Summer was a time of pleasure and joy. A time to be with friends, to play outside, all that fun stuff. Swimming was Apple Bloom's favorite. She and always loved the water, swimming around, diving under, collecting rocks and such. She also enjoyed the lemonade and other food that came with summer.
Of course, today wasn't a day to enjoy those pleasures. Despite the perfect weather, she couldn't. She had a mission. She had to help Scootaloo help Sweetie Belle. She had her saddle bag full of supplies, like food, blankets, even a knife, just in case. Now she was just waiting for Scootaloo.
She stood on a hill at Sweet Apple Acres, a hill barren of any trees or shrubbery, so she had a clear view all around. It was absolutely breath taking. The hills of her home, rolling up and down, decorated with the trees of her kin, one of her main purposes in life, at least right now. Those trees where the life blood of the Apple Family.
The wind was picking up from a gentle breeze to a light gust. Apple Bloom looked to the sky. It was going to rain, she could tell. Not a heavy rain, just a light drizzle.
Her hair danced with the wind, twirling and bouncing around, little strands wisping about as if they had no cares in the world. She closed her eyes and savored the breeze. If only it was always like this. Calm and perfect. Maybe it would be, once she and Scootaloo helped Sweetie Belle...
She shook her head. No, that was just fancy day dreaming. That wasn't life. Life was, you take the lows, savor the highs, and try to keep on smiling through it all.
She looked up to the sky, at the clouds rolling across the blue expanse. It seemed... so perfect. Like a lie, to deceive the ponies in this world. To make them believe everything would always turn out fine. Apple Bloom knew life almost never ended perfectly. For some, like Sweetie Belle, it didn't even turn out alright, unless she did something about it.
She smiled. Look at her, getting all... philosophical... that was unlike her. She shook her head and looked back across the farm. The sun was high in the sky, but the clouds had helped keep her shaded so she didn't get to hot. She had no chores today. She saw Applejack bucking apple trees and Big Mac hauling the harvest off to the barn.
Then she saw the little orange blob grow on the horizon as her friend drew closer. Scootaloo seemed lightly packed. Apple Bloom turned back to her bags. Maybe she had over packed? After all, they were just going to Zecora's right? She sat down and sifted through her saddle bags as she waited for her friend to arrive.
She pulled out all the contents and laid them before herself. She looked through them a bit then decided on three things to bring. The rope, a blanket, and some food. She stored the rest in a nearby tree trunk, one her brother had hollowed out several summers before just for her. She had always stored her toys there in summer, because this hill was her favorite.
Scootaloo reached the hill, not even breaking a sweat from the climb up. It wasn't a steep hill, but it wasn't an easy climb either. Rainbow's training was really paying off for her.
"Hey Bloom..." Scootaloo said in a very serious tone. "You ready?"
"Yeah, Ah guess..." Apple Bloom looked at what Scootaloo had brought. A jar, a knife, and... their capes?
Scootaloo handed one of the capes to Apple Bloom. "It's been years since we wore these... I think it would make Sweetie happy if we did for this quest."
Apple Bloom looked at the cape in her hooves. It still had that amazing golden silk inside, the one Sweetie had taken from her sister to make these capes. Back when she could see...
Apple Bloom held back the tears at all the fond memories this cape brought. She slid it on and gave a deep sigh. "Okay. Let's do this. First, we stop at Zecora's to see if there even is a cure."
"Right." Scootaloo looked towards the Everfree forest. "Then we go and get it, no matter what."
"We need to be safe. Sweetie wouldn't want us getting hurt."
"Sweetie didn't think about getting hurt when she helped me... I'll do the same for her..."
Scootaloo started off towards the forest, Apple Bloom following her. The walk wasn't long, considering the Apple Family lived very close to that dark land. Apple Bloom saw Scootaloo glance around nervously at the trees. She was scared, obviously. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, it wasn't easy to miss. She was scared of a lot of things. But that only made Apple Bloom want to take care of her even more.
She reached over to her friend and held her in a hug. "It's okay. We'll make it, and when we finish, Sweetie Belle will be able to see again."
Her friend nodded. "Right... for Sweetie."
They crossed over from the land of light to the land of dark, and instantly the change was felt. The air chilled, and a sense of foreboding fell upon both of the fillies. The darkness seemed to grow blacker, and the animals and plants all looked like they were ready to kill the intruders. How did Zecora live in here? Even Apple Bloom's frequent trips into these woods didn't help. She hated every minute of being here, unless she was at Zecora's.
