Chapter Seven:
A Waking Nightmare
Fancy Pants didn’t consider himself to be a superstitious pony.
Logic and reason were the foundations for being a gentlecolt after all, and he had long stopped being afraid of the dark. However, he had to admit that the moon kissed Everfree Forest was definitely rather eerie and having to track down his young apprentice in this dark, barely explored forest filled with creatures of all kinds made him feel the most scared he's ever felt in his life.
Yet he kept a stoic air about him, no matter how shaken he truly was. For if he lost his cool, he would endanger both him and the pegasus mare who accompanied him: Fluttershy.
The split from Applejack’s group had been a rather messy one, with the agreed end time for the investigation, 6 PM, getting ever closer when Pip disappeared. However, Applejack had let Fancy go on one condition: if they took a pack of fireworks with them that Rainbow Dash had acquired from town on short notice. It was an odd request, but it did make sense when she explained it.
“If ya’ll get in trouble or find Pip, light those suckers up and Rainbow Dash will be there with her team lickety split.” She had said, clearly not eager to enact this plan. Even without the guarantee of assistance, Fancy would have gone alone without complaint. But Fluttershy, of all ponies, had volunteered to tag along with him with the insistence he will need a guide home.
The unicorn smiled at Fluttershy when he looked back at her, her yellow coat stained orange from the light originating from his horn “Thank you again for accompanying me, Ms. Fluttershy.”
The mare shook her head, clearly shivering with fright “I-It’s fine. I couldn’t j-just sit by and let you go a-alone.”
Fancy nodded to her and went back to examining the trail he had picked up. Wherever Pip had gone, he had been in a hurry. His hoofprints were close together and foliage had been pushed aside harshly to clear his path. Further analysis revealed that there were no shadowing prints, meaning he wasn’t being chased or hunted by something else as far as Fancy could tell.
A distant roar from deeper in the forest made his heart skip a beat and he felt a warm mass rush to his side, trembling horribly. Adjusting his monocle, he continued forward “A manticore. About four miles away, I believe.”
“T-T-That’s a little close.” Fluttershy got out through chattering teeth as she remained magnetized to his right flank.
“We should be fine, Ms. Fluttershy. Just stay within my light and everything should be-”
“L-Look out!”
Fancy stopped in his tracks instantly and put all his senses of max alert, glancing about for any sign of a threat. Catching a shimmer in front of him, Fancy ceased his swiveling and saw a pony sized spider web woven between two trees, dotted with tens of imprisoned insects. The head sized spider who owned the web was sitting in the dead center before the light shone in its many eyes, causing it to retreat further up the web into the shadows.
“Goodness. Much obliged, Ms. Fluttershy.” Fancy said with a nod of the head. Casually, he gave the large web one last glance and went to go around it, stopping when he saw something odd. Sitting on the western most side of the web was a small, orange feather that glistened with evening dew under the light. This wouldn’t be so odd, after all the wind could blow any stray bird feather into a spider web, but the shape and size is what caught Fancy’s attention immediately. Carefully, he channeled his telekinesis spell alongside his light spell and gently pulled the feather from the intricate weave, the concentration giving Fancy a minor headache.
“There we are.” He announced, holding the feather in his aura “Ms. Fluttershy, it is normally unbefitting of a gentlecolt to ask this, but may I please borrow a feather?”
“O-Oh! S-Sure.” She replied and winced as she pulled a sample from her wing, handing it Fancy with her teeth.
“Thank you.” He juggled both feathers in his magic and held them close, squinting as he looked at the finer details of the feathers “I see. There is no mistaking it, this is a Pegasus’s wing feather. And the size difference indicates it could only come from a filly.”
“S-Scootaloo...” Fluttershy said mournfully, head hanging low. Fancy’s forehead creased as he put a hoof to his chin. Coincidences happen all the time, Fancy knew, but finding a clue to his initial investigation while on the trail of his missing apprentice?
“I feel like we’re getting closer, Ms. Fluttershy.” He declared and put the feathers away in his saddle bag. It was then he noticed just how downcast the Pegasus truly was as she gave a sniffle, keeping her eyes to the ground. He approached her and placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder “We’ll find them, Fluttershy. I won’t rest until I do.”
She raised her head and forced a smile, nodding as she wiped the beginning of tears from her eyes “I-I know, thank you Mr. Fancy.”
