Martha & Skits's Adventure in Ponyville

by Zenitram Nadroj

A Birthday Nightmare

Keretomatus, his sons and the shadows return to the lair and imprison the pets and other animals in cages.

“You have done all can. Fare thee well, shadows.”, the emperor says.

The shadows bow to him and disappear. He then turns to the animals and confronts them.

“Hmm. It seems all of these pets are self aware.”, Keretomatus says. “But hopefully they won't put up a fight once I control their minds.”

Martha's mother barks at him.

“So, you don't think we'll succeed, do you?”, Martarmus asks.

“Well, just watch. Our father will be the most powerful emperor in all of Equestria.” Horlagamous says.

“And we'll start by controlling all of your minds.”, Scorjosemal says.

Ralphie quacks.

“How will that work, you ask?”, Keretomatus asks. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

He snaps his fingers and a shadow appears.

“Bring in the test subject.”, the emperor says.

The shadow nods and leaves. It then comes back with a cage containing Lilly. Lilly starts yelling and barking for mercy. The shadow opens the cage and takes out the puppy. The monster approaches the puppy and levitates her with his magic. All of the pets and animal all yell in protest. The monster then uses his magic and controls the puppy. Lilly then stops barking and her eyes glow red. She then growls and faces her new emperor.

“Perfect.”, he says. “One down...and fifty-nine to go.”

The emperor laughs and prepares to open the cages as all of the animals cower in fear.

---

Helen, her dogs and all of the other kids and pets have a party at a water park. They all sun bathe, relax in a wave pool, slide down water slides and run around in water chutes.

“Martha, Skits, this has been the best birthday ever. Thank you so much for forming this party.”, Helen says.

“Aw. No problem, Helen.”, Martha says. “It's the least we could do for you.”

Skits barks.

“Hey, Helen!”, Carolina shouts. “It's time for you birthday cake.”

“Coming.”

She then goes to her cake.

“Go on, cousin. Blow out your candles.”, her cousin says.

She closes her eyes and blows out her candles. A thunderclap is heard and she looks up. Thunderclouds then cover the water park.

“Oh, no. Thunderclouds.”, Martha says. “We better get out of here.”

“Good idea.”, Helen says. “Mom, Dad, can we go somewhe-”

She then notices that her family is gone. She then looks around for her family.

“Mom, Dad, Jake, Grandma Lucille, Grandpa Bernie, Carolina, Tio Jorge.”, she shouts. “Martha, Skits, where's our family?”

“Forget our family. Where is everyone?”, Martha says.

She looks around and sees that no people are around them.

“Where did everyone go?”, Helen asks.

They turn around and are in disbelief at what they see. The water park is completely ruined and worn down as if it was abandoned for years. There's no electricity, broken food stands, chipping slides and murky pool water.

“What happened to the water park?”, Helen asks. “It was full of people just ten seconds ago.”

“I don't know.”, Martha says. “But whatever is happening, it's starting to frighten me.”

Skits whimpers in agreement.

“Just stay close to me.”, Helen says.

Suddenly, they hear bubbles gurgling. Helen looks around to see where the noise is coming from.

“What's that noise?”

“Helen.”, Martha whispers. “It's coming from the wave pool.”

They notice bubbles coming out of the wave pool and walk towards it. They look at the pool and the bubbles stop.

“What happened?”, Helen asks.

They look at the pool and see only their reflections.

“All I see is our reflections.”, Martha says.

Suddenly, the reflections give nightmarish grins, have their eyes glow red and start to distort. Helen hugs her dogs in fear. The reflections still distort and then morph together. They then take the form of the monster who interrupted the fundraiser and took away all of the pets and other animals. Helen and her dogs scream in fear. The monster then rises from the pool and faces the three.

“You're mine.”, the monster says.

He tries to grab the dogs but Helen slaps him. The monster then faces the girl and roars.

“Run!”, she shouts.

She and her dogs then run away as the monster chases them all over the water park. As it chases then it breaks through whatever is in its way. Soon, they all hide from the monster as he searches and bolts off.

“I think we lost him.”, Helen says.

Martha and Skits then notice something and sniff the air. Their eyes widen at the scent.

“I know that smell.”, Martha says.

The dogs take a peek at where the scent is coming from. The then see a plate of freshly grilled steaks. Both of the dogs begin to salivate at the meat.

“Steaks.”, Martha says and she and Skits walks towards it.

“Martha, Skits, where are you going?”, Helen asks nervously.

The dogs then start scarfing at the meat. As they do two red, glowing eyes open at them.

“Martha, Skits, look out!”, Helen shouts.

“What was that Hel-”, Martha says before she and Skits get grabbed.

The two dogs the struggle in the monsters grasps. They bark and howl for mercy. They are then levitated and the monster uses his magic. They two dogs slowly stop barking as they become under the monsters control.

Helen is then horrified at what just happened. The monster the turns his attention to her.

“Say farewell.”, he says.

He then pounces to her. Helen then screams in terror as she opens her eyes. She wakes up in her room late at night. Her parents enter her room.

“Helen, are you OK?”, her mother asks.

“I'm sorry. I just had a nightmare.”, she says.

“What was it about?”, her dad asks.

She then sighs.

“I don't want to talk about it. It's too horrible.”, she sniffles.

Her parents enter her room and sit with her on her bed.

“Honey, please. You can tell us anything.”, her dad says.

“We're your parents. We'll understand.”, her mother says.

“You won't think it's absurd?”, Helen asks.

“'Absurd'? When something is 'absurd', that means it sounds silly or ridiculous.”, her father says.

“We promise we won't judge you.”, her mother says.

She then sighs and tells her parents. Her parents the hug their daughter in sympathy as she starts crying.

“I'm so sorry you had that dream, honey.”, her father says.

“Mom, Dad, why couldn't we save them?”, Helen asks. “That monster got a hold of our dogs and they disappeared. Why couldn't we save them?”

“Helen, did you see how powerful that monster was?”, her dad asks. “You would've been blasted to oblivion if you tried to stop him.”

“It should have been me.”, Helen says. “I should disappeared. Not Martha and Skits.”

“Helen, look at me.”, her mother says.

She takes her advice and looks at her.

“Helen, you and Jake mean so much to us as Martha and Skits did to you. We need you with us.”

“I just want my dogs back.”, Helen says dejectedly.

“I'm sorry, Helen. But, I don't know how we'll get our dogs or the other pets or animals back.”, her father says.

“Well, we better go back to bed. It's really late.”, her mother says.

“Mom, Dad, wait.”, Helen shouts.

“What is it?”, her father asks.

“Please. Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

“Well...”, her father thinks. “OK. Just until you fall asleep.”

“Thank you.”, Helen says.

Helen then closes her eyes and starts crying. Her parents sit by her side until she eventually cries herself to sleep.

---

Twilight paces back and forth in her castle.

“Twilight, what's wrong?”, Spike asks.

“I don't know what we're going to do with those dogs.”, she says. “I mean, we don't even know where they came from.”

“I'm sure we'll figure it out in the morning.”, the dragon says. “Now come on, we need to get to bed.”

Twilight sighs.

“OK, Spike.”, she says. “I need to prepare for studying them later anyway.”