would all be over.





•••••





Mayor Mare couldn’t remember how long she stood in her living room. The night was filled with nothing. Only a faint terrified scream could be heard once in a while before it resorted back to utter silence. However long she had been standing was starting to get to her.

The pony’s legs could only support her for so long. Not to mention the idea of food had her stomach squeeze for some nourishment. So long as it didn’t grumble in protest of no food for a bit she did feel she could make it. It was just her legs were so sore.

Several times she wanted to sit down but feared she might upset another board or two. She had been eyeing the window in her hall for long while as well. Through the slightly gap on the side, there was something she could almost see but not nearly clear enough. The only thing that kept her from walking over and checking was Luna’s warning still running around in her head. There was also the sense that whatever she was barely seeing could easily see her back.

The feeling of being so helpless to the ponies of Ponyville as well as herself drained her. Stress and tension kept rising once in a while as she obeyed the vague warning from one of the princesses. Nothing really made sense in all of it and she knew trying to sort it out was a waste of time for her.

Her legs stiffened as she heard the movement on the roof begin to shift around. Something wormed its way from one side to the other than back again. It took a minute for it settle back but nothing else seemed to stir it any further. There had been no cries in the dark either, to which she was thankful for.

She could hardly feel her legs some. Wincing, the mare raised one leg at a time to try and stretch out some. It wasn’t much but it helped her get some feeling back enough to decide and make a path back through the hall. Passing the window wasn’t something she wished to do but her bedroom sounded more comforting than the dead silent living room and rest of her house.

It was a long task to undertake. Her body turned and she tested each step as much as she could without raising any noise. The dread within her rose with each step as she began moving around and making her way back towards the hall. She had to have been up for hours for sure with the fatigue setting in.

Yawning wasn’t an option for her. Even the slightest gasp might be it. Her legs lightly reached out as she brushed over the floor and applied the slightest pressure each time. Daylight had to have come up but it didn’t. Everything was still as dark as it had been judging by the lack of light through the window.

Why hadn’t Celestia raised the sun? What reason could there be to not giving light and letting it all be over with? Mayor Mare only worried herself more in thinking the worst had happened. It did her no good thinking ill thoughts and worrying herself even more but it was hard to push away such things when the looming threat was just a single barrier away from her.

Slowly, progress was made on the journey back to her bedroom where she felt her mind would rest easier. If she could just make it there then it would all be okay. It had to be.

Her side brushed against the curtains for a moment and she froze. While she didn’t look directly at the window she did see something out of the corner of her eye. The fabric of the curtain shifted only just enough to open the thinnest of gaps and reveal a hint of the monstrosity beyond it.

As quick as they small visibility had appeared, the sight was gone instantly. Though, it had burrowed deep into her mind and stayed there despite no visual left. Mayor Mare’s heart felt like it was seized before she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down.

How did something like that even exist? It wasn’t normal by any means. The worst part was the small glimpse confirmed her feelings she had been experiencing the whole time. It was watching and it did know. How was it everywhere too? The ponies that cried out and were silenced. How did it get to them if it was at her home?

The questions only stacked up as she stayed where she was, hoping it somehow missed her. It had obviously seen her. There was no doubt. Mayor Mare shook as she tried to cope upon witnessing the unknown. It was so hard to focus and think.

She cursed herself for even getting the glimpse of what lay beyond. The dark void of her surroundings felt suffocating and her mind only spiraled further from a clear level. Her descent was faster than she could handle, cowering and shaking. Seeing something that shouldn’t be there or possible felt as if she were still dreaming but knowing she wasn’t only caused her lose her grip more.

The only thing that kept her from losing it all was the sudden noise she picked up. Her hooves, while shaking, stayed on the floor without causing any problems. It was a creaking that she thought she imagined at first. The sound that spawned in her living room.

Confusion swirled in her head before clarity surfaced. While still a nervous and slightly broken mess, Mayor Mare recognized the sound of her door creaking ever so slightly within the living room of her home. The pressure on the other side grew more intense as she tried to think of what to do.

Last time it happened it had let up eventually. What if it didn’t this time? It had to. If it doesn’t where would she go? Is it safe to sit still?

Questions plagued her more and more as she debated the best course of action. Her breathing had become rapid without her knowledge, nearly panting in her stress. If she could make it to her bedroom then perhaps she could close the door quietly enough and stay in there.

Moving only slightly faster, the mare continued on through her hall as she could feel her hope dwindling with each crack of the wood splintering from the door. Her hooves did well enough to find places in the dark that refused to generate much ruckus beneath. Step after step. Inch by inch.

The panic was real. Every second that ticked by was one less she had to getting to safety. Each snap or crack from the door giving way seemed to be felt by her as she neared the entrance to her room. She just had to get in and close the door. If she stayed quiet then it might leave and things would be better.

Reasoning and hopes were all she had. Then those were ripped away. The door blew open in a flurry of splintered wood, popping off the hinges and landing with a deafening thud on her floor. Mayor Mare stopped. Her body was shaking with no way to control it.

The mare could feel the cold and thoughtless presence of the thing. It really was everywhere. She could still feel its gaze through the window yet the creeping feeling sneaking up behind her also held the same uncomfortable nature. Her eyes pressed and urged her to turn her head despite not willing to. The protest of her head moving in the opposite direction kept her from looking.

Why couldn’t it be over? Why were the princesses not saving them? Where had the ponies gone? Mayor Mare did her best to hold back the tears as she stood as still as could be. The thing invaded further into her home and moved ever closer to her.

She couldn’t give into the desire to scream. Her eyes willingness to see what was after them all with better focus. The desire to just run. No, she couldn’t do any of it. She had to be strong.

A sudden bellow out from above in the night sky had her duck quickly. Its noise shook her greatly and set her fear deeper. The thunderous sound lay heavy with its fear evoking effect. It really was otherworldly. It just had to be. The mare had heard no storm like it ever before. It was a sound to linger forever in the very pit of her soul.

Again, it made the nightmarish noise. The house shook right down to the foundation as she grit her teeth to keep them from clattering. It was louder than anything she could recall while the entity behind her close in further.

The roar of such a fake storm called out, almost directly to her. Its noise setting in deeper than any terror she had experienced before. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Mayor Mare tried her best to stand still.

It was all around her. No other noise could reach her, not even a cry from herself if she tried. Then all fell silent.
> They Are
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With seasons changing so did the attire meant to go with them. Rarity enjoyed the work dearly but also knew it was a constant battle with the ever moving design changes that followed. Each season brought back older works to be redone or thrown out for newer pieces to take the spotlight. It was always something to keep her busy, not to mention the fashion shows and more that happened during them.

Her purple curly mane bounced as she trotted along her boutique’s floor and made sure the warmer wear would be ready in time. Even though she did do most of her work to show plenty of ponies, it did please her to make the more simple things that many might find more affordable. After all, she did need the bits to keep her store running and more.

With her study of fabrics and the like it seemed as if she were on track with most work. Fall was creeping in and with it the cooler weather. There would be a need for some things for sure. Her magic levitated a needle and thread as she paused in thought.

If she worked through the night she might just make one of her deadlines in time as well as being able to push out a few other items. The idea wasn’t pleasing but if it must be done then so be it. Sweetie Belle could stay over at a friend’s house for the time being so neither of them disturbed one another.

Walking to the nearest ponyquin, Rarity squinted behind her glasses as she tried slipping the thread through the tiny needle. Several attempts and fails made her sigh as she thought of the looming deadline for next week. She was so behind and it wasn’t like her but things had come up and she needed to take care of them as usual. If only Equestria could save itself just once.

Another try and she grumbled lightly before jamming the needle into the side of the ponyquin. It was the stress of it all getting to her. She knew it as much any other. Perhaps a tiny break would do her well. Working all through the morning, past her lunch and well into the evening wasn’t exactly healthy.

“Sweetie Belle~” Rarity called with an airy voice. She didn’t wish to appear upset to her young sister.

“Coming!” came the squeaky voice up the stairs before the sound of little hooves were clopping down the steps. “What is it, Rarity?”

“Would you like to spend the night at Applejack’s with dear little Apple Bloom tonight?” the marshmallow colored unicorn asked, her sapphire eyes trying to stay focused on her sibling.

“Yeah!” the little one squeaked and hopped up. Her two-toned mane bounced in her excitement.

“That’s good, dear. I’m sure Applejack won’t mind so long as you eat before you go,” Rarity mentioned before letting her gaze turn to the doll she had stuck. She really wanted to keep working.

“Of course,” Sweetie said and turned tail to go rummage for something from the kitchen. “Thank you, Rarity!”

“Mhm,” the eldest replied back as she already started moving back to the life-size doll.

A break was needed indeed but her work kept demanding her attention. If she messed up measurements or got the wrong thread it would spell disaster for her. Her eyes closed softly as she gathered her thoughts and did her best to push them all aside.

Just a few minutes for some tea or something to nibble on then she could hop right back to it. Mistakes weren’t something she wanted to occur if she could help it. With that, Rarity breathed easy and pushed the ponyquin aside before turning around and heading to the kitchen herself.





•••••





The tea and bagel were certainly a welcome to her stomach even an hour after consumed. She felt a bit more lively and Sweetie Belle had gone to spend the night with a friend of hers. Rarity took no time in getting back to work shortly after.

Her eyes studied patterns and colors as she closed the boutique and focused fully on the line of wear she needed to complete. Various pins held parts in place as she magically worked on the sewing nearby. Things did seem to be running along quite nicely.

It took her hours before she felt satisfied with some of the progress. A few of the articles of clothing were near completion and she only had a few left to do. Such a far better place she was in than before. She almost wondered if she even needed to work into the night like she planned until she glanced around.

One of the items had been flipped almost inside out on a ponyquin. Her groan was audible as she stopped the sewing and walked over to the scene in question. She was sure she put it on right and didn’t mess it up though seeing it differently began raising the doubts of her dressmaking into her thoughts.

Carefully, she pulled the piece off the doll and flipped it over. No thread was going to be missed if she was making these. It wasn’t a long study of the piece but just enough to be sure she hadn’t messed up any stitching or misaligned any fabrics. Her breath let out an exasperated sigh before she fit the article back onto the haunches of the ponyquin then took a couple pins and stuck them into place.

There. Now she had no excuse for accidentally flipping it over and making herself worry again. That piece would sit there until she removed the pins herself. A nod to her own fix had her smile before she turned and began to sit at the sewing machine once more.

The work had to be careful but quick. Her hooves moved the fabric to and from the moving needle as she kept working diligently. Those red framed glasses stayed perched on her snout to keep her inspecting every fine detail she could while making sure things kept moving.

Her ear perked up as she stopped the machine. Had Sweetie Belle come back? Rarity turned to look at the front door before giving a confused mumble. She could have sworn she heard something barely over the sound of her sewing.

A look through the boutique itself showed nopony else other than her. The entire place was vacant, as it should be at such late hours. Glancing out the windows to the darkening town had her shift a bit in her seat.

Why did she have to put up with Dash’s annoying scary stories? They didn’t bother her at the time but afterwards they left an impact. She gave a cautious look around her building once more before slowly starting to start up her work once again.

It was silly to get uneasy over just being alone in a building. A building that she had to sleep in. The mare stared at the fabric moving she kept moving before lifting her head and pushing away from the desk.

She had definitely heard something that time. Was somepony trying to rob her? They would be in for it if they didn’t know who she was. Rarity set aside her glasses and measuring tape from around her neck before walking around her store.

As much as she wasn’t one to get her hooves dirty she wasn’t shy of teaching some trespasser a thing or two. Preferably with her words rather than her hooves. Scouting around appeared as if nothing were out of place. Nopony was hiding in some corner or even trying to break in.

There were a couple passes on the ground floor before she resigned and shook her head. Her ears were just hearing things due to the hard work she had been under lately. Filling the gaps of droning sounds or nothingness with an oddity or two. Twilight would be finding the reasoning instantly, Rarity knew.

Her work picked back up just as quick as she had put a halt on it. Things might be getting to her out of her tired state of mind. Spooky stories or not, she had things to do in a timely manner. The unicorn continued her pace on feeding the fabric through the machine as she hovered her glasses before her.

It would be extremely late by the time she got to bed. Her guess was that it might be well into early morning before she got one more piece done. Staying up overnight for just one instance wouldn’t be too bad, would it?

Oh, how she wouldn’t mind another slumber party with Twilight and Applejack again. It had been so long and maybe they could all stay up longer with much more to talk about. The idea made her smile while she kept going and let her tail sway behind her. It would indeed be a pleasant activity to revisit.

There it was again. Rarity stopped sewing and held still. Those ears stood at attention, eager to pick up anything. There had most certainly been a noise that time.

A few moments passed before she let out a grunt and forced herself to resume her work. As much as she wanted to believe she had just imagined it, she did feel that it was an actual noise. A noise to what was something that befuddled her. The mare shook her head lightly as she forced herself to just keep her mind on the work she needed done.

As the hours began to stretch long into the night, Rarity continued her efforts as long as she could. Minus the odd noises she heard once in a while, it was a relatively steady pace. Yawns escaped her tired muzzle as she kept up the work while getting herself a few cups of tea to keep things going through the dark hours.

Most of the time was spent hunched over her sewing machine or carefully stitching together patterns by magic. Sadly, as time went on so did her fatigue. Light bags formed under her delicate eyes as she made sure to get certain tasks done before daylight. A snack and more tea were her only breaks as she pressed onward.

It wasn’t until the sun of Celestia began to shine through her windows that she realized just how long she had been working for. It was a surprised to her as the mare took a moment to watch the sun rise more while she contemplated taking a nap or just going on with the day. Her boutique usually wasn’t closed during a weekday but she started thinking it might be easier to just take it off.

“What do you think, darling?” Rarity asked, turning to one of her ponyquins within the store and smiling.

Obviously no answer came in return. While she enjoyed it she also felt the lack of connection due to it. She felt so tired that she was talking to her own store dolls. The reality of it made her giggle lightly in a tired tone to herself before she looked out the windows again.

A light scuff against the floor made her sit up and look around quickly. She hadn’t been doing anything that time and knew she heard something. Her ears twitched as she glanced around slowly yet found nothing amiss. Not even her pincushion she haphazardly set aside in a rush earlier.

Was her store just making strange noises for settling? Temperature change, something or other? Twilight had told her about something like that with how things change shape in different temperatures. Rarity only took it to mean her figure wasn’t so great during summer.

“Is there anypony there?” she called out softly while staying where she was.

Even though the orange hues of the day were lighting the store it still felt unsettling with the silence that greeted her back. Things just felt off to her for some reason. Several minutes seemed to pass as she surveyed the area before eventually deciding it was nothing. She needed some beauty rest, she thought.

Getting up, the unicorn strode over to the front door and made sure it was still locked. Her magic moved a ponyquin back to where it belonged from where she had taken it to set patterns on it. She couldn’t believe she dragged it all the way across the store floor.

On her way to the stairs, her magic shifted another of the standees aside before she slowed down and stopped. Looking it over more showed the designs she had been using on it while the prior one had none. Her brow knit together in confusion as she stared between the two. There was no doubt about it. She was diamond dog tired.

Her eyes rolled as she huffed and flicked her head to swing her mane aside. Just like her to forget which dummy she was using and dragging others around in such a haste. Sleep was most certainly needed if she was losing that kind of attentiveness.

One by one, her hooves hopped up the steps to the second floor where she hurried herself into drawing a warm bath. A lady like her deserved a reward for hard work. The bathroom held far more than the barest of necessities for her.

Various tubes of lipstick, compacts, colored towels and much more adorned the area. Nudging the door closed, her magic was quick to turn the water one as she slipped her favorite bathrobe on. The sleek purple curtains around her tub shifted apart with more help from her magical abilities as she let the tub fill and lazily splashed a hoof in the water as she waited.

After a while, the tub was finally filled to a level she deemed adequate. The warmth radiated off the surface as she breathed in the humid air and let out a smile. Her robe was quickly removed after such a short time of wearing it and she slipped into the water instantly.

A relaxed sigh escaped her as the mare leaned into the tub and just let all the tension ease away. Those lovely eyes closed while she tilted her head back to rest on the edge of her bathtub then she began humming softly to herself. It certainly did feel good to just let all the stress wash away.

The sudden thump downstairs had her open an eye but remain still. Something must have just been set up too close to an edge. It wasn’t until the second time it sounded out that she sat up and stared at the bathroom door.

“Sweetie Belle? Are you home?” Rarity called out, not knowing when her sister might return from her friend’s place.

Silence seemed to be her most common company. There was a little longer of a wait before she tried to settle back into the water she had barely got to enjoy. Surely, just a simple item fell over. Nothing more.

The third time it happened it sounded much closer downstairs. Rarity carefully sat up and thought of what to do. It wasn’t like her boutique to make such odd noises so commonly. The idea of it not being her store itself made her frown some.

There was only so much she could just sitting in a tub and soaking. A deep groan escaped her throat while she got up and wrapped a towel around her mane then slipped her robe back on. Why she enjoyed wearing it was just a matter of comfort when not drying off.

Undoing the latch, the mare opened the bathroom door and began to step out. A look around seemed to show nothing wrong so she checked her and Sweetie’s bedrooms just to be sure she hadn’t misheard the source. Still nothing.

It wasn’t until she neared the stairwell that her heart skipped a beat. At the foot of the stairs sat a lone ponyquin, just barely set aside from the last step. While it wasn’t how near it was that spooked her it was the fact it almost appeared to be looking up at her for a split second.

Rarity let out a slow sigh and levitated the doll away from the steps. She didn’t wish to admit how startling it was but it did seem so very odd for something like that to happen. Did it happen? Maybe she just moved it without realizing where to.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered, already upset she let herself ruin the nice bath she was taking.

It had to be her tired mind. There was simply no other cause for such fancy thoughts and missed details. Even if it were just a few hours for a nap it could benefit greatly to her. Her hooves made a hurried rush back to the bathroom to drain her tub as she sighed and shook her head.

Just sleep. It’s all she needed. Refraining from removing her robe and towel, the unicorn moved into her bedroom and kicked the door shut. She could just rest for a few hours and then be just perfect.

With a very unceremonious flop, Rarity got onto her far too soft sheets as she rolled onto her side. The robe and towel had luckily dried off most of her coat and mane from the small dip she took so there was little worry about the sheets. Her eyes fluttered as she let her hooves stretch out before the embrace of sleep took hold almost instantly.





•••••





“Wha?” Rarity mumbled out, stirring from her sleep and trying to blink away the blurred vision.

Something had disturbed her and woken her up but she had no idea what. It didn’t appear as though anything was wrong from a quick look. Her eyes tried adjusting as she slowly drew into focus her surroundings. Judging by the daylight she had barely slept more than a couple of hours.

It was a curious thing. Somehow she had woken up with a strange feeling. Almost as if her body had told her she needed to do so. Upon checking around her room, nothing seemed to signal danger to her as her body had reacted in such a way.

Then her eyes saw her door. The gap between the door and the frame was only barely visible but enough to spot. When she leaned over her bed to look closer, Rarity gasped and covered her muzzle with her hooves.

A single ponyquin sat on the other side of the door, peering in as if it were some intruder. The blank face somehow made it all the more startling to the unicorn as she got a grip on herself and eventually used her magic to open the door further. It stood motionless and staring as always. No way it could have been put there on its own.

The idea of her little sister playing a joke on her crossed her mind and she felt all the fear replaced with annoyance. Hopping out of bed and shoving the display aside, Rarity stomped across the hall and barged into Sweetie Belle’s room.

“I don’t know who taught you such crude jokes, young lady, but we do-” the angry mare said before stopping. Her eyes scanned the room quickly.

The small filly was nowhere to be seen. In fact, it appeared she hadn’t entered her room at all during the day so far. It dawned on her that Sweetie might have gone to school with Apple Bloom instead of heading home first. It was a weekday and school was in session after all.

Her head turned back to the toppled ponyquin at her bedroom door. There would be no way Rainbow Dash would have known she was taking a nap. The fast flier took her own fair share of free naps during the day as it were.

Anger slipped into unease as Rarity kept her eyes on the still and stiff doll. She found herself having a harder time just brushing off the few strange incidents. It felt so deliberate to her. After working with them for years, why would she start to feel uncomfortable around them?

Perhaps it just happened to be coincidence for the other times. Right place and right time just to spook her and make her start thinking twice on the things. Then what of the current situation before her? Had it been a mere coincidence too?

Her head shook as she levitated the ponyquin up and thought of just throwing it down the stairs. Of course, ruining it and also anything else it might hit at the bottom could cost her bits and time. Instead, she decided to take it to the far end of the hall. She had a place for it.

The storage room where she kept plenty of extra fabrics and other things was perfect for it. The room was actually quite spacious but only because she used it during working hours to get other projects done. Her magic tugged the rigid display through the door before she tossed it on the far side of the room near the window. It tumbled and clattered loudly before finding rest beneath the window and on its side.

Rarity felt it was a quick problem to solve. Her magic closed the door and locked it as she nodded to herself. Perfect. Now she could work instead of having odd occurrences. Though, she did wonder how it had got where it was.

The closest she could come up with was somehow using her magic in her sleep to bring it close from all working she had done. Maybe it was still too much on her mind and it was an unconscious action. Anymore thinking on it and she’d be worrying herself into a rut. It was nothing and that was that.

Briskly, the mare went back to her room to change out of her robe and towel then work on her mane. The rest she had managed to get was very little but she could work with it. Maybe all the strange things around her were just her being tired still. Even if the ponyquin was very real and she had to push it out of the way to leave her room.

The thought made her shiver lightly. Something just felt wrong. It didn’t help that she needed to do more on her projects.

A light grunt as she tugged a tangle out of her mane and she sighed. Look at that. Her mane was getting in a fuss over her own worries. Just another thing to add onto the pile. Rarity whimpered but finished up and hurried out of her room.

Some more work could get her mind off the creepy happening. Something that could get her to just forget about anything outside of her boutique. Without delay, she galloped down the stairs and went to work immediately, cutting fabric and checking spools.

She just didn’t want to think about it.





•••••





It was nearing on the evening when Rarity looked up at her clock. Sweetie Belle would be home soon enough and the poor filly didn’t need the worry her older sister was dealing with. The sounds were one thing and usually easy to ignore. It was the fact that she felt watched that bothered her.

There was no clear indication she was being eyed by somepony but the feeling was present. Her constant check over her shoulder had the mare wondering just what she might see the next time she looks. A few times had her do a double-take to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. It didn’t help her worries.

One moment, a ponyquin was resting near a far wall and next to the curtains of her centerpiece stage. The next time she looked, it was as if it had turned to face her. Hallucinations were what she wanted to believe but the doubt that refused to let go had her wondering otherwise.

The sense of feeling in the spotlight but in a far more uncomfortable manner had the unicorn shifting in place restlessly. While she did get a couple of hours of a nap, the poor mare was basically running on fumes. Her hallucination assumption help more ground to her than the strange thoughts that crept their way into her subconscious. It was the only solace she had.

A knock at the front door had her let out a startle yelp. Her magic juggled the scissors she was hovering before placing them very carefully onto the table. That could have been bad. She was so jumpy for what appeared to be no real reason.

“Rarity?” the young voice of the filly called out from behind the door. “Rarity, are you there? The door is locked!”

It took a minute before the eldest sighed and closed her eyes. She had forgot to unlock the door for her sister. Her magic quickly unlatched the lock and tugged the door open as she gave a pitiful look to the smaller pony.

“I’m sorry, Sweetie,” Rarity said, honestly feeling terrible for such an accident. “The day hasn’t been kind to me and I just plum forgot.”

The filly gave an accusatory look before noticing the faintest of stress showing on her sister’s face. Rarity lowered her ears and looked away but not just simply to avoid eye contact. Her eyes kept trying to shift off what they focused on though it was useless. Sweetie merely followed her gaze until she guessed the object.

“Is it broken?” the little one asked and looked back to her sister.

“I’m sorry?” Rarity blurted out, looking back to her sibling.

“The doll. Is it broke?” Sweetie repeated while lifting a hoof to indicate the ponyquin in the far corner.

“Oh, uh, I don’t think so,” was the answer. Rarity quickly turned and began to head into the kitchen. “Would you like some water or a treat?”

It was clear she was acting off. Sweetie Belle was left with little more than just a vague notion as to what might be bothering her. Confusion set in but she brushed it off as she just followed her sister into the kitchen.

“I don’t need anything,” the filly said while watching her sister constantly moving around. “Are you okay?”

“I’m… I’m fine, dear,” Rarity said as she avoided looking to the filly and just paced around the area.

The two barely conversed much after that point. While Sweetie knew something was bugging her big sister it was seeming like just nerves from so much work. Rarity couldn’t even place why she was starting to get so strung up over silly instances but they did seem to be getting to her some. The lack of work being made due to it also tended to make her upset.

Eventually, they did exit the kitchen and bid each other a good night as Sweetie Belle began hopping up the stairs before giving a worried glance back to her sister. Rarity just tapped a hoof as she looked around before staring across the area to the ponyquin sitting silently. Whatever was going on left the young one more confused the longer she tried to understand it. Her hooves sounded out up the stairs until they reached her room where they grew muffled and the door shut.

Rarity couldn’t help herself. The feeling felt stronger than ever when she was alone. It had to be simply just the knowledge of her being by herself which made her think such things. It was just silly to be thinking that those… things were capable of anything more than showing off her fashion.

There was a deep groan from within her that sounded out as she looked around before deciding to just call it a bit early. Some actual rest would do her good and have her head thinking clearly. Silly ideas of such ridiculous things would fade away the faster she put her head to the pillows.

It was settled then. The unicorn marched herself up a few steps before stopping and staring at her hooves. She could still sense it but pushed onward and did her best to ignore it. Her hooves moved her along while she forced her head to stay down. She just didn’t have to look at it and keep feeding into the odd feeling.

Her walk barely resembled the way she usually carried herself but she tried. The door to her room was pushed open and she nearly kicked it shut. Some proper sleep. She just needed better rest.

The sleep mask levitated from her nightstand as she hopped up onto the comfy sheets. With the band stretched out, she slipped it on and over her eyes before slipping under the covers and sitting still. Her magic peeled one end of the mask up as she peeked to her door then breathed a sigh of relief and extinguished the lights.

It would all be better in the morning. Everything would feel right again and she wouldn’t be having odd moments or hearing things. The only problem was her subconscious still trying to whisper those evil thoughts into her head as she eventually managed to slip into a very deep sleep.





•••••





Rarity stirred awake from her somewhat peaceful rest as she lay in bed. Her vision still obscured by the mask, she couldn’t help but feel something amiss. A hoof reached for the cause of her lack of sight before stopping. The hesitation was spurred by her thoughts almost insisting somepony or something was in the room with her.

Instead of simply sitting in total darkness, she slipped the mask up and squinted in the darkened room. It was impossible to tell heads from tails without any light. Her horn lit up with a simple spell to illuminate the area before looking around.

Nothing at her door and it was still closed. Nothing right next to her, thankfully. Was she just so tense that her body woke her up for no reason? It didn’t make much sense.

It wasn’t until she looked to the other side of her bed that she felt her heart nearly stop. Leaning over her bed was a single ponyquin, stand tilted to almost peer down at her at the angle it was at. How she didn’t notice it right away made her feel so insecure.

Rarity barely managed to draw in just enough breath to let out a piercing scream. Her hooves hugged the covers tightly to her while she shut her eyes tight. Multiple sounds were heard nearby and she was about to assume the worst until she heard Sweetie Belle’s voice calling her name.

More noises seemed to move about before the bedroom door opened and the filly was already jumping around while calling out. It took a good few minutes to have them both settle down enough before the situation could be assessed properly. Bouts of crying and reassurances were given until finally there was some conversation.

“Rarity, please. Stop crying?” the filly pleaded, hopping onto the bed and rubbing at her sister’s lumpy form under the covers with a hoof.

“It… It’s here,” Rarity sobbed, clearly shaken by the sudden intrusion to her privacy and creepy visitor.

“What was? Who?” Sweetie asked as she looked around the room.

There was a pause in the cries before the older unicorn sat up and opened her eyes. Her horn stayed lit as she looked around and braced herself for the direction she last saw the ponyquin. The empty space made her whimper slightly as she frantically looked all over the room before giving up. She would sound so dramatic over a scare like that, given the circumstances.

“It… I just thought I… saw something,” Rarity finally said and forced a smile to her sister. “I’m okay. Sorry to wake you.”

Sweetie Belle sighed and lunged forward, hugging her sister tightly. The embrace seemed to soothe Rarity far more than she expected. It was a wonderful welcome and she held on as long as she could before nuzzling her little sister’s head.

“Will you be okay?” Sweetie asked, looking up to her sibling with a worried gaze.

“I’ll be fine. Just some night terrors, I guess,” the eldest proclaimed while trying to appear strong for her youngest. “Just get yourself some rest. Thank you.”

A long moment silence kept them together for a bit before the filly finally inched herself off the taller bed. Her little hooves trotted to the door before she looked around and gave a nod to her sister.

“Nini, Rarity,” Sweetie said softly and smiled, using her magic to tug the door closed.

“Goodnight, Sweetie,” responded her sister as she took a deep breath to relax and watched the door eventually shut.

The light from her horn flicked across the area around her once more as she tried settling back down and laying down. Her horn made a bright pop before fading out as she took a glance around then froze. Once more, the light spell was active but brighter than before. She was silently hoping her mind just made her think she saw something.

Light flooded the area more than just around her bed. The aura pressed out until she saw the faceless horror sitting in a corner of her room. Details or not, the featureless head of the ponyquin was clear in her blue light. It had been hiding behind the door when Sweetie entered.

Rarity felt ice travel along her back as she entered the staring contest with the thing. She wanted to sleep, to close her eyes, to do anything. Her body wouldn’t budge. No scream came from her a second time.