“Now, let us-”
Piercing through the night air and cutting Fancy off utterly was a loud, horrified scream that seemed only a short distance away. Fluttershy reacted with a wail of her own and cowered behind the stallion. Fancy’s brain kicked into overdrive as he processed that yell and narrowed the source down to only one result.
His eyes widened in horror.
“That was Pip! Ms. Fluttershy, I need you to go find Rainbow Dash immediately!” He nearly yelled as he looked down at her. She recoiled but stood her ground.
“W-W-What? I can’t leave you, I’ll-”
“Please, Ms. Fluttershy!” Fancy shouted, guilt piercing his chest for cutting her off “I’ll set off the fireworks when I find him but I need you to go and retrieve Rainbow Dash and her team immediately!”
The yellow Pegasus looked incredibly unsure as to what to do at first and felt as if the pressure would drive her to tears. Meeting Fancy’s eyes, however, made her pause. A fire burned behind those gentle blue irises, a determination that would move mountains if it meant saving those he loved.
It reminded her of herself, in a way, as images of a red dragon and a cockatrice flashed in her mind. She bowed her head and rose to her hooves, giving Fancy one last smile before taking flight and weaving between the branches that tried to impede her mission.
Fancy Pants turned on his hooves and galloped toward the direction of his apprentice’s shriek.
He just hoped he was not too late.
-----
“N-No! This can’t be!” Pip screamed as he tried to stand, his limbs heavier than a slab of concrete. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the skeleton no matter how hard he tried, its mouth open to showcase its last living moments of pure agony.
The floor creaked behind him and he whirled his head around to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing side by side in the doorway, their expressions all sorrowful.
“It’s really sad what happened to Ruby.” Scootaloo said, eyes to the burnt floor. Apple Bloom nodded solemnly.
“Yeah. You followed her here too, didn’t ya Pip?” Applebloom inquired, shaking her head “I dunno why she called us all here, to be honest with ya.”
“She wanted us to be a part of a community. To be with ponies who would understand us, right?” Sweetie Belle answered, her tone desperate as if she were grasping for the solution herself “Please, you have to-”
“Join us, Pip.” A fourth pony stepped into view from outside, the three fillies parting to let him pass. It was Greyhoof, who was still all smiles as he looked at the mortified colt “You can be a part of our family too.”
Pip finally found the energy to stand as he looked between the fireplace and the four ponies before him “What are you talking about?!”
“She had the mark, Pip.” Greyhoof said sternly, his eyes losing all joy in that instant “I’m sure you’ve noticed, but we all lack the mark as you do. Those marks…’cutie marks’...bring nothing but misery to those who bear them and those who surround them. We did what we had to do to save our village.”
“You’re insane!” Pip stomped, eyes filled with fury “Cutie marks appear when a pony learns their special talent! The thing that will...g-give their life meaning!” Pip stuttered, trying to find the words in his rage.
“Oh Pip.” Greyhoof shook his head as if mourning a dear friend before looking down at the Cutie Mark Crusaders “That’s exactly what these fillies told me before we welcomed them into our family.” He met Pip’s eyes again, the spark of life gone from his irises “But don’t worry, you’ll be just like them soon enough.”
Pip watched in horror as Greyhoof and the three fillies in front of him began to change. Their fur falling from their skin, their bones snapping as their bodies began to shift. Horrific groans emanated from them as their flesh seemed to melt and turn black. Their ribs poked out from their mid sections and their manes and tails were reduced to just a few strands of hair. The colt was backed into the wall, his throat too tight to scream as they all opened their eyes.
Their red, glowing eyes.
“It won’t hurt, Pip. Don’t struggle and you’ll finally be happy.” Greyhoof said, his voice seeming to come from everywhere at once.
They stepped closer, their movements slow and painful looking as Pip finally let out another scream. His eyes shot everywhere but at the four monsters coming toward him before landing on the window that lay just behind him. His thoughts running at a thousand miles an hour, Pip hurled himself through the window and hit the cold ground with a thud, groaning from the impact.
Not wasting another second, he bolted around the house and back onto the path, with one look over his shoulder to the cabin revealing the four monstrosities slowly making their way after him.
“She had the mark! She had to go!” Greyhoof’s voice echoed in his mind. Pip ignored him as he came upon the pathway exit and he stopped. The idyllic little village that had been so warm and welcoming was gone, replaced instead with the decayed remains of long destroyed houses, the vines of the Evefree having long since reclaimed the large, dark clearing. Not sparing another look behind him, Pip galloped as fast he could, feeling the fatigue catching up with him as he struggled to jump over the support beam of a fallen house.
