//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Confronting Demons // Story: Equestria Girls: Fallen Canterlot // by Feather Book //------------------------------// Fluttershy took a deep soft breath to steady herself. Her eyes carefully scanned the starry sky as the wind gently rustled the leaves of the apple tree she was perched in. It could be out there, she thought to herself. The demon Twilight and Sunset saw. It could be anywhere. She had almost considered postponing tonight due to the sighting but she had no way of getting the word out in time. Her eyes darted back to the dirt track before her. It ran along the back of the orchard parallel to the large wooden palisade that acted as the defence for the rear of the town. She knew that the guards would be on edge tonight with a demon about, but she counted herself lucky that they were more interested in keeping things out than in. The sound of crunching leaves caught her attention. She turned to see Lucky Clover walking down the track. He held a lantern above his head and had a rifle slung over his shoulder. She froze and held her breath, hoping that the guard wouldn’t spot her. By his side walked a white and chestnut Foxhound, sniffing the ground as he went. He glanced up at Fluttershy for a moment before quickly moving on. Rupert was a good dog. He was always happy to take belly rubs in exchange for looking the other way. Fluttershy waited until Lucky Clover was out of sight before silently dropping down from her perch. She darted over to the wooden palisade and glanced left and right. The coast was clear and not a sound was in the air. Fluttershy let out a small sigh of relief as she adjusted the bag with a trembling hand. The straps were tightly fastened around her to try and ease the weight on her shoulders. Once she was sure it was secure she placed a hand on the rough wooden stakes and closed her eyes. This was always the worst part. There was always a chance of there being a monster or something else on the other side that would want to hurt or even eat her. She shuddered at the thought, but she preferred the idea of being a natural part of the circle of life to having the town see what she was about to do. She gulped and looked up at the top of the palisade. You can do this, Fluttershy, she told herself. You can do this. Your friends are counting on you. Fluttershy let out a breath and with a gentle push of her feet she started floating into the air like a balloon. She guided herself up the wall with her hand and grabbed hold of the rope that bound the top of the palisade together. After many nights of doing this, she thought it would have gotten easier. But it never did. For a time, she tried using her wings to fly over the wall, but no matter how many thoughts of cute puppies and little bunny rabbits she occupied her mind with... the sight of those wings, they always reminded her of— Fluttershy lurched downwards and only stopped herself mere inches from the sharpened top of the wall. She shook her head and sighed. Now wasn’t the time for those thoughts. It never was the time for them. After she had pulled herself over the top of the wall she pushed a single thought through her mind. Down. She let out a small sigh of relief as she slowly fell to the ground and landed without a sound. She dusted off her long skirt and looked around at the lifeless orchard. It was still and silent. The remains of the apple trees reached out of the darkness like a thousand skeletal hands as if to grab her and drag her off into the night. Good, she thought. No monsters here tonight. It had taken weeks before Fluttershy finally worked up the courage to cross the wall, and then many more months passed until she felt comfortable enough to walk through the forest without cowering in fear at each new shadow. However, she still held her arms tightly around herself to reduce the shaking. The path was well known to her. It twisted and turned through the wooden graveyard and crested over a small hill. She turned right and walked for another hundred paces before veering off to the left and hiked down towards her goal. She could see it glistening in the moonlight. A small pond, surrounded by the few remaining living trees and shrubs sat still in the darkness. Fluttershy walked to the pond’s edge, removed her bag and sat on the dusty ground. After a few moments, there was an almighty flutter of feathers as a large shadow landed on a branch hanging low over the pond. The form raised itself to stand at over half a meter tall and looked at her with a pair of bright yellow eyes. It wore a great mantle of brown feathers speckled with blacks and whites but the most distinctive part of its shadow was the tall pair of horn-like feathers that rose above its head. Fluttershy smiled. “Good evening, Mr Owl.” “Good evening, Miss Fluttershy,” the Great Horned Owl hooted in reply. “We were beginning to fear that something had gone wrong.” “Oh, I’m sorry. But everyone in town is on edge at the moment,” Fluttershy said as she unzipped her bag and began pulling out small plastic tubs, each containing different plants, seeds, insects, or meat. She paused at looked around before continuing in a hushed tone. “There’s a demon about. It chased my friends early today.” Mr Owl shook his wings and twisted his head around, scanning the orchard with his wide, bright eyes. “A demon, you say?” he softly hooted back. Fluttershy only nodded. “Well… We haven’t seen any such things around here recently. Only the odd wandering madman. Although, some nightmares have moved into the old barn on Pink Lady Hill.” “Oh dear! Are the Pigeons okay?” “They’re a little shaken up but otherwise they’re fine,” Mr Owl continued. “Well, I don’t see or hear any immediate danger, although there is a frightful chill in the air tonight.” Fluttershy ran a hand up her bare arm. There wasn’t a single goose bump. She frowned; she barely noticed the cold these days. “I’ll call out the others.” Mr Owl turned to the trees and let out a loud hoot. After a few moments, the shadows moved and a procession of animals, big and small, slowly moved out of the trees to gather in a circle around Fluttershy. Mice and voles scurried around her as small birds nested in her hair. The Rabbit family hopped forwards with their many children and Harry the grizzly bear growled cheerfully as he sat by her side. She gently reached out her hand and stroked his thick brown fur. “Oh, it’s so wonderful to see you all again.” The animals let out a menagerie of cries in agreement. Fluttershy chuckled and happily greeted each and every one of them as she carefully handed out the food. This was followed by her listening to everything her friends wished to discuss. Mr and Mrs Fox shared an amusing story of their cubs’ antics. The Beavers lamented over the loss of their dam. Mr Stag was especially