Twilight awoke the next day with horrible pain. Her entire body ached as she slowly clambered out of bed, her stiff joints cracked loudly as she put weight on them. As she stretched one of her legs bumped against the empty basket she remembered seeing last night.
Twilight kicked it aside as she made her way downstairs to continue her morning routine. A quick miserable breakfast of bread and water would have to do as she needed to arrive early for the first of her many errands. 'Life would be easier if I had an assistant to help me.' She thought as she packed a load of quills and parchment into her saddlebags. Twilight trotted over to her door and opened it to a blanket of mist that slowly spilled into her home.
'This is strange weather for Ponyville' she thought as she stepped outside. The small droplets of water clung to her pelt and chilled her. She closed the door to prevent any further mist from entering her library and damaging the books. As she did she turned to find Mr. and Mrs.Cake walking down the street some distance away and called to them.
The cakes stopped midstride, though only momentarily as their expressionless faces looked for the source of the noise. Twilight waved at them as they started moving on again. 'That was strange, but I guess they just couldn't see me.' She shrugged it off and continued on her way. All down the street she past many pony silhouttes on either side talking amongst themselves or otherwise ignoring her completely.
She stopped hoping to get her bearings within the thick cloud that seemed to dampen conversation. Gritting her teeth at the dull steady ache of her back she strained to listen to the few words she could scarcely understand but clearly hear. The voice seemed feminine and young, and though it was speaking it seemed to be more lyrical than usual, as a sing-song. 'I must be near the playground.' Twilight thought and hurried down the street to pass the children as they played.
When she got to the playground however it was not as she had imagined. Up until now their was no shortage of children wanting to climb, and run, and sing, and play. But no longer. Before today the grounds were carefully tended and playground equipment inspected and repaired when needed to be. What Twilight saw was in a sense sad and malicious.
The grass grew long and wild. The slide and jungle gym were broken down and splayed out under its weight. The chains on the swing set were rusted through and the chairs hanging loosely at the ends. And the see-saw rotted in place. There were no children anywhere in sight, except for the one spinning slowly on the carousel. She was difficult to see through the mist and so Twilight approached her as the song came into full clarity.
“Ring around the rosie
Pocket full of Posies
Ashes, Ashes
All fall down”
Twilight recognized Applebloom as the carousel stopped so that they could make eye contact. She was estranged to find her holding onto the bars with her head hanging low. She didn't speak a word for a long time afterward and seemed completely oblivious to Twilight's presence. Finally Twilight asked, “Is...everything okay Applebloom?”
Applebloom didn't move at first, her actions disturbing Twilight more than she already was in a playground full of nothing but crushed innocence. Then slowly and deliberately Applebloom raised her head until her eyes met Twilight's. “He didn't want me.”
As she spoke the mist grew thicker and started concealing her form from view. Twilight drew back in fear, her breath quickened and pulse raced. What did she mean? Why was she alone? Who is this HE that didn't want her?
Another voice then broke through the mist, it was Rainbow Dash.
“Over here Twilight. Twilight, over here.”
She turned and strained her eyes in vain to find her friend.
“Hurry up Twi! Before it's too late.”
“Rainbow where are you? Why is there so much mist in Ponyville?”
There was silence for a moment. Then, “What are you doing Twilight!? Run!”
Twilight didn't know what she was talking about but now she was panicking too much to care. She galloped to where she thought Dash's voice was coming from. The mist weighed her down as it soaked through the papers in her bags. The whole while she ran she listened to Rainbow's voice as it came through urgently and clear as a bell unlike the others.
“Just try to catch up to me!”
Now Twilight's fears becalmed themselves as she thought Rainbow Dash was taunting her rather than drawing her attention for a more important matter.
“Rainbow Dash just stop it!” Twilight slammed to a halt. The whole time she was chasing her invisible friend her eyes were pasted to the sky in hopes of finding her against the sun, but the mist blocked out everything. And so she didn't see the solid object she collided with.
The pain in her body intensified ten fold with the worst of it in her lower jaw and shoulders. She had trouble breathing and she saw spots before her eyes. There was a loud ringing in her ears over which she could hear Rainbow's disconcerting last words.
“Why didn't you listen?”
Twilight lay on the ground for a while before standing up and shaking the damp bags off her body, she felt too weak to carry such heavy baggage. As she stood she found the object she ran into was Carousel Boutique, home of her friend Rarity. At once she felt relieved, Rarity would never turn down a friend in need.
