Nighttime in Ponyville; a time when the hustle and bustle of the day finally quell and cools. It was a peaceful moment, and no pony ever felt endangered. There were, of course, many reasons for it, but in general, it was rare for anything bad to happen here. For yearlings like Snips and Snail, they could play around with little chance of their fun being stopped. Kicking a ball around was about as much excitement they wanted to have this night. Neither expected anything to happen to them, despite being near the dangerous Everfree Forest.
Giggling, Snips kicked the ball towards his friend. “Go long, Snail!”
“I got it!” The ball went overhead, but Snips only chuckled and chased after it.
As the goofy unicorn colt trotted over to the ball, nearly about to pick it up, he began to feel something eerie. Everything around him became misty and dark. He had no clue what was going on; it scared him.
“Um, Snips….”
“S-S-S-S-S-S….” The overweight pony could barely speak. His eye had already caught sight of something scary.
The thin amber unicorn did not want to see the same, but his curiosity drove him to spy. He peered towards the forest, and his regret became immediate as his face turned pale, and he stuttered to say anything. Snips could not muster the same as he exhibited the same signs now. Neither wanted to stay any longer.
“Ahhhh!” The two colts galloped away in a terrified panic. Neither had any coordination, tripping over the other as they rushed back home.
“More Than Meets the Eye”
On a bright new day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are, once again, at Golden Oaks Library. Kero joined them as well but not just to get out of Sakura’s house. An important matter needed settling. After the events with Watery, the group asked Dinky to meet up with them at the library. Her curiosity, too, desired to know more about the group.
“Whoa…” Dinky looked at the fillies, amazed after hearing their story. “I’ve read about Clow Reed before in magic books, but this…!”
Dinky looked at the table where she could see the Book of Clow. Her eyes held much joy and awe for the item. Behind her, the Cutie Mark Crusaders appeared astounded by their classmate’s acknowledgment.
“What I read made him sound absolutely amazing!” Dinky became utterly excited. “He’s personally my favorite of the classical magicians.”
The filly did impress Kero, on the other hand. The little plushie-looking creature held nothing but respect and admiration for his creator and old master. To see someone else show similar feelings about Clow Reed, he could not help but feel endeared a little to the new pony.
“To think you guys found his book here, in Ponyville, of all places!”
Sweetie Belle became curious. “I didn’t know you were so into magic this much.”
“Well….” Dinky blushed slightly with embarrassment. “My mom thought I could use any book she could find to help me with my magic.”
Sakura smiled warmly at the periwinkle filly. “That’s so sweet of her.”
Kero’s impression of the filly grew further. “And her devotion to your studies allowed you to use a Clow card very well. I’d say it’s paid off.”
The praise made Dinky happy. “Thank you”
Scootaloo soon got everyone back on point. “Okay, that’s all good, but now you understand why you can’t tell anyone else about our card-capturing thing.”
Dinky nodded. “Yes! Of course! I won’t tell anyone!”
“Thanks!” Sweetie Belle could not be more ecstatic over the understanding.
“That’s a relief.” Apple Bloom felt content with the discussion.
But Tomoyo realized something immediately. “But since she knows our little secret, maybe we can make her a member of our group….”
The other group members looked at Tomoyo, then each other, and finally, to Dinky herself. No one thought about expanding membership beforehand though a key goal for their group. Dinky did not have her cutie mark either. The group immediately offered their classmate the choice.
“I mean….” Dinky appeared a little uneasy. “Would you really want a ditz like me…?”
Sakura grew a little mad though not at her classmate. She understood why the unicorn felt this way, and she acted upon helping her. “We don’t care what anyone calls you or thinks of you.”
Taking up Dinky’s hoof, who became surprised by Sakura’s tone, the pink unicorn continued her speech full of confidence. “You are amazing, and you’re our friend. We’ll support you no matter if you become a crusader or not.”
Apple Bloom smiled and nodded. “Darn tootin’!”
“Absolutely!” Sweetie Belle shared the same sentiment.
Scootaloo tried to play it casually. “It’s cool with me.”
Tomoyo chimed in as well. “Of course.”
Even Kero spoke, “It would be good to have another set of eyes to watch out for the Clow cards and give us some help….”
