//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Realms Undreamed Of // by Ardashir //------------------------------// We all watched Twilight and Applejack ride off with Chief Manco in his old pickup truck. He had Applejack lay down in the back under an old tarp. Twilight sat up in front with him. I reckon I smiled a bit to hear her asking questions near as soon as they started driving off, all about how did the engine work and what did it use for fuel and such, like any curious young woman seeing something new to her. A moment or two and they were out of sight. “Well,” I said to air other pony there, “might be best to get back to what's left of breakfast. There's corn bread yet, and some eggs and bacon if you're of a mind.” Fluttershy winced the least little bit when I said 'bacon'. “Dear,” Rarity nuzzled her, “what's the matter? I know you feed fish to your animal friends, and even some meat. I don't like it myself, but I have to feed it to Opal.” “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash licked her lips, looking downright hungry as she trotted back inside. “I learned to eat some when I hung out with Gilda. Fly with a griffin long enough, and you become a regular Mare of Diomedes.” “There's no need to be eating any if you don't like, Miss Fluttershy,” Evadare said, kneeling down to be looking her in the face. “We don't want to be setting something afore you that you can't touch.” “It's not that,” Fluttershy said, sounding soft and scared, like some little rabbit being hunted. “It's just that, even with feeding my animal friends back home, when I smell meat,” she gave a shiver, the feathers on her wings ruffling out, “it smells like death to me.” We all went silent then. Fluttershy mentioning death minded us me at least of those Shonokin and of the Nightmare. They'd both be thinking of death, ours and nair soul could tell how many more, and they'd be working on making it happen. “I still feel like I ought to have gone with Chief Manco and Twilight and the rest,” I said as we went back inside the house, my boots knocking on the wooden floor and their hooves clip-clopping on it. Evadare gave my hand a squeeze, like to reassure me and let me know she was as right glad to be with me as I with her. “I nair did like the idea of letting someone else go into trouble that was meant for me.” I might have said more, but Luna spoke up then. “'Tis best you did not, Goodman John. The Shonokin desire thy end almost as much as my freed evil side, the Tantabus, does mine.” She walked around in front of me, looking me hard and stern in the eyes like some old army sergeant. She spoke more in that strong sounding voice of hers that could have filled a meeting-hall or sounded on a battlefield. “Even in my own time many compared war to a game of Sun and Moon. At times it is a labored comparison,” she looked across the room to where I had an old chessboard setting on a shelf, and a pair of those pieces they call knights floated over, carried in moonlight. Evadare gave a little breath to see it, and maybe I did too. Luna glanced curious-like at us and shrugged it away. She held the two pieces afore her, looked at them for a moment, then went on. “We have sent out pieces, allies, that are valued by and to us, yet less so by the Shonokin or my own other self. We can but trust that they have wit and cunning enough to learn what they may without being caught.” She floated the pieces back over the the shelf. “Yet even if the Shonokin learn of them, they may not pursue as intently or with as much violence as they would thee, John, or myself. We would be too valuable for them to permit us to escape whole and alive.” “High-value targets, that's what they called it back in my army days.” I nodded. Her words made good sense like you'd think from someone who fought battles afore ever I or even these United States were born, if what Twilight told me was true. That's not the same as saying I liked to hear it. “I still don't relish thinking of whatair trouble they might get in without us there to be helping them.” “Neither do I,” Rainbow Dash muttered through half a mouthful of bacon. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie both looked to be turning a little green as she said, “I wish I was there. Hey, I could be there!” She flapped her wings and the breeze she sent through our house made the pages on some books ripple. It felt like standing right afore a strong wind bringing a storm. She looked at Luna. “I can stay out of sight, I'll watch from high above and keep on the clouds. Anything goes wrong I can be back here –” “Ten seconds flat?” Pinkie Pie smiled and said, and it minded me of when I'd heard those words afore. Dash flapped her wings again and frowned. “Well, maybe not that fast. But I could be back here a lot quicker than I bet that powered wagon of his could.” She made for the door, but Luna moved to stand atween her and it. Her wings spread theirselves out to fill the doorway. “Remember, Rainbow Dash,” she said, her voice sounding a warning, “this is not Equestria. Even with the aid of thy Element, thy flight will be limited.” “I know.” Dash just rolled her eyes. “I feel it in my wings. I can only fly about as well as Fluttershy – oh, sorry, Flutts.” “That's alright,” Fluttershy said, from where she stood right aside Evadare. Evadare's hand was right behind her ears, tousling that thick long pink mane Fluttershy had. “I never was a very good flier.” “She was not, but thou art,” Luna interrupted, and she sounded stern. I saw how Dash tried to not look her in the face as Luna