The entity just sat and watched her. Still and lifeless as ever but she could feel it staring. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, there was another sense that came from it. It wasn’t just watching but it was conveying something. A feeling.

Whimpering, the mare continued to watch it back, disliking every bit of it. She didn’t feel safe. Her mind was already assaulted by the lack of sleep but the fear only seemed to invoke more attacks onto her and her sanity. Try as she might, it was impossible to fight off sleep forever.

Slowly but surely, Rarity found herself jolting awake to keep watch but failing more often than not. The thing didn’t budge. It merely stayed in the corner and kept watch as she struggled with herself.

The entire time she felt uneasy with the eyeless face looking at her and that emotion that she could feel almost emanating off it. It didn’t let up the entire time and was there every second into her descent of slumber. A feeling that scared her so much despite knowing she couldn’t fight her tired eyes.

She was disliked for noticing them.





•••••





Rarity felt beyond lucky to have woken up the next day. The scan of her room turned up nothing in terms of ponyquins. It had left at some point to return to a prior position. At least, that’s what her mind began telling her.

The days and nights after were filled with constant fear. She could hardly work without dropping everything at the slightest noise. Even Sweetie Belle’s company had felt less like a comfort and more of a barrier to try and shield her from the truth. The projects being worked on slowed almost to a halt more than enough times.

It began eating at Rarity’s very mental health the longer it all went on. Each night was spent with her staying up for hours just waiting for the things to return. When they didn’t, it scared her deeply. When they did, she could only fear the worst to happen. It didn’t matter if they did or didn’t appear in her room for she had no break one way or the other.

Sweetie Belle could see the havoc they wreaked though she knew not the cause. Seeing her sister each day just worn down and far more jumpy than she ever had been was worrying her. Some nights there was muffled crying coming Rarity’s room. There were plenty of times the seamstress had even passed out during her work.

While Rarity did her best to assure her little sister nothing was wrong there were obvious signs to the contrary. Those beautiful sapphires of her eyes lacked the luster they once had. Every time she had nodded off while working she had jumped awake at the sound of the scuffing against her floor. She knew what it was.

The purple mane was frayed so much that it looked almost irreparable. Rarity, for once, didn’t care. Her worries were on other things far greater than her looks. If only she could have things back to normal.

One after the other, the days blurred together with the nights acting as an open door for nightmares. It happened more than she liked to find herself jumping awake at the lightest noise. Several times had her look around with the ponyquins either facing her or closer than she last remembered. She wished she was dreaming or just imagining it all but knew better.

Upon shuddering in fear when waking once, Rarity noticed her scissors had been misplaced. The ones she had been using just moments before sleep took hold. She spent a good hour looking for them only to see the shine of the metal from the sunlight through the window. They had been wedged beneath the stand of one of the displays.

It took her half an hour to convince herself whether or not she needed them. She did manage to get them back but only after stretching her foreleg out to pull at them with a hoof. Her magic had grown weaker due to the lack of sleep and unable to concentrate properly. The sudden shake from the standing being shifted had her scurrying back quickly while holding the cutting utensil close.

Not once did the sensation of being watched or the feeling that she had done wrong by noticing them ‘move’ go away. Every second was spent in perpetual torture for a week. Her deadline for the new wear would be coming and going without her noticing, not that she cared any longer.

One of the most recent incidents involved her peeking out her bedroom at night to find one of them standing down the darkened hall. It almost acted as if it were guarding her from going downstairs and to keep her confined her room. Rarity silently obeyed out of the fear she felt.

She couldn’t even remember what day it was anymore. With everything so blurred and her mind just a mess there was no way to tell without having somepony state it. It felt like she was almost a prisoner of her own boutique though she never tried leaving. The dread itself kept her from doing so.

“Rare?” came the southern drawl of her friend at the door.

The white unicorn hadn’t even heard the bell chime from the door opening. Her ears perked up quickly enough before she gave skittish trots over to the orange earth pony.

“H-hello, Applejack,” she greeted with a tired smile. The rest of her looks didn’t seem to compliment her any better.

“Uh, yeah,” Applejack replied before glancing around. “Sweetie Belle says you been actin’ strange for a while. Ya mind explainin’?”

“Well,” the unicorn said and looked around as if she were about confess a secret.

“Well?” pressed her friend, clearly not sure what was going on.

“H-here,” Rarity whispered, beckoning Applejack closer with a hoof then saying even quieter, “They move.”

The silence was palpable. While the country pony seemed entirely absent on the supposed secret, her eyes rolled as she sighed. There was a foreleg that wrapped around Rarity’s and started tugging her along.

“Alright. You ain’t thinkin’ clearly at all. You sound like gone off your rocker, girl!” Applejack said as she dragged her friend to the door and forcefully pulled her out of the building. “You need to get away from your work, Rare. It ain’t good to overwork yourself like that.”

A shift was heard behind them but only Rarity picked it up. Her head turned as she saw a few of the displays facing them from the glass. Her stomach turned as she stared and let herself be taken away from the beings.

“Thank you,” Rarity whimpered and latched onto her friend in a tight hug. “Thank you so much.”

“Uh, okay?” the orange pony said giving a confused pat to her friend’s back.

“I didn’t know if I would ever be able to leave!” the unicorn said as her forelegs stayed tight around her friend.

“That’s nice and all but I was just takin’ ya to get something to eat. Don’t have to go through your drama as if it were the end of Equestria,” Applejack told her while prying her off.

It took a moment for Rarity to regain her composure before she thanked her friend once more and they headed out. While the lingering feeling that she was being watched stayed for a bit it did seem to let up at some point. She felt like she could finally relax for once.

The two friends walked along and slowly began to form conversations along the way. Gossip reigned supreme as they talked about who did what and more. Considering the week of absence from the outside world, Rarity mostly listening and chimed in when possible though. It was the first time in seemingly over a week that she had actually forgot her worries and stress.

While it may have been just a brief social encounter it was one Rarity had needed for what felt like far too long. The place was barely much of a walk through Ponyville but had some of the best tea and sandwiches she had ever tasted. It all seemed like she was experiencing them for the first time ever again. Applejack may have made her laugh once and shoot tea through her nose as well, though she wouldn’t attest to it.

It may have been just the thing she needed to know that despite the torment of Carousel Boutique, she wasn’t stuck in some limbo of a nightmare. The topic of what had been going did come up but nothing of use really got mentioned. Not until Applejack assumed that somepony had caused her trouble.

“Just give’em a swift kick! Ya ain’t gotta take that lyin’ down!” the country mare spouted while nodding to herself.

A swift kick. Rarity hadn’t thought of that. The fear that plagued her mind had clouded any kind of clear thoughts for so long. Those things wouldn’t stop her from knocking a few down to feel better about herself. While the advice was more towards somepony trying to actively harm her, the dressmaker took it as something to use either way.

They finished their meal and continued talking for a bit after until the decision was made to head back. The lack of fear stopped as the unicorn knew exactly what awaited her back home. Her heart sank as she agreed in a defeated tone before starting to walk back with her friend. She couldn’t leave Sweetie Belle to tend to the place and still had work to do as it stood.

As much talking as they did during their meal, the walk back was mostly in silence. They had little else to say to each other as Rarity only tried thinking of what to do once she got back. She knew Applejack wanted to help further but had no idea what was really going on. Sadly, even letting it slip when she greeted her friend made her appear crazy instead of focused.

Rounding the bend and heading towards the boutique, Rarity kept to herself as she tried her hardest not to look into the display windows. Her eyes betrayed her once she felt the invisible glares upon her. Nearly all her windows were lined with ponyquins rather than the few she put out to show off designs. The worst was when something caught her eye above.

The storage room window held a single ponyquin staring out the window at her as she walked. The very one she had thrown in there and locked the door a week ago. She felt nauseous and weak. Nopony had been in that room and she knew that it had been laying across the floor when she locked it away.

“Well, I best be headin’ out. Say, why don’t I take Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom out for tomorrow? They can stay over at my place,” Applejack suggested after noticing her friend’s solemn stare.

“Oh,” Rarity said quietly. Her eyes never met Applejack’s as she kept walking. “That sounds lovely, dear.”

“Great,” the orange mare said, though her voice had a bit of worry. “She can walk home with me. How ‘bout it?”

Rarity just nodded and walked to the door of her boutique. Opening it, she called out to her younger sibling while Applejack explained the situation. The filly was more than happy to spend more time with a friend and quickly got ready. It was barely a minute before she was hopping down the steps and rushing out the door.

They said their farewells and, once again, Rarity was all by herself. Not alone but it wasn’t ponies that offered their unwanted company. How long was she going to have to endure such a thing? She had never felt more unwelcome coming back to her own home than right then.

A shuffle sounded behind her as she walked further inside. Her body reacted with a jump as she looked back to see two of the dolls now blocking the front door. She just wanted it to stop. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone? Nopony would believe her in the slightest anyway.

The sound near the stairs made her whirl around to see another ponyquin to the side of them. Her eyes darted around the area as she cautiously moved to the stairway and slowly began to climb them. It was as if she walked directly into her nightmare once more instead of waking up.

When she arrived at the top, the display pony standing near it made her wince for a second until the advice of Applejack made its way around in her head. The fear was still present but coupled with a bit of anger. Rarity glanced back down the steps and to the ponyquin. It was almost like she felt it knew what she was thinking.

The wait was long enough and Rarity quickly reached up, though shakily, and yanked the doll down. Every loud bounce and thwack on the stairs sounded out loudly in the quiet store. It was violent for such a still thing, bounding around the stairs and having a leg snap off midway. The moment it crashed to the floor it was like the quiet ate up any source of noise.

She couldn’t feel their gaze for a moment. In fact, she couldn’t even feel their distaste of her. Realizing what she had done, Rarity seized the chance and hopped down the stairs after the fallen display. The mare didn’t even think.

A quick stomp with a hoof severed another of the legs before she kicked it away. Her attempt to take control of the situation had escalated into a fit. The unicorn stomped and smashed at the doll beneath her, crying madly as she tried to do away with the hideous thing. Once her hoof landed upon the head and fractured it into several pieces, she could feel them staring once more.

No, not just staring. Seething. They loathed her. They despised what she had just done. A scuff behind her made the mare almost cry out.

They had blocked the stairs. Before she could turn to run there were more noises. Much more. A few had blocked the front door while the rest moved in front of her. Every time she turned her head there were more scrapes across the floor until she realized they were all around her.

Trying to move had her hoof trip on a piece of the broken ponyquin under her. Staring at it then back up to the rest had her shake her head. Her breath was nearly caught in her throat as she felt tears flowing down her cheeks.

“I… I’m sorry,” she whimpered out and tried to keep from stepping on more of the doll below. “I-I was… just…”

Every little noise set her on edge. No matter where she looked there was something moving. It was almost the noise itself was digging into her soul. It was mind numbing and grating. They were also closing in while she wasn’t looking.

“Please!” Rarity cried, finding herself cowering before them. “PLEASE! I’M SORRY!”

She had taken one down but somehow felt all the more weaker for it. Her will to fight was gone and she only wished to be left alone. The noises picked up as if in disagreement with her actions and refusing her apology.

When she backed up and bumped into one, her scream sounded out loudly. She covered her head and shook in fear as they kept advancing. It got worse when she closed her eyes, hearing them move right in front of her. She regretted every second of her actions.

“W-wait! Please! I can… I can fix things!” she pleaded to nopony. “I can g-get your friend. Um, u-upstairs.”

The noises stopped.

While it wasn’t a good idea, she was at least thankful they had managed to halt for a moment. Her eyes glanced around at the towering ponyquins above her shaking form. One more look and the movement behind her made her tense up.

They had opened a path to the stairs. It wasn’t something she wished to do but felt she must. Rarity slowly turned to the steps and began to climb. No other sounds were emitted as she rose to the top and glanced back to see them all staring and waiting. The hatred was certain.

Her hooves felt like jelly as she walked, almost surreal to her going through with it. The mare tried wiping her cheeks with a foreleg or hoof but it did little to help her sniffling as more tears kept coming. She didn’t wish to be in her boutique any longer. Just to be out of the place would have her never return again if she could help it.

The door at the far end still stood locked. A light jiggle with her magic yielded such a fact. It was only second to unlock but it felt like forever. A metal clack sounded out and she pressed it open with a hoof before reeling back in terror.

Standing at the door was the single ponyquin she had locked away a week ago. Her heart pounded furiously at her chest as she crawled away while keeping her eyes on it. What else was she to do? Where would she go?

“I’m… v-very sorry,” she apologized to the display pony. Her hooves were shaking like crazy. “Please. I want to go…”

The thing stood motionless as she neared the top of the stairs, trying not to lose sight of it. Her hooves tried hard to find footing as she backed away. It only took one missed step.

Rarity began her descent.





•••••





It had been nearly a month since the fateful time at Carousel Boutique. Ponies had wondered why it had closed down and all products being put under a sale. Everything had to go that wasn’t nailed down. Rumors came and went before things settled down.

Twilight had taken her time to make sure everything had gone away on the list. With the funds, Rarity had decided to buy another place. Since some were out of the way, Twilight had wished to accompany her friend along the way. The two had checked a few of the buildings but none seemed to be to the former seamstress’s liking.

“Well, we came all the way out to Manehattan as it is,” Twilight said while looking to her marshmallow colored friend. “How about we stop by a few stores just so isn’t all in vain?”

Rarity smiled and nodded as she did her best to walk with her limp. The injury hadn’t been so bad but the healing was taking longer than usual. She hadn’t been eating right until just days ago and kept acting strange.

“Yes, dear,” the unicorn said while looking around. “Where shall we stop first? I should let me hoof rest a bit as it is.”

The two continued their walk a bit longer and rounded a corner. There were plenty of shops to check out and more than a few restaurants. Neither could seem to decide on a decent place until Twilight smiled wide.

“Oh! Let’s check out this place! Maybe it’ll… help?” the alicorn suggested, rushing forward and stopping ahead.

Rarity got confused what she meant as she moved forward and started passing the glass storefront. A familiar and unwanted feeling washed over her instantly. The look to the side at the windows had her ears droop and her muzzle open in shock. The mare whined and fell to the ground as she shook her head.

“No! No, please! Twilight, I can’t!” she called out, scooting away from the windows.

“Rarity, what’s wrong?!” her purple coated friend asked. “Why are you acting like this?!”

“NO!” Rarity yelled trying to fight being picked up but failed. “I can’t go in there!”

“Of COURSE you can! An injury doesn’t keep you from being you!” Twilight reasoned and glanced between her and the store. “Maybe it’ll help you turn back around.”

“I don’t want to,” mumbled the pony in fear. Her eyes stared at the ground as she waited for a reply.

“Nothing’s wrong. You’ll be fine,” her friend assured her, leaning down some. “I’m with you, okay? Nothing’s going to happen to you in there.”

There was a bit of silence before Rarity took a slow breath. Her eyes glanced up to the window again, trying not to make it obvious at the ponyquin she was looking at. Twilight did sound like she would be safe. Despite the thoughts of what might await her, Rarity felt she did need to face her fears.

It took some time but eventually they did make it inside the clothing store. The lines of fancy outfits and lovely fabrics did bring a breath of fresh air to the unicorn. Her eyes looked over all the items as they walked along while she did her best to push aside any nagging feeling within. At least feeling eyes on her was warranted with some ponies recognizing her and her work.

The time in the store was mostly pleasant despite the turning in her stomach. There was so much to look at that the two of them nearly lost track of time. Twilight even offered to try on some dresses if it would humor her friend. It was awfully kind of her.

Minutes ran by like good oats. They were going to be late for their next appointment if they didn’t hurry up. It was when her friend ran to the front desk that Rarity smiled warmly for the first time in a long while.

“Hi!” Twilight greeted the clerk in her cheery voice. “Um, I kinda wanted to get this for my friend but she’s obviously here. Could I still have it gift wrapped for her? It’s the thought that counts.”

Rarity tried hard to act like she didn’t hear any of it but being so close to them made it impossible. At the very least, she could do her best not spoiling the gift right away. Her head dipped and turned in all sorts of directions as she avoided looking at the counter.

“Ah, sure thing!” said the clerk, rummaging around for a box and talking. “Business has picked up in the past couple of weeks. Bought a few displays and fabrics from one of the stores that closed down recently.”

The words lingered a bit before finally sinking in. Rarity stopped her playful head movements and felt her body grow cold. She really did sell everything off from her boutique. Everything.

“Wow, must be crazy,” Twilight replied, keeping the small talk going.

“Mhm,” answered the clerk before he furrowed his brow. “Where…?”

“Something wrong?” the alicorn asked while splaying her wings playfully at seeing her friend so close.

Rarity’s mind was elsewhere as she felt weak. Her legs wobbled as she tried to convince herself to stop worrying. She could feel it. She knew.

“Yeah… Can’t find my scissors,” the annoyed clerk mentioned and huffed.

The pit in Rarity’s stomach plummeted deeper. The fear grew higher and her breath came short. She didn’t want to believe it as her eyes tried looking behind her but her head refused to turn.

A shuffle sounded out.
> Red Lights
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay, class!” Cheerilee called out above the laughter and yelling. “I’ll let you leave early if you behave!”

It was almost instant to hear them clam up and wait. A few of the foals fidgeted in their seats while some others looked nearly ready to lean over and whisper. While she did enjoy teaching them about various topics, the one thing they really needed to learn was listening at times. It sounded as if they were picking it up pretty well too.

“Hmm,” the teacher teased, unable to hide her smirk before rolling those emerald green eyes. “Well, guess I can’t object to that. Off you go!”

Almost in unison, the various little foals gathered their books or bags as some even stumbled out the door right away. They acted as if the building were haunted. The idea made her snicker a bit as she watched and nodded to some who waved a hoof goodbye. Some of them were very polite and she adored it so much.

“Bye, Miss Cheerilee!” Scootaloo said with her two friends repeating the phrase and them hurrying out.

“Goodbye, girls. Take care over the weekend!” she called to them and waited for more of the colorful manes and coats to file out of the door.

It hardly took long for them to get out of the class. She didn’t blame them though. While they did drag their hooves coming in every morning it was hard to be eager to sit down just to listen to somepony talk. Attention span was something she had to work with for them.

Soon enough, the classroom was empty and she was left alone with her thoughts. After closing the door, the magenta color pony walked to her desk and sighed. She still had things to grade from a test and look over anything else. Getting ready for the next week also needed to be planned out.

Cheerilee let out a groan as she glanced out the windows and to the bright day. It was already going to get dark sooner than she wished with how the seasons were changing. At least she could walk home without the heat and humidity that summer had.

Instead of putting it off, the mare began to pull the stack of papers with various forms of writing on them. She would just plan the next week’s lesson at home. Her eyes studied the first paper while she took a quill and dipped into the red inkwell. One wrong. Two.

The kind teacher continued on in her attempt to finish the grading of the tests as fast as she could. Time felt like it had halted for her but the fact the sun was lowering more and more proved otherwise. Her quill moved about only here and there as she tried to work quick. She still wanted to get home before it got too dark.

In the back of her mind she cursed herself for making the test take up most of the day. All it did was eat up her time in getting home as it was but they still needed to learn. With holidays coming up soon they would also be more focused on fun rather than the teachings. Her smile returned as she thought of just how excited they all would be around then.

The haste she worked was as fast as she could go without making mistakes. The red ink marked only the needed missed answers and the final grade as she moved through the stack. Each one she completed had her feeling more like a tiny bit of a weight was lifted. She’d be free just like them soon enough.

Minutes stretched into the hour. One became two. It wasn’t a happy thing when she looked up to see the twilight sky spreading above the land. She was just two papers away from finishing and could finally head out.

While the last one may have been sloppy, the mare merely corrected her own mishap and breathed a sigh of relief. There would still be light out if it were spring or summer. She couldn’t fault the seasons for staying behind to grade though. Instead, she pulled her saddlebags up and shoveled the papers inside before latching it shut.

A look to the sky revealed the tiny dots of stars sprinkled about. Cheerilee hurried over to the door and stepped out, closing it behind her. She was surprised she could grade the last few tests with how dark it was becoming. Just her eyesight adjusting, she assumed.

Another look up as she began her walk home had her think of helping the foals learn more about the stars. She knew plenty of the constellations and it could be a fun thing. Might also help any of them who become lost, though she hoped that never came to be. It would be a nice change of pace as well and work with the longer nights.

Her gaze stayed mostly glue to the stars as she tried remembering a few of the patterns in the sky. Hardly any ponies were out so she had plenty of freedom to pay little mind where she was walking. The stars shined bright and kept her attention for most of the way. Each constellation she recalled had her smile since it had been a while really paying attention to them.

Then her eyes roamed over a very odd instance. The stars almost looked as if they were trying to be some pattern but it left her clueless as to what. She couldn’t even remember there being any kind of constellation there. Her confusion stayed with her as she slowed her pace to try and figure out what she was looking at.

Getting closer to her home and stuck at the pattern in the sky made her let out a light huff. She was sure there wasn’t something there before but it looked like there was an attempt at something trying to be there. Maybe an extra star she didn’t notice? The only reason it bugged her was because she would have to answer questions on it to her students.

Her walk stopped once she reached her home. The teacher stood staring at the stars above with her head tilting in thought. Whatever it was she was missing wasn’t giving any clues. She could possibly find a book to figure it out.

It took her a few minutes of stargazing before she was about to call it and head inside when one of the pins of light just blinked out. Cheerilee’s eye widened in shock but also fascination. She had never seen something like that happen before. A shooting star left a trail and moved, not just vanish.

The curious nature of the event left her more confused than before. It was as if a candle had been blown out. While the missing star made that part of the sky look more familiar, it still looked off to her. Something she couldn’t place entirely.

Longer thoughts were spent as she stayed just outside of her home to ponder the strangeness. Her eyes felt like they were betraying her for not showing what else might be wrong. It almost felt like something was hiding and just mimicking what was in the sky to appear proper. The idea was so far fetched that Cheerilee rolled her eyes and finally opened her door.

Why she was getting so interested in that one spot was queer at best but she didn’t feel like it deserved as much thought put into it. Stars shine and fade as time goes on. She just simply happened to witness the event before her eyes to some degree.

Reasoning done, the mare shut her door and tossed her saddlebags to the side. She was ready to sit back and just relax for a couple of days. Maybe she would just have her students read up on some of the signs in the sky before doing much else. It’d be an easier way to have them introduced to it instead of trying to make them remember the patterns right away.

Her legs moved as she paid no mind to anything other than the goal for the night. Ice cream and a good book sounded ideal. The fridge popped open as she grabbed her favorite flavor and looked at the ice block inside the freezer box. It could last another week before she had to get another.

The little handle nestled in the grip of her muzzle as she carried it to her living room and went off to fetch her book. While it was some cheesy romance novel it still got her attention. She knew where she left it and quickly hopped to her bedroom to snag it off the nightstand. A small flip and she balanced it atop her head as she thought of what was to come next in her reading.

It didn’t take her long to grab a spoon and light some candles as she sat on her sofa to just enjoy a late reading. Something so simply just made her happy. Her hooves opened the literature to her last known spot as she glanced to the frozen treat. Soon enough.

The sweet teacher soon found herself lost in the thrilling foray between a mare and her lover. She was such a sucker for it all. Her eyes read off the lines as she made small noises here and there while getting more into her story. Little coos and small ‘awws’ were uttered as she read and occasionally leaned over to grab a spoonful of her treat.

Time was utterly meaningless to her. Despite how dark it was outside, she had all the comfort needed. Her body shivered a bit as she glanced to the slowly melting ice cream. Maybe the cold was slowly getting to her. How long she had been reading was oblivious to her.

It had possibly been a couple of hours when she noticed something strange. A light was shining outside her home. Not just any kind of light but a red one. Closing the book, Cheerilee got up and moved to a window to get a better look.

Shifting the curtains aside had the light almost flood her living room. There wasn’t much of a source that she could spot. While it appeared to be outside and in the street, it didn’t look to be coming from any particular spot. It was just everywhere.

The more she studied it the more she began feeling uneasy over it. Red light seemed to stare into all windows it touched as she wondered what it was. It had just randomly spawned a moment before with no flickering or anything. A torch or lantern couldn’t be shining out as much that did.

While she never saw anything other than the light, its mere presence felt ominous in a way. Maybe due to how there appeared to be no source of it. The color itself also didn’t feel too friendly to her with the way it tried to take over everything. It was odd but she simply couldn’t understand anything about it.

Just when she was about to give up, the light quickly faded. Cheerilee was left staring at the darkness outside and the other homes nearby. Strangely enough, nopony else seemed to be peering out their windows at what had just transpired. Not a single window other than her own had the curtains aside. Not even a door was open to show a pony inspecting the strange happening.

A few more minutes passed before she finally pushed herself away. The event was over and she had been the only witness from what she could gather. Why no other ponies even bothered to look out made her confused until she looked for the moon quickly.

Oh, how she had let time pass by faster than she meant! It was later than late for her. The magenta pony closed the melting treat as she hurried to stuff it into her ice box once more. Right up against the ice itself to help keep it from melting too much. She made sure to blow out each candle before grabbing her book and nearly stumbling all the way to her bedroom.

The strange light was still fresh in her mind but with nothing else to go on she simply let it be. Perhaps the princesses were testing something. A firework had gone off that she couldn’t see. It wasn’t going to bother her so why investigate further?

With a yawn, Cheerilee set her book aside and climbed into bed. Her mind was still a bit too active to fully rest but she needed to try. The character in her book and the weird light outside filled her thoughts as she got comfy and curled up beneath the sheets. She was sure to have odd dreams unless Luna intervened in them.

The last few moments before she finally got to sleep were particularly strange. She could have sworn she may have seen the light again for just a brief second.





•••••





The weekend came and went as it usually did for the kind teacher. No other odd happenings seemed to surface for her and the red light was a mere memory rather quickly. Lessons were planned and quickly underway when she began the next day at school. She had even gone out to grab a few books to help brush up on her own rusty constellation knowledge.

A few of the students seemed rather pleased to know some of the tales behind the stars while others simply wanted to sleep. She was honestly surprised they lasted as long as they did without closing their eyes. It was a pleasant experience overall for her. Naming them and telling the foals to try and find any in the sky at night during the week seemed like a good idea for simple homework.

At some point, she did stumble across a few patterns that made her pause for a moment. They were nearest ones to the star she had seen vanish. Though there was nothing between them, it made her feel a little off with the fact. There had been nothing there but just her feelings told her otherwise. The page in the book didn’t come off the same way but the memory had her silent.

“Miss Cheerilee?” a student asked curiously, holding a hoof high.

“Oh, sorry. Yes?” she replied, smiling and forcing away the odd sensation.

She was thankful for the quick interruption of her mind so she could stay with the students mentally. The rest of the day went by like many did in the fall. Cold breezes had her closing windows while the colored leaves fell around them. It was a beautiful time.

Soon enough, the bell had rung and the numerous foals all rushed to exit the building once again. While she wasn’t sure what to do with the spare time she had for the evening it did make her glad she hadn’t given them more tests that had to be graded. Her own rush to get out of the building almost put that foal-like spirit in her as she giggled to herself and hurried out.

The romance novel she had been reading was nearing its end and she was very eager to see where it might lead. Maybe the spare time she had could be reading the rest of it. A good use of the small bit of daylight left, she thought. Those hooves galloped quickly as she tried to head home fast now that she had a goal in mind.

Passing various ponies had her greet them as fast as she could before reaching her home. The mare hadn’t felt so excited since she was a filly. It seemed like just the thing for her, just simply having something to look forward to. Her door unlatched as she hit the handle and nudged her way inside before tossing her belongings down and running to fetch her book.

It would help distract her from other things. She knew what her mind wanted to poke and prod about but she wouldn’t let it. The missing star was just something else and she had no real desire to seek more information with how the thoughts alone made her feel. Cheesy romance was at the top of her list.

Grabbing a blanket, Cheerilee worked her way onto the sofa once again as she opened her book and snuggled herself in as much as possible before opening the book. She was ready to finish her story and see how it all turns out. Maybe the main character would find her prince! Giddy with glee, the excited mare dove straight into her evening reading without a second thought.





•••••





That was something. She hadn’t expected the ending she was hoping for but maybe she should have. There were several other sequels to it. To her that just meant she would have to pick up the next one at some point soon. Continuing an epic saga of love was a fun thought.

With her candles that were set up part-way into her reading, she knew it would be too late to run out and grab the next volume. Her eyes stared at the cover for a bit before she glanced out her windows. It was clearly too late. Not a single story would be open with the moon as high as it was.

Had she really been reading for so long? The time was a flash for her. Those stiff legs stretched out as she rolled into the cushions of her sofa for a moment. While it may have felt as if time flew by her body seemed to complain to the contrary.

Muscles ached for a bit as she grunted and finally got up on all hooves. A good bath would have her aches soothe out. The idea sounded all too pleasing as she smiled and hurried on over to the bathroom, bringing in a lantern where she put one of the candles in. The lighting with the tub almost dripped with the cliché romance trope but she would be lying if she said it wasn’t perfect.

The water started as she tested it several times to make sure it was just right for her while she waited. Slowly but surely, the bathtub filled to her desire and she was quickly slip right in. Her mane and tail soaked instantly as she cooed in delight. It was beyond relaxing.

Cheerilee laid mostly still as she let the water just comfort her in the hold as some lover might someday. She knew it was corny but it made her happy to think such things. Washing took much longer than usual as she let the water roll off her more than trying to scrub. As much focus as she was putting on the bath there was an odd feeling that began to creep up her back.

At first, it seemed as if there might have been a draft with how the chill traveled along her so quickly. It wasn’t until she had managed to get out of the draining tub and begin drying off that she saw something else. The light beneath her bathroom door had a reddish glow. The same red from the one night outside.

The mare’s ears lowered as she stared and felt all the comforting feelings she had worked up to just deplete. Instead, an irrational fear took place and only seemed to elevate. Why was she afraid of seeing a light? Then it clicked.

