The Real Nightmare Knights

by Bigwig6666

Sweet Apple Spectres

In the small hours of the morning just before sunrise, Sweet Apple Acres was quiet. Too quiet, some would say, just the right amount of quiet for others.

In the living room of the old Apple farmhouse, the smiling face of Princess Twilight Sparkle, accompanied by the fanfare of Equestria’s national anthem in the background, flickered before fading out completely, replaced only by white static as the old television lost its signal. The room was bathed in flickering white light, casting strange shadows on the walls behind the comfortable sofas and chairs, one of which was occupied by a snoozing, snoring stallion.

Said snoozer, one Macintosh Apple--also known as Big Mac--nursed an empty bottle of cider after a long and happy day celebrating his younger sister Apple Bloom’s birthday. He shifted his weight and snorted in his sleep, pricking up the ears of his only company.

Winona, the family’s beloved dog, yawned and stretched, raking her claws on the rug. She shook her body and swished her tail, leaning forwards to give one of Big Mac’s hooves a sniff and a gentle lick as it flopped down near to the ground over the side of the couch. He stirred and a smile danced across his face.

“Honeybun...” he murmured in a soft but deep drawl, dreaming of his wife.

The farmdog’s nose twitched as she caught the scent of a tasty treat. A stick of celery that Big Mac had left unattended on his plate, resting by the foot of the chair, called to her. Quietly, she scooped it up with her mouth and carried it away, and munched on it as she ventured upstairs.

She pushed open Applejack’s bedroom door with her snout and trotted up to the bed where the sleeping pony lay.

“Agh... Winny...” Applejack groaned upon getting a face full of wet doggy snoot and a sloppy kiss. She turned over with a grunt and flopped back down into her pillow. “Lie down ya li’l... zzzz...”

As sleep took her and she began to snore, the dog simply turned and walked away, choosing to search elsewhere for snacks. Her nose took her next door into Big Mac’s room, currently occupied by Sugar Belle, the latest addition to the family and Big Mac’s wife. At first Winona didn’t know what to make of her, but she came around soon enough when the new mare gave her more than one tasty treat. She gave this sleeping mare the same treatment as the last, and even elicited a small giggle and a sleepy sigh from her.

“Hehe... Maaac, stooop....”

Seeing no food to be had here either, Winona turned away. Her tail continued to wag back and forth, even as she crept past Granny Smith’s bedroom--she knew better than to try her luck with that feisty old mare, after all--and she trotted through to the youngest Apple’s bedroom. The light snoring coming from the small pony told her she was asleep, but that didn’t stop the mischievous little dog from giving her hoof a gentle nudge and releasing a soft whine. After a few seconds of waiting and silence save for Apple Bloom’s breathing, Winona yawned again, and she decided to settle down and go back to sleep. At least until breakfast.

Just as the happy little dog closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, Apple Bloom woke up.

Despite being tired, the little filly quickly sat up with a nervous yet excited smile on her face. For the past few nights, some mystery voices in the old television downstairs had been speaking to her, telling her stories. None of the others believed her, calling it just some weird dreams or fanciful nonsense. But when she mentioned it to Granny, the old mare seemed apprehensive, and warned her against speaking to ‘the TV ponies’ as Apple Bloom called them, claiming it could be dangerous.

But Apple Bloom didn’t see what the big deal was about them. She was a tough little filly, she could handle herself, and besides they only ever told her stories about what she figured were their lives. Sometimes they were happy stories, and sometimes they were sad. Sometimes the voices were old, young or a mix, like several voices all speaking at once.

On top of that, she liked listening to them. She felt like she was making new friends, even if she didn’t know where they were coming from or who, or what, they were.

A soft whine made her pause, and she turned to look at Winona, just barely visible in the low light of the early morning moon, gazing up at her with wide, shining eyes full of love. The soft beating of her tail against the ground sounded very much like a heartbeat in the old, quiet house.

“Shh, girl,” Apple Bloom said, raising a hoof o her lips as she stepped forwards to fuss her dog. “Don’t tell anypony, Winny. Ah won’t be long.”

Seemingly satisfied with a quick belly rub, Winona lowered her head back down and went back to sleep.

Apple Bloom’s hoofsteps sounded enormously loud on the creaky floorboards as she ventured out onto the hall and cocked an ear out. Save for her own heartbeat in her ears, she hard nothing, and hoped they hadn’t gotten sick of waiting for her. She bit her lip and listened for a few moments more, until a soft twinkling could be heard.

Feeling a rush of excitement, Apple Bloom caught herself from hurtling down the stairs like it was Hearth’s Warming morning, and slowly and quietly crept down them, taking care to avoid the eighth step as it was notoriously creaky.

As she reached the bottom and rounded the corner, she spotted a strange flickering light coming from the living room, indicating that indeed her friends were there and waiting for her. “They’re here,” she whispered to herself excitedly. The twinkling was getting louder now. So loud, in fact, she feared it would wake the whole house up.

Swiftly but quietly, she stepped forwards--only to freeze as a loud grunt made her heart leap into her throat.

Gingerly she peered around the arm of the sofa, and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing it was just her brother, deep asleep. “Dang it, Big Mac,” she chortled at just barely over a whisper, the colour in her face quickly returning. “Ya big lug...”

Creeping around him, her attention was immediately drawn to the television, still flickering away to itself. The twinkling was definitely radiating from it now, and made her smile grow. She nestled down in front of it and glanced around. Her brother kicked in his sleep and snored, cooing softly to himself.

She smiled and looked back towards the screen. There was a flurry of whispers, each one indecipherable as if they were all speaking at once. She frowned. “Ah can’t understand any of ya,” she murmured. “Hold on. One at a time.”

The voices quietened down. One voice seemed louder than all the others, like it was in charge. It asked her if she was afraid.

“Nuh uh,” she whispered fiercely, while glancing around at Big Mac. “Just bein’ cautious, is all.” She smiled and chuckled.

The voice asked her if she would like to help the TV ponies leave where they are now.

Apple Bloom blinked. “Help? Well... gee, ah don’t know.” She pressed her teeth into her lip and flicked her tail. The voice asked her if she didn’t want to help, if she wanted them to stay where they were.

“N-No! Ah-ah mean, yeah, a’course ah wanna help. How though?”

The other voices came back again for a brief moment, a cacophony of begging and pleading, but again the main voice silenced them. It told her to put her hoof against the glass, and it would do the rest, then they would all be free.

Not one to disappoint her friends, however new they were and in spite of her sudden apprehension, Apple Bloom tentatively reached out and pressed one of her hooves against the glass, feeling the static pull up the hairs at the end of her legs.

“Is that workin’?” she whispered. “Ah don’t--both?”

She reached up with her other hoof and also placed it on the screen as instructed. She waited for a moment to see what would happen, and then...

Then she froze. A dark silhouette appeared before her, watching her from the other side of the screen. Her outstretched appendages tingled where they touched the screen, and though the shadow had no eyes that she could see, she could feel its hungry gaze upon her. Suddenly she felt very, very afraid, and tried to pull back, only to find that she couldn’t move.

“B-B-B...” she mumbled, hoping to wake up her brother. Her words just couldn’t come however, and choked in her throat. She felt paralyzed, glued to the TV screen--and not in the usual way a child was.

There was a sound like the crack of thunder and the howling of the wind as the floor beneath her started to shake. She felt herself slipping forwards, being drawn towards the shadow, and had only the vague sense that the whole house began shaking.

It engulfed her. Swallowed her. Took over every fibre of her being and pulled her into a dark place.

With one last effort, she opened her mouth and willed all that she could to come to her, and let loose an almighty scream. And then, everything went white, and silence fell upon the old Apple farmhouse.

***

Tempest Shadow yawned and clicked her tongue as she trudged into the common room of the old castle. Tirek and Cozy Glow already sat at the table, the former lethargically poking a spoon around a bowl of Celesti’Os, the latter just barely propping her face up with one hoof. The sound of some light humming caught Tempest’s attention, and she looked over to the kitchen to see Chrysalis flitting back and forth, murmuring a small tune to herself in an oddly cheerful manner.

The old centaur looked up as Tempest approached and yawned. “Another splendid... hahhh... day, eh, Commander?” he rumbled. Heavy bags lined his eyes, as they did Tempest’s, and a thin layer of stubble made itself home on his face above his beard.

“Feh,” the dark mare grunted as she slumped down into the seat across from him. Her mane, usually slicked back into an intimidating looking mohawk, was frizzy, unbrushed, and hung down loosely around her head. She stretched her legs out and cast a sideways glance towards Chrysalis. “What’s got her in such a good mood?” she queried.

Tirek shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t care,” he answered truthfully. He yawned and pushed his bowl away, then folded his arms and rested his head on them on the table. A low groan escaped him and he sighed. “Buhhhh...”