grateful for the extra food for his sick child, who Fluttershy assured would get better soon. For all the things to have happened to her, the magic that let her speak to animals was the greatest thing in her life. It had taken a lot of hard work to approach the wildlife that lived in the dying orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, but after convincing them that she was indeed a friend, she had set about helping them all in whatever way she could. She looked down at the plastic tub of carrots and lettuce that the rabbits were enjoying. A pang of guilt and sorrow struck her at the sight. The sun was killing the plants. Without the plants, no herbivore could survive. Without the herbivores, everything would die. It didn’t feel right to talk the predators out of hunting, but with what little food there was left, it wouldn’t have been long until all her friends found themselves fighting for the last scraps of food… or worse. Fluttershy was knocked from her thoughts as she felt something changed in the air. A tingling sensation flowed up her spine as a deafening silence descended over the group. She froze up. The breath caught in her throat. An icy cold wave of pressure rolled over them. The trees creaked and groaned as a large silent shadow blotted out the moon. Ice began to form on the surface of the pond as the animals huddled down close to each other. Fluttershy felt Harry’s warm paws wrap around her waist as the bear shivered. She didn’t need to look up to know what was there. She could feel it silently snaking over the treetop. Its pressure moving along with it like a wave of ice cold water, constantly shifting and turning. It was looking at her. She wasn’t sure how she knew that, but she could feel several of its eyes observing the clearing. She felt the pressure push around her, squeezing and probing every inch of her body. She clasped her eyes tight and let out a near-silent squeak. Her body wanted to tremble, but in the pressure’s intense grasp, she couldn’t even breathe. And then it stopped. The pressure lifted as moonlight once again shone down on the clearing. Fluttershy peeked up with half an eye to see a dark tail pass over the trees. “Oh no…” she breathlessly gasped. The demon was heading towards the town. Sunset drifted down the nondescript corridors of some unknown building. The walls were a dull colour and the vinyl floors were duller still. She knew this dream. Each time she had it she tried to remember more details. The number of doors she passed, how many staircases she descended. But by the time she woke up she could barely recall the hallway. Sometimes she swore she saw signs and directions but the words were always lost to her. She wasn’t too bothered, after all this first part never mattered anyway. It was the part that came next that was important. The part Sunset hated. Sunset walked down the darkened hallway, lit only by the brilliant beams of light that passed through the windows of the doors at the far end. She unconsciously reached out a hand and pushed the doors open. Darkness. That was all there ever was on the other side. Only darkness, and her. She was slightly shorter than Sunset, but any other details were hidden beneath her heavy black cloak. The hood was always pulled up tight over her head and she always stood to face away from Sunset. The only uncertainty of this dream was what would happen next. Sometimes the dream passed without a word. Other times the girl would be in tears. But by far the most common variant had her teasing and mocking Sunset, berating her over every detail of her life. Sunset hoped that this time she would just be silent. The girl laughed. “I see that you’ve found your friend. Congratulations, Sunset,” she said with a deep tone of mockery. Sunset clenched her fists. “Yeah, I have. What’s so funny about that?” “Well,” the girl said in a lower tone. “I just find it funny that you are replacing one Twilight Sparkle with another.” “What! No! I wouldn’t do that! I would never—“ “Sunset…” Sunset paused. It was faint but she heard it as clear as day. Twilight’s voice, the human Twilight, drifting in the air, calling her name. “Sunset, you replaced me…” “N-No… I haven’t, Twilight. I swear I haven’t.” Her fists clenched tighter. She didn’t know that she could cry in dreams, but she felt her eyes water up all the same. “How long has it been since you last saw your best friend?” the girl said, bitterly snarling those last words. “How long has it been since you gave up looking?” Sunset gasped and grabbed hold of her left shoulder. She gritted her teeth against the burning pain. She looked down at her hand. Blood. It was flowing freely from the stab wound clean through her shoulder. Sunset let out a cry of pain and collapsed to her knees. She struggled to support herself as her left arm hung limply by her side. Her body trembled as her throat went dry. “Twilight… Rainbow, Pinkie… Rarity… I’m so sorry.” “You can still save them, Sunset,” the girl said. No, Sunset thought. No, I can’t. Not after that… Sunset glanced up. The girl was blurred from the tears, but she swore she saw the movement of something under the back of her cloak. The girl turned her head slightly, Sunset strained herself to catch a glimpse of the girl’s face. The girl stopped and let out an amused laugh. “All you have to do is let her out. Then you can be together again.” The figure turned back and started to walk away. After a few steps, she paused. “Oh, I suggest you wake up now. You have company.” Sunset’s stomach lurched into her lungs as she fell. She screamed as the darkness engulfed her. She was still screaming when she shot up in her bed. She panted heavily, a thin layer of cold sweat ran down her skin. A pang of pain in her shoulder made her gasp. Sunset massaged the old wound and rolled away the cramp. She could still feel the scar. It always hurt, but in the cold, it only hurt more. And tonight, it was cold. Too cold. “Oh no,” Sunset gasped, seeing her own breath struggle to move in the heavy air. Sunset jumped up from the floor and rushed to the window. After clearing the thin layer of frost from the glass she peered out at the street. A few lights flickered in the shanty town at the far end, the houses that lined their small cul-de-sac were nothing more than shadows against the darkness. The street below was empty and the farms remained still. Then, a deep roar rumbled through the silence. The window shuddered as the house began to creak and moan. The air grew thicker and icy cold. Sunset stepped back. She struggled to speak, let alone scream. After a moment of panic, the pressure lessened just enough for her to take a deep breath. “Everyone wake up!” “Huh? What?” Twilight mumbled as she almost jumped out of bed. She rubbed her eyes wrapped her arms around herself, shivering against the cold. “S-Sunset? What’s