Dinky could not stop smiling after hearing all of that. She did not have an immediate answer for the group and wanted to think over the offer. Everyone understood, and their friend parted with them for the time being.
With their duties done at the Golden Oaks Library, the Cutie Mark Crusaders left to continue their quest to earn their cutie marks. Kero hid in Sakura’s saddlebag, not wanting to be discovered. A full schedule filled their day with activities, but the group noticed a commotion nearby before they could start. Many ponies with curious and worried expressions stood by listening to someone. Their frantic yelling could be heard over the crowd that drew the group to discover the source. Once through the ponies, the group found Snips and Snails at the center of everyone’s attention.
“It was like something out of a nightmare!” Snips sounded terrified.
Snail expressed the same sentiment. “I’d never seen something so horrifying in my life!”
Snips began pleading with the crowd. “We saw it at the edge of the woods! We were just minding our own business, honest!”
“I saw something too!” A Pegasus pony in the crowd spoke up immediately. “I couldn’t believe my eyes!”
An Earth pony said something as well. “When I walked by a few days, I nearly fainted from seeing it!”
Many more ponies confessed their sightings of the scary thing. Concern and fear started to spread through the crowd. A notion of bringing up the problem to the mayor came up, and nearly everyone left to do the task. However, the Cutie Mark Crusaders did not follow. They remained behind as they spoke further on the issue.
“I wonder what it is that’s got everyone spooked.” Apple Bloom felt puzzled by the descriptions given beforehand.
Scootaloo had a thought. “I bet it’s a dragon! The one Rainbow Dash beat-up to save Ponyville!”
“Didn’t they just ask him to leave politely?” Sweetie Belle knew her friend’s claim was a little suspicious.
“Maybe after his beat down.” The Pegasus did not seem too concerned about the facts.
However, Sakura felt a little scared. “That sounds pretty scary. I hope it’s not that…or a ghost!”
Tomoyo tried to reassure her friend. “I think if there was a dragon here, we’d know about them for sure.”
“And ghosts?” Fear laced Sakura’s voice.
“Another chance to get our ghost-busting cutie marks!” Optimism at the prospect of getting a cutie mark in such an endeavor made Scootaloo fearless.
Neither seeing nor sensing anyone around, Kero thought he comment as well though quietly. “Whatever it is, be careful. If the adult ponies are getting frightened by this thing, then it might be dangerous.”
Scootaloo seemed confident, nonetheless. “We got plenty of Clow Cards now! I bet we could easily take down a dragon! Or anything else for that matter.”
“I guess everything will work all right….” Sakura still felt unsure.
The others shared the same lack of confidence, but they all agreed to search for this thing scaring everyone. So, later that day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders arrived at the Everfree Forest’s edge, the location of all the commotion. The slowly setting sun painted the ordinarily blue sky a darkening orange and light yellow. It made the forest appear dark and scary, which began to frighten some of the group.
“So, we haven’t found anything yet. Can we go home now?” Sweetie Belle could not stand how creepy the forest grew by the second.
Unsurprisingly, Scootaloo felt the same. “Y-Yeah, maybe everyone’s just been seeing things.”
“I don’t know….” Sakura appeared unsure and unafraid. “I feel something here….”
Kero looked at Sakura, surprised. “You do too?”
Before anything more could be done, a strange mist began rolling from Everfree Forest. It spooked the group, and they immediately huddled together from fear. As the sun fell behind the buildings, the forest became more eerie and dark. And yet, through the fog and shade, there approached a figure within it. Closer it came to the fillies, and it tried stretching out an appendage towards them.
“AAAH!” All the fillies and Kero screamed except Tomoyo, who appeared more surprised than scared.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Kero took off for town, Tomoyo dragged along by Sakura in their panic. They fled all the way back to Golden Oaks Library, like a howling – actually, terrified – gust of wind. Running straight to this library winded most of the fillies before they could go inside. Tomoyo looked over them with concern as she patiently waited for all of them to recover.
“That…!” Nearly breathless, Scootaloo could barely speak, being so frightened. “That was too close!”
Sweetie Belle could barely think straight. “I can’t believe there was an actual dragon there!”
Sakura looked at her friend, puzzled. “Dragon? That ghost was too scary!”
“Ghost? I only saw that big blue dragon.” Now Apple Bloom was baffled.
