Zomponies, vamponies, merponies... oh my. Collection of short stories and My Little Pony illustrations. :)
Zomponies, vamponies, merponies... oh my. ;) This is a collection of (really) short, prompt word stories featuring my artwork from Inktober 2019. References many different MLP episodes from the early seasons. Stories may be expanded upon in the future. Updates whenever I have inspiration. :)
Somewhere, water was dripping. Strong and steady, it did not miss a beat. The tapping echoed loudly throughout the dim chamber, the only indication of the vastness of the space. Moisture was heavy in the stagnant air and the masonry absorbed all warmth, leaving two figures shivering together in the corner of the room. Horn light faintly illuminated the area with a greenish hue, revealing the Captain of the Royal Guard in the embrace of his betrothed, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. A sweet and innocent gesture, yet something was amiss.
Tap, tap, tap.
Atop the Captain’s head was a large golden ring, looped through his horn, and it was glowing. The glow matched the sickly green aura of the Princess’ magic. The longer the two sat there together, the less the Princess shivered and the more the Captain shuddered. His eyes were wide open and his mouth agape, but no one was home.
Tap, tap, tap.
“Shining.” The Princess whispered, eyes closed. He did not respond. She slowly rubbed her head against his shoulder and continued, ”Oh, how great your love is for me. So sweet, so tasty.”
At that the Princess’ eyes shot open, but where there should have been her natural blue was a set of slitted acid green eyes. The Princess began to morph, to change into something else. The green aura engulfed the rest of her body and peeled away the false form. Before the transformation was complete, the room was plunged into complete and total darkness.
Tap, tap, tap.
A moment passed, then those eyes opened again, glowing in the dark. Her green aura appeared, revealing a cole gray face and a long jagged horn with an equally crooked smile. As if on cue, the once dark and empty room was now filled with glowing green eyes.
A curly mane swayed in the breeze, pink locks dull and disheveled. Pale blue eyes were wide open, yet they saw nothing of the star-filled night. A moan escaped her rainbow splattered muzzle.
“Cookiesss,” she hissed.
There had been others around her, but now she was alone. Where did they go? Ah, there they were. A herd of rainbow-muzzled ponies were steadily moving away from her, creeping towards the big red barn in the middle of the farm. It seemed familiar but she couldn’t remember why. Her head was in a fog, all of her thoughts were muddled.
Like a lamb she began to mindlessly follow. Something seemed amiss and her pace quickened. Her steps were just a bit faster than the others and before she knew it she was at the front of the herd, pushing up against the barn’s doors. They gave way and she stumbled into the musky darkness of the barn. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom she finally spotted what she had been searching for.
“Cookiesss.” She licked her muzzle. Box upon green and gold box of the precious treat was stacked ceiling high. At last she could get what she craved most and satiate her hunger, a never-ending burning desire within her. She began to advance but then stopped dead in her tracks. There was something in her way. Dull aggression arose within her toward the obstacle, but then the feeling from earlier returned and extinguished it. Something wasn’t right.
“Sta-sta-y back!” The scratchy voice was alarmingly familiar. A flash of a rainbow tail in the low light caught her eye. Recognition bloomed.
“Rainnnbow...Dasssh?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the mare cowering against the cookie boxes heard her all the same.
“Oh my gosh, Pinkie Pie! You’re okay! You gotta help me, everypony else is trying to get me!” Rainbow Dash began to thrash her limbs threateningly as the crowd got closer. She shrieked as one of them, Mrs. Cake, grabbed her hindleg. “HEEELP!”
The fog was slowly lifting. It took a moment for Pinkie to gather her thoughts. This was Rainbow Dash, her friend. These zomponies, herself included, were trying to incapacitate her to get to the cookies. Cookies were the only thing keeping the zomponies alive, but at what cost? Could she even afford it? Another shriek from Rainbow Dash tore her from her thoughts and she finally had clarity.
“No one hurtsss my friends.” She pushed the burning hunger aside. Her friend was more important than the cookies. Pinkie Pie forced her way to Rainbow Dash’s side. They made eye contact and nodded. They were outnumbered and trapped, but they would not go down without a fight.
A storm was brewing, Hondo Flanks knew it in his bones, yet he made his way out of the house anyway. The sky had turned a sickly green and storm clouds were steadily closing in on the remaining light. That did not deter him from what he had set out to do that evening, however. Stubborn as always, the fisherstallion had his fishing rod and tackle box with him. He plunked it down on the end of the wooden dock that graced the eerie lake behind his home with its presence and began to fish.
“Ah, lovely day we’re having, ain’t it?” He spoke to know one in particular. Hondo Flanks knew that he was alone, but over the years of fishing in solitude he had picked up the habit of speaking his thoughts aloud. Never mind that he could be scaring the fish away with his one-sided conversations, he didn’t care. It was just one thing that made Hondo Flanks Hondo Flanks. The wind picked up and he had to hold onto his hat to keep it from flying away. The black clouds now dominated the sky. The first flash of lightning illuminated the lake and a thundering boom followed shortly after. Hondo counted the seconds.
“That was about 14 miles away, I’d reckon. Not too close.” He smiled and continued fishing.
Hondo felt a tug on the line and he began to reel in the hook. It was a strong one, mighty determined to break free, but Hondo was also determined to have a catch for the evening, and he used his years of experience to expertly pull in his prize. Just before the fish surfaced and came in range of his net, the line snapped and Hondo Flanks went reeling back, falling flat on his back.
“Ooooh,” he moaned, stirring. He got up, rubbing his back and muttering under his breath about how he almost had it.
Hondo went back to his tackle box and grabbed a spare hook, knotting it on his fishing line. Then he went to his tub of bait and put a worm on it. All that was left to do was to cast his line and he could go back to blissful waiting.
The trouble began just as he threw his self-proclaimed winning cast. The water in front of the dock began to waiver and glow with a greenish hue, a bolt of lightning flashed directly above, and the near instant boom of thunder startled Hondo into releasing the line too soon.
Up from the water rose a creature so strange and fierce Hondo couldn’t believe his eyes! Body of a fish, head of a horse, and covered in scales, this was the legendary Horse of the Sea. She made eye contact with him, sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light, and she grabbed ahold of his line, examining it.