There was only one way she could see it so close to her bathroom door. The light had to be in her house. Cheerilee bit her lip as she waited and hoped it would fade like last time but it seemed to refuse doing so. If it were somepony inside trying to scare her then good job.

She almost called out but decided not to. If it really was some threat as her body told her then maybe she should stay hidden. Why bring something like that closer? Her body shook lightly from the cool air and the mixed dread she was encountering as she waited. What should she do?

Curiosity yearned for a source or even a meaning. It was the furthest thing from her mind to do but she eventually reached for the latch and carefully pulled the door open. She was surprised at how quiet it was. Not just the door but everything. It all just felt so quiet before her and made her uncomfortable more than before.

If she could just see what was going on then perhaps it would set her mind at ease. Just a look and nothing more. Her head peered around the door frame as she looked for where the light was coming from. The hall looked so foreboding with the skewered shapes and stretches of light mixed with the utter black of shadows.

Slowly, the mare took a step out to get a better look. The lantern hanging in her mouth hardly could compete against the red glow overtaking her home. Everything it touched felt like it was painting it. Her heart beat fiercely in her chest as she took another step out.

The living room was saturated in the red. While she couldn’t see it all ahead of her, there was no doubt it was coming from there. Whatever was causing it left no noise of a flame or anything. Her mind kept trying to understand what it was and why she should fear it when a shadow moved across a far wall.

Her lantern nearly slipped from her muzzle but she bit the ring quickly to keep it from crashing. There was somepony in her house. Another bit of movement against the wall showed strange shapes. Multiple limbs or thin bodies? She couldn’t make it out entirely but they did make a bit of noise.

It was a humming of sorts. Something that permeated the air entirely but intermittently. The longer she heard the more she began feeling her head throbbing. A migraine? The pony winced when the sound was uttered as she tried shifting to one side to see further into the room.

Still no luck in seeing her invader. The entire room was blanketed in the red light. It practically left nothing untouched in its glow. Cheerilee moved a tiny bit closer, scared out of her mind at what she was doing and hating how curious she had become.

Maybe if she turned back right away it would be safer for her. She almost tried to before that sound came again. It wasn’t any hum she had heard before. The pain in her head had her stagger for a second and lightly knock the lantern against the wall she leaned to.

The shadows stopped as did the noise. The frightened mare was sure her heart had too with how terrified she felt. Her invaders had noticed her, she was sure of it. There was no mistaking they heard the light clatter.

In an instant, the light faded swiftly and the only glow was that of her candles and lantern. The odd feeling of a threat had gone but her fear stayed. For all she knew they had just put the light out. She didn’t want to take any chances by moving on so quickly.

It took her a moment before she managed to walk into her living room again. There were no signs anypony had been in there at all. No windows were open or broken and no doors left to invite the wind inside. Nothing.

Other than the horrible headache, she had no evidence of anything even happening. Whatever that noise was, that odd hum, it certainly wasn’t friendly with her head. Cheerilee sighed and finally let her guard down. Her ears drooped as she tried to think of any kind of explanation for what happened but came up short.

Blowing the candles out, the magenta earth pony decided it would be best to try and get some rest. The headache wouldn’t get better by worrying or staying up any later than she had. It would also help to think clearly in the morning.

She had nearly made it down the hall when another sound made her cry out and drop the lantern. The light went out instantly as she panicked and heard the blubbering echoes from her bathroom declare attention. Her tub had just finished emptying.

Oh, Celestia, she did not enjoy that scare. Her heart felt more stressed than it had ever been before. Giving a sigh of relief and patting a hoof to her chest, the mare slowly picked up the metal casing for her light and carried it through the dark to her room.

Tossing it onto her nightstand, Cheerilee left the lantern unlit and just climbed into bed. Whatever had come into her home was gone and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She had no spells to use for the mere fact of being an earth pony. It was a light so what good would some magical barrier do anyway?

Then there was the invaders. Whatever it or they were. The shadows didn’t help her define anything other than there was something else there. Her body rolled over as she pulled the covers over her head.

She hadn’t been this scared ever before.





•••••





Cheerilee had a hard time sleeping that night of the incident. She had a hard time sleeping at all since. It had been days since the scary encounter but it didn’t seem to fade from her memory at all. Showing up to class with little to say had plenty of the students asking if things were okay. A mere smile and nod seemed to keep them from prying too much.

The worst part was that the headache had lingered for a couple days straight. She had nearly had to ask for a substitute but refused. Seeing the kind eyes of her students was something that she needed. Schoolwork was eased up to the point of her letting classmates talk to one another about the constellations and more. She didn’t bother trying to keep them from chatting about anything else either.

With her migraine mostly gone, the mare had found herself wanting to move on from that night. Each thought that slipped in about the terrible light made her feel cold and helpless. It wasn’t a fun experience to keep replaying the ordeal in her head but her mind refused to leave it alone. The tired look about her said plenty on how she wasn’t sleeping well.

The idea of reading cheesy romance novels didn’t appeal to her. Frozen treats only made her remember the cold chill she had from the encounter. It was as if her comfort had turned to traumatic reminders of what had scared her so deeply.

The bell rang loudly and she jumped, quickly looking around. Thankfully, the students all seemed more interested in leaving than paying her any mind. Her mental state was wearing down from the poor sleeping habit and constant thoughts that played in her head. She wasn’t feeling like she was getting better.

Each foal filed out of the classroom, one after the other, until she was left alone once again. Her eyes lingered on the door for a bit as she thought of just simply not going home for once. She didn’t feel safe there anymore yet had nowhere else to turn. If she explained her situation then maybe somepony could help out, or maybe they would think she was crazy.

Fighting every urge to just sleep in her classroom, Cheerilee got up and grabbed her bags. The cold air of the autumn evening had her shiver for a moment before she began her walk home. She could only hope that her mind would eventually stop thinking about the whole thing and let her move on. It wasn’t like her to linger on such negative thoughts.

The walk itself was slow. With the air so dry and cold it left her almost wanting to get to her house faster, oddly enough. Just to warm up and be quiet. Her pace increased a bit at the thought of a comfy blanket to wrap up in.

Her trot was barely graceful as she just did her best to keep going. She hadn’t slept well for a few nights and deserved some proper sleep for once. Nopony else seemed to notice or at least pay any mind to her as she passed. Possibly just a mistake of thinking she had a long day, not a few long days and nights.

Arriving at her doorstep, Cheerilee stared at the handle before slowly knocking the door open. Her body bumped the door the rest of the way as she moved inside and closed it gently behind her. A small snack? Warm bath? Some nice candles?

Nothing sounded ideal to her. Instead, she moved through her living room and into the hall. The floor creaked lightly beneath her steps as she kept going until reaching her bedroom where she looked almost longingly at her bed.

“Just one night? Please?” she said softly to the furniture. “I just want one night of rest. Ease my mind…”

She was beginning to talk to inanimate objects. It felt okay. At least it felt like she was attempting to speak to another pony. Even if she wouldn’t get a response back it calmed her nerves just a bit to not feel quite as alone.

Her legs kicked up as she moved into the bed and quickly curled up under the sheets. An early night, why not? Maybe it would have her get a bit more rest than usual. Hopefully her mind wouldn’t start acting up again and antagonize the headache that was slowly fleeing. Good thoughts only.

Cheerilee’s dull emerald eyes stared at her covered window as she waited for her rest to arrive. Just several hours. That was all she wanted. Her vision blurred as she waited. Right before she slipped into the dreamscape, she almost wondered if she were waiting for rest or the red light.





•••••





A small thump stirred Cheerilee back into the waking world. Her ears flicked as her eyes groggily opened. The darkness of the night covered most of her room but one spot. It was until she noticed it that she understood what had woken her.

The red light was back. It was beneath her door but not as strong, much like when she last saw it under the bathroom door. With it being another room away, she wasn’t sure if she should risk running out and calling for help in the middle of the night.

Another noise as if something had been bumped made her jump lightly before she pulled the covers over her head. She just wanted it to stop. Why did this have to happen to her? Why was she being picked?

Whimpering quietly, she waited to see if it would fade while laying in bed. The hum hadn’t started again which she silently thanked Celestia for. Her eyes never left the sliver of light beneath her door. Each second had her hoping it would just stop.

She even agreed with herself that after the night ends she would find somepony to help her out. Maybe a simple place to stay. Anything but being in her own house one more night. There had to be somepony out there that would offer a room.

More noises though they were more familiar. Steps. Multiple steps. Whatever had invaded her living space again was moving around in search of something. The thought made her tug her covers tighter to her body as she stayed silent.

The light beneath to door seemed to grow brighter as the steps sounded like they were coming closer. Cheerilee widened her eyes in horror at the idea as she sat up and looked around. There really was no place to go without making noise. If it heard her then it might come running and her legs might give out in terror. Even if she could run, there was no indication that it couldn’t outrun her easily.

The mare felt her breath coming in fast pants as her panic rose. Her eyes continued looking peeking at the door to notice the light creeping inside her room like red water washing itself inside. It was impossible to get out of her home in time. Seconds ticked by as she sat idle.

A sudden thought made her leap up from her bed and do her best to quietly hurry across the room. With a quickly pull, her closet opened open with the mare rushing inside. She barely had time to close it with as little noise as possible when she saw the light begin filling her bedroom. The door made only the slightest of noises as she sat in the dark and watched the red glow beneath.

It was eerily quiet as she tried to calm her breathing and held a hoof to her chest. Her heart was going a mile a minute while she waited and shook. While she never heard her bedroom door open it seemed as if the light was right inside there. The bright beam beneath her closet door spread across the floor as she inched away from it.

It couldn’t find her. It just couldn’t. It would leave and she would run out and find a pony to keep her sane. The door hadn’t opened so it wasn’t in her bedroom yet.

The hum started again and her hooves pressed to her ears trying to muffle the noise. It was painful and she felt so vulnerable when hearing it. Her eyes shut tight as she waited for it to end then noticed how bright the light was beneath the closet door.

She kept running the thoughts through her head of how it won’t find her and how it wasn’t even in the room. Every second had her in near hysterics as she listened for anything. Aside from the hum there wasn’t anything to listen to. Perhaps it was going away.

Shadows appeared, cutting through the glowing light below. She could hear the steps of multiple legs. As much as it sounded like so many steps, it felt as if there were only one entity on the other side of her door. How it had got into her room without her hearing it made her worry as she thought of the time before where she saw no clue of how it had entered or left.

The dread was intense as she watched in horror what took place. Those shadows stopped and there was silence again. It hadn’t left as the red light still shined as strong as ever. Her heart thumped against her chest as she panted loudly and her eyes widened, watching the event unfold before her.

It didn’t use doors.
> Falling
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the sun so bright and the birds singing, it was impossible not to smile for the day. Roseluck was ready to get their flower stand up and running for the morning. Her extra pep in her walk made her all the more chipper as she greeted ponies she passed and smiled kindly to them all. It was quite the amazing day as it were.

The stand was mostly empty save for a few bundles of flowers left from the day before. The flower pony helped herself to cleaning up the area as she waved a hoof at passing ponies nearby. It was quite lucky for her to enjoy the clear skies as much as she was. She couldn’t even feel the colder air of autumn rolling in.

Her work slowed for a moment as she remembered the time of year it was. It did feel a bit strange to be so warm this late in the year. A minute passed before she blinked until she began focusing better again. It was just a nice day and that’s all she needed!

A look at the time in the sky showed her that Lily and Daisy would be by any minute to help out as well. They should be bringing the stock in to set up the rest of the area. A nice routine with wonderful friends. The fact plenty of ponies enjoyed their flowers for showing a loved one how much they mean to them or even just to decorate was always enjoyable.

Pulling aside the last bundle and properly ordering it all, Roseluck let out a content sigh while she waited. Her body swayed lightly as she hummed to herself and looked around. Many of the Ponyville population went by the town square, so it was a nice place for them to have set up shop. As much as she wanted to credit for it, Daisy was the one who had suggested it.

The day’s rays beat down on her as she sat behind the booth and watched the daily habits of other ponies. It was strange to feel the heat of the day like she was. Maybe Celestia accidentally moved the sun just a hair closer than usual. A quick glance to the glowing ball seemed to indicate it was fine where it was.

She was almost ready to get fetch a pitcher of water just to counter the strange heat before she saw both her friends ride up. The small wagon being pulled by Lily held a wide assortment of flowers from all over Equestria. It looked lovely just being there and she couldn’t wait to see just how beautiful they would look on display.

“Hey, girls!” Roseluck called out and waved from behind the stand.

“Hi, Rose!” Lily called back and giggled, tugging the wagon to the displays and stopping.

“Sorry we were late,” Daisy mentioned as she looked to the large amount of flowers. “We kind of made a stop to grab some along the way.”

“It’s fine~” Roseluck assured them, her rose-colored mane giving a light bounce as she nodded.

The three of them quickly began setting things up. With the variety of flowers they had, it would be impossible for other ponies not to notice. All the colors flowed from one to the next almost like a rainbow as the lightest of breezes made them look like colorful water waves.

“It’s perfect!” Lily said and leaned in to sniff at a few.

It did seem that way. The most perfect batch of flowers they ever had. It was oddly a bit too perfect though. Roseluck couldn’t place it at first but something felt a bit off.

“Where did you get some of these?” the rosy pony asked, looking a bit confused the longer she stared.

There were several types of flowers that shouldn’t be in season yet. With fall already underway, it wouldn’t be feasible to get some. The heat was also another thing that bothered her some.

“Girls? I was wondering, where did some of these come from?” Roseluck repeated as she turned around. “Also, this heat is-”

They were gone. Not just running away from something but entirely missing. Her heart picked up pace as she let her worry get to her. The spots they had been standing seemed absent of them ever being there in the first place. No wagon, no ponies, no flowers left.

Her ears wilted much like flowers do as she glanced around. Those green eyes searched the area but came up with nothing. Sadly, she found that all other ponies in the otherwise bustling town square had also seemed to just disappear. Something wasn’t right.

The heat of the day suddenly changed to the chill of late autumn. Roseluck shivered as she felt the cold air and watched the town become overshadowed in a much dimmer light. An eclipse? That wasn’t due for a long while.

Looking up, the mare watched as dark clouds seemed to come out of nowhere. They encompassed all the land and went as far as the horizon. Her worried only seemed to grow stronger as she tried to control her breathing to calm down while witnessing such bizarre weather phenomenon. What was going on?

“Hello?!” she cried out, though felt more afraid to speak again with how harsh the silence was.

The air stayed cold but still. Nothing moved other than herself in the town. It was more than eerie to witness the whole area be as if all ponies just ceased to exist. Just gone.

A turn around yielded her stand devoid of the precious flowers she had just prior. Nothing seemed safe anymore. Everything just went everywhere and nowhere all at once. Yet, Roseluck was stuck in the middle like she didn’t belong.

Deep rolls of what she thought were thunder echoed out in the sky. Oddly enough, not a single lightning strike or indication of one. She may not be a pegasus but she understood that much. There would always be lightning with thunder.

Again, the sound rolled over the sky, encompassing the land below with a deep vibration. Her stomach tied in a knot as she found herself cowering when she heard it. There was something sinister about it all. No storm ever sounded so dreadful to her.

Her balance wobbled as she stared up at the sky in hopes of finding an answer before quickly turning her head down. She was feeling lightheaded for some reason. Her legs refused to cooperate as she stumbled forward and toppled onto the cobbled ground. Even the best efforts were in vain as she found her body struggling to do even the simplest of tasks to stand.

The thunder bellowed and roared above, much closer than she last heard it. Still no lightning. While the flashes were absent there did seem to be the sound of something more beneath the storm. Roseluck whimpered and pulled herself over to the stand, trying to right herself during the terror.

Then her world shifted. Her body pulled lightly as if she were starting to slide away before her forelegs latched around a lamppost. Slowly, she felt herself almost being lifted up from the ground yet not by magic nor her own doing.

Roseluck’s body tilted as her hooves slid up the post to the end where she nearly lost her grip. Gravity itself had warped but only for her. The stand stayed right where it had been as she tried to keep her hold on the post as long as she could. She didn’t want to let go.

It was like her world had literally turned upside down for her. The flower pony looked up only to see the ground of Ponyville above her as her hind legs dangled below to the sky. Her strength felt fleeting as she tried to stay with the ground above, wanting nothing more than it all to correct itself. That heart was pounding away as she felt her grip slipping more and more.

A glance down showed the cloudy sky part open. The black void behind it was absent of any stars. It was no night sky and she knew it. Vertigo kicked in at the worst time as she felt that light headed sensation kick in once more but much more intense. Her forelegs failed.

Roseluck fell.





•••••





Letting out a cry, Roseluck flailed about in bed. Her body tossed and turned before she finally opened her eyes and looked around. Everything felt calm and normal. The sun had just begun to rise and she wasn’t falling up.

The mare sighed and let the panic slowly ebb away as she stared at the ceiling. Her thoughts were muddled but slowly began coming clear as she turned to watch the sun rise out her window. That had to be the worst nightmare she had ever experienced. Why Luna would let it happen was beyond her.

It would be a slow start to the day as she tried to gather herself while climbing out of bed and getting ready. The sky looked clear but there was no unnatural heat. She could even feel the colder air upon nearing her windows. At least she had the satisfaction of knowing she was out of that terrible dream and awake.

Things moved by at a pace only she felt comfortable with. While it was only a dream it was one that she had never had before. Even worse, it was a nightmare that felt all too real to her. Perhaps Luna just missed her dream during the night or was a bit too busy. Roseluck was hardly wanting to point blame or even consider the Princess of the Night had forgotten a pony.

She didn’t look any worse for wear when inspecting herself in the bathroom mirror. Just a simple bad dream. Her hooves splashed a bit of water on her face to help liven her up as she took a deep breath. There hadn’t been even the thought of actual nightmares in Ponyville for a while.

The thoughts made her perk up a bit as she remembered Nightmare Night was coming soon. While she wasn’t one to take too many scares it was still a fun event. At least she would have her two other friends alongside her to make not feel left out if fainting did occur. She smiled at the thought.

Her day didn’t need to be glum or her mood gloomy. Instead, she planned to push it all aside and enjoy her time with her friends. The stall they had set up would be attracting many ponies and she was sure of it. With some flowers being scarce during the season, they would work around it with different arrangements or even helping decorate for the town.

That was the spirit she needed. Roseluck smiled and quickly hopped over to grab a small meal before taking her saddlebags with her on the way out. Her body shivered the second she opened the door as she considered grabbing a scarf but decided against it. It wasn’t too bad.

There she walked, heading on down to the town square as she greeted the ponies she passed happily. The day felt nice despite the cool air. Plenty of pony spirit about with many either getting ready or talking about Nightmare Night.

As she continued, she noticed the center of town partially decorated. Orange and black streamers as well as a lovely batch of pumpkins being towed around. It did appear that the town was ready for the holiday more than ever. The smell of fresh baked goods from Sugarcube Corner even wafted in the air so early in the day.

Arriving at her booth, Roseluck set her bags aside and started clearing things up around it. Loose petals, discarded parchment, anything that would deter the look of their lovely flowers. Her hooves stuffed the trash away before she looked around in search of her friends. They would be there any moment.

A sudden wave of déjà vu seemed to hit almost instantly. The mare took a slow breath as she tried to let it pass while staring down at the counter top to their stall. It almost felt just like how her dream had started out. Of course, it was just a dream and those never hurt anypony.

“Rose?” a voice called out in front of her. “You okay?”

Looking up, she saw the worried face of Lily with her head tilted. The expression was enough to know Roseluck probably had some odd look about her. With wide eyes and wilted ears, it would be clear something was off.

“Oh?” the rose marked pony randomly uttered before smiling and shaking her head to hopefully shake the feeling she had. “I’m fine. Just a random dizzy spell.”

“Need to go home?” Lily asked, her concerned look seeming to check for any ailment on her friend.

“No, no. I’m okay!” Roseluck said and smiled wider. “It’s mostly passed anyway.”

“Oh, that’s good!” the pink pony replied before walking around to sit next to her. “Daisy should be by soon. I think she slept in a little.”

The two of them giggled and teased each other as Roseluck began feeling her internal conflict subside. Nothing acted as the same as her dream and she was left to enjoy the time with her friend. It did help that other ponies passed by to take the last of their stock before Daisy would arrive. Not a terrible start for the day.

It took their green maned mare friend another hour before she had come by with the wagon of extra flowers to stock up. Each of them worked to make sure their stand looked as good as it could before Lily offered to walk the wagon back.

“I’ll be back soon. You two don’t have too much fun without me!” the pink mare said and smiled before moving along.

“I was late, I know,” Daisy remarked as she looked away. Her tone was obviously that of a defeated pony.

“Don’t worry about it~” Roseluck assured her and smiled. “I would have been late myself due to the nigh-”

She had almost let it slip. There was no need to worry her friends over a silly thing like that, especially when it didn’t worry her as much. Did it?

“The what?” her friend asked, turning to look at her with a confused face.

“Uh, nothing serious. I just had a ni… a bad dream,” the rosy pony mentioned while avoiding eye contact.

The silence that ensued made her uneasy with how her friend was looking at her. There was concern and worry in those eyes but she did her best to keep smiling.

“How long have you had them?” Daisy inquired. The serious tone seemed almost eerie with how lighthearted things had just been.

“Just the one. Last night,” Roseluck answered back and shifted a bit in her seat. “It’s nothing, I promise!”

There was more of that silence but it seemed far less intense than a moment ago. Daisy gave a slow nod as if she understood then finally smiled. It was such a change back to normal that it almost seemed uncanny.

“Okay, but if it gets serious or such then you need to talk to Luna!” the green maned pony instructed with a firm tone. It was clear she cared deeply for her friends.

“I promise, Daisy. I promise,” the rosy mare said as she agreed.

She did mean it. While nightmares weren’t that common since Luna had returned, it did beg the question of what happened when one did occur. Either way, she was willing to write to the princess if things somehow progressed into a further venture of the dark alley of her mind. Not that she thought they would.

Soon, Lily did return once the two had moved onto other topics. Things were only quick given a once over before continuing more about brighter things. The three mares giggled and talked as they made a few items and bouquets to sell, being sure to appear kind to any passing ponies. It was a relaxing time.

The day passed on as they talked and gossiped throughout it. Hours breezed by while the three teased each other and had a merry time just enjoying the company they were in. As the sun hit noon then began to lower, their stand began to see less and less customers. It wasn’t until the evening was about call in the twilight that they decided to pack things up.

“You go on ahead, Rose,” Lily mentioned while starting to work on covering the plethora of flowers. “We’ll finish up here since we were late~”

Roseluck thanked them and wished them a good evening as she grabbed her bags and headed out. The walk home was serene and rather lovely. The hues of the sky changing and mixing to give off a rather relaxing effect made her more at ease. She was happy to live in such a wonderful town.

Before she knew, the door to her house was swinging open and she was already stepping inside. It was nice to be back home and just mind her own business once again. Her saddlebags slipped off as she placed them on the table to count out her share of bits later while she went to grab a small snack. The night had come rather swiftly it felt.

The sky was pocked with stars that shined brightly. Her eyes watched more blink into existence as the sun lowered completely while she ate. It was truly something to witness though it did make her feel a bit strange. While it was lovely to see the stars there was something bothering her to make her look away.

It had to be the nightmare. Somehow, it still played with her emotions even though she hadn’t thought of it since bringing it up to her friends. Maybe a letter to Luna wouldn’t be a bad idea. Though, perhaps just sleeping on it might have her wake up with better thoughts.

The latter idea seemed more her wish. She didn’t want to disturb the Princess of the Night for her own troubles of probably nothing. If it went away and she had already written to her then it might be a whole bouquet of embarrassment. Better to sleep on it.

Her eyes drifted up to the sky once more out her window before she backed away and began looking for something to keep her attention. It was strange to wake up one morning and feel a pit in her stomach when looking up. Worrying about it wouldn’t help so distracting herself would be the next best thing.

Searching around, the mare eventually found some old books she hadn’t read since she was a filly. Quite a long time with many memories attached to them. The box in her closet hadn’t seen the light of day in years it felt. The small struggle of tugging it out had her looking through various titles and covers before settling on one to skim through.

She sat there for probably an hour or two just fondly remembering the tale as she tried to tire herself out. While it did a good job at eating her time and causing quite the distance between her and her worries, it didn’t completely stop them when she would pause. Every glance up had her force her eyes back onto the pages to keep from looking.

It wasn’t until her fifth, or perhaps eighth, yawn that she finally decided that some rest would be in order. Her hooves piled the books back in and shoved the back back into the closet before she hurried to get ready. Plenty of windows to look out of from her home yet she kept her head down and only glanced up once in a while for her toothbrush or other nightly routine activity.

Carrying a candle into her bedroom, Roseluck set it aside as she slipped under the covers and tried getting comfy. Her eyes were feeling heavy but her heart was somehow beating quickly. It was almost as if she were excited for the new day to come. Perhaps she was. Although, she felt it was more due to wanting the new day to remove the slightest offset she had going.

Keeping her back to the window, the mare stared at the flame on her candle for a while as she silently asked for pleasant dreams and a good rest. Her muzzle inched closer before she gave a light puff and blew out the candle to lay in the dark. It didn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep where she hoped things would be better.





•••••





Roseluck couldn’t remember getting much rest. Her body felt sluggish and mostly not willing to cooperate. She had barely managed to make it to the stand with how out of it she felt. Maybe it had just been a long night and she couldn’t rest properly.

At least the stand looked to be already up and ready. Flowers were all set up and the tarp they sometimes used was cast aside. It didn’t look too bad but most of the floral arrangements were wilted and already showing a much needed replacement. Odd, they had just changed them out the day before.

With Lily and Daisy somehow absent, Roseluck opted to sit behind the booth as she waited for any customer to show up. She had been so groggy on her walk that she didn’t think of greeting any ponies on her way. Hopefully she could change that.

A look around seemed show very little activity going on in the town square. While it was early morning, the overcast might have many staying inside. Her eyes darted to the tarp as she considering draping it atop the stand to keep any possible rain from getting her wet. She didn’t recall the weather ponies stating anything about rain lately.

“Hello, miss,” a stallion said softly as she walked up and looked over the various flowers.

“Oh! Hello! What can I get you?” Roseluck perked up and smiled, putting on her best customer service attitude.

“Hm… Well, a bouquet of these ones here might do well,” the stallion said as he indicated a selection with a hoof.

“Oh, would you like a card with them for a special somepony?” the rosy mare asked, always loving to help ponies find a nice gesture for their loved ones.

“Mm, sure,” said the stocky stallion as he looked over the rest of the floral options.

“Okay, let me just get you a quill and ink here,” Roseluck spoke while ducking under the stand to fetch the required utensils. “That will be 5 bits and yo-”

He was gone. A quick check of the stock showed the flowers gone as well. Not just the ones he had picked but all of them. The strange thing was not even a single petal was left.

Looking at the open area turned up the few ponies she had seen had also disappeared. That uneasy feeling began to rise in her gut. Her heart dipped with her stomach as she looked around and shouted for any kind of response. Nothing at all.

Her hooves paced around as she circled the front of her booth while trying to calm down. It couldn’t be another dream, she had woken up. If it was, why wasn’t she waking up now? The panic set in faster the longer she was left in an unknowing state.

The sound of the mimicked thunder roared above and her legs went numb. Roseluck toppled over herself in alarm as she heard the noise and whimpered loudly. Her hooves worked against her as she tried to stand then felt herself rolling into the flower booth. It stung a bit with no way to protect herself but then felt things dip.

Her body started to lift as she felt the world shift and turn once more. It was a miracle she managed to grab onto the sigh of the stand while dangling above Ponyville. The terror below her that was once above beckoned her to let go. She knew it wasn’t natural and that something was wanting her.

The clouds parted as she held as tight as she could and watched as the blackness beyond simply waited for her. Mock thunder clapped and rolled but no lighting struck. Her forelegs shook as the strain against her weakened legs started to become too great. She couldn’t fall.

“HELP!” she cried out, the tears welling up in her eyes as her legs slipped more. “Please!”

It was useless. She was crying out to nopony and none but the void could hear her calls. The gaping emptiness below almost felt like it was waiting to devour whatever fell into it. Her heart thumped madly as she struggled to pull herself up on the sign only to slip.

Roseluck fell.





•••••





Screaming and kicking, Roseluck tumbled out of her bed and onto the floor. The actual fall had her heart skip a beat before she was fully conscious. That was something she didn’t need at all. Her waking state was far from groggy and more alert than ever. Even the faintest hint of a blurred wake was erased from that drop.

Curling up and pulling the blankets with her, the mare let out a soft whine as she stayed still on the floor. Her frail state wasn’t gaining any strength from such horrid nightmares, which were now two in a row. They felt so real as well. She didn’t feel like getting up early for once.

Daisy and Lily could deal with the stand themselves for a little bit. She wouldn’t mind taking the wagon back if she had to either. For the moment, the frightened pony just wanted to calm down. She would write to Luna soon and ask to keep watch over her dreams. Might not be much but it would at least bring a little peace to her mind.

It was barely breaking day when she had slipped off her bed. The light slowly filled her room as she stayed still and tried telling herself it was all a dream. No matter how many times she did try to convince herself there was a mild worry at how real it had all felt. Everything had seemed like it was happening and not just some nightmare that preyed on her.

Roseluck groaned and slowly forced herself up. She would take her time getting ready and plenty more if needed just to make sure that things would settle down for her. The mare’s mind was racing in thoughts as she made her bed and thought of what to say to the princess. How would she approach the situation without coming off like scared foal?

The idea to wait another night did cross her thoughts but she quickly disagreed with herself. Waiting anymore might make the nightmares worse if they continued. Should Luna check on her sleep and nothing happen then at least they would stop. That would be the important thing. Her friends could wait a bit longer for her to write the letter.