Twilight opened the door to a dark unkempt front room. Supplies and needles were scattered about the floor, the shades were drawn down shutting out natural light. Rags hung from mutilated pony dummies, and beautiful dresses were torn to shreds just outside a door at the far end of the room. A door which was slightly ajar and from which the faintest glow of light was discernible.
The hinges of the door creaked as she pushed it open and found Rarity sitting in the middle of the room surrounded by more garbage. Her horn glowing slightly as she raised a comb back and forth slowly. She was muttering something under breath Twilight just couldn't make out. In the darkness of the room Rarity was just visible as a ghostly white figure, but even in the inky darkness she found something wrong with her. Something was just not right. Twilight, against her better judgment decided to call her attention.
“Rarity, it's me Twilight? I just ran into your house but, are you okay?” She said as she slowly made her way around the room, keeping her distance. As she did she found that Rarity was combing a fluffy white lump she grasped in her forelegs, a little smiling mouth protruded from under her curls. The whole time Twilight looked at her she continued to whisper to herself. Twilight couldn't stand this. She lit her own horn and shone its light toward Rarity.
She was sickened by what she saw. Rarity's pelt had become a sickly green colour and it had withered away so much at some places entire patches of her hair where missing. Her mane too suffered as it no longer was lustrous and thick but rather thinning and pale pink. Twilight held her breath for fear of uttering another word to Rarity. She didn't need to worry about who would make the next move as Rarity stopped her combing and turned her face to Twilight.
Again Twilight bit her tongue as she saw the full extent of Rarity's ailment. Her face was withered like a prune and smeared with age old mascara. Her cheeks sunk into her mouth and her eyes were clouded over. As she smiled at her, her lipstick stained lips revealed crooked yellowing teeth and breath strong enough to inspire revulsion in anypony.
“Hello Twilight. Don't I look marvelous?”
“Rarity. What happened to you?”
“Why nothing I should say. I'm as beautiful as always. Don't you agree?”
Twilight didn't know what to say.
“Rarity what's wrong with you? Why is the store such a mess? Why are you such a mess?”
“Twilight I'm so insulted. I'm as organized as always, and as beautiful as always. Aren't I pretty?”
“Rarity....No. What is...” Rarity flew into a fit of rage.
“What are you talking about you unkempt shrew!? Do you not see my magnificence or can't your shotty little Canterlot eyes behold my beauty!?” Suddenly she brought the fluff to her ear. It was then that Twilight saw the fluff she was combing was actually Opal, or at least what was left of her. The cat seemed to have dried up and mummified. It's eyes were missing from their sockets and it's lips stretched open its mouth reveal the rows of tiny sharp teeth that stuck out of bone. “Oh, what's that Opal? Oh, yes if my dear little spiky-wiky were here he'd tell me how pretty I look. He always thought I was beautiful.”
Rarity smiled wildly at her dead cat and Twilight couldn't help but ask. “Who's spiky-wiky?”
“Why only the most adorably darling little baby dragon you've ever seen. It's a shame really that he had to leave.” Rarity snuggled her cat like a child does her favorite plush toy. Twilight thought for a second and her eyes fluttered about as she began to recall why she had that basket. It was for Spike. That basket was his bed. But where did he go?
Twilight left the room without a second glance at her friend. She had to find Spike before something else disturbing happened to him. She ran to her library at full speed not caring for those she bumped against on the street, it seemed as if the crowds were pushing in against to keep her from moving on. Twilight reached her home from memory, nothing appeared to look the same in the fog.
She burst through her door and called out for Spike to no avail. She ran up the stairs and screamed as she saw Owlicious hanging from her ceiling, her wings and legs were spread at as if by some invisible force. Her beak was opened frighteningly wide and her tongue seemed to have been ripped out. The mysterious stain she saw last night was the pool of blood that congealed itself around her and caked her feathers from head to toe. Twilight's eyes began to water as some disembodied shriek thrust the owl hard into her chest knocking her backward down the stairs.
Twilight landed hard on the cold hardwood floor with her owl friend at arm's length from her. Twilight opened her eyes slowly to discover the rough tumble and lack of air in her lungs left her with tunnel vision. Dazed, she tried making her way to Owlicious who was still rasping for breath. Twilight tried to comfort her in her final hour as the owl's little chest puffed in and out a final time. Twilight's eyes welled up with sadness and she lay there next to the lifeless body of one her closest friends. She didn't pay notice to the mist filling the room until a cold wind buffeted her.
