//------------------------------// // Stranger in the Dark // Story: It Must be Tuesday // by Explodium //------------------------------// If the situation wasn’t tense before, it certainly was now. The sudden knowledge that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had likely gone into the forest took everypony by surprise. The plume of smoke far in the distance seemed as ominous as ever, and nopony knew exactly what they were going to find there. The Princess had been pretty vague, though that only made them more worried. Every unpleasant scenario that could happen was running through Applejack’s head as she galloped along, the rest of the ponies trailing behind. She looked rather silly hauling an unconscious Rarity on her back. Images of large, dark creatures with mouths full of nasty jagged teeth flashed through her head. Strange creatures with even stranger magic stalking after her sister and her friends, who could do naught but watch as it closed in to… Applejack shook her head, No, that ain’t gonna happen…Don’t worry sis, I’m a comin’. Hopefully, if they were lucky they would catch the fillies before they were too far ahead. Luna’s moon shone overhead, and a heavy note of urgency hung in the air as the ponies galloped along the path leading to the Everfree Forest. The rapid thumping of hooves was the only noise that penetrated the night. From above, Rainbow lounged, almost casually as she was flying along. Her fuchsia eyes flitted between the farmpony and the bookworm as a smile came to her face. With a sudden burst of speed, the pegasus shot ahead. Applejack audibly snorted and Twilight had to suppress a groan as she saw her cocky friend perform a series of acrobatic stunts through the air. By the time the mini air-show had ended, the rest of the mares finally caught up with Rainbow. Twilight’s rainbow-maned pal glided down to her side, flying along at a casual pace with a grin on her muzzle. “Maybe you should exercise more than those eye muscles so you could keep up with me, eh Twilight?” said Rainbow. “Pfft, not all of us have high endurance scores, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie blurted out. Everypony gave her a confused look, “What?” Twilight rolled her eyes, it’s just Pinkie being Pinkie. “As I recall, didn’t I beat you in a race once?” A pained grimace game to Rainbow’s face at that memory, “Yeah…but that was…um…” her eyes closed while she tapped her face with her hoof, “…different. That totally didn’t count.” “Riiiiight…” muttered Twilight. Applejack huffed from the front of the column, throwing an angry look over her shoulder, “Will you two stop horsin’ around? We gotta get movin’!” “Don’t be so hasty, Applejack,” said Twilight, “You have to keep a level head in this situation.” They had one more destination before heading into the forest. Everypony always thought that shy pegasus was somewhat bold for constructing her home so close to the forest. She always ran the risk of something nasty crawling out of the forest, and the first thing they would target would be her home. It was fortunate for the Element bearers though, since they needed to rush into the Everfree as soon as they could. The mares quickly cleared the boundary of the vast orchard. “Apple Bloom is rushin’ into the Everfree Forest!” Applejack snapped, “It’s my job as a big sister to keep her safe!” “If your sister is in danger, you aren’t doing her any favors if you get worked up like this,” Twilight chided. The orange mare sighed, “Ah know Twi…it’s just…Ah’m so worried right now…” She didn’t have much time to dwell on it when familiar cottage came into view. The stream that ran past the front of the house seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. Unfortunately, the lights were dimmed, and the house was silent; not a single peep came from the many animals that Fluttershy cared for on her property. Though to their surprise, they already found somepony there waiting for them. They almost didn’t see her at first, given that her dark coat allowed her to blend in with the night, but soon after, they recognized the tall form of Princess Luna standing near the small bridge in front of Fluttershy’s quaint little home. “So you have arrived,” announced Luna. All the mares bowed before her, eliciting an eye-roll from the Princess. “None of that now, on your hooves,” her blue eyes swept across the assembled ponies, a frown forming on her muzzle. Twilight gulped loudly, her ears drooping, “Um…sorry! We were just on our way to find Fluttershy, and…” “I know, Twilight Sparkle,” interrupted the Princess; she pointed with a single capped hoof, “What has befallen Lady Rarity?” Applejack shuffled around uncomfortably on her hooves, and swiveled her head around to look at the unconscious mare, “Um, she might have…um…fainted a bit.” Luna raised an eyebrow, “Fainted? And what could have caused that?” she said as she leaned forward, putting the tip of her horn to the unconscious unicorn’s head. The horn went aglow, and Rarity stirred moments later. “Oh…mm…huh?” she mumbled. Her eyes flickered open, her eyes glazed with confusion. Rarity blinked twice as her current predicament set in, “Huh…? Applejack! Put me down this instant!” the fashionista began thrashing wildly, her hooves kicking at the air. The sudden movement nearly sent the farmpony teetering off balance, who deposited the white unicorn on the ground with an ungraceful thud. “Applejack! Why did you…ugh, dirt!” she rapidly rose to her hooves, trying to brush away the blemishes marring her formerly pristine coat. Applejack smiled sheepishly, grinding her hooves into the path, “Oops, sorry Rares.” The unicorn glared at her, “Do you have any idea how hard it is to…wait a minute,” her brow furrowed. What was she doing earlier? Her gaze drifted over to the dark blue mare that was standing not three body-lengths away, looking at her expectantly. Her eyes snapped wide open as it came rushing back to her. “The girls have gone missin’!” Applejack blurted out, her eyes darting to and fro. “Whaaaaaaaat?” Rarity gasped, her eyes going wide. “Ah’m sorry Rarity!” said Applejack. “Ah think they’re headin’ for the forest!” “Sweetie Belle!” Rarity exclaimed, cupping her hooves to her cheeks, “My dearest little sister!” “Sweetie Belle?” the Princess questioned, throwing a glance at Twilight Sparkle, “What is this that Lady Rarity speaketh of?” Twilight gritted her teeth, “We believe that several fillies have gone into the forest to investigate the object.” Luna’s expression became grave, “Then there is no time to waste,” her gaze glanced over to Fluttershy’s house, “Retrieve your friend, I will attempt to confirm your suspicions.” Twilight nodded, “Rainbow, Pinkie, let’s go,” she beckoned them forward with her hoof while Applejack and Rarity stared worriedly at Princess Luna. While the trio was crossing the bridge, Luna’s horn lit up and she pointed it into the forest. Alright…now how am I going to convince Fluttershy to come out? thought Twilight. Following the entire crash, the unicorn would be surprised if she wasn’t quivering under her bed. Twilight’s gaze flitted over to the backyard. Were the animals undisturbed, or did Fluttershy have to calm them down? She didn’t have time to think about it before she found herself stopping in front of the front door of the cottage. Listening closely, much to her dismay the unicorn could hear no sounds coming from inside the house. Taking in a deep breath, Twilight raised a hoof and rapped on the door three times. “Fluttershy? Are you in there? It’s Twilight, I need to talk to you,” Twilight said loudly and clearly. No response. She knocked again, “Fluttershy, hello?” “We have no time for this,” muttered Rainbow. Snorting with derision, the cyan mare shoved her way past the unicorn and pounded on the door with both hooves. “Fluttershy! It’s us! Open up!” she yelled. Again, no response. Sucking in a deep breath, Rainbow prepared to bring down her hooves again. It was then that the door opened, and a disheveled pegasus tentatively peered out at them. “Rainbow?” Fluttershy whispered. Her gaze swept over