It was a good call, she thought, to write and send the letter to the princess right away. Maybe she would get it before nightfall and things would work out fine. It still confused her why she was the one getting nightmares when it seemed as though no other pony was receiving them. Was she just unlucky enough for them?

Anymore worrying about it all wouldn’t help. Roseluck got out a piece of parchment and a quill to sit down at the kitchen table and write. Saying nothing wouldn’t solve anything and worrying about how to say it would keep her from giving needed details. She wrote everything she could, detailing how she felt and what happened both nights.

She could hardly keep the tip of the quill straight as she shook. It was her nerves still acting up from the scare. How they carried on well after the nightmare was over didn’t make sense. It almost felt like something wasn’t leaving her alone. Something that merged between both realms.

Scary as the thought was, she added it to the letter and quickly dripped a wax seal over it once folded. Having Luna take a look and respond would put her conscience as ease. There wasn’t much else she could do anyway.

A plan to tire herself out before bed was something she would think on for the day. Reading old tales didn’t seem to help drive away the bad dreams. Maybe a puzzle or just some tea to relax with. Her thoughts toyed with various ideas as she got ready and slipped the letter into her bag before heading out.

Whatever was going on felt like it may interfere with her daily routine or more. If it left her worried enough to get in touch with the Princess of the Night then there could be something more serious at play. She still hoped for it being nothing other than worry over them. Luna just being busy. Something easy to explain.

The walk to the postal service was as fast as she felt like going. There was some kind of feeling looking over her that kept her from wanting to make a scene. Her ears stayed low as she hurried on before turning a corner and nearly bumping right into another pony.

“Sorry! Didn’t see you there!” they said as Roseluck nearly toppled over.

Instead of replying, the scared pony felt her world drop out from under her before diving to the nearby grass. Her hooves dug into the dirt as she grit her teeth and whined. It felt far too much like she was about to leave the ground like her dreams.

“Y-you okay?” the pony asked her, looking confused.

“Uh, yeah…,” Roseluck lied, her shrunken pupils a clear sign of the fear she felt. “I’ll be okay. Sorry…”

The two parted ways awkwardly shortly after before she continued her path to the post office. Either something was wrong or there was more going on than just the nightmares to her. She never had a fear of her hooves leaving the ground so abruptly until then. The thought of jumping had her frown as well.

A small test was in order. Taking a deep breath, Roseluck looked up to the slightly cloudy sky. Already she could feel her body wanting to go limp but she stood as still as she could. The sense of vertigo had her instantly queasy before she took a few breaths and forced herself to jump.

Almost instantly, the mare felt her heart leap from her chest as her eyes widened. Once her hooves touched back to the ground she was clinging to anything she could nearby as she shook. Her head stayed down as she panted and gathered what she could of her remaining dignity and continued her shaky walk. Something had her scared deeply.

The post office was friendly enough once she arrived and she had felt far safer under a roof. Her fears had died down and the nauseous reaction she had moments prior had subsided. The mailmares were kind enough and agreed to deliver the letter within the day. Whether the princess read it that day or the next wasn’t in their control but Roseluck thanked them for what they could do.

A moment passed where she considered not even going to the stall but figured her friends would liven her mood better than being alone. It was a long walk but not long enough. She wanted to keep to herself even if it wouldn’t be a healthy thing to do. Just that she didn’t feel it would be worth telling them about and having her friends worry.

It was a short way to the center of town as she tried keeping her head up though her eyes barely left the ground. Cobblestone, grass, dirt. She began making random lists of what she saw to try and keep from thinking of her fear.

“There she is!” Lily’s voice said in a chipper tone. “We were wondering when you’d get here, sleepyhead!”

Roseluck smiled and finally looked up to face them. The facade of being happy was easily seen through as both Lily and Daisy began asking what was wrong. It was hard for her to keep from almost bursting into tears as she spoke. She relayed the entire event and ended with a simple wish of them not to worry about her.

“That sounds awful,” Daisy commented while offering a hug which was quickly taken up and merge into a group hug.

The three of them felt like family and often looked out for one another. It was just that Roseluck felt the issue of her dreams was something she didn’t need them stressing over. Luna would read her letter and make it all right. In fact, both of her friends assured her things would be better since she was already looking for help.

While they didn’t want to sit aside and do nothing they did agree to intervene if necessary. They were extremely vocal about it as well. The day crawled along as the mares tried to move onto better topics and leave the bad thoughts behind. It wasn’t easy and Roseluck offered little input the entire time.

Customers that came seemed to notice something wrong and either opted to take their business elsewhere or stay quiet. The sales weren’t great and the mood was obviously down. Things weren’t going as well as they had days before.

“Hey, I’ll clean up here. You just get home and try to take your mind off things, Rose,” Daisy offered while Lily nodded.

“I’ll help,” Lily ended up saying as she worked with the other to put things away. “Just take it easy, Rosy.”

“I’ll try,” was all Roseluck could promise. She would, but it wouldn’t be as easy they made it sound.

Heading home once more during the young hours of twilight had her starting to wonder if she making more of a deal out of it than needed. The whole issue was because of just some stupid nightmares. Bad dreams that somehow got under her coat. It didn’t make sense to her.

Walking up to her home revealed her mailbox to have the small rose on the side lifted. It was a replacement flag she liked more than the standard one it came with. Her heart beat excitedly as she thought of getting a response from the princess. She made haste to run up to the container and popped it open to grab the single letter inside, sealed with a Royal Canterlot wax seal.

She was elated to have a reply. Roseluck closed the box and rushed inside where she put her bags down and lit a lantern in her kitchen. Something, anything, would be good. It had to be.

Her hoof carefully broke the seal as she unfolded the paper slowly. It was time to know why her dreams had been either neglected or something else. She just wanted to know what was going on.

‘Dear Roseluck of Ponyville,’ it started and she quickly read on. ‘These supposed persistent dreams you speak of have no recollection to me. I do understand a desire to have the situation answered yet I cannot tell you more that might help. The words I write to you I only bring to light in hopes that you understand where things reside. Roseluck, you have not had a single dream for the past two nights. I have not found a dream to enter nor any nightmare to quell in your rest. It, from what I can tell, has been absent in the dreamscape.’

She had to read the lines again to make sure she understood what exactly was written to her. There had been no dreams from her? None? No nightmares to take care of? There was more.

‘For your safety, I will personally be watchful under you sleep tonight. Take heed and know that Princess Luna will be there to aid you should anything happen. If I cannot witness the event in the dreamscape then I fear I that you may be beyond my help,’ it ended with the elegant signature of the princess adorning the bottom.

Luna would be looking out for her for sure when she went to bed. No excuses if something happened. The rosy mare sighed and tried to figure out what to do with herself. The only way she’d know if things were okay would be to get rest.

Reading a book or working on a puzzle crossed her mind but she instead opted to just pour a cup of tea. Her feelings were conflicted with the letter. She would have Luna’s utmost attention during the night but if it still happened then she would be lost on what to do. It wasn’t something she was sure she could cope with easily should things not align in her favor.

She read the letter several times over just to make sure she understood what was being said. It was strange to receive confirmation of something but also nothing. There she sat, alone and desperate in her kitchen as she stared at the letter while waiting for the tea to encourage her to sleep. Minutes ticked by while she wondered what would await her on the other side when she laid her head to rest.

Surprisingly, it didn’t take much longer for her notice her head dipping and her eyes wanting to close. The surest sign of a tired pony if she ever knew one. Roseluck put away the cup and blew out the light before heading to her bedroom and staring at her bed. She would be just fine.

Crawling into the bed, her hooves tugged the blankets close as she let out a small yawn and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be a new day and she’d be able to move on.





•••••





The weather was overcast but with low winds. Roseluck knew it was going to be a rather slow day just from looking out her bedroom window. There was a moment where she felt that creeping notion again before it stopped. It didn’t seem to return.

Luna must have done well enough as she didn’t seem to recall anything happening during the night. Something still seemed off though. The day felt oddly surreal to her. As if nothing was set in motion just yet despite her being awake and ready. Whatever it was, she wished to put her horrors behind and try to make the best of the day.

Most of her routine felt like a blur. Things done and taken care of before she could remember when she started. It was a strange sensation.

Her hooves moved effortlessly as she walked around her home before grabbing her bags and stepping out. The air was much colder than before. Perhaps her friends would agree closing shop earlier for the day if it kept up. No reason to sell if there won’t be customers.

Roseluck began her walk as she breathed in the cool air and felt her lungs almost act like they craved it. Maybe the lack of a nightmare had her appreciate things more. It did put her in a better mood overall. Things seemed to be looking up.

As she thought, her eyes trailed up to the cloudy overcast above. Her fears were still present as the chill of not the cold but of terror ran along her back. Just don’t look up. That was all.

Every pony she met along the way seemed almost as if they didn’t notice her. Most had merely stood still and either watched her or just not reacted. It was eerie enough without the spooks she was getting from looking into the sky. It also bothered her deeply in the sense that she felt it was like some charade being played.

Once at the stall, her hooves tugged the tarp away to leave just enough for the top. If it did rain then she didn’t want to catch a cold. Her bags dropped and she sat behind the counter top by herself, wiping away and small bits of debris. Lily and Daisy would co-

It suddenly felt too familiar for her as she stopped her actions and tried to reason with herself. It wasn’t a dream. There wasn’t any possible way it could be a dream. She began rocking back and forth as she tried to calm herself while a pony walked by.

“It’s not a dream,” she muttered to try and vocally assure herself.

The pony that had been passing, a pale unicorn in dark mauve robes, stopped and turned to look at her. There was no expression she could discern from the face. Things weren’t feeling right at all as she stared back, unable to look away until turning her head.

“You’re right,” the mare in mauve said and began walking again.

That was very strange. Roseluck didn’t know what to make of it as she turned to watch them leave. They barely made it around a corner when she cowered from the crackling start of thunder above. Everything was falling in line with what she remembered but it couldn’t be what she thought it was.

Holding out a hoof, she attempted to feel for any droplets of rain. There was nothing. She couldn’t even smell the rain in the air. It made all the more uncomfortable as she stepped out from the stand and looked around.

Alone and scared is what she was. The sky almost insisted her attention with another roar. Roseluck felt her body shaking as she tried to keep from crying. She couldn’t break down in the middle of town square. It wasn’t what she thought it was.

The absence of lightning only made her fears grow while she walked over to a nearby fountain and tried to stay upright. Her legs were feeling weak and refusing to hold steady. It felt too real. Much more than ever.

It didn’t take long for her to be slipping to the ground and into the grass surrounding the stone structure. She wanted to go home and feel safe again. She was scared. Every attempt at pushing to get up only had her feel as if she used up what little strength she had.

A cry out was overshadowed by the near deafening boom above. Nopony would have heard her even if they wanted to. The thunder continued as she tried to call for help. Not a soul was in sight to see her helplessly trying to crawl or hear the pleas she yelled out.

Vertigo hit once again as she dared to look up to the sky. If she had any strength left it would have been sapped from the simple action. Then her world shifted.

“NO!” she cried, rolling against the stone wall of the fountain.

Her hooves desperately tried to grab at anything but she had moved too far from any other object to help her now. The ground continued to tilt while she panted out of fear. Each second drew closer to everything turning against her once again. She whined and whimpered as she was left trying to grasp onto the small patch of grass before her.

The clouds parted once again and the hollowed echo of thunder erupted from deep in the void. Roseluck knew it wanted her. Whatever it was it wouldn’t be satisfied until it had her. Those hooves held onto the small tuft of grass as she felt herself dangle precariously above the opened sky and before the thing below her.

She could feel each blade of grass snapping free as she dared not look down. Her cried fell on deaf ears as she hoped things would turn right again. It had to be a dream. There was nothing possible like it in Equestria so it just had to be fake. The final blades of grass snapped as she gasped.

Roseluck fell.
> Inbetween
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Starlight?” Twilight called out, hovering several books in the air. “Could you help me arrange these?”

“Uh, sure,” Starlight answered, her own magic taking a few of the floating books before reading them off to herself.

Helping out around the castle was something she somewhat enjoyed but felt she could be doing something more every time. It never got to the point she regret doing it. She just thought she was meant for more. Though, all attempts at suggesting she help on a mission usually got shot down.

One book on the top shelf, another below. Her eyes seemed to take in the colors more than the names with how tired she felt for the day. Brown, red, blue, nearly every color of the rainbow lined all the shelves. A small moment to read the next and she hovered the green piece of literature up into its proper spot.

“Why do you change your books around so often?” Starlight asked, turning one book every which way before managing to read the name.

“It helps me think sometimes,” was the simple answer given. Twilight continued pulling rows out to look through them and place them back.

For a moment, Starlight planned to ask for a favorite one that her friend might have then quickly realized that conversation piece would have her stuck there for hours. Instead, she remained silent other than a simple mumble of acceptance. The two worked through a good number of books just simply rearranging or placing them back in the same spot.

Mind numbing as it could be, there was some small satisfaction for just doing the simple task. Maybe Twilight was right with it helping her think. Starlight knew she could use a clear head at times and if sorting books was the answer then so be it. Her magic pulled a few more free to read the titles then set them back.

“Is this all you do?” Starlight teased and smiled.

“What? No,” Twilight defended instantly though the hint of blush showed it did seem to hit a mark.

“You ever think that other ponies got it easier?” the unicorn asked as she kept sneaking glances to see how her questions were received.

“What do you mean?” the alicorn replied before squinting at a book and place it up.

“You know, like how other ponies have a day of just selling flowers or ones that just bake. Ever wonder if it be easier being them?” Starlight explained as she turned to face her friend for the answer.

“Not really. Surprise does well enough with the Cakes,” Twilight said simply while putting the row in a neat order.

There was a moment where Starlight nearly felt she missed a key detail before thinking the sentence over again. Her mind played back the phrase more than enough time as her expression turned to mild confusion.

“I’m sorry. Who?” the unicorn asked, trying not to come off as rude but wanting to make sure she heard correctly.

“The Cakes,” said the princess before her, still casually moving books around.

“No, the other one. Who did you say?” Starlight asked as she leaned her head in the make sure she got it right.

“Oh, Pinkie? You know her,” Twilight commented as her eyes scanned the row above her. “This looks pretty good.”

The odd change in the name she heard had the unicorn silent as she tried to think of a reason why another name had been uttered. It was clear that her friend meant Pinkie and said so the second time, so why was the first one so different? Maybe just a random chance she heard it very wrong or her friend said it weird.

“Sorry to keep you inside for so long when I’m sure you want to go out and enjoy the rest of the day,” said the Princess of Friendship, her smile kind and understanding. “Go ahead and get some fresh air.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Starlight mentioned before walking out and shaking her head lightly.

Being cooped up inside and doing such a mundane task probably had her mishear. That was the best explanation of what happened that she could come up with. Her hooves made their soft clippity clop noises as she walked through the halls and down to the front doors of the castle. It would certainly be a nice change of pace to get some cool air.

The doors opened with a light shift of her magic and she felt the soothing breeze of the fall air flood inside. It was refreshing to have the weather remind her just how different things were outside. The leaves falling and ponies starting to wear a bit for some warmth gave a rather cozy scene. A deep breath to take in the calmer atmosphere and she was off.

A walk through town sounded like a good idea. See the sights, hear the sounds. Her spirits went from a murky pool to outstandingly high as she saw the fresh baked goods being put out and even some fillies trying to decorate the town square. The Nightmare Night event would be quite something for the year with how many ponies were planning on setting up tents for attractions just outside of town.

Taking a small detour, the unicorn felt invested to see what fun was in store for all the ponies. Fortune telling, candy vendors, even a tour guide near the cider stand. Classy. Seeing the preparation going into the setting made her wonder just how much Twilight planned on doing for the holiday. The castle was far from decorated as it stood.

“Looking good, isn’t it?” a pony said from behind.

Starlight let out a small noise before quickly shifting it to a laugh as best she could. While she wouldn’t admit it, the remark caught her off guard out of nowhere.

“Sure is!” she agreed, letting out a slow breath. “Where’s the tour go?”

“The what?” the pony asked, raising a brow.

“The tour guide. Right next to the ci-” Starlight stopped as she turned to look over the area again only to see the cider stand there but no tour guide.

In place of the supposed guide was instead an apple bobbing game that had yet to be fully set up. Just the empty bucket seemed to be in place with the sign above. She must be incredibly tired to have mixed that up so terribly.

“There’s no guide. Still need to set up the makeshift graveyard but there’s no need for somepony to show others around that,” the pony mentioned before giving a shrug. “Maybe we’ll get a maze one year.”

“Yeah,” the unicorn said quietly before turning back to walk in town.

She had been certain there was a different stand in place just moments before. That was twice she had messed up something she initially perceived. It was a good thing Twilight didn’t ask her write anything for she was sure it would be a mess at this point. Still, it felt strange to her that she had seen or heard something entirely different just moments before.

At least the rest of the day had gone without much worry. The book sorting had left her a bit dulled to most things and she attributed it to her lack of notice on details. It wasn’t a terrible day by any means, just more slow than usual. Possibly the feeling of Nightmare Night coming soon had her a little excited and eager for it.

Most of her walk around the town was friendly with warm greetings from all ponies. The season was perfect for her. Calm and cool with so much warmth from the ponies around her. It all just felt perfect.

As the day began to wind down, Starlight found herself walking about the town square and admiring the sights before heading back to the castle. Her mind was filled with all sorts of ideas to suggest to Twilight for sprucing up the castle’s décor with some spooky themes. Maybe they would even have a small party as well.

Walking up to the castle’s doors, the unicorn was smiling to herself as she magically opened the barriers and let herself in. The warmer interior was a soft embrace and made her realize how cold it was getting. Her mind ran through a few ideas before she ended up opting to find her friend. Better to suggest the idea rather than forget it until it was too late.

“Twilight, you around?” Glimmer called out as she began to trot through the halls.

The lighting was peaceful and welcoming. Each step sounded out as she walked around while continuing to call for her friend. Maybe Twilight wouldn’t mind if Trixie came for the party as well, should have one. It was a nice thought at the very least.

“Sparkle?” Starlight asked again, hoping the teasing use of her last name would get more of a reaction.

“In here!” came the sound of the studious alicorn from a nearby doorway.

Inside stood the alicorn, still spending her time looking through books and sorting them away. It was impressive to see her still so infatuated with the literature that she spent all day in the room. Starlight wasn’t sure whether to tease her about it or just cut to the chase.

“Hey, I had an idea while looking around town,” the unicorn began and felt her eyes constantly drawn to her friend’s mane and tail.

“What’s that?” Twilight asked without looking, her magic still moving around rows or single books.

“Uh… It was…,” Starlight tried to explain but kept feeling something was just off with her friend.

“Hm?” the alicorn inquired, still paying little mind to the pauses.

“Oh, uh, just that I was thinking maybe we could decorate the castle for Nightmare Night. What do you think? Maybe even a party for it?” the mare finally suggested while still studying over the striped mane and tail before her.

“That sounds great! If you like, I could leave you in charge of decorating,” Twilight offered and finally turned to face her. “What do you say?”

That’s when Starlight knew what was so off. Twilight’s mane and tail had changed their signature stripes in them. No longer did she have the dark purple and magenta-like streaks in her hair. Instead, just a single line of cyan ran through it.

“Um, when did change your mane?” the unicorn found herself asking.

“Huh? It’s always been like this,” the alicorn stated and gave a confused smile. “You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just… Guess I forgot?” Starlight lied, knowing full well what her friend had looked like just earlier.

“Hehe, that’s okay!” Twilight told her and turned back to moving around more books. “Let me know if you come to a decision on being in charge of the decorating. I’ll plan the party for us.”

Glimmer nodded with a noise of confirmation as she walked back out of the room and closed her eyes. Either she was far more tired than she ever thought or something was a bit strange. Opening her eyes and glancing in the room showed the same cyan color in her friend’s mane. Had she been wrong all along and only just noticed?

The idea that she had never taken the detail in until recently left her wondering how it could have slipped by. Even if it was the original way it had been, it didn’t feel right. While she couldn’t place exact reasons, she knew what her gut kept telling her.

Instead of worrying over minuscule details and stressing over things she thought were there, Starlight headed to her room. An early rest could easily set things back in place. For all she knew, the change wasn’t a change at all and had been that way the whole time. Sleeping on it would clear her mind for taking things in properly, she was sure of it.

Getting into her room, the mare shut her door and drew her curtains closed while climbing into her bed. Rolling onto her side, she stared the photo of her and Trixie in front of the magical pony’s caravan. It had been a lovely time to find such a pony to connect with and ease her into the new life she was living. She wouldn’t know what she’d do without her.

Starlight yawned and smiled, staring at the picture on her nightstand and remembering the blue unicorn in her purple hat and cape with adorning stars and moons so fondly. Morning would be better and maybe Twilight wouldn’t mind Trixie coming for the party as well. Those two got off on the wrong hoof but things had seemed better.

Another yawn and her eyes began to drift. The picture made her feel safe looking at it. Possibly why she kept it so near. It was certainly nice to have her best friend be the first and last thing she saw for the days.





•••••





The light in her room seemed to beckon Starlight from her slumber. Her eyes opened as she saw the mare in her cape and hat come into focus. A smile eased onto the waking pony’s muzzle before she slowly sat up and stretched out a bit. Her rest must have been peaceful for the lack of dreams she had.

It was rather early in the morning but it seemed Celestia’s sun waited for nopony. The unicorn stayed sitting in her bed as she let the drowsiness wear off while she magically tugged her curtains open. Things looks nice outside but she knew the chilly air would be a stark contrast to her warmer room.

Breakfast would be a good start to the day then working out how to decorate the castle for approaching holiday. Spike may even have fun setting up things with her, she thought. The little dragon always like to help and seemed keen to lend a claw during special occasions. Wouldn’t hurt to ask.

Starlight gave a final stretch before she nearly rolled out of bed and staggered to the door. Her hoof fumbled for the latch a good number of times before she stepped back and looked closer. The latch itself was on the left instead of the right. The fog of waking still fresh in her mind probably made her forget.

Down the halls and into the main dining area, the unicorn rubbed at her eyes with a hoof while deciding to rummage the kitchen. Some fruit and a drink would help her wake up better. Her stomach seemed to approve of the idea.

Minutes later she was left with a small bowl of fruit and some grape juice. Seemed to be the only kind they had from what she could tell. Her magic peeled a banana and popped a slice of mango into her muzzle as she sat down to eat. She never got used to the empty feeling the castle gave when eating by herself.

A sip of her grape juice and she looked around the room to figure out what kinds of decorations she might need to get. Streamers, fake bats and spider webs. Maybe borrow a cauldron from Zecora for some witch aesthetic for some part.

Another sip of her orange juice. Starlight held the drink in her mouth in confusion before glancing at the glass. Sure enough, the purple liquid was a solid orange. The citrus flavor was abundantly clear on her taste buds as she sat in confusion.

There had been no orange juice when she checked and deliberately chose grape juice as an alternative. As much as she wanted to spit it out, it did taste fine. The swallow made her worry something was wrong with the drink before she put the glass aside. Either somepony was playing a prank on her lately or she was really skipping details something fierce.

“Glitter?” Spike asked, walking into the room with a bowl of gems under an arm.

“I’m sorry?” Starlight stated, shaking her head and hoping she heard that wrong.

“Didn’t know you were up already,” the dragon said while plopping down nearby and munching on a few of the lovely stones.

“Did you call me Glitter?” the unicorn asked slowly as she studied her scaled friend.

“Mhm!” Spike said with a mouthful of his meal. “You forget your name?”

As much as Starlight wanted to refute the assumption, something deep down conflicted with her. The name did sound familiar but she knew it wasn’t right. It was strange to feel complied to react to it, as if she’d had it all along. The main problem was that she knew it wasn’t her name.

“Uh, Spike. My name’s Glimmer. Starlight Glimmer,” she decided to explain carefully with a worried look.

“Haha!” the dragon chuckled and popped another gem into his mouth with a cracking crunch. “Good one! You should tell Twilight that!”

A scowl formed on the pony’s face as she nearly threw her changed drink at the little guy but quickly calmed down. If it was a joke then they were probably looking for some rash reaction. Her stomach sank as she pondered if maybe it wasn’t a joke.

Her magic pushed her plate away, losing her appetite and feeling more like cooling off. Without a word, Starlight walked off and made her way towards the front of the castle. It was just some dumb prank. Whomever had done it was probably laughing heartily at her was all.

The notion of her name change had her slow down as she paused to open the door. Why did it feel like she had to answer to it? She had grown up with the name she knew her whole life. It didn’t make sense to just have things swapped so suddenly.

Opening the door let the cold air gush into the large foyer as she shivered. The mornings of fall in Equestria sure were freezing. Her magic closed the doors behind her as she walked out and tried letting her head clear. Joke or not, she didn’t like it.

Perhaps it was only a joke within the castle. Then what about the tour stand she thought she saw? A detail she merely glossed over. Whatever the case, most things seemed to be happening while she inside the castle rather than outside.

Walking along, the unicorn took note of small things to maybe add for decorations. Even if the prank was going too far, she was determined to keep her mind on the Nightmare Night festival decorations. The holiday wasn’t going to celebrate itself.

“Well, hello there, Starlight!” came a very familiar voice nearby.

The unicorn was elated to hear her actual name, though the feeling deep down wasn’t sitting right with her about it. A turn of her head and she saw her best friend giving a rather overacting performance of a wave and bow.

“Heh, hey there, Trixie. How have the shows been?” Starlight asked, glad to see and hear some normalcy around her.

“Oh, you know~” the blue unicorn mentioned without really answering. So, mediocre.

“I was thinking of decorating the castle for the holiday but things have been… weird,” Starlight said as she looked back to the towering structure.

“Hm? Weird? Trixie knows better than to think Sparkle is anything but!” the magician claimed then smiled to her friend.

“Well, it’s not just her. I feel like it might be some sick prank,” the purple unicorn went on. She did admire that her friend was at least trying to cheer her up a little.

“Prank? How so? Are there buckets of water or those… ‘cushions’ involved?” Trixie inquired, leaning in and nearly whispering about whoopie cushions that Pinkie uses.

The two talked with Starlight explaining as much as she could while trying to keep from smiling too much at some reactions she got. Trixie was her own wild card when it came to conversation and, while it usually ended up about her, she seemed quite conscious of the fact it was all bothering her friend. A genuine kindness that meant a lot.

It felt good for Starlight to get it off her chest that something was nagging at her and the assumption of a joke being played. While it didn’t fix the issue there was at least a load taken off her shoulders. Somepony to confide in and be there for her. A familiar face that she knew was there to be with her through thick and thin.

“If these things are as you say they are, why not just confront them?” Trixie asked casually as they walked together.

“I didn’t think of that. Though, why would they suddenly fess up to it if I did?” the violet mare replied and tried thinking up excuses.

“Not saying they would. If Sparkle and her dragon are really teasing you, maybe they’ll feel bad about it after and stop?” the blue unicorn said and gave a shrug. “Or, Trixie could go in there an-”

“No, no! I think I can handle it,” Starlight interrupted with a smile. “Thank you, Trixie.”

The rest of their time outside was spent offering suggestions of décor to place within the castle or joking about the various shenanigans Twilight might try next. It put Starlight in much better spirits. Fake spiders and bats were bought as well as a rather hefty amount of faux webbing.

Carrying the bags and boxes back to the castle, they teased each other by magically dangling the decorations in front of one another. Trixie seemed a bit more forced with her laughing when the spider came near her face. As they stepped up to the doors, the items were set aside as they hugged to part ways.

“Thanks for listening. I really needed it,” Starlight told her and smiled.

“Not any trouble… Glitter~” Trixie said with a raised brow.

A brief moment of panic washed over the purple unicorn as she almost paid it no mind. It felt natural for her to be called as such. The knowledge of which name was properly her own flooded back quickly as she gave a worried look to her friend.

“Sorry, Trixie couldn’t help herself,” the blue magician apologized and gave a light bow of her head. “Take care, Starlight.”

“I’ll try,” Glimmer answered back though still a little concerned.

The doors opened and the boxes and bags were ushered inside with ease. Starlight’s magic hoisted the items effortlessly above her as she walked in with them and gave a final wave with a hoof back to her friend. When the doors closed, all the items were set aside as she sighed.

Her concern wasn’t for her friend teasing her but for the fact of how quick she was to nearly respond to the wrong name. Somehow, it still felt like it was proper but it wasn’t. Almost as if she belonged and didn’t at the same time. The thought didn’t ease her confusion and only had her worry for a moment before she quickly brushed it off and began heading through the halls.

Trixie was right. Confronting them about the joke would be best and letting them know she wasn’t happy with it. They were friends too and would undoubtedly understand if it was bothering her too deeply.

Rounding a corner, Starlight checked each room until she found Twilight sitting in her study and writing away. There was a moment of hesitation before she cleared her throat and walked in, head held high. The alicorn glanced up from her work.

“Oh! Hello, Glitter!” she greeted in an otherwise normal fashion.

“Look, Twilight,” the unicorn started and tried thinking of a nice way to put things. “I don’t enjoy this joke that you and Spike are doing. It honestly hurts a bit and it’s… well, a little scary at times.”

“What?” the alicorn asked, tilting her head. “What joke?”

“Calling me a different name, changing my drinks! Those things!” Starlight spat. She was upset and a little unsettled with how her friend came. It almost appeared as if she really didn’t understand there was a prank being played.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been in here since yesterday,” Twilight said simply.

There was a pause. The silence was stretched thin as Starlight felt her mind trying to shake free of the odd feeling rising. Twilight had been in her study since then, right? No. She was arranging books in the library.

“You… You weren’t here,” Starlight tried to tell her but felt her own voice not wanting to… lie?

“I was. Are you feeling okay?” Twilight asked as she leaned forward from her desk. “Do you need to lay down or anything? I don’t want to upset you.”