Hondo, who had been frozen in shock, came to his senses when the sea horse began to tug on the line, pulling him towards the edge of the dock and closer to her sharp teeth. The hunter was being hunted. He no sooner let go of his fishing rod when the storm suddenly broke out with torrential rain and wild wind. His hat was ripped from his head and this time he was not fast enough to catch it. He turned back for one last look at the strange creature in the lake, but she was gone and so were his fishing rod and tackle box.
Something wet and slimy touched his hindleg, and Hondo Flanks came face to face with what was certain death if he stayed even a second longer. He galloped away into the night, scared out of his mind. He has yet to return to his favorite fishing spot, and not even Sweetie Belle can weasel the reason out of him. When asked, he always replies:
The night was still young, or so Twilight Sparkle had thought when she set out that evening. Alas, she had lost track of time during her studies and was now traversing the Everfree forest in pitch darkness.
“Why of all books did I have to open up physics? Why?” Twilight muttered under her breath. “I already knew that it pulls me in like a black hole, yet I opened it anyway.”
She was not a brave, reckless pony, nor was she a naive one, but she was a pony that was determined to gain knowledge at *almost* any cost. Truthfully, she found the forest unsettling and would rather be doing anything other than this, but still she persisted in her mission to study the nightlife of the forest; all she had to do was reach the relative safety of her tower blind, which she had set up the day before.
Now the last time Twilight had been in the Everfree forest it had been daytime, but under the cover of night the forest was transformed into a strange and dangerous place. She could feel her panic begin to rise the further and further she walked into the forest without recognizing any of the landmarks she had noted before.
“How does Fluttershy stand being so near the woods?” Twilight whispered, trying to distract herself. “And no offense to Applejack or Rarity, but what ponies in their right mind would let three little fillies have a sleepover at her house when it’s so close to danger? I mean, I’m a full-grown mare, and even I’m t-t-terrified of this place!”
As soon as she said that, she tripped over something slippery and fell onto her back. Disoriented, she stayed still and gazed up at the tree canopy. Movement in the branches attracted her attention, but she could not comprehend what she was seeing. Tired, her head lulled to the side and she got a good view of what had tripped her. It was green and scaly, covered in red spikes.
“A tail?” she muttered. Her eyes widened in horror and she whipped her head back toward the trees. There, shrouded in darkness, was a pair of blood red eyes locked onto her, coming closer.
Twilight shrieked, leaping to her hooves. She blindly galloped through the forest, tearing away from the creature. She thought for a moment that she could get away, but she was being closely pursued. Soon the shadow with the blood red eyes overtook her and she was forced to stop.
They were in a clearing, and suddenly the moon illuminated her pursuer. It was a scaly, winged creature with the head of a chicken; it’s long tail wrapped around Twilight, blocking her escape. Terrified, all she could do was stare into the eyes of the creature, and as she did so she felt her body stiffen. The stiffness slowly crept up from her hooves to her legs, and as it reached her neck Twilight recalled the creature’s name.
“Cockatrice,” she gasped, breathing her last. All she could hope now was that somepony would find her soon and figure out a way to undo the petrification. Already the loss of feeling was maddening.
Fall is a beautiful time of year. The trees let go of their summer greenery in favor of donning an array of reds, oranges, and yellows. The fields, too, go along with the fall trends, allowing their healthy green plants to die off in exchange for abundant produce. There isn’t much of a point for anypony or anything to hold onto the past season, for the winter frost comes just the same and would spoil the summer greenery regardless.
On the Apple’s farm, the end of the fall harvest had come at last. It had been a particularly abundant year, one that the Apple family hadn’t seen in many years. It was thanks in part to the increasing maturity of the Apple siblings as they were able to tend to the trees and the fields with more attention and care than they had been able to in previous years. The rest was due to the favorable weather they had over the spring and summer months, with just the right balance of rain and sunshine.
The harvest should have been a happy time, complete with celebrations and social calls as friends and relatives would come and assist the small family with their ever-increasing crops. This year, however, things were not the same. No one from Ponyville visited, not even for a preview of this year’s batch of apple cider, and Applejack’s outreach to her friends resulted in apologies and IOUs. She thought for sure, though, that blood would be thicker than water. She called on her relatives who she was certain would have time to spare, but she was met yet again with excuses. They were understandable, but still... To say that she was upset would be an understatement.
Tensions were running high between the four family members, and it was particularly notable between her and Big Mac. The usually quiet brother was finding more and more things to say with each passing day and they were butting heads at every turn. Applejack had a growing sense of deja vu as she remembered the way things were during their younger years. She didn’t like it.
Their latest argument was over the food stores; too much produce and not enough room. She and Mac were supposed to be loading freshly bucked apples into the barn, but it was already filled from the cellar to the rafters. He sourly blamed her for not going to town frequently enough to sell off the excess and she spat back that there wasn’t any time, not with all the apple bucking, apple preserving, cider making, and pastry baking she had been doing. That aside, they were nowhere near winterizing the farm yet and the first frost was due any day now. She was doing all she could to keep the crops from going to waste.
Applejack decided to leave her house and the barn behind before she said anything she would regret. When Big Mac demanded to know where she was stalking off to, she hollered back that she would take care of their storage issue. As she passed by the house, she peered through the windows. Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were busy working in the kitchen, so Applejack decided not to mention anything to them before heading to the east fields. Mr. Big Mouth could tell them for her.
That was how Applejack found herself alone in a remote corner of the Apple property. She muttered as she worked, channeling her frustrations into efficiently erecting a new shed that would hopefully store all of their farm gear. She already had the walls and the roof framed in and now she was working on the siding. A long board was balanced on her sawhorses and she was prepping the nails she would use to hammer it in place on the building. Just as she was ready to tap the first nail, one of the sawhorses moved and the board fell, taking Applejack with it.
“What in tarnation?!” She got back onto all fours and muttered, “How the hay did that happen?”
Inspecting the sawhorses gave her no answers, and she saw nothing else out of place, so she shook her head and retrieved the fallen board. Soon enough she put the incident behind her and went back to ruminating. Just as she was nailing the board to the shed, something else happened. Her lawn bag filled to the brim tipped over, spilling the leaves she had just raked up back onto the ground.
“Ya have got ta be kidding me,” Applejack groaned, hitting her head on one of the support beams.
She stepped over to the leaves, intending to rake them back into the bag, but when she reached for the rake, it wasn’t there. Her eyes bulged and she whipped her head all around, searching for the missing yard tool.
