//------------------------------// // Prologue - Away from it all. // Story: BOOGEYMANE // by ChromeRegios //------------------------------// “Come on, Lightning! The train will leave soon!” Lightning Crash, a typical pony who lived somewhere in Fillypines. Kind, easy going, and a good friend… she was planning to have a spring vacation to her cousin’s farm, Sweet Apple Acres. “Coming!” Lightning called out as she packs her luggage and heads down. Since the death of her father which she won’t dare to remember the reason of his death, that she must forget and just get away from it all… she needs sometime alone and away from the horrible memories of her house. “Now remember, behave and don’t go wild over there now okay?” Her mother said, while fixing her mane... “I know mom” She said with a sweet smile on her face. “I know it’s been hard for you, since your father’s death and going to that psychiatric ward. But try and relax while your stay in Ponyville, okay sweetie?” Her mother gave her a kiss on the head and lets her go to the station... It was noon, when Lightning got to the station. As she goes up to the platform, she noticed something on the corner of her eye, when she looked to that direction, it was gone... She shrugs this off and boarded the train. She pushed her luggage at the top of her bed space and jumped on the mattress and dozed off... She begins to have the same dream since she was a little filly. Her dream goes… as she was in a long corridor with rows of doors on both sides. Her father was screaming in pain and agony, she rushed to where her father was screaming and found him, only to stand there horrified of what she was seeing. A black figure was dragging her father on a closet! She screamed on the top of her lungs but didn’t let out a sound...all she can do is watching her father being dragged down to the dark abyss never to be seen again... “DAAAAD!!!” She yelled, as she woke up in cold sweat, this was the reason she got into that ward in the first place. She looked at the darkness of her cabin, when she looked at the corner of a closet, then something caught her attention. “H-hello?” she asked, but all she had for a response was silence... She’s beginning to get uncomfortable to this atmosphere. She stood up and was about to open the lights, when all of a sudden something grabbed her hoof. She yelped and tumbles backward, while the thing topples on top of her. She frantically grabbed the lamp and lit it up... Only to see that her attacker was nothing more than her coat... She blushed, and hoped that nopony heard her terrified yell... but sadly, somepony did... “Are you alright ma’am?” The worried conductor rushed to her room, and peeked in to see if everything is alright... “Y-yes, nothing to worry about...” She said shyly. “Are you sure?” The conductor asked, making sure she was alright and not in any trouble. “Yes, I’m sure...thanks for your concern, kind sir” She replies and gives a sweet smile, the conductor tilts his hat and bid her goodnight and went back to his station. She looks at her lit room, wondering if something is watching her in the dark... She ignored this once more and went back to her bed; she lied down and closed her eyes, as she went to sleep with the lights on through the night... TOOOT! TOOOT!!! The sound of the train’s horn woke Lightning up, she sluggishly got out of the bed and fixed her mane and took her luggage. As she got off the station, an orange earth pony waved her on the station, and yelling her name. “Lightnin’! Over here!” She yelled in a country accent. Lightning thought that this must be Applejack, and went on over to her carrying her luggage. As she went near, Applejack holds her hood and gave her a good old Apple Family greeting. Lightning barely stood in balance since Applejacks shake was faster than the hurricane she made last week... “Welcome to Ponyville,Lightnin’. It’s really a pleasure that you could come ta visit” Applejack said, in a friendly, hospitable tone. “Uh... Thanks AJ, It’s good to be here.” Lightning said, as she picks up her luggage again. “Well come on!” Applejack took her luggage off her mouth and gestures her to follow her. “AJ, I think I should carry those...after all they’re my luggage and I don’t want to be a burden...” “Non-sense, we cousins stick together, right? We help one another, so don’t cha’ give me that burden stuff in yer head fer.” Applejack said, smiling as she leads Lightning to her barn. “Well