After a long night dealing with a particularly bothersome and loud banshee, the Knights had not gotten much sleep before their next day had begun. A thin trail of drool hanging down from Cozy Glow’s mouth made a small puddle on the table. She stirred and mumbled something which could have been a hello as she spotted Tempest, then immediately returned to snoring quietly.

“Ah, Commander you’re here,” Chrysalis said cheerfully as she also spotted Tempest. “Coffee? Some for you as well perhaps, Tirek before we begin?”

“Please,” Tempest answered hoarsely as only Tirek’s thumb jutted upwards in confirmation. “How come you’re not tired, Chrysalis?”

“Ah well,” the changeling chuckled as the sound of the coffee machine rumbling to life started up. “To put it simply, Tempest,” she said, leaning across the counter towards them. “I do not require the same bodily functions as the rest of you.”

The centaur pulled his heavy head up and glared at her. “And how have you reached that conclusion?” he growled. “What sort of changeling witchcraft do you employ?”

“Bi-ol-ogy,” the queen answered smugly, tapping the side of her head. “You see, changelings require very little sleep as long as their love supplies are well stocked. A well fed changeling can last for weeks, possibly months, without eating, drinking or sleeping if they rationed it right. Infiltrators especially were taught how to ration their supplies to their most effective level.”

The loud ding that punctuated her words told her their coffee was ready. “Cream?” she asked. “Sugar?”

“Yes to both please,” Tempest said.

“Neither,” Tirek grunted. “And your supplies are well stocked, I take it?” he asked as Chrysalis levitated their drinks over, and a glass of milk for Cozy, complete with a straw.

Chrysalis pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him as she stepped around the counter. Tempest’s eyes widened when she saw the pink, frilly apron she was wearing and she took her mug in hoof, grateful to hide the grin quickly spreading over her face. “Not that it’s any of your business, my lord,” the queen snapped, “but yes. They are.”

Cozy stirred and snorted, wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof. She yawned, lazily moving her head over to her other hoof. “’Cause ‘f Cele-esstia?” she slurred, grinning cheekily despite being exhausted. She eyed the drink placed in front of her and tried to reach the straw without moving her head, puckering her lips like a goldfish and sucking in air like a vacuum.

Tempest and Tirek both grinned as Chrysalis’s cheeks turned pink. “Watch yourself, you little beast,” she growled as she reached the table and sat down. She used her magic to lift off the apron and cast it away, where it landed in a discarded heap on the floor.

The filly waved her hoof. “Yeah, yeah...” she muttered, still trying to reach her drink without actually moving, and making a fool of herself while doing so.

Chrysalis scowled at her. “For goodness’ sake must you behave like such an animal?” she grumbled, and used her magic to move the glass forwards. “Here.”

“Hey it worked!”

Cozy’s grin widened as her mouth enclosed around the end of the straw.

The queen’s scowl intensified as she realised she had been tricked. She huffed in disapproval and folded her hooves as she looked out the window.

Tempest rolled her eyes and just as she lifted her mug up to take a sip of that sorely needed boost to her system, just as Jackdaw Inkwell appeared in the doorway. She looked troubled, and concern plastered itself across her face as plain as day.

The commander put down her drink and stood up, making the Knights look first at her in confusion, then at the secretary. Though she was still tired, she narrowed her eyes and placed her front hooves on the table as she leaned forwards, frowning slightly. “What’s wrong, Jack?” she asked, her tone all business.

“Trouble,” the fiery-haired mare said. She adjusted her glasses, her eyes lingering on Tirek for a moment before looking at the commander. “Big trouble. There’s been some kinda incident at Sweet Apple Acres--y’know, Applejack’s place? That Applejack?”

Chrysalis snorted derisively and inspected one of her hooves. “Oh goodie,” she sneered. “First I am forced into servitude to Twilight Sparkle, then I am made Starlight Glimmer’s subordinate, and now I must help rescue Applejack, too? Will the indignity never end?” She scoffed and glared at the secretary. “So what is it, then? Does she want us to build her a barn? Plant some trees, perhaps? Don’t tell me she has a ‘vampire fruit bat’ infestation, or some other ridiculous nonsense?”

Tempest was about to scold her and opened her mouth, only for Jack to open hers first.

“Her sister’s disappeared,” the secretary snapped, shooting the changeling a filthy look.

The room grew quiet. Chrysalis lowered her hoof and narrowed her eyes at the mare. “And that is our concern... how?” she growled. “Surely a missing filly is a job suited for the authorities, no?”

“They think it was ghosts that took her, Chryssy,” Jack said, rolling her eyes. “So I guess that makes you guys the authorities, right?”

The commander and Tirek both exchanged troubled glances. Ghosts had never taken anypony before as far as they knew, and hauntings didn’t typically end with or even include foalnappings. This could only mean, as Jack already said, trouble.

“Yeah, so, if you’re done?” Jack shook her head and adjusted her glasses again. “The mare who called, Sugar Belle, said that there were mentions of something called the TV ponies? Bright lights, flickering, low temperatures.”

“Sounds like a haunting, alright,” Tempest murmured.

Jack nodded at her. “See, the boss gets it. I’d go now, guys, things didn’t sound great over there. Best not keep ‘em waitin’ eh?”

The commander nodded and raised her mug. “Right. Tirek.”

Tirek raised his to match her. “Bottoms up,” he rumbled.

They clinked and began to drink, taking big, long gulps. Cozy woke herself up enough to watch in mild curiosity as they began to what could only be described as rejuvenate.

Tempest’s mane began to somehow brush itself and return to its usual slicked back mohawk. As it did, the commander started to straighten up, holding her head up high. The bags around her eyes receded, as they did around Tirek’s. Like her, his appearance also began to change; the stubble around his face also faded away as his arms and muscles began to swell, growing larger by the second, until he was at his usual full height.

“Ahhh. Much better,” he chortled, going so far as to kiss his bicep. The soft sigh and googly eyes being directed his way from Jack made him quickly lower his arms and, but not before his eyes flicked over to hers. Chrysalis rolled her eyes at them both and fake gagged.

“Shall we, then?” she muttered, buzzing her wings lightly.

Cozy yawned and folded her hooves. “I want some coffee,” she declared as Tempest and Tirek both stood up.

“Absolutely not,” all the Knights, including Jack, said in unison. They shared a bemused look with one another before Tirek cleared his throat.

“You are far too young for coffee,” he said, poking the end of the filly’s nose. “Besides, it’s for adults. It’s what we need to get us started in the morning. It’s our ignition key. Children like you don’t need it. You have youth, you have all the energy in the...”

“Zzzz...”

“World.” Tirek’s eye twitched as Cozy appeared to have fallen asleep again mid-argument. “Hmm.” He looked back at Tempest, who sighed and gestured towards herself.

“Group huddle.”

The elder Knights, plus Jack, turned their heads towards each other and whispered in hushed tones as they debated whether or not to give Cozy some coffee. After reaching a quick consensus, Chrysalis went to pour out another cup. After blowing on it to cool it down, she jabbed the pegasus in the chest with it, startling her back awake.

“Bah! I wasn’t sleeping!” Cozy cried, rubbing her eyes. When she saw the mug held out towards her she gasped and her eyes sparkled. “Really?”

Tempest nodded with a reluctant grimace. “Go easy on it, though. Like Tirek said, coffee is for adults.”

Cozy blew a raspberry and grasped the mug with her front hooves. “Pfft, hey, I’m a Nightmare Knight, right?” she chuckled, grinning as she lifted it up to her mouth. “Trust me, I can handle some coffee.”

***

Cozy Glow could not handle her coffee.

The young filly had been filled with a seemingly limitless supply of energy since taking even the smallest sip. Her wings buzzed so fast she resembled a hummingbird, and not only that, but she couldn’t stop herself from flying around in backwards circles around her team as she filled them in on apparently her life story without prompt.

“...So they bumped me up a class because I’m smarter than all the other little unicorns and wasn’t fitting in--dad saw it as a detriment to his family--but I still can’t do magic ‘cause I’m a pegasus, right? So now I’m even more not fitting in--and even more of a ‘detriment’--’cause the other kids aren’t just unicorns who can do magic and I can’t--but nowww they’re unicorns who can do magic and I can’t and they’re bigger than me too! I was getting good grades as well where I was--I’m talkin’ like straight As across the board! My big brother, Dim Glow--he’s a jerk by the way-”

Chrysalis wrinkled her nose in mild amusement. “Your elder brother’s name is Dim Glow? What a ridiculous name even by pony standards.”

The road to Sweet Apple Acres was quiet, as was the adjacent, sleepy little town of Ponyville. Thankfully so, as nopony bar the Knights was around to hear their youngest member spill her beans to the world. In the distance big grey clouds gathered, a sure sign of a storm to come later that day.