said, “If thou triest any of the tricks the Wonderbolts have told me about, they will not work near as well as back home. They may even injure thee, Rainbow Dash,” and no missing how serious Luna spoke then, “and we will not be able to help thee. Remember that.” “So, you won't be stopping me?” Dash cocked an eyebrow at Luna. Luna smiled back at her, like you'd do with a headstrong daughter. “If thy mind is set upon it, then little enough chance of stopping thee from sneaking off the first chance that arises. Better we at least know where you have gone. But take care!” Luna’s wings folded back and she stepped aside from the door. “Hey, I'm always careful,” Dash said, puffing herself up. I frowned to remember some of what she'd done back when I was in Equestria that wasn't what you'd call right careful. If Dash noticed she gave no sign. “Just wait, I'll keep an eye on Jacky and Twi and that Manco guy without anypony even noticing me.” She went outside, crouched and jumped into the air. I saw how her wings beat, hard, and heard her make a sudden sharp breath like a man lifting a right heavy weight as she dropped back down. She gave a loud neigh like an angered-up horse and started down the road at a full gallop, wings beating the way big birds like vultures and eagles will. We went outside and saw her rise like an airplane off a runway and circle her way up like a hawk until she got up so high that you couldn't make her out against the blue sky. I think I saw a little blue dot go flying off down following the road on the way towards Sky Notch. “I hope she'll be alright,” Evadare said. “Oh, Dashie will be fine,” Pinkie looked after Dash, and maybe her smile looked a least bit less happy than normal for her. “She'll be careful, and if anything goes wrong, she'll be with your friend and Twilight and Applejack.” “She will,” Evadare said, and I saw she wanted to be hopeful for the ponies, but when she went back inside she went to our old Bible. She handed it to me. The ponies watched and I could see they had nair idea what this was about. “You want me to be asking for signs?” I took it and opened it. I said to the ponies as they looked on, “That's an old custom in these mountains. You want some hint what to expect, so you open a Bible or maybe Shakespeare's plays,” I nodded at the thick old set of them I have, a gift from Chief Manco, “three times and read the first verse your finger lands on, and see what advice you get.” “I'm sorry, Mister John,” Rarity gave a smile, “but this sounds just a trifle superstitious to me. Even with everything I've seen.” “Don't be sure,” Pinkie Pie said, and she sounded serious to be saying it. “Back on the Rock Farm sometimes when we just couldn't make a decision we'd take the Choosing Stone and see what it said.” She winced and sounded more like the old Pinkie again when she said, “One time it told me to go jump off a cliff, so I did, and I slid on my flank all the way down. Boy did it hurt! After that Mom and Dad told me that even the Choosing Stone couldn't protect silly ponies if they did something foolish.” While she said all that I opened to a page and put my finger down. Evadare came in and looked at it with me as I read from it. “Beware of she who dwelleth upon the rocks, whose children are the children of violence, who also sucketh up blood.” I wondered me of maybe that could mean the Nightmare and the Shonokin. It minded me of stories about what they call vampires, and I've met those aforetimes and not been happy for it. The Nightmare was out by the mines of old Chorazin, and right now she sure enough dwelled among rocks. The ponies gave a shudder to hear it. “I hope that book gets more pleasant, Mister John,” Rarity said to me. “It is, places,” I told her as I flipped to another page and set my finger down. “But it's a book about human folks and maybe others, and we're not all that pleasant betimes.” I looked at what it said and I saw I'd opened it to the Book of Joel, which isn't what you'd call a happy one. “They shall run to and fro in the city, they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb upon the houses, they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.” “That sounds like the Shonokin,” Fluttershy said and sounded scared to say it. She stood close by, and I saw Evadare go to her and run her fingers along Fluttershy's neck by her mane. Fluttershy leaned into it a little. “It minds me of the Shonokin myself.” I answered her. “They sneak and run and make like thieves. They want to take our homes, our freedom, maybe even our lives from us. If that doesn't make air soul a thief, what does?” “You speak wisely, John,” Luna said, her voice near as quiet as Fluttershy's. “I and my sister have dealt with such before. Many times.” She nodded at me. “You said this working must be done three times. What comes last?” I looked and read what it said. “Let not them that are mine enemies rejoice over me.” I closed it and set it back on the shelf. “That last part sounds reassuring, I'd say.” “Better than the first two, anyway,” Rarity shuddered and said. She looked out the window, and I could see how she worried. “I just hope they're alright.” I hoped so too, but right then, hoping was all we could do. # # # Rainbow Dash breathed hard as she reached a decent altitude, following the road the powered-wagon with her friends had taken. The sky-blue pegasus flew as normally as she could, even though she strained like she was trying for a Sonic Rainboom instead of steady level flight. Around and below her, tree-clad mountains stretched to the horizon, smooth