A New Starting Point

by Lunar Flarion

Chapter 24: Nightmare or Dream?

Prim, Rose, and Prickly had walked farther up the trail. The trail had lead to a house that looked beyond abandoned. Next to the house was an old and rotted barn that looked to have years old hay inside. Prim and the two sisters had smelt something coming from the barn, something old and probably rotted like the barn, yet none of them wanted to head inside, questioning the old barns stability and wondering if the smell was really worth seeing. So, instead of heading there, the headed to the farmhouse. Which, despite it looking to be here for more than hundreds of years, looked in decent condition. At least on the outside.

“Okay...” Rose said,” Who wants to go first?”

Prim looked at Prickly and Prickly looked at Rose. Rose had a feeling that she knew what Prickly was going to-

“NOSE GOES!” Prickly shouted, booping her nose quickly. Rose immediately followed, knowing this trick well. Prim was left, her nose un-booped and very confused.

“What?” she asked.

“Nose goes,” Prickly explained,” If somepony says ‘nose goes’ then you have to boop your nose! But if you don’t, or are too late, then you have to go!”

“Wait...” Prim looked down at her hoof,” OOOOOH! I have to go?”

“Yes,” The sisters said in unison.

“Well...” Prim said,” Darn...”

Prim looked at the house and got a good look of it. The house’s front door had looked to be kicked in... maybe collapsed in on itself when a massive storm came in? The paint that might have been there was now completely gone, the windows, shattered, and the shingled roof, near barren. Prim gulped and looked once more at the house.

“This house is the spitting image of NIGHTMARE FUEL!” Prim stated, giving the two the most deadpan look that she could muster.

“Yeah!” Rose said,” That is why we are having YOU go in!”

“Of course...” Prim said,” I-I... I’ll be right back.”

Prim gulped down her fear as best she could and walked towards the front door. Each step she took, she felt colder, as if the house was telling her, the air, something, was telling her it wasn’t right, but she denied it and managed to reach the door. With a push, the cracked and splintered door opened, finally meeting its breaking point. The low creak and loud snap made Prim’s ears twitch with alertness as she stepped beyond the threshold of the house.

Inside... it looked way better than the outside, more so than Prim thought it would be. The floor wasn’t in the best condition, but it was still stable enough to where Prim didn’t have to fly. She tested the boards once more, smiling as they sounded far from breaking and continued forward, scouting the place for anything, anything useful. She wasn’t going to rob this place, that would be disrespectful to the old inhabitants that once lived here but she will show them to Rose and Prickly.

At first, there were two ways to go, one that looked like the kitchen, a really old-fashioned kitchen, the other leading to a living room. She looked at either one and smiled as she went for the living room first. Why? She could smell the rotting food from here in the kitchen, and she hoped to find something to plug her nose with. As she walked into the living room, she noticed a small table with a picture frame and picture sitting on it. It was knocked over so Prim had to grab it too see the actual picture. The picture made her confused. The ponies in it didn’t have fangs... or bat wings or horns, they looked like a vampony without the fangs. Gently, she grabbed the frame and popped it open, making the picture flutter ou and onto the ground. Prim grunted lowly and leaned down to pick it up.

*HIIIIIIISSSSS!* A rat hissed at her, making her jump slightly at the noise.

“Gerrrrr! STUPID RAT!” She shouted, her voice booming well above the rats hissing, scaring it away. She leaned up and touched her throat, she felt strange. Normally, doing that would hurt her throat a little, but now... it felt natural like it was some ancient power coming to her. She was sure the sisters had heard her so she quickly picked up the picture and wandered out again. With a quick and hasty tone she told them what had happened, and before they could reply she went back in to explore the kitchen, the upstairs having to wait for last.

...

Flare had the small form by the neck as he pulled it out of the mist. He knew it wasn’t his brother, the form was too tiny. Yet he did know that the form WAS alive, even after the blood they had lost. he could hear their heartbeat. He exited the mist quickly, his vision returning in full as he set the body down... it was a filly.