“He tells me ‘I NeEd tO gRoW Up aNd sTiMuLaTe MySeLf,” Cozy continued, too steeped in her rant to register what Chrysalis had said. “So I tell him I’m stimulated enough, after all it’s not like my dad’s disappointment and my brother and sisters letting me know how much they hate me isn’t enough, right? One of my sisters, Dim’s twin, Bright--she’s also a jerk--tells me to think of it as a challenge to overcome, like my feathers, blah blah, blahblahblah. Blegh--I know right? Get off your high horse, you dumb horse. So I’m hated at home, hated at school, and--challenged by the way? Ha! That’s a laugh. I’m challenged enough to hold on to my lunch--that I made myself, by the way--’cause Dim keeps tryin’ to take it from me! Did I mention he’s a jerk? I’m in the same class as him now. Or I was, anyway. Get this, he’s an idiot, too--dumber than a bag of rocks--no wait--that’s not fair to rocks, I think rocks have more brains than him--he makes rocks look smart for cryin’ out loud!”

Tempest raised her eyebrows slightly as they walked. While Cozy’s caffeine induced rant may have been unprompted and seemingly never-ending, it did reveal some interesting insights into the filly’s home life. The apple trees surrounding them on the simple path swayed to and fro in the gentle breeze, sounding almost like they were whispering.

A cold wind blew down the path towards them, kicking up a wayward cloud of dust that looked somewhat like a leering face full of fangs for a moment behind them, then faded away into the atmosphere before any of them noticed.

“The point is everypony thinks I’m some shrimpy pegasus who thinks she’s smarter than them--which I am, sure, those morons couldn’t find their own flanks--and the only thing that makes them feel better about themselves are those stupid thing on their foreheads so they gotta bully me for it! But if they just did the stupid homework--and not give me such a hard time they’d see we’re all still ponies, right? Anyway I filled out my own transfer papers to Twilight’s school after the fifth swirly in one day and wound up here--and well y’know how that turned out. Oh hey I think we’re here.”

Cozy paused and flapped forwards (backwards) towards the ivory coloured archway of the famous farm. Tirek stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it around in disbelief. “Is she done? Is it over?”

Tempest nodded and watched the young Knight’s wings as they moved at a million miles an hour. “Memo to group: never give Cozy Glow coffee.”

“I don’t want to say I told you so, Commander,” Chrysalis retorted. “But you leave me little choice. I told you so.”

Tempest rolled her eyes at her. “You were the one who actually made it for her, and we all agreed we should give it to her to wake her up.”

“Tempest is right,” Tirek added, folding his arms as they walked.

“Guys, c’mon,” Cozy said, waving them forwards. Her pupils had, worryingly, not shrank at all since they left the castle, and seemed only to be dilating further. “We got a job to do don’t we?”

The Knights all made to follow her as she drifted sideways through the air, haphazardly beating her wings like she couldn’t quite get the right rhythm down. At least she could see where she was going now, thought Tempest. Sort of. The commander looked around at the empty and quiet farm as they walked, and then up at the old farmhouse.

She stopped. The old house was still. Too still. There was no wind to blow in the trees nearby anymore, and the entire farm was just... quiet.

Tirek noticed her stop and turned to her. His ear twitched and he too looked around. Save for Chrysalis’s hoofbeats, there was nothing. No birds, no buzzing of flies, not even the sounds a farm would typically have. The pigs in the nearby pen stood like statues, watching them with small eyes, and even the chickens did the same.

A deafening void of silence surrounded them that grew so loud Tempest started to hear her own heartbeat.

“Do you ever feel like you’re being watched?” Tirek murmured to her, breaking the silence and snapping her out of her trance-like state.

Without a word, Tempest withdrew her trusty electromagnetic field emitter and switched it on. It jumped up to a level five almost immediately. She waved it around for a few seconds, keeping her eyes trained on the steady, unwavering light on all five LEDs. With a sigh, she returned it to her jumpsuit and scanned their surroundings.

“I don’t like it,” she eventually said. “Keep an eye and an ear out for trouble.”

“Both eyes, and both ears as often as I am able, Commander,” he answered, gesturing ahead. “We should continue. A filly’s life may be on the line and the longer we delay the worse it may get.”

Tempest nodded despite the dread suddenly hanging over her, tonguing around in the inside of her cheek. There was something at the back of her mind, gnawing at her, telling her to run, to turn tail and leave and don’t look back. But she knew she couldn’t, not that she would ever run from a job--and especially not when the Element of Honesty’s sister needed her.

She stepped forwards quickly as Chrysalis reached rapped her hoof on the old wooden door. The sound rang out around them, echoing around in the vast and empty silence that permeated the air. After a few seconds of nothing the changeling tutted under her breath.

“Typical. They ask for help and don’t even bother to answer the door when we arrive...”

Though she was irate, Tempest thought she heard a trace of concern lining the edges of her words.

The commander rapped her own hoof on the door and cocked an ear out. She heard muffled but raised voices and, albeit quietly, the sound of approaching hoofsteps. She adjusted the collar of her uniform and shot a look to the other Knights. She jutted her chin towards Cozy circling Chrysalis’s head. The changeling quickly yanked the pegasus down by the tail and forced her to the ground. She raised a hoof to her lips, silently telling her to be quiet.

The filly ran a hoof across her mouth like she was closing a zip and began to quiver and shake on the spot now that she wasn’t flying anymore, making Chrysalis roll her eyes again.

The door opened with a creak to reveal a mare Tempest hadn’t met before before. And a unicorn to boot. As far as she knew, the Apples were all earth ponies weren’t they? Was she a friend, or a long lost cousin or something?

“Hello?” the mare said, looking at them all warily. Upon realising who they were she gasped. “Oh. You’re the Nightmare Knights, right? I mean, of course you are, why else would you be here?” She pulled the door open more and forced a smile out a them. As her eyes travelled over Chrysalis and Tirek she quivered and swallowed. “H-Hi. I’m Sugar Belle.”

The commander heard the waver in her voice and straightened up, putting on her best reassuring voice, having dealt with more than one frightened pony before. “Hello, ma’am,” she said, bowing her head slightly. “My name is Tempest Shadow.” She pointed to each of her team one by one. “This is Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow. I take it you were who called us?” She already knew the answer, but thought it best to get formalities out the way.

The mare nodded. “That’s right, I did.” She cast a wary glance behind her and grimaced apologetically. “Listen, um... Applejack didn’t... well she wasn’t exactly... happy about calling you.”

Tempest nodded back at her and forced a smile out. “That’s alright. This won’t be the first time we weren’t welcome somewhere, don’t worry about it.” She flicked her tail and looked at the door frame expectantly. After a few moments, she continued. “Can we come in?”

“Oh right, yes of course,” Sugar Belle murmured, quickly blushing. “F-Follow me.”

Tempest bowed her head graciously. “Come on,” she said to her team, looking back at them as she followed Sugar Belle in. “Let’s get to work.”

Cozy shivered and twitched as they made to move. Her pupils, once wider than any of them thought equinely possible, now began to shrink. With the whites of her eyes revealed, so too were the large, red cracks that began to appear in them. She took in a shuddering breath of air and her wings extended for a moment, then promptly slumped down to the ground.

“Zzzzzz...”

“Well there she goes,” Tirek sighed. “Should I?”

“No, I’ll get it,” Chrysalis muttered.

She continued to grumble under her breath about Cozy being a little beast and lowered her head. She grabbed the filly by the scruff of her neck with her mouth, and hoisted her up, holding her like a mother cat holds her kittens. As she straightened up she caught the centaur’s bemused stare.

“What?” she sneered as she stepped over the threshold and into the old house after Tempest.

Tirek fought to suppress a smile and shook his head. “Nothing,” he replied as he entered in after her, stooping to avoid scraping his horns on the ceiling.

The Apple family home was as rustic on the inside as the outside, thought Tempest. Rustic, but quaint. As one of the oldest places in Ponyville, possibly all of Equestria, she suspected it wouldn’t be anything less. Sugar Belle waited until they were all in and lined up along the wall, then closed the door behind them.

Or she tried to. Tirek took up most of the room with his size. Sugar gazed up at him with a frightful grimace and swallowed.

“Um... ‘scuse me,” she said quietly.

He readjusted and moved out of the way for her without a word. Tempest felt a small sense of pride rise inside her that he offered no snarky comment or any some such to the young mare.

“There,” Sugar Belle said as she closed the door. “Follow me.”

As she led them down the hall, the same eerie silence that was outside permeated the atmosphere of the old house. Every step, every creak of floorboard sounded impossibly loud, but Tempest kept herself focused and held her head up high. She couldn’t let her unease show, especially when dealing with her team’s former enemy’s family. Soon enough, they entered into the living room.

As Tempest appeared in the doorway she came upon a grim sight. An old mare, rocking back and forth in a chair that looked as old as she was, looked up. She stopped rocking and narrowed her eyes, that, while still aged, were clearly sharper than most mares her age, at the Knight. Sitting on a chair with his head in his hooves was a large, red stallion who Tempest thought could possibly give Tirek a run for his money in terms of bulk. He shifted and glanced up. Tear marks streamed down his red cheeks, darkening his coat, and his eyes were red and puffy.