continuous ridges broken by the occasional water gap. Where’s the real mountains? Like the Eponas or Red Dragon Peak? Above and around, the sky was clear with occasional clouds, something at high altitude laying a long narrow strip of cloud – and a too-dark cloud system a couple ridges to the west that reminded her of a Wild Storm over the Everfree. They have wild storms here, too? Bad one from the color; dark plus boiling equals trouble. Big Trouble. Enough looking around, she had to concentrate on flying; the one time she’d tried to glide she’d gone ballistic, falling like she’d turned into an Earth Pony. This time, she went to what in Equestria’s sky would have been a normal cruise, losing altitude like a glide, scanning the road beneath her for that powered-wagon… There! # # # “So it runs on a distilled light oil, and uses a spark to ignite the fuel-air mix. In the piston cylinder itself? No separate boiler?” Twilight looked out the truck’s windshield in awe. “I remember all that John told me about what your world has done without magic, but I had to see it for myself to be sure. You could go further in this than an Earth Pony could walk in days. Like a fast passenger train without any need for tracks.” Mister Manco chuckled at her words. “I suppose anything is amazing to the person who never saw it before. That said, if you don't fill this truck with gas and make sure to keep it in good shape it won't go anywhere.” He looked out through a small window in the back of the cab. “I hope your friend is doing well. We're coming up on Sky Notch, and people might get a bit confused if they saw her.” They were high in the mountains here. Looking up she could see the peaks, most of them low and running as ridges north to south. The sky showed beyond it, only a few clouds but nearly as blue as Equestria's own. The road twisted and turned on itself, and the trees to the sides shaded it. Twilight hoped Mister Manco didn't notice how she paled when they passed close by the edge once or twice and she could look down what felt like thousands of lengths. She hadn't had wings for very long, but without them it looked like a long, long fall if something went wrong. Even as she thought that the truck came close to the edge of the mountain road again. Twilight felt her head spin as she looked downwards and saw a thin blue glittering thread of a river set among the green and brown of trees, set beside tiny boxes. Her stomach lurched when she realized those tiny boxes were houses. “How much further to, you know, where the Shonokin are?” Twilight asked the first question she could think of. “Not much further,” Chief Manco said, the amusement slipping out of his voice.”First we get some gas from Duffy Parr. He's right ahead in Sky Notch.” The truck stopped where the red clay mountain road joined another, bigger road. Four lanes, two each way, and paved with some sort of dark grey material, worn and crackled. A short pause as other vehicles zipped by, then the truck eased out and turned onto the paved road, bearing to right of its center instead of left. A single railway track paralleled it, completely ordinary except for the rusty rails set broader than Equestrian Standard Gauge. “Miss,” Mister Manco’s voice brought her out of her observations as the truck sped down the curving road, fast as an express train. “We’ll be meeting other humans in Sky Notch, so we should get our cover stories straight. You’re my niece Twila from Oklahoma, who’s attending college out here in the East, visiting me – your Uncle Reuben. You’re interested in old ghost towns around here, and asked me to show you some.” “Twila?” “Closest name to ‘Twilight’ in this language and culture.” His voice twinkled. “We have some different naming conventions, or haven’t you noticed?” # # # Rainbow Dash followed the powered-wagon from above, putting on a burst of speed to keep up. At least they got onto a bigger road where I can see them in traffic… The pegasus was panting, her wing and chest muscles ached, and she could feel sweat foaming and cooling on her flanks like she was flying a race. How much longer? The vehicle slowed, approaching a small town set beneath the trees, about a quarter the size of Ponyville. It slowed, pulled off the road into a cluster of dark-roofed buildings, stopped. Finally! A rest stop! Not that I’m tired or anything… She looked around for a handy cloud; a small cumulus floated nearby, within line-of-sight of where Mister Manco’s wagon had stopped. A little higher than would have been normal in Equestria, but cloud is cloud. Dash panted as she flapped up to it, feeling like she was carrying Pinkie Pie – no, Big Mac. She made sure she had the powered wagon in sight – Twilight and Mister Manco were already getting out – and gently touched down on the cloudy rest stop. Only to fall right through the cloud as if it wasn’t there. “AAAAAAAAAAAAA!” # # # The railway track veered off to follow a watercourse; far ahead, buildings appeared, set alongside the road. Mister Manco pointed ahead. “Sky Notch”. Then they were in a town, smaller than Ponyville and laid out along the road instead of grouped around a commons like a pony town. Buildings lined both sides of the road, old and rough-looking houses made of stone and wood similar to Equestria. Then others she recognized from her visits to the world through the mirror, others she didn’t. Some old and wooden, newer ones looking like their walls were plastered over like ponies did in the Far West. A small restaurant, some sort of inn in the form of a courtyard of detached