The shadows seemed to shift and change as the two fillies worked their way to their destination. Apple Bloom had done this many times before, so it should have been easy.
But she couldn't shake this feeling of doom. Like something would happen and this was all a mistake. Like she wouldn't make it back. She simply pushed such thoughts aside as her fear, focusing on the task ahead.
It wasn't long before the two were in sight of the hut. They could see Zecora, trotting around her house, seemingly collecting herbs. Her hut stood out like a beacon of hope in the darkness. She felt her tension ease away as she stepped into the light.
"Howdy Zecora!" Apple Bloom sheered. She felt a lot better now.
"My my, if it isn't Apple Bloom. And it seems, you brought your friend too." Zecora, as always, spoke with rhymes, but Apple Bloom had gotten use to them.
"Yeah, we need your help." Scootaloo spoke up. She didn't seem so scared now either. "We need to know if there's anything we can use to heal our friends blindness."
Zecora raised an eyebrow. "So a cure to blindness is what you seek? A cure I have, but it is not obtained by the weak."
"Are you calling me weak?" Scootaloo jumped up, hovering in place.
"No no, pony friend, I assure you, I'm not. But many trials must be faced if a cure is to be got."
Apple Bloom chuckled as Scootaloo lowered herself back to the ground. "Okay, so what do we need to do Zecora?"
The zebra said nothing but turned and walked back into her hut. She opened the door, stepped through it, then closed it, leaving two stumbled fillies behind.
"Uh..." Scootaloo was about to call out, but Apple Bloom trotted towards the door.
"Zecora? Zecora, come on, what'd Ah say?"
Apple Bloom pushed the door open and stepped in, followed by her orange friend. The door shut behind them, causing them to both jump. The whole room was dark. The windows were all shut, and the pot that always sat in the middle of the room was gone. Apple Bloom stepped forward to the center of the room.
"Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo called out in a hushed whisper. "What are you doing?"
"Where'd Zecora go?" Apple Bloom looked back and forth, but saw nothing.
Scootaloo joined her in the middle. "Look, I think we should come back later."
A loud bang came from behind them, and they both jumped up, with a small shriek escaping Scootaloo's mouth. They whipped around to see Zecora, sitting there with a very large book. Seriously, it was huge, it must have been the size of... of that pot that had been in here. The cover was inscribed with some sort of ancient text. Apple Bloom had no idea what it said, but she guessed Zecora would tell her.
"The cure you seek, is a legend of old." She opened the book and flipped to a specific page. "Lost in history and tales untold."
She flipped the pages to a map, and pointed at what seemed to be a mountain. "Three orbs were once found, their origins without sound."
Apple Bloom could see the confusion on Scootaloo's face. She turned to her friend. "She means nopony knows where they came from."
Zecora continued. "These orbs were each endowed with a power to cure ails, any disease found."
She flipped the page again. This time it was a picture of a monster. It looked like a manticore and a pony and a dragon and something else... it was terrifying.
"Some sought to hoard them, and keep them locked away. But our wise leader would not have it, and now the orbs have been lost to this day."
"But ya know where this one is, right?" Apple Bloom asked.
Zecora smiled, and the darkness lifted as she closed her book, like a spell had re-lit all the candles. "While they have been lost to all but a few, those few have included whom you see before you."
Scootaloo jumped up. "So, you'll tell us where it is?"
"I will let you know the location of what you search for, but let me send you with a warning and knowledge of this orb."
Apple Bloom was beginning to think they were in over their heads. But the thoughts of Sweetie Belle blind and her actions to aid her friends pushed those thoughts aside.
"The warning I give is one of danger. For the orb is protected by beasts and things still stranger."
She leaned in closer. "This orb, it will release the binds, holding your friend, and keeping her blind."
"Wait." Apple Bloom stared at Zecora dumb founded. "Whaddaya mean, 'keepin' 'er blind'?"
The sage zebra turned to Scootaloo. "A dark magic lays hold to your friend. And the time it will stay has no end. It is not to be seen by unicorn folk, nor shall it be cured by common means or so. If you wish to cure this ail, you must break the orb to break the veil."