“Okay, that does it! Who’s messing with me? Come out here so Ah can knock some sense into ya!” She stood still, waiting for an answer.
A moment later, Applejack’s patience was rewarded with a whimper. Out from behind a tree came none other than Winona, her farm dog.
“Winona!” Applejack exclaimed, shocked. “Was all of that stuff yer doin’?”
Winona’s tucked tail was answer enough.
“How come Ah didn’t see ya then?”
Winona pointed her nose toward the tall grass that surrounded them.
“Oh, guess that makes sense.” She felt silly for not thinking of the grass. “What are ya doin’ out here anyhow? And where’s mah rake?”
In response, Winona slinked into the grass and came back out with the rake in tow. Applejack was still incredulous as to how the farm dog had managed to take the rake without her noticing in the first place, or how she tipped over the leaf bag without making a sound, and especially how she managed to move the sawhorse. Then again, Applejack had been mighty preoccupied with her thoughts...
“So ya were just tryin’ ta get mah attention, but Ah reckon that ya felt bad about knocking me over so ya hid yerself a while until Ah calmed down. That right?”
Winona let out a bark and a whine in affirmation. A flash of white gained her attention and finally Applejack found the answer to her earlier question, what the dog was doing out here in the first place. There, tucked underneath her collar, was a folded up piece of paper. Applejack took the note and sat on her haunches, leaning back against the tree. She motioned to Winona and the two sat there together as she read it.
“Applejack,” she read aloud, “Ah’ve been thinking real hard about earlier and Ah’ve got somethin’ Ah need ta tell ya in person. When yer ready to come back home, Ah’ll be waitin’. Big Mac.”
Applejack was silent after that, thinking the note over. She was almost 100% certain that Big Mac wanted to make up with her, but the small chance that he was going to chew her out made her gut twist uncomfortably. She hugged Winona a little tighter and slowly stroked her head. The past few months had gotten out of hoof, and she didn’t want to ruin their relationship over one difficult harvest.
Now that she had time to sort through her emotions, she could see how foalish her actions had been throughout the entire season. She hated fighting with her family and she was mad at herself for letting her temper get the better of her. She needed a bit more time to herself, but when she was ready to go home, she would have to admit her fault and apologize to her brother, something that wouldn’t be easy for a stubborn pony like her. Applejack would do it, though, because her family was more important to her than her pride.
Spike had never considered himself an outsider, even though he was a dragon among ponies, a predator among prey. Having been raised by unicorns from his hatching, he saw himself as no different from the next pony. He was only ever showered with love and affection from all those around him, never rejected for the species he was. Sometimes, though, he would feel like the odd one out, particularly when he did something that was… quite unpony-like.
As he was getting older, these occurrences were becoming more frequent and Spike, being ever the conformist, would approach Twilight for guidance on how to avoid them in the future. Although he had never experienced alienation, he had a growing fear that with every draconic incident he was one step closer to everypony realizing just how different he was. The last thing he wanted was to lose his friends.
Twilight, being the next youngest in the family yet the closest to Spike, had the uneasy task of answering the surprisingly mature and sensitive questions that would come from the baby dragon. If it were any other subject, she would have been up to the challenge. As it stood, however, dragons were shrouded in mystery; ponykind knew very little about their carnivorous neighbors. They were akin to legends and myths. Twilight had read up on every book on the subject and was continually on the lookout for the next possible lead, but the two were in agreement that they would, more than likely, have to remedy any situations that cropped up as they went along.
That was fine enough by Spike. His only reason to learn more about dragons was to be able to avoid awkward situations with his pony friends, and while dealing with issues as they came up wasn’t ideal at least if there was anything scary or disturbing about his heritage he wouldn’t have to hear of it. He’d rather not know at all.
The few things that ponies did claim to know about dragons and their customs were alarming to say the least, and the last thing he wanted was for his family to confront a dragon for information. He wouldn’t put it past them to try. As much as he would rather be in the know about his draconic nature before something came up, their lives weren’t worth trading just so he could know how long it would take him to grow up and if or when he would get wings. They would find out soon enough… he hoped.
While he didn’t have the satisfaction of knowing how things were supposed to go, Spike would find enjoyment in imagining his future, like how soon it would be until he had a growth spurt, what he would look like when he was older, and if he would be a winged dragon or if he’d be forever grounded. His usual stop was in the hallway in front of a large, oval mirror. He liked to gaze into it at his reflection and imagine himself as a buff hero rescuing none other than his lady, Lady Rarity.
This particular day happened to be one of those where he found himself in front of the mirror, flexing his muscles and practicing his tough hero voice. It was just his luck that Twilight would pass by him while he was posing. He cringed internally, watching her in the mirror and waiting to see how she would react, but she passed by quickly hauling several books. Just as he was ready to release the breath he had been holding, Twilight suddenly stopped at the end of the hall as if just realizing what she had seen and she turned around to face him. A smile was on her lips and he was almost certain that she had just finished rolling her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but then she glanced at him in the mirror and froze, dropping her books.
“Twilight?” Spike asked, releasing his arms from the pose and turning away from the mirror to look at her directly. “What’s up?”
When she didn’t respond, he turned back to the mirror to try and figure out what she was looking at. He flexed his arms again, then he saw it. He was looking at his reflection, only it wasn’t his, or at least not yet. While he would usually see himself sucking in his gut and showing off a pair of noodle arms, instead there stood a young dragon, but older and taller, body lean with well-defined muscles and a squared jawline. It wasn’t as exaggerated as his usual imaginings, but his reflection was nonetheless older, stronger, and sporting a pair of wings to go along with his cocky expression.
In that moment all the anxiety about his future that he hadn’t realized he had been carrying melted away. Twilight was suddenly there, hugging him close. She breathed in awe, “Spike, you’re amazing! You figured out how to use the mirror. I’ve been trying for months to get it to work.”
“Really?” Spike asked quietly.
She slowly nodded, easing into a comfortable silence.
They gazed upon their reflections in the mirror, both looking a bit more mature with a pair of wings, and they smiled.
Spike broke the silence first. “Hey, Twilight?”
“Yeah?”
"I have a feeling everything's going to be alright.”
“You know what, Spike?” She replied, still marvelling at their future selves. “I think it will be, too,”
The pounding of his hooves matched the frantic rhythm of his heart. Big Mac tore through the streets of Ponyville, eyes searching but not finding the pony he was looking for.