cabins, storefronts that could have come out of Appleoosa or Whitetail Meadows, and a white building with a tall steepled bell tower like in that Shonokin-worked dream of John’s where she met the Letters of Cold Fire for a second time… “You alright, young lady?” Mister Manco asked, his voice filled with sudden concern. He drove the truck to the side of the road, there was actual room to do that here, and stopped it. “You looked ready to faint there for a moment.” “I'm okay,” Twilight said, nodding and swallowing. She clenched her hands tight to stop the shivering she felt in them. “I was just remembering what happened in the Dream Realm. Thanks again for the help you gave my friends and me.” She would have said more but stopped at a solemn nod from Manco. “Young lady, you aided a valued friend of mine when all my medicine couldn't.” He moved that stick that was set beside him and drove back out into the road. “You kept John alive when he could have been killed, and not for the first time from what he told me about your world. I owe you at least as much thanks as you do me.” He started to drive towards a group of off-white buildings with two upright fuel pumps in front; one bore a large wooden sign reading DUFFY PARR'S GARAGE. Two self-propelled drayage vans were already there, rear loading doors open. Chief Manco looked at her hesitantly, and then asked, “But is it true what John said, about, well, everything? The other thinking races in your world, and how you ponies control the weather?” “It is,” Twilight said with a smile as he stopped the truck. “I hope I have the time to tell you all about it later –” Her voice stopped as she saw the door of the main building open. Mister Manco said nothing himself. He just looked on, calmer than Twilight thought she could be, as four figures in natty white and black clothes, broad brim hats shielding them against the sunlight, stepped out. Lank black hair hung from under their hats, and their skins showed almost as tanned as hers or Manco's. “What are the Shonokin doing here?” She whispered. He set his hand on her shoulder and she steadied. “Not looking for you or John,” he said, his voice somehow deep and low all at once as he watched them. “They don't know what form you're in now. And I doubt they'd recognize me.” He turned to her. “No use turning and leaving. They'd get suspicious. We'll just have to brazen it out. Remember, you’re Twila and I’m your Uncle Reuben.” And with that he pulled up to the pump, stopped the truck, and got out. Feeling very uneasy, Twilight got out as well. Her unease was not aided when the Shonokin immediately stared at her. She relaxed a little when she realized they weren't noticing the Alicorn Minor who'd been fighting them, but rather an attractive young woman. She smiled nervously at them and turned away. But she was able to watch using the mirror set alongside her seat. The Shonokin stared at her a second longer before opening the back doors of the vans. When they did, Twilight had to stifle a laugh. Bales of hay were in the back as well as bags of what smelled like oats. I guess Nightmare Moon, or the Tantabus, is getting hungry. A nervous giggle slipped out at the mental image of Nightmare Moon ordering her new allies to fetch her something to eat. “Fetch me victuals, servants! The finest of oats, the freshest of hay...” “Does something about us amuse you, woman?” Twilight spun and found herself staring right into the face of one of the Shonokin. His hat's brim hung low and he wore dark glasses, but she still caught the cold yellow glitter of those dragon-eyes they had. Not for the first time they made her think of something feline, waiting to see which way she dodged before it pounced. “No, sir, I wasn't laughing at you.” Twilight hated how frightened her voice sounded. Why do I feel so much more vulnerable as a human than as a pony? The Shonokin kept staring at her. Then again, right now I don't have wings. Or Earth pony strength. Or any real magic. Noticing that the Shonokin still watched her coldly, she added, “I'm just waiting for my uncle, I came back here after a few years away at school and we're getting some gas before we drive back to the family.” “Indeed?” The Shonokin seemed to relax a trifle, took a step back. He looked her up and down again, smiled in a way that reminded her of some of the male Canterlot High students when they looked at attractive mares, er, girls. Only then she felt more annoyed than as though a slug was crawling on her skin. “Perhaps we can meet later. I and my – kinsmen, enjoy meeting lovely and educated young women.” Beyond him, she saw the other Shonokin by the vans and watching them both. Little emotion showed in their eyes. She could have been a dead bird beside the road for all the interest they showed. Maybe this one was younger, though nothing about any of the suggested any difference in age. Maybe Shonokin were like alicorns, naturally immortal or so long-lived they might as well be? “Oh, uh, thank you.” Twilight tried not to squirm as the Shonokin smiled tightly, without showing his teeth. She thought about some of the things Rarity once told her and tried to demonstrate about how she was able to get answers from stallions. She cast her eyes down and let her voice become a little breathy. “I am so interested in history, though. You wouldn't know of any old abandoned towns, or mines, or anything like that around here, would you?” The Shonokin seemed to bristle up like a wary dog. Twilight quickly added, “I'd love to see someplace like that.” She forced herself not to gag. “With