The confusion continued through the group. Sweetie Belle stated, “No, the dragon was red.”
“Were you guys seeing things?” Kero, too, was perplexed. “That dragon was long and green.”
“It was a yellow!” Scootaloo declared with certainty. “And had huge muscles!”
Tomoyo began noticing a trend. “It sounds like everyone saw something different back there….”
Sakura asked, “Did you see something different?”
“I saw the penguin slide from the park. It was more surprising than scary.”
Kero picked up a trend among the accounts. “So, everyone here saw something different back there. And me and Sakura were sensing something back there….”
Everyone looked at the floating plushie with bated breath. Kero then announced, “I think this is the work of a Clow Card!”
The group decided that they needed to return to the forest. But first, everyone had to return home before worrying about their parents or guardians. After dinner and pretending to go to bed, each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders snuck out and met again at the town’s limit near the Everfree Forest. This time, due to the nature of the card, the group decided it would be best to let only Sakura confront it. The others supported from a distance. As always, Tomoyo came prepared with another piece of superb fashion for Sakura.
Using a rabbit theme, Tomoyo fashioned a cute and warm outfit. She wore pink bunny ears on her head with her small horn partially covered by a light blue sleeve. The color matched that of the one-piece suit that had a yellow puffball adorning the chest area. Around her front legs, she had puffy pink sleeves. Her mane tail became wrapped up and made into a cottontail to further display the idea. Like always, Kero had a matching accessory of a pink ball and blue ribbon. They were ready to make their attempt to make the capture.
“Here you guys go.” Sakura handed a card to each of her participating friends with confidence.
“Fly card!” Scootaloo became the first to use her card. As her magic poured into the card, the item used it, in turn, to enwrap her tiny wings and magically enlarge them to five times their size.
The normally flightless Pegasus became ecstatic. “Awesome!”
Before Scootaloo could take off, Tomoyo stopped her as she had something to give the group. She handed each one a compact-like device with the Cutie Mark Crusader’s symbol on it as well as a speaker. A red button could be seen on the side with an antenna on the other side. Each also had a necklace attached at the top. She told the group, “My mother made these at her company. I thought we could test them.”
“Cool!” Apple Bloom now became ecstatic. “Thanks, Tomoyo!”
Prepared, the Cutie Mark Crusaders went into action. As she did every time, Tomoyo recorded everything on her Transponder Snail. Kero floated near her to keep an eye on everything. With her enhanced wings, Scootaloo took off to gain a bird’s eye view. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle took distanced positions with their cards, the Wood and the Windy, ready to strike if needed. That left Sakura to courageously confront whatever waited in the forest.
“I’m not sure if I can do this….” Sakura, though, had second thoughts.
Tomoyo reassured her best friend. “Just try to imagine something that always makes you happy….”
Sakura took the advice to heart and softly let out a breath to think and calm her nerves. Once she had something in her mind, making her smile, the filly did not waste another moment. She trotted forward to the forest’s edge. All her friends readied themselves as they watched on carefully. Unfortunately, like before, a mist began rolling in and hindering their vision. None of them could see through the thick fog. All of them tried to communicate with Sakura in worry and concern.
“Are you alright!” asked Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle asked out as well, “Should I use the Windy card now?”
“I—” Sakura stopped as she caught sight of something.
In front of her, a distance away, Sakura could see a figure in the mist: the same as before. It surprised her at first, but she started to sense something different. She kept her guard up as she proceeded forward cautiously. A figure appeared as the filly got closer until it suddenly became discernable. The reveal shocked Sakura. She saw a beautiful mare with a flowing, wavy, and dark silver mane. Her snow-white coat made her almost ethereal in appearance, and her emerald eyes captivated the young filly. She recognized the pony instantly.
“M-Mom?!”
Everyone heard Sakura speak, and they were confused. They knew that Sakura’s mother had passed away years ago. All of them shared the same worry, and they rushed in to search for their friend. The mist dissipated as the group approached and found Sakura no longer nearby.
“Sakura!” Apple Bloom immediately tried calling out. There came no response.
Sweetie Belle used their walkie-talkies to get her to speak. “Sakura! Where are you?!”
Tomoyo expressed her worry. “You don’t think she went into Everfree Forest, do you?”
“I’ll search from above!” Scootaloo took to the sky quickly upon realizing that notion.