“CHEERILEE!” He was growing desperate, resorting to shouting despite the unwanted attention it would draw.
No sooner than the first bellow left his mouth, an unwelcome guest joined in on his run.
“Big Mac!” His little sister Apple Bloom called out to him. “Please come back! We ain’t done picking out the ring!”
“No,” he snorted, ”Ah’m done looking at them doohickys. It’s been too long since Ah’ve seen my bugaboo!”
With a burst of speed, he left her behind. He added under his breath, “And Ah’m startin’ to think yer tryin’ to keep us apart.”
Ever since he found his special somepony, left and right ponies were trying to get between them. It was uncanny. And as uncanny as it was, it was equally as frustrating.
The question that burned in Big Mac’s chest was, what did they have against the couple? Why did other ponies feel that they had a say in what pony he chose to spend the rest of his life with? What hurt the most was that it was his own family that stood in his way.
First it was Applejack. Wasn’t it too sudden, she had asked. She didn’t say anything else then, but her face said it all, that she did not approve. After talking to Apple Bloom, which he caught them whispering in the hall, she became even more vocal about her opinion on the match. Angrier than a nest of hornets, he stomped his hoof and silenced her.
Then there was Granny. All she said was, “The teacher? Are ya sure about that?” Applejack must have spoken to her about them. He didn’t stick around to hear anything else. He wouldn’t be able to control his temper if she disapproved too.
And the worst of them all was Apple Bloom. He thought she was on his side! He thought she was trying to be supportive and help him prepare for the wedding that was going to take place that afternoon. Apparently that was a lie.
At every turn she shot down his decisions on the wedding ring, while each minute that ticked by he felt like he was dying inside not seeing his beloved. She was indifferent to his pain, insisting again and again that he stay a little longer, look a little closer, and choose a better ring for her future sister-in-law.
Why would she care about a wedding band to begin with?
He was beginning to panic. Cheerilee was still yet to be found. Using every last ounce of his willpower, he calmed himself long enough to think of where else she could be. The last time he had seen her, she was being dragged off by Apple Bloom’s friends to… to… Rarity’s boutique! That’s where she’d be to pick out her wedding dress. Big Mac wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it sooner.
He made his way over to the boutique in record time. Looking inside, however, revealed a huge mess, and more importantly, no Cheerilee. Out of ideas and growing fatigued, he paced in front of the boutique, calling her name.
“My love?”
“Bugaboo!” Big Mac’s head whipped around so fast it nearly gave him whiplash. Finally, a sight for sore eyes, he once again beheld his beloved. His love for her seemed to grow ten times in that instant, and he raced toward her as she began galloping to meet him.
He was filled to the brim with happiness. Just a few more paces and they could embrace. Nothing could ruin this moment.
Except, something did. Dozens of thick ropes suddenly appeared above them and they came down upon the couple, lassoing their necks and barring their legs from moving forward.
One moment it was just the two of them, and the next there was a crowd of ponies surrounding them. Some in the crowd were holding the ropes taut, and to his dismay, one of the ponies was Applejack. There was an unsettling glint of victory in her eye. Betrayal cut him deeply and he didn’t even care when tears began to run down his face.
“CHEERILEE!” He screamed. He kicked and bucked but to no avail. The ropes held firm while the hope inside him snapped.
“BIG MAC!” She cried. She began to sob as they dragged her away, “Why are y-you doing this?”
“Big Mac, Cheerilee,” Twilight Sparkle cut in, “I’m so sorry to have to do this to you, but you’ve both been poisoned with a love potion.”
“The feelings ya have for each other right now are fake!” Applejack added, a touch of smugness in her voice.
“Ahem, yes,” Twilight continued, “and the only way to break the spell is to keep the two of you apart for an hour. Which begins now!”
Many things he would later come to regret left his mouth at that time, and the way his grandma and sisters flinched would forever be seared in his memory.
It was the longest and darkest hour Big Mac had ever faced, and it pulled him under.
Even after the hour was up, he didn’t ever truly resurface.
Fluttershy was a gentle soul. She was shy beyond measure, as delicate as a flower swaying in the breeze.
More often than not, ponies dismissed her as being too shy to hangout with or, they didn’t even realize she was there to begin with. Like a sad forgotten wallflower.
Fluttershy knew she was more than ponies’ first impressions, but it didn’t make their reactions hurt any less.
But now she was back in the spotlight. Something more, a topic of conversation. For years she had one good friend, then that all changed when she braved the Everfree forest with practical strangers.
Now she was a bearer of the Elements of Harmony, the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy had some pretty big shoes to fill.
What did it even mean to be an Element bearer? For as much as the girls excitedly talked about their new roles, none of them could really give Fluttershy a concrete answer as to what they were supposed to do.
They met up and discussed it over daisy sandwiches and hay fries. The conversation wasn’t going as well as she hoped.
Normally, Fluttershy wouldn’t have been bothered by not knowing, but the answer was important. Not knowing was making her scared, and if Fluttershy hated one thing in the world it was fear.
Fear had plagued her her whole life and even now got to her sometimes.
She loved the girls but their wild guesses were exacerbating her anxiety.
After the wild theories were thrown out, some plausible but no less concerning ones came to the fore. Somepony suggested that they were supposed to actively guide others in the way of their Element to keep their connection strong. That actually got a few head bobs.
Her teach others the way of kindness? The idea nearly gave Fluttershy a heart attack.
Another disagreed, saying that it was a one and done deal. They had already done all the work they needed to for the Elements to pick them, end of story. Fluttershy timidly voiced her agreement.
At least, she hoped that was the case.
As squabbling broke out, Twilight finally chimed in to assure them that if the Elements required more work then Princess Celestia would have told them. The Elements were probably only there for them to use when Equestria needed protecting.
Nopony mentioned that Celestia was just a pony, fallible like them. Even Fluttershy knew of the princess’ written account that stated the Elements of Harmony were still shrouded in mystery.
Suffice to say, none of them really knew the answer to Fluttershy’s dilemma and the whole situation had her feeling a rare emotion: frustration.
She paid for her food then left the cafe without so much as a backwards glance.
Nopony followed. They must have noticed the tension in her eyes.
A flap of the wings and a gentle breeze always calmed her, so she took to the skies in the hopes of settling her emotions. Her flight took her past the edge of the Everfree. The wild forest was quiet today.