you.” The Shonokin eyed her cautiously and slowly nodded. “My – family, and I, live near such a place,” he said. He turned to point across the peaks. “There, off to the west. We dwell in the old mining town, Chorazin. It is a small and meaningless place less than five miles from here, and we welcome few outsiders as yet, but that may change soon.” He snickered. “It will become an incredibly important community soon.” He raised an arm as though to set it around her shoulders. Twilight quickly stepped away. He seemed disappointed, but said, “There is much history there for such a scholar as yourself. There are a great many things of interest there.” “What are you doing?” Twilight stepped back as another Shonokin came around the truck. Given how this Shonokin backed up, stepping away from her and falling silent, she guessed him to be the leader here. He gave her a scornful glance, and then hissed some words, or something, at the Shonokin who'd been talking. That one began to say something back. The newcomer slashed one gloved hand through the air and made a single sound. Even she knew it to mean, “Silence!” The other Shonokin hurried back to the van and helped the others finish loading it. The newcomer then gave her a cold glare. “Leave my kinsman alone, woman,” he snapped. “He is meant to be working now. He does not need to be disturbed at his work by some silly, air-headed female.” That said, he turned on his heel – Twilight noticed they all wore the same kind of tailored, calf-high boots – and stalked back to the van's driver-side door. Twilight couldn't resist. “Have a nice drive back to Chorazin.” The Shonokin leader froze. He turned and gave her another glare, only this one seemed measuring. It reminded her of the way some ponies back in Celestia's School looked at a frog they were about to dissect. He hissed into the van and two other Shonokin got out. All three then stalked over to her. It reminded her of what Sunset Shimmer told her about her meeting with the Sirens back in Canterlot High. She began to wonder if she should get Applejack. Twilight backed away from the Shonokin until she felt the cold metal of the truck against her back. The three Shonokin loomed over her. “What do you know about Chorazin?” Their leader hissed at her. He seemed to crook the long fingers of one hand in a gesture that seemed vaguely familiar. She felt something pressing against her mind, shook her head against it. The Shonokin's voice grew more clipped. “Speak or I will make you speak” Twilight swallowed and forced herself not to say anything. The mental pressure grew like a botfly chewing its way in; the Shonokin leader raised one of his hands, palm outwards as though to rend. She could see the claws pressing against the tips of his glove fingers. “Wagh,” Mister Manco suddenly said, his voice even deeper than before and the words spaced out. Twilight thought he sounded like someone playing a role on stage. “Niece. You have problem with these men?” The three Shonokin fell back. Twilight took a step from the truck, wobbling as the botfly in her mind snapped out of existence. Manco stood there, arms folded over his chest. Behind him and a little to the side stood a man with paler skin like John but more hair on his face, built like Big Mac and wearing oil-stained denim coveralls. He held a heavy wrench down by his side, and the look on his face was not a welcoming one. “Young miss, is there a problem here?” He asked her. “No,” she quickly said. She heard Applejack shifting inside the bed of the pickup and saw the tarp moving. She casually laid her arm over the side and touched the tarp, hoping Applejack got the point. “No, uncle. I was just speaking with these men.” She looked calmly into the eyes of the chief Shonokin. “There's no problem here.” The three Shonokin looked from her to the two men facing them, then silently went back to their two vans, got into them, and drove to the street and away. Twilight finally relaxed as the vans disappeared down the highway. “Niece, are you alright?” Manco was at her side in a moment, speaking in his normal voice and manner. He clapped her on the shoulder. “I'm fine,” Twilight said, wishing she felt steadier. She hadn't been this afraid of the Shonokin even when she fought them in the Dream realm. So why did they bother her here? Oh, yeah, the whole no really useful magic thing. “You're sure you're fine, young miss?” The draft-pony built man asked her. He set the wrench down and wiped his hands on a cloth in one pocket before shaking her hand. His accent reminded her a little of Applejack's “I'm Duffy Parr, miss, and let me apologize for what just happened here. I'd never have let those fellows get their gas here if I knew they'd act like that. It's double worse they did it to kin of a good customer like Mister Manco here.” “It's alright, Duffy.” Chief Manco just shook his head. “That had nothing to do with you. We've had, ah, dealings with those people before.” He reached into one pocket and took out a roll of bills. Twilight stared at the roll. Oh, so they use paper money like Canterlot High, not coin. “You put that back, Mister Manco,” Duffy waved one hand in dismissal. “I won't take a penny, not after what happened here.” Chief Manco looked at him, nodded, and replaced the money. It wasn’t until the other man disappeared inside that Twilight spoke. “They’re in Chorazin.” She pointed out the direction that the younger Shonokin had. “One of them told me. West of here, less than five miles.” Obviously a distance measurement, though she had no idea how far “five miles” was