A bat filly to be more specific, she had a light purpled coat with a dark blue mane. She was small, around seven to eight years old. He felt his heart skip a beat and pure instinct wash over him as he wrapped himself around the filly to keep her warm. He used his magic to find the wound, it was on her lower right hoof and it was definitely from a beartrap. With a quick teleportation spell, the two appeared in the bathroom where Flare had no doubt the medical supplies were. He opened the cabinet and pulled out the first aid and quickly set to disinfecting and wrapping up the foals wound. With that done, he picked the filly up and set her down gently next to the fireplace. F8lare focused his magic and the fireplace bloomed to life, the soft cracking of magic and the warmth it brought was amazing. Yet Flare had no time to admire his work, he grabbed the filly and put her closer to it as he summoned a blanket and some pillows from his room for the filly to use.

“There,” Flare said calmly as he looked down at the filly. She had already begun to gain back her color, she moved ever so slightly towards the fire. He nodded and left to make something warm for her to drink and eat...

...

Prim gagged heavily at the smell coming from the broken down fridge. However, the contents fueled her curiosity and she opened it. Inside were many apple, or what looked like, apple themed products... and a dead bird. Prim glared at the bird and looked around the fridge for anything that might have been left in here... nothing, well, nothing that wasn’t so rotted it would fall apart upon simple touch or give her some unknown illness. She walked back and slammed the fridge shut, the smell still hung in the air sadly.

“Man... either this place was abandoned like a war was happening or some-” Prim bumped into something, causing what looked like a letter to fall on the floor. Prim, confused once more, leaned down and picked it up. She gave it a good look over and saw an apple stamp in the corner of it with an address she could no longer read. Swiftly, she tore it open and pulled the contents out eagerly... what came out was a letter addressed to someponies called the “Ape Faily”.

She looked over the letter, which read as follows:

Dear Apple Ja ,

We have been informed that the b-onies have set an attack on your arm. As princess I humbly invi ou to a shelter. Bu yo can not bring your family.

Signed,
Princess Cel

...

The letter seemed damaged in most places The words, no matter how little there was and for the most part, were either washed off and torn out. She knew though that this was important, whoever this ‘Apple Ja’ was got a letter from a Princess name Cel. So either this mare or stallion was very important or knew the royal family. She grabbed the letter and put it gently back into the envelope then sealed it using some weird tape that was greyish.

Next and finally was upstairs. She knew that walking up there was not an option, just by looking up at the decayed ceiling. She also didn’t want to take a chance and come across a small opening that she couldn’t get through and fall through the floor onto Moon Mother knows what. So she went outside and told the sisters that, that was all she could find.

“You could only find a picture and a letter addressed to Apple Ja?” Rose asked.

“That name sounds dumb,” Prickly said as she crossed her arms.

“Well... honestly, the night is fast appraoching and I don’t want to be caught out here during that time,” Rose stated,” So let’s head back, I’m sure Midnight and Night would love to see what we’ve found!”

“Isn’t that stealing?” Prim asked, eyeing the letter and picture.

“Not if the ponies aren’t here anymore and haven't claimed it!” Prickly said with a toothy grin.

“...Fine, but when we come back, I’m putting these back where they belong!” Prim huffed.

“Fine,” Rose said,” Now let’s get home, I feel like I’m being watched by something...”

The two ponies nodded and they took off. Yet the weird feeling of being watched followed them for a good time, even after they exited the outskirts of the kingdom...

...

“There it is again...” Flare said, his ear perking up as he heard a distant noise. He knew it wasn’t the filly, she had just fallen asleep after eating her soup.

”FLARE!”

There it was again! Flare stood up and that seemed to help hear the voice a little better.

”FLARE! WAKE UP!”

“Wake up?” Flare asked. He turned and froze... the wall of the house wasn’t there anymore... nor was the filly he was caring for.

“BLOODY HELL! FLARE DUCK!”

Flare heard the voice and did so.

*FWOOOOM!*

Something fast came inches from his head as the house and Ponydin started to... melt before him. He was in the forest the regulare one, not the snow one. He blinked, his eyes focusing on anything they could. Was all that a dream? Hallucination?

“FLARE!” Solar shouted.

“WHAT!?” Flare growled as he looked back at where he heard the thing go... and saw an arrow stuck to the trunk of a tree. His pupils shrunk as he turned and saw three or four vampony hunters run out of the bushes and in front of him.

