//------------------------------//
// Chapter 13.5: Things Are Set in Motion 
// Story: Undead Robot Bug Crusaders 
// by Banjo64 
//------------------------------//

In the middle of the night, a cloaked figure snuck into Sweet Apple Acres. Who or whatever it was, it had four legs, and was about the size of a full grown pony stallion. Its steps were silent, and it left no hoofprints as it glided across the muddy ground. Indeed, it moved with an almost supernatural grace and agility.

And then it tripped on flat ground.

Splat!

After pulling itself up and cursing under its breath, the figure shook the mud off its cloak as best it could before continuing on its way.

Finally, it arrived at the Apple Family’s house. It peaked into the windows of the building, searching, until it reached Apple Bloom’s room.

The filly’s sleeping undead form was plain to see. As was the fact that she was having an unpleasant dream. She was tossing and turning, and mumbling something under her breath.

The hooded figure nodded. This was the one it had sensed.

At the figure's command, a cloud of dark energy floated out of its cloak and entered the room. It quickly settled upon the moving filly. A moment later, Apple Bloom laid still. Satisfied, the cloaked figure turned to leave.

And then stepped on a rake.

Crunch!

Now holding its face and softly moaning in pain, the cloaked figured hobbled away the same way it had come.

Had anyone been around to witness all this, they would have noticed that the hood of the cloak was now somewhat lop-sided, as if whoever was wearing it was holding its head at an odd angle.





Apple Bloom cringed as she looked at all the faces around her. 

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Rumble.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Snips.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Scooter.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Diamond Crown.

Apple Bloom just awkward backed away as her class, which consisted entirely of colts aside from Apple Bloom, pushed their way towards her.

“That’s... Uh... nice and all, but Ah’m not lookin’ for a coltfriend right now,” she said.

The herd of potential coltfriends just pressed on harder.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Button Mash.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Dusk Shine.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said Pinkie Pie.

Wait.

“Huh? what the hay are ya doin’ here, Pinkie?!” exclaimed Apple Bloom.

Before Pinkie could reply, however, the walls and ponies around Apple Bloom faded in a haze.

Apple Bloom looked around in confusion before a dark miasma overtook her vision.

Suddenly, her mind was filled with images of a special place. A place free from all the hate and judgement that ponies showed her. Where she wouldn’t have to hide what she truly was, or pretend to be something she wasn’t. Where she would be among her peers, safe and sound.

It certainly sounded like a nice place. Apple Bloom really wanted to check it out. To be away from all the ponies who are mean to her, away from those who didn’t care about her. All she had to do was leave them behind and go to that special place…

“But what about mah family and friends? Ah don’t want to go away from them,” said Apple Bloom.

The darkness around her suddenly stopped, and the visions ended. It was almost like it didn’t know what to do next. Finally, it seemed to just give up and faded away to nothing.

Back in the waking world, the dark cloud also vanished. There was no trace that anything had happened to the sleeping undead filly. Apple Bloom was free to continue dreaming undisturbed.

Unfortunately, this meant sending her back into the crowd of would-be coltfriends.

“I’ll be your coltfriend, Apple Bloom!” said young Prince Solaris.





Come the next morning, Apple Bloom woke groaning and miserable. She could recall what she had been dreaming about with perfect clarity.

“Ugh… Ah reckon Ah don’t need Princess Luna to tell me what that was about. After Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo went on dates, Ah guess some part of me is worried Ah’ll have to do the same. Or worse, some part of me wants to go on one. And Ah can thank Scootaloo for turnin’ every filly and mare ah know into colts. Ah swear, this better not become a recurrin’ thing in mah dreams, or Ah’m gonna smack that changeling silly,” she grumbled.

“Well, whatever. Ah gotta get goin’. It’s almost Nightmare Night, and we got a ton to get ready,” said Apple Bloom as she got out of her bed.

Or at least, she thought she remembered everything. Whatever that dark cloud was trying to do before it faded, it seemed to have had no effect on Apple Bloom.

In fact, the only sign that anything unusual had happened at all that evening was an unremarkable small patch of disturbed mud in the field, and a rake in the backyard that had been moved slightly.