Autumn

by canonkiller

Hallow's Eve

Scootaloo watched Starlight warily. Due to the fact that she was a pony, she did trust everyone, but something about him seemed off. He didn't speak much, but of course, neither did Luna or the evacuated ponies. Three weeks in the Everfree taught you a lot about a pony.

Starlight sighed, without turning to face Scootaloo. "Pictures last longer." He commented.

Scootaloo blushed and looked away. Again, he had noticed. It was almost like he had eyes in the back of his head.

"Who are you?"

He paused, as if thinking over the response. "...I believe I'm a pony." He stated, finally turning to look at her. His golden eyes peirced through hers, as if he was reading her mind, looking through her memories. The feeling vanished as he continued. "A stallion, to be exact."

"That's not what I meant."

"I am entirely sure of what you meant." He replied, rolling his eyes in mild annoyance before turning away. "Do you know the legend of Hallow's Eve?"

"Well, it was long before I was born. And when I heard it, all I was interested in was the free candy!"

Starlight sighed, curling in tighter as if to hide his stomach from the cold wind. "It's a long story." He admitted. "Far too long and far too... gory... for ears like these."

A he waved a hoof at the general surroundings, Scootaloo saw something running across the ankle. It almost looked like a extra, smaller hoof, but he had set it down before she had time to look properly.

Suddenly, he rolled onto his feet. In the rounded moonlight from the window, she noticed his flanks were glistening with sweat. His eyes looked wild, reflecting in the dim light.

"Are you okay?"

He looked up, as if he had forgotten there were others in the room. "Fine." He choked out. "Nothing a walk won't fix."

"It's how you got lost before, wasn't it?"

Again, the confused look crossed his face. "I don't know what you're talking about, but if you want to come, you may as well."

With the hardly-comforting farewell, Starlight shoved the door open. Scootaloo was getting up to follow when he quickly backpedalled through again. His hooves made soft noises on thr floor. Surprised, she looked down. They weren't hooves... they were... paws?

He shook his head quickly, and when his eyes met hers, they were small with terror. "Help." He squeaked. "Help me."

Jumping forward, she grasped him by the ear and pulled him outside, edging around the hundred-odd sleeping ponies and vanishing through the trees. After cantering forward until the loud snores coming from the camp ceased, Scootaloo let go of Starlight, letting him slide to the ground.

The stallion tried to get up and walk, but his trembling legs gave out. As he trembled, sweat pouring down his flanks, Scootaloo considered going back for help.

Suddenly, his fur was lengthening, his tail twitching randomly as he curled up tighter. In a matter of seconds, he scrambled back on his feet, scarlet fur spiked with sweat and dirt.

Scootaloo surpressed a scream.

It wasn't Starlight standing in front of her anymore.

It was a wolf.

The giant bird flashed back into existence, it's captives still struggling in their scaly bonds. Nothing glared at them.

<I'm not letting you go.> It growled, slowly dropping it's tails to the near-invisible ground. Slowly releasing the weakened ponies, they collasped. <I am only making you more comfortable. Your magic will not work here, and neither will your wings.>

"Why not?" Rainbow Dark yelled, scuffing her hooves against the bblack stone.

<I am simply returning you to the forms you had before.>

Twilight struggled to her feet, placing a hoof against the Pegasus for support. "Before when?"

The bird-dragon glared at it's new prisoners. <Before I gave you my wings and my magic!> It snarled. <The Earth ones were the only creatures content with their First Forms.They are the only ones left without harm! The only ones that demanded nothing of me!>

It struck out with one tail, constricting Princess Celestia from where she was crumpld on the floor. She screamed in pain. <You were never even supposed to exist!> It screeched, throwing her into the air. One wing snapped as it crumbled underneath her flank. Blood began seeping from the small outer wound, the bone shards poking out through the skin. <My children listened to none of my warnings! They did now know what they had done! I knew! I warned them!> Still mad with rage, nothing picked her up again, this time slamming her into the ground. <You weren't supposed to exist!>

Celestia closed her eyes, the soundless ringing in her ears blocking the rage of the demon. Around the foggy white haze, she could see Twilight, crying in fear, being held back by her friends.

The haze suddenly increased as another rocky impact slammed against her side. The ringing increased until it seemed her ears would burst, before black spots crowded her vision and everything went peacefully quiet.

Luna shot up from under her blanket. She had the Nightmare Moon dream again, where she raged out of control and her night ruled all.

She jerked her head to the side as something moved. Confused, she saw it again. No matter where she turned, she couldn't see it. She reached up to pat her mane in thought, but her silver shoes went cold as she prodded her neck. Stunned, she shook her head, her mane falling in front of her eyes.

The black-blue swirling mass drifted lazily in front of her eyes.

Biting back tears, she closed her eyes.

"Celestia... Celestia is dead..."

Comments

Very very well described, I enjoy the wordplay and the subtextual emotion. Loving it! A ton of characters that I need to sort out to understand who is who. This is very good.