//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Ponyville // Story: The Fiend that heralds Dark Skies // by Skijarama //------------------------------// Ponyville, to the untrained eye and uninformed mind, looked just as peaceful as it normally was. In many ways, that was true; but anypony who resided in the quaint village would swiftly confirm the contrary. Everypony was on edge, many of them still rattled to their very cores by the fact that Princess Celestia had died not more than two months before now. Many could still scarcely believe it. To the particularly perceptive, it was clear that something big was under construction in an empty plot of land near the center of the town. It was being built out of sturdy wood and the finest stone available. The new Ponyville barracks. Princess Twilight Sparkle could only grimace as she looked over the construction ponies doing their job, hammers striking nails and support blocks sounding out and echoing across Ponyville, the grating sound of sawblades digging into wood, cutting them to size even more noticeable. She took absolutely no pleasure in having to arrange this building’s construction, even stepping past the mayor to get it started as fast as possible. But it has to be done. If we can’t defend ourselves here, we’ll be done for if fiends attack… Twilight thought bitterly to herself, an uncomfortable shiver running through her as she recalled the nightmarish events that had introduced her to all of this. The train headed north… “Y’all alright, sugarcube?” Came the concerned voice of Applejack, who was trotting towards Twilight with saddlebags full of apples resting on her back. Twilight blinked and realized she had been zoning out, the memories becoming very vivid. It was like she was there all over again, watching the fiends slaughter innocents just to get to her… “I-I’m fine, Applejack.” Twilight said quickly. Applejack knew she wasn’t. But in truth, that was nothing new. None of them were fine, given the circumstances. “Ya sure?” “Yeah… thanks for asking, though.” Twilight said with a small smile. “Sure thing. Ah can't stay and talk, though. Gotta deliver these here apples to the construction ponies. They need lunch, too.” Applejack gave Twilight a gentle hug before trotting off to do her task. Twilight gave a heavy sigh and sat down, closing her eyes to just be alone with her thoughts. They hadn’t heard anything from Drifter yet. Fiend attacks were scarce, but they were still happening frequently enough and sporadically enough to keep Equestria off balance. Combine that with Luna’s exhaustion and frustration with her doubled workload and the emotional trauma she must still be going through… Twilight shook herself out of her thoughts and stood. The construction is on schedule… I don’t need to be here anymore. She thought absently before turning and sluggishly returning to her castle. Right now, she just wanted to lie down, bury her face into the longest comedy book she could find and forget the world around her even existed for a few hours. Stepping in through the massive double doors allowed her mind and muscles to relax as she entered her home, the familiar space doing wonders for her overtaxed state. Spike was dutifully dusting not far off. He looked up and smiled warmly at Twilight, though the strain and worry he felt were plainly visible. “Hey, Twilight. How’s the building coming along?” “Well enough,” Twilight responded tiredly. “The framework is more or less done. Right now they’re making reinforcements to the support beams and then they’re going to start filling in the gaps with stone and steel.” “And the, uh… recruitment process?” Spike ventured uneasily, ready to quietly retreat from the room in case Twilight had another frustration fit. “Nothing’s changed since last week…” Twilight mumbled irritably, striding past Spike into a lounging area and flopping down face-first into the soft cushions of the first couch she could find. “Can’t you do anything to speed it up?” “I’m not a soldier, Spike. I’m not a warrior or a fighter… I barely managed to survive every encounter I’ve had with the fiends to date.” Twilight reminded Spike while lifting her head from the cushion with a grunt. “I can defend myself, but I’m not a battle hardened veteran or a genius tactician… I’m the Princess of Friendship! My job is to make peace and come to understandings! I’m supposed to forge friendships! Not... “ Twilight took a deep breath, calming down her rapidly rising voice and shaking body. “...I’m not supposed to be recruiting ponies for war…” “And there isn’t anypony else in town who has the experience or reputation to draw