Scootaloo didn't seem to have a clue as to what was going on. Apple Bloom was intrigued. "Okay... so then where is this orb?"
Zecora turned to another map. She pointed at a forest area. "Here, inside of the Everfree, does it lie. But to seek it out, I would not advise."
Apple Bloom studied the map long and hard, almost a whole five minutes, before continuing. "Okay, thanks Zecora! Now, can Ah ask one last thing?"
Zecora nodded.
"Please don't tell anyone where we are."
"I will wait for two nights and two days, but should you not be back by then, your whereabouts I shall say."
"Okay." Apple Bloom said. "Sounds fair."
Zecora then ushered them out, rather harshly. Apple Bloom took to the woods, in the direction she needed to go. Scootaloo followed, still not entirely comprehending what was going on. Apple Bloom now had a plan. She knew where to go, what to do, and what to expect. And she was scared.
As they left the area around Zecora's house, back into the darkness of the Everfree, Scootaloo resumed her commanding posture and attitude.
"Come on." She said in a very commanding tone. "We have to get there fast."
She plowed through the forest without hesitation. Apple Bloom shook her head.
"Uh, Scoots?"
"Yeah?"
"Do ya even know where yer goin'?"
Scootaloo stopped, her mouth opening as if to say something, but closing before and sound came out. She opened her mouth again.
"Uh... of course. Ha, of course I know where I'm going."
She turned around to face Apple Bloom. Even in the darkness, she could see the fear in her pegasus friend's eyes. "But, uh... maybe you want to lead?"
Of course she didn't want to lead. "Sure, why not?" Apple Bloom did her best to smile, but was sure it came out like a grimace. She was scared, and now she was the one leading them through this dark and evil forest... because Scootaloo was scared.
The day was cold and the walk was long. Fortunately, it was uneventful. Nothing happened, save a few small animals causing Scootaloo to shriek. They even came across a sleeping manticore, but they were able to sneak past it without trouble. By the afternoon, they were where they needed to be. And damn was it terrifying.
Apple Bloom emerged from the forest to see a massive castle. Run down and in ruins... yet still shining in the sun. It looked like it hadn't been used in about... forever. Tattered flags and broken walls... burnt bridges and an empty moat. This place must have been regal.
Scootaloo stepped forward. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
She dashed forward, out of the forest. Apple Bloom chased after her. "Scoots, wait!" Despite her wanting her friend to stop, it felt good to leave that forest's dark, evil clutches.
They reached the moat, and Scootaloo stopped, preparing to fly over. "Scootaloo! Stop!"
The orange pegasus turned around ."What? We have to get in there! We have to grab the... what's it called... orb!"
"We have no idea what's in there! Could be monsters an' demons an' things like that!" Apple Bloom was looking around, trying to spot any signs of danger, while her friend rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Apple Bloom, we can't wait. What if... what if the magic stuff happening to Sweetie Belle takes hold forever? What if... Sweetie Belle is worried about us... because we're missing? What if we wait too long arguing and we get attacked?!"
"Zecora never mentioned any magical effects that would last forever. How would Sweetie know? We've only been gone for a half the day... maybe more. And the only reason we're talking here is because you won't be careful." Apple Bloom deadpanned.
Scootaloo shook her head. "Okay, you stay here. I'll fly in and get the orb."
Before Apple Bloom could protest, Scootaloo was airborne, flying over the wall and dropping inside the castle.
"Scootaloo! No! Stop!"
But her pleads fell on nothing besides the crumbling walls and empty halls. This was great. Her friend had just flown off... with no idea where the orb was. Apple knew... she had been reading the book while it was open. Scootaloo didn't... and these ruins could be dangerous! They could be filled to the brim with monsters!
She ran after Scootaloo, praying to Celestia that neither of them would get hurt.
Apple Bloom had to run through the moat before coming up to the castle walls. She looked around. Even though it was crumbling, it wasn't low enough for her to be able to just climb over. She dropped her saddlebags onto the ground and sifted through them. Luckily, she had brought rope.
She tied a rock to one end of the rope and threw up and over the wall. She gave it a tug, and it held firm. She climbed up the rope, slowly, as it was hard to do it with her mouth and hooves. But she was making progress. She could only imagine what was happening to Scootaloo right now. Of course, she hadn't heared any screams, so that was good.