Sugar Belle rushed to him and nuzzled into him. he wrapped a mighty hoof around her and pulled her in close. Tempest noticed his lower lip quiver as she stepped forwards. A sudden growling made her stop and look down to see a small brown and white dog glaring at her as her team entered in after her, flanking her on either side. The dog’s ears faced forwards and its tail bristled as it went rigid. The heckles on its back stood up and it barked a few times, particularly at Tirek.

“Down, Winny,” grunted the last pony in the room: Applejack herself, sitting in front of the television. The dog obeyed immediately and although she whined softly, she trotted over to the mare, nuzzling her legs gently. The farmpony weakly patted her head before she shifted and fixed the Knights with the cold stare of her emerald green eyes.

Tempest, as an unfortunate side effect of being a part of the Nightmare Knights, was used to icy receptions. However, icy was an understatement to the stare Applejack was giving her team. She looked downright hostile, and like she was ready for a fight. She supposed that she had good reason for that, though, as her team and Applejack had crossed paths on more than one occasion, and never under good circumstances. Seeing them, her old enemies waltz right on into her home, must have been difficult for Applejack, the commander realised, and she cursed herself for not having more tact.

“Hello everypony,” she said calmly. “We came as soon as we could.”

She and the famous farmpony hadn’t interacted much after their initial meetings, but when it came for her to face trial for invading Equestria at the head of the Storm King’s army, Applejack testified on her behalf. It was thanks to her, and the rest of Twilight’s friends and of course the princess herself, that she was here today, a fact she was indeed grateful for.

Applejack shifted her gaze between the commander, then at the other Knights, lingering on the sleeping Cozy dangling from Chrysalis’s mouth for a moment. She bristled and held her head up high as she slowly stood up on shaking legs. “Ya’ll-” she began.

“It’s a mighty fine thing of ya’ll to come so quickly,” said the old mare all of a sudden. Her chair creaked and groaned as she leaned forwards and hopped off of it. She strode up towards the commander and held her hoof out. “The name’s Granny Smith.”

Tempest stretched her own hoof out in greeting as Applejack’s stare almost burrowed a hole into her head. “Tempest Shadow of the Nightmare Knights ma’am. This is Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow.”

Behind her, Tirek and Chrysalis both stiffly bowed their heads in greeting as Granny’s eyes turned to them. Cozy continued to snore quietly, and mumbled something in her sleep as her hind legs grazed the ground when Chrysalis inadvertently lowered her. Granny simply chuckled dryly and gestured to the stallion sitting beside Sugar Belle.

“That there is Big Mac, my grandson, and a’course ya’ve met Sugar Belle, his wife and my granddaughter-in-law.”

Sugar Belle’s cheeks went slightly pink and a small smile appeared over her mouth. They both nodded politely at the Knights although the hug Big Mac had around Sugar tightened slightly. Tempest nodded back at them, keeping her expression neutral.

Finally, Granny gestured towards Applejack. “And-”

“Granny we don’t have time for this!” Applejack yelled suddenly, jabbing her hoof towards the television. “Apple Bloom’s missin’! She’s missin’ and ya’ll’re happy ta have a bunch’a...” She glanced over at the Knights and her nostrils flared and her eyes darkened. “Of villains come walkin’ on in to our home? Don’t you remember what they all tried to do t’Equestria? On more than one occasion? To me? Or heck, any of us?” She shot a look towards the sleeping Cozy, earning a soft growl from Chrysalis for her troubles.

The other Knights remained deathly quiet as the old mare narrowed her eyes and steeled her gaze at her granddaughter. “Now listen here, Applejack. We’re all a might hurtin’ today, but havin’ no manners ain’t how we Apples do things, now is it? B’sides, ah’m willin’ ta fergive somepony fer past mistakes if it means savin’ my youngest grandfilly. Ain’t that fair?”

Her words cut through the tension like a hot knife through butter. Applejack immediately realised her mistake and backed down, splaying her ears to her skull and tucking her tail in between her legs. “Yes, Granny,” she mumbled as the elder mare stepped towards her. “Ah’m just...”

“Ah know, sugarcube. Ah know.” Granny touched her chin and raised her head up. She pulled the young farmer into a tight hug, then looked back towards Tempest and smiled sadly at her. “Like ah said. We’re all a might hurtin’ today.”

Tempest bobbed her head up and down understandingly, feeling her heart heave for them. “That’s why we’re here, ma’am. To get you your filly back.”

She wondered in that moment how any of the Knights would react if Cozy was to be taken from them. In fact, with a pang of guilt, she knew how protective they were of their own filly, as evidenced by how the events in Saddle Arabia panned out. The memory of Abda the Grand Vizier and Sombra’s eyes flashed through her mind and made her chest felt tight.

Tirek cleared his throat with a gentle cough, drawing the attention of the room to himself. Tempest bowed her head, letting the researcher of the group do his duties. “Now, might I inquire as to what exactly happened? These... TV ponies, as we were told. Who are they? What are they?”

Sugar Belle flinched and Big Mac shivered. Granny too released Applejack with a heavy sigh and retreated back to her chair. “Oh, these old bones of mine ain’t what they used t’be,” she murmured as she rubbed the back of her neck and nestled down. “T’put it simply, Mr. Tirek, Apple Bloom was taken by wayward spirits of the beyond,” she said cryptically.

Tirek nodded respectfully and lowered himself enough to look at her properly.

Granny Smith sighed again and began to rock back and forth. “Ah’m old, Mr. Tirek. Very old. Older’n what ah’m given credit fer. An’ ah’ve seen that this world o’ours has more’n what ya can see, sometimes. Ah know that sometimes... there ain’t no explanation save fer the supernatural. My grandpappy used ta tell me a story when ah was a youngin’, younger’n even Apple Bloom.”

The other ponies, Chrysalis and Tirek all craned their necks and leaned forwards to listen intently.

“He was a spiritual soul, he was. An’ he used t’say that when somepony dies, there ain’t just death, but a sorta transition from this world t’the next. That’s why we say ‘go into the liiight’.” Her rocking chair creaked and groaned, as did the floor when Tempest quickly and quietly crossed the room to investigate the TV. Applejack moved aside from her and Winona gave her a cautious sniff, but otherwise nopony paid her any heed.

“An’ he’d say that sometimes, unfortunately, not every soul that crosses over goes into that great beyond. He’d say someponies got lost along the way an’ end up in a bad place.”

Tirek bobbed his head up and down in understanding, tapping his chin. “Yes, I’ve heard of such a place. Limbo, I believe is its name, yes?”

Granny nodded sagely. “EEExactly. Save for the fact my grandpappy called it the In-Between.”

Sugar Belle wrinkled the end of her nose and looked between them. She cleared her throat quietly. “Um, I’m sorry, Mr. Tirek, Granny, but what... exactly is that place?”

The centaur inhaled deeply and paused for a few moments before turning to explain to her. “Limbo, Miss Belle, or the In-Between, is the space between this world and the next. In theory, it is where all living things go when they die.” He clasped hands behind his back and began to pace, earning a cautious glare from Applejack. “There is supposedly a light there that draws spirits to it, to aid them in passing on. But some spirits, i.e. like the ones we face on a daily basis, ignore the light, whether they are angry or vengeful or otherwise have unfinished business--sometimes they don’t even realised they’ve died--and subsequently travel back to our world.”

He stopped in front of a picture on the wall of the Apple family. He recognised a younger Granny Smith, although she was still aged, a younger Applejack and Big Mac, no older than perhaps thirteen and ten, and three others absent from present day. The foal he assumed was Apple Bloom, and the stallion and mare with them were their parents. He tongued around in his cheek for a moment.

“But the question remains: why take a filly? For what purpose? It doesn’t... make sense to me. Surely an adult would be more beneficial?”

“She could be bait,” Chrysalis said matter-of-factly.

All eyes turned to her. Applejack’s in particular lit up in a blaze of anger.

“That’s my sister, Chrysalis,” she growled. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

The changeling snorted. Her horn lit up and her magical grasp surrounded the filly, and took her from her mouth and gently placed her on her back. “Like it or not, Applejack, it might be the unfortunate truth. Changelings have used similar tactics for decades, centuries even.”

She paused and a sneer started to spread over features, matched only by the disapproving scowl quickly growing across Applejack’s face.

“At least... we used to.”

Tirek narrowed his eyes at her and snorted. “Yes, we all know of your kind’s underhanded tactics. Stealing children, indeed.” He stopped for a moment and looked thoughtful. A look of grim realisation spread across his face. “Although there may be an ounce of truth to your words...”

Applejack whipped around to glare up at him. “What’s that s’posed ta mean?”