“The library,” the unicorn blurted out. “You were in the library. I helped you move books. You even said that I could be in charge of decorating the castle for Nightmare Night.”

“I did, did I?” the alicorn said with raised brows. “Hm, well, if you wish to take on the task, it’s okay. Just don’t think we’ll be doing any parties.”

As much as Starlight wanted to counter the statement with what was said the day before, she couldn’t. Not that she didn’t want to but it felt pointless. Her confrontation about the prank only seemed to be making her more stressed over it. How could she be treated in such a way?

“Yeah,” Starlight said softly. “Okay.”

With that, she turned tail and walked back out feeling as though nothing had been accomplished. Even worse, she felt like the joke was starting to mess with her mentally. She knew for sure what had happened the day before and what was said. Why did she almost feel as if it were a lie to state the truth?

Instead of continuing with much else for the day, the mare walked up to her room and shut herself inside. It was getting ridiculous with the prank. A small part of her feared if it wasn’t a prank at all. The doubt, even the tiniest bit, that it was fact had her pacing in circles as she talked to herself.

Mostly, her statements were mumbles as she tried sorting things in her head of what was wrong and separating it from what she knew. Nothing really connected to it all and yet it all felt as though it were still one in the same. Just thinking so hard on it hurt her head.

Passing her nightstand, Glimmer looked to the fond photograph and stopped. A calm sensation washed over her as she let herself just enjoy the sight of her friend who seemed to take her seriously. It felt like things were okay looking at the picture.

Starlight let her eyes pull away to gaze out the window. The sun had already begun its descent from the sky and reaching for the horizon. Had she been mulling things over for that long? The unicorn frowned before drawing her curtains closed and getting into bed.

Some rest would help her understand things. It seemed sensible. Maybe Twilight would understand that the joke had gone too far after thinking on it more.

Rolling over, the mare stared at the comforting picture and smiled lightly. It was nice to know she had somepony to confide in and help her. She was thankful for that.

As the day dimmed into night and the sun lowered, so did Starlight’s eyes. By the time the burning orb in the sky had hidden she was fast asleep.





•••••





Four days since her attempt to get Twilight to stop the prank, Starlight had only felt worse. At first, things were small and mostly easy to ignore. The purchased decorations had gone missing, though the missing bits from buying them never returned. A few doorways leaned or had gone to comically large shapes. Some candles had started glowing a greenish hue.

While they weren’t severe, they did distract her upon the first time noticing. It was when the floor of a hall acted as water yet stayed solid and Spike had claws that dragged the floor that she had started to worry more. Her senses kept feeling off with things changing or appearing so awkward. The fake water hall especially had her troubled every time she tried walking over it.

The worst thing about it all was that knowing how wrong it was and how out of place things were getting, deep down it somehow felt like it belonged. Startling but also ‘normal’ to some bizarre degree. It messed with her so much that she found it hard to leave her room. Even her bed sheets had warped to something seemingly alive.

She yearned to see Trixie again. The picture near her bed gave her some solace at seeing a more familiar face and a time that almost felt longer gone than it was. Starlight knew she had to leave the castle to get fresh air and clear her mind as well.

Waking up with no sheets, due to locking them away for breathing, had her shivering and staring at the photo. Her nerves were getting on edge from how she felt tormented from the changes yet seeing her friend again helped soothe things. She would just have to get new sheets in town since she didn’t want to risk a chance of Twilight knowing, just in case.

There had been no acknowledgment from the alicorn of everything being a joke. In fact, she seemed more at peace than ever. Not a single thing appeared wrong to her, even when Spike would come in with his claws dragging behind him. It was becoming more believable that Twilight wasn’t the one behind it at all.

Starlight got up and gave one last look to the picture before stepping out of her room and staring at the hallway floor. It was solid but every step made ripples like water. She knew it was fine to walk on but it disoriented her so much. Closing her eyes, she rushed to the end before opening them again and continuing on her way.

Everything had started feeling like chaos. An odd gut feeling of ‘normal’ chaos. The unicorn stopped beneath a green candle and thought. If there was any kind of prankster capable of the stress she was enduring then she knew the draconequus that would be behind it. Why hadn’t she thought of it sooner?

“Discord!” Starlight yelled out, unsure if he would even hear such a call.

A flash of light and the snake-like body of the creature stood before her, holding a bottle of hot sauce and honey.

“You rang? I was just about to try a new eye treatment!” Discord said before tossing the condiments behind him.

“I don’t know why it took me days to figure it out but stop with the prank,” the pony ordered as she gave a stern look.

“Prank? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, Glitter. I haven’t had time for fun and games lately with Fluttershy wanting me to help her set mousetraps,” the draconequus stated and looked around. “Bit dull around here, isn’t it?”

“Mousetraps? Fluttershy loves all creatures. You’re proof of that. Why would she use those?” Starlight asked and looked with him to study the strange doorways and odd lighting.

“First all, rude,” Discord mentioned scoffed. “Secondly, she always hated those nasty vermin running around.”

She couldn’t tell if he was joking or stating a fact he believed in. While he sounded genuine in his response, it wasn’t the pegasus she knew. Something was wrong.

“You’re telling me you had nothing to do with anything going on lately?” Starlight asked, hoping he’d give in and admit he had been a part of the problem.

“None at all. Also, what seems to be the trouble?” he asked while looking puzzled.

“Just please be honest with me,” she stated slowly. “If you set up this elaborate prank then you can stop now. You got me, okay?”

The draconequus looked even more confused as he looked her over then at the surroundings. It was as if he was actually at a loss of what she meant. His arms lifted as he gave a small shrug with a raised brow.

“Okay?” he said, sounding completely unsure. “I would admit if I pulled a good one over on you but I just haven’t had time as of late. Speaking of…”

As much as she wanted to ask over and over if he was being truthful, the bright flash made her squint and the strange form of the being was gone. He had sounded entirely honest to her. Even if he was hard for her to trust, the draconequus appeared to have no involvement with things going on.

Starlight drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She had no idea what to do. Things kept on going missing or altering before her from the last few days. If the trickster was to be believed then things weren’t changing just inside the castle. The day she saw a different booth outside might have been also tied to the whole ordeal.

Her mind continued to work out possible explanations as she glanced to the green flames and finally saw one of them still burning its calming orange and yellow. It felt like she needed find things that were normal to her to feel a bit safer. Something was going on and she couldn’t pin down a reason or even a mild guess as to why.

Even if things were changing and she felt caught between the normal and odd, the familiar things kept her from thinking she was missing things. It all felt like it should belong but it just didn’t. Her new name felt wrong but also seemed to ring a bell. Even Twilight telling her about being in the study all day some odd days ago sounded like she should have remembered it but couldn’t.

It frightened her, if she were to be honest with herself. Aspects of foreign memories giving vague hints as if she recollected them nearly. It was only finding moments of respite with familiar objects that she could get better clarity on the situation going on, even if she was no closer to solving it than before.

The notion that things were both wrong and right collided within her often. She never could see them actually change. It was as if somepony waited until she turned away to swap a set piece out and attempt to do so with her memory.

In a sudden haste, Starlight ran out of the castle and into the autumn weather where she continued to sprint through town. Ponies stared as she hurried through just wanting to get away from it all. There were a few more decorations in the town square that seemed different than she remembered. Her inability to recall what they may have been prior only fueled her desire to keep running.

It was only until she reached the edge of town that she finally stopped. Panting and scared, Starlight stared at the grass while getting a grip on herself. She had felt things slipping away from her and wanted to just get out. What was going on?

There was a deep fear she might forget or confuse things if it kept up. The whole effect was occurring outside the castle as well. Nothing seemed safe from the awkward transitioning of the various realities, if they were realities.

“I am Starlight Glimmer,” she told herself and nodded. That was something she was sure of.

Out of all the years in her life it had been the name she was given and referred to. No other had any place to her, save for nicknames. Glitter was not on that list. Then why did it feel so familiar?

Her head shook as she closed her eyes. She had to get those thoughts out and not let them fester. It wasn’t right. The true nature of things she knew had to stay for her. If she remembered them well enough then perhaps that was the key to set things right.

Look at you, she thought to herself. Acting like this is only in your head. It’s got to be something else.

She sat there at the edge of town for hours, contemplating what to do and how to fix it all. Every thought seemed to be countered in another manner. Whether she was trying to sabotage herself or just couldn’t find a reliable answer to it all was beyond her. She just wished it all would stop.

I am Starlight Glimmer, she thought. That, I know.

The walk back during dusk was slow. She dragged her hooves every step she could as she kept wondering what to do. A filly ran by with a balloon that looked to be made of glass yet it glided effortlessly through the air by its string. She even saw a visible fracture along the surface of it. It took a large bit of effort for her not to try and pop or break it just to see.

It wasn’t until she got to the castle steps that she began wondering if she should really go back inside. Every day in there ended up having things worse. Although, she still had the memory to view.

Starlight lifted her head high and cautiously opened the doors. Nothing too new seemed to have spawned, which she was grateful for. Her hooves moved her up through the castle as fast as they could while she felt the stirring inside of her shift from wrong and right in complete indecision.

The door to her room flew open as she worked across the hall and nearly dove inside. There was a loud bang as she slammed it shut and magically grabbed her photo to look over. Trixie and her, friends as always and having such a wonderful time. She admired the timeless piece and felt herself calming down bit by bit the longer she stared.

At least she still had Trixie.





•••••





Days rolled into weeks. The weeks progressed and Nightmare Night was looming close. Or, as they had started calling it, Frightful Rites. The name did make her uncomfortable alone.

Glitter, or rather Glimmer, had tried her best to keep track of things that had changed. It became too much after a solid week. Names were swapped, items relabeled, even objects kept getting replaced. The whole town had changed into something vastly different than what she could remember.

One thing that never changed was the picture of her best friend that she kept near at all times. Her saddlebag stayed on when venturing out just to keep her picture nearby. It seemed to be the only thing that kept her from completely losing her mind.

One day, ponies would talk about the weather. The next, they would be claiming no such thing existed. Pegasi managed little in terms of the climate and often seemed fearful of sudden clouds. Unicorns hardly used their magic as well as acting as if there was little control over even the smallest things. Earth ponies even stopped most production of items. Instead, things just seemed to show up.

It was one headache after another as Starlight walked through town. She had even taken the liberty of writing down all odd things of note to try and work out some solution yet nothing came of light. Her mane was ragged as sleep seemed to be the least important thing to her as her mind tried to determine if things were the way they meant to be or not.

She knew that things weren’t right even if they tried to coming off as an aura to appeal correct. There were thing she had no idea about but still felt as if she had seen them before or even interacted with them prior. It was a surreal experience that she was merely swimming through.

Her magic pulled the photo from her bag as she took a moment to calm down. It was the only thing left for her. Nothing else was right. Just Trixie and her in the picture to captured forever.

“I am Starlight Glimmer,” she muttered. It was a thing she often found herself doing for a while.

Repeating her name had some semblance of reminding her not to let it all get to her. While her mind was pushed to its limit, she had to keep the anchor down and not roll off the deep end. That would be the last thing she needed. Even if she knew repeating a name that sounded less and less like her own made her look crazy.

She didn’t belong. She never felt completely comfortable with everything. Her internal war was ongoing and at an odds of which she couldn’t fathom. Sanity or not, the conflict within was always raging. It was always so strange to see a pony she knew suddenly look different or a being that was beyond what she could recollect almost appear familiar.

Everything had turned around on her in some form. Her eyes glanced to the photo again to reassure herself things would be okay. Even if all flames had turned green or all doors oddly formed, she still had her best friend. Sadly, she hadn’t actually seen Trixie in a while.

“Soon,” she mumbled and placed the photo carefully back in her bag.

It would drop soon. No. Rain. It would rain soon. Why did she think of the other term?

Starlight shook her head and stared up at the clouds. The looked so odd being so white but still causing an overcast. She felt like she was in a constant fever dream with no escape. It had crossed her mind that if she wished to appear as part of it all then she would be having to relearn everything. Absolutely everything.

Her life, the land, terms, ideas, everything would need to be done over. It wasn’t a pleasant thought. The mare let out a soft whimper as she wiped her eyes and sniffed. How did she feel so ruined yet whole? Everything was gone but not.

She silently muttered to herself under her breath as she tried to vent her frustrations. It wasn’t fair. Somehow, she had been the only one to experience all the changes and know they were happening. Her mind hadn’t been affected so fully. It was almost like she was forgotten yet still tried to be a part of it all.

The feeling hurt but there wasn’t much else she could do about it. She was tired. Tired of how she felt and how off everything was. None of it made sense and she figured it might never.

A damp droplet tapped her head. It was going to start soon, the drop. The rain. Whatever the hay they called it. It didn’t matter.

Starlight watched at the red drops began to fall and pelt the sapphire grass. Red rain. Just as it was the week before. She had been in a huge panic over the color but it seemed lakes and all were a mere purple. Drinking any of it felt like nothing.

As she sat, the unicorn let the rain douse her without bothering to get under something. She just wanted it to all stop. Things weren’t right and she knew it. It didn’t even feel completely right yet part of her tried to say otherwise.

Minutes passed in the downpour of the red torrent while she wondered what to do. What was even left for her to try and accomplish? All of her notes became illegible and the ones that hadn’t would suffer the same fate soon enough. She didn’t know the language at all and it was filled in every book.

Her magic opened her satchel once more while she sighed and pulled out the photo once again. She needed her clarity. Talking to herself was getting tiring and she needed to see the only thing that hadn’t been tainted. Something to just ease her warped mind.

There it was. She hovered the picture before her as she felt the rain wet her mane and coat completely. A calm washed over her once more as she stared at the piece for a while. It made her feel like everything would be okay.

Glitter stared at the object as she sat in silence. She seemed to be looking at it far longer than usual. Something kept prodding her mentally to keep looking. Something deep down that tried its best to keep her sanity tethered right.

It was a picture of her friend. What more was there to notice? Nothing else seemed out of place. Starlight felt herself start laughing. How had she not seen it? It was something that went right by her. It really was a picture of Trixie.

Only Trixie.
> The Abysm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The frightful and fun night of Nightmare Night had drawn near. Limestone had been more interested in maintaining the farm than bothering with the games and candy. Pinkie had even arranged for a party at Twilight’s castle. Maud had gone to help out but probably mostly to keep an eye on their sister.

It wasn’t a holiday Limestone often thought much of, though it had its interesting points. With two of her siblings off in Ponyville, the farm itself needed to be taken care of more than ever. Even if it wasn’t too high of maintenance it was still something she wanted to tend to. Even Marble had stayed behind though for different reasons.

While it was a night to experience scares and share laughs over them, the rather quiet sibling had preferred to just stay at home. Maybe it was the festivities that might get to her or perhaps she just wasn’t in the mood. Limestone didn’t feel like asking and prying if she didn’t want to say.

“Hm,” Igneous mumbled as a hoof rubbed at his chin. “I’m not sure leaving you two here alone is the best of ideas.”

“Dad,” Limestone said flatly, “I can watch over the farm fine. I’ll prove it.”

“Mhm, and your sister? She certainly doesn’t feel up for going. You have to think of family too,” her father said as he took a glance to his shy daughter.

“I’ll take care of her too,” the green eyed mare stated with a huff.

It had been an hour that Limestone had been trying to persuade her parents to take a trip into Ponyville and visit Pinkie. The only reason Igneous had even considered is because she brought up how much it would mean to have her parents support her in something she loves, despite the invitations. A little sneaky but she wanted to show how well she could watch over the farm and how suited she was to take the responsibility of it.

Considering her sister had wanted to stay behind anyway, it could also prove she was capable of watching out for her family. A little bonus. Marble never caused trouble and often kept to herself. It would be a simple matter to deal with along with working on the farm.

“Well,” Igneous relented in a sigh, “I guess we ought to go if we’re going to make it there before night.”

Cloudy Quartz gave a roll of her eyes but said nothing. She knew when her husband had given in and it was best to just enjoy the ride. The two of them gave each other a look before getting ready and opening the front door.

“You two take care and we should be back by morning,” their father stated before turning his head to his wife.

“It’s Pinkie Pie, dear,” Cloudy mentioned and watched his reaction.

“Oh,” he said softly. “We’ll be back by noon then. Hopefully.”

As much as Limestone wanted to witness their parents on Nightmare Night in Ponyville, she was more than happy to have the farm to herself. The two daughters waved as their parents stepped out and closed the door. They’d be taking a long walk before getting a carriage, if she knew them.

A couple of minutes passed before the two sisters looked to each other. They knew they had the place to themselves but it was almost a shock. It felt like they never had the house or even the farm to enjoy in peace.

“That was easier than I thought,” Limestone commented and smiled at the quiet laughter from her sister.

Things still had to be taken care of but a small breather to just enjoy the space never hurt. They walked around and talked of planning their own little party. A quiet one, which they both agreed with. Marble had taken to making Rock-o-lanterns as Limestone surveyed things to be done. She didn’t mind doing the heavy work so long as they were both happy about the decisions.

“Since mom and dad are out, we got to make sure the farm stays in top shape,” she told Marble who gave a soft spoken agreement. “That means I need to clear the western field and check the quarry for tonight. Will you be okay with making lanterns?”

“Mhm,” Marble mumbled while looking rather happy.

“Good. No messing around,” Limestone said, unable to keep the serious tone out of her voice but they both cracked a smile.

It was good to have sisters that knew her and understood how she acted. She was tough and acted it but there was a hint of sweetness deep down. They were all siblings and she loved them dearly. It was just tough for her to show it most of the time.

The two eventually went off to start on their own tasks for the evening. Marble would help with dinner so long as Limestone got a fire going in the fireplace when the time came. Nights were getting far more chilly than usual. Winter was coming around the corner and they could feel it.

As Limestone walked out in the field, she could help but think of how lucky they were to have their parents out for the night. That hour of persuasion paid off and she was as happy as could be, though she wouldn’t show it. Instead, she would show just how good of an idea it was to let her take care of the farm, essentially solo.

Her hooves trotted along as she looked over the vast majority of rocks and stones before her. It appeared far more daunting knowing she had to do it herself. Still, her spirits were high and she wasn’t about to let her parents down.

The mare began rolling certain boulders around and placing rocks along another area. Stones were smashed to make the ways easier as well as start work on gravel. She’d have to head to the quarry for more large rocks to place in other spots soon as well. Some stones to sell off in packs of cobblestone would also help out.

She nodded to herself as she worked and admired her way of thinking out small plans to help the farm. Her father would be so proud, she just knew it. A small roll of one rock had her spot another the perfect size for her sister to use. A quick heft onto her back and she marched her way back to the house.

“Hey, Marble! Look here!” she shouted, pulling the rock down and letting it slam onto the ground outside the front door.

After a minute, the door opened and Marble’s head peeked out before she nodded. The door closed before opening once more a few moments later with Marble holding her smaller pick-axe in her maw. She looked excited from what Limestone could tell.

“That a good one?” asked the green eyed mare, wondering if she picked well.

“Mhm,” Marble simply stated as she tugged the rock close and looked up. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Limestone said and turned once she started hearing the light tapping of the metal against stone.

The little Rock-o-lanterns that Marble planned on would be a nice way for them to celebrate in their own way. Nothing too crazy and something easy to enjoy. That was if the quarry and field could be done before it got too dark.

Limestone looked up at the sky as she passed the fence and wandered into the field once more. The sun had started to lower but she had a nice bit of daylight still ahead. If she hurried, she might be able to finish moving the rocks and at least start on the quarry. Not too bad.

The cold air had been taking over for prepare for winter. Occasional warm moments tried to come through which quickly ended in a mostly foggy day. Even though it hadn’t felt warm for a while, she could tell it was trying to heat up a bit. In the distance came a fog, creeping and rolling in silently.

Most of the mare’s time spent on the field revolved around making sure enough rocks had been transferred over. The remaining ones could either stay or be broken down. Fresh ore and minerals were to be mined as well as bringing in more rock to set in the fields. Quite the tasks just by herself but she wasn’t about to rope her sister into heavy lifting.

As the time went along, Limestone worked hard and did her best. The western field had been combed through rather well and it only took her near two hours. It was a satisfying amount of work she had put in. Hooves dirty and needing a break, she made her way back to the house.

The sun had started to set a bit and the sky had shined it’s magnificent orange hues while it continued to lower. She would have to hurry for the quarry if she wanted to at least get a bit of the things done down there. Her eyes scanned the landscape to see the approaching fog much closer than before. It would be through their farm in under an hour.

Marble looked rather happy to see her sister arriving again. Limestone watched she she excitedly turned the rock around that she had been working on. A goofy face was carved into it along with the mouth hollowed out completely. She did real good work.

“Nice job!” Limestone commented as she looked over the newly fashioned lantern. “Just need a candle and some tinder.”

It seemed her sister was eager to get her project completed as much as Limestone felt her duties needed to be done. Off went Marble into the house without a word. A minute or two passed before she came back with the tinderbox and a small candle.

“Okay then, let’s see it all finished,” the hot-headed sister mentioned before placing the stick in the lantern’s mouth and attempting to light it with her hooves. “Stupid thing,” she growled, before finally getting it to glow.

The two of them sat back as the light flowed inside of the stone sculpture and showed that it was mostly hollow. Not just the mouth lit up but the eyes as well. Limestone was impressed even more.

“Wow, you did great, Marble,” she mentioned and nodded. “Good work.”

“Thanks,” Marble said bashfully and smiled.

“Fog’s coming in so I’ll have to rush the quarry job. It’ll be dark soon anyway,” Limestone said and stretched a bit.

“Okay,” her sister replied before admiring her own work and sitting next to the lantern.

There wasn’t much else to say and Marble looked to be complacent so Limestone turned and began heading down to the quarry. She knew it was going to be a winding path down and might be troubling heading up so it was in her best interest to finish things up quickly. Secretly, she was hoping her sister wouldn’t forget dinner as she was working up quite the appetite from everything.

The path started past the southern field and opened up near the bottom. A wrong step and a pony would have quite the tumble down. Limestone navigated herself along the twisting path without much effort as she looked over the rock walls and other types of deposits nestled within.

There were tunnels carved out in several areas below with only the smallest indicators as to what they might be for. One had a crude drawing of gems while another was simply decorated with a stone stack near it. At least they were identifiable.

Limestone’s venture went further in as she examined a few entrances and the walls around her. Each one could yield something they could need but she wasn’t sure what would be best at the moment. Prices on gems had lowered but the findings of crystals or an odd rare mineral itself might fetch more. They might even be useful to help make some better tools.

Her green eyes scanned around before she saw an unmarked entrance and looked it over. Not much had been dug out in the spot and the tunnel itself only went in several feet. The mare made a few estimates and looked to the top of the quarry. It would be stable enough to keep digging at least for a while.

The shadows of the valley she was in loomed over and stretched out. It was going to be dark very shortly. Having no other options she seemed to care for, Limestone moved forward and chipped at the stone wall within with her hooves. Dirt and stone flung down before she backed up and stumbled over a pick-axe.

“Would have been useful,” she grumbled, silently berating herself for forgetting the tool as well as one of the mining hats. Something else she could have used to stay there longer despite the night coming.

Instead of heading back up to ask Marble to fetch her one, the hard working mare just continued. Her teeth gripped the tool as she chipped along the wall and worked her way further into the growing tunnel as fast as she could. Hooves dug to move her debris aside and swapped to use the pick-axe itself a few times.

A few small crystal formations had been unearthed along with a pocket of metal that she knew would be useful. Her work was going to pay off well. The only thing she would have to do is carefully check how far and deep each went before trying to take them. A collapse in the tunnel would be the last thing she wanted.

Her pick swung and she landed it hard into the soft wall before her. Sadly, it seemed to stick and her strength seemed almost unable to pry it free. There was a brief moment of panic before it swapped to anger as she grabbed the shaft with both hooves and yanked harder. A hind leg pressed to the wall to lever herself enough and tug the thing free.

Limestone was sent onto her back in an instant. The tool flung out of the wall and clattered behind her as the wall crumbled down right before her eyes. It was a tense moment as she was sure she had just caused the very thing she didn’t want and trapped herself in the quarry but all was calm shortly after.

The dust settled slowly as she coughed from the sudden stirring before getting herself upright. Her sounds seemed to echo far more than just a moment ago. A pile of what was once the stubborn wall lay in rubble at her hooves. Beyond the break was just darkness.

A curious thing for sure. She knew plenty of instances of cavern walls eroding and becoming brittle or even tunnels giving in from mining too close to a chamber. The problem that presented itself to her was that she saw nothing beyond where she stood. Every speck of light seemed to end just before the empty void of the cave.

Picking up a rock from the rubble, Limestone tossed it into the blackness before her. A hoof raised to her ear as she tried to listen for where it landed only to find herself straining for any noise at all. The soft clack of rock smacking against more did arise but it sounded so very far below.

If there was a pit beyond the threshold of that void she didn’t see it. Worse yet was how deep it had sounded. She was extremely thankful she hadn’t stepped forward to explore it. There was something else about it.

It was a mysterious part of just emptiness right there under their farm. How long had it been there? Where did it lead? Limestone took a few steps back and glanced back at the entrance to her tunnel.

Daylight was nearly gone and it was getting harder for her to check any of the walls for deposits. While she wouldn’t speak it, the chamber she had unveiled made her uneasy as well. All the more reason to just back out and wait until morning. It wasn’t something she could explain but she felt that the spot she had revealed had some sort of presence about it.

Limestone backed up and out of the tunnel she had been working on before finally exiting the area. Staring into the abyss only made her more uncomfortable which she quickly brushed off and scowled. It was just a stupid pit. Nothing scary other than the fact she could have fallen into it.

She would put up a sign to warn of it and urge nopony to enter in the morning. Since it was just her and her sister, it could wait. Her hooves clopped together as she tried shaking the dirt and grime off before letting out a sigh and wiping her brow. At least she had some good news.

One last look at the tunnel made her frown before she set aside the pick-axe and began walking back. Whatever was making her so uneasy had also been working to annoy her. It was one reason she didn’t take to Nightmare Night as well as others. Scares tended to draw up anger faster than a scream.

The path up the trail out of the quarry had her nearly miss a few steps. With the sun almost down completely and the sky turning dark, it was hard to see through all the shadows. It didn’t take too long for her to finally get out and see the land bathed in moonlight.

It was honestly rather pretty to her. The only thing that took it away was the fog rolling in and reaching the house. The misty veil had already taken over the silo and tried to hide it from view but her home was next. A quick trot to the household and she saw it being swallowed the thick air.

If it hadn’t been for the lantern, Limestone may have stumble about a bit before reaching the door. They hadn’t experienced a fog that bad in a while. Her hooves smacked the latched as she walked in and let out a sigh of relief in the warmer interior.

“Oh, it feels good to be inside,” Limestone admitted and closed her eyes.

“Can you start the fire?” Marble asked and forced a smile.

“Yeah,” the working mare said and grabbed the tinderbox from the table. “You should learn to do this. You’ll need to.”

Marble seemed hesitant but walked over and sat down next to her sister. Limestone showed the contents of the box and explained their uses before demonstrating how it was all done. A few tries and she managed to light the wood already set within the fireplace.

“Thank you,” Marble whispered as she looked over the growing flames and lightly stroked them when needed.

It did heat the room nicely and more than it was. At least the pot was hanging from the hook in the fireplace already. There were a few more lights set in the house that Marble took upon herself to do. Limestone was happy to see her try and succeed in each one.

“Um, dinner will start in a bit,” the quiet mare said as she carefully began to bring out ingredients from the kitchen.

“Take your time,” Limestone insisted and sat down to rest her legs.

The crackling of the fire was a comfy ambiance as the two relaxed for the night. Smells of a soup began to waft through the air at some point as they made a little bit of small talk. Not too much was said but the topic of the pit was brought up with a very stern warning not to go anywhere near the quarry. Marble just nodded.

Soon enough, soup was served. It was possible one the best dishes Limestone felt she tasted in a while. The pot was nearly empty after they both had a couple of servings. They must have been famished.

The lights inside were warm along with the heat of the fire to let them stay rather cozy. Marble had gone to fetch a blanket and curl up near the fireplace with it. Limestone took her time to write down the various activities into a log for her father. He’d enjoy knowing the minerals in the tunnel but she’d have to put up the sign first thing when she got up. Just writing down to watch out wouldn’t be enough.

Even though the night was young, the tired nature of the ponies within the Pie family home took hold fast. Marble was almost fast asleep all bundled up with Limestone fighting to stay awake just a bit more and focus on the list she wrote. The lantern on the table shined its soothing light as they were lulled to the dreamscape with full stomachs and a wonderful setting.

Marble’s leg kicked in her sleep several times before connecting with the leg of the table. The soft atmosphere came crashing down with the lantern as it toppled over and hit the floor. Both ponies sat up with a start before realizing what had happened. The lantern’s glass had shattered and wick within snuffed out. They were lucky it was near empty as it was.

“Marble,” Limestone groaned, tired and upset her nap had to be interrupted so harshly.

“I’m sorry,” the bundled pony whimpered and looked away.

“It’s okay,” the heated mare said and took a breath. “I’ll just go and get another lantern and some oil from the silo.”

Marble stayed quiet as she watched her sister hop off the chair and begin cleaning up the mess. There was tension in air but it would fade away soon. Limestone wasn’t mad at her sister but more at the situation. It wasn’t a fun thing to be disturbed in such a flash. At least they didn’t have a fire to put out.

Once the glass was cleaned up and the lantern set aside, Limestone looked it over once more before nodding. Some spare tinder would help and she would be making a huge fuss if she went to fetch the lantern only to have to go back out for more things. May as well make it one trip.

“It’s a bit foggy but it might clear up soon. I’m going out to the silo and getting some spare tinder and a lantern,” Limestone stated as she opened the door. “I’ll be back shortly.”