She finished her ascension and pulled the rest of the rope up with her. Then she cast is down the other side of the wall and climbed down. It was a lot easier this time, going down, and only took her less than half of the time it took her to get up.
A chill wind swept through the ruins of the once glorious castle. It stirred the dust that had settled in the halls long forgotten. Apple Bloom shivered hard. This wind reeked of something, though she couldn't put her hoof on it. The wind was coming for the castle, so there had to be something inside. She took a nervous breath.
"Scootaloo?" She called out. She took a few tentative steps forward, towards the keep. "Scootaloo?" Her breathing became heavy. Her eyes were darting left and right, like some unseen danger was ready to pounce on her and sweep her away into the darkness.
She entered the keep, eyes wide. Despite the weather, rot, and raiding this place had suffered, the inside was amazing! The floors still glistened, though not with their full fervor. The walls still had tattered flags and pictures on them, giving the place an old yet regal feel.
Then saw a door. A massive, black door. It had spikes lining the frame, and the handles where made of skulls. Blood was spattered all over it, like thousands of tortured victims had been dragged through those doors, kicking and screaming amidst there wounds.
Apple Bloom had the sudden urge to run. Bolt. Scram. Get the hell out of there. She forgot about Scootaloo. She only thought of herself. She didn't want to die. She spotted the blood plastered on the walls and the floor, like this whole room had been used for evil purposes, and she started backing up. Funny... normally Scootaloo would be the one to run... not her... yet her orange friend was inside this place, somewhere, while she was preparing to run.
Wait.. What if Scootaloo was hurt? What she was in trouble? Apple Bloom would never be able to sleep if she left her friend when she needed help.
Another gust of wind hit her... carrying the same smell it had... rank and disgusting. She could feel it coming from the door. It made her want to bolt again, but she held her ground. With slow steps and quick breathing, she inched closer to the door. Time seemed to slow down, and her breathing came in quick gasps. Apple Bloom gingerly avoided the blood stains on the floor as she neared the door.
With one last step, she grabbed the door handle and stood still. With a deep breath, she yanked it open.
It was as if hell had released its death upon the world. Apple Bloom staggered backwards as the stench assaulted her, causing her to slip in some of the blood. She hit the ground and continued to push herself backwards in a futile attempt to escape the horrid smell. She managed to look up, through watering eyes, to see the room was full of... dead creatures. Bones, flesh, everything, just piled up into a mound in the middle of the room.
She got back to her hooves and stumbled into the wall. She looked around and saw another passage, a small, narrow, dark passage, but it didn't reek of death.
She jumped in and ran. She ran for about a minute before stopping. The smell was gone, thankfully, but her eyes were still watering. She dry heaved a few times before coughing up her lunch. She looked down to her hooves and saw the blood on them. Ugh. It was all... wet and sticky... Wait.
Wet and sticky? But... but this blood was supposed to be hundreds of years of old...
Her mind revolted at the thoughts that came to mind. What if... there was still a monster in here? And had recently eaten? What... what if it had eaten Scootaloo?!
She pushed the thought from her mind as she ran down the narrow hall. It grew darker as she proceeded to delve deeper into the ruins of the castle. Maybe Scootaloo hadn't gone this way... maybe Apple Bloom was going to get lost... maybe she was going to die!
She was so busy thinking she ran right into a wall. Rubbing her muzzle she looked up to see it wasn't a wall... it was a door. Spying the handle, she grabbed it and pulled. The door didn't budge. With a few more tugs, she was certain the door was locked... maybe the key was back from where she had come... she didn't want to have to go back...
Then the thought hit her. With a gentle push, the door swung open. She mentally slapped herself for not thinking of that sooner. Apple Bloom crept through the doorway into the new room before her.
It was a large, circular, open room. Nothing inside it, just massive stone pillars... she looked around. There were a few doors around the room, and some windows up high, but nothing else.
Wait, there was also a pedestal in the middle of the room with a... an orb on it!
Apple Bloom abandoned caution and stealth as she galloped to the middle of the room. She stopped in front of the orb, giving it a real good look. She recalled the picture of the orb from the book Zecora had shown them...
Sphere... check.
Swirling mist inside... check.
Blue... check.
She touched it and was filled with a warm, comforting feeling... like all her aches were falling away...
This had to be it.