He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “It is possible that...” He looked at the portrait of the Apple family, specifically at how the parents, what he took to be their mother in particular: a light coloured mare with bright eyes, gleamed with pride at the foal Apple Bloom. “Whatever took her plans to draw others to its side, to lure them in using her childlike innocence and purity of soul. In Limbo, in a dark place like that, her living soul would shine like a beacon. Or so I believe.”

The Apples grew quiet as he mused to himself. Sugar Belle sniffed and began to weep quietly. Big Mac pulled her in tight for a comforting hug. Granny Smith clicked her tongue and fell back into her chair, while Applejack simply looked at the ground.

“Tirek...” she whispered, her voice trembling with anger. “What’s happenin’ t’ my sister?”

The centaur roused himself and looked down at her. “I am not sure,” he replied. “But I can venture a guess it is not good.” He snorted in disapproval and shook his head, and looked over at Cozy resting in between Chrysalis’s wings. His face twisted in silent anguish, and his brow furrowed. “Utterly deplorable behaviour... using a child as bait...”

As his eyes wandered over to Tempest, they shared a fiercely protective gaze of the young Knight.

“Have you found anything, Commander?” he asked.

“No. it’s just a regular television,” she answered. “I’m about to do an EMF scan, though. Let’s see if it picks up anything.”

She reached into the pocket of her jumpsuit and pulled out the same device from earlier. As soon as she switched it on the LED lights along the top jumped to life, and it elicited a loud and steady beep.

“Level five. Same as outside,” she murmured.

The lights continued to glow, until there was a small flash and a significant pop and the shattering of glass, and then the lights went out. The commander tapped the side of it with her hoof and grimaced. She held it up as Tirek watched curiously. “Broken,” she grumbled.

“Troubling,” he replied grimly. “Very well. Time for alternatives.” He held up his hand and began to draw an invisible sign in the air. His horns began to glow and spark orange and he closed his eyes, and a series of sigils appeared where he was drawing them.

“What’s he doing?” Sugar Belle whispered, watching with a mixture of fear and cautious awe.

“I am going to try and sense her presence,” the centaur murmured as his eyelids flickered. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind... I need concentration.”

The room fell deathly quiet. Sugar made an ‘o’ shape with her mouth and sniffled, nuzzling into Big Mac as they watched. Granny’s chair stopped rocking. All the Apples held their breath, waiting to see what would happen. Tempest moved forwards as well, standing shoulder to shoulder with Applejack. Without thinking too much of it, she held her hoof out, seeing how the farmer looked like she was in need of a friendly hoof.

Applejack took it with a painfully forced smile, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“There,” Tirek mumbled. His hand swished through the air, leaving a faint trail of magic behind it. “I see her... I also see a terrible presence guarding her.”

Chrysalis adjusted herself when she felt Cozy twitch in her sleep.

“What kind of presence?” Applejack whispered, gripping onto Tempest’s hoof.

“It is her jailer,” Tirek muttered darkly. “Her warden. A creature filled with... hate and rage...” he trailed off and began to mumble, but still continued to trace his finger through the air. “It’s strong, too. Strong enough to punch a hole into our world and take Apple Bloom. Strong enough that its mere presence is enough to break our tools and affect the surrounding area, too, despite being trapped.”

He twitched his head one way and his fingers folded until only one remained pointing.

“It keeps Apple Bloom very close to it. It lies to her, it tells her things that only a child could understand, that she’s going to help it break free, all while using her to draw others in. It binds lost spirits to it, growing fat and powerful off of their power while she remains unaware. It wants to be free, to venture into our world and wreak untold havoc, but to do so it needs more...”

Applejack bowed her head and blinked the fresh tears stinging her eyes away as Winona rubbed against her legs and whined softly, seemingly understanding what was happening. The horror of their reality was beginning to set in, and with each word Tirek spoke the already heavy dread in the atmosphere grew heavier. Tempest felt the mare lean into her slightly, and helped steady her.

“She’s just a filly...” the farmer whispered sorrowfully.

“To Apple Bloom,” Tirek continued, his voice growing quiet and his brow starting to knot together, “it is lost, another friend in need of help, but to us...” He paused and his eyes opened. His horns stopped glowing and the sigil he had been tracing in the air vanished.

The air grew cold and the tension ramped up as those present hung on his every word.

“It is a demon,” he snarled. “A predator of lost souls. It has no name...” He paused and flared his nostrils with a disgusted look on his face. “Save for the Beast.”

“Sweet Celestia...” Sugar Belle whispered, covering up her mouth with her hoof as she gazed at the graven image. The stallion beside her squeezed his eyes shut as a tear rolled down his already tear-soaked cheek, and Granny and Applejack both just stared at the drawing in silence.

Thunder quietly rumbled across the sky outside, breaking the silence that had descended upon them. The first few drops of rain pattered against the windows.

“Now...”

Tirek set his jaw and looked towards the television with a grim expression. His eyes started to glow with intense devotion as his knuckles clenched white. Tempest knew that look. She readied herself and cracked her neck in firm agreement.

“Let’s go get your filly.”

***

Lightning flashed through the sky, followed shortly by thunder rumbling after it. The torrential downpour that descended upon Sweet Apple Acres came hard and fast, crashing down onto the roof and turning the farmland itself into a muddy mire.

Tempest watched as Tirek made preparations for whatever he was planning. He flicked rapidly through a small notebook of his he had procured from one of his vest’s pockets, quietly murmuring to himself about various magical spells and incantations. The living room of the old farmhouse was otherwise silent as they all waited with bated breath.

There was a slam of a door from behind them and soon enough Applejack trotted into view, soaked through head to hoof and dripping wet. Tirek looked up at her.

“Did you get it?”

The farmpony bucked a large coil of rope off of her back onto the ground. “Yeah,” she said as it landed with a heavy thud and a wet splat. “Here. One hundred feet, just like y’asked fer.”

She shook her entire body, sending droplets of water splashing down onto the ground. Big Mac draped a towel over her back, which she took gratefully and started to dry herself off with. “What’s it for anyway?”

Tirek looked down at the rope and nodded firmly without elaborating. He reached down to grab a length of it and pulled it taut, after a second and seemingly satisfied with it, he then let it drop back down. He sighed and cracked his shoulders as he went back down into a crouch. “I shan’t be much longer. Then we can begin.” His horns began to glow orange as he scanned over his notes.

The Apples gloomily nodded and waited, patiently impatient. The room was bare now, save for the television, the source of their misfortune. Tempest, along with Big Mac, had moved the sofas and chairs out of the way, so now if any of them wanted to sit they had to do it on the floor. None of them seemed to mind however, all too preoccupied with their own concerns to sit.

Except for Chrysalis, who simply sat in one corner and watched the whole affair, holding Cozy close to her chest. The filly had still not woken up, even despite all the noise around her. While usually the queen would lament being stuck on Cozy duty, she currently felt a small sense of comfort from the filly’s gentle breathing, particularly how their chests rose and fell together as one.

Her ears pricked up as Sugar Belle walked over to them slowly. “Um, Miss Chrysalis? Do you need anything?” she asked. The mare was trembling nervously, and her ears twitched as the changeling glared at her. “A pillow, or... something?”

“No,” Chrysalis grunted sulkily. She sighed and bit her tongue. “No thank you. We’re fine.”

The young mare bobbed her head up and down and quickly made to move away. She hesitated, though, and turned back to her. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For doing this. I know it must be difficult, given your, um... but I just--I just wanted to thank you all. Apple Bloom means so much to all of us. Th-Thank you for helping us get her back.”

Her cheeks flushed red and she quickly scurried away to join her husband.

Chrysalis watched her go with an odd look on her face. “Ponies are simple creatures,” she muttered, exhaling softly. She rested her head amid Cozy’s mane, where her nose was quickly filled with the scent of sugar and cakes.

“Hnn...” Cozy mumbled in her sleep, turning slightly and resting her cheek against the changeling’s hardened carapace. Her hooves stretched outwards before curling back underneath her. “Mmm...mmy...”

Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed. The young Knight’s murmurings could have been just that, nonsensical murmurings, but she swore she heard a word in there. A word that she didn’t exactly hate.

Tirek suddenly clapped his hands and straightened up, rousing Chrysalis from her inner musings. “There. I believe we are ready,” he said, resting one hand on the television. He turned around as Applejack approached.

“Now will y’tell us what your plan is?” she asked him cautiously. “How’re we gonna get Apple Bloom back? Ya’ll don’t expect us t’just lasso her in, do you?” When he remained silent, her eyes widened. “Do you?”

Tempest also stepped forwards, also curious as to what he had planned, and Chrysalis picked herself up. She placed Cozy back onto her back and marched forwards to join their team. “Well? Let’s not keep everybody waiting any longer with your suspenseful theatrics, Tirek,” she scoffed.

“I’m going to open a portal between this place and the location of your lost filly,” he explained, ignoring the queen’s snide jab. “It will most likely be dangerous, and I must confess I have only tried this once before, and it did not end particularly well.”