you haven’t changed a bit did you AJ?” Lightning said, as she walks along with Applejack. “Well, shucks... I have changed...kind of.” She said, blushing a bit. “Why did you blush? Did I say something embarrassing?” Lightning said, as she raised an eyebrow and gave a grin to her. Applejack knows what she was thinking, and asked her never to speak of it. Lightning nods as she trots closer to the barn... “Here we are, it’s not much... but its home.” Applejack said, as she opens the door for Lightning to go inside. “Thank you very much, AJ” Lightning said, grateful of her hospitality... As they went inside, Applejack took a deep breath... and yelled... “LIGHTNING’S HERE EVERYPONY!!!” As soon as she said that, three ponies rushed to the living room; one was a red stallion, with a green apple on his flank, the other was light orange with red mane, the other was a slow old pony, Lightning, immediately recognized her as Granny Smith. “Hi ya, Granny Smith!” Lightning said, greeting the old pony. “Haloo there, Lightning... It’s been a while since your last visit, uh... when was that?” She stood there on the spot and tries to remember it, but in reality... Lightning only visited when she was still a young filly... “Don’t worry Granny Smith, It’s no big deal.” Lightning nudges at Applejack to back her up, which Applejack knew quickly what to do, she went to Granny Smith and talked to her. Lightning tries to remember the names of the two remaining ponies in front of her, she soon remembers their names and spoke each of them to confirm her suspicions. “Your... Big Macintosh, right?” She points to the red colt, and only replies with a simple...“Eeeyup” She then turned her attention to the little one, and kneels in front of her. “And you must be, Applebloom...right?” Applebloom quickly launched herself to Lightning’s hooves, hugging her as she latched her self to her. “So your mah big Si's cousin!” She nuzzles her with excitement, that she had a cousin that she never knew. “Aww, it’s good to meet you too, Applebloom...” Lightning said, she broke away from the hug and stood up as Applejack walks towards her. “Let me show ya to your room, Lightnin’, It’s upstairs.” Applejack goes up first, while Lightning picked up her luggage, she told Applebloom that she’ll play with her later, after she puts her stuff at her room. Lightning goes up the stairs and noticed the upper portion of the house; it was simple, much like her old home, it has that old feeling yet comfortable sense of security along with it... “Hey, AJ?” Lightning said, while looking down the stairs. “Yeah? What is it sugar cube?” Applejack said as she opens the door to her room. “You know, you have a very lovely home here...” Lightning said, and meant it. “Why thank ya, Lightnin’. That’s a sweet thing ta say.” Applejack said, as she helps her up with her luggage. “Well it’s not much, but please...make yourself at home...” Applejack said, as she goes out of her room. “I will thanks...” Lightning replies, as she sets her bag on the mattress and unloads it. “If ya need anything, just holler.” Applejack said, as she went down the stairs to prepare dinner. Lightning starts to pull out some of her stuff, when she suddenly felt something... something she dare not to remember. *Creeek....* The sound of a door opening... She knows it’s the closet... Then she hears hoof steps, coming closer...and closer... Lightning was frozen to her position, not moving an inch... The hoof steps are getting closer.... and louder... Her eyes widened, and begin to sweat rapidly... Then...a cold hoof touched her shoulder... She felt like her head is going to explode... all she can do... was yell out a terrified scream... Lightning jumped back, startled at the hoof that fell down upon her shoulders, only to see Applebloom behind her. “Ahm sorry, did I scare you?” Applebloom said, looking down the floor boards and feeling sorry for scaring her. “N-not at all, Applebloom... It’s quite alright.” Lightning pats her head, assuring her that she didn’t do anything wrong.. Applebloom smiled at her and gave her a hug. “Can we play now, Lightnin’?” Applebloom said, really wanting to play with her. “Okay, what do you play then?” Lightning asked, as she waits for Applebloom’s decision... “Hide ‘n Seek!” Applebloom blurts out, Lightning nods and gets started, because she was “It”. Lightning puts her head on the wall to cover her eyes, while Applebloom looks for a hiding place. She soon