She looked inside the orb. It was so mesmerizing... the way the mist inside swirled around, dancing back and forth upon some unseen wind. It would hit the sides of the orb and spread out before swirling back around and mixing with the other mists. Lights flickered and faded inside, like tiny stars that winked in and out of existence...
She grabbed the orb and placed it in her saddle bags. Hopefully it wouldn't crack or something on the way back. Of course, it was a magical or, so it must be protected by some ancient magic or something...
One of the doors in the room was flung open, banging against the wall and sending an echo throughout the long lost halls. Apple Bloom jumped at the sound, then spun to face it when the same door slammed shut. Scootaloo was breathing hard and fast. She had a look of panic in her eyes, and she was sweating.
"Scootaloo! What's wrong?"
Scootaloo flew to the middle of the room and landed a bit wobbly. She took a few deep breaths before speaking. "... I was trying to.. to find the orb but I found... I found a monster!" She grabbed Apple Bloom. "It almost got me! It almost ate me!"
Apple Bloom held her friend close, stroking her mane. "Shh... it's okay, your okay... I'm here..."
Scootaloo shook her head. "I should have never tried to go in here on my own... I still haven't even found the orb..."
"Well..." Apple Bloom pulled away and removed the orb from her satchel for Scootaloo to see. "I found it in here."
Scootaloo's eyes widened. "Then why are we still standing here?!"
The door Scootaloo had shut exploded in a shower of wood splinters. Apple bloom jumped back and Scootaloo jumped up, flying now. Through the shattered doorway strolled a... a what? Apple Bloom didn't know. It was a dragon thing, but it was smaller than any dragon she had ever seen in the books she had read. It also had the wings of a pegasus... and legs of a lion. How many crazy creatures were in this crazy world?
Before she could react, she felt something grab her and lift her up into the air. She screamed, but calmed down when she saw the arms holding her belonged to Scootaloo. "What are you doing?!"
"We're getting out of here! Fast!" Scootaloo flew through one of the windows near the top of the room. She barely managed to squeeze through, and Apple Bloom smacked her knees against the window sill. She held her cries of pain as she was carried away. They landed outside the castle walls with a little tumbling.
When they heard the roars of the monster they both sprung up and charged back into the forest. After a few minutes of running, they stopped to catch their breath, sure they were safe from the monster.
"Scootaloo..." Apple bloom said between breaths. The darkness of the forest was once more closing in on them. She couldn't wait until they were out of here. "Are you okay?"
The orange filly nodded. "Of course! I'm... I'm fine..."
Apple bloom pulled Scootaloo into an embrace. "It's okay... you had a close call... but we're fine... no need to be scared."
Scootaloo jumped away. "Hey! I'm not scared! I'm... I'm... I'm concerned! Yeah!"
Apple Bloom shook her head, handing the satchel she was carrying to her friend. "Can you carry this? I banged my knees on the way through the window... and this bag is sort of heavy..."
Scootaloo smiled at her friend. "Of course!" She slid on the satchel, then her eyes brightened. 'Hey! I know! i'll fly ahead and take this satchel back really fast! That way, we can get the whole thing done sooner, and by the time you get back, Sweetie will be able to see!"
The orange pegasus dashed into the sky, flying over the trees. "Scootaloo! Wait!"
It was no use... she was gone, and Apple Bloom was alone. She made her way through the forest, but her knees where aching, making it hard to walk. She examined them again to see they were bleeding a little...
Damn it Scootaloo... leaving her alone and wounded in a forest. Rain had begun to fall, so now she was wet on top of everything else.
The darkness of the forest seemed to worsen as she made her way deeper and deeper. The pressure of the unseen evil seemed to be trying to crush her soul. She shivered in the cold... her skin tingled with a sense of dread and fear... like something was going to jump out and get her. The same thoughts of doom returned from earlier.
She hit a log she didn't see and stumbled forward. She tried to catch herself, but there was nothing to stop her fall. She fell down, tumbling through bushes and sticks and leaves, causing all sorts of racket. She hit the ground with a bounce and landed on something soft yet hard. She shook the disorientation from her head and slid to the ground from where she lay. She looked at what she had landed on.
It was... big... and seemed to be orange in this dim light. Then it moved.
Apple bloom jumped back with a squeak. The form stretched out, claws extending and tail un-curling... it let out a thunderous yawn and looked around trying to find out what had awoken it. It's eyes came to rest upon the shivering filly in front of it...
Then the manticore pounced forward.