ponies to such a cause, right?” Spike surmised with slumping shoulders. Twilight nodded. “Exactly. I mean, Rainbow Dash is technically a part of a military group, being a Wonderbolt and all, but they haven’t actually been in any sort of conflict for decades at least, probably centuries if we want to be realistic.” “Right…” “Shining Armor has to manage the military and recruitment up in the Crystal Empire, Luna’s got her hooves full with more than just soldiers and defences…” Twilight rubbed her face and groaned in frustration. “It’s a mess all the way around…” “We’ll be okay, Twilight.” Spike said after a moment, patting Twilight on the shoulder and smiling comfortingly at her. “We’ve always made it through these things before, we’ll make it through this.” Twilight sat up and looked at Spike blankly. “We never lost Princess Celestia against previous threats, though.” her words were empty and heavy, her ears falling flat against her head. “Twilight…” Spike whispered gently, pulling himself up onto the couch next to her and hugging her tightly. He knew where this was going. It was almost routine at this point; a routine he dreaded having to attend. But somepony had to… “Spike… I just… why did he…” Twilight struggled to find the words to ask her questions before burying her face in her forelegs and sobbing. The death of Celestia was fresh in the hearts of everypony, but Twilight had taken it especially hard. All Spike could do was sit by her and give her whatever comfort he could. “It’s okay, Twilight… I’ve got you.” Spike hummed out soothingly. Twilight said nothing for several minutes, simply crying out her pent up stress and sorrow. At some point she pulled Spike into a hug, pulling him tightly against her and clinging to him for warmth. Finally, she spoke. “...I… I know, Spike… thank you.” “You’re welcome.” was all he could say back to her as she gradually got a hold of herself. “Whew! Glad that’s all done. Ah need a break.” Applejack sighed in relief as she stepped into the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, her work for the day out in Ponyville having been at last completed. Glancing up to the front door of the house, she raised an eyebrow at the sight of Rarity looking around anxiously. “Rares?” “Oh, Applejack!” Rarity said with a start, looking towards the farm mare with worried eyes. “Have you seen Sweetie Belle? She came over here to spend the night with Applebloom and Scootaloo. I want to make sure she has everything she needs, but I can’t find her.” “Did ya check their clubhouse?” Applejack asked casually, though she had to admit already that Rarity’s worries were well founded, considering the events of the last two months. “Thats where I looked first, dear.” Rarity deadpanned at Applejack before fidgeting in place, looking around once more and biting her lower lip nervously. “Right… ey! Big Mac!” Applejack called out loudly. After a few moments, a second story window popped open on the house, the big red stallion poking his head out to look at her. “Have ya seen Applebloom or her friends, by any chance?” “Nnope.” “We’re over here, you guys!” Sweetie Belle’s voice suddenly chimed from the orchard treeline as the trio stepped out, smiling pleasantly. “SWEETIE BELLE!” Rarity shrieked, sprinting over and wrapping her little sister up in a bone crushing hug. “Oh, you know that you are not supposed to leave the supervision of somepony until all of this fiend business is cleared up!” Sweetie Belle merely wheezed out a strangled, agonized groan. Rarity pulled back and gasped at the disheveled state of the young unicorn’s mane. “And good heavens! What have you all been doing to look like this?!” “Uh… Rares?” Applebloom ventured bluntly, gesturing to a now very blue Sweetie Belle. Rarity ‘yipped’ in alarm and dropped her sister with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, darling…” “Ugh… It’s fine. Just, ya know, need a few minutes…” Sweetie wobbled a bit while catching her breath. The other girls present simply giggled at the display. “Rarity has a point, y’all. What were ya doin’ out there without a grown-up ta keep an eye and ear on ya?” Applejack asked sternly as she approached the group, a disapproving frown etched deeply into her face. “We wanted to go for a run, AJ. No big deal.” Scootaloo defended casually, though the glare from the farmer broke her nonchalant stance almost instantly. “Big deal, Scootaloo. None of y’all can defend yerselves well enough to stop a fiend, and none of us know when one’ll strike here!” “But we’ve been stuck sitting around for weeks!” Sweetie chimed in grumpily. “We’re bored and haven’t burned off any energy! It’s