Fluttershy enjoyed little things in life the most. When she spotted something small and purple, she alighted in the clearing.
The trees here were bare, still in early spring. Fluttershy marveled at how the forest was untouched by ponies. It decided when it was ready to change seasons. Winter wrap up had forced leaves on the trees back in Ponyville ages ago.
Somehow the slow pace of the seasons here felt more natural.
She stepped through the tall grass, inching toward the flower. It was a lovely purple tulip, just beginning to open up. The closer she looked the more she noticed how different it was from the ones she knew. It also had thin yellow stripes running through the petals and the stalk, and a lovely aroma permeated the air.
The scent drew her in, so light and refreshing. She nuzzled the flower, for no other reason than to show appreciation for its beauty. All her worries melted away.
Roseluck would probably love to add this to her nursery. She couldn’t bring herself to disturb the flower any more, though.
She lay down in the grass, taking in the fresh air and watching the clouds roll by. No creatures stirred. This was the best side of the forest she had ever seen. She would stay out just a bit longer, she decided.
………
The worries and fears came back with a vengeance.
It was hours later, after the sun had dipped below the horizon and all the animals had settled down for the night. Her bed offered her no comfort as she tossed and turned.
After what felt like hours, she fell into a fitful slumber. It was uncanny how dreams warped reality.
She was back in the Everfree forest, in the clearing where the tulip had been. The flora took on a life of its own, growing taller and taller until it towered over the tiny pegasus. It was dark and eerie between the plant bases, stems as thick as tree trunks.
Being so close to the ground with plants pressing on her on every side, it was quiet. She craned her neck to see the sky. She could just make out clouds passing by between the swaying foliage.
Life carried on above while she remained far below unseen, unnoticed. Fluttershy had never felt so alone... yet there was something disturbingly familiar about the situation.
She wandered for a while, not knowing where she was going or what she was doing. It wasn’t until she nearly stepped on a flower that she took in her surroundings again.
The area was more open, lighter. The flower below her was small, frail. Its orange petals opened up delicately, much like a tulip with jagged edges.
She puzzled over it. It wasn’t overcrowded, had plenty of water and sunshine. So then why was it so small while everything else was huge?
It was like somepony suddenly hit the fast forward button. The small flower began to shift and grow before her eyes, rapidly gaining height. She spread her wings and chased after it, bursting through the thick canopy just as the rooster crowed.
She awoke refreshed, relieved to find herself normal-sized. She glanced out the window. The sun was just beginning to warm the horizon.
Her mind turned once again to the worries of yesterday, but they no longer seemed to tower over her. She didn’t have all the answers, but that was okay. She had room to grow, and friends to help.
Even a delicate flower can stand tall, given enough time.
For the first time in her life, Fluttershy felt ready to face the new day.
Big Mac swiped a forehoof across his face, sighing in the cool evening breeze. All around he was surrounded by tall pines, their coverage dense and suffocating. He lowered his axe and dropped to all fours. It was time for a breather.
He emerged from the depths of the pine forest into a large clearing. To the left was a sizable pile of unsplit logs, a blazing fire nearby. To his right, a serene lake reflected the heavens. There he had a stellar view of the twilight sky. Twilight. The word left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Exhaustion creaked in his joints and he swayed on his hooves. He had been at it for hours already, and this was just one day of many over the last few weeks as he worked to reclaim a piece of Apple property from the passage of time. This particular piece of land hadn’t been cultivated since Granny Smith was a young mare.
It was a daunting task; pine tree invaders took up every inch of the area and it was strenuous work felling even one tree. Quite a few times other ponies had offered to help him, but he declined them all. It was his project. He had made up his mind to do it alone.
No matter how long it took.
Big Mac sat down by his fire, grateful for the bit of warmth on his aching forehooves. It was getting late; the sun had already set and the shadows were beginning to stretch and warp around him.
The family would be getting worried. He didn’t care. He had no plans to return home tonight.
But why? What was he doing here alone, so late? He didn’t want to think about it.
He took a deep breath and hauled himself back to his hooves. No time to dilly dally, there was work to be done. He lumbered over to a tree at the edge of the clearing, abandoning his earlier work in favor of staying within the firelight. Even from a distance he could hear the crackling.
He hefted up the axe and took the first swing at the trunk.
If only his family had shown a bit of consideration for his feelings, he wouldn’t be out here right now working himself to the bone.
He tugged it out and swung again.
If only he hadn’t gotten attached to a lie, he’d be able to live with himself.
He swung the axe over and over again, losing himself to the memories. The horror of Hearts and Hooves day flashed before his eyes, mocking him and taunting him with things that never would be.
The sting of sweat in his eyes broke him free. Blinking past the tears, he took in the sight of the tree trunk nearly cleaved through, and he shakily sunk to the ground.
Oh Cheerilee, Big Mac inwardly moaned, cradling his aching head. When he had been under the effects of the love poison, reality became warped and time passed by slowly. What was an hour or so for the others was years for him and Cheerilee.
After dating her for so long, it was about time they got married.
When Cheerilee accepted his proposal, he was the happiest stallion alive. The treatment he got from his family and friends right after was not only shocking and humiliating but traumatic.
Coming off of the poison and realizing just how little time had passed was even worse.
Now here he was, pining after a mare that didn’t seem to remember a thing about her time under the spell. Cheerilee continued on like nothing happened between them. She held no resentment toward the ponies that tied her up and locked her away, had no hard feelings against the fillies responsible.
Really, that was the way it should be with him, too.
But no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t shake off the poison-induced delusion, couldn’t forgive his sister for thinking that sneaking him a “love potion” would be an okay thing to do.
He could barely talk to his family anymore. Not that he did much of that before, but now he actively avoided being around them. They noticed, but all of them were respecting his space. Allowing the distance he wanted to keep.
Or at least they had, until earlier that day. Leave it to Applejack to shatter the fragile peace between them.
He was stuck in a place he didn’t want to be anymore. He needed to get away. But where would he go? The farm was all he knew, and he had been content until… it happened.
He had always thought he’d live out all his days on Sweet Apple Acres, even when Applejack left as a filly for the big city. She had left and saw what was out there, but he had always stayed behind.
Maybe it was his turn to leave the farm, explore what was out there for him.