going on?” Sunset hadn’t wasted a moment. She had already hit the light switch, illuminating the room in its dim glow before lurching over to the small rickety wardrobe that sat in the corner of her room. She swung the door open and quickly found what she was looking for. Her favourite jacket hung on the hanger. The black leather still had a shine to it and the orange chevrons were as brilliant as ever. She quickly snatched it off the rack and tossed it to Twilight. “Put that on. The demon is here.” Sunset didn’t have time to listen to Twilight’s reply. She had already rushed out of the door and into the hallway. Applejack already stood in the door of her and Apple Bloom’s room wrapped in her faded dressing gown. “Sunset, what in tarnation is going on?” “The demon’s here,” she repeated. Applejack’s eyes widened before they fell into a frown. “Ah’ll get my shotgun.” She looked back into the room at the second bed. “Apple Bloom, you and Granny get to the basement and take cover.” Apple Bloom was wrapped up tight in her bed covers staring at the door in shock. It took Applejack shouting again for her to snap out of bed and run past the two. Big Mac rushed out of his room pulling a dull red flannel shirt around himself. He nodded to the two girls before rushing down the stairs, closely flowed by Applejack. Twilight stumbled out of Sunset’s room. Sunset’s jacket hung loosely off her body, but the girl had stopped shivering. “Twilight, grab Spike and the Journal and head down to the basement with Apple Bloom and Granny Smith.” “What? No… I can help!” Sunset stood firm. She knew Twilight was capable—she had saved Equestria several times after all—but if any harm were to come to her… “Twilight, please. You’ll be safer down there.” A loud screech ripped through the air. It shook the house and sent a chilling spark down her spine. Sunset stumbled and landed against the wall for support. There was a snap in the air as the lights went out plunging the house into darkness. She stumbled forward, feeling along the wall until her foot tapped the side of a small cabinet. She pulled open the top drawer and felt around until she found a small flashlight. She tapped it a few times as she tried the button until it eventually flicked out a dim light, almost blinding Twilight in the process. She handed her the flashlight. “Twilight, get the journal and Spike. I’ll see you downstairs.” Twilight nodded and darted back into the room. Sunset turned around as a warm light floated out of Granny Smith’s room. The elderly woman walked holding a lit gas lamp in her hand. Apple Bloom was practically clinging onto her side as the two hurried to the stairs. “Ah heard everythin’. Ya girls really gonna take it on?” “We’ve got no other choice, Granny Smith,” Sunset said. The elder Apple nodded as a stern look crossed her face. “Well, ya girls better come back in one piece. I’d rather lose another house than any of yuh.” With that, the two hurried down the stairs. Sunset waited a moment longer for Twilight to exit the bedroom with the journal in her arms and Spike tucked into her jacket. The young dog shook as he peeked his head out of the collar. Sunset flashed her a reassuring smile and rested a hand on Twilight’s back. She tried to hold back the tremble in her hand as she led Twilight down the stairs. They wouldn’t have a chance against the demon if it came to a fight. But she would not let any of her friends get hurt by it. Applejack had thrown on her coat and boots. She pulled her Stetson over her head and placed two shells into her double-barrelled shotgun. It was practically an antique; her grandfather had it as a boy. The thing hadn’t seen much use for a long time but the first night she pulled it off the mantelpiece to defend her pigs from those mutant varmints it still worked as good as new. Apple quality and care always extended to their tools too. Big Mac finished loading his bolt-action rifle and placed extra bullets into his pockets as Granny Smith and Apple Bloom entered the kitchen. “Apple Bloom, take the lantern an’ hide in the basement. Ah’ll be right after ya.” “But Granny—“ “No, buts, Apple Bloom. Ah need someone down there to protect me.” Apple Bloom hesitated a movement, her eyes darting between her grandmother, brother and sister before she reluctantly nodded her head. Applejack gave her a reassuring smile as her sister looked up at her. “Applejack… Please, don’t get hurt.” “Ah can’t promise that, Sugarcube,” Applejack said as she wrapped her arm around her Apple Bloom. “But Ah won’t let you or Granny get hurt, okay? We’re gonna scare off that varmint.” Apple Bloom shivered in her grasp. Applejack only squeezed her tighter and hoped that her sister wouldn’t feel her own trembling. “Now, please hurry.” She gently nudged Apple Bloom to the door. Applejack watched as her sister looked back before slowly descending into the darkness. She’ll be safe down there, she told herself. “You two be careful, ya’ll hear? Don’t ya go doin’ anythin’ foolish.” Granny Smith said. Applejack looked up at her, even when her voice was laced with concern she knew better than to disobey her Grandmother. “We will, Granny,” she said. Big Mac also nodded in agreement. Her promise seemed to satisfy Granny Smith. Applejack watched her disappear after Apple Bloom before turning to Sunset and Twilight. “What are you going to do? You said you can’t fight it!” Twilight’s voice was hushed and Applejack hid her gaze as not to appear to be listening in. “With the whole town, we may have a chance. But they’ll need everyone they’ve got,” Sunset replied with a sigh. “Then let me help you, I… I could help organise things or help with first aid or— “ “Twilight,” Sunset said, placing her hands on the Princess’s shoulders. “Please. You’ve got to get home safe tomorrow. If something were to happen to you now, then… then who will save the world?” Applejack frowned. She had watched the way Sunset’s brow had moved and how her eyes darted back and forth. Sunset was usually better at hiding her lies than this. But what was she lying about? Twilight didn’t seem to notice. “I… Okay, Sunset. For you, I will.” She looked around to Big Mac and then to Applejack and then glanced behind her towards the door that led to Fluttershy’s room and the garage. “Where is Fluttershy?” Applejack’s heart jumped. She glanced up at the clock, it was almost one on a Tuesday morning. Fluttershy wouldn’t be back for another few hours. She bit her lip. Shoot, why tonight of all nights! She remembered how she had caught Fluttershy the first time she snuck out. While she disliked the idea of letting her friend disappear alone at night, there was little Applejack could have done to stop her. Still, she had promised not to tell anyone. She just hoped that Fluttershy was as safe as she always claimed she was. Before Applejack could answer the