With that, the earth pony headed out and closed the door behind her. It was quite the fog they had. She could hardly make out the silo from the house. The cold winds made her shiver and miss the warmth of the fire already.

The only way to get back sooner was to hurry. Limestone sighed and trudged on towards the structure ahead. It was odd how eerie it got when she couldn’t see much of the land. Though she did see something akin to prints in the dirt, just not like any pony she had seen. Her ears flicked as she thought she heard something.

Silence greeted her as she slowly continued, keeping an ear out for anything. If her sister were to call for her then she wanted to rush right back. There was a sound for sure but it wasn’t her sister. Limestone’s ear tilted more to the noise. Was it steps?

“Marble?”





•••••





The fireplace had been far to inviting to move away from. Marble stayed on the floor, tightly wrapped in a blanket and watching the flames. She felt terrible for having her sister go grab another lantern and for disturbing her sleep. It wasn’t as if she meant to do it. Deep down, she knew Limestone wasn’t really mad at her but it didn’t stop her thinking otherwise once or twice.

Her tail flicked as she let the crackle and pops of the wood burning ease her more. Things would go back to normal as they usually did. She had been scared from the crash of the lantern pretty bad but tried not letting her sister see before she left. Sometime she would have to stop being skittish.

There were still the aromas of the soup lingering in the air. Even though they had nearly cleaned the pot with their hunger, Marble’s stomach gave a light growl for more. She hadn’t expected to be so hungry but it was a night they could have the whole thing to themselves. A nice little Nightmare Night soup.

Marble smiled to herself and sat up as she shifted closer to the fireplace. Her hooves pressed out from under the blanket as she let them warm and wondered how long her sister might take. It wasn’t a long walk just to go there and back. Though, the fog may have confused her tougher sibling some.

Considering how late it was getting, the extra lighting wouldn’t be needed soon. Replacing it to keep their parents from knowing it broke might be another thing. The house felt calming and helped Marble curl back up as she laid down and closed her eyes. It was certainly a better holiday spent than the other attempts at Nightmare Night.

A tap at the window immediately drew her eyes open. She didn’t move for a moment as the direction she heard was just out of her sight. Her hooves pulled her blanket tighter for a bit as she waited and hoped it was just her imagination.

Another tap followed by something rubbing against the side of the house made her whimper and pull the fabric over her head. Ghosts and ghouls filled her mind as she recalled them from stories she heard as a filly. Things that never left the dark recesses of her thoughts. She didn’t like it one bit.

The noise traveled around the house, scuffing along the side, until it reach another window. It was much easier for her to look and see out it but she refused. No tapping came though. Instead, she felt the terrible sensation of being watched.

A tiny noise escaped her muzzle as she tried so very hard not to cry. Her eyes shut tightly as she hoped it would go away. Whether it was some scary beast or just her mind going wild, she wanted it to stop and leave.

She got her wish. The noises stopped soon enough and the uncomfortable feeling left her with them. Marble shook and forced herself to open her eyes. It took her some trying but she did manage and even turned to give very brief glances to the windows.

Nothing. Not a single thing appeared wrong or out of the ordinary for them. The mare drew in a shaky breath as she tried to calm down before going through reasons of what it could have really been. Obviously, strange beasts and ghouls didn’t exist. So, it had to be the house settling.

It was a satisfactory conclusion and one she didn’t feel the need any more input was required. Her eyes looked to the windows again after a bit to study the night beyond. The thick fog still seemed to encompass the area. Oddly spooky for it to show up so conveniently on Nightmare Night.

Minutes passed at what felt like a crawling pace. Marble stoked the fire more and set another log into the fireplace as she waited. Her comfort still held though barely. She wished Limestone would hurry up and get back to the house.

The wind howled and made the house creak slightly. It was honestly feeling like she was almost living a scary story. If it weren’t for the fact she had her sister keeping her company and cozy fire then she might have been holed up in her bed and not moved. There was just something so unsettling about the night for her.

Her thoughts passed from one topic to another as she waited. The wind kept itself known as she tried ignoring it while the fog attempted to move on. Having it be so unclear out the windows was something that made it feel like another world entirely outside. Probably why she felt safer just simply being indoors.

A slam against one wall made her squeal and cover her muzzle. It had been so loud and startling she didn’t have another other reaction. She wanted to hide or call out for her sister but felt frozen in place as heavy steps could be heard outside.

The sound of the steps moved around the house as Marble closed her eyes any time it got near a window. She was terrified. While they were only sounds it was that it sounded like somepony was outside and trying to scare her. Then it dawned on her.

Limestone. It had to be her. She was getting her back for the lantern. Maybe just to get her own fun in before Nightmare Night was over. It didn’t matter as Marble felt hurt from the idea.

Sure, the noises did scare her but it was who was behind them that made her less scared and more ashamed. Did she deserve it? Maybe? She didn’t think so but who was she to say?

Another slam but the mare only jumped slightly. Now that she understood what was going on, it didn’t affect her like before. How could her sister do that to her? Just scaring her for fun when Limestone knew how jumpy she got.

There was the sound of something dropping outside. It almost sounded a bit further away. Before she could listen in on it any further, the wind picked up and let out its low howl once again. It didn’t matter.

Marble scooted herself against the leg of the table and tried keeping herself from letting the tears fall. Her vision blurred but she wiped it clear with a foreleg and cleared her throat. It was mean to play such a dirty trick on her. At some point, Limestone would come back and seen how hurt she was.

The thought of her sister coming back from the silo had her look up at a window. Through the fog, the gibbous moon shined bright in a hazy atmosphere outside. It looked so strange seeing it attempt to illuminate through the foggy cover.

Things eventually calmed down enough after a few minutes. The noises outside stopped, almost coming off as something walking away but the wind covered its tracks. Even with the glow of the moon, the land wasn’t any easier to see as it tried piercing the wall of dense fog for clarity. Only the fire ended up being the noise for her to hear after a while.

It seemed as if half an hour or more had gone by while Marble stayed seated and staring at the flames. The winds had died down plenty but did seem to try and speak up more than a few times. No other sounds had been noticed in the otherwise quiet home on the farm. Something didn’t feel right.

Limestone had gone out to the silo to fetch just a lantern and spare tinder. Marble knew it only took minutes going there and coming back. The fog may have been thick but her sister could get from the quarry to the house then there wasn’t a reason she couldn’t make it to the silo and back easily. With the time that had passed, it should have been more than enough for her sister to be back.

Marble looked over at the door, almost expecting her sibling to open it right then. It stood firmly shut as it had been since Limestone had closed it. Even with the scare, she wanted her sister back soon. It would be all in good fun once they both got some rest and there might be an apology in there too. It was just that something kept feeling off to her.

Had she not reacted in a way that her sister wanted? Maybe to call out for her or even scream? The idea didn’t sit well with the gray pony as she looked to the fire once more. Whatever was taking Limestone so long had started making Marble feel unsettled.

It was another hour before there was any other noise. She hadn’t moved from her spot and simply checked the door every other minute. The wait was becoming unbearable to endure. Then there was a scraping sound.

The sound itself came from upstairs. Marble turned her head to stare at the stairway around the corner while listening to the noise carefully. Something was scratching against glass. Her stomach turned.

Limestone wasn’t near tall enough to reach the second story. As much as she wanted to call out, Marble stayed quiet and only moved closer to the stairs. Her body shivered while she listened to the almost careful scrapes to one of the windows above. She hoped that she had pulled the curtains closed to the windows upstairs as she inched closer and stepped around the corner to face up the steps.

Then the noise stopped. It seemed to just end out of nowhere. The earth pony was about to go back to her spot before the fireplace when a heavy thump hit the wall nearest the chimney. A vase nearby shook and inched off a table to come crashing down and make more ruckus.

Marble screamed at the sudden impact against the wall and tried running to the kitchen. Her blanket got caught up around her legs as she felt her heart beating rapidly in a futile attempt to get away from it all. The object hit harder and bounced the picture above the mantle against the wall.

“LIMESTONE!” Marble yelled, her tears starting to run along her cheeks.

The front door took a hit as well but not as hard. It was a quick one before another came. The pony felt as if it were all over and panted quickly, staring at the entryway. When it came busting open, Marble nearly screamed again.

Limestone tumbled into the house with an unsettling look about her. The mare turned around and shoved herself against the door to close it before latching it. Her eyes darted around before she grabbed a nearby wooden chair and tucked it under the handle before finally resting her sight on her frightened sister.

“Marble!” she said and crouched down to hold her tightly. “I’m sorry. I wanted to get in sooner.”

“Wh-where w-w-” Marble tried to utter but found her stumbling words as useless as her legs felt.

“Sshh, sshh,” Limestone whispered and rocked her gently. “We need to be quiet now, okay?”

“M… Mhm,” the scared pony said in her softest tone yet.

They sat together, huddled up and silent for a good few minutes. Limestone took moments to peer around at the windows before continuing to assure her sister things were okay. It felt reassuring to Marble just to hear it.

The only problem was things were far from okay. While the hasty blockade of the door was questionable, it was clear something was very wrong. Limestone had no lantern nor tinder upon arriving far too late for comfort. Questions were quickly rising in Marble’s mind as she started to calm down.

“Wh… Where were you?” she asked in under a whisper while staying against her sister.

“Just relax. I’ll need to cover the windows, okay?” the missing pony said and slowly let go to walk over and pull the curtains of each window closed.

It wasn’t until she finished all the windows on the first floor that she looked only a little better. Something was bothering her deeply. Her gaze continuously darted around the rooms as she walked back to her sister and sat down. It didn’t help that her eyes seemed wide and almost unable to close.

“I was on my way to get the stuff when I heard something,” Limestone started to explain with her head constantly turning to check around. “I saw… something.”

With no elaboration on the subject, Marble looked confused and scared. She was hoping it was just another prank like before and it would all be fine.

“It… Hm,” Limestone started before frowning. “It wasn’t a pony. It chased me into the silo and I had to stay there for a bit. I’m so sorry.”

“I thought… I thought you were… scaring me,” Marble admitted, her little heart still attempting to calm down more.

“I really wish I was,” said her sister in a grim tone. “I tried to still bring the lantern but had to drop it when I saw it on the house.”

The fact her sibling refused to state what exactly it was other than not being a pony only left Marble more concerned. Her imagination started to get the best of her once again as she wondered what exactly could frighten her sister so bad to hide. Everything about the situation just made her feel worse.

“What is… it?” the quiet pony asked and hugged closer to her sister.

“I don’t know,” Limestone whispered and looked off in the direction of the quarry. She hadn’t felt right about the place ever since she uncovered the pit.

They stayed quiet for a while longer as Limestone stared at the door and seemed to wait for it to come open. Nothing came through. No sounds other than the wind and the fire seemed to be of any notice.

It took a bit before they did end up moving from the floor. Marble took the time to shed her blanket and get her legs free as her sister stepped around lightly. The windows were given a check once again before they sat before the fire.

“Did you see it?” her sister asked and looked to her.

“Uh-uh,” Marble replied. She had been too scared to look at the windows.

“Good,” Limestone stated simply and left it at that.

The next hour was spent with them mostly trying to calm each other down. Whatever Limestone had seen looked to have scarred her deeply. She didn’t wish to state any details nor any vague shapes. She was only thankful that her sister hadn’t been unlucky enough to witness it as well.

There was reassurance that there had been no pranks going on to scare Marble and even a dozen apologies for even getting mad at the situation before Limestone left. The two kept their voices to a minimum and hardly spoke above a whisper. No other noises against the house sounded out while they tried to ease their tension.

Though shaking, they did seem to fair better together. Each one did their best to be there for each other. The fire had slowly been dwindling and the flames lowering bit by bit. Lighting in the house was getting lower as well with the candles and lanterns starting to be the only sources.

A rattle against one of the windows made Marble open her muzzle to scream but Limestone’s hoof put a quick stop to it. The shaking got worse for a few moments before stopping. Silence fell on the Pie’s rock farm once more.

Limestone gave a look to her sister with those wide eyes and shook her head. It was clear what she meant by it and Marble just nodded in agreement. The less sounds they made might make whatever it was out there disinterested and go away. It couldn’t stay out there forever, could it?

It almost seemed as if things were going to settle again before the front door took a hit. The wooden piece bounded against the frame and chair. Both of the mares gasped and held their breath as something barreled into the door over and over. Each hit stressed the door itself as well as the frame while all they could do was watch in horror.

Every time there was a hit it made both of them jump slightly. It was impossible to know how close it was to breaking if at all. The chair in place seemed to be resisting most of the attack but it felt so little to stop what was beyond it all. As much stress as the door was under it hardly compared to the sisters as they hoped it held.

Eventually, the pressure stopped and the hits ended. The door stood to last. They could almost feel the relief as the air in the room felt lighter. Sadly, it was only short lived.

Steps followed around the house in a curious fashion. Marble thought it sounded big but with how often it moved she couldn’t tell. Its movements paused at each window with an eerie silence behind every one. There was so much pacing around that it had her confused for a moment.

Suddenly, the window nearest them shattered. The carved rock from earlier tumbled and broke along the floor. Marble couldn’t hold back the shriek as Limestone grabbed her and covered her eyes. The two began stumbling around, Marble unable to see as her sister sounded as if she were about to collapse from hyperventilating. It was impossible to tell where anything was.

They moved away from one source only for another window to crash open. It sounded as if it was running around and smashing them all as fast as it could. With all the ruckus going on, it became a confusing layout for the blinded sister to navigate though she didn’t try to remove Limestone’s hoof. If it was as bad as her sister made it seem then she was grateful for the help.

“Up!” Limestone called over the commotion, helping her sister traverse the stairs in a clumsy fashion.

They ascended in a haste but it felt so very slow compared to the noises Marble could hear. The door had even begun to take another assault and Limestone was near hysterics with her breathing. It felt like it was a pointless attempt with how she couldn’t tell what step they were on or where things were. Everything just blurred into a chaotic mess beyond her sight.

“Its okay,” her sister muttered, “You can do this.” It hardly sounded like she was talking to Marble and more herself.

The steps did end and Marble stumbled forward as her sight came back. Limestone shut the door the room and felt around in the dark for the lock. Her hoof latched it and she pressed her head to the wooden frame as she tried to control her breathing.

Marble felt around in the pitch black room for a candle or lantern. She didn’t wish to draw back the curtain of the window and witness whatever it was that was attempting to break in. The floorboards creaked loudly with every step before she stopped and decided to merely stay still.

The sounds of her sister’s breathing was clear but not too loud. She only hoped her sibling would pull through whatever she had seen. The sounds below were as if somepony were in a desperate attempt to find something. Or them. Furniture was tossed and other items torn apart or thrown around. It was frightening just to listen to.

While they listened and waited, the cold air of the room felt far more chilly than downstairs. Marble shivered as she kept her hooves from pressing on the wooden floor more. It sounded as if Limestone had managed her breathing somewhat as well. At least that was good.

A gust of cold air made her tense up and shake. It was far colder than she expected. The heavy steps below moved about in search of them as they waited and stayed silent. Another gust made Marble freeze more at the sudden thought than the temperature.

She could hear it. The sound of the curtain moving in the wind. During her blind climb the sounds were muddled together. She never knew. There was no way she could have.

Her hoof carefully brushed along the floor before she felt it. Shards of broken glass littered the floor ahead of her. An uneasy feeling moved through her as she wanted to warn her sister. Speaking up would alert the thing downstairs but how would she let her know?

The floorboards in the room creaked deeply.
> The House
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting at the flower stand in town square, Daisy stayed watchful for any customers ready to snatch up a nice bundle of flowers. Her friends had taken breaks for lunch and she was tasked with managing the stall until their return. It was never a matter of drawing straws, she just enjoyed being around ponies and didn’t mind being tasked with handling the shop alone for a bit.

“Hello?” a stallion spoke up, slowly walking over to the colorful stand.

“Hello, sir!” Daisy said cheerfully, her smile being as bright as she could make it. “What can I help you with?”

“Hmm, well, I was wondering what might be a good flower for an anniversary,” the stallion said as he looked over the various types before him. “It’s for my wife.”

“Oh! I’d love to help!” the mare stated as she nodded, her green mane bouncing eagerly.

There were several options she pointed out and began asking questions to help better come to a conclusion. It seemed the stallion had never really done much flower shopping and was at a loss for what might be good. Daisy was elated to be helping somepony with such an important decision.

Eventually, there was a choice made and the stallion thanked her numerous times before heading off. He had bought two bouquets just to be safe. She was almost jealous of the lucky mare getting to receive such pretty flowers for an important day. There went her mind, drifting aimlessly in the cloud as she daydreamed about having a stallion of her own.

It was probably only a few minutes, but certainly not long enough, when she felt a tapping at her back. The mare, mostly lost in her thoughts, slowly came back to reality to figure out what was going on. Her head turned and she locked eyes with Lily, one of her friends.

“You okay?” the blonde mare asked with a smile. “You were staring off into space.”

“Oh? Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking,” Daisy admitted and blushed lightly. “Stallion came by for flowers to give his wife. Wouldn’t it be nice to just settle down with a handsome pony and all?”

“Yes,” Lily agreed but couldn’t stifle her giggling, “but I also like to run a flower stand with my friends.”

Daisy grinned and they joked softly back and forth for a while. She was lucky to have friends who cared about her and understood her. They even believed her small plights that would sound so ridiculous to other ponies. Missing items that she truly thought vanished or dogs barking in the late hours yet none were around. All in all, she was happy to have somepony to share her thoughts with.

The day went on, mostly with just a few sales. Roseluck returned shortly after Lily and they all had started their evening gossip. What pony went where, why the princesses didn’t order many flowers, so on and so forth. Nothing really juicy ever got discussed but it was the fact they got to share it between each other that mattered.

Fall had begun its entry into Equestria with the soft winds and cool air. It was a refreshing feeling to remind them all of the time to come. It would only get colder and lead into Nightmare Night as well as Hearth’s Warming. Daisy loved Hearth’s Warming.

Day slowly faded as the evening began looking to end. Night would be upon them all soon enough and the flower trio decided it was as good a time as any to pack things up. The tarp rolled over the stand as they all said their farewells and gave a quick group hug before heading off.

Daisy sighed softly and contently as she started her walk home. It would be nice night with the cooler weather rolling in and making it more relaxing than the heat. She gave a greeting or two to ponies she passed as her eyes kept checking the sky and waiting for the stars to appear. Just one was all she needed for a wish.

Instead of heading home, her ideas leaned more towards a simple troll around town to just enjoy the rest of the evening. She hadn’t taken a little walk in some time so it sounded like quite the plan. Her hooves moved as she watched ponies starting to close their own stores and others heading to their homes. It was as if a play had ended and the stage lights had dimmed. All the actors were leaving to reprise their roles the next day.

It certainly was something to witness. Daisy found it fascinating in her own way. Things always changed to something else as night fell and the absence of ponies almost giving the town an unnatural vibe to it. Of course, she knew better. Ghost stories were something she didn’t exactly enjoy but there were attempts to not let Nightmare Night give her too many scares in the past years. It was all in fun, she would tell herself.

The town’s housing became less compact the more she moved through it. The spaces were traded with larger trees or just simply a nice bit of grassy land. She hadn’t felt following the stream out of town and opted the opposite direction to move away from it. Running water was soothing but she hardly explored often in the town.

Her attention went from building to building as she walked along and felt the temperature drop slowly. Glancing up revealed the night sky beginning its appearance as well as the first few specks of stars. The mare was giddy and smiled at the sight, nearly ready to make a wish upon the first star she saw.

Daisy’s hoof snagged onto a protruding root that she hadn’t seen. The mare grunted and staggered before finally coming to meet the ground entirely. Her legs had gone everywhere but below her to keep her upright. With the wind knocked out of her, the pony took a moment to gather herself before pushing up off the grass.

Dusting herself off, Daisy made sure she hadn’t made any serious injury before looking around. Nopony had witnessed her embarrassing fall. That was good at least. She was just about ready to move on when her head turned to notice the structure nearby.

An old and rather dilapidated looking building sat on the very edge of town. It was far more run down than any other house she had seen in her passing glances. She was certain it was in worse shape than any other home in Ponyville at all. How did the eyesore not get refurbished when the nearest houses looked far better?

It was quite the conundrum for her to process but she didn’t think long on it before trying to continue on her way. With her being at the edge of town she only had the option of walking back. Not a bad idea since night had taken over the sky and the light from the moon placed eerie shadows everywhere.

One last look to the odd building made her uneasy. The place looked completely strange compared to everything else and stuck out more than she thought. It didn’t help that the moon had taken liberty to give it quite an unsettling presence as well. Again, she wondered why nopony had tended to it and for how long it had been there.

Most of the roof looked sunken in or having holes. The walls were faded and worn as well as the door itself. Some of the beams had clear damage to them and looked to be barely holding anything up, yet there it stood. It almost looked to refuse coming down on its own.

Daisy studied the place a bit more as she took in the details as best she could with her limited lighting. The door kept drawing her attention, bit by bit. There wasn’t anything special about it and clearly nothing that she could find to cause her to look. It was just a simple, old wooden door with a rusted latch and possibly very squeaky hinges. Then why did she want to look at it?

The house seemed like it was a new addition to Ponyvile despite its clear age. Nothing really made much sense as she stared and wondered. Things like old houses were always either cleaned up or torn down. There were hardly any buildings just simply left as they were. What made this one in particular so special?

It took her a good few minutes to finally break her line of sight on it. She would ask about it the next day. Surely, somepony knew about it and she had just merely, and quite literally, stumbled upon it. A shrug came from her as she began moving along, back the way she came. It could be a good piece of discussion with her friends.

With the odd house behind her, Daisy made her journey back into town and towards her own home. Her thoughts stayed with the aged structure as she wondered about its history or who may have lived there. She barely noticed arriving at her house with her mind focused on the other home.

Stepping inside, the flower pony made herself a simple meal after shutting her door and lighting a few lanterns. Her daffodil sandwich stayed partly eaten as she gazed out the window to her kitchen and admired the night sky. It was a peculiar thing, that olden residence. Her mind wandered a bit more before continuing her meal.

She would be sure to bring it up to the girls later. They would probably have as many questions as she did or maybe even answers. The idea gave Daisy a small smile, happy to share something that she found strange even if it made her a little unnerved. Her guess was the moonlight making it look so creepy had her feel that way.

All she had left to do was finish her sandwich and get ready for bed. That was, if she could get her excitement to low enough to sleep. She was just eager to talk to her friends again, especially about the house. It should be a fun day.





•••••





Daisy was early to the stand for once. Her eager attitude to tell her friends of a creepy old building she saw had her with more energy than she could handle. Most of the time waiting was spent just rearranging flowers, adjusting bouquets and even offering a free flower for some passing ponies. It was strange to be so excited for talking about something so strange.

Her eyes kept staying on lookout for either friend while she smiled and kept a chipper attitude at the small booth. There were moments she thought she had seen them but it was just her being a bit antsy. It was almost impossible for her to sit still.

Eventually, both of her friends did arrive. Lily was first who came in only a tad early follow by Roseluck who was almost on time exactly. They were quite surprised to see their green maned friend eagerly waving a hoof at them and beckoning them over.

“Girls!” Daisy said, unable to keep her smile from reaching across her muzzle. “I saw something neat last night!”

“Oh? What was it?” Lily asked, looking over the flowers and taking stock.

“You know the houses leading out of Ponyville?” the daisy marked pony asked and looked between both mares.

“Mhm, what about them?” Roseluck inquired as she sat behind the booth with Daisy.

“Well, I saw a strange one. Kind of creepy,” Daisy explained and turned to face her friend nearby. “It was all old and broken down. Like something you read out of a scary story!”

“Huh?” Lily said as she looked up with a confused expression.

“Have you seen it?” the green maned pony asked and tapped her front hooves together nervously. “It was… just on the outskirts of town.”

“Daisy,” Roseluck spoke up, “there’s no house like that in Ponyville at all. All ponies would know of it if it existed. You know they tear those down and replace them, right?”

The excitement had quickly drained from the mare as she sat still and looked down. There was a moment of doubt that maybe she had seen what only looked like an old home but perhaps it was the moon’s light hitting it. Her brow stitched together as she met Roseluck’s gaze.

“No,” Daisy said firmly. “I know it has to be real. If I check this evening and it’s still there then I’ll get you girls to see it too. If not, then, well…”

Her sentence trailed off as she knew it’d be a tease for a small bit if she was wrong. It was just that she knew she had seen it. Wrong or not, she had to check again. Maybe her lunch break could be spent trying to find it once more.

“Don’t feel bad,” Lily said softly and sat on her other side. “Even if it was a mistake, you seemed happy to tell us. I bet it must have been real neat to see it the way you did.”

“Yeah,” Daisy said quietly and smiled some.

It did make her feel better hearing those words. Witnessing the structure in such lighting did leave its impression, very clearly. Though it still was eerie the more she remembered. She’d search for it again for sure even if it did seem a little scary. It wasn’t like she was going inside it.

They did end up giving a light tease about seeing things but nothing bad. Daisy found herself laughing with them at some of them. Most of the morning had little in terms of customers so they just let their time go towards chatting about anything that came to mind.

Lunch did make its way to them and it seemed most ponies were out and about around the time. Lily took hers first allowed Daisy to go next. Plenty of flowers were being sold during noon with most bouquets that had been prepared selling out. Not bad for the busy hour.

Lily returned soon enough, giving Daisy a soft pat on the back with a hoof. They exchanged small talk before wrapping up any other purchases and swapped places. It had finally come time for Daisy to give a little search. There was a small wave to her friends before she headed off.

If her memory was right, she just had to retrace her path from last night. Every thought seemed to leave her mind as she focused more on where she needed to go in order to find the right house. Circling the edge of town would eat up her whole lunch before she got any food. A direct way to and from would be easiest.

She wished that it was easier to remember how she got there. In the daylight it all looked so different to her. A few streets looked entirely new with how the sun shined on them. There were so many ponies around that she wasn’t sure if she was even headed in the right direction a few times.

Slowly, the dense crowd cleared up more and more. Houses began appearing less clustered and trees started popping up more. As much as she felt she was on the right track there were still doubts plaguing her mind. She just needed to see it and head back was all.

A look into the sky to see the sun’s position had her sigh. Her lunch was nearly half-way over already. If she didn’t find it soon then she might just have to call it a loss and move on. While it was a neat thing to look at, Daisy wondered if maybe she had just imagined it all. It was dark at the time and she was letting her thoughts carry her, right?

Her hooves kept moving as she studied each building carefully to make sure she hadn’t passed the one in question. Every minute that slipped past made her worry about getting food and not having Roseluck enjoy her lunch when she needed. What would she say to make it up to her? That she was searching for the ghost house? They might be pretty upset with her if she admitted that.

Every house looked about the same that she passed. Maybe she had imagined it all. Perhaps there was no broken down building. Daisy’s ears lowered as she slowed her pace and took a few more looks. Either she had gone the wrong way or there was no house she remembered seeing.

The sound a small dog barking ahead drew her attention from her gloomy outlook. At first, she couldn’t see where it was coming from before the canine sprinted out across the street from left to right. Daisy gasped stepped back for a moment before looking to see where the critter ran off to. She couldn’t believe it.

There it was. The very house she was searching for stood on her right and just as old and creepy in the day as it did in the dark. She was surprised how it had managed to sneak up on her despite being an immobile building. Everything about it made her as uneasy as before, almost a bit more than usual.

One thing that stood out was the extremely faded look it had. The houses nearest were so vibrant and full of life while the strange one appeared more out of place than she noticed at night. Daisy studied the oddity a bit longer before her eyes began to linger more on the door. It was still just as normal as any other but so worn. She couldn’t figure out why she kept being drawn to it.

Barking snapped her out of her focus as she saw the canine from before wagging its tail and looking at her. It gave another playful bark before scampering off around the house. It had no collar so she had no clue what pony it might belong to.

“Puppy?” she called out and waited. Her eyes stayed on the spot she saw them disappear before slowly moving back to the door.

Did she want to go inside? Of course not! She was already feeling unsettled by the thing just sitting outside and looking at it. There was no reason she would want to. Yet, she almost expected the door to open at any second.

Her eyes barely blinked as she stared and seemed to wait. There was a weird tension building and she could feel it continue to climb. The air had grown colder but her focus was entirely on that door. What secrets did the house hold? Did it even have any? Why was she feeling obsessed over the creepy structure?

A bark made her jump and scream momentarily. Daisy’s heart had leapt into her throat as she scrambled around. It only dawned on her seconds later that it was the dog she had lost track of who had pulled her out of the trance.

“H-hey, puppy,” the mare said while trying to calm her frantic heart. “Who’s your owner?”

The dog circled in place, panting, while looking up at her. If she had the bits and the time, she would have loved to take them home. Sadly, it was out of her hooves to take in an animal at her current situation.

Her eyes nearly looked back to the house before she decided to check the time once more. Daisy felt her spirits lower. It would be time for Roseluck to take her break in mere moments. How had she spent so long just sitting there?

“I got to go, puppy. Want to walk with me?” Daisy asked and got up to begin navigating her way back.

It seemed her furry friend was more than okay with tagging along. They did seem skittish as she couldn’t quite reach a hoof to pet them due to their sudden withdraw from her. Every time was the time no matter how she attempted it. The dog just didn’t like to be pet.

At least she could finally verify that there was a house. Maybe her friends would come with her to see it. They were all rather scared of most things but it helped when they were together. Daisy hummed lightly as she took down mental notes of what paths she took just to be able to give directions and find it easily another time if needed.

More time elapsed as she journeyed through the town and back to the town square where her friends were looking a little annoyed. She knew they would be but it didn’t help seeing their faces. Daisy slowed her walk as her ears lowered and averted her gaze.

“Sorry,” was the first word she uttered. “I didn’t mean to let time go by so fast.”

