It had been almost a week since Applebloom’s harrowing escape from the zombie ponies of Sunny Town. She had told no one of her adventure, not even the other Crusaders. She often wondered who those ponies were, and how they became…whatever they were.
“Ah hafta know what they are…” she thought to herself.
“Hey, sis, do you know anythin’ about a cursed pony town in the Everfree Forest?”
Applejack turned away from her applebucking to ponder over Applebloom’s question. “Curs-ed pony town. Ain’t never heard o’ anythin’ like that a-fore. You gon’ give yourseff nightmares talkin’ ‘bout stuff like that.”
“But sis…” whined Applebloom. “you don’t understand…”
“Ah understand,” interrupted Applejack, “that ah don’ much like bein woke up by yer screamin’ after one scary pony tale too many. Now hep me with these here apples. And quit that ol’ scary-talk.”
After her disastrous attempt to talk with Applejack, (her legs still hurt from Applebucking!) Applebloom decided to try Twilight, who had probably read about Sunny Town in one of her books.
Applebloom went to the hollowed out tree that served as Ponyville’s library. Inside, Twilight was rearranging the books with her telekinesis
“Twilight? Do you know anythin’ about a cursed pony town in the Everfree Forest?”
“I think I read something about it in a book, but…” Twilight regarded Applebloom suspiciously. “Why would you want to know something like that? You’ll give yourself nightmares.”
“Yeh sound like my sister. Please, Twilight. I gotta know.”
“Well…alright…” Twilight magicked some books from the shelves. “No…no….no…ah, yes,” She released the books, which clattered to the floor. “Here it is. “Cursed Pony Towns in Equestria.” She sat down and began to read aloud.
“The Everfree Forest stands on the outskirts of Ponyville. Its ancient trees are gnarled and twisted into frightening shapes. Hungry monsters roam, waiting for a pony-sized morsel to wander into their clutches. Only the very brave…or very foolish…ever enter. Even fewer return.
“However, over a thousand years ago, the Everfree Forest was once home to the castle of the two Princesses of Equestria: Celestia and Luna, bringers of the sun and moon. Small towns called the Everfree Forest home as well, including one called Sunny Town.
“Sunny Town was located in a clearing in the Everfree Forest. By day, the sunlight shone through the forest’s canopy, creating dancing green shadows from the overhead leaves. The founders of Sunny Town, Starlet and Roneo, found the clearing beautiful and decided to set up their town there.
“As perfect as life was in Sunny Town, one problem remained. The magic of the Everfree Forest interfered with the magic of the ponies in Sunny Town. Cutie Marks never appeared on the ponies’ flanks. Realizing this, Roneo and Starlet decided to keep the existence of cutie marks a secret from Sunny Town.
“This deception worked for many years, until one fateful day, one pony uncovered the secret, and changed Sunny Town forever…”
“No cutie marks?” gasped Applebloom. Her mind wandered as she remembered the rotting blank flanks of the zombies.
“Apparently,” said Twilight. “A clearing in the Everfree forest where cutie marks don’t appear. Hmm… I wish I could study this. Anyway,
“One day, Roneo approached Sunny Town’s official Party Planner Grey Hoof about throwing a party for the Summer Sun Celebration. The centerpiece was a priceless gemstone that would be presented to Starlet, Roneo’s love, when Luna’s moon rose for the night.
“The day before the celebration, the gem disappeared! Grey Hoof tasked his young daughter, Ruby, with finding it. Ruby was gifted with finding things that were lost. Ruby searched the whole town for the gem, but never found it. Her search eventually led her outside the clearing to the Everfree Forest, where she found the gem, a blood-red ruby, in a raccoon burrow below some bushes.
“As Ruby picked up the gem in her mouth, she was startled by a white flash behind her. She turned around to find a picture of a magnifying glass on her flank. She didn’t know what had happened, so she raced home to her parents in Sunny Town, leaving the ruby half-buried in the forest.”
“So that’s how the ruby got there,” thought Applebloom under her breath as Twilight read on.
“Ruby’s mother, Mitta, was shocked at the picture on her daughter’s flank. Ruby was proud, thinking that it was a mark of pride. However, Roneo and Starlet feared the mark, as they were afraid that their deception would be revealed. They spread the word around town that Ruby was cursed.
“Grey Hoof and Mitta fretted that their only daughter was doomed. In a drastic decision urged by Roneo and Starlet, Grey Hoof killed Ruby and hid her body in an abandoned house outside the town.
“The loss of Ruby drove Mitta insane. She constantly sobbed how she could have saved Ruby and how everything was wrong. The ponies in town barricaded her in her own house and celebrated the Summer Sun Celebration like nothing had happened.”
Twilight paused for a moment. “Applebloom, wherever did you hear about this story? This is awful!”
“Um…a friend,” lied Applebloom. “Can you finish? I wanna know how it ends.”
“Ugh, fine. But I better not hear that you’ve had nightmares…Back to Sunny Town.
“Before the party could begin, a blazing flash of light momentarily blinded all the ponies in Sunny Town. The princesses of the day and night had heard of the treachery that had befallen Ruby. In a fury, they used the Elements of Harmony to curse the ponies to always relive that day for all eternity.
“The residents of Sunny Town died, but the curse kept them alive. They roam the Everfree Forest, hideous, decayed specters, turning all who come upon them into decayed zombies as well.” Twilight snapped the book shut and tossed it across the room. “Honestly, Applebloom! This is the most disturbing story I’ve ever heard! Applebloom…Applebloom?”
From far away, Twilight heard, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER CURSE BREAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"