“Just give up. Nopony ever gets away.” Pip turned to see the twitchy, horrifying visage of what must have been Gladstone shambling toward him “You’ll never get the mark. We’ll keep you safe from it!”
A hit of adrenaline made him finish his climb and he jumped, darting between the ruins at a rapidly slowing pace. He gasped for precious air as he took shelter inside the remains of the former warehouse, the cold chilling his throat and lungs rapidly. He peered into a crack in the wall, noticing the ‘entrance’ where he had met Greyhoof was open once more, the trees having parted.
A figure suddenly rose into view, its red eye staring right at him. Pip shrieked and jumped back, nearly tripping over a smashed crate as the creature cackled.
“Come on, Pip! Just let me touch you!” Starlet shrieked maniacally and bucked the door, the weak frame nearly breaking from that one hit. Pip scrambled to his hooves and went to leave out of the hole he came in but saw the maimed form of what must have been Roneo blocking his exit, the red jewel Applebloom gave to him now hanging from his neck, swinging as he crawled into the hole.
“You’ll be one of us. You’ll be whole, Pip.” he groaned. Starlet delivered one final kick to the door and it splintered into hundreds of pieces. Unlike the others, Starlet was much faster and galloped toward him at full speed, her mouth open to reveal jagged teeth covered in a black goo. Pip knew he couldn’t get away in time and he covered his eyes, screaming as he thought of his mentor one last time.
Suddenly, a loud crash sounded, followed by a yell from Starlet. Pip opened his eyes and saw the skeletal mare was prone near the eastern wall, apparently having been struck by a flying crate. The colt turned his head and saw Mitta in a bucking position, her form barely recognizable but still more coherent than the rest. The red eyed mare looked at him and pointed to the now open door.
“Get out of here you fool! Run!” She screamed and ran past him, tackling Roneo to the ground after he had squeezed through the hole, the ‘tink’ of his gem acting as Pip’s cue.
“T-Thank you, Mitta!” Pip squeaked as he galloped out the door, the path to exit just a straight shot from his position. Getting closer, he could see a faint light in the distance that seemed to get brighter with each passing second. Was it Ruby? Was she trying to lead him out of the village?
Before he could find out, his knees buckled as his legs finally gave out and he yelped. He hit the ground hard, tumbling forward into the coarse dirt and grass. He moaned in pain and tried to push himself up, raising his head to gaze at the light once more.
It was gone.
“Help us, Pip.” The voice resonated in his mind and he recognized it immediately. He craned his neck and saw the deformed versions of Applebloom and her two friends standing side by side, with Greyhoof, Gladstone and what must have been Three Leaf right behind them.
“We didn’t want this.” Sweetie Belle pleaded, her flickering, crimson eyes dripping with black sludge “I just want to see my sister again. Please.”
Pip gritted his teeth and fought to stand, barely managing to get to his hooves as he turned to face them. Every bone in his sore body pleaded with him to run as he saw their maws dripping with the dark drool. Whatever remained of his courage, he summoned it as he narrowed his brow and met the eyes of Greyhoof, righteous anger burning in his eyes.
“L-Let them go, Greyhoof!” He yelled, nearly falling again as he stomped a hoof. A low, rumbling laugh sounded from the malformed creature, giving Pip a headache as it rang in his mind at the same time.
“It is too late for them, foal. They have been marked by us, forever doomed to roam this graveyard of a village. Forever blessed to never receive ‘the mark’.” He said and stepped forward, pointing a hoof.
Pip heard the cracking of bones and he turned to see at least ten more of the zombified ponies making their way into the village through his only reliable exit, their groans and moans echoing through the village. The little colt was fully surrounded and the little hope he had remaining began to fade away, his eyes welling with tears as Greyhoof approached him.
“Give up, Pip. You don’t need anypony else. We’ll keep you safe...forever.”
From behind, Pip heard the ghoulish screams of the zombie ponies as a bright light bathed everypony in an orange glow. Greyhoof stumbled back, howling along with the rest of the skeletal monsters as they retreated from the sudden radiance and ran further into the village. Pip slowly turned to look at his savior and he let his tears flow freely when his little brown eyes landed on a very familiar unicorn stallion, his horn glowing with his splendid orange magic as he looked down at the little spotted colt with great concern.