in Equestrian furlongs. “Hm, Chorazin.” Chief Manco rubbed his chin and frowned. “Bad name for a bad place. I seem to recall that the Gospels had little good to say about its namesake, though John could tell you more about that. And M. R. James wrote a rather frightening story about it, said that anyone who undertook what he called the Black Pilgrimage to Chorazin would walk after death as something like a vampire and have demons for helpers.” Twilight thought about what the Shonokin said about never fearing death, and having Nightmare Moon for help, and gulped. Mister Manco nodded and said, “Back in medieval times, John's ancestors thought that the Antichrist would be born there before he enslaved the world.” “Oh.” Twilight blinked. She wasn't sure she got all of that, but it didn't sound good. “But those are just stories, aren't they?” Twilight, John the Balladeer and everything in his world were just stories someone made up. Twilight gulped. She wished she hadn't remembered Sunset Shimmer's words quite so well right then. Maybe this place was a fiction, but she felt the heat of the sun cutting the morning chill, heard the wind whickering through the trees and the thrumming whoosh of vehicles passing on the road, smelled the nose-burning scent of their liquid fuel. She heard the words Mister Manco spoke and remembered how frightened she felt when the Shonokin confronted her. If this world was a fiction, made up by someone else, then since she was in it, didn't that make it either real for her, or make her a fiction, a part of the story? Very little of any of this was comforting. “Twi,” a familiar voice whispered from the truck bed, “Mister Manco, are y'all alright? I was 'bout ready ta jump those skunks they didn't stop hassling Twilight.” “It's okay, Applejack,” Twilight lifted a corner of the tarp and looked at her. Applejack's green eyes almost glowed back at her. The palomino was dirty and would need a bath after this, but she was okay otherwise. Twilight gave her a reassuring pat on her velvet nose. “They're gone.” “Good.” Applejack shifted her gaze to Mister Manco. “Ah heard some o' what ya were saying there. Ya really think this place is gonna be that bad?” “I'm afraid we'll find out, Miss Applejack,” He took the tarp and set it back down over Applejack. He looked back at Twilight. “False or true,” Mister Manco said to her as they got back into the truck, “we're going to find out what's going on with the Shonokin in Chorazin.” The engine started with a grind-and-vroom, and they were off. Twilight supposed Mister Manco must know the local roads; she tried keeping track but got lost after the fourth or fifth turn down a narrow barely-paved lane surrounded by trees. Pine trees, most of them, and getting more common. She turned back to Manco and saw how he'd noticed her paying them attention. “There's an old argument that Shonokin may have meant something like 'Pine Man' once,” Mister Manco said. He chuckled. “Of course, there's other old stories about us Cherokee too, how we were some of the Lost Tribes of Israel, or descended from Prince Madoc and his Welsh, or Mound Builders from lost Atlantis, or the like.” “That reminds me of back home,” Twilight thought back to the oldest history accounts she'd read, once almost as much legend or epic as pure history. Not even Celestia could tell her much about them; she and Luna came along later. “When the Three Tribes fled the windigos,” she noticed how Mister Manco started, “and first entered Equestria, they found very, very old buildings made in ways nopony understood. Not even the deer or buffalo could tell anypony who made them, but they had bad reputations for being places to avoid.” “What my folk would have called bad medicine,” Mister Manco nodded, closely watching the road as he did. “Like the Old Stone Fort in Tennessee, or the mines of the Ancients in Black Pine Hollow or the Toe River Country, that may have been worked even before my people came into these mountains and had them stolen from us.” Twilight thought. “If that's true, then doesn't it mean that the Shonokin do have some right on their side?” “Possibly,” Mister Manco nodded. “I could more easily support their arguments if they hadn't fought my people with witchcraft and poison, or done their best to kill friends of mine. Or myself either, for that matter.” He looked off to the side. “Anyway, from what I was told and remember, here's the way that leads as close to Chorazin as we can get.” He turned down what looked to be the narrowest road yet, the nastiest trail Twilight had ever seen outside of the Everfree Forest. The branches of the pine trees scraped the sides of the truck like long bony fingers. It felt like they pressed in around and above them like hungry griffons in some old horror story, hungry but patient enough to wait for them to get too tired to fight back or run. She began to wonder if they would ever stop when suddenly the truck came to a halt. “Here we are,” Mister Manco got out of the truck. She joined him and saw Applejack jump down lightly from the back. The palomino shook herself, tossing her mane and tail. Before them the pine trees began to thin out, growing short and crooked in a triangle that ran uphill from where they stood. “There was a fire here, maybe a year or so ago,” Applejack walked over to one of those trees and poked at it. As she did Twilight changed her earlier opinion. The trees weren't pines; the needles looked almost like a coat of hair, and their bark looked somehow fleshy. Applejack gave back with a snort and pinned ears. “Ugh! Ah don't like trees what feel warm when ya touch 'em! 