“Well, hope you ate well,” Roseluck commented before she got up to get herself some late lunch. “Must have been a big lunch.”

Even though Daisy could sense the humor and see the smile she still felt terrible for it. If she had paid attention then she could have got back sooner. Her hooves nearly dragged the ground as she walked behind the booth and sat down quietly.

“Where did you go?” Lily asked curiously, turning to face her due to the smaller amount of ponies about.

“I was wanting to find the house again,” Daisy mumbled a bit and looked up. “I did. It really is there.”

“It is, huh? Where at?” her friend asked and smiled warmly.

Daisy gave her the directions after trying to recall them. Lily seemed genuinely interested in hearing about it. There were details given of what it looked like with the holes in the roof and more. Clearly a house that couldn’t be missed even if she tried.

“Oh! There was also a cute puppy!” Daisy mentioned and turned to look around. “Um, they were following me…”

“There wasn’t a dog with you when you came back,” Lily stated and shrugged. “Maybe they just went back or something.”

“Yeah,” the green maned mare said in a downtrodden tone. She was really hoping to have the canine around longer.

Roseluck’s lunch was shorter than usual but not due to Daisy’s late return. She was reassured that fact. It had merely been a quick bite and nothing more. It didn’t take long for Daisy’s friends to begin talking about various topics.

While she did want to chime in and participate in the conversation it also felt like she only had one thing she really wanted to talk about. The house. It seemed to suddenly be the only thing she wanted to bring up for some reason. Somehow, it had left an impression on her that she felt others should also know about.

It was a while before there was a small lull in the changing of topics before Daisy felt comfortable bringing it up. The details she had said before were repeated along with the directions and anything else she could remember for Roseluck. Her friend nodded and thanked her, stating how she might go see it the next day or so. At least that helped lower the desire to speak of it.

Daisy still stayed mostly quiet after. No other topic seemed to stay with her as the house stuck in her mind more and more. She couldn’t even place why it did. It was a strange looking thing but had no other real reason to be such a focal point for her.

Things quieted down around the town as the day drifted into the evening. Ponies headed home or got their last few supplies from shops. The weather began cooling more and managed to keep Daisy’s mind on the ruined home. She had felt cold there both times she went.

“I think we could call it a day here,” Roseluck said and got up to stretch. “No sense waiting for ponies that aren’t here.”

“Unless we get ghost customers,” Lily joked and they both laughed.

Daisy stayed quiet. Her thoughts were littered with nothing but the structure and she couldn’t think straight. Instead, she simply got up and began walking home. Both of her friends seemed to not mind as they closed everything up fine and went their own ways.

As she walked, the pony’s thoughts came and went but always seemed to center around that one object. It didn’t matter how hard the attempted to think of something else, it always came back to it. A smaller worry passed by quickly enough but she did wonder if she was developing a strange kind of obsession. It didn’t make sense for her to, especially with how it wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary.

It was just a house. A very worn down and dilapidated house but still just a single home. Her mind wouldn’t let it go though. Why she was so focused on it was beyond her.

Whenever she did let her mind freely think of it, it always came down to a specific piece. The door. It always drew her eye and it had somehow made her sit there and wait long enough to pass time through her lunch.

“It’s just a stupid house,” she told herself, trying to believe it and let her thoughts be freed of the grip it had.

Her head stayed down as she stared at the road while walking. It felt hopeless to think of other things. The sky darkening and the stars slowly appearing weren’t even interesting to her suddenly. She despised how a single home had managed to run rampant in her mind so often. At least she was home.

Daisy sighed and lifted her head then felt a chill run down her back. She was standing in front of the old house. How had she mindlessly made it directly to it? A look around showed she was very much on the edge of town once more.

It took her a moment to finally move her legs once more. The mare turned circles around herself as she made sure how real her setting was. It almost felt like a cruel joke played on her for the odd desire to keep thinking of the thing.

A light bark sounded out nearby and Daisy stopped. Her heart was already worked up from the sudden worry. An unknown venture through town without her knowledge was something she knew wasn’t right.

“Puppy?” she said quietly, hoping it wasn’t another trick.

To her relief, the same dog from earlier in the day came trotting out from behind the house. It gave a little wag and barked again before staying near building’s side. Daisy nearly stepped forward but stopped. It didn’t feel right.

The dog gave another bark, almost as if waiting for the pony and calling her to it. There was a moment where Daisy considered getting closer but her gut feeling was stronger than any will or curiosity. Instead, she took a step back and looked around. No other ponies were around at all.

An odd noise sounded out until she recognized what it was. The dog was growling. Her face showed the worry she felt as her hooves backed her further away. The mare nearly turned before a bark made her cower lightly. It sounded so much more threatening than the playful barks moments ago.

“Puppy, I can’t,” Daisy said, hoping it somehow understood her.

Another bark and she jumped lightly. With her standing still, it appeared the dog would have to be the one to close the distance and so it did. The paws made their way close but just out of reach of Daisy’s hooves. She gave a forced smile before sitting down slowly. There was hope that the canine was of little threat.

Her eyes moved from the dog to the house. Every bit of the place looked so terrible. Nopony could be living in it for sure. Internally, Daisy knew where her eyes wanted to go but she did her best to look everywhere but there.

It eventually was in vain. Her sight lingered on posts and windows then right to the door where they stayed. The handle looked worn from extended use and plenty of neglect after. The moon gave little to tell in the light but she was sure that the door itself wasn’t entirely settled in the frame. It could easily just be the shadows playing tricks but something deep down in Daisy’s stomach told her that it wasn’t and she should go. She could even hear her heartbeat with how heavy it was pounding.

“Um, I need to go, doggy,” she stated quietly with her eyes still glued to the entry.

She didn’t move. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t. Whatever was keeping her there had a hold greater than her will or her fear. She wanted to go. She needed to leave.

It took her a good deal of effort to turn her head and closed her eyes. Breaking the line of sight had her let out a light sigh as she stood up and began marching herself back the way she came. It wasn’t until she knew she couldn’t turn slightly to see that she finally opened her eyes again. The dog barked its call as she kept walking.

“Take care,” she said quickly and picked up the pace without turning around.

Her eyes stayed ahead of her for the way back. She didn’t want to unconsciously run back to the house. There were no ponies out at all the whole way into town and towards her own abode. Not even anypony closing shops. It appeared as if they had all done so long before.

Daisy only decided to look up at the moon once she saw her house and felt her eyes widen. There had been hours that passed! Hours! She had somehow managed to go there and spend so long sitting in front of it without knowing. That didn’t even seem possible.

The rumble in her stomach made her realize how true it was. Including her missed meal at lunch, Daisy was running on fumes. Somehow, she only seemed to notice or feel it upon coming home. Whatever was going on with the old building was affecting her.

There was little time for her to waste as she got inside and latched her door shut. It felt safer being inside and not enduring the pull of the other house. She made quite the late meal for herself that she gobbled down in her hunger. It was bizarre that she had sat outside in the cool air just staring at a door for so long.

It scared her that time has slipped by so easily. There was something wrong about that place and she was somehow drawn to it. It was like time forgot the house in some manner. Daisy shuddered lightly and shook her head. Resting might do her good and push all the crazy thoughts and worries from some old home out of her head.

She hardly wanted to wait for some better thoughts and good rest. Her dishes stayed on the table as she simply hopped down from the chair and rushed to her bedroom. Sleep wasn’t going to pass her by if she could help it.

Daisy slipped under her covers and nestled in before she blew out her lantern and laid still. It took the poor pony another hour before she could finally begin to rest.





•••••





If Daisy got any less sleep she may as well have stayed awake the whole night. Restlessness seemed to be a bane for her. There were no other thoughts than the house running through her head. Every moment of rest was spent spiraling back to the waking world just to ponder what the house was or why it was there.

It hadn’t been but just a couple of days and she was feeling like her obsession was growing out of control. Somehow, there was little in the way of what her mind would allow. Plagued by thoughts she felt weren’t her own, the mare could only hope it would come to pass. The breaking morning through the window indicated she wasn’t to get any further rest.

Her walk down to the town square had her recounting how much sleep she may have managed to get though it was easy to tell it hadn’t been much at all. The heavy bags under her eyes and her own posture showed as much. Even if she was late to the flower stand, perhaps her friends would see just how deprived of sleep she was and let her take it easy.

Ponies moved about the town as they always did while socializing or purchasing needed goods. Even though the sun was shining, the autumn air was cool. Much of the mood for a good day had been utterly sapped from Daisy as she continued her walk to the booth. She hoped things would at least go smoothly for her.

“There you are,” Roseluck called out and gave a friendly wave. “We wondering when you were going to get here.”

“Sorry, girls, “Daisy mumbled while she stumbled into the booth and sighed. “I had a rough night.”

“Oh, sorry to hear,” Lily stated and looked her over. “You look beyond tired.”

“I am,” admitted the sleep deprived pony. Her head turned to face them as she closed her eyes for a moment. “I just want to rest.”

“You want to go home? We can take care of the booth for day,” the rose marked pony said with a worried look.

“I’ll be fine. Just give me a few minutes,” Daisy muttered and leaned against the counter top to try and catch at least five more minutes of some sleep.

No conversations seemed to take place during her attempt at rest. The background noise of ponies talking nearby or their hooves became the white noise she needed. Her eyes remained shut as she let the sounds continue. There were only a few minutes of the peace she found before images of the house invaded once again.

Daisy sat up and let out an exhausted groan. She didn’t understand why such a single thing had become so insistent in her mind so quickly. It was just a house. The only real thing that was special about it was that she had found it on a random walk and saw how old it was.

Yet, it terrified her. That had to be at least one reason it kept picking at her brain. There was nothing else to it other than it made her uncomfortable. She had been scared of many things in her life but the still building on the edge of town had her somehow stressed beyond belief. Maybe deep down she could feel there was something more with it that kept its secrets from view. Perhaps she feared what those secrets might be despite being drawn to it.

“You sure you’re okay?” Lily asked, tilting her head with a concerned look about her.

“No,” Daisy admitted. She knew she probably wore the worry on her face. “I keep thinking about that stupid house.”

Roseluck and Lily exchanged glances to each other before looking away. They were hiding something from her. Daisy sat up and gave them both a questioning gaze.

“We went to check that place out last night,” Roseluck said slowly. Her eyes never met Daisy’s as she spoke. “We followed the directions you had said and made sure.”

“Yeah, it was after we closed up shop. We were heading home and decided to met up again to go see it,” Lily admitted, her eyes downcast.

“Okay,” Daisy said as she grew a bit confused.

“Daisy, did you give us the right directions?” Roseluck asked while giving a small look to her.

“Of course. I made a note of the streets and roads,” the green maned pony said. “What’s this about?”

“Uh,” Lily muttered as she looked around. She appeared worried. “Daisy? There isn’t any house there.”

Somehow, that phrase made her more scared and upset than she already was. Instead of cowering or accepting it, Daisy felt herself doubting both of her friends. She felt as if they were playing a trick on her. Nopony could go to that spot and not see it. She was even there last night for hours. How could they deny that?

“You’re lying,” she retorted. “You couldn’t have gone last night. I know it!”

“Daisy, calm down, please,” Roseluck said softly as she motioned with her hooves. “We did go but we didn’t see any old building there. Just an empty lot.”

“No!” Daisy shouted and backed away. “You two are lying. I was there last night myself! We would have seen each other!”

Ponies nearby had started to notice to commotion. A few tried their best to ignore it but ended up standing still to listen.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Lily tried to reason to her friend. “Look, maybe we just… took a wrong turn.”

“I don’t see how,” the distressed pony said, her feelings hurt more. “I told you the way.”

“Daisy, why are you getting so upset over this? You said yourself that it was just a stupid house,” Roseluck mentioned in hopes it would bring her friend around.

There was some silence between them as Daisy took a moment to try and reflect on the comment. It was true that she had thought it was dumb and it had ruined her sleep. There was just the matter of them simply not believing her and acting as if she made it up.

“I can show you,” she finally said under her breath.

“What?” one of her friends asked, leaning in.

“I’ll prove it. I’ll show you it’s a real house,” Daisy told them, lowering her voice.

Neither of her friends knew what to really say. She had just flipped out over seemingly nothing. While it could have been the lack of sleep or maybe her unnatural draw to it, Daisy knew it simply called for her. She had begun to get herself worked up over it all. Small things were bothering her and making her feel as if she was just making up stories.

“How?” Lily regretfully asked as she looked back to Roseluck.

Another long pause. Indeed, she didn’t quiet know how to get her friends to truly see the oddity. If they went themselves then they might take a wrong turn despite accurate directions. If she were to lead them then they might back out. She needed something concrete and sure.

“A picture,” Daisy muttered to herself. “I can take a picture of it and show you.”

It seemed her friends were at a loss of what to say. They wanted to tell her to let it go and just get some sleep but were afraid of her acting out once again. Instead of trying to sway her to forget about it all, they remained quiet for a bit. It didn’t appear as if their friend would take any suggestion unless it was what she was looking for.

“Okay then,” Roseluck said softly. “Okay. You can take a picture and show us.”

“Yeah,” Lily agreed, though clearly unsure. “Just promise us you’ll get some more rest? You can take the rest of the day off. Just try to relax.”

Daisy nodded slowly without looking to them. Her mind had been made up. The only thing she seemed to care for was hearing their own agreement to the matter. If she showed it to them then they wouldn’t be able to deny it. Maybe she could finally let it go after too.

The mare quietly got out from behind the booth and gave a light wave to her friends. All the ponies that had stopped to witness the argument had already moved on. Her thoughts drifted on about the house as she wandered through town for a moment. If she were to provide proof then she needed the proper equipment.

Her legs wobbled once or twice as she made her way around town. The rest of her day was spent looking for a pony willing to part with their camera for just a few bits for the evening. It took her longer than she wished after searching high and low. Many didn’t wish to lend it out, others only wanted to sell it instead of just letting her borrow it for a moment.

With the way her funds were, Daisy couldn’t afford just buying a camera in order to prove something so ridiculous. A few times had her wonder if she was even doing something worth her time. She knew that sleeping on the idea would benefit her more than just running through in a haste. The problem was every time she closed her eyes she could see that house.

It had been nearly all day of her looking for anypony to part with such a device for a small bit of time until she found them. A simple stallion that she recalled vaguely. He was more than happy to give her the camera so long as she showed him the pictures she was taking. It was a fine arrangement and she gave him the bits before slipping the neck strap over her head.

As she left, Daisy remembered where she had seen him before. The stallion that asked for flowers for his wife from the other day. He must have been rather happy to be so eager and offer his camera for her so willingly.

The camera itself was one of the newer types she had only heard of. Some type of magical developing film that would be ready in minutes instead of having it professionally done. She didn’t understand how it worked but was glad to not have to wait longer to show off her finding. There was even a small attachment on the top for a flash that was filled with lightning bugs and a crystal.

Perhaps it was the walk that eventually calmed her down or maybe the fact she hadn’t seen the house but Daisy did feel better as the sun began to set. Her mood had settled enough to not feel as if she was being tricked or having to prove anything. She must have come off so out of her mind to her friends.

The mare sighed and sat down to let herself cool off more. She wanted to sleep but knew what would be waiting for her. Although, if she was wrong then maybe her night would be more forgiving. While she was constantly thinking of the place, maybe she would be allowed to get some peace of mind by trying to rest.

Her eyes glanced down to the device hanging around her neck. She had made such a fuss over wanting to prove something so mundane. It was hard to believe how she went out of her way so far just to get up to the point where she considered casting it all aside. If she stopped while she was ahead then maybe it would be enough to have her feel satisfied. When she goes to the stand the next day she could apologize for how she acted.

Then again, she did have the camera. What would just one picture hurt? She really had come this far so why not just go snap a quick one and leave? It wouldn’t be anymore time taken from her day, would it?

Daisy looked up to study her surroundings. It wasn’t far from where she sat. Looking to the sky she could guess a good half and hour or so before it got dark. A small trip there, take a picture, then a walk back. Sounded simple enough. Worse thing would be having a picture of the house that haunted her thoughts to keep around so she wouldn’t need to physically go see it.

The idea seemed to be more positive than negative in her mind. A grunt sounded out as she stood up and stared down the road. It would be easy. She would tell her friends how sorry she was for acting so rash and then merely ask if they wanted to see the image. No need to push them about the subject.

A nod to herself and she began to walk. While she still didn’t feel in her right mind it felt far more clear than she had earlier in the day. Her mumbling as she went on her way was a reminder of just to snap a quick picture and leave. Since her thoughts flooded to and fro of the house itself it just became easier to say things aloud she discovered.

Whether it was partly due to the cooler weather for the night or that she had taken time to let her temper settle, Daisy had felt better on her walk to where she remembered the building. A small voice in the back of her head tried to convince her that she only felt more at ease for going to the house. It was a small thought but one that made her worry about her mental well-being all the same. Regardless of the issues, she continued onward in hopes her simple idea would sate all of her thoughts.

It didn’t take her long to begin hearing the familiar barking of the canine once again. Her ears perked up as she listened and drew closer to the area. Each small bark sounded out in the area while she tried looking out for the furry friend. Up ahead, the dog ran circles and stopped when it noticed the mare walking.

Daisy tried her best to smile as she stepped closer but merely looked down to the dog. She could feel the ominous presence the house had and she wasn’t even looking at it. There was no doubt it was right there.

“Hey, puppy,” she said lightly, trying to prepare herself to just snap a picture and go.

The last time she stared at the structure it had captivated her and somehow pulled her away from everything to the point hours had passed in just minutes. She didn’t want to let such a thing happen again. Her eyes tried to move but she did her best to keep averting them until she was ready. It took her a few minutes to finally feel up for it.

The mare’s gaze turned with her head as she let the view of the cold building set in her sights. There was something wrong with it for sure. No other house had her feel so uneasy every time she was near or saw it. Why did the one before her stir such feelings? Why did she feel the house simply didn’t belong?

Instead of pondering more on it, Daisy shook her head to try and shake any mental hold it had. Her hooves adjusted the camera as she tried to figure out how to make the thing work. The dog continued its barking as she fiddled with the contraption for a while until finally understanding at least the basics on it. How nopony else heard the canine was beyond her.

A look around showed no other ponies nearby once again. It felt like they never ventured as far she did. Possibly why the house still stood and no others cared to notice it. The mare sat back and held the camera with her hooves as she looked through the offered eyepiece. Even through it she could feel the draw of the home.

It was too much work to zoom in or out further so she just did her best with what she could manage. Her focus looked over the house before settling right on the door that made her unnerved. A slight hesitation paused her actions before she blinked and tapped the button.

There was a bright flash as the crystal was surged and the bugs inside the capsule let out a quick strobe. The entire house lit up from the sudden lighting which made Daisy tense up quickly. Shadows appeared as quickly as the left but none of them looked anywhere near natural. Her fear seemed to escalate a bit rapidly noticing them, though happy they were gone soon after.

A strange noise sounded beneath the pony. Her hooves lowered the camera as she looked it over and wondered if she may have broken it. It wasn’t until a single slip ejected from the bottom of the device that she figured it out.

Daisy tore the enchanted parchment from the receiver before looking it over. It was blank. Front and back looked the exact same to her. Well, there went her worthwhile quest. The mare let out a defeated sigh as she held the blank piece. It was worth a shot.

Her gaze moved up to the house once more as she saw the dog sitting in front of the closed door. It was so strange to never see the canine anywhere else but the house. She knew if there too much of a lingering look that she might lose track of time again and lowered her sights once more. At least she had a crummy image of a faded structure.

The mare’s eyes widened at the reveal. The picture had slowly started appearing on the enchanted piece right before her. Details were barely coming in but she could make out most of it. Bit by bit, the picture slowly became more recognizable to her. It was when it had finished filling out the details that Daisy felt her stomach turn.

She did take a picture with the door being the focus. After all, it drew her attention every time. It was just that looking at the photo had something different about it. The house was there and it looked just as terrible as ever. It was the absence of the door that made her heart skip. Somehow, the picture had the door wide open.

Daisy heard the muffled barking of the dog and flicked an ear. Her head turned up to see it might be making noise over only to witness the front door open. It had been closed just moments before. She was positive if was closed even when taking the picture.

Everything felt like a warning sign to her. Alarms in her head were going off but she couldn’t help but look. There was nothing to see beyond the doorway other than a darkness that felt unreal. The mare felt weak as she dropped the photo to the ground and waited. She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for but it felt like there was something beyond the entry of the house.

More barking sounded out. It was clear it came from inside the house itself and she wasn’t sure what to do. No part of her wanted to venture in even if she was worried about her furry friend. The problem was she also didn’t feel like she was in control of her own body. Her hooves took the camera and lifted it from her neck before placing it down as a weight on the photo.

Her own mind screamed at her not to go in. She knew better and she could feel the danger beyond. Despite her heart beating a mile a minute and even though her breathing was rapid, Daisy walked forward to the building. Every step only dug deeper at her in an attempt to just run away. Her hooves shook as she neared the thing and lowered her ears.

The dog had gone quiet after she got within reaching distance to the doorway. She felt like she was about to pass out from the fear running through her. A part of her wished she had. Another step and she felt her body shaking. Why was she allowing this to happen?

Before she could get a grip on herself, Daisy stepped into the darkness and within the house. The cover of the bleak and unknowing black gave way to the interior of the home soon after. It was as dirty and rundown as the outside. Furniture was still in place almost as if left for hundreds of years. Broken and cracked windows barely let much moonlight in.

Somehow, the place appeared larger inside than out. Surely just a strange illusion or something. The stairs leading up looked worn and dangerous. Each room that she could see from where she stood appeared as old as the next. There was a moment where she regained control of herself or merely came to her senses and turned around.

The door was shut and latched. No sound had ever been made of it doing so. Not even the wind of it moving to close her inside. Daisy heard herself whimper softly before trying the latch. It was too far rusted to even budge.

A light bark came from somewhere in the home. There were a few more attempts at the door before she finally gave up and looked around. If it came down to it then maybe she could break a window further and just climb out. For the moment, she didn’t want the canine to hurt itself in such an old building.

“Doggy?” Daisy called out but felt her voice being taken by the surrounding surfaces.

Reluctantly, her hooves moved to bring into the next room as she gave out a light whistle. If she could find the dog and bring it out with her then she could leave the place behind for good. Part of her wanted to just leave anyway but she felt compelled to make sure the little canine was okay.

Her nerves were on edge as she walked through the still and quiet abode. Everything about it unsettled her and made her wary. She didn’t feel drawn to the house any longer. There was some other feeling that she couldn’t place. The presence of the house had left.

Daisy whistled again and called for the dog. Nopony would be living in such a decrepit building. As unsafe and creepy as it was it would be unsuitable for any living being. Her whistles sounded out as she moved further within the building and looking in rooms. She was getting more tempted to just leave the longer she went on.

It was so quiet to her. Beyond the odd groan of the house itself, it was otherwise silent other than her whistling or calls. The dog had ceased to make any further barks and she heard no paws along the wooden floors. Her mind was being made up. She wanted to go.

There was one last whistle she gave out before she froze. Terror struck her to the core as she felt the presence once more. It wasn’t the presence of the building but something else. Something that had lured her in and trapped her. Something that had kept preying on her mind.

Something that whistled back.
> Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Putting her show on the road may have been a bit more than she initially thought. Trixie let out a tired sigh as she continued walking and following the road thought. The magician had made it from Ponyville and past Rambling Rock Ride as it was. It had been about a week since she remembered seeing the train tracks or even a pony at all.

Her spirits never seemed to dampen as the blue unicorn trudged on and pulled her caravan along with her. Every step just meant it was a bit closer to Baltimare. She couldn’t wait to see the place flock to her show when she arrived and set everything up. Of course, she would be showered in bits as the crowd asks for an encore.

Trixie smiled to herself and lifted her head. While she may have got a little lost after crossing a river, she still assumed she was heading in the right direction. There were a few times she could even hear the running water and opted to steer clear just in case she might be looping back around on accident. It wouldn’t have been a terrible idea for her to grab a map but that would only work if she could find a pony that had one at some point.

The week long journey had been a little rough starting out but things did even out for her. Food didn’t seem as scarce as she was thinking once before. At least she had a comfy place to rest in. Not many venturing out could say the same.

A rock caused her wagon to jostle lightly. Trixie glanced back to the swaying lanterns and bobbing flower resting on the sill. Nothing looked to have come loose. She had learned to appreciate what she had after nearly losing it all before.

While it was an interesting trip so far, she still wished she could have had her friend come along. Starlight would probably love to see the sights with her and camp out. Maybe even be a part of her show! Trixie made a smug smile at the thought and nodded.

Another rock made her halt entirely as she checked to make sure things were still okay. It was odd how many rocks she seemed to be running over even though she never saw them. A small shrug was offered at the curious anomaly before she continued on and hummed lightly to herself.

It had been quite the thing to watch the stars at night while laying on the top of her wagon. She often had plenty of chances to enjoy such things but only recently took the time to. Starlight would have loved it. The cozy hammocks in her caravan with the small iron stove made for a very comfy night to top it all off.

Her thoughts drifted from one thing to another as she considered taking her friend the next time she wanted to travel far. Maybe even make it a small road trip to see as many sights as possible along the way. She was sure to bring back a souvenir or several for Glimmer to have either way. What a wonderful friend she was!

Trixie felt the shafts pulling to one side and shifted herself to move it back on track. She would need to invest in a better saddle with some proper traces and more at some point. The mare continued, keeping herself and her wagon as steady as possible along the road. With the amount of bits she might get at Baltimare, she might eventually be able to afford such necessities and more.

It was a lovely dream and nice idea to think of. A magician never revealed their secrets but she knew so many as it was. Disappearing acts, rope tricks, the famed infinite handkerchiefs. Trixie knew it all or at least believed she did. While proper magic wasn’t her forte, she excelled at entertainment for all ponies. It did make her happy to see her audience enjoy such work.

There was another tug against her saddle as she stuck her tongue out and strained to right the direction of her mobile home. Why had it been so stubborn lately? Ever since the river crossing her home had been drifting to the side. She had to be close to the city. Maybe another day or two at most. Then she could relax and get things fixed up.

Plenty of daylight was still ahead and Trixie planned to make the most of it. Traveling by night wasn’t really an idea she thought fondly of. While her legs may be sore she knew how it would all be worth it. The crowd cheering, the bits, her friend congratulating her.

Trixie smiled as she looked off to the side at the thick treeline to her right. She was lucky not to be caught up in all of that. The left had just as much going for it with tons of bushes and trees that almost acted as if both side were telling her to just keep walking. With how tall and far the branches stretched, things nearly appeared to be looming over the road in areas.

When another tug to her side made her focus on the task of her wagon, the magician felt her efforts nearly be in vain. The mare grunted as she tried pulling herself to the right while using her magic to give the slightest lift to her caravan. It seemed to work, for the most part. Then she stopped using her spell.

The wagon dropped a foot or two but with quite the commotion. Her ear pinned to her head at the sound as pots and pans, lanterns and so much more were randomly tossed around from the drop. There was even an odd groaning coming from it which she couldn’t place at all. Confusion overtook any small bit of panic as she stopped and watched.

The purple wagon looked okay from a glance. It was just that groaning noise that didn’t seem to stop. Moving only made it worse and had her consider her current options.

“Trixie commands you to stop that!” she yelled at her wheeled home.

Stop it did. The entire wagon shifted to one side before the front left wheel finally gave in. Wooden groans of stress turned to splintered cries as the wheel broke and managed to wretch itself free of the wagon. Every fiber of the pony’s being struggled to keep her home upright but it seemed far too futile of an attempt.

Even through her best try, Trixie’s caravan tilted and refused to correct itself. Her worry had her unfasten the saddle around her before running over to assess the damage done. The wheel itself was useless with it broken in a few areas and unable to return to its former glory. While her wagon wasn’t ruined it certainly wasn’t going to be going anywhere with no easy way to steer it.

It had to be the wheel. The unicorn sneered at the broken piece before looking at the empty spot it once sat. As much as she didn’t trust them, her wagon was useless without them. She supposed it could have been worse but it didn’t make her feel any better.

Those violet eyes looked from one end of the road to the other. No sign of a city or even a town nearby. The closest place to even get a spare might be quite the walk as it was. It was an immediate mood dampener for her as she sat and tried to think of anything that might help.

Half an hour was spent of her doing the best she could on repairing the wheel itself. All attempt only failed the second she stood it up. One try even managed to make the situation worse. Her broken wheel had changed into a tea kettle trying to magically fuse it together. An upgrade from her usual magic, kind of. She would need to figure something out before long. Her gaze shifted to the sky and took a note of evening about to come.

Trixie sighed before turning around and looking right into the eyes of a very pale pony dressed in dark mauve robes. While the magician did tense up, it took a lot not to squeal. She was proud of herself somewhat.

“Nopony needs to be sneaking up on the Great and Powerful Trixie!” the blue unicorn stated while striking a small pose for herself, heart beating rapidly. “Also, hello.”

“Beyond the path you may find more than you need,” the mare in dark mauve said while lifting a hoof. Her indication pointed to a very small and nearly invisible path hidden by the foliage nearby.

“Oh, that’s convenient,” Trixie said aloud as she looked before turning back.

The shock of being left alone so suddenly had the blue mare looking all around her. She knew of disappearing acts but they usually involved smoke pellets or trapdoors. Her small search in the immediate area turned up nothing before she gave a small shrug. If she were to run into that unicorn again she might ask to be taught such a clean vanishing trick. Maybe even where she got those robes.

It was very odd to be told she was lost when she very clearly wasn’t. Her wagon had broken down was all. Though, if this supposed nearby harbor did have a spare wheel to use until Baltimare she’d happily take it. The only confusing thing to her was that she didn’t hear any waved from open water.

With little reason to stay where she was, Trixie opened her caravan and pulled out her saddlebags. There was no telling exactly how far such a town might be but bringing a little food wouldn’t hurt. Her magic dropped in a few bits as well for the spare wheel she hoped to find. Little else was left for her to do as she locked up the doors and looked at the small trail.