Loud rustling sounded from the treeline, and the last pony Big Mac wanted to see stepped into the firelight, removing her stetson.
He turned away and gazed skyward, catching sight of the distant mountains. They seemed to call out to him, and in that moment he made a decision.
Everything was finally falling into place. She hummed, then pinned and rearranged her clues. A ball of yarn emerged from the endless depths of her mane and she began to connect the evidence. Detective Pinkie Pie stood back from the cork board, eyeing her hoofwork.
“I’ve got ya now.” Pinkie murmured.
The first clue was a mysterious letter signed off by a “C.S.,” wishing her the best of luck on her party pony career.
The second was the torn edge of a sticky note that read, “List for th--”and “Ball--” Very suspicious.
The third tipped her off to the conspiracy, a card that listed a place and time but no note. This time signed, “Sandwich.”
The next clues were polaroids of the scene of the crime. She had gone prepared, camera in hoof. When she arrived, a single slice of cheese greeted her at the door. Then in the pool, she caught sight of a rubber chicken. A shadow passed by just as she turned. She gave chase, but before she could apprehend the suspect, ponies jumped out and blocked her path.
He was clever, veeeery clever. The cake was a perfect distraction to get away.
But he wouldn’t get away for long. The evidence all pointed to one individual. She had scoured the town for him afterwards. A ticket stub told her where he was going. There was still time.
She had her pony.
………
The case took her train hopping all the way to Baltimare. The last one was a close call. She nearly missed grabbing a hold of the caboose railing, yet she still made it. She closed the door behind her quietly with a sigh. A quick glance at the ticket stub in her hoof eased her worries.
This was it.
Her hooves clip clopped on the wooden floor, barely audible above the chugging of the train. A shiny number 10 caught her eye. She turned sharply, sliding open the cabin door and revealing none other than…!
“Cheese Sandwich,” Pinkie tipped her fedora then smirked, leveraging a water gun at him. “Gotcha.”
“P-Pinkie?!” He stuttered, dropping the newspaper he’d been reading.
“Thoughtcha could get away with it, didya? Well let me tell you something, buster. NOPONY throws a surprise party for Pinkie and leaves without saying goodbye!”
Cheese Sandwich gulped, suddenly afraid of what he had gotten himself into.
Fresh snow squished beneath her hooves, a fine layer just starting to cover the fallen leaves on the forest floor. After several winter fake-outs, the ground was finally cold enough for the snow to stick.
She walked slowly, as if an invisible force was holding her back. A glance behind revealed a trail of brown hoof prints, a smaller set of tracks close by.
Snow was falling at a fast clip, swirling in the breeze. Rainbow had wings outstretched, despite the chill in the air. There was someone else to think of now.
She looked down at her side, and smiled. A soft, bittersweet smile. Nopony watching would have believed that this was Ponyville’s number one flyer, as brash and uncaring as she often was.
Tank the tortoise walked beside her, plodding along slowly. His propeller was missing from it’s usual spot, stored in a safe place. He wouldn’t need it where he was going.
This wasn’t goodbye. This was… see you later. At least, that’s what Rainbow Dash kept telling herself. She had tried so hard last time, everything she could have done to keep her pal Tank from leaving her, but in the end it was futile.
He left her, but only for a while. When spring rolled around it was like he had never been gone in the first place.
Summer came, then did fall, and now they were out of time. Right back to where they started.
Tank’s impending hibernation was upon them, and she found herself once more tempted by crazy schemes and half baked ideas to keep her little friend at her side for the winter months. She wasn’t the same pony she was last year though. This time she knew better than to go against nature.
It was what was best for Tank, anyways. And she’d do anything for him, even if it meant…. meant that she wouldn’t get to see him for a few months.
All too soon, they reached his resting place. It was one tree among many in the barren forest, nothing particularly special about it now. But she and Tank had scouted it months back when it was in the prime of summer, so they knew what it was. It was a cherry blossom tree, and when spring rolled around she’d know just where to find him: under the cherry blossoms.
Tank looked at her once more with tired but happy eyes, then he turned around and began to dig among the tree’s many roots. As he disappeared from sight, Rainbow Dash sniffled and began stuffing snow into the opening. It was quick work. What she wouldn’t give for a few more minutes.
As she patted in the snow on top of her friend, she wiped away the hot tears on her cheeks. No, she told herself once more, this wasn’t goodbye. Happier days were ahead. The winter would fly by in a flash and then they’d have fun together again.
Nightmare Night always had an air of mystery around it, a celebration having arisen from the banishment of the fabled Nightmare Princess herself. Nopony knew what pranks and scares awaited them around each corner, making the night all the more thrilling. The foals especially took to the holiday. All year ‘round they looked forward to staying up late playing games and devouring more candy than their little stomachs could handle.
Although Spike enjoyed going door to door and trying his claw at the spider toss as much as the next pony, his favorite part of Nightmare Night was listening to the dark tales of long ago. Zecora–the master of storytelling herself–wove the tales of windigos, timberwolves, and cockatrices in and out like an elaborate tapestry, entrancing her young audience with sparking dust and moving imagery. Spike was so engrossed in the story that he failed to notice the shadow rising up behind him.
“RAWR!” a high-pitched voice shouted in his ear. Suddenly a warm claw grabbed his shoulder and he yelled. The foals around him, already on edge from the scary stories, disappeared with shrieks. He knocked off the claw and spun around, his eyes going wide as they trailed up the tall pink reptilian form before him.
“P-Pinkie?!” he gasped, tugging off the hood of his purple dragon costume. “You’re a dragon? But how?”
The pony-turned-dragon snorted and began laughing, unfurling her large wings and swinging her tail side-to-side. He didn’t fail to notice how her scales sparkled like gemstones in the moonlight or the way the light showed through the membrane of her wings. Even from this distance, he could feel the heat of her breath with every gasp and giggle.
There was no doubt about it, this was no costume. Somehow his pony friend had turned into a dragon. And he had a sneaking suspicion of who did it.
“Aww, Spike!” Pinkie Pie finally calmed down enough to speak. “Isn’t this great? Now you won’t be the only dragon for Nightmare Night!”
“But that isn’t a costume,” he sputtered. “You’re an actual dragon!”
She looked down at herself and brought a claw to her snout thoughtfully. “Hmm, you’re right. Oopsies! ByeI’llberightback!”