the other ponies, “Twilight, P-Pinkie?” she quietly opened the door all the way to reveal herself in her entirety. The pony was clad in a white and violet robe, her long pink mane was disheveled, and her eyes were half-glazed over with weariness. “Good morning Fluttershy,” Twilight said curtly. The pegasus stared at her for a bit, “Um…I don’t mean to be rude but…could you tell me what you’re doing here? Um…if that’s okay with you that is…” Before Twilight could reply, Fluttershy stared right past her. Her teal eyes widened when she noticed her other visitors standing just beyond the bridge. “Applejack and Rarity…and i-is that Nightma- um…Princess Luna too?” “Yuppers! The gang’s all here!” Pinkie said happily, bouncing in place. Fluttershy gulped loudly, her eyes going wide as they trailed over to the visible plume of smoke coiling in the night air. Gritting her teeth, she looked back at her unicorn friend while the pieces fell into place in her mind. That thing happened…friends show up…P-Princess…black smoke… The canary-yellow pony could distinctly remember the last time a cloud of scary black smoke rose up into the Equestrian sky; it involved a trek up a tall mountain to shoo off a giant, fire-breathing dragon. Already knowing the purpose of her friends’ visit, Fluttershy turned back to the gathered ponies, her face partially hidden behind her bangs. “I-Is it another d-dragon?” the pegasus squeaked. “I d-don’t know if I could…” “Nope, aliens!” Rainbow said enthusiastically, bouncing on her hooves slightly. Surely she misheard her friend. That didn’t make the pegasus feel any better as her face paled further. “W-what?” “Yep! Aliens!” the cyan mare replied, her wings flaring out in excitement, “Real life aliens in Equestria! Just like in those books! Omigosh! This is so…so…AWESOME!” Rainbow cupped her hooves to her face. “B-but are they nice aliens?” Fluttershy stammered. Twilight shook her head, “We don’t know for sure, we don’t even know if there are aliens.” “Don’t be such a buzzkill Twilight!” Rainbow pouted as she took to the air and briefly circled overhead, “This is so fantastically unbelievably awesomely cool and radical!” Rainbow abruptly stopped and looked to her peers for support, “Right guys?” Pinkie Pie giggled, “Yep! And we’re gonna throw a party and become best friends, just watch out for the bendy straws!” the mare tapped her chin, “Hm…I’ve never thrown a party past midnight before! Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything! Hey are you girls…” “Pinkie, is now the best time?” asked Twilight. “Anytime is party time!” said Pinkie, “Hey anypony want to…WOOOOooOOoAAaaaaaHHHHhhh…” her whole body started shaking. This was the third time the dreaded doozy alarm went off on their brief journey to the edge of the woods. “Um…doesn’t that mean that there’s going to be a doozy?” said Fluttershy as she anxiously eyed her friends. “Hey! Are you gals finished up there yet?” Applejack shouted from the opposite end of the bridge, “Get ‘Shy so we can get going! We don’t want the Crusaders getting too far ahead!” That got Fluttershy’s attention, the mare’s ears perked up. “C-Crusaders? What about the Cutie Mark Crusaders?” she said anxiously. “Oh, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo went to go say ‘hi!’ to the aliens,” Pinkie said nonchalantly as if it were some minor detail. Fluttershy did a double-take at her pink friend, her eyes going wide and her irises shrinking to the size of pinpricks, “W-w-w-what!?” she said at a an almost normal volume. “T-the girls are…the girls went into the Everfree Forest?” “Most likely,” responded Twilight, “We have to go after them now, Fluttershy.” The pegasus gulped loudly, “I…just give me a moment,” said Fluttershy as she disappeared into her house. “Angel Bunny, look after the house while I’m away! Um…if that’s okay with you.” Cocking her eyebrow, Twilight was about to go in after her when Fluttershy reappeared at the door. She had disposed of her robe, and her mane was slightly tamer. “Okay, l-lets go,” she mumbled as she pushed past her friends. “C’mon Fluttershy! Let’s go find the fillies! …and aliens!” Rainbow said enthusiastically while the four mares joined the other ponies on the far side of the bridge. “Alright Princess, have you discovered anything new?” Twilight asked as she trotted up to Luna. The Night Princess turned to the unicorn and gave a single firm nod. “Indeed, I believeth that thou are correct in your assumption, fair Applejack,” she glanced at the farmpony, “Amidst all the life in the forest, I could sense three fillies. The spell isn’t refined enough to pinpoint their exact location, but I know that they are in there, besides,” she gestured towards the path with a single capped hoof, “Look.” Everypony did; undoubtedly, there on the dirt were a series of hoofprints. They were small, and definitely belonged to young ponies. They were still fresh tracks, and the way they were arranged suggested that they were moving in a single file. Applejack rose to her full height, her face hard, “What’d I tell ya’ll?” she glanced to all of her friends, “Mah sister is out there and if there are…” her face contorted, “…aliens, then they may be in danger!” Luna nodded in agreement, “Even I know not what awaits us at the impact site, but I have no doubt that we must make haste!” said the Princess. She started down the path at a noiseless gallop. The rest of the mares were surprised just at how quickly she accelerated. The moon Princess shot a look over her shoulder, “Come!” So they did; the six friends followed their Princess into the darkness of the Everfree as both excitement and fear filled the air. Amidst it all, Applejack took a deep breath of anxiety as a lump formed in the pit of her gut. Please be safe, please be safe… ~~ Holding his pistol aloft , the Wanderer checked his corners as he cautiously moved forward through an open doorway. His keen eyes scanned every inch of the room he was in: every nook, every crevice, and every potential place for one of those abominations to be hiding. Knowing that he was in a poorly-lit labyrinth with horrible twisted ex-humans lurking in the darkness did not make the Wanderer feel any better. He scolded himself for letting that previous one getting the jump on him last time; he couldn’t afford to make stupid mistakes like that. Thankfully, he saw no trace of that other monster he had encountered in the cell blocks; either it was trapped in there, or if he was lucky, it was all a figment of an overactive imagination. He found himself in what appeared to be some sort of storage room. The walls were lined with empty shelves, their contents messily piled up in one corner of the room along with a table and a couple of chairs. A shattered observation window was set into one of the bulkheads next to a closed door. A quiet beep from his Pip-Boy drew him away from his observations. Glancing down at the wrist-mounted computer, he felt a rising sense of satisfaction when he noted that the cartoonish figure of the human on they display was once again whole and smiling. It was a hint of good news, knowing that his cybernetics and mutations did their job. Lowering his Pip-Boy, he looked around. There was nothing in this room he could use, so he quickly moved on. The Wanderer assumed that the door was inoperable, so instead the he vaulted through the gap where the window used to be. He landed on his feet noiselessly on the other side to find another unadorned corridor. Quickly and quietly the Wanderer walked down the hall, throwing an occasional glance over his shoulder to see if anything was trying to creep up behind him. He was watchful for any air ducts set into the ceiling or walls, in case an abomination tried to get the jump on him again. Finding none, he pressed on before rounding the corner into another high ceilinged chamber. It was surprisingly well lit; moonlight streaked in through a cracked skylight. The room was cluttered with piles of toppled crates, and about halfway across the room a low wall running horizontally center blocked the opposite end from view. A damaged