sound of distant bell ringing caught her ear. It was quickly followed by a ground shaking roar. She fell against the table as the loose shotgun rounds jumped about its surface. It was soon followed by a deep thud that shot its way up her legs. The demon had landed and the sound of gunfire soon followed. “Ah’ll get Fluttershy, you two go to the front of the house!” she barked. She didn’t even wait to see if they had agreed before she ran through the back door and closed it behind her. She rushed to Fluttershy’s room and pushed open the door. Inside was pure darkness. “Fluttershy?” she called. After a moment of silence, she sighed. “Dagnabbit.” Never cross the Apples. Sunset had learned that lesson the hard way during her first few weeks at Canterlot High. Big Mac—who currently pushed himself against the wall, glancing out the small window for the front door at the flashes and shadows moving outside, his rifle clutched in his trembling hands—was nothing but a gentle giant. Quiet, shy, and an easy target for her old self. But once she had turned her deceitful ways towards Applejack, Big Mac had come at her like a raging bull. That was the first time she had ever seen him angry and it was the first time she had ever feared another student at the school. She had let out a sigh of relief when he graduated, allowing her to turn her attention back towards his younger sister. Sunset frowned. She hated those memories, but she let herself smile knowing that the same anger she once feared was now set upon the demon just outside. Sunset crouched down low under the bay window in the living room. She glanced up through the glass, her revolver clutched tightly in her hand. It might as well have been a squirt gun compared to the thing outside. It was the same demon that had chased them from the school. Dragon, as Twilight had called it. It’s two—or more, maybe less; Sunset couldn’t tell—heads snapped at the town guard as they circled the creature on all sides. Dragon stood in the centre of the street, just outside the shanty town. It twisted and turned, smashing its claws and tail into the side of the buildings, trying to get at the guards within. What are they doing? She thought to herself. Everyone was running around as if they had no plan, just trying to fill the creature with lead. She hoped it would work, but with each hit, the demon roared louder and moved quicker. “What’s the plan?” Applejack hissed as she scurried over to Sunset’s side. Sunset shot her a glance before looking back out the window. “Apparently, it’s to just keep shooting it until it dies or runs off.” “Sounds good to me,” Applejack huffed. “I don’t think so. They’re just encouraging it to smash up the town.” As if to prove the point there was a loud crash outside, Sunset ducked her head and then glanced out again to see half a caravan had just been deposited in front of the house. “You run and hide from demons. You stay out of their way.” “Well, it sure is too late for that now. We’ve got to keep it away from the house.” “Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed with a slight tremble in his voice. Sunset didn’t know if he was nervous or angry at this point. Perhaps it was both. She bit her lip as a plan formed in her mind. “We go out there and try to draw it over to the farms and away from the houses. Then we push it back out over the orchard.” “The orchard! I ain’t lettin’ that thing get near our trees!” Applejack’s glare shot daggers at Sunset. “Unless you’d rather it go through people’s homes, then it’s our only option. If you have any other ideas I’d love to hear them?” Applejack closed her eyes for a moment and then sighed. “How are we gonna get its attention? How are we gonna scare it off?” Sunset frowned as she glanced outside. “It’s risky, and we’ll need everyone's help. But first, have we still got those flares?” Fluttershy’s legs trembled with each stride of her run. The gunfire had already started. She could hear its pops and booms along with the unnatural cries of the demon drift through the air. She stumbled for a moment. It suddenly sank in that she was running towards the monster and the fighting. She slowed and wrapped her arms around herself as her legs finally threatened to give way. A demon was up there. A big, scary demon and it was hurting people in the town. She closed her eyes and squeaked, her hands clenched into tight fists. Her friends were up there, and all the animals were locked inside her clinic. She needed to be there for them. To help them. She took in a deep breath and gently released it. Fluttershy looked down the hill towards the palisade. Over it she could see flashes of light darting throughout the town. “I have to do this,” she whispered to herself. “For my friends.” Before she could second guess herself, she started running. As she went her strides grew longer as the trees blurred past. Then, she jumped. Fluttershy felt herself become weightless as she soared higher into the air, and straight towards the palisade. She squealed in fear and raised her arms before her, bracing for the impact, but it didn’t come. At the last moment, she suddenly felt herself lurch upwards, just enough to skin over the sharpened stakes. Fluttershy glanced back through her fingers and let out a sigh of relief. She didn’t notice the apple tree until it was too late. She screamed once again as she crashed through the leaves and branches. She didn’t stop screaming until she felt herself jerk to a halt. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around. The world was upside down and spun around her as she dangled head-first from the branches. She almost gagged as a feeling of queasiness overcame her. Despite the rough landing, she didn’t feel hurt, so she took a moment to close her eyes and wait for the world to stop spinning. The sound of fluttering feathers distracted her. She looked up to see a pair of bright golden eyes staring down at her. “Miss Fluttershy, are you alright?” Mr Owl asked as he perched on the branch Fluttershy hung from. Fluttershy wasn’t sure, so she just smiled and nodded. “Just… Give me a moment.” Dragon let out a deep roar as it smashed through the food storehouse at the end of the cul-de-sac. The building crumbled under its weight as months worth of food was crushed and scattered. Fortunately, it appeared everyone made it out in time. Sunset still growled to herself at the sight. Whose idea was it to take cover in there! She shook her head and glared down at the demon. Her left hand clasped the flare as her right hand prepared to strike the ignition cap. “AJ! Big Mac! You guys ready?” she called, not taking her eyes off the demon. “We’re good to go, Sunset!” Applejack called from behind the wrecked caravan. “Everything is in place!” It’s now or never then, Sunset thought to herself. She briefly wondered if this really was a good