'Leastways Ah'll be able ta see what's goin' on ahead. Ah'll be goin' off ta the side, watching an' staying out o' sight while you an' Mister Manco go down the main path here.” She went to Twilight and nuzzled her hand. “Both of ya, be careful.” With those words Applejack headed out, moving carefully. In moments she was gone from sight. “At least we were left a road to follow,” Mister Manco pointed at a broad trail of pressed down grass that wound among the short trees. The grass in it looked pale and sickly, almost dead like the Sunny Town ponies had passed by, their very presence draining it of life. Or the trail of some immense worm or slug. Twilight regretted that thought as soon as she had it. She followed him along the trail. Even with the trees thinned out, it felt somehow less sunny around here than it had back in the pine forest. Twilight looked up and saw heavy clouds overhead, but not rain clouds. Rain clouds would be dark. These were, but they looked more like a cloud of soot or something painted pitch black and draped across the sky like a sunshade. It reminded her all too well of Nightmare Moon's coat, blocking the sun and chilling the air in preparation for Endless Night. She caught a glimpse of something flying overhead, too high up to be more than a speck pulsing like wingbeats. Then whatever it was ducked behind one of those black clouds and was gone Mister Manco moved very quietly ahead of her, walking along as though he'd gone this way every day of his life. Twilight followed as best as she could, but in the back of her mind she kept running over what they would do if this turned out to be where Nightmare Moon was. She and her friends embodied the Elements now, but would they work in this world? And if not, then what? Kill Nightmare Moon? She swallowed. Would that even be possible? Was the Tantabus even alive? And what would happen to Princess Luna if she lost the majority of her power? Permanently? On the other hoof, what if they didn't and the Shonokin and the Nightmare conquered first this world and then Equestria? Focus on what's at hand, and worry about those other things later. And then they came out of even those small trees and looked downslope at what must be Chorazin. At first glance it resembled a Ponyville even smaller than Sky Notch, with a hoof-full of houses and larger buildings, streets running between them, here and there one of those self-propelled vehicles parked in front. In the center of the town stood the largest building, rising into a small tower like but not like Ponyville’s town hall with the two vans from Sky Notch parked at its base. But as Twilight and Mister Manco got closer she saw the buildings seemed wrong – more grown than built. The street between them twisted and turned, not quite following the contours of the slope, more like a pattern she couldn’t identify. No… Wait… She stopped short. So did Manco, his eyes asking a question. “It’s a magical resonance pattern,” she said as quietly as she could without whispering. “The way those houses and streets are laid out.” She traced the lines and patterns in the air; Mister Manco followed her gestures. “Back home, an arrangement like that would concentrate and amplify magical energy through constructive interference. I’ve never seen this particular pattern before, but if it’s anything like Equestrian magic that tower would be its focus.” “Yuh.” Manco’s voice came from beside her, just as quiet as hers. “You are sure of this?” “Not completely. This world’s magic is too different to be sure; you don’t have a background magic flow to tap. But if this were Equestria…” “They’re setting up a ritual working.” His voice was quiet, like he was remembering something. “As they attempted in Araby, thirty years ago.” He looked around, then frowned down at the town, his eyes scanning it like a griffin’s. “I don't see any Shonokin about,” he returned to a more normal voice. “Or anyone else.” He looked up at the clouds. Twilight noticed that they seemed to hang like a ceiling here over the town. “Where are they all at?” “Maybe everyone's off at their work?” Twilight suggested. “Yes, but what sort of work?” Mister Manco resumed walking towards the town. Twilight followed him. “Remember,” he said softly, just enough to be heard. “You're my niece Twila from Oklahoma, home from college, who asked her uncle to show her some of the old ghost towns in these mountains. If we encounter anyone, we play dumb. We didn't know that Chorazin was being re-settled, and if anyone makes complaint we just apologize and leave.” They were on the outskirts now. Twilight looked upslope and saw Applejack apparently grazing. Mister Manco's gaze followed hers and he chuckled. “Oh, don't worry about her. From this distance she just looks like a little lost horse, which I suppose she is, and she can run faster than any Shonokin.” “If there are any Shonokin here,” Twiilight said, walking along what seemed to be a street. Houses rose on either side. Some had been beaten down by time and the elements, the dingy grey of weathered wood with broken windows and hanging boards and gaps in the shingles, old and sad and forgotten. But they still looked more inviting than the other houses. Those seemed grown from the earth, like mushrooms, and like mushrooms their roofs were more like overhanging hoods or caps studded with growths like lichens. The walls were neither wood nor stone, but something smooth like an organic brown plaster. No chimney either, or even a proper door, just something like a stiff