staircase running parallel with the divider stood before him, an archway near its base. He couldn’t make out much on the upper level, with the exceptions of a few crates lying about, some of them teetering precariously over the edge, the railing completely absent. The Wanderer’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the room. He was standing out in the open, the crates, the high ground… Under any other circumstances, this looked like an ideal place for an ambush. Not knowing if the monsters were smart enough to utilize it, he remained cautious anyway as he crept forward. He trained his sights on the upper level, diligently peeking behind every crate as he passed them. Nothing popped out to attack him, thankfully. So far so good. The Wanderer tensed up when he heard a familiar shriek echoing throughout the ship. Taking in a deep breath, the man bit his lip and listened closely. He felt a pang of anxiety when the monster shrieked again. It was closer. Holding his pistol in his right hand and his knife in his left, the Wanderer’s sight fervently darted between each entrance, as well as the air ducts. He noticed two, one on each side of the room. His stance went rigid when he heard another shriek, followed by something heavy crashing to the floor. He could hear them, he could hear them crawling in the walls. He bit his lip as he braced himself, prepared for the inevitable fight. Everything went silent, the tension in the air about to burst. A stray bead of sweat made its way down his face. “Contacts rear!” his AI warned him, signaling the start of the fight. Whipping around, sure enough, he caught sight of no less than four of the abominations rushing in from the same door that the Wanderer came in through. Their skin was deathly pale under the moonlight, their black eyes shiny, devoid of any emotion as they charged at the man, and their spindly white claws reaching out for him. His Novasurge fired four times, three of the energy bolts found their marks in the abominations’ skulls, while one shot was off, hitting the final monster in the shoulder. It hissed in pain while the other three toppled over dead. It quickly closed the distance between itself and the human, but the Wanderer was prepared. Ducking beneath the monster’s claws, the Star Paladin drove his elbow into the abomination’s ribs, sending it off balance. Its momentum carried it past the human, exposing its back. Without hesitation, the Wanderer swung his left arm, wielding a knife, and slashed at the vulnerable ex-human. The knife in particular was carved out of a deathclaw’s…claws , and reinforced with saturnite alloy. The end result was a very light , very durable blade that could cut through just about anything with ease. The knife effortlessly cut through the abomination, shredding and slashing muscle and bone. The monster howled in pain, the cry made the Wanderer cringe. Its shrieks were cut off moments later as he attacked again, this time the swipe directed at the monster’s neck. It collapsed like a puppet that had its strings cut. It convulsed on the spot, a sickening gurgle emanating from its ruined neck. It was still moments later as sticky black ichor began pooling around its fallen form. The entire clash lasted about five seconds. But the Wanderer knew it was far from over. Even now, he could hear them. An unhealthy hiss echoed through the chamber as another monster rushed in through the open doorway, followed by another, and another. The Wanderer picked them off as they came, but there were far too many. As he centered his sights on the skull of another monster, the star paladin cursed when the pistol beeped, indicating that he had depleted its ammunition. He backed away as he ejected a spent cell from his weapon, and furiously pumped in a new one. Two more abominations fell to his pistol, while three more appeared to replace them, stepping over the fallen corpses. They similarly made a mad dash for Wanderer. He successfully took down two, but the third one reached him. He braced himself as the monster pounced, its claws outstretched. At the last second, the Wanderer threw his body forward, catching the abomination mid-leap. The sudden move took the thing by surprise, and it was thrown off balance. Before it could recover, the Wanderer seized it by the throat, threw it to the ground, and stabbed it in the neck. “Contacts rear!” his AI informed him as he withdrew his blade. Something grappled him from behind. He grunted in pain as a pair of strong, pale arms constricted around his neck, and his hands scrambled for the offending appendages as the abominations further encroached on him. He managed to pry himself free and violently flung the personal space invader into the masses. Turning around, and taking deep breaths, the Wanderer swore when he saw several more monsters pour in through the door leading to the other half of the chamber, while even more abominations streamed in from the way he came. Just how many of these things survived…? The Wanderer thought. What I’d do for a minigun… he thought bitterly as the abominations began to form a semi-circle around him while he fired into the rapidly encroaching horde. When he emptied his pistol once more, he snatched a grenade from his belt as he backed away from the approaching monsters and searched for a route of escape, his heart racing. He cursed when he found his back to the wall. Wherever he looked, all he saw was the snarling faces of the abominations, but beyond them were… The stairs… The circle around him grew tighter as he made his decision, his eyes darting between the grenade and his potential escape route. When one of the abominations made to pounce on him, he charged at their ranks, rushing at where the circle looked the weakest. The monster’s in his path were sent sprawling to the ground as he primed the explosive, dropping it behind him while making a dash for the stairs . He heard the satisfying sound of the explosion behind him as he wheeled around the horde of abominations, staying near the wall. When he was about halfway, he hit another snag. A lump of dread formed in his stomach when he heard something over the incessant hissing and shrieking of the monsters. Something was moving in the vents. He didn’t even get time to speculate as the grates burst off their mounts and clattered to the ground with a metallic ping, followed by even more abominations coming in. One of them flopped through the opening directly in his path, and rose to its feet in an eerie slithering motion. How did they fit in there…? thought the Wanderer as he lashed out with his free hand, decking the monster in the face as he passed it. He withdrew his pistol once more midstride, and pumped in a new energy cell. He took a few pot shots at the once more encroaching abominations as he rapidly approached his goal. Even though they had to climb over heaps of their own dead, no matter how hard he fought there were always several more abominations to replace the ones that he had slain. Once again, some of the monsters managed to get behind him, their arms restraining his own behind his back as several more of the things moved in to start beating at the currently helpless target. They pounded and scratched, tearing at his armor. Some of them drew blood; each individual drop seemingly throwing them into a more aggressive frenzy. The Wanderer struggled against his attackers as he felt their claws tearing into his flesh. He was being overwhelmed. “I don’t want you to die best friend, this will help!” his AI chimed in. A moment later, he felt a little prick as his suit’s Auto Doc systems injected a stimpak. He felt a sudden rush of energy throughout his body. With a feral yell, he shook off his attackers, yanking his arms free and slashing about with his knife in wild arcs. The monsters sounded surprised, if they were even capable of surprise. He fought on with renewed vigor while he continued to beat them back. His weapon and armor were splattered with his enemies’ dark blood. A triumphant grin came onto the human’s face as he reached the stairs. They groaned under his weight while he