finds the closet and hid inside, she closed the door and waits for Lightning to find her. “Forty nine, Fifty! Ready or not here~” Lightning didn't finish as she sees Applebloom being dragged inside the closet by something dark. “APPLEBLOOM!!!” Lightning rushed inside to grab her out, desperately pulling her out of the dark entity, until at some point she manages to pull her out, just in the nick of time... Applebloom fainted and was out for a while... Lightning looked back at the closet, and it moved a bit. Not wanting to look inside of it, Lightning went down quickly with Applebloom on her back. Later that evening, Applejack and Big Mac was watching over Applebloom, wondering why she suddenly fainted in Lightning’s room... Applejack looked at Lightning, a little worried. “Lightnin’...” Applejack started. “What happened back there with Applebloom?” Lightning just looked away, not wanting to scare these ponies, or to think that she’s crazy. “She just...” Lightning stops, thinking what she have to say... “Well go on...” Applejack insisted. “She just, heard a scary story...that’s all...” Lightning said, lying for the fact that something sinister is luring in the darkness of their closet. “A... story?” Applejack was not sure if Lightning was telling the truth or just plain lying. Either way, Lightning was hiding something from her. “Come on, Lightnin’. You can tell me...” Applejack persuades Lightning to tell her the truth, Lightning looked at her with such a worried face. Applejack knows this look all too well, and just gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Okay Lightnin’ I won’t force you to tell me... But Someday though, I need to know.” Applejack moves to the kitchen to fix up a batch of pancakes. Lightning feels horrible, and scared at the same time... The entity who she forgotten had followed her here, and almost took another pony’s life... She went back to her room and blocked the door to her closet hoping that “It” won’t come out.. It was already night time, and she has to get some rest, for tomorrow...she’s going to town and help out... But every single time that night... She wakes up, and always getting an uncomfortable feeling... She tossed and turned but this feeling was getting worst every hour she passed... It was already 6:00 in the morning when she almost went to sleep, but was interrupted by the sound of an alarm clock... which made her even worse than before. “Rise and Shine, everypony!” Applejack yelled, sending the message all across the house. Lightning just gave out a sigh, and stood up from her bed and went down. She went straight to the kitchen and saw Applebloom sitting on the table and eating some pancakes, from last night. “Hi, Applebloom... You alright?” Lightning asked Applebloom, as she sits down near her. “Yup, and ready to crusade!” She shouts in such an energetic tone, seemingly not remembering that event happened last night. Lightning nudges Applejack a bit, “What did she mean “to crusade”, Applejack?” She whispered, not knowing what Applebloom meant by that. “It’s their “Cutie Mark Crusade”.” Applejack whispers back, “Just go along with it, its hard to explain...” Lightning pats Applebloom on the head, and gave her a smile. “Do your best, Applebloom.” Lightning said, pretending she knows what’s she’s going to do exactly. Applebloom smiles at her, as she finishes her last batch of pancakes and trots outside. Lightning was left at the kitchen with Applejack, Lightning noticed that Granny Smith and Big Macintosh isn’t there... “Hey, Applejack. Where’s Big Mac and Granny Smith?” Lightning asked, as she looks over Applejack. Applejack just gave her a glance and went back to her cooking,“ Big mac is at the orchards, while Granny Smith is at town, in our stall sellin’ some apples...” She said, finishing off her batch of pancakes. Applejack served it to Lightning, then to herself... But before Lightning can eat, Applejack looks at her with a worried face. Lightning took notice at this and asked her. “What’s wrong AJ?” Applejack remained silent, the spoke... “I know about it, Lightnin’.” The moment she said that, Lightning dropped her fork in surprise. “Its “IT” again isn’t it?” Applejack said, in a low soft voice. Lightning looks at the ceiling and sighs as she nods to Applejack. “Let’s eat first...after this...were gonna have a serious talk...” Applejack said, as Lightning prepares herself for the “Talk” Applejack and her are gonna do later on...