Fancy Pants had arrived.
-----
“M-Mr. Fancy. Thank Luna you finally came.” Pip exhaled, all his worries disappearing as the stallion took his suit collar in his teeth and placed him on his back.
“There will be time to talk later, my boy. We need to get out of here.” Fancy asserted and gazed around, his chest tightening at the sight of the nightmarish pony-like creatures that crept just at the edge of the light his horn produced. Such a sight should have only existed in one's nightmares, but if such a place were to bear such monstrosities, it would be the Everfree Forest.
“He has the mark! He has the mark!” One of them screamed as it pointed at his flank, shocking Fancy with their ability to speak. This phrase was repeated by all except for three of the smaller ones, who averted their gazes when he looked at them. Not wanting to waste anymore time with these horrors, Fancy turned and went to gallop out of the village. His apprentice stopped him at the last second with a near breathless yell.
“W-Wait! W-We can’t leave Mr. Fancy!”
“Come again?” Fancy retorted, surprise heightning his pitch “Why ever not?”
“T-Those three,” he pointed with a hoof at the three little abominations that scutteled farther backward and tried to huddle with the larger creatures “They’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders. You have to find a way to help them!”
Fancy’s eyes widened and for the first time in a while, Pip heard his mentor stutter “W-What?”
“Foals! We can’t let them leave!” Greyhoof yelled and waved a hoof “Encircle them! Now!” The cracks of settled limbs filled the air along with the moans of these outwardly undead ponies, their red eyes flickering in the darkness outside of Fancy’s safe zone as they formed a circle that blocked all means of exit. Greyhoof laughed mockingly “You won’t be able to keep that spell up for much longer, am I right marked one? You do look rather tired.”
Fancy Pants bit his lip, the headache that had settled after the battle with timberwolves a couple of hours ago was resurfacing as the minutes passed. A light spell wasn’t incredibly taxing for a Unicorn but the monster was right. He wouldn’t be able to keep this up forever, maybe another ten minutes at most if Fancy had to guess. The gentlecolt let out a calming breath and raised his head, meeting the eyes of who seemed to be the leader of these creatures.
“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I am Fancy Pants, gentlecolt extraordinaire and amatuer mystery solver. Might I ask your name?” The expression of the darkness enshrouded undead pony was unreadable, a faint hint of black saliva leaking from his maw.
“......Greyhoof.” He answered, his tone deadly.
“Greyhoof? A fine name I must say.” Fancy adjusted his monocle and gave a quick look to Pip, the young pony following his master’s eyes when he faced Greyhoof again. The colt’s eyes went wide when he saw a strange bundle in the bushes to the right surrounded by the orange aura of Fancy’s magic, just outside the circle of skeletal ponies. “Now, if you don’t mind, would you care to explain what you are? I must admit that in all my travels I have never met a pony such as you before.”
“I don’t know what you're playing at, marked one. This stalling is only costing you time to keep your precious light spell up.” He chuckled darkly “But if you must know, we are the Markless. Ponies who have been blessed with a life free of cutie marks.” He snarled the last pair of words. Fancy nodded his head in genuine interest, clearing his throat loudly as Pip saw the fuse on the bundle of fireworks set alight by a spark of magic.
“I see, I see.” He nodded, hoof to chin “Now, I have another question for you, if you would oblige a doomed soul.” Fancy tilted his head and gave a calm smile “Do you enjoy fireworks?”
If Greyhoof had a brow to raise, Pip was certain it would be to the sky at that question “What? Why would you ask-”
What started as a crackle of colorful sparks soon turned into an explosion of colors that shot just over the heads of the clustered group of ponies and non ponies. The loud bang combined with the shower of colors and light that rained down from the sky made the undead group scatter, breaking their formation and forcing Greyhoof to retreat farther into the ruins, along with the other village Markless.
As soon as this opening appeared, Fancy galloped through it and proceeded into the former village with his light spell still up, easily dodging the frightened undead. Pip held on for dear life, looking at his teacher in amazement.
“How did you do that, Mr. Fancy?!” Pip shouted over the explosions.
“I planted them there shortly before I made my entrance, figuring that was the best use for them.” He answered as he jumped over a fallen tree “Now, care to tell me what is going on here?”
Pip organized his thoughts before taking a deep breath “According to Greyhoof, this village was cursed after they...hurt somepony named Ruby really bad for getting her cutie mark. When the Cutie Mark Crusaders followed that pony here, they couldn't escape and were turned into those...skeletal ponies.”