rapidly ascended them, but then that gave him an idea. As the monsters started to chase him upward, he casually dropped a primed plasma grenade on the stairway. He dove behind a nearby crate as the explosive detonated, briefly bathing the chamber in a green glow. Already weakened from the crash, the powerful blast pushed its durability past its limits, and the metallic stairs broke away from the landing with a loud screech, taking several of the mutated monsters with it. The Wanderer grinned, a feeling of relief washing through him. However, his elation was short lived as an abomination’s head popped over the edge of the opposite side of the landing, shrieking loudly at him. Its claws made a horrible scratching sound as the scraped against the floor, leaving white streaks. He raised his pistol and fired, the green bolt of energy instantly liquefied the abomination, leaving a nasty stain on the edge of the floor. The Wanderer swallowed when he heard…troubling noises coming from below. Tentatively, he peered over the edge. His heart skipped a beat at what he saw. Abominations, dozens of them swarmed below, shrieking, hissing. A quick peek over the other edge revealed a very similar sight as they scrambled over the broken remains of the staircase. Both groups were doing something that made a lump of dread form in the pit of his stomach. They were climbing. He took in a deep breath to calm himself; he had to keep his head on straight. There were nearly a hundred abominations after him. All he had was a sidearm, a knife, a few grenades, and damaged power armor. There were just too many of them. He had to get out of there. He needed to retreat. He quickly scanned his surroundings as the monsters drew steadily closer. One side of the room was a dead end, but the other had a doorway set into it with a hallway beyond. Making up his mind, he sprinted towards what he hoped was a way out as the first of the abominations scaled the wall. The Wanderer was utterly silent as he passed empty room after empty room. None of them yielded any results. He felt a gnawing sense of worry. If he couldn’t find a way to lose his pursuers, or at least slow them down, he would be overwhelmed for certain. He could hear the abominations pursuing him, their shrieks echoing through the corridor. It was then that he noticed a light in the distance. He felt a rising sense of hope as it drew nearer, was it a way outside, a tear in the hull? As he drew nearer, his face fell when he realized that it was merely a doorway with a light on above it. Wait… he thought. Does that door still have power? He picked up the pace, this could work! He skidded to a halt as he passed through it, and fervently examined the door. He winced when he caught a glimpse of the abominations running down the corridor, but grinned when he noticed the intact force-field generator set into the archway. Now where is the…ah! He felt elated as he eyed the activation panel next to the door. Quickly, he put his hand too it. Nothing happened. Frowning, he pressed it again; same result. He felt his heart drop into his stomach as the abominations rapidly closed in on him. “God dammit!” the Wanderer hissed. Hoping to buy himself more time, he shot at the monsters’ legs. It worked as the one in the lead stumbled, and it tripped up its followers. With a grunt, he tore the panel from the wall. Fortunately, the electrical components within were intact. Wordlessly, he pulled a few wires, made a few connections, and he reached into the depths of the activation mechanism… “They’re coming…” his AI warned him. “I know!” he hissed, his heart pounding, “Just a few…more…got it!” Just as the first monster passed the threshold, the force-field hummed to life. The Wanderer easily dispatched the only one to make it through while the remainder stared at him through the force-field with their shiny black eyes, their faces contorted into snarls as they pounded on the barrier with their clawed hands. The Wanderer let a long, drawn out sigh of relief pass through his mouth. Although he realized they would eventually find a way around, the barrier would hold. He was safe…for now. ~~ “ What is it?” Sweetie Belle thought aloud. “Ah have no idea…” replied Apple Bloom. The crusaders all stood on the edge of a ring of flattened trees, all gawking at the object in the midst of all the destruction. They really hadn’t expected this, it was like nothing they had even seen or heard of before. One end partially buried into the ground looked like a large disk-shaped object. It wasn’t perfectly circular; large pieces of it looked like they had broken off. Torn metal columns protruding from the bottom of it indicated that this disk was also once part of a larger object as well. It was made of metal. The sections in which the plating wasn’t warped or deformed by heat shone in the moonlight. Some parts of it were covered in flickering lights, whereas other places were completely dark. On top of the mystery object, the fillies could see flames belching out from places in which the outer shell was torn open, the smoke from the fire was what was coiling towards the sky. “It looks scary but at the same time…it looks totally awesome,” remarked Scootaloo, drawing a glance from both of her friends, “What? It is!” It was big; at its highest point, the part that was jutting into the air was taller than any building in Ponyville, and it was several hundred feet long. “Let’s get closer, gals!” exclaimed Scootaloo. She began excitedly trotting towards the object, jumping over fallen trees the whole way. “Wait up Scoots!” yelled Sweetie as she followed suit. Apple Bloom was the only filly that hadn’t moved yet. The object was giving her a bad feeling. The more she stared, the more hesitant she was getting, which was unlike her. Scootaloo seemed to notice, stopping atop the trunk of a flattened tree and looking back at her, “C’mon Apple Bloom!” Her friend’s voice snapped her out of her trance, “I’m coming, I’m coming!” she said as she took the lantern she dropped earlier into her mouth, and carefully tucked it into her saddlebags. It was unneeded thanks to the moonlight. The Crusaders pressed on. It was awkward finding footing due to all of the trees that were toppled, so they settled with leaping from trunk to trunk. The entire time, the moon shone down on them. It was pretty warm around the crashed object, a not entirely unwelcome change due to how chilly it was. “Wait for me!” shouted Sweetie, who was rapidly falling behind. From behind, Apple Bloom heard something snap followed by a sharp cry from her friend. Both she and Scootaloo rapidly spun to face her to find that she had lost her balance and had driven her face into the sooty ground. “Sweetie Belle!” yelled Apple Bloom as she rushed to her friend’s side. Much to her relief, Sweetie was unharmed, but her white fur and crusader cloak were caked with ash. “I’m fine! I’m okay!” “Ya sure?” asked Apple Bloom as she helped the filly to her feet. “I’m alrig-al-ah-ah-AAACHOOO!” said Sweetie Belle, her statement interrupted with a sneeze. “Come on slow pokes!” Scootaloo shouted, “If you take any longer we’ll be here all night!” “We’re coming! Keep your saddle on Scoots!” replied Apple Bloom. The Crusaders regrouped and all shared a collective gaze at the large metal object. Now that they were closer, they could make out more of the finer details. Lining the sides, they could see several transparent square objects that looked like windows, some of which were cracked, others of which were shattered. In the sections where the plating was missing or torn away, the fillies noticed that there were even more complex layers beneath. It looked even bigger up close; the fillies had to strain their necks to stare directly at the top. The fillies’ eyes remained fixated on the wreckage as they got closer and closer. When the mystery object was close enough to touch, they stop. The trio shared a moment of silence as they stood side-by-side. Slowly, Scootaloo extended her hoof. The other two noticed, “Careful!” said Sweetie, “We don’t know what it is!” “Relax, okay?” said Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes. The other two held their breaths as Scootaloo’s hoof drew closer and closer. They gritted their teeth when it was within inches and… Nothing. The orange filly’s hoof was firmly against the side of the thing, and they weren’t vaporized, incinerated, blown up, or any of the other unpleasant scenarios that were running through their heads at the moment. Scootaloo glanced at her friends with a smug look on her face. “See? It’s all right.” She lightly rapped her hoof on the surface of the thing several times, the echoing note ringing throughout the night. All three fillies’ eyes widened at the sound. The other two followed Scootaloo’s example, each of experimentally whacking the hull. “You think something is inside there?” asked Scootaloo. “Ooh!” said Sweetie Belle, “What do you think could be in there?” “No idea! But we’re going to find out!