Tempest cocked an eyebrow upwards, wondering what could have possessed him to try venturing into Limbo of all places.

“I must also confess that before we start... I do not know what will happen.”

The Apples shuffled and looked between one another worriedly. Applejack simply looked up at him and took a shuddering breath. “So long as it saves my sister,” she mumbled, “ah’m willin’ ta try anythin’.”

The centaur bowed his head to her. He looked around at all of them, focusing mostly on Tempest. “There is one other thing, before we start,” he said softly. “One of us must go in there-”

Applejack, as expected, was quick to step forwards and volunteer herself. “Ah’ll do it,” she said. “Ah can-”

“No.”

Big Mac took long and heavy hoofsteps forwards and shook his head. “No y’won’t,” he rumbled. His voice was low, softer than Tempest had expected for a stallion of his size. “It’s my fault Apple Bloom went... missin’ in the first place.” he said sadly with a forlorn look in his eye. “It’s only right that ah should be the one to go get her.”

Applejack vehemently shook her head and squared up to him. “Now that’s just plain foolish, Big Mac. You’re the strongest, ya’ll gotta be the one t’pull whoever goes in back. Ah can handle this.”

The siblings looked at one another. A moment passed before they began shouting at each other, arguing back and forth over who should risk their neck to save Apple Bloom: the diligent sister or the guilt-ridden brother.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes at their display, yet couldn’t help but be reminded of mewling grubs vying for her attention many, many moons ago. Cozy rustled and shifted amongst her wings, startling her for a fleeting second as she forgot she was carrying the small filly.

“Fer Celestia’s sake did ah raise ponies or mules?!” Granny suddenly cried, having enough and making both arguing ponies and the Knights flinch. “Both of you. Sit. Down.”

Applejack and Big Mac obeyed instantly, their faces sullen and their ears turned down. The old mare smacked her lips together and hobbled over, leaning on Sugar Belle as she moved. “Thank you, darlin’,” she said to the young mare, earning a small, somewhat apprehensive smile. “At least somepony knows what’s what, anyhow.” She came to a stop in front of her grandchildren and glared down at them. “Ya’ll should be ashamed of yerselves, fightin’ like this.”

“Granny-” Applejack started, swiftly earning a cuff to the back of the head. The same cuff was quick to find Big Mac’s head seconds after.

“Ah’m not finished. Both of ya’ll are needed here, in this place, fer when Apple Bloom comes back to us. She’s gonna be afraid and in sore need of her big brother an’ sister.”

Big Mac’s lip quivered. “So what do we do?” he mumbled.

The old mare turned her aged eyes towards the Knights. Her nose twitched and she looked caught between a rock and a hard place, almost hesitant to downright say it. But she didn’t have to.

Tempest inhaled through her nostrils, her eyes neutral and her expression placid. She stepped forwards, Chrysalis and Tirek flanking her on either side.

“You don’t need to worry,” she said, her voice the epitome of professionalism. Granny looked relieved but also somewhat guilty.

“It should be one of us that goes in after her anyway,” Tempest continued. She raised her hoof and gestured to her teammates. “And seeing as how Tirek needs to stay out here to keep the portal open, and Chrysalis you have Cozy to look after... well that narrows it down, doesn’t it?”

She cracked her shoulders and flicked her tail.

“Besides... we’re professionals, right? We throw ourselves into danger all the time.” She grinned, putting on a façade of bravado. In truth, she was slightly afraid of what she would face in there. In the lion’s den.

Applejack looked at her strangely. She stood up and moved forwards, until she practically pushed her nose against the commander’s. She suddenly swung her hooves outwards and pulled her into a tight hug. No words were spoken as she heaved silently and Tempest patted her back. She pulled away and nodded firmly, reaching down to pick up a length of rope in her hoof.

“We’d best tie this rope good and tight then, an’ make sure you come back safe.”

“Right. Good idea.” Tempest winked at her, eliciting a small smile and a well needed chuckle--no matter how quiet it was. She looked towards the centaur and nodded once.

Tirek thumped his free hand to his chest and snapped his notebook shut. He placed it back in his vest and stretched his arms out. His horns began to glow orange, and he closed his eyes. Then, after a short pause, he clapped his hands together and began to slowly draw them apart. Magic crackled forth from the orb twisting in between his palms and strips of orange lightning travelled through the air, eventually connecting with the TV. The house started to shake and the screen flickered on, casting shadows dancing on the walls behind them.

Chrysalis’s horn began to glow as she helped tie the rope around Tempest’s barrel. “For the record I think this is a terrible idea,” she murmured into the mare’s ear. Applejack’s ear twitched indicating she had heard, but the fame remained quiet as they worked.

“Noted. But what choice do we have?” Tempest answered. She winced as Chrysalis pulled the rope just a touch too tight. “Ow. Careful.”

The queen sneered at her and bopped her on the ear. “Oh ,hush. Do you want to be safe and secure or not?” Her features softened briefly as they looked at one another. “If you die in there, Tempest Shadow, I shall be very disappointed.”

“Aw, you do care,” the commander chortled, earning a lopsided smirk from Applejack too.

Chrysalis’s sneer quickly returned and she rolled her eyes. “I’m going to have to stop talking to you ponies. It’s bad for my health, I’m sure.” With one final tug she tightened the knot and stepped back. “There. Does that look satisfactory to you, Applejack?”

Applejack nodded. “That’s... some nice rope-work, Chrysalis,” she murmured.

“Why thank you, Applejack. Your praise means the world to me.”

The farmer’s cheeks flushed red and the bridge of her nose wrinkled. She said nothing, however, as Tempest got into position in front of Tirek.

“Now, Commander,” Trek said as orange lightning danced across his fingers and his magic worked itself. “We won’t be able to communicate when you cross, so tug the rope once to let us know you’ve made it. We’ll tug back to let you know we hear you. Then when you’ve found Apple Bloom and are ready to leave, tug twice sharply and we’ll pull you out. Understood?”

Tempest shook her legs and arched her back before nodding “Got it.”

There was a shimmer in the air before them all and the television flickered again, although instead of white static it looked more now like a murky window into swirling darkness.

The commander braced herself as the ponies, plus Chrysalis, took up positions behind her at different lengths of the rope. The queen used her magic to close and hold shut some of the window shutters.

Tempest took a deep breath and faced the portal. She closed her eyes and exhaled softly, bracing herself for a trip across the worlds. Her horn crackled and sparked with electricity, then she charged forwards.

On Chrysalis’s back, nestled in between her wings, Cozy Glow stirred. Her eyes slowly opened as lightning flashed outside, and she yawned and stretched. “Hey guys,” she mumbled sleepily, looking around the room as Tempest’s tail disappeared across the rift between worlds. “What’d I miss?”

***

Tempest felt like she was pushing through a thick cobweb as she stepped through the portal to the other world. It was dark, and a thick layer of ghostly green fog blocked her way. It was cold too. Unnaturally cold, but she mused that perhaps it was just the right amount of cold for a place where the dead dwell.

“Apple Bloom?” she called out hopefully.

As her voice travelled around her, the fog began to clear, and revealed that she was standing in the living room of a darkened house. The furniture was dated, by at least a few decades, she thought. And somewhat familiar.

She stepped around the sofa and stopped at the doorway to the familiar looking hallway. She quickly recognised the layout, having just walked it moments ago.

It was a mirror, and a dark, twisted one at that, of the Apple family farmhouse. The architecture just wasn’t quite right, the shadows and the angles looked a bit... off. It unsettled her.

“What is this?” she murmured to herself, warily looking up and down the hall. Crooked pictures of murky images and unknowable faces hung on the walls in place of the Apples. Her own voice sounded alien to her in this place. It made her uneasy and set her teeth on edge.

She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she looked backwards at the portal to the living world. It already seemed an entire stadium’s length away despite it being one room. She blinked and it returned to normal, or as normal as could be in a place like this.

The rope tied around her barrel trailed across the floor, disappearing into the portal. She gave it a tug once as per Tirek’s instructions, and braced herself as it tugged backwards.

She figured she would start upstairs. The stairs creaked under her weight as she ascended them slowly, keeping her ears alert and her eyes focused. As she reached the eighth step, she grunted as her hoof passed straight through it, revealing it to be nothing more than a hole to the vast expanse of nothing. Tempest realised she was holding her breath and let loose a long sigh.

“Snap out of it, Fizz,” she scolded herself. “You’ve seen weirder stuff than this.”

In truth, the Nightmare Knights had never once ventured into the realm of the dead, instead letting their prey come to them. That knowledge gave Tempest only the slightest moment of pause as she reached the top of the stairs, and looked down a long, long corridor to a door wreathed in ghostly light.

She hadn’t been upstairs of the old house, but she knew it certainly didn’t look as long as this from the outside. Again, the architecture was wrong, like somepony had seen a house an decided this was close enough.