The mist thickened around her, isolating her from her surroundings until she appeared as alone as she felt. Twilight tried to see beyond the mist this time. This time it was different. It was no longer as placid as it had been when she first saw it. Now it seemed to twist and unfurl, slowly at first, but the more she noticed it, the faster it was disturbed. Twilight sprang for the door when she began to see horrid disfigured faces.
Outside, the world had become void of life. The ponies that crowded the streets earlier had all vanished without a trace and the skies had darkened intensely. An orange blaze in the western sky gave Twilight the impossible notion that the sun was setting just moments after it had risen. Twilight felt an icy wind that carried its way slowly over her backside and to her breast, caressing her body. The breeze calmed her nerves as it hypnotically whispered sweet nothings into her ear.
The voices confused her to the point of becoming lightheaded, or perhaps it was the little trip she had earlier. Twilight gasped as the wind pierced her body. The caresses no longer soothed but stung, and dug deep into her core. She felt a sudden wave of warmth before an unfamiliar coldness started creeping up her body from her hooves.
She didn't want to die. Twilight dug her hooves hard into the ground and pulled hard from the entrance. The claws came loose but scratched fervently after her as she struggled to pull completely free. Twilight broke into a gallop as the mysterious force let go and she didn't stop. Not until she nearly tripped over Fluttershy in the middle of the road.
Twilight skidded to a halt as she saw her on her knees sobbing uncontrollably. Twilight didn't know what else to do in this strange environment, but consoling her seemed like a good start.
“Fluttershy, what's wrong?”
Fluttershy spoke through broken sobs.
“I-I-It hurt-so-much.”
“What did?”
“She just-she just lay-there.”
“Fluttershy...”Twilight didn't know what to say. She observed several claw marks on her back and flank, there were also dark bruises around her belly.
“What happened to you?”
“What-did-it-want-from-me?”
Twilight lay next to her friend and stroked her mane as she continued to cry. The whole world seemed to delight in her friends' sadness as it blocked out all other sound just to amplify her crying. There was no rustle of leaves, or gurgle from the stream. Nothing.
Twilight continued to cry until Applejack came to mind. She was the most reliable pony in all of Equestria, and if she wouldn't stand by her side through all this craziness nopony would. She wiped the tears from her eyes and refused to cry further as a protest against the world that relished in her sorrow. Twilight stood alone in her tortured world and trudged achingly through the empty streets of ponyville until she reached the entrance to the Apple family's farm.
When she heard Applejack's familiar laughter Twilight became hopeful that she would be able to help. As she rounded the corner of the barn however her heart sank. There was Applejack standing in front of her endless orchards of apple trees watching them all burn. The flames shot high into the sky and lit up the fog with an angry glow of orange, the sun had not set at all. Twilight approached Applejack to confront her on her mental state.
“Applejack, what is going on?” Twilight had to scream to be heard over the roar of the inferno.
“Isn't it great Twi? Big Macintosh just ran into the orchard with torch in mouth soon as heard the news. He even left me a pile for myself, ain't he a sweetheart?” Applejack tossed a lamp into a wood pyre.
“Applejack what are you talking about?”
“Granny Smith is dead Twilight. We don't have to look after these apples anymore.” Applejack laughed again, the same warm laugh Twilight always heard now seemed hollow.
“But these apples are your livelihood. You've always lived for them remember?”
“Not anymore. I'm finally free Twilight.” Applejack said as a tear broke free from her eye. She turned slowly, took two big hops and lunged herself into the bonfire. Again Twilight was witness to the unbelievable as she saw her friend twist and writhe in pain. Her mane and tail burned up and her coat smouldered away so the fire charred the flesh beneath. All the while Applejack was screaming she had a smile on her face. A smile that grew bigger and broader as her lips melted away.
Twilight turned and ran from the horrible scene. Her chest ached as her bruised ribs heaved in and out. Her flank burned as scratches from the claws exposed her tender flesh to the blazing fire and freezing cold. Her eyes stung from tears freezing against the icy mist.
She ran because she wanted to leave this horrible nightmare behind. She wanted to leave the torture and pain that she had endured. She wanted to leave her friends alone to their fate. She just wanted to leave.