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “Maybe it’s aliens! That would be so cool!” she backed away from the wreckage and craned her neck upward, her eyes scanning the object’s surface, “You gals see any ways to get inside?” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both joined Scootaloo in her search for an entrance. “Nope, ah don’t,” said Apple Bloom. She was pondering what her friend had said. The more she saw of this thing, the more plausible the thought of aliens was. This thing was definitely not natural, and it was definitely not built by ponies. “Well, we’re not going to find a way in just sitting here!” said Scootaloo, as her wings buzzed excitedly, “C’mon! Let’s get looking!” Sweetie Belle eagerly agreed, while Apple Bloom’s gaze was fixated at the mystery before her for a moment longer. It seemed to take a lot of effort to drag her gaze away from it before she cantered after her friends. Seizing the opportunity to speak her worries aloud, “Say Scoots,” she said she as caught up to her friend. The filly met her gaze, “Yeah?” “Um…you know how you were thinkin’ that this here object is um…alien…” the word came out awkwardly as she shifted about, “How do we know that they’re nice aliens?” Scootaloo put a hoof to her chin, her brow furrowed in thought, “Huh, I haven’t thought about that,” she said as she stopped. “You haven’t?” said Apple Bloom with a hint of incredulity, her ears falling flat against her head. “Well, uh…” said Scootaloo. “Besides,” Apple Bloom pointed upward, “Ah can clearly see that somethin’ is burning in there, and ah doubt that this thing is…um what’s the word…stable, after a crash like that.” The pegasus craned her neck, “What are you getting at?” “Somethin’ is telling me that this is a right bad idea,” Apple Bloom whispered, leaning in close to her friend. Scootaloo shook her head and giggled, “Going soft on me eh? We’re crusaders! Don’t you want to earn your cutie mark?” Mentioning the name of her heart’s greatest desire overwrote any better judgment the filly had at the moment. She stomped once, “Of course ah do!” said Apple Bloom, a determined look on her face. Scootaloo smiled, “That’s what I thought! Cutie Mark Crusaders Alien Finders are a go!” she said excitedly and she and Apple Bloom high-hoofed. “Girls! Over here!” shouted Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom shouted back, “You find somethin’?” The filly beamed in response, “Yes, I think I see a way in!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged a quick glance before rushing over to join their friend. “Where? Where?” said Scootaloo. Sweetie pointed with her hoof, and the other ponies directed their eyes towards it. Sure enough, hidden in a shadow cast by the object’s bulk was a sizable tear in the hull, partially hidden behind a heap of debris. The three trotted up to the opening. Apple Bloom put a hoof to her chin, “Hm…this stuff looks pretty loose. I reckon we could move it.” Scootaloo bounced on her hooves, “Well then, let’s get to it!” she eagerly starting moving the rubble with her mouth. She glanced back at her friends, “Wbut ah roo ‘aiting fer?” she said, her voice muffled by the scrap metal. “Oh right,” said Sweetie Belle as the she and Apple Bloom went to work. It took several minutes, but in the end their efforts were successful. The junk was piled off to the side, leaving a gaping hole in the mystery object before them. It was more than large enough to accommodate a full-sized pony. They walked up to the wide hole and peered inside. Though it was very dark, they could make out that it was quite a mess in there. “Good thing we brought a lantern…” Scootaloo glanced at Apple Bloom, “You didn’t lose the lantern, did you?” “Huh? Oh yeah, ah didn’t lose it!” said Apple Bloom, pulling the firefly lantern out of her saddlebag. She gave it a good shake to rouse the insects inside. She made a muffled sound of triumph through the light-source in her mouth as the disturbed fireflies shone with light. Cautiously, Apple Bloom poked her head into the entrance, illuminating the dark interior with her lantern. What greeted her was a hallway with cold, metal walls, made of a lighter-colored material than the exterior. Both the walls and the ceiling were rounded. What appeared to be pipes were running the length of the ceiling, some of which were cracked. The floor was missing tiles in several places, exposing the darker material beneath, but it was largely obscured by what looked like metal crates littering the ground. Her lantern’s light didn’t extend far enough to reach the ends of the hallway in either direction. Listening closely, Apple Bloom thought she could hear a distant buzzing sound. “See anything interesting?” said a voice over her shoulder. Apple Bloom heard a quiet clip-clop as her friends trotted to her side. “What a mess,” Sweetie Belle thought out loud, “My big sister would have a fit if she were here right now.” “I bet she wo-…woah!” said Scootaloo, as she stepped on a lose piece of debris that gave way under her hoof. She lost her balance fell to her belly was an audible thud, “Ouch! That scared…I mean…mildly surprised me!” she thumped her chest with her hoof. The other two fillies giggled as the third scrambled to her feet. Apple Bloom glanced down the hallway. First to the right, then to the left, and then… A faint sound echoed off in the distance. Wait what was that? Apple Bloom’s gaze shot towards the noise. A brief shudder ran through her small frame; she could have sworn that she just saw something move. Her irises shrunk down to the size of walnuts and a shiver went down her spine. She focused on that one spot…but the shadows refused to reveal anything. “Apple Bloom?” said Sweetie, interrupting her train of thought. “Shh!” Apple Bloom hissed though the lantern. “Wha…-?” She spat out the lantern, “I thought I heard somethin’!” Apple Bloom whispered. The three fillies shared a moment of silence as they perked their ears up. Her stare remained fixated into the darkness, and still, nothing else happened. “Oh please, it’s just your imagination, Apple Bloom,” muttered Scootaloo, rolling her eyes. “But I…” “I don’t see or hear anything either, Apple Bloom,” said Sweetie Belle . “It isn’t like you to be so skittish, Apple Bloom,” said Scootaloo, “Are you sure you’re okay?” she put a hoof on her shoulder. Her ears drooped, “Ah don’t know why…but I have that feeling that we’re bein’ watched. You know what ah mean?” said Apple Bloom. Scootaloo sighed, tapping her head with her hoof, “I think it’s just you.” Apple Bloom shrugged and lowered her head, “Ah don’t know…maybe.” “Don’t you want to find those aliens?” said Scootaloo, as she reassuringly patted her friend on the back. Apple Bloom smiled, “Ah sure do,” with that, she scooped the lantern back up in her mouth and bounced excitedly on her hooves. The feeling was contagious, and soon the other fillies were mimicking her. “Let’s get moving!” said Scootaloo. She beckoned Apple Bloom to take the lead, her carrying the lantern and all. The other crusaders followed in her hoofsteps. “This is so exciting!” said Sweetie Belle. As the moonlight disappeared behind them Apple Bloom shot one more look over her