“This Ruby, you followed her here too, didn't you my boy?”
Pip looked down at the grass that rushed by, ashamed as he finally connected the dots. “Yes. Mr. Fancy. I-I’m sorry for running off alone. It was not befitting of a gentlecolt and I understand if-”
A stone that just barely missed Fancy’s head slammed into the ground and bounced, causing Pip to yelp and turn to see the Markless had regrouped and were in pursuit. Fancy’s hooves pounded the ground as he dodged obstacle after obstacle, his breathing becoming more labored.
“We’ll have time for that later, Pip. Do you have any clues? Anything that would lead to a solution?”
Pip’s tongue froze, caught utterly off guard. Usually he was the one asking that. Shaking his head, Pip wracked his brain and tried to focus as Fancy grew nearer toward the path that led back to that awful cabin.
“Find me.” A familiar and soothing voice said in his mind, making him gasp. Pip looked ahead and gulped. It seemed like they had no choice, even though he would rather be anywhere else right now.
“Stay on this path, Mr. Fancy and keep going till you see a cabin!” Pip yelled out as he placed all his bets on this one clue. Fancy Pants nodded.
Their journey was fraught with numerous stones being lobbed their way, with one slamming into Fancy’s side and nearly causing him to fall. Nevertheless he kept going, his light shining the way as his pace began to gradually falter in speed. Just as they rounded the bend and the cabin came into view, Fancy grunted and shut his eyes, clearly in pain.
“What’s wrong?!”
“T-They’re bombarding my mind with horrible screaming.” He groaned as his light began to dim “I-I can’t keep focus much longer!”
Pip whimpered and did not dare look back “Keep going, Mr. Fancy! We’re almost there!”
Fighting through the mental agony, the gentlecolt grinded his teeth and put every last bit of his energy into that final sprint. It was not long before the stallion leapt up the stairs and slammed the door behind him, catching just a brief glimpse of the sea of red eyes that lurked not far behind. He silently thanked Celestia when he noticed the bolt on the door and promptly locked it, collapsing against it to regain his breath after Pip dismounted.
“This won’t hold them back for long.” Fancy said through gasps as he dispelled his magic, grasping his head as he winced. The stallion opened one eye to see Pip slowly approach a fireplace, Luna’s moonlight barely illuminating the dark interior.
“Y-You idiot. How did I know you’d come back here?.” Both ponies' heads jerked to the right to see crimson eyes glowing in the darkness before a figure stepped into the silver light, revealing a dark coated mare with a dark red mane. Fancy’s horn began to glow as he prepared to reignite his horn before Pip intervened. .
“Mitta! Are you alright?” He blurted and looked at her carefully. The mare was banged up rather badly, her injuries mostly covered up by her dark coat. Fancy sighed and cancelled the spell.
“You know her, Pip?”
“She saved me just before you arrived, Mr. Fancy.” Pip smiled at the undead pony. Mitta scoffed and spat up some black goo.
“Answer me: Why are you back here? Are you trying to save us? We deserve this for what happened to...to Ruby.” She uttered sadly and nodded to one of the windows “You still have a way out. Don’t throw your lives away over those three fillies, just go!” She yelled and weakly stomped a hoof.
“Sorry Ms. Ritta, but that isn’t an option.” Fancy said evenly “If we can save them, even if there is only a sliver of a chance, we have to.”
“You have to help us, Ritta. Please.” Pip begged and went to touch one of her hooves only for her to rapidly shuffle away.
“No! If you touch me in this form, you’ll become one of them!” She screamed incessantly, nearly falling over.
A loud series of bangs on the door, coupled with the moaning of the monsters cut off the conversation and let everypony inside know the horde had arrived. Fancy looked over to the front windows and could see the decayed black limbs of the undead as they tried to crawl through, their sheer numbers keeping them from piling in immediately.
Fancy looked at Pip and Mitta, his horn beginning to glow as he got to his hooves “I’ll hold them off, my boy! In the meantime, you and Ms. Mitta will try and solve this mystery once and for all!”
Stepping away from the door to position himself halfway into the cabin, Fancy channeled his light spell and tilted his head toward the door, causing the undead in the windows to screech as they clambered their way back out of the orange light.