idea. Dragon swished around and stalked towards a group of guards standing in the open between the demon and the shanty town. They started screaming as they fired their weapons until they were empty. Run! You idiots! Sunset rushed forwards and lit the flare. Its bright red light illuminated the street and glistened against the frost-covered windows of the houses. She approached with the flare held high in one hand, she shielded her eyes with the other. The flare’s heat did little to warm herself as she struggled forwards, pushing against the wall of pressure. The beast slowly turned its indeterminate number of heads towards her. The light of the flare reflect in many of Dragon’s eyes. “Hey, ugly! Over here!” she called. She had to divert her eyes to the ground as a burning pain grew behind them. “Remember me?” She gritted her teeth and waved the flare back and forth. The demon slowly started to prowl towards her, like a cat playing with its prey before the final blow. Sunset started to walk backwards. “That’s it. Over here,” she said, not caring to hide the tremble in her voice. Her heart pounded in her chest as her legs quivered. She wanted to go faster, to ditch the flare and run for it. She suddenly realised how bad of an idea this was. She blinked and a face flashed before her eyes. Rarity! She tensed up at the image. She blinked again and saw the others. Rainbow, Pinkie… Twilight. Her hand tightened its grip around the flare. There was no way she would lose another of her friends, and if this was the last thing she was to do, well... she hoped it would count as some form of penance. Dragon stalked closer. She could feel his ice-cold breath pushing against her. Digging her feet into the ground, she withstood the wave of pressure that pushed against her. A tear rolled down her cheek. “Yeah, you do remember me! Well… Come and eat me! Eat me now!” She glanced up at a single head. Its beak trembled in anticipation as hundreds of eyes looked down at her, each of them glowing red in the light of the fire. Sunset gulped. Dragon lunged for her. Is beak snapped open wide. Sunset dived out of the way just in time for the demon to take a bite out of the asphalt. Not wanting to pause, Sunset scrambled to her feet ignoring the pain in her hands and knees before she took off down the hill, darting between the allotments. She held the flare up high behind her, lighting the path as she went. It was right behind her. Sunset didn’t need to look back as she could feel its icy breath push her further with each sprint. Her feet slammed against the frozen mud and wooden slats as she quickly rushed through a patch of growing wheat and almost stumbled through a cabbage patch. The shrieks and cries of pigs, sheep and chickens filled the air as the ground shook with each step of the demon. Sunset’s lungs burned, almost rejecting the ice-cold breath that she gasped in. Any time now, Applejack! Her mind screamed. The flare’s light shone in the frozen water of the creek. The bridge was right in front of her. She could make it. All she had to do was to lose the demon in the trees. She raised the flare above her, readying herself to throw it. She tripped. Sunset didn’t have time to scream before she slammed hard into the earth, the flare rolled out of her hand and landed on the edge of the bridge. The light blinded her as she glanced up. Her mind raced to think of anything to do, yet as the light burned her eyes like the sun, she was only vaguely aware that it would be the last thing she would ever see. Forcing herself onto her back, Sunset found herself face to face with the large beaked snout of the demon. It opened wide and several forked tongues slid out. Its pressure push down on her, threatening to crush her against the hard earth. She wasn’t sure which death would be preferable. Before she had time to ponder it, a weight slammed into her side and she tumbled with it down the river bank and slid against the hard ice. She clung on tight to the object and pulled her head back to have a good look at it. Fluttershy! The pink-haired girl stared up over Sunset’s shoulder, her eyes wider than Sunset had ever seen them. Quickly, Fluttershy pushed herself back on the ice, her hands holding on tight to Sunset trying to drag her along. Sunset didn’t need an explanation. She started moving along with her into the darkness. She glanced back over her shoulder to see Dragon crush the bridge, knocking the flare into the orchard. The demon rushed forwards, it loomed over them as they slipped back on the ice and the pressure pushed down hard against it. Sunset held on tight to Fluttershy’s ice cold hand. She tried to move, but it became more difficult by the second. Thin patches of ice cracked under her as the air was crushed out of her lungs. I’m so sorry, Fluttershy. I’m so sorry, everyone. The pressure released. Sunset took a deep gasp of breath as she stared up at the demon, ignoring the burning pain in her mind. Dragon had lifted itself high above them, but its heads were turned, gazing back up the hill towards the town. Suddenly, it turned and started its way back up the hill. Sunset watched for a moment before falling back exhausted. It had worked. They had done it. Thank you, Applejack. Twilight had been pacing back and forth ever since she entered the basement. Apple Bloom held on tight to Spike as she, in turn, was held tightly by Granny Smith. They sat in the far corner of the basement on an old rough wooden bench. Various boxes, barrels and sacks of apple tree seeds were in neat piles around the room, along with a good number of general tools. None of that interested Twilight. She tightly clasped the journal as she paced. Its cover resonated from her pounding heart. Her friends were out there. They were risking their lives to save their town and Twilight was down here hiding. What kind of friend was she? She already let them all down before. No, Twilight, part of her mind reasoned. Sunset knows what she’s doing. She knows this is the best option. But what if they get hurt? What if they need help? Twilight’s grip on the book tightened. If there was one thing she had learned from all her years of friendship lessons it was that friends help each other, always. She let out a long sigh before pressing her back against a wall and slowly slid down it. The cold surface chilled her through Sunset’s jacket. She curled up into a tight ball and rested her head on the Journal. “Ah know that look.” Twilight lifted her head and glanced over at Granny Smith. She had a wise look about her that only age could bring. “You want to go out there and help yer friends. Ah don’t blame ya. I too want to show that varmint what happens when ya mess with an Apple.” Twilight glanced away and nodded. “I want to go out there. I want to help them. I’ve got to go. I just feel so helpless down here.” Twilight