A unicorn held a crossbow. He aimed at Flare for a brief second, then let the arrow fly. Flare jumped out of the way, the arrow grazing his arm, making a small cut that trickled fresh blood.

“Well well!” the unicorn said,” Looks like this thing can dodge!”

“So?” a female vampony asked as she stomped the ground,”Let's just bag ‘im and get the Tartarus out of here!”

“Fine!” The unicorn growled as he pulled out a small hunting knife,” This outta be FUN!”

Flare raised an eyebrow, then snorted,” Listen. I don’t want to hurt you, but if take another step... heh... well...”

Flare looked to the side then smiled. With a quick turn he looked back, his glowing red eye now easily seen,” I’m going to have to give you a very NOT enjoyable experience!”

“Oh haha!” the mare mocked,” He has jokes! So what? You’re gonna give us a bad time?”

“Yes, if ya wish,” Flare said, his smile growing wider.

“BRING IT ON!” another vampony said as they charged him.

“Heh...” Flare laughed as he looked down, he had written something for them

...

“WHAT THE!? WHERE’D HE GO?” The vampony asked.

He looked down at the ground and saw the note that Flare had written for them, it said,” Sike!”

The vampony roared and told the other’s to spread out to find Flare, but they didn’t know that he was already long gone at this point.

...

“Well how about that! HE WOKE UP AFTER AN HOUR!” Solar yelled,” THE HECK!? YOU JUST STOPPED WALKING LIKE... LIKE... I’M TO ANGRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING!”

“I don’t know...” Flare said as he opened the door to the hut,” All I know is that... whatever it was... wasn’t pleasant in the slightest...”

“What was it about?” Forbidden asked

“...Well... It started with me back in Ponydin...” Flare began.

---

“And that is why I’m not going to be eating soup for a while...” Flare said as he finished his tale,” I’m surprised you guys didn’t see it...”

“Well... there could be many reasons for this,” Forbidden said,” Most likely somepony used a form of mind alteration to make you see things.”

“We both know that that cannot be done to me,” Flare pointed out as he walked over to the make-shift bed.

Solar was still angry, so he tried to ignore Flare by sitting in the corner of his mind while Forbidden tried to make sense of the situation... but he couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t have many plot holes in them. So for the next few hours, Flare and Forbidden tried to figure it out, going from daydreaming to eating something that he wasn't supposed too. They continued until Flare actually passed out from exhaustion.

He wouldn’t be having nice dreams that night. That weird nightmare thing came back again...

...

...

...

Prim yawned as she got ready for bed. Truth be told, not much has changed here other than her fluffy pillow and coltfriend was no longer here but somewhere she could never find him. She yawned once more then walked over to the bed when a sudden knock resonated from her door. She groaned and walked over slowly and opened it. There, on the other side, was Midnight herself, who seemed tired as well.

“Hey... sis,” she said with a weak smile,” I just... wanted to check up on you... see if you’re okay!”

“Midnight,” Prim said with a hallowed tone,” I admire that you still check up on me, even at this age. But I will say that if you are looking for me to forgive you or say something like that to make you feel better about the current situation... You’re lucky that I’m in a good mood.”

“R-right...” Midnight said,” I... thought I could just... check on you and tell you that... I’m having second thoughts already...”

“Good,” Prim said,” But, even if you did go back on your vote, it won’t help now, Flare is up and gone and-”

Prim choked a bit as she said that,” And I don’t think that any of your guards can bring him back.”

Midnight nodded sadly and looked at her. Wit a calm voice she said,” I’m... sorry...”

“Midnight...” Prim said,” Just... go to bed, it is late.”

“Alright...” Midnight sighed.

Prim closed the door. She felt her heart break a little as she walked back to bed.

---

“May I ask why you didn’t give him the mushroom?” she asked.

“Because he is jumpy after that... scene of his,” he responded.

“Hm... well... place the mushroom outside his door. Make it look like it grew there as to not raise too much suspicion,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded his head and set off to do what he was told.

“One day... Flare, we are going to get you either here, or back to where you belong,” she said with a dead-serious tone

Author's Note:

Hey hey hey! Have another chapter!