shoulder. Seeing nothing, the filly pressed on in better spirits. ~~ Time to move. The Lone Wanderer frowned as he eyed the horde of abominations being held at bay by the force-field. Who knew how long it would last? The man gave the horde of monsters a one-fingered salute as he turned on his heel and strode away. Sure it was petty, but it was satisfying. The Wanderer found himself on the top level of a multi-tiered chamber. He licked his dry lips as he surveyed the room below. He really wished he had something to drink. The majority of the chamber below was occupied by a hulking piece of broken machinery. Several large pistons were locked in place while a clear liquid leaked out of fractures in large tanks. It made a barely audible hissing sound as it continued to flow; he wasn’t in a hurry to identify whatever fluid that was. A pungent odor filled the dry air. The only door on his level led to a stairwell that predictably led to the lower tiers. He picked a floor at random. He stopped as soon as he got off the stairs and scanned the room. He saw multiple doors, each leading off into the darkness. One of them had a light on over it. Listening closely, he could hear the satisfying hum of the barrier generator upstairs. He chose the lit door, and it was revealed to have another featureless hallway beyond it. Worth a try, I suppose… he thought as he stepped through it. The room the corridor led into was another multi-story chamber. It was circular; a couple of damaged stairways hugged the walls of the lower level, leading up to his walkway. A few of the sparking cables hung through a gap torn in the ceiling, dangling precariously. Multiple passageways branched off of this chamber; it appeared to be some sort of hub area. His pistol held aloft, he took a step forward. He heard something. He swore under his breath, they couldn’t have bypassed the barrier already! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement in one of the darkened passages, followed by a muffled thump. Wait, what was that? His ears perked up, something was approaching. He immediately ducked into the darkest corner of the chamber as he recognized what were unmistakably footsteps. But something was wrong. They made an audible clop sound, as if the unseen arrival was wearing boots or some other kind of footwear. It was a stark contrast to the noise the bare feet of the abominations made, which was more of a quiet plop. Whatever the footsteps belonged to, they were clearly lightweight. The footsteps lacked the rhythm a biped would make; it sounded more like…four? Eight? Now, the sound was bleeding together too much for him to estimate any discernible amount of feet. He cautiously poked his head around the corner, determined to catch a glimpse of this new interloper. “Incoming contacts,” informed the AI. “No kidding…” the Wanderer grumbled. His eyes narrowed when he noticed a faint light appear down one of the corridors, gradually glowing brighter. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it was flickering, as if it was a candle. His hand tightened on his weapon as the light grew brighter and brighter. They stepped into view. The Wanderer’s mouth dropped. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, unsure if he was hallucinating or not. Upon reopening them, they were still there. Standing no more than twenty feet away from him were a trio of small, four-legged creatures. The closest parallel he could compare them to were ponies, like in the pictures in old pre-war textbooks he had seen, or the countless advertisements for Giddyup Buttercups that were all over the DC ruins. They were small, less than a meter tall, maybe as high as his knee. They didn’t quite match the description he had in mind. Their muzzles were shorter, and their heads larger. Also, their color schemes were…vibrant. Two of them had purple hair atop their heads! He could have sworn he could see what looked like a small horn protruding from the forehead of the pony in the back, but that would just be silly, unicorns belong in fantasy! The one in the lead was carrying some sort of lantern in its mouth. It looked like an old-fashioned oil lamp, yet that wasn’t a flame that was burning inside of it. From his position, he couldn’t tell what was. All three of them were wearing matching capes, made out of some sort of red fabric with a blue and gold crest of sorts stitched into the sides, and the lead…pony was wearing a large pink bow atop its head. What the hell am I looking at? Animals don’t put accessories like that on, or carry lanterns…were they some sort of mutant pony monster that the aliens spawned? They did seem to have a strange obsession with Giddyup Buttercup, to the extent of having an entire section of the cargo bay filled with them. He remained perfectly still as he silently watched them. He cocked an eyebrow as the trio gathered in a tight circle. The bow-wearing pony sat down its lantern. The Wanderer held his breath, curious as to what was going to happen. One of the creatures started making a strange series of sounds. Another one made a distinctly different sound back. Something abruptly dawned on the Wanderer. Wait a minute… he thought, That’s… they’re speaking a language! He couldn’t understand a word, but it sounded like the new arrivals were having a conversation. The ponies’ voices were high-pitched, they sounded like children. They looked childlike. He couldn’t deny it, but he found that those little ponies were…cute, even adorable. Those were two adjectives that rarely ever passed through his mind. These new observations sent both worry and excitement down his spine. It was quickly becoming clear that these creatures were indigenous life, and they were here to investigate the crash. And if they are indigenous, that means they got in here somehow, and I have an escape route! His thoughts trailed off when the bow-wearing pony turned its head towards his general direction. His heart seemed to stop when those large gold eyes strayed over his position and stayed there. Even as far away as he was, he could clearly tell just how…expressive they were. It turned away from him and said something in…pony… to its companions. Both of them said something back. The ponies’ little…conversation… grew louder. The pony with the bow was…arguing… with the purple-haired, orange-coated one. Emotions played across their saccharine features, their mouths animated and flowing with their alien language. The group seemed to come to a consensus as the bow-wearing pony retrieved its lantern as the group trotted over to one of the staircases. The human hid behind a crate resting on the metal walkway as he heard the rapid pitter-patter of hooves on metal drew closer. Soon after, the noise gradually faded away. Although the human knew that he could ignore them and attempt to find out how the pony-creatures entered the ship, he decided against it. Both curiosity and concern for the safety of those little creatures overrode his desire to get as far away from this place as possible. They were clearly sapient, and foolishly wandering into a monster infested wreck. Making up his mind, the star paladin set off after them. He would keep himself hidden, he would observe, and he would assess. Looks could be deceiving. As cute as the ponies appeared, the Wanderer would never forget that one incident with the rad bunnies. Seriously, those things were nasty. ~~~ “I’m tellin’ ya’ll, there’s something in here with us!” said Apple Bloom, her eyes narrowed at her pegasus friend. “I think you’re just jumpy!” retorted Scootaloo, the light from the lantern giving her an eerie look. Their trek into the mysterious wreckage had been unnerving. At first, all three of them were excited by the prospect of what amazing things they could find in there. Their hopes of finding an alien or perhaps their Cutie Marks was quickly giving way to fear. It was chilly in the wreckage. Minutes seemed to stretch into hours as they walked down darkened hallway. Empty corridors and shadows were all that they encountered, and Apple Bloom was certain that she saw something lurking in the