sighed and pressed her head against the journal again. “They are out there risking their lives, and I’m just sitting here doing nothing!” “Why does Big Mac and Applejack always get to be the hero?” Apple Bloom grumbled. “Ah’m just as brave and strong as they are!” “Ah know ya are, Sugarcube,” Granny Smith replied. “It’s just that—“ “Just what, Granny? That Ah’m the youngest?” She winced under Granny Smith’s glare. “Ah’m sorry… I just want to help them.” Twilight again sighed and closed her eyes. Apple Bloom’s determination didn’t do anything to put her mind at ease. She looked down at the journal. Sunset’s cutie mark glimmered in the reflection of the gas lamp like the sun itself. “What am I doing?” she whispered to herself. Twilight quickly threw open the book and began to write. Dear Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rariry, Rainbow Dash, Starlight Glimmer and Princess Celestia, The town is under attack by the demon I told you about. My friends are outside trying to save us. I’ve got to go and help them. I cannot leave them alone against the monster. I am sorry if I am late back tomorrow. I’ll let you know as soon as everything is safe again. Princess Celestia, I know you wanted me to be safe, but I must help them so that we all can be safe. Please forgive me. Your friend and faithful student, Twilight Sparkle With that, she closed the book and stood with determination. She had to do this, Sunset and the others needed her. She crossed the room and crouched in front of Apple Bloom and Spike. “Apple Bloom. I need you to keep this book and Spike safe. Can you please do this for me?” “Now you want me to sit down here while you get to go up?” she said with a pout. Spike barked and let out a low whimper. Twilight sighed and scratched him under his chin. “I’m sorry, Spike. Can you help keep things safe down here for me?” Spike frowned. “Bu... Bark!” he said and then let out a small growl. Twilight glanced away for a moment. She knew the protests Spike was trying to voice, she was simply thankful that he had remembered Sunset’s warning. “I know, Spike, I know,” she sighed. She looked back up at Granny Smith and Apple Bloom who were each giving her a confused look. “I’ll be back. I’ve got to help them.” Granny Smith’s expression softened and she nodded. “Go an’ get them, girl. We’ll hold down the fort for ya. Just make sure y’all come back in one piece, ya hear?” “I’ll do my best, Granny Smith.” With that, Twilight turned and sprinted up the stairs. She closed the door behind her, silencing Spike’s protests, and sighed. In the kitchen, muffled shouts and loud popping sounds filled the air along with deep rumbles that shook the whole house. But louder still was the sound of animals wailing and crying. Twilight glanced over at the door to the back of the kitchen and her brow furled in confusion. Where was Fluttershy? she thought. Applejack was supposed to get her. Twilight lifted her flashlight and walked down the short hallway. She glanced through the door to her left to see a bedroom in absolute darkness. It was neat and tidy, apart from the table that was lined with small plastic tubs and tin cans. A gentle hum filled the air from a refrigerator tucked in the corner. Had Fluttershy gone outside to help the others? The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. Even Fluttershy was braver than her. Despite that, Twilight thought it odd that Fluttershy would have had time to make her bed in such chaos. She left the bedroom and turned to the garage door. Her hand paused on the handle. There were barks, wails, and cries of distress from all kinds of animals on the other side. She could feel them scratching at the door, begging to be let loose. Twilight gulped and forced the door open. It was ripped out of her hand as a large, dark form shot through the opening and was quickly followed by a menagerie of animals. Rabbits, snakes, piglets, cats and dogs all darted out and rushed to the back door of the house, barking and yelping up at its blacked-out window. Twilight quickly glanced into the clinic. The thick smell of animal musk assaulted her nose but in the dim torchlight, there was no sign of Fluttershy. She turned back to the animals that were looking between her and the door with apprehension. “You all want to go out?” she said to them over the barks and wails. “I think it’s safer in here.” She waded through the sea of fur, feathers and scales before pausing at the door. Was this the right thing to do? She wished that she could understand them the same way Fluttershy could. Perhaps she could calm them down. But was letting them run out and hide the right thing to do? The house shook, a loud screech echoed outside forcing Twilight to shield her ears from the sound. She could feel something big pounding on the ground, and growing closer to the house. Twilight flung herself at the door and threw it open. The wave of animals swarmed out around her feet disappeared into the darkness. She could smell smoke in the air as the ground continued to shake. Twilight rushed out to the side of the house and poked her head around the corner. Her eyes widened. Someone was running down the hill towards the river carrying a burning red flare, its light glimmered against the slimy skin of the demon that followed them. Twilight’s breath caught in her throat. It was Dragon. Twilight trembled at the sight of the beast. Even in the darkness, she could make out its heads and large draconic wings. It followed us. It’s here because of us! she thought to herself. Twilight forced herself forwards and around to the front of the house. Suddenly there was a roar of engines as two vehicles rolled up to the edge of the road along with a large group of armed men and women. The closest was Big Mac’s truck. Its flatbed was crammed full of large metal barrels and many smaller containers of liquid. The second vehicle was much bigger, with six large tires and thick green metal walls for its frame. On its roof sat a large spotlight and a man hiding in an armoured capsule with a single large barrel poking out from the front. “This plan of yours better work, Applejack,” Twilight heard Night Sentry shout over the noise. She glanced over to the two as they stood behind the red pickup, the man in grey was busy fixing a brick of something to the back of the barrels. “It’s the only plan we’ve got, Sir,” Applejack said. “Big Mac, are ya ready?” The older Apple stepped out from the driver’s seat and nodded solemnly. “You better hurry! She doesn’t have long!” a guard called. Twilight rushed over to Applejack’s side. Applejack glanced over at Twilight and her eyes widened. “Twilight! Sunset told you to stay in the basement!” “I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, Applejack! I’ve fought monsters before.” Applejack glared at Twilight but then sighed. “Fine. Just stand back—“ “She’s tripped!” another person cried. “We’ve got to go now!” “Big Mac, do it!” Night Sentry barked. The man hesitated for a moment, holding a brick in his trembling hand. “No, wait! It’s going off course!” “Shoot it! Get its attention!” Filthy Rich cried from his place next to the armoured truck. “Who’s down there?” Twilight said, watching the commotion for behind Applejack. The flare had been discarded among the trees of the orchard, but Dragon was still chasing something into the river. “It’s Sunset…. Gosh darn it! Somebody do something already!” Twilight watched. Dragon suddenly stopped and turned its head. The spotlight of the truck reflected in its eyes. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. Sunset was down there? Where is she? She didn’t realise how tightly she was holding onto Applejack’s jacket until the girl turned to her and unsteadily said, “Easy there, Twi. Just stand back, we’ve got to do this.” Twilight glanced up at her friend. She didn’t even attempt to hide the fear in her eyes. She nodded and backed away slowly, keeping her arms wrapped around herself. The demon started to run back up the hill, making a beeline across the allotments right towards the group. “Steady, steady…” Night Sentry said. “Now!” Big Mac dived into action, throwing the brick inside the truck. The vehicle suddenly took off, bouncing over the curb and careering down the dirt track. “Shoot it now!” Twilight grasped her ears at the deafening roar of gunfire as muzzle flashes lit up the street around her. Streams of light rocketed through the air like fireworks and slammed into the demon, every now and again the light would bounce off its scales and disappear into the night. The truck and the demon met. There was an almighty flash and a roar of flames and heat. Twilight shielded herself for a moment, turning back to see fire engulfing Dragon. The beast let out a bone-shaking roar. “It’s working!” Night Sentry cheered. “It’s working!” How Night Sentry could tell was a mystery to Twilight. All she could see was a wall of smoke and flame where the farms use to be. And somewhere behind it was Sunset. She waited for a breathless moment. Watching the swirling clouds of smoke and flame. Then, without warning, the flames parted like the gates of Tartarus and Dragon rocketed right at them. Twilight barely had time to dive out of the way as the demon soared over her. It grabbed the large truck in its talons and lifted it high into the air. The beast did a backflip over itself and released the truck, sending it hurtling down into the roof of a house. Filthy Ritch screamed something as he pushed himself from the asphalt and sprinted towards the house. Twilight didn’t follow him; her eyes were drawn to the demon that swooped overhead and landed in front of Applejack’s house. Dragon reared up on his hind legs and dug its claws into the wall, ripping apart bricks and mortar. She kept her head low as his tail swished just inches above her, choking her lungs with its stench of icy decay. Twilight gasped as she crawled out from under the beast and glanced back at the demon. “Get yer hands off mah house!” Applejack cried. She had grabbed hold of Dragon’s sickly tail—a pair of interwoven limbs with scale-less patches revealing the glistening flesh underneath—and wrapped her arms around it as if it were a tree trunk. With an immense pull Applejack jerked the beast backwards. Dragon let out a surprised roar as, for just a moment, its claws scratched along the ground. Twilight froze, staring as golden light shone around her friend. Applejack’s hair grew and twisted until it almost reached the floor and a pair of pony ears sprung from the top of her head. “You messed with the wrong family, ya no good varmint! Ah’ll—” Applejack didn’t get to finish as Dragon swished his tail hard to the side, sending the girl straight into a brick wall. “Applejack!” Twilight screamed as she lurched to her feet and ran to her side. Applejack had left a sizable dent in the brickwork and was lying crumpled on the ground under it. Twilight couldn’t breathe; she couldn’t think. She crouched by her friend’s side and with a trembling hand gently placed it on Applejack’s shoulder. Applejack let out a pained sigh. She was still alive! Twilight checked closer and found a steady pulse along with her shallow breaths. There was a great crash behind her. Twilight looked back at Dragon. She wanted to turn away or to run in and try to stop it, but she couldn’t. Her mind raced to formulate plans and ideas, but it was already too late. The house was ripped apart by the demon. By the time it managed to dig its way to the ground floor it pulled its head back and kept going. The basement! Twilight screamed. Her hands dug tightly into the ground, ripping out tufts of dead grass. Spike, Apple Bloom, Granny Smith! She had to do something. But what? None of the guards had been able to stop it. The demon appeared to shrug off their weapons and the fire was nothing more than an annoyance to it. If only she had her magic. If only she could cast a spell like she had done so many times before. If only her friends were all here. Dragon roared back in pain as a large growth of apple trees exploded out of the basement. Twilight blinked and shook her head. Her eyes didn’t deceive her. Dragon had fallen onto its back and let out unnatural snarls and wails as a new orchard had spontaneously grown out of the house. In its centre, where the basement once was, stood a mass of solid apple tree stretching almost three stories into the air. Chunks of rubble and debris began raining down from the floral explosion sending the few who remained around scrambling for cover. Something large landed near Twilight. She looked at it with a start. The Journal! The journal was lying on the ground; a gentle glow surrounded it as it vibrated. Twilight slowly crawled towards it and held out a hand. A large swipe of a claw sent her reeling back. She looked up into Dragon’s many eyes. She didn’t know how to focus on them, or even if she could. But she could feel their gaze glaring down at her. She was pushed back into the ground as the air in her lungs was pushed out and froze above her. It grew cold, too cold to even think. Her body tried to shiver, but she couldn’t move. Suddenly, the pressure was released. Dragon reared itself back and released a great flap of it’s wings, scattering debris in the cold blasts of wind. It took off and disappeared into the night. Twilight stared at its claw. In its clutches was the journal. The Regent of the Voladoran tapped her clawed foot as she waited. She stood on the Earth-wise steps of the Red Citadel, looking out over the great avenue that stretched through the city of Meridian and ended in the distant glow of the portal. Bone-white trees with crimson leaves stood neatly along the edge of the