“Wait, Pinkie, that’s not what I meant!” he called after her, but she was already gone. He sighed, running a claw over his spikes. Sometimes he just couldn’t understand what went through that head of hers. As to why Twilight would help her turn into a dragon… an uneasy feeling in his gut told him that it was because of him.
Was it really that obvious that he was feeling down again about being the only dragon in Ponyville? Then again, he had chosen to go out tonight as a two-headed dragon despite how silly it was, at least until the second head fell off, so he guessed that he had asked for her intervention in a way. Still, he wished that she had just talked to him instead. But Twilight was so busy nowadays…
A loud snap came from the treeline and he jolted. Looking around, he realized that he was completely alone with the Nightmare Moon statue. With a shudder he hurried out of the clearing back towards the main thoroughfare.
No sooner had he stepped back among the booths then a commotion broke out further down the road. White, feathery wings rose above the heads of the crowd and Pinkie’s contagious laughter soon followed. The crowd parted and Spike’s jaw dropped. Not only was Pinkie a large pink dragon, but now she was dressed head to claw in a chicken costume and surrounded by the very group of foals that had fled earlier.
The chicken wings, the orange-painted hind legs, the candy she began pecking at on the ground…Despite himself, he broke out into laughter.
“That’s the spirit, Spike!” she called to him. “Now let’s show these ponies how to do Nightmare Night dragon-style!”
Coming down from the laughter, he wiped the tears from his eyes. Seeing the wide smiles and bags of half-filled loot made the warmth in his core surge. Without further hesitation, he ran towards the group and the air filled with their cheers.
He had a feeling that this Nightmare Night would be the best one ever.
Rolling hills turned to dense forests that rose toward mountain peaks. The uneven dirt road Big Mac traveled continued to stretch toward the skies above, and he found himself wishing that it would go on forever. The miles between him and Sweet Apple Acres still seemed far too few.
The yoke around his chest bumped and chaffed leaving him sore, but he didn’t bat an eye at the strain. All in a good day’s work, and he was accustomed to hauling goods. A cart of the Apple family’s goods trailed behind him, loaded with a fresh batch of apple cider and apple pastries. He was making a delivery to a remote town in the mountains. It would be one of his last.
He frowned, worrying his lip. Call him what you will, but he hadn’t yet had the courage to tell his family about his plans to leave the farm behind. But he was going to, and soon. He was growing increasingly restless going through the motions of farm life, and a pervasive listlessness seemed to emanate from his very being when he wasn’t working. His life had never looked so bleak.
After what happened during the infamous Hearts and Hooves Day incident, Big Mac had all but cut himself off from his sisters and Granny Smith. It wasn’t their fault, per say. What happened had been an accident.
But Big Mac remembered. And it was the remembering that left him awake in the dark of night, fighting back tears as he thought of the love that had been torn from his hooves.
Miss Cheerilee. The beautiful Ponyville teacher that taught Apple Bloom and her friends. He’d had a crush on her for years, but shyness had kept him from approaching her. And then it happened.
Like magic, she returned his feelings and his love for her only grew.
Quite cruelly, she was torn from him. And he was left wallowing in the aftereffects of a botched love potion, courtesy of Apple Bloom and her friends.
He drank a love poison, all because somepony decided to play matchmaker.
And afterwards his family dealt with him in the most humiliating way. He was publicly roped and dragged off to an isolation shed, where he spent the next hour throwing himself against the reinforced walls like a deranged stallion.
Looking back, he really was deranged under the poison’s influence. His steps suddenly faltered on the rough path and his vision dimmed as he recalled the vile things he’d said to his family at their “betrayal.” There was another reason he wanted to leave Ponyville. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t been in his right mind. The things he had said…his reputation amongst the townsfolk had been ruined. With a snort and a toss of his mane, he resumed his previous pace up the slope.
What hurt the most, Cheerilee didn’t like him in the least, afterwards revealing that the poison had no lasting consequences on her. She honestly didn’t remember most of what they had gotten up to during that few hours they spent in the grips of the enchanted elixir.
A deep sigh left him. Big Mac continued to ruminate as he steadily climbed the mountain roads. He only slowed as the air thinned, but by then he had already reached his destination. He looked around appraisingly.
The town was modest, home to only a hundred ponies or so. The architecture of the houses were the complete opposite of Ponyville, straight walled, colorless and imposing. He immediately knew that this wouldn’t be a place he’d settle down. As much as he wanted to distance himself from his hometown, he was certain that he’d grow to miss Ponyville’s iconic thatched roofs and patchwork colors.
As he was greeted by the townsfolk and he began to set up to sell his wares, the restlessness came back in full force. It was all he could do to keep from picking up his hooves as ponies began crowding around the cart. He nodded politely to the endless stream of conversation, but made no move to engage with them.
Face after face, bit after bit passed by blessedly fast, and before he knew it he was down to the last barrel and crate in the cart. Looking at the sky, he knew he needed to set off if he wanted to make it back to Ponyville before sundown. After a moment’s deliberation, he decided that the remaining goods weren’t worth the amount of time required to sell them.
Just as he hitched the cart to his yoke, he saw her. A slender face framed by mauve locks and crowned with a gleaming horn.The breath caught in his throat and a blush masked by his red coat spread across his muzzle. Then he realized that the unicorn was galloping toward him with saddle bags across her back, her eyes bright and pleading with him to wait. Big Mac smiled for the first time in what felt like weeks.
It was awkward, he stumbled over his words a lot, but he sold the remaining cider and pastries to her dirt cheap. And to his immense pleasure, she looked at him, really looked at him, and a shy smile spread across her muzzle.
Sugar Belle. Her name was Sugar Belle, and she was a baker.
Suddenly Our Town looked much more welcoming, and Big Mac knew right then and there: the next chapter of his life would begin here.
Spike stood over the burning pile of ash, breath broken and heavy. He ran a shaking claw through his head spikes, regretting the day he had ever protested Celestia’s ordination yet feeling relieved that it was over once and for all. He paused to wipe the tears from his eyes. Now he could do what countless generations of dragons before him could do: breathe fire. Real fire. Not the magical kind that kept him on edge, never knowing when a message would gag him. He had regained something that he hadn’t realized he had lost.
He was Spike the Dragon, and he was free.