drape set across of some dark material. The windows hung low and were set oddly. Like they were eyes, with the drapes behind them eyelids drooping as though half asleep. Or hooded like a snake about to strike. The whole effect was like some giant carnivorous plant. Twilight took another step or two out into the road away from those houses. She noticed Mister Manco didn't seem eager to approach them either. She suddenly wondered if those Shonokin houses were alive, like the “Gardinel” from John’s dream. If she got too close, would those window-eyes snap open, those door-drapes whip back, and maybe something like a tongue come whipping out to pull her back in with it? Hoping to distract herself Twilight glanced at the plants as she walked through the village. They weren't much better. Sickly and somehow wrong, with flowers that looked like hard leering faces, three different colors growing on the same plant whose blossoms hung like tiny chunks of torn meat, shaped almost like hands. Like something from the Age of Discord. They also moved like hands, hands with claws, as though seeking to grasp something. It must be the breeze. “No wind,” Mister Manco softly said beside her. He pointed at those flowers, at their big slobby leaves running with thick red veins that curled around the side of those mushroom-houses like they were sucking blood from them. The hand-blossoms seemed to lightly scratch at the wall. “Not even a breeze. Why are they moving? It's like they want to grab someone.” “Mister Manco, let's deny them the chance,” Twilight followed him deeper into the village. She wondered if Applejack could still see them from where she was. More of those plants grew here, big enough to be trees, with those hands hanging down from them like they wanted to strangle somepony. Also tall stalks like corn, with what looked almost like apples hanging from them, but the fruit was colored livid purple, poison blue, slimy black, again all on the same stalk. Was this was served the Shonokin for crops? “Good day to you both.” As though the thought itself served as a summoning, half a dozen Shonokin stood before them. Twilight couldn't see where they'd come from or even how. She felt her heart sink to see in front of several of them the one she'd spoken to in the Dream realms. A robed figure stood behind them, hidden in a long black cloak that hung to the ground, face invisible under its hood. “Oh, hello, sir,” Twilight quickly said, smiling and hoping she looked more surprised than frightened. I so wish I had my magic now! “I'm sorry, I was told Chorazin was abandoned, my uncle,” she waved her hand at Mister Manco, “promised to show it to me.” “Really?” The Shonokin leader cocked an eyebrow. He turned to Manco. “You took this charming young lady to an abandoned town, sir?” “Wagh,” Mister Manco said again in that deep growly voice he'd used back in town, but even deeper now. He folded his arms across his chest. “Yes. Me Reuben Manco, me Twila's uncle. Twila niece, she go white man school, learnum good. Come back home, visit Uncle Reuben, say want learnum more of old time, want learnum what happen old ghost towns.” Twilight cringed but kept her smile up. She saw the Shonokin were paying less attention to Manco as he finished. “Me not know people still in Chorazin, think miners all leave long ago. Me sorry. Me and Twila leave, no bother white men no more.” “I see. Thank you, Mister Manco.” The Shonokin leader turned his heel on Manco like he was the dirt under his shoes. The other Shonokin ignored him as well. As they turned back to her Twilight caught a warning glance from him. The Shonokin leader smiled at Twilight. “Miss, if you do indeed want to learn about our town, perhaps we can help you over here in my home. It's effectively our town hall.” “Oh, no, thank you, sir,” Twilight moved to Chief Manco's side as she spoke. “I was interested in abandoned towns and this one is still occupied. Uncle Reuben and I will be going now.” Suddenly the robed figure stepped forward and seized her by the wrist. Twilight gasped at the strength in that grip, gasped more when she saw the skin of that hand was dead black. Not a dark earth color like some humans she'd seen, but the darkness between the stars. She looked up, at the faceless void inside the cloak’s hood. Turquoise dragon eyes shined from that void beneath purple lids. “You will go nowhere, Twilight Sparkle,” Nightmare Moon’s voice hissed in Equestrian. A voice different than Twilight remembered, without any trace of Luna in it. She tried to pull back, winced in pain as the Nightmare tightened her grip. “I have Luna's power now; did you think I could not match what you could do and take lesser form? You thought to sneak your magic past me? I will enjoy making you suffer for that stupidity!” The cloak-hood turned to the Shonokin, and that inequine voice hissed again – in John’s language. “I care nothing for that old fool; do as you will with him. But this one is going to give me her magic when I take her life –” Something like a blue bolt shot into the Nightmare's face from above, smashing the cloak empty into the dirt as a blue-black mist boiled out of it, sparkling like stars. Nightmare Moon’s shriek turned into a whinny as the nebular mist began to reform – into the shape of a Princess-sized alicorn. Twilight stared. “Rainbow Dash!” “JUST RUN, TWI!” Dash started bucking and kicking in all directions. The Shonokin jumped back with pained yells as some of those kicks landed. Twilight didn't hesitate. With Mister Manco and Dash right on her heels, she turned and ran.