Pip swallowed hard and looked to the fireplace, both the pressure and the sight of the skeleton filly causing whatever ideas in his head to disappear. Mitta remained where she was, whether out of apathy or despair, Pip could not tell. The little colt closed his eyes and took a slow deep breath, remembering the breathing exercises he practiced with Fleur, time seeming to slow down as he organized his thoughts.
The curse on the town was inflicted by an unknown source at an unknown date, probably hundreds of years ago judging from how many zombie ponies there were. But if that was the case, why was Ruby’s skeleton nearly perfectly preserved after so long? Well, her fate was the catalyst for the curse in the first place so, in theory, her skeleton might be the vessel perpetrating the curse. Morbidly fitting. Even if this were true, then without the perpetrator of the curse to repeal it, then knowing this would solve nothing.
Unless…
Pip let his brain go off the rails as he processed a truly far fetched idea. What if the one who instilled the curse was no individual shaman? What if it was the Everfree itself? It sounded ridiculous but the Everfree truly was like no other location in Equestria and seemed to possess magic in and of itself. So what if….
Pip opened his eyes and time resumed its normal flow. He looked at Mitta with a determined expression. “Mitta, do you know who cursed the village in the first place?”
She looked up from the floor confused “No. It just happened after what we...did to Ruby.”
Score one for his theory “If we end the curse, what will happen to Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?”
The dark mare looked skeptical, the screams of the horde making her wince “Even if you were to miraculously know how to end all of this, they’ve already been claimed by the curse. There is no way out once you’ve been converted as far as I know.”
“But they were only recently converted. Is there a chance they might return to normal?” Pip asked desperately. Mitta’s dubious expression didn’t leave.
“I don’t think curses work like that kid.” She shook her head but gave the colt an impartial expression “But...I guess I don’t fully understand it either. Maybe there is a chance? Are you asking because you figured something out?”
Pip looked unsure as he turned to the fireplace “I have an idea but I...don’t know if it’ll work. Can you help me...get Ruby out of there?”
Mitta shook her head and showed off her front forehooves. Only now did Pip notice the numerous burn marks on her hooves and upper legs “We can’t touch her without being burned. I’ve tried for so long to get her out of there but, even without flames, it feels like the fire is still burning around her.”
An uneasy Pip closed his eyes as his throat tightened. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”
Slowly, the young gentlecolt brought his hooves to the ash covered pit. His heart beat rapidly as he stared into the vacant eye holes of the skeleton that seemed to meet his gaze, his forehead growing damp with sweat. With great hesitation, he touched the skull between its eyes.
Nothing. That was a good start.
Feeling the pressure decrease in his chest, he carefully began to pull the skeleton from its resting place. Despite improbable odds, it held together perfectly. Mitta watched but Pip was unable to read her expression.
“I never thought I’d see the day…” she said in awe, reaching a hoof toward the skeleton but refraining from making contact “What now?”
A good question. The little colt did not see any way to get outside and enact his plan without going through the door. The door that was currently being beat on by the undead horde that wanted nothing more than to get their hooves on them.
“Mr. Fancy? Are you doing okay?”
Fancy grimaced but managed a nod without turning his head “I’m holding up alright. Did you figure it out, Pip?”
“I believe so. But we need to go outside for me to truly solve this mystery, Mr. Fancy.”
Fancy looked out of the corner of his eyes and noticed that his young apprentice was carrying a young pony skeleton with his hooves. He only just managed to suppress his look of horror before turning his attention back to the door “Alright, I’ll trust your judgement my boy. Ms. Mitta, if you don’t mind I’d like you to-”
“I’ll go out the back window and see what I can do from there.” She cut in and limped her way over, giving the duo one last look before she crawled out “Good luck you two.”
Fancy Pants grimaced as he watched her go and allowed his magic to flow freely once more, lighting up the whole cabin with ease before looking back at his apprentice “Stand back, young Pip.”
With his headache growing stronger, Fancy winced as he dimmed the light and channeled his telekinesis, undoing the lock and swinging the door open in short order. The result was immediate as the undead ponies who had piled up against the door were sent reeling back, letting out horrific screams as they climbed and trampled over each other to get away from the light. Pip looked past and felt his heart stop. In the short time they spent in the cabin, a thick fog had descended upon the forest and coated everything in a thick cloud that nearly blinded the duo. Even through this mist, Pip could see that the numbers of the Markless had grown considerably, seeing at least a hundred red eyes gazing at them as they gave the cabin entrance a wide berth, resembling a sea of crimson that threatened to pull them in with its dreadful current if they got too close.