getting to a point where I can’t sleep!” “Yeah, same here.” Scootaloo added while poking the soil with her hoof. Applebloom just nodded in agreement. Applejack sighed tiredly. “Ah know, gals… I do, trust me. None of us are taking this mess well, but we don’t want y’all ta get hurt.” “We know, big sis.” Applebloom said solemnly, looking down. “But at least give us somthin’ to do around town? Something that can keep us busy and help with… uh… whatever it is that’s goin’ on?” Rarity cut in at about this point. “I’d love to allow that, but, well… you’re you. The CMC have a bit of a reputation of… oh, how to put this tactfully… um…” she put a hoof to her chin for several moments. “Oh, yes! You have a reputation of going off topic, so to speak.” Applebloom huffed indignantly. “Say what, now?” “No we don’t!” Scootaloo snapped with annoyance, earning a skeptical look from Sweetie Belle. “Um… Scootaloo, don’t you remember last tuesday? With the cabbages and your scooter?” She reminded her bluntly. Scootaloo made a ‘shushing’ motion with her hoof. “Ack! Sweetie! We said we wouldn’t talk about that!” “We did kinda get stuck gatherin’ that merchants stuff fer several hours…” Applebloom added bashfully, shrinking down a bit. “So that’s why y’all were so late delivering those apple pies to Pinkie…” Applejack mumbled in realization. “Well, that settles that. Without somepony there to keep you on task, I don’t think I or Applejack are okay with that, girls. I’m sorry.” Rarity stated firmly, a stomp of her hoof solidifying her resolve. The trio of fillies sighed collectively in disappointment and aggravation. “Fiiine…” “Alright, now that that’s settled,” Applejack said a bit more light-heartedly. “Who’s up for some early dinner here at the farm? Mah treat.” “That sounds like fun! Can we?” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, looking up at Rarity hopefully. “Hey, I’m down.” Scootaloo answered with a shrug. “Rainbow’s doing something with the wonderbolts until tomorrow, so I’m pretty much free today.” “What about yer parents?” Applebloom inquired quizically. “Mom’s overworked with helping prepare food and rations in the event of some large-scale attack or something and dad’s out working on that barracks building. Their shifts won’t end until well after Celestia sets the…” Scootaloo trailed off as soon as she said that. Everypony went quiet. “...I’m sorry… Luna sets the sun.” “It’s alright, Sugarcube…” Applejack sighed heavily. “Yer not the only one havin’ a hard time adjustin’...” Several seconds passed in a despondent silence before Rarity cleared her throat. “Yes, well, ahem. I think an early dinner with you sounds positively lovely, Applejack. Count Sweetie and I in.” Not far away from the group of ponies, a twisted monstrosity, even among fiends, whimpered and groaned near silently. It’s absurdly long, three-pronged tongue slipped from between its coiled, twisted teeth and licked hungrily at it’s own jaws. Spines quivered on it’s back, whiskers twitched on it’s face on it’s lips peeled back in lustful desire for flesh and blood. “Skeintooth want blood…” it whined out, lazily slamming the side of it’s head into the apple tree next to it. You’ll get your chance, Skeintooth. Remember your first objective. Horizon whispered into the putrid monster’s mind, earning a nod from the near-feral fiend. “Yes… Skeintooth bite Princess of friends. Skeintooth tear flesh from her. Give to you.” Correct. And then? Skeintooth whimpered in anticipation, slapping the ground in impatience. “Then, Skeintooth do same to Princess of Night. Then Skeintooth dig up sun’s grave and bring you bone and flesh of sun.” Yes, good boy, Skeintooth. And just as soon as you have done this for me, I will let you kill, rip, tear, bite and feast to your hearts content. You can have all the meat you could ever possibly want. “Skeintooth can’t wait... “ I’m sure you can’t. Now find a way to Isolate Princess Twilight from the others; get her on her own. It will be easier to get what we need from her if she’s alone. “Fillies. Friends. Skeintooth take them away; Princess of friends looks. Skeintooth leads…” The fiend began to mumble to himself, a plan forming in his head. The long spines along his back quivered and bristled with bloodlust and murderous desire. You have a plan? “Skeintooth has plan, master. Skeintooth won’t fail you, master.” See to it that you don’t; you don’t want to know what will happen to you if you fail me. Skeintooth nodded and prowled away, eager to set his plans into motion. His long, snake-like tail whipped behind him, the small, bulbous pod on the end flickering with a pale blue light.