High above Everfree Forest, Scootaloo searched out for Sakura. The thick canopy, along with the night’s shroud, made it difficult to see anything below the tree line, even with the crescent moonlight shining down. She scanned with haste regardless, searching twice over within a small area. It began to look hopeless until she caught something from the corner of her eye. A gap in the trees revealed a dilapidated castle surrounded partially by a gorge. She swiftly flew to it and, upon getting closer, noticed a soft glow in the open space between the landmarks. A floating mare beckoned Sakura closer to the cliff that she did not see.
“Sakura!” The Pegasus dived down in a panicked hurry.
The Cardcaptor did not hear her friend, too enthralled by the image of her mother in front of her. She continued her walk to the mare, her eyes full of both joy and sadness. As she stretched out to reach for her mother, Sakura did not notice walking off the cliff.
“Mom—!” As her mother disappeared, Sakura soon saw her descent into the dark chasm.
Before she could let out a scream in fright, something grabbed hold of her body. The initial shock of falling paralyzed Sakura but her senses returned to her as her rescuer pulled her back onto solid ground. Scootaloo arrived just a second later when she saw Sakura being saved. She immediately recognized the pony, though, not actually one. Like an adult, the equine had black-and-white stripes across her body: a zebra. Her mane was styled in a mohawk, sharing the same color pattern. Gold ringlets adorn her neck and left front leg with golden earrings. But much like a pony, her flank bore something like a cutie mark resembling a sun.
Scootaloo proclaimed, “Zecora!”
After setting Sakura down, the mystic zebra looked to see her filly friend. “My, Scootaloo, I did not expect to see you! Could you tell me a thing or two?”
“I saw this filly, wandering alone. She nearly fell from this drop zone. And you, with wings so defying. Tell me, how is it you are now flying?”
Not sure how to answer, Scootaloo recommended that they return to town before she, or Sakura, could answer Zecora. Scootaloo managed to take Zecora and Sakura back to others, just barely above the tree line. Upon landing, the others met them, shocked to see the zebra. Kero hid when he noticed their new arrival. But before they could discuss Zecora, everyone wanted to know what happened with Sakura.
“I…saw my mother….” Sakura felt befuddled. “I just…I really wanted to talk to her again. I didn’t realize I had walked nearly off a cliff.”
Scootaloo did not understand. “What about the dragon?”
“All I saw was my mom….” The filly began feeling distressed. “Why did she bring me to that canyon.”
“Yeah! You nearly fell!” The Pegasus brought up a good point.
Sakura felt confused. “But my mom would never do that….”
“It’s okay, Sakura.” Tomoyo tried comforting her best friend, giving her a soft hug. “You’re lucky Ms. Zecora was around to catch you.”
“That was close….” Apple Bloom looked over to the zebra happily. “Thanks for your help, Zecora.”
The zebra smiled. “Of course, young Apple Bloom. I am more than happy to save your friend from doom.”
The pink filly smiled back. “Thank you so much….”
“I am glad you are safe now, child. But please tell me, what brought you out to the wild?” Zecora then looked keenly at Tomoyo’s bag.
“Though, if you cannot answer me, perhaps your little friend can answer my plea?”
None of the Cutie Mark Crusaders knew how to respond. As for Kero, he realized that hiding any further would be pointless. He flew out of Tomoyo’s saddlebag, much to the group’s shock. The little creature assured the group it would be fine, and he then presented himself before the zebra. A quick explanation gave the mare everything she needed to know.
“My, what a task to receive, but a noble one to achieve. Do not fret. I will keep secret this threat. But even so, I do feel your woe. May I offer my assistance, should you continue in your persistence?”
“Would you really help us,” said Sweetie Belle overjoyed.
“For you, I would come through. We are friends. I would not let you meet your ends. In any way I can, I will help you form a plan.”
Kero could not help but be skeptical. “I’m not even sure what we’re dealing with here. May be too dangerous to actually continue….”
Sakura then remembered an important detail. “No, we can’t. If everyone from earlier tells the mayor and she does something, a lot more ponies could be hurt.”
The thought of other ponies getting hurt made the filly mad but determined. “I won’t let what nearly happened to me happen to anyone else!”
Zecora beamed proudly. “Well said, young pony, with you, I agree. It’s time for action if we are to bring this story to a satisfaction.”