The commander grit her teeth and marched forwards, taking long, powerful strides towards the door. Her horn crackled and sparked, and her eyes started to glow with magic, cutting through the darkness like a pair of spotlights.

The corridor seemed to stretch forwards to an even more impossible length as she travelled down it, seemingly getting caught at the mid way point. She pressed on, once again feeling like she was travelling through an ungodly amount of cobwebs. Between this and her and Glitter Drops’ little soiree into the train tunnel, she was starting to really hate spiders. The door loomed ahead, seeming to grow in size and ominous presence. She could hear a sort of chuffing from the other side.

Fire blazed in her eyes as she lowered her head and marched, continuing to push through. It clung to her face, whatever it was, and pulled at her hair and her coat. Her uniform felt like it was chafing and grew tight around her joints, like something was pulling it back. Still she continued, until she blinked and the door was suddenly there, mere inches in front of her face. She froze as not to bump into it and quickly collected herself, then reached up and twisted the doorknob.

The door swung open, revealing a large room very much like a long banquet hall, with a long dining table and sets of chairs up and down it. A blooming source of light hung above the table, bathing everything in a blinding white glow. The chuffing sounds Tempest had heard earlier returned, albeit far louder than before. It’s source, she quickly realised, was her reason for being here.

The Beast. It was every bit as repulsive as she imagined it would be, with a scabby, warty face, framed by two large, sinister and curved horns. Strangely, it appeared to be wearing some sort of cloth that swirled like living shadows.

The memory of Sombra’s appearance flashed through Tempest’s mind, catching her off guard for a moment. She quickly recomposed herself, refusing to think any more about his chiselled features or bright eyes, and shook her head. She narrowed her eyes at the Beast as it rumbled, ready to leap into action if necessary. But it remained still.

It sat with its head hung; its long arms ending in calloused hands and sharp talons fell limply at its sides. The chuffing sound it was making sounded almost like snoring. Tempest blinked and relaxed a touch. “If its asleep, then that might make things easier,” she muttered. It shifted and its eyelids flickered, making her swallow nervously..

She stepped forwards and took a cautious glance around, not daring to take her eyes off of the Beast for more than second at a time. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the bright light hanging above the table, the commander could see into the darkened bits of the room more so, and swore she saw several sets of eyes looking back at her. She blinked and they were gone.

“Gotta hurry. Apple Bloom?” she hissed as loudly as she dared, keeping her eyes trained on the Beast like a laser focus.

The clink of metal among the shadows answered her. Her head slowly turned and her hoof held itself in the air mid-step, and her eyes laid upon a small creature with a large red bow in its hair.

“Apple Bloom...”

The filly had her head low and her tail coiled around herself. Heavy looking chains lay clasped around her hooves. She looked totally and completely out of it, swaying back and forth with a small smile on her face.

Tempest’s gut lit itself alight with her fury. She scowled and quietly stepped towards her. She gave the filly a nudge and whispered her name again.

The young earth pony’s ear twitched. She moved her head slowly, looking with unseeing eyes.

Tempest snapped her hoof a few times in front of her eyes. “Come on, kid,” she hissed, giving the Beast a cursory glance. “Snap out of it.”

But still Apple Bloom didn’t react in any way. The commander closed her eyes and thought of the only thing she could do, something she and her friends used to do to stop daydreaming. “Sorry,” she mumbled, and leaned over to bite the filly’s ear.

“Ow!” Apple Bloom suddenly cried, making Tempest’s heart leap into her throat and cover up her mouth. The filly’s eyes went wide and she froze as the dark mare covering her mouth twisted her head around to stare at the sleeping demon. It, thankfully, remained asleep and unmoving, save for another round of chuffing.

Tempest breathed a sigh of relief and removed her hoof. “Apple Bloom?” she whispered.

Apple Bloom nodded dumbly.

“My name is Tempest Shadow. I’m here to rescue you. Please try and be as quiet as possible, I’d rather not wake that thing up.” Tempest jerked her hoof towards the demon.

“R-Rescue?” the filly mumbled. She moved her hoof to try and rub her head, only for her chains to prevent her and clink. She looked down at them and paled. Her breathing quickened and the commander was quick to see the early signs of panic fast approaching.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” she said as soothingly as possible. “I’m gonna get you out of here, okay? I’m gonna get you back to your family. But you need to listen to me. Do you remember anything before you got here? Anything at all?”

Apple Bloom blinked rapidly a few times and her lower lip trembled. “Th-There were some voices... askin’ me fer help an’ such... an’-an’ the big one.” She gulped and looked around. “My f-friend, he-”

She spotted the Beast. Her jaw opened in a silent scream and her pupils shrank.

Tempest took her hoof and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t look at it, Apple Bloom. It’s not going to hurt you again, as long as I’m here. Trust me. Can you trust me?”

The filly wrenched her gaze away from the demon and sniffed. “O-Okay...” She rubbed her eyes and bravely forced a smile out. “Ah can.” Tempest smiled back and looked down at the chains around her hooves. They were secured tightly, but looked old and rusted enough that she might be able to break them apart with a sharp jab of her hoof, or a blast of magic.

She looked back towards the Beast. As it moved in its sleep she spotted something glowing hiding within the folds of its cloak. A medallion hanging down from around its neck that glowed with a ghostly green aura. Curious, she thought, and wondered what it was. Pushing her professional curiosity out of the way for now, she focused back onto Apple Bloom. “Okay. Now let’s get these off of you. Hold still.”

Apple Bloom sniffed and nodded gloomily as the commander worked. The filly looked equal parts excited and utterly terrified. She still looked out of it, like this was a bad dream. A real bad dream.

She felt sick to her stomach, knowing that this child was at the mercy of this creature. She glanced around at it as each chain came away with a reasonably loud snap, but thankfully it remained asleep.

“One more,” she whispered. Apple Bloom nodded and kept her leg straight, as she had with the others. As it came loose, she she flexed her legs and shakily rose up. She suddenly gasped and shrank backwards as a shadow darkened over them both.

“T-T-T-” she stammered.

Tempest inhaled softly. “Run,” she whispered. Apple Bloom looked back at her as a sick, sadistic laughter filled the air. Her breathing quickened and she took a single step back.

“Run!”

The dark mare spun around, horn at the ready, only to be grabbed and unceremoniously hoisted up into the air. “Agh! Run, Apple Bloom!” she raged, swinging her legs. Her horn crackled and magic fired forth, striking the demon in the chest, or rather through the chest.

Its guttural and rasping laughter echoed around the chamber they were in.

The Beast sneered at her as it hurled her into the table, knocking the wind out of her lungs. It glided forwards and wrapped its claws around her neck, pouncing on her before she could move. Its yellow, bloodshot eyes bored into hers, practically oozing a sheer wanton desire for evil. Its talons pinched at her skin and dug in, drawing a few droplets of blood. Her forelegs swung wildly as she gasped for air, hoping to catch it in its miserable face.

It held her at arms length, pinning her down, and started to squeeze.

As her face started turning blue, memories of Tempest’s life flashed before her eyes. Glitter Drops and Spring Rain. The ursa. Running away from Nowhere, getting lost in the wilderness. Finding the Storm King and meeting Grubber. Being saved and in turn saving Twilight and reintegrating herself back into Equestria. Finally, the Nightmare Knights and all that they had done. Her limbs grew weak and her strength started to sap.

Apple Bloom watched in horror as she realised the pony grappling with the demon was losing. Without thinking, she skipped forwards and jumped up into the air, landing on its back with a soft thud. She reached up and pulled backwards on its horns, yanking it away from Tempest.

“Whoa!” she cried as it jerked its head, trying to shake her off. The grip it had around Tempest’s neck loosened and the mare slumped down, flopping onto her back on the table and gasping for air.

Apple Bloom clung on for dear life as the beast reached around for her, groping blinding for its attacker. It snarled vicious things towards her but said it would forgive her if she stopped now, and that they could still be friends-

“No!” she cried defiantly shaking her head. “Y-You’re not a good pony! You're not even a pony at all! Ah don’t wanna be friends with you!”

Her panicked words roused Tempest enough that the mare shook her head and touched her throat, wincing slightly when she traced over the few puncture marks she could feel.

“Tempest!” Apple Bloom squealed upon spotting her. “Help!”

The commander quickly jumped up to her hooves. She saw the filly on the demon’s back, and saw its face contort and twist with unbridled rage as it twisted and turned, unable to shake the young farmpony off. Her eyes caught a glint of something in the light. The medallion around the thing’s neck. it glowed softly with a strange, unearthly light and for a brief moment, the pale face of a ghostly pony loomed forth from it. Tirek’s words suddenly came to her in a moment of clarity.

’It binds lost spirits to it, growing fat and powerful off of their power...’

Suddenly she had an idea.

She set her hooves apart and narrowed her eyes and exhaled slowly, waiting for an opening. “Come on,” she muttered.