darkness. The fact that her Apple Sense was going off the entire time didn’t help either. The Apple Sense, though not nearly as potent as the fabled Pinkie Sense, was useful for identifying when thieving varmints were attempting to make off Sweet Apple Acres’ prized crop. It was downright near impossible to sneak up on a member of the Apple family. It manifested as a subtle chill down her spine; the very same chill that she was feeling right now. The young earth pony shot a glance down the corridor they just exited. Something was there, she was certain of it. She thought she could see a slightly darker shadow against the blackness. The fillies explored for several more minutes, finding nothing but darkness and whispers. Their hearts raced in their little chests as their lantern illuminated abandoned chamber after abandoned chamber. Apple Bloom was very frightened. Something was following them, she was absolutely positive. She thought she caught a glimpse of it several times, but neither of her friends saw the figure that was stalking them. Three recurring features made her certain that it wasn’t part of her imagination. One, it was tall. Two, it had a dark body. Three, its face was pale. No matter where the fillies walked, when Apple Bloom turned around she could see it. It was watching them. Always watching… “Darn it…we’ve been here before…” Scootaloo murmured as they stepped into another room. All three fillies were quivering with fright. “Girls…I don’t…I don’t think we should be in here…” said Sweetie, “Let’s go home, please…” Scootaloo gritted her teeth, trying to put on a tough face, “D-don’t you want to get your cutie mark?” her false enthusiasm wasn’t enough to mask her nervousness. “I’m not friends with a couple of wimps, am I?” her voice fell, “Oh I wish Rainbow Dash was here…” Sweetie Belle squeaked, “I’m scared…” Apple Bloom through a glance over her shoulder. On the walkway above them, there it was again. She squeaked with fright, clenching her eyes shut. When she reopened them, it was gone. Ah wanna go home… “Girls…” she stammered, “Let’s get out of here…” The other two fillies nodded in agreement. None of them saw any way in which they would earn their cutie marks in this place. “A-alright…” muttered Scootaloo as the crusaders turned around…only to come face to face with two identical passageways. “Um…girls?” asked Scootaloo, “It’s this way…right?” ~ The bow-wearing pony knew he was there, he was sure of it. Frequently, she would turn around, those gold eyes nearly on his position. While he was certain that the creature could sense him, it couldn’t see him. The fact that it didn’t alert its companions made him believe that it was the only one aware of his presence. He had to give the little critter some credit, the Wanderer was well known to be a master of stealth. So far, the creatures didn’t appear to be a threat of any kind; they definitely weren’t like rad bunnies. In fact, they seemed to be quite terrified; he could see them quivering. They didn’t appear to be following any sort of set goal; they were just choosing corridors at random. The bow-wearing pony turned to look at him once more. Those eyes were so expressive and… It made a frightened sound and turned back to its companions. The three creatures had a hushed conversation, he could tell that the orange one was trying to appear brave, but failing. The more he observed them, the more innocent they seemed. Were they children? Mischievous, reckless children overwhelmed with curiosity and poor judgment? Finally, the trio turned around and disappeared down another passageway. Noiselessly dropping from his perch, he pursued them. His eyes narrowed as they passed through a familiar multi-story room. He recognized the large, broken machine on the lowest tier; it was the place where he escaped the abominations earlier. Shuffling about uncomfortably, he listened intently. He was suddenly filled with a sense of apprehension. Over the quiet sound of the ponies’ hoofs and the faint hissing of the broken machinery below, there was no other noise. He couldn’t hear the hum of the force-field, it was offline. The Wanderer heard something heavy land on the walkway above him. He caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. The human bit his lip as he glanced upward. They were coming. On the walkway above, the Wanderer could see dark shapes moving, crawling around on all fours. The catwalk overhead creaked with their movements as the monsters peered over the edge. His gaze returned to the ponies. The little fillies continued their retreat, completely oblivious to the danger nearby. Their lantern stood out like a beacon, drawing the monsters like moths to a flame. Those ponies were dead for certain if he did not intervene. He readied his pistol and knife, his expression was hard. Although they weren’t human, the Wanderer wasn’t about to sit by and do nothing. He was the type to help everyone. Those abominations were going to kill no one. The Star Paladin was already moving when an ear-splitting shriek echoed throughout the ship. ~~ The Crusaders were breathing rapidly as they made their exodus from the wreckage. All of the excitement of adventure was gone. Now, they just wanted to get out of this awful place. There was a strange scent in the air; it smelled like something was rotting. Up above, they could hear what sounded like murmuring. It made them even more frightened. “Girls! Slow down!” said Sweetie as she took up the rear. Scootaloo shot a glance over her shoulder, “No, you go faster!” she hissed. Apple Bloom ignored the exchange as she fervently glanced up towards the walkways above. It felt as if somepony had poured ice water down her back. Something’s there…something’s there… The fillies seized up with fear as a horrible cry echoed throughout the room. Their ears went flat against their little heads and their expressions contorted in pain as the cry pierced their skulls. Their bodies were quivering violently. “W-what was t-that!?” Scootaloo squeaked. Apple Bloom looked up. It felt as if a lump of ice formed in the pit of her stomach. She could see movement, lots and lots of movement. Something glittered in the light of her lantern; the earth pony squinted at the object, gasping at what she saw. It was a pair of eyes, connected to something horrifying. “G-girls!” said Apple Bloom, “RUN!” As the fillies bolted, it was as if somepony had bucked a beehive. Overhead, they could hear rapid hoof falls, followed by dark creatures dropping into their midst. The air was filled with the sickening, raspy breathing of whatever it was lurking in the dark. The fillies’ hearts raced, the light over door leading out seemed so far away. They didn’t dare look back. It was when one of the monsters dropped directly in front of them that they got a better view. It stood upright on two legs, its hairless body tall, and pale. Its belly was a disgusting paunch, and its organs were visible through the thin layer of skin. Two clawed hands, similar to what Spike had, yet far more horrifying were hanging by its sides, but what was most terrifying were the eyes. Twin pools of glistening, soulless blackness that were staring right at them. They stared at the abomination, and it stared back. Their bodies went rigid with fear when it shrieked. “D-don’t just stand there!” stammered Scootaloo. The monster swiped at them with its claws as the fillies darted between its spread legs. More and more of the creatures dropped into their path, and it quickly became a deadly game of weaving around them, dodging their sharp claws all the while. For some reason, Apple Bloom could have sworn that she saw flashes of green light out of the corner of her eye, though that was the least of her concerns at the moment. Apple Bloom felt a rising sense of elation as the exit drew closer. Almost there… Her heart seemed to stop when she heard somepony scream. “Help!” shrieked Sweetie Belle. The young unicorn had tripped, and the monsters were rapidly closing in. “THWEETY!” Apple Bloom shouted, her voice muffled by the lantern. Apple Bloom froze in horror as the