avenue, pressed up against the red brick buildings that clustered together like an extravagant maze. She watched the distant portal as it swirled a deep blue. Earth. Such an uninspired name for a world, but understandable. After all, humans were the most disappointing of all the Lord’s new subjects. Yet, somehow, this one world had caused far more issues towards the plan than any other. Not that the Regent minded. She chuckled slightly as she remembered the look on the Lord’s face when his great plan to quicken their victory exploded in his hands, literally. That had been a good day, even if she got caught in the fire. She glanced up at the black sun. Dark clouds of swirling gas burning around the cold disc as ripples of energy flared off into the eternal white void that surrounded Meridian on all sides. She hated that sun; it was too cold. She liked the warmth, and if she could she would spend every day sunbathing under the sun of Earth. Or perhaps she could set fire to the sky of her home world just to get its sun to shine as brightly. A ripple of pressure through the air caught her attention. The voladoran she was waiting for flew down the avenue and landed on the blood-stained steps. It bowed its heads to the Regent and then held out its claw. The Regent took a step forward and glanced at what it was presenting. Her eyes widened under her black and gold helmet. “The journal? You found another one?” She looked her servant in the eyes. A rush of pressure flowed around them as the images from the past day entered her mind. She smiled to herself. The Regent scooped up the journal and climbed a few steps higher until she looked down on her servant. “Yeah, you did good. I’ll find you a reward or something. But get back to Earth and watch that girl. I want to know everything she does.” The voladoran bowed its heads again before turning and with a great flap of its wings flew back towards the portal. The Regent didn’t watch it leave as she climbed towards the great black doors of the Citadel. They were wide open, as were the following five doors that lead all the way to the centre of the structure. The purple glow of the Core shone through the great arches like a lighthouse, warning all to keep away. She paused on the top step. Only her servant and herself knew that the journal was now in her possession. She could take it for herself. She could hide it or perhaps even destroy it. She didn’t care about using it. Just seeing the old man suffer for longer was good enough. She smirked at the thought as her large scaled wings ruffled slightly. She was about to turn away when a cold shiver ran from the tip of her armoured tail and up her spine. It wrapped itself around her heart and dragged it towards the doors. She grunted through her teeth and began to walk. “Fine!” She stomped through five large arching hallways. Each was decorated with the finest luxuries and treasures of the five open worlds. Paintings and tapestries of different creatures lined the walls. Fine jewellery and gemstones sat in neat and ordered cabinets. Statues of many different creatures stood for all to see. She passed a collection of sarmatian crowns and the fine midnight blue armour of an ancient cruthathren queen. As she approached the Core each door grew smaller than the last. Even so, the sixth and final door still towered over her. She suspected even her favourite voladoran, the largest of all voladoran, would still be able to fit through if he tried hard enough. Her steps became more difficult as she pressed on against the strong pressure of the Core. A lesser creature wouldn’t have even got this far without being turned into a fine paste. Even the tiled floor was cracked under the strain. The Regent entered the Core and marched towards the platform that extended into the bright purple light. The Core was a circular room with Six doors around its perimeter; five of which were wide open. A balcony circled the edge of the room, surrounding the light that shone from down far below. She kept to the centre of the platform and bowed down at its far end, keeping her eyes fixed on the book in her arms. Her hands dug tight into it, but the journal resisted back, preventing her armoured claws leaving any lasting damage. She felt the pressure around her change and push down harder. The air felt cold, yet also warm. It pulsed with energy and hummed against her armour. “You have something to report, Regent,” his voice boomed down at her. She flinched at the sound. She felt like a hatchling in his presence, or at least what she believed it would feel like to be a hatchling. She never had the chance thanks to him. She would have growled if his eyes weren’t glaring down at her. “The portal on the Human world has reopened, my Lord,” she said. She kept her voice calm and without emotion. Thankfully her helmet hid the strain on her face. “An individual passed through from the Prime. They brought this with them.” She unfurled her arms and held the book up before her. Her eyes remained fixated on her reflection in the cracked floor. “The journal?” He said. She had hoped he would at least sound surprised, but his voice echoed with a calm collectiveness that oozed with smug wisdom. He had only two voices, both of which made a small part of her mind want to roll her eyes or scream. The Lord continued, “Yes. It has the same magic as the last. This is a pleasant surprise. You have done well, my Champion.” She should have accepted the compliment. It was rare to get one from him. But she knew she didn’t deserve it. She was just the messenger. It was the voladoran servant who had all the fun stalking its prey and smashing up the human town. It was him who deserved the praise. She wasn’t sure why she thought in such a way. She knew the other Champions would have taken all the credit. Sometimes she wondered why he made her this way, but now wasn’t the time. She simply bowed lower and, holding back her disdain, said, “Thank you, my Lord.” She felt the electric tickle of magic as the book was lifted from her hands and vanished somewhere. “Tell me about this traveller.” A small smirk formed on her lips. She risked a glance up at the Lord, though she didn’t dare look high enough to see his face; just the transparent darkness of his cloak as his image hovered in the air before her. It was a shame, she thought. She wanted to see if her news would make him tick. “Her scent is off, but it is very close to someone else’s. She also looks like them. We have an imposter, my Lord.” “So, she really is from the Prime? Tell me: who are they?” His voice didn’t sound irritated, but the increase of pressure on her made her smirk all the more. She thought against dragging it out much longer. Even if her bones didn’t start to break, she wasn’t sure how much more the platform could take. “My Lord. It was none other than Midnight Sparkle.”