“Stay close to me.” Fancy muttered warily as he descended the stairs, Pip following close behind as he carefully pulled the skeleton with his forehooves. The moans that echoed all around them was a symphony of terror that made the gentlecolt’s skin crawl.
“T-This should be far enough.” Pip said the second their hooves touched soil, gently placing the skeleton down before he dug through his pack, sighing in relief when he found a small garden shovel in AJ’s survival pack. It wasn’t perfect for the job but he didn’t complain as he stuck the shovel into the earth.
“They have the body of the betrayer!” A fanatical voice yelled from the crowd, resembling Gladstone’s, causing the moans and groans of the group to turn into animalistic snarls and growls.
“And just what do you plan to do, Pipsqueak?” Greyhoof asked, his calm yet stern tone silencing the surrounding horde “Do you think burying her will do anything more than taint this already rotten forest? She was better served as kindling!” He yelled, quickly losing his cool.
Pip ignored him as best he could, the rage making him sweat as he gripped his tiny shovel harder in his teeth and dug quicker.
“I believe your quarrel is with me, Greyhoof.” Fancy intervened, clearly upset as he fought through his splintering headache “Tell me, where are the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”
Silence reigned for a few moments before the stallion saw three pairs of eyes that came up to his knees at the edge of his safe zone. He could feel their turmoil just from how they looked at him.
“They are here, safer than they will ever be in a world that deems Marked Ones as more worthy than those without.” Greyhoof declared plainly “You were better off remaining in your ivory tower...Fancy Pants, was it? Why couldn’t you just leave us in peace?”
“Apologies, but I have a bad habit of sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.” Fancy gave a smirk before squinting, trying to keep his focus “I also know evil when I see it, sir Greyhoof. If you had simply kept to your own devices and left innocent ponies alone, then I wouldn’t be here and you would be free to stew in your mistakes.”
“I protected this village when nopony else would!” Greyhoof screamed, his voice penetrating Fancy’s mind harshly and causing the light field to flicker “She had the mark! She had to go!”
This phrase was echoed hundred fold by the surrounding undead, the pressure of which caused Fancy to drop to three hooves, his eyes closed as he put everything he had into his magic “Hurry, young Pip. I-I can’t keep this up much longer.”
The little pony felt light headed from his constant shoveling, his own body about to give out as well from the lack of food and sleep. Overlooking his progress and comparing it to Ruby’s skeleton proved unfavorable.
“I just need a little more time, Mr. Fancy!” Pip called out and continued, his neck sore from his efforts.
“You’ll never dig a hole deep enough in time with that puny thing!” Greyhoof laughed mockingly before waving a hoof “Get ready for a feast, everypony!”
Fancy’s eyes cracked open, his vision blurry. He analyzed the odds of making it out and, while he was used to solving near impossible odds, this seemed like a tough puzzle for him to solve. Thoughts of his wife filled his mind and he bared his teeth in defiance as he fought to stand upright once more and backed closer to Pip. If he had to guess, he had maybe another minute before his magic ran dry and left them vulnerable. He opened his mouth to say something, to tell Pip he was sorry for failing him and how he should have been a better mentor.
But before he could utter such words that would tempt fate even more, a loud shrill cut through the air and he saw one of the undead ponies pushing through his magic light. Pip jumped out of his small hole and his jaw dropped.
It was Mitta and she had a large rusted shovel in her teeth.
“M-Ms. Mitta! You can’t stay in the light, it will-”
She fought through the horrible burning sensation and planted the shovel into the hole, screaming out “S-Shut up and let me h-help somepony for once in my pathetic life!”
Fancy Pants didn’t say anymore and nodded resolutely, this act giving him enough will to hold on longer than before.
“You were always the weakest of all of us, Mitta! No resolve, no drive to protect the ones you claimed to love!” Greyhoof yelled. The mare ignored him.
Pip watched as Mitta began shoveling, quickly helping out as best he could. Her fur was sizzling harshly under the light and the colt was tempted to tell her to stop for her sake. But her eyes burned with the same intensity as her body and he knew no amount of begging would stop her. With both of their efforts, it was only half a minute before they had dug a deep enough hole.
“N-Now, get her in there!” Mitta exclaimed and dropped on her haunches, trying her best to shield her face as she whimpered in agony. Pip wasted no time as drug Ruby’s body into the hole and began to rapidly kick the dirt mound into its proper place. Once it was filled, Pip stomped it firmly and collapsed atop it in exhaustion, his whole body past the point of exhaustion as he closed his eyes and began to pray for a miracle.