abominations started circling the prone unicorn. The little filly put her forelegs over her head and whimpered. Then, something strange happened. There was a series of muffled thumps, each followed by a burst of green light. Vivid, emerald colored projectiles streaked through the air, striking the monsters nearest to the fallen filly directly in their heads. There was a bright flash, and when it faded away, the tall monsters were gone. In their place were a couple of puddles of strange, luminescent goo. Overcoming the feeling of bewilderment, Apple Bloom rushed over the unicorn and helped her back to her hooves. “Girls! C’mon! Over here!” shouted Scootaloo. The other fillies turned to find her silhouetted in the exit. To the pegasus’ left, Apple Bloom’s eyes shot open as she noticed a monster, its claws outstretched, rushing at the oblivious filly. “Scootaloo watch-” before she could finish there was another burst of green light, and the monster was replaced with a similar puddle of goo, “…out?” Scootaloo turned to the new puddle, her eyes wide with surprise, “What the…?” she nearly spun in place as her friends barreled past her. “Wait for me!” The three galloped down the corridor as fast as their little legs could carry them. They could hear a cacophony of shouts and screams behind them with random thumps thrown in. What was causing that? Against her better judgment, Apple Bloom threw a quick glance over her shoulder. What she saw puzzled her. There, standing in the doorway was another mysterious figure. At first glance, it looked similar to the monsters, but the filly could see differences. Although it was too far away to make out any finer details, she could tell that its limbs were less gangly, and its upper torso looked more defined. It was facing away from her, pointing something into the horde of monsters. Scootaloo seemed to notice as well and skidded to a halt. “What is that?” she thought aloud, “Is that…an alien?” she stared intently at the silhouetted figure. Her gaze drifted over to the object held in its right…paw? Her eyes widened when she saw it flash with green light several times. Her mind quickly made the connection, “I…think that’s its zapper,” she said breathlessly. Sweetie Belle tugged on the pegasus’s shoulder, “L-let’s get out of here please.” The orange filly nodded, “Right.” They went on like this for some time, the sound of the distant scuffle faded away. Apple Bloom was curious. Was that figure silhouetted in the door the same thing that had been following them earlier? She threw another glance over her shoulder. It turned out to be a bad idea when she abruptly collided with something hard. While distracted, the young earth pony didn’t notice that there was a stack of crates in her path, the only barrier between her and a sudden drop. The little filly cried out when gravity abruptly took its hold. She tumbled head over hooves, the world spun as the floor rushed up to meet her. She landed with an ungraceful crash. Her vision flickered and her friends’ yells were barely audible over a dull ringing in her ears. Pain shot through her hind legs when something heavy landed on her. The sound of crashing metal overpowered her cry. Her head was pounding, and she was dizzy. She tried to move, but found that she could not. Her heart was pounding in her chest, “S-scootaloo?” she muttered as she gradually came back to her senses, “Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom blindly groped around in the dark, her hoof coming on contact with a glass object. Much to her dismay, she found that it was shattered, and the fireflies were nowhere to be seen. It also dawned on her that she was alone. “Sweetie? Scoots?” said Apple Bloom, “W-where are ya’ll?” She squirmed around, her legs were pinned under a heavy crate, “T-this ain’t funny! Stop foolin’ around!” she shouted. Only silence answered her. “D-don’t leave me here…p-please…” tears were welling in her eyes, “P-lease…come back…” the tears flowed freely, despair overwhelming her little body. She was at a low point in her life. She was in a scary place, her friends were missing, she still didn’t have a cutie mark, and she trapped. All alone, in the dark. She buried her face into her hooves as she continued to cry while sobs racked her frame. Ah wanna go home…wanna go home… Tap. Her ears perked up. Something was in the dark with her. “Sweetie? Scootaloo?” she murmured. She opened her eyes and blindly looked around the darkened room. “Is that you?” Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw it. She was too scared to scream. There, standing not three feet away from her was a tall figure. Its body was dark, and its face was pale. She couldn’t make out any features on its face. She could see faint glittering where she assumed one of its eyes must have been. The filly covered her head with her hooves and quivered violently. “D-don’t hurt me!” she squeaked. Applejack! Big Mac! Help me! Oh Celestia ah don’t wanna die…Ah’m so scared… She braced herself from the inevitable pain she would feel when it tore into her, but nothing came. “(Don’t worry, little fella, I won’t hurt you…)” said the stranger. It was in a language she couldn’t understand, but it sounded comforting, and definitely male. “Huh?” The shadow shifted and there was the sound of creaking metal. Apple Bloom sucked in a breath through clenched teeth as the weight on her legs suddenly lightened. Her eyes widened in surprise. Did that…thing just help me? Apple Bloom struggled to rise, but then she cried out when pain shot down her legs. She tried once more with the same result. Suddenly, there was a faint clicking noise as the world abruptly became brighter. Gasping in surprise, she squinted in the new light before looking around. She took a deep breath and turned towards the stranger, ready to behold the scary, otherworldly features of the alien. Her mouth gaped as she took into account the stranger’s appearance. He didn’t look like a monster at all. Most of the creature’s body was encased in some sort of dark plated armor. It wasn’t too different from what she had seen royal guards wear, although while theirs appeared to be primarily for decoration, this creature’s armor seemed to be designed for maximum protection. It was asymmetrical, probably courtesy of the plates missing, and it had some sort of emblem painted onto the shoulder plate, a cutie mark maybe? A series of pouches and saddlebags lined its midsection, several of them bulging with unknown objects. But what got Apple Bloom’s attention the most was its (…or was it his? He sounded male…) face, and how…unmonstery… it was. A smaller bump was above his mouth, which she assumed was a nose. An unkempt, shaggy dark brown mane was atop his head. But the eyes… they were a brilliant green, just like her siblings, not the glossy, black pools she’d expected. “Are…are ya’ll an alien?” she asked. The creature merely tilted its head at her words, staring at her inquisitively. Slowly, he extended a…hoof, claw, whatever towards her. Apple Bloom naturally tried to edge away, but the stranger just stopped, just holding his hand out. The alien said something to her, its voice was gentle and soothing. Apple Bloom whimpered as the stress of the night took its toll on her. Before she knew it, the creature gently scooped her into his arms. For some reason, she didn’t feel inclined to struggle. He hugged her to his armored chest while he gently stroked her mane. “(I won’t let those things hurt you.)” Apple Bloom’s despair seemed to wash away as those dexterous digits gently caressed her head. She murmured something incoherent, leaning into his hand. She glanced up at her mysterious benefactor, trying to think of what to say. “Thank you mister,” she managed. She didn’t know why, but for some reason this being made her feel safe, like he was her big brother. A whimper passed through her mouth as the creature continued to stoke her mane. “(Hush now…it’s alright…)” ~~ This is a rewrite. Original Posted: 3/2/12 and 3/17/12. Rewrite: 11/17/12. Posted: 12/5/12 Edited by Gravity's Rainboom and q97randomguy. Feel free to comment.