………
Young Twilight stood next to him, and the blurred figure of Princess Celestia towered over them. Spike was merely a hatchling, still exploring the world around him. A scroll was in his claws, and at their urging he burned it, only to be surprised and delighted when it appeared above the princess’ head. He had no way of knowing what it meant.
After the enchantment, he couldn’t light anything on fire without it getting teleported directly to Princess Celestia. He learned his lesson early on to not let his emotions get the best of him, and to make sure that Pinkie Pie and her sneezing powder stayed far away from him. For a time, all was well. But then the tide rolled in, and with it came doubts.
The first time it hit him wasn’t a particularly memorable day. The burning green flame of dragon’s breath left his maw and the scroll had turned to ash, just like he had intended, disappearing into a wisp of smoke in the direction of Canterlot. Spike had done this countless times before, yet for the first time a feeling of emptiness filled his core. What he didn’t understand was why. He tamped down on the swirling feelings with thoughts about how he was Twilight’s number one assistant, but in the quiet hours of the night it came back.
The second time the emotions welled up, he was more prepared. Sleepless nights tended to do that to people. Before he had even finished blowing the messenger flames toward the scroll, he detached himself from his emotions. Turning back to Twilight, he fixed a smile on his face and pretended nothing was amiss. Deep down, however, he wondered: Was this all there was to life? Would he forever be a courier for the crown, never knowing, always waiting for the next belch of dragon’s breath to come?
The last time it came, Spike was shaking. They had all been in danger, and he had had no protection to offer his friends. They were safe now, but what if something else happened? As he grasped the scroll a little tighter, the same thought played in his mind over and over again: He had given up his fire breathing without grasping the consequences. Would he ever get it back?
………
Eventually, an argument broke out between brother and sister, between dragon and pony. Twilight didn’t understand, couldn’t understand what he was going through. She tried to reason that it was in his best interest to continue the arrangement, that with enough practice he could control his fire to send things or to burn things at will, but he didn’t want to hear it. That would take years, and he needed to do it now.
………
All around him ashes were falling. Countless scrolls lay at his feet, their ashes oddly satisfying. He had waited for this day for so long, and now that it was finally here… Spike felt whole again.
“Feeling better?” Twilight said. She stood on the sidelines, buckets of water at the ready.
He turned to her, a soft smile on his face. “Yeah, actually I am.” Remembering all that he had put his sister through dampened his mood. Worry creased his brow. “Hey, Twilight?”
“Yes, Spike?”
“You know earlier when I called you heartless, I didn’t mean it, right?”
“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t realize how important fire breathing was to you. But Spike,” she fixed him with a look, “the next time something is bothering you, tell me right away. I need to know what’s wrong to help you.”
“Thanks, Twilight.” Warmth blossomed in his belly and a small flame escaped his snout. A touch of embarrassment colored his cheeks. He promised, “Next time, I will.”
Legends never die, or so ponies say. Unfortunately for Princess Luna, it was all too true, and as she observed a particularly disturbing dream play out from none other than her sister’s star pupil’s mind, she found herself yearning for better days long past.
The nightmare itself wasn’t very imaginative, though the library was a refreshing backdrop, Luna would give the young unicorn that much. Normally the Princess of the Night would stick to guarding the bright and wild dreams of fillies and colts, but there had been something about this nightmare that had practically dragged Luna in. She had yet to act, merely watching from the sidelines as Twilight Sparkle raised a shaking hoof toward the forbidden bookshelf, fear and something else familiar shining in her eyes. Anticipation, Luna realized idly. The lavender mare much reminded her of herself so many centuries ago, back before her treachery had come to light…
The biosignature recognized, Twilight lit her horn and picked a book off the shelf, excitement growing. She was finally going to learn something new! Luna could hear the thoughts echo in the dream library, and she grimaced at the volume. Did not the mare not know to keep her tone low?
Just as Luna was considering leaving the dream, not seeing any signs of the nightmare that had pulled her in, she caught sight of the title of the book in Twilight’s magenta aura: The Legend of Nightmare Moon.
Her breath caught and low level fear coursed through her veins. Why was Twilight Sparkle looking through that book?
Before Luna could react, the nightmare presented itself. Or rather, Nightmare Moon presented herself. Surprise rooted Luna to the spot. All she could do was watch helplessly as her former, corrupted form suddenly burst forth from the tome’s darkened pages, her fangs glinting in the candlelight.
Twilight was similarly frozen, a tremor running up her legs. While in reality she had boldly proclaimed to Nightmare Moon who she was, dream Twilight couldn’t form any words. Luna had seen enough. At the slightest thought, the library fell away. The Nightmare Moon in the book put up more of a fight, but with practiced ease Luna obliterated the shallow imitation of her former self, but not without conflicting emotions.
Turning back, she intended to share a few brief words of comfort with Twilight, but she was shocked to not only see the unicorn close to her side, but also looking at her with concern.
“Princess Luna?” Twilight said to the speechless alicorn. “Are you okay?”
That snapped Luna out of it. To say that she hadn’t been disturbed by the nightmare would have been a lie, but was it enough to rattle her? No.
“‘Tis alright, Twilight Sparkle. The nightmare is vanquished. It shall not disturb thee any longer.”
Twilight looked at her questioningly. “What are you doing here? I thought you only helped foals with their nightmares.”
Luna huffed, “Art not thee one?”
Twilight protested, and a smile played at Luna’s lips. “Aye, we know verily that thou art of the age of majority, young Twilight.”
She then looked around at the remains of the nightmare, struggling to come up with something else to say. She had no reason to give Twilight about the intrusion, except she had felt that she needed to be there. If only she knew why.
“Hey, Princess Luna?” Twilight piped up.
“Yes?”
“Are you going to be visiting Ponyville soon?”
Luna thought about it. “Nay, we--er, I don't believe so. Why?”
“Well,” Twilight started hesitatingly, “it’s just that Nightmare Night is almost here, and I know that the foals would have a hay day if you made an appearance–”
“What?” Luna snapped, not believing her ears.
“At least consider it,” Twilight said, looking sheepish. “I know the other townsponies would love to see you there, too. They always put a lot of effort into the games and decorations for your holiday.”
Your holiday. The words hit Luna hard. Her muzzle twitched, caught somewhere between a smile and a grimace.
“That…can be arranged.”
She would be in for quite the eventful evening. By the end of it, she would no longer shy away from ponies shouting, “Happy Nightmare Night!” And if they were lucky, she’d even return the favor.