“But what do we do?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“For your question, I have a suggestion.” Zecora walked over to Sakura. She then gave the filly a piece of cloth.
“Blind yourself from all you are seeing if you want to defeat this being.”
Tomoyo asked, “Is that a good idea? She’ll need to use her wand and her cards.”
Kero explained, “Magic isn’t so much about gestures as is about will and imagination. If Sakura’s intentions are clear, she’ll be able to use the cards’ magic.”
The zebra nodded. “He is correct. It is something I know to great effect.”
“Of course,” Kero looked to his Cardcaptor sympathetically, “only if you want to, Sakura.”
“I do!” Sakura placed on the blind determinedly.
Apple Bloom shared in her friend’s tenacity. “Then we’ll help guide ya!”
Sakura smiled happily. “Thanks….”
Like before, the participating Cutie Mark Crusaders positioned themselves at a distance to direct their member. Through the use of their communication toys, each member relayed direction and description of her surroundings. Sakura trusted her friends to guide her. Tomoyo stood by continuing to film with Kero and Zecora by her. The latter keeping an eye out just in case. So far, the fillies have done well as Sakura approached the forest slowly. The mist soon appeared around the Cardcaptor but did not hinder the group’s visual. From the forest, once again, a figure approached Sakura appearing like her mother. Voicelessly, she tried beckoning the filly towards her, but she did not fall for this ploy again. The being became distressed by the lacking emotions, her appearance became distorted. A stain glass image flashed by quickly but not so much that Kero could not see it.
“I recognize that pattern!” Kero floated to Tomoyo to speak into the compact communicator. “Sakura! It’s a Clow card!”
As an open-way communication, the others heard the plushie too. Sweetie Belle directed her friend immediately. “It’s right in front of you!”
Without any hesitation, Sakura raised her staff. “Return to the form you were meant to be…Clow Card!”
Lowering her staff, the figure’s form completely vanished to reveal a stain-glass window appearance. It became enwrapped with magic and shrunk down to the size of a card. Sakura soon finished the ritual and took hold of the newly formed Clow card, titled “The Illusion.” Around her, the mist disappeared that allowed her friends to approach her.
Kero arrived first to look at the card. “Yep, that’s what I thought. The Illusion card. It has the power to look into one’s mind to depict their wants, hopes, dreams, and fears.”
He looked over to the other three Cutie Mark Crusaders as he further analyzed the situation. “Because those three and me were thinking about a dragon, we saw one, but we each had our own version. Sakura was more afraid of it being a ghost….”
Tomoyo soon realized the connection. “And because Sakura was so nervous, I told her to think of something that would ease her nerves.”
“I thought about my mom….” Sakura looked at the card amazedly. “Even if I don’t remember her much, she always gives me comfort when I’m scared or nervous.”
Apple Bloom smiled warmly. “That’s so sweet….”
Sakura smiled back, grateful for the compassion. “I’m just glad that my mother wasn’t really stuck in the forest and hurting people….”
Everyone soon returned home. The group thanked Zecora for her understanding and help, promising to visit for tea sometime soon. And so, the night passed, and the sun brought the new day to Ponyville. Its bright light awoke many but poor Sakura, tired from last night, arose much later. Sakura rushed through her morning routine while her family did their best to accommodate. Once finished with breakfast, Sakura hurried out to get to school.
But before leaving, Sakura stopped at her mother’s photo and smiled warmly. “I’m off to school, Mom!”
Watching on, Touya wanted to make a teasing comment. He stopped when he caught sight of something miraculous. Unseen by the Sakura, there floated an angelic being. Touya recognized her as his and Sakura’s mother, and he could not believe his eyes. The heavenly mother noticed the stare coming from her son, and she bashfully explained herself. Only Touya could hear her, though.
“I was a little worried, so I thought I’d drop by.” Nadeshiko then smiled warmly. “But it looks like she’s doing fine….”
Sakura, not realizing it, then spoke to her family before leaving. “See you all later, okay?!”
As Sakura left, Nadeshiko disappeared without a trace. Touya did not know what to make of the situation, but he kept quiet for Sakura’s sake.
‘I’m done scaring Sakura with ghost stories….’ Touya then drank his coffee and ate his breakfast in peace.
To Be Continued...