The hum of Fancy’s weakening magical aura was all that filled this section of the forest for what felt like hours, the mist seeming to grow thicker around the small cabin for each moment that passed. A collection of terrible laughs broke the silence, Pip’s eyes opening in shock.
“Too bad, foals. This is what happens when you trust a marked one, Pip.” Greyhoof taunted and stepped forward, Fancy’s light flickering as he sat on his flanks, eyes twitching from effort before he finally fell over, collapsing from exhaustion with a groan “Don’t worry though. As I said, we’ll keep you safe…FOREVER!”
Then the horde began to approach, maws open and leaking their blackened saliva in anticipation. Pip shut his eyes and began to cry, looking over at his heavily breathing teacher “I’m..sorry Mr. Fancy Pants. I...failed.”
“I-It’s o-okay, my boy.” Fancy managed to say and tilted his head to smile at his apprentice “But I wouldn’t, urgh, count us out just yet. Look.”
Pip raised his head with great effort and noticed that the horde had...stopped. Their red eyes were still focused on the downed duo but they seemed to be unable to move, their undead forms twitching with effort as their scarlet eyes began to flicker. The mist that surrounded all within the area began to swirl. It started slow at first before the wind began to pick up like a tempest, forming a funnel that, when Pip looked up through squinted eyes, allowed him to see the moon shining down upon them
“What is happening?! What did you do?!” Greyhoof yelled and darted his eyes to his now frozen companions “Get them! Get them you foals!”
His words fell on deaf, undead ears as the hundreds of monsters remained motionless. Then, one by one, they began to turn to dust and were swept up into the small cyclone. Pip heard Starlet cry out and attempt to rush over to one of the undead stallions.
“R-Roneo, help me!” She screamed before being reduced to dust, the same thing happening to the heartbroken stallion before he could respond. Greyhoof began to panic as he witnessed Gladstone silently accept his fate, the leader attempting to flee in terror before he was swept up and disintegrated with the rest.
“W-What’s going on?” Pip cried out over the rushing winds. Just out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a bright, golden light. He saw Ruby standing next to Mitta, who was looking up at the small filly, her eyes leaking blackened tears.
“I’m so sorry R-Ruby. I should have stopped them, I-” her words were cut off by Ruby placing a hoof on her cheek. The grey filly gave a soft smile and shook her head.
“Everything is okay now, Mitta. We’ll finally be together again.” Mitta broke down into sobs, her smile remaining when she turned to face Pip one last time. She mouthed the words ‘thank you’ before turning to dust.
Ruby stood still for a few moments as the wind began to calm before looking at Pip and Fancy Pants, giving them a smile “I’m sorry I dragged you into this, Pip. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my friends.”
Pip blinked, realizing only then that he was crying. He sniffled and wiped away his tears “Y-You’re welcome, Ruby. I hope you can rest in peace now.”
She closed her bright yellow eyes, nodding happily before pointing past the two gentlecolts. Pip followed her hoof and covered his mouth. The three Cutie Mark Crusaders were back to normal and laying in the dirt unconscious, tangled together from their efforts to stay grounded. Before his gratitude and joy could be expressed, the colt turned to thank the ghost filly one last time.
Alas, she was gone.
The wind had died and was quickly replaced with the cries of crickets and other nocturnal creatures, the two gentlecolts remaining prone as they basked in the moment of peace.
“Well done, my boy. I knew you could do it.” Fancy Pants chuckled, moaning in pain afterward “I could use a nice cup of tea. How about you?”
Pip finally found the energy to laugh “I want a fat hay burger with some fries. Tea after, if that’s alright Mr. Fancy.”
The pair laughed together as the stress of today began to melt away, the soreness of the past hour catching up to them quickly. It was not long before they heard the whoosh of something flying overhead, making the duo look up to see a squad of pegasi circling the clearing with intent to land.
“Good work, Ms. Fluttershy.” Fancy said as he tiredly got to his hooves “I knew I could count on her.”
Pip glanced back at the trio of fillies as Fancy shakily grabbed him and placed him on his back, feeling his chest swell with joy and pride as his eyes went to close. The last thing he saw was the blurry sight of pegasus ponies hitting the ground near the Crusaders, followed by the unintelligible cries of Fluttershy.
He then fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.