There were plenty of branches from trees and bushes all around to make the spot incredibly difficult to find. It was a wonder she had her home break down right near it. Her cloak and hat were donned as she pushed through the bramble and winced at the poking sticks. The only rough part was actually getting through the thicket enough to get past the barrier.

Soon enough, Trixie popped through and let out a breath. At least that part was over. Her magic straightened her hat before she began following the barely trodden path. It sloped at an angle down and she could only try not to lose her footing. Each step of her hooves made her wonder a bit more how she might try to manage the wheel back up properly.

The path itself curved a few times but always continued to descend. Light barely passed through the thick treetops above and left so much of the area in shade that it was slow going for the pony on her trek. A few times the path had been lost for a second due to the darkening shadows from the trees as well as the sun lowering further. She could only hope she’d find what she needed at the end of it all.

It was a much long walk than she had really thought. With how the trees and all covered so much, she almost as if she were walking through another world. Trying to spot the sun was pointless and the descent had begun to even out slightly.

Trixie perked an ear up as she stopped and listened closely. With a hoof behind her ear to funnel it lightly, she could make out the nearing sound of water. Waves, specifically. Perhaps there really was a harbor hidden down in some valley.

Instead of pausing her progress any longer, the unicorn got to walking again as she followed along once more. Eventually, the path started leading her through trees that had seen far better days before. Leaves became more sparse as well a general lack of plant life overall. If she didn’t know any better, it almost seemed a bit eerie.

Finally, after the long walk through the woods, she could see buildings ahead. Her pace picked up as she rushed close to the end of her little journey and stepped out of the dead treeline. Even though it was a new area to her it felt oddly so. Something different about it that she couldn’t place a hoof on.

Every building looked rather old and worn from the weather of the sea. Faded colors, warped boards, moss in some areas. It all looked far from ideal living standards, not that she was in a place to judge. It all had a very strange feel to it.

Looking along the small rows of structures, it seemed as if there was only one road in and out of town. It led right to the path she had emerged from. The buildings ranged from what she could only guess might have been a fishing shop, a tavern, possibly a few homes and a general store. There were a few others but she couldn’t make a guess on them. The tavern itself was one of the closest things to the port ahead.

As small as the port was, and the harbor as a whole, it could have been decent if it was all cleaned up. The port looked like it could barely keep half a dozen boats at most. Every board on the single pier jutting out was worn from time and water. The end of the wooden walkway pointed out at the open water and to a lighthouse ahead, perched on its own island.

Trixie stared a bit longer before noticing the skyline shifting to twilight. Her day was ending and night had come to take over. The chill from the open water and wind rushing off it made her shiver as she watched the sky begin to cloud over. If she was going to get her wheel then she wanted it soon to stay out of the rain.

Turning from one side of her street to the other, there looked to be nopony home. No lights on inside or out of the buildings. Trixie paced along the cold ground as she turned a corner to see the tavern. Not even the sound of mugs were hitting the counter. Everything just seemed empty. She began suspecting she had been led into a ghost town.

If she had been tricked into running off to some empty place so that unicorn could steal from her, Trixie would make her pay. The thought made her grit her teeth as she tried to mull over her choices. Heading back would take just as long or more considering nightfall. Staying left her with little else to do or go on.

“This was hopeless,” she stated to herself with a sigh.

A door creaked nearby. Startled, Trixie jumped and turned around before looking to see the source. Still no lights. Not even a whisper that she could hear to indicate somepony else was there. The splashes waves on the shoreline seemed like the most company she might get.

“Hello?” the unicorn called out. “Is anypony there?”

It didn’t hurt to at least try and ask. She felt as if she were quite the pony the be in awe over but not to the point none wished to approach. A few moments passed before she walked over to what she could only assume must have been a general store and rapped on the door with a hoof. The wood felt as old to the touch as it looked.

“If there’s a pony in there, I wish to do business!” Trixie yelled and glanced around. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the lack of anypony in the town. “I’m very much in the need of a new wheel for my wagon!”

She wasn’t sure if a general store would even have such a thing but it was the only building that seemed worth checking at the moment. A few more knocks were only met in silence. Either the ponies had packed up long ago or she was trying to communicate with ghosts. Neither of the thoughts were pleasing.

Standing in the quiet town, the blue coated mare sighed and looked back down the road. The only ways into the area were either by boat, of which there were none, or the trail she had hiked. No wonder the place was devoid of anything. Nopony would want to come out to such a desolate and empty place to stay.

Her eyes followed the trees up to their tops but then stopped. There was no slope or downhill struggle that she could tell from just looking. It just appeared as if the trees became denser the further in until it was nothing but black. Where had she come down from?

It almost seemed entirely useless for her to have traveled to the hidden town. Not a single pony looked to be around and she was only getting more fed up the longer she stayed. She had nearly decided to just cut her losses until the squeak of a door sounded out nearby. Her head turned in search of it as she tried spotting which building it had originated.

“Who’s there?” Trixie asked, doing her best to keep the demand out of her voice.

The door opened more, revealing to be one of the house-like structures across the street. There was nothing beyond the open doorway for a moment until a pony finally emerged. Their coat was scuffed and their clothing ratty as if they’d been inside for years without proper care. Even their eyes looked as if they didn’t manage much rest.

“Outsider?” they merely stated, squinting as they stared at the magician in her fancy hat and cloak.

“Uh, yes?” Trixie answered questionably. She wasn’t sure what else to say. Formal greetings had left her for a moment while she stood still and both ponies studied each other.

“What’s your business here?” the disheveled pony inquired.

“I was just needing a wheel,” said the blue unicorn as she raised a brow. She felt as if she trespassed onto some private property.

“A wheel?” they repeated back to her.

Trixie was starting to feel as if the conversation might lead to nowhere. Out of the entire town, one pony finally had come out while looking as if they had been cooped up for years only to start making her feel unwelcome. To the town’s credit, the mare already felt rather shunned just by how the place looked.

“Is there another?” came a voice off to the side. Another pony was peering out from a door with two others behind them.

“Hello,” Trixie tried greeting though feeling uneasy. She was used to eyes on her from stage performances but all of this felt different.

“Who are they?” another voice came from afar.

“Replacement?” said one more.

It seemed as if ponies had been in some very quiet hiding for a while. Trixie saw more and more show up and step out of the various buildings as talking ran among them. The more they kept going on about other random things just made her feel like she stepped into the middle of a conversation that had ceased years ago only to start up just then.

“Will anypony help me?” the magician asked, trying to politely speak over them.

Their mumbling among themselves was mostly lost on her. A few words were picked up but nothing really made sense no matter how she looked at it. Her eyes scanned the crowd drawing near as they looked her over like she was some oddity. She felt as if she should have just toughed it out back at her wagon.

The growing crowd did seem to have a limit. A good couple dozen of ponies looked to be surrounding her and leaning to one another to whisper or speak low. It was awkward to be the center of such attention but for a reason completely different than doing a show.

“Who brings you here?” one of the ponies called out.

“Uh, myself?” Trixie answered confused. It really was her own doing by taking the trail offered to her.

More mumbling. Words traveled the crowd in waves. It was almost as if they had never seen another pony in ages. Judging from their ratty looks, Trixie almost believed that could very well have been the case.

“Why are you here?” somepony asked, almost pleadingly.

“Just need… a wagon wheel. What’s going on?” the unicorn inquired while giving a wary look. “You all act as if you haven’t seen a pony before yet you look at each other fine.”

Silence fell over the crowd. They merely exchanged glances as some gave worried looks. The longer it kept on the more Trixie preferred the rambling among themselves. It was uneasy to have such a large group of ponies be so quiet and acting so strange.

As she did consider breaking the silence herself, Trixie barely got a chance to think of anything to say before a scream erupted in the back of the crowd. The entire mass of ponies almost broke out in a panic as they all turned to the open water. At first, there looked to be nothing out of place at all. It wasn’t until she glanced up to the lighthouse that the unicorn noticed what they might be freaking out over.

The standing tower, faded as the rocks it stood upon, shined its beacon out with an almost odd radiance. While it looked no different in terms of hue, the beam appeared rather strong. Whether it was due to a light fog in the distance or maybe just something with the darkened overcast, Trixie didn’t know.

Soon, hooves were pressing her back as the store’s door opened behind her. Piling into the building, ponies scrambled to get inside and shut the rotten barrier. The rusted latch groaned at the use.

“Wha-” Trixie attempted to speak up before a hoof was placed over her muzzle.

The wide eyes and clear fear along all the faces of the ponies had her obey the wish. There was no wind that she could hear nor any movements of the ponies. They were almost as still as a statue. Her own worry seemed to be drawing of theirs as she had no idea what was going on except that it seemed rather bad.

It also didn’t help that the hoof against her mouth was extremely cold. The hold to keep her quiet had her wait as her eyes looked around the best they could. Tins, baskets and an assortment of other things nearby were in horrible shape. Greenish hues were set on some areas much like the pier itself. Moss?

While the store was rather dark there were still other things that could made out. Old spots where food had been, clothing that had little use, cans that were far too old to even consider opening. It began feeling more apparent that the town she had ventured into might not be able to help her replace a wagon part.

The light from the beacon shining swept through the town in a lazy fashion. There were a few shuffles nearby but then stillness once more. Trixie couldn’t see what was going on but felt a small wave of fear wash over her as the light attempted to peer inside from the bad angle. Only a small bit of one wall managed to light up before it passed. Somehow, she almost believed that it was looking for something. Or somepony.

As soon as it seemed to have begun, the whole moment of panic had ended. It was another minute or two before the hoof left her muzzle and they ponies began to move again. Trixie rubbed at her mouth and still felt the near damp cold upon her face for a moment longer.

“What exactly is going on?” she asked, hardly feeling like keeping her voice down. Everything had started to confuse her the moment she stepped hoof into the town.

One of the ponies opened the door and allowed them all to file out. Trixie adjusted her hat as she looked around and spotted others cautiously leaving their homes or buildings. The entire area looked as though it had just before the random panic.

“It…,” one pony said, turning to speak to her before looking back at the others. “It sometimes takes one of us.”

Trixie’s eyes went from one pony to the next. They all seemed rather serious but she felt utterly lost. When she noticed a few of them looking out to sea, her eyes followed theirs until she saw the lighthouse once again. It sat as it had before with no real threat that she could tell.

“The lighthouse?” she asked, skeptical at best.

“Yes. It is no lighthouse though,” the pony said in a hushed voice. “It claims one of us should it deem it so.”

“Uh,” Trixie muttered while a confused look spread across her face. She didn’t know where to begin. “Why do you assume it’s not a boring tower?”

“Listen to them!” a pony nearby cried. “She doesn’t believe! It hadn’t chosen in years until she came!”

A few others tried calming the distressed pony down while the rest tried resuming the conversation. None of them seemed to enjoy the topic.

“It’s hard to explain,” said the pony from before. “It had just… appeared one day. Nopony built it.”

“How did boats come to port?” Trixie asked while raising a brow. They were acting very odd and almost as if they were hiding something more from her.

“We never had one before it. Our town used to be different. Larger, more of us. Then it all changed. It all just… happened,” the pony explained, or tried to.

“Then what’s the port for?” she asked, wanting to be a bit more direct.

No answer. Instead, the pony turned to face the others while shaking their head. A few of them looked away as others appeared more nervous than before. Something was up.

“If you can’t answer nor help me, I should take my business elsewhere,” Trixie simply stated and upturned her snout before turning away and starting to head down the road towards the treeline.

“Wait!” one of them called out. “You can’t leave.”

“Oh? And why not?” the unicorn asked casually, slowing her pace. She was hoping they may have changed their minds to help her out.

“Because,” they said, looking so very apologetic, “it won’t let you.”

Somehow, those words chilled Trixie to the bones. They almost sounded as if they meant it and believed such convoluted stories. Her head turned before she marched herself to the trees once again. She knew better than to think ponies that didn’t socialize would help her.

The blue mare worked herself into the trees without another look back and squinted at the ground. It would be hard to find the path in such reduced lighting. Her horn lit up a few times as she tried to attempt a light spell before simply pulling out some tinder and striking a broken branch. A makeshift torch would do fine.

Being careful not to start a larger fire, Trixie followed her way around as she kept an eye on the trail. It almost seemed to worm its way around more than she remembered. Every turn had her glancing back just to make sure she didn’t get confused and flipped around. Even with the dead trees, the sky was somehow harder to see.

While there was some overcast, it shouldn’t have been as tough to notice just looking up. Her walk picked up a bit as she hurried around, wanting to just get back to her caravan and wait out the night ahead. She could attempt walking the road and seeing if there was some town ahead in the morning.

Minutes went by but it somehow felt as if time itself was sitting idle. There had been no change in the clouds that she could see. No moonlight looked to be getting through but there was still some odd light out. Sun or moon almost felt absent at every check.

At long last, the magician could finally see a break through the trees into an opening. The torch obscured details beyond as she stepped closer and finally slipped out of the treeline. Her brow furrowed.

“We tried to warn you,” the pony from earlier said. They had been standing right where she left them.

Had she taken a wrong turn? Did she get lost? Her mind tried to come up with excuses despite knowing she had been very careful with following the path. Not once did she double back or loop around.

“What kind of trick is this?” Trixie asked, clearly not amused at the distraction.

“It won’t let you go. It only takes,” a pony whispered before walking into one of the buildings.

Trixie sighed and tried to gather herself instead of letting their cryptic sayings get to her. They honestly thought some lighthouse held them captive and took them by force. One of them had to have misled her in some way through the wooded area. Perhaps it was just dark enough to where she did doubt it was a flawless walk.

“If this… thing takes ponies, are you all not here right now?” she finally asked, doing her best to just be on their level of thinking.

A few glanced around, one announcing a head count. There were multiple names called out, all of which didn’t matter to the traveling magician. It did come to an end as most began looking confused for a moment. At some point they finally turned to face her.

“None are missing, strangely,” said one pony who looked scared at the fact.

“Then can you really believe the stories you tell others?” Trixie stated as she snuffed out her torch on the cold ground.

“Miss,” said a stallion in the back, slowly walking through the crowd as if he were moving through water. “I wish to apologize for the lack of humbleness this town has. Perhaps staying the night might be best as the trail is rough in the dark.”

Trixie was surprised at the sudden kindness offered to her. It was strange she hadn’t seen the stallion before. All the town’s ponies were disheveled and looked so tired. The stallion seemed like quite the exception.

His clothing, just a mere shirt that looked oddly tailored, showed little wear or ruin. The dark mane atop his head was slicked back in a casual but handsome manner. Trixie couldn’t help but admire his looks, especially compared to the others around him. How she never noticed him was a mystery but he had probably stayed near the back of the group the whole time.

“And, you are?” she asked, almost taking a liking to the stranger.

“Names are unimportant. What matters is the rest you deserve,” he said with a smile. His foreleg swept out and indicated one of the buildings. “I’m sure a room can be made to accommodate you for the night.”

The other ponies seemed wary of such an offer. She wondered if it was actually about the offer or the stallion himself. While he did look very attractive, something about him felt off. It wasn’t that he didn’t belong but something more. It didn’t help that he seemed to come out of nowhere with such formality after she had been hassled for merely stepping into the town not long ago.

Instead of wanting to stir up anymore annoyance from the town, Trixie slowly walked closer to the stallion and watched him carefully. His demeanor seemed genuine to some extent. The way he opened the door for her, allowed her in, lit lanterns and even let her take her own pace came off like a perfect gentlecolt. It just all seemed so strange.

Inside the building showed a rather spacious inn of sorts. No sign outside left her with no real guess as to what it could have been before entering. The few ponies inside just watched in silence as she was led around until coming upstairs and stopping at a room.

“Hopefully, this will suit you for the time being,” the stallion said and opened the door.

The room itself was larger than she expected but just as rundown as the rest of the town. Boards squeaked, moss took refuge in corners and the mattresses had seen far better days. The pillows and sheets looked full of holes but better than she was expecting considering the rest.

“Will you mind a roommate?” he asked softly with a smile. His eyes stayed on her, lingering uncomfortably.

“Uh, neigh. A roommate is fine,” Trixie answered while averting her eyes some. She almost felt as if she shouldn’t refuse his suggestions.

“Then I bid you a good evening,” he says with a light bow. “Goodnight, Trixie.”

With that, the stallion turned and left. She couldn’t hear his hooves on the floorboards but also couldn’t recall hearing them while following. There was a brief moment before something dawned on her. She hadn’t said her name in town at all. With how awkward things had been, she had done without referring herself in such a manner.

“S-sir?” she called out, rushing to the door. “I never told you my-”

Not a soul in sight. Trixie rushed out of the room and down the stairs. The second she burst out of the inn she had a few strange looks given to her. Her violet eyes looked over each pony before she finally gave up. The stallion was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did that stallion go?” she asked the nearest pony.

Instead of answering, they sheepishly pulled away and lowered their ears. Their actions came off as if they were cornered from some predator. Trixie slowly backed away and apologized before asking a few others. The closest answer she got was one or two trying not to look out near the lighthouse.

Finding it pointless to ask, the unicorn sighed and slowly walked back into the inn. She had plenty of questions for all of the ponies but mostly the strange stallion that had offered her a room. Most of the ponies looked to be heading inside as well with quite the somber look about them.

Trixie made her up to her room and glanced in. It appeared her roommate had arrived in her absence. The magician looked over the mare and offered a small greeting to which it was hesitantly met. As much as she wanted to converse with the mare, they seemed more inclined to sit by the window.

The view outside was just above the roof of the next building over and looked out to the sea with the lighthouse in clear view. It had grown a little darker but not by much. Somehow, it felt like a constant late evening though she guessed it could be the overcast and other factors she didn’t know of.

“If you… wish to talk, I’m only right here,” Trixie joked with a forced smile to her other occupant.

The mare didn’t answer. She just stared out the window in what could only look like a form of dread. Whatever was spooking her wasn’t making itself as known to Trixie. The atmosphere of the town and ponies themselves were already a bit eerie and bordered on creepy for her as it was.

“Okay then,” the magician said as she made face while climbing onto the dirty bed.

As gross as it looked, it felt fine to sit in. The sheet was another matter but she had little in the way of options. At least when morning came she might be able to see the trail out far better. No mistakes and a simple path out. She’d worry about the wheel afterwards and figure something else out.

Oddly enough, she did seem tired but put the blame on the ponies stressing her out over strange stories and make believe things. All would be much more clear after she got some rest.





•••••





Trixie grumbled at the shaking as she awoke. Her silent roommate was looking rather worried and trying their best to stir her from the slumber. It took a moment before the unicorn sat up and looked to the pony with a frown.

“Why do you disturb the Gre-” Trixie started before a hoof went to her muzzle. She was already getting tired of that.

The mare shook her head with a pleading look before turning to the window. There was an odd light that Trixie didn’t notice upon waking. The room was almost glowing from it but it was evident that it was no sun or moon shining in.

As the light danced by and left them in slight darkness again, the mare gently pulled her hoof away and looked to her apologetically. There wasn’t much to say in response as the blue magician seemed a bit unsure if speaking was okay at that point. Opening her mouth had the mare shaking her head hastily.

Trixie closed her mouth and quietly got out of the bed. Her hooves did their best to be as silent as possible while she moved near the window and looked out. It was the lighthouse. The beacon atop it shined brightly and washed over the town in a slow manner.

Something about the way it was so slow made her uncomfortable. She knew better than to believe the nonsense that was told to her or any odd ideas that got into her head. It was just so strange to see that she almost felt it was looking. Going beyond that train of thought wasn’t something she felt like doing.

Slowly, the beam of light left the town and wandered in the distance. Seeing it still moving had her afraid to speak for a couple of reasons. While she didn’t quite fall for the stories told to her, deep inside she felt a bit of fear that stirred about. She also rather not make her acquaintance for her small time in the town suddenly panic.

It took a moment but the light did seem to revolve back around once again. The mare that had woken up Trixie was now slipping under her covers and shaking. The whole place was so strange. Not once had the unicorn felt something was even the slightest bit normal in the town. She should have guessed that her rest were to be far from it as well.

The light moved over the town slowly once more. A large part of the room lit up once again in the silent glow while Trixie leaned back from the window. Her eyes studied the area for a bit as she waited for it pass, seeing the shaking form on the other bed. She wanted to tell the mare it would be fine but felt it might disturb some unknown peace by speaking up. Maybe not peace but alert them while hiding.

A shiver ran down the blue pony’s back at the thought. The longer she waited for the light to pass the more aware she became that it wasn’t moving. Besides being blinded from the beacon, she didn’t feel the urge to check out the window for a number of reasons. Was the fear of the town rubbing off on her?

Her gaze moved to stay on the shivering lump under the sheets across the room. It felt like the longest five minutes of her life as she tried waiting out the light and staying still. Silent and still were all she really knew the ponies of the town did for certain. If she saw that stallion again she’d be having many more questions for him.

The shaking form on the bed suddenly stopped. Trixie waited to see a head lift or the shivering motions to continue but nothing else happened. She was about to risk calling out to the mare until the sheets just dropped. The cloth sank right where it was as if the pony beneath had been pulled through the bed.

Trixie couldn’t help but let out an audible gasp. Almost as quickly as the sheets fell, the light shut off. A distant noise could almost be heard in the direction of the lighthouse.

Wide eyed and still, the magician tried to understand what just happened. A minute slipped by before she managed to walk over to the bed and lift the covers. Nothing. She ducked down to look under the bed. Again, nothing.

While she had seen plenty of disappearing acts and done them herself, it was confusing her by the second on how it happened before her. A hoof pat at the floor to check for any trapdoors and waved around to check for any mirrored illusions. In all her attempts to find a plausible answer, nothing seemed to surface. The vanishing mare wasn’t even a unicorn so any spell was out of the question.

Trixie thought about it longer before moving to the door and opening it. It was an odd feeling to her. The panic, the fear, all that numbness. It was slow when she felt it but the tsunami of those sensations hit her heavy when they did.

The unicorn found herself running out of the room and down the hall,leaving her saddlebags behind. Her hooves hit the boards every step as she ran down the stairs and outside. Other ponies were already waiting, almost like they knew.

“S-she’s gone!” Trixie exclaimed, not sure why she was feeling the sudden rush of dread.

“It took her?” one asked.

How was she supposed to answer that? What was ‘it’ they referred to? The confused look must have shown as the small group outside lowered their eyes. None of them seemed inclined to tell what just happened before her eyes.

“She was there one second and gone the next,” the magician stated. “I’ve seen these tricks before! Why can’t I find her?”

“Because it took her,” one of the ponies said quietly.

“Who?!” Trixie shouted, a bit upset that she felt as if they were running her around in circles.

The ponies all lifted a foreleg and pointed a hoof out at sea. They were referring to the lighthouse. It still didn’t make sense to her. How would a building take a pony?

“This is pointless,” the blue unicorn spat. “There isn’t anything special about a stupid lighthouse!”

None of the ponies looked shocked or surprised for her blasphemous words. In fact, they looked a bit sad. It almost appeared like they wished she could see the way they do.

“Trixie is leaving!” she shouted and turned to run.

“I can’t allow you to do that,” came a slightly familiar voice from the back of the crowd.

There was a moment of hesitation before she turned to see the fact of the stallion from earlier. He looked as oddly nice as before. Something about the thick tendrils of his mane swept back reminded Trixie of a squid somehow.

“You can and you will. This town has been nothing but crazy and helpless!” the mare yelled. “Nopony even answers properly! Just riddles or phrases. Trixie doesn’t like riddles!”

The stallion kept quite the blank stare. He wasn’t really giving any answers either.

“How did you know my name?” Trixie asked, stepping forward.

“I know many things,” the mysterious stranger admitted. “I know you can never leave here.”

That statement made her heart sink. She had no reason to believe such a thing but also had nothing else to go on. He did know her name before she spoke it which was strange enough.

“Where did that mare go…?” she asked next and felt herself lean away when she waded through the crowd like water.

“She’s gone,” the stallion said simply.

“Gone? Where?” Trixie insisted, growing tired of not getting direct answers.

“It isn’t time for you to know,” he said, staring her down. “You ask many questions. I know there is still much you don’t understand. In due time, you will come to know and accept all that is given.”

Trixie wasn’t happy with his talk. She also couldn’t seem to break the contact from his eyes as much as she wished. He was peering into her very soul from the feeling of his gaze. A window into her very being just by staring. It was the most insecure feeling she ever had.

Instead of trying to get an answer that would make sense, Trixie turned and ran. Her hooves kicked up small bits of cold ground as she headed into the trees once again. It was dark but she didn’t care. Just getting back to the wagon would mean she was out of the crazy town and away from such strange occurrences.

As she ran, she could feel her heart beating quickly. The thought of being stuck in a town that offered nothing with her only company being almost cult-like had her wanting to put distance quickly. It was more than just odd or strange with the things going on in that town. It was downright frightening to her.

No lighthouse just spawns from nowhere and nopony is ever fully trapped in one place forever. Trixie panted as she hurried through just making a straight line away. No twists or turns to run her back around. If she had to climb then she would climb. Sticks and branches scraped at her while she did her best to flee.

She wasn’t sure how long it would take but she didn’t care. If it meant she got back to the caravan in the morning then so be it. Her struggling through the wooded area kept on the straightest path she could manage. All she wanted was to get away.

The minutes that passed in the colder air had her wondering how how much longer until she got to the road and saw her wagon once again. Tripping and pushing onward, Trixie wasted no time to put the entire experience behind her. She had plans to take the longest bath of her life when she got to Baltimare. Her show would be the most extravagant she could manage.

Almost in an instant, her hooves snagged on a random root or branch that sent her forward. Toppling over, the mare grunted as she slipped out of the treeline and landed on the cold ground below. Her senses were a little warped before she pushed herself up and tried to dust off. She had made it.

“Nopony leaves,” she heard ahead.

Trixie’s heart almost stopped at the words. She didn’t want to look. There was no possible way that she had made a straight line back into town. No turns had been taken. It was impossible.

A drop of freezing rain landed on her back. It couldn’t compare to the cold running through her and numbing her body when she finally raised her head. All of the ponies were still standing there and waiting. The stallion before them all looked displeased but not angry.

“You’ll learn,” he told her. “Just like they did,” he stated and motioned to the crowd behind him.

“No,” Trixie whispered, her sight blurring as more drops of rain fell from the dark sky.

“When you feel ready for enlightenment, go to the end of the pier,” the stranger told her before he turned and slowly walked away.

His body moved past the numerous ponies as they almost formed around him like water. The herd stood still otherwise as they watched Trixie’s spirit break. Those tears were far from warm the moment they spilled down her cheeks as the cool air whisked away any slight comfort they could have offered.

She watched the stallion through her crying. Her vision had grown worse from the tears. The icy rain didn’t help the further out the stranger went until he reached the water. Instead of walking onto the pier, his hooves slipped into the water as he continued his walk.

Whether it was the rain or her tears, Trixie still couldn’t understand what exactly she saw after. It was no stallion dipping into the water but something else. Details were blurred and memory recollection would be hazy at best. The only thing she truly know was that was no pony.

None of the others looked or seemed to care for what happened behind them. The group merely watched the mare break down at the crushing realization that she was stuck there forever. In one small venture she had lost everything.

Trixie couldn’t recall how long she sat in the rain, not wanting to accept her fate. There would be no true daylight for her again. The ponies eventually dispersed and went indoors after a while. They had probably gone through what she was. It was likely they all tried to escape as well.

Slowly, the mare got to her hooves and drew in a shaky breath. Her mane and tail were drenched but she didn’t care. The rain didn’t seem to let up as she walked down the empty road and tried to think of what was left for her to do. She was helpless against it all, whatever it was.

There was a bit of hesitation when she reached the beginning of the pier. She could wait all she wanted but it wouldn’t help her. Would she really want to know what the other ponies did? Was seeking such enlightenment truly the only thing left for her?

The boards creaked with her steps. Walking alone out on the pier almost put it all into perspective for her. An unknown darkness of the depths surrounded her with just a single way back. She had ventured into a territory she knew nothing about and was far beyond her comprehension.

At the end of the pier, Trixie sat and took a breath. She wasn’t sure why she was doing it other than the fact she had nothing else to go on. Leaving wasn’t an option. Knowing the cryptic sayings the ponies in the harbor kept spouting didn’t sound like something she wished for any longer. Though, where was she to turn?

“You’ll see them,” came a voice next to her.

“Who?” Trixie asked, her voice barely audible over the rain on the water.

The mare in dark mauve refused to answer that one.

“I’m scared,” Trixie muttered, turning to look at the mare in robes.

“As you should be,” the mare told her, looking up ahead. “It comes.”

Trixie turned to see the beacon atop the tower light up. When she turned back, the mare was gone. There was a low rumble below the water’s surface and under the pier she sat on. Even though the surface of the water was pelted by the rain, she could see the disturbance shifting it about from below. She really was scared.

Her breathing was shallow. It became hard to draw in more than a gasp as the water churned and shifted more. The spot right before the pier began to sink as a whirlpool started to open. Wider and wider, the circling water roared as Trixie shook.

She could hear something else. Beneath all the rain, the water and even her own gasps, she could hear something entirely not of this world. The mare had become too numb to move. Fear had gripped her more than ever as dread washed over like a drowning tidal wave.

Finally, she knew. She could see what all the other ponies had pointed to. As much as she tried to hold onto her failing sanity, Trixie felt her mind plummet into the fathoms as deep as the sea below. With it, the beast lay.

The lighthouse kept its light moving as the water continued that vortex into a dark abyss. She could see it. There was nothing she could think of to truly give it a proper description. Everything came crumbling down within her. She was at the mercy of it. No other action could even be attempted as her eyes stayed wide open.

Trixie stared into the abyss. The abyss stared back.