Just as the Beast finally managed to grab Apple Bloom and hold her in the air by her hair, it turned to face her. It snarled and raged incoherent nonsense, its voice echoing around inside her head. Its medallion, its seal, whatever it was that it used to ensnare other souls to it lay out in the open against its robe.

Tempest’s horn crackled and sparked with unstable magic. She fired at it, putting as much energy as she could muster into one blast of magic. With a sound like shattering glass, her shot found its mark. The Beast let loose an almighty shriek of equal parts surprise and rage and dropped Apple Bloom. The commander hopped down off the table and hurried to her, helping her up.

“On your hooves, soldier!”

Apple Bloom smiled weakly at her and huddled underneath her legs, and they both watched as the demon’s amulet fell to the ground in several shattered shards.

The Beast looked down in horror and made a desperate attempt to try and piece it back together. White lights--creatures’ faces with clear eyes and opened mouths--began to rise up into the air out of the shards, weaving in between its claws as it tried to grasp a hold of them.

Tempest counted hundreds--if not thousands of them--as they wailed and shrieked and started to encircle the Beast.

“What’s happenin’?” Apple Bloom whispered.

Before the Knight could answer her, each of the lights suddenly twisted and flew forwards, penetrating the demon’s cloak and its foul skin. It roared in fury and contorted itself to try and swipe them away, batting at its cloak like it was trying to fruitlessly put out a fire. They paid it no heed and continued to assault it in barrage of furious, righteous light.

The Beast fixed its bloodshot, yellow eyes upon Tempest.

She heard its voice in her head, declaring her its enemy. She heard it swear vengeance against her for all eternity, that her descendants would always fear the Beast’s shadow. It promised her that even in all of Tartarus her suffering would be legendary once it was finished with her. It lunged towards her with a snarl on its lips, then froze as the last of the stolen souls vanished into its chest. Its claws twisted around like it was cringing in pain, in a silent agony.

A mere few heartbeats passed before white cracks began to appear along its body. Its elongated talons broke away and faded into the aether like shimmering dust. Its eyes widened and its jaw opened wide for one last final roar and declaration of vengeance, only for a faint squeak and a hiss to leave its wretched mouth.

“Miss Tempest?” Apple Bloom whispered, hiding behind the mare’s legs, quivering in fear. “Wh-What’s happenin’ to it?”

Tempest didn’t answer, instead simply watching as the wretched, filly-stealing demon began to crumble into dust and fade away. Its arms disintegrated, as did its body, and then its face. Soon only its eyes remained, hovering in mid-air.

If she had to venture a guess, she would say with its source of power vanished, it was dying. But she knew better than to think demons, especially powerful ones like this, truly died.

“I think it’s trapped here,” she said quietly. “Without you, or the lost souls it had trapped, it has no power.”

Apple Bloom gulped. “Y’mean it’s just gonna stay here? Forever?”

Tempest nodded slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on what was left on the Beast. “I think so.”

Its eyes remained in place, simply staring at them, glowing with hatred in the darkness. The Knight shivered and nudged the filly towards the door. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get you home. Everypony will be glad to see you safe and sound.”

Apple Bloom followed her direction as they hurried towards the door. As they entered into what was once the impossibly long corridor, the commander glanced back. The Beast’s eyes remained fixed in place, forever frozen in mid-air in a permanent stare.

She closed the door on it with a satisfying click, and waited a moment. Feeling quite sure that it wasn’t going to suddenly attack them, she turned away, marching through the mirror of the farmhouse, which had since become less like a mirror and more like a shadow, as everything grew dark and splotchy--probably due to the demon’s power receding. Her stomach grumbled audibly in the silence that followed as they walked side by side.

“Boy, ah sure am hungry,” Apple Bloom mumbled lightheartedly, apparently picking up on the sound.

Tempest smirked. “You sound like Cozy.,” she said.

“Cozy? Cozy Glow?”

“Uh huh.”

It suddenly occurred to Tempest that maybe Apple Bloom mightn’t know who she or her team was, or for that matter that her team was comprised of reformed villains. “She’s a good guy now, don’t worry,” she quickly added as they ventured back downstairs. “Like the rest of the Nightmare Knights.”

Apple Bloom hesitated. “Nightmare Knights? ...Oh!” her face suddenly lit up in recognition. “Ya’ll’re Chrysalis, Tirek, Cozy Glow an’ you, now. They’re reformed now, right? Luna said so herself.”

Tempest frowned. “Luna?”

“Yeah...” Apple Bloom bobbed her head up and down happily. “She talks to us sometimes, me an’ my friends, in our dreams. But she hasn’t fer a while now. She said she had t’go.”

The commander’s brow slowly knotted together. “Yeah. She said the same thing to us. Sort of.”

“Where'd she go? Ah miss talkin’ to her.”

Her question had no answer that Tempest could give, as she herself had no idea where Luna was after taking a hiatus as Director. A short but heavy silence fell between them as they walked. Tempest glanced at the filly and noticed her forlorn expression, and decided she needed cheering up a bit. She gave her a gentle nudge and caught her attention. “Hey,” she said. “Thanks, for that back there, by the way.”

Apple Bloom blinked and turned her ears down. “What for? All ah did was somethin’ ah wasn’t s’posed to.”

“You saved my life,” Tempest said reassuringly. “If you hadn’t jumped on the...” She hesitated, thinking better than to reveal the true nature of the beast to a child. “...On that thing’s back, it would have killed me then and there. That was super brave of you.” She smiled as the filly’s eyes lit up and tousled her mane. “Tell you what, I’ll put in a good word for you so Granny doesn’t tan your hide, eh?”

Apple Bloom giggled and grimaced. She shivered and looked around as they entered into the living room and gave the portal a worried glance. “We gotta go through that?” she asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you,” Tempest said, wrapping the rope around her hoof. She ushered Apple Bloom close to her and put a hoof around her, then tugged backwards twice in quick succession. As the rope went slack for a moment she braced herself and held the filly tightly. “Hold on.”

The young Apple did as was told and swallowed nervously, unsure of what to expect.

The length of rope coiled around the floor leading into the portal between worlds began to rapidly pull back, soon pulling both of them back across the bridge and into the world of the living once again. The only sound that followed them was a distant thunder-like rumble as another lost soul found its way into the spaces between this world and the next.

***

“You’re sure y’can’t stay fer anythin’ t’eat?” Applejack asked as she and Tempest clasped hooves on the porch of the farmhouse.

The rain had stopped and the unscheduled storm had dispersed, chased away by the weatherponies of Ponyville. As such, the farmland was muddy but quickly drying up thanks to the sun’s shining rays. Sound returned to Sweet Apple Acres as normal, the birds sang their songs, the pigs snorted and the chickens clucked, and the famous trees nearby rustled gently in a cool breeze.

Tempest nodded to the farmer and gestured away to her team, waiting patiently some ways away from the house. “I’m sure. With our job here finished we’d best push off and see what the next disaster is,” she said with a chuckle and smiled. “Besides, I’m sure you wanna celebrate getting Apple Bloom back. We wouldn’t want to intrude on that.”

As if on cue, the joyous sobs coming from Big Macintosh wailed throughout the house, followed by Granny Smith and Sugar Belle both laughing, and the sounds of a young Apple Bloom struggling to free herself.

Applejack waved her hoof. “Oh phsaw, Tempest,” she scoffed. “Ya’ll, all of ya’ll in fact, are always welcome here.” Tears brimmed her eyes as she looked at each of the Knights, lingering particularly on the former queen.

Chrysalis inclined her head forwards a few centimetres, and Tirek thumped his hand into his chest.

The farmer’s eyes settled back onto Tempest and flinched. She appeared to be grappling it looked like she couldn’t bear it anymore and swung her hoof forward, wrapping it around the dark mare to pull her into a tight hug, even going so far as to peck her on the cheek. “Thank you. All of you, fer gettin’ Apple Bloom back. Ah won’t soon forget it. if ya’ll ever need anythin’--anythin’ at all--just let me know and ah’ll help where ah can. That’s an Apple family guarantee.”

Tempest patted her on the back and smiled as they pulled away from one another. “We appreciate it, Applejack.” She glanced at her team and felt her chest swell with pride. They too looked prideful, except Cozy who looked somewhat guilty at having been asleep for most of it. The commander doubted any of them were going to hold it against her, though. Except maybe forbid her from ever having coffee again. “Well, Applejack,” she said with a sigh and stepped backwards. “We’d better be going now. Duty calls.” She raised a hoof to her head in salute, as did the Knights behind her.

Applejack matched it with a salute of her own. her mane rustled gently in the wind, still without her signature hat to cover it up. The commander turned away to leave, pausing only for a moment when she heard the scampering of hooves.

“Wait!” Apple Bloom cried.

Tempest glanced around at her, and saw a small bundle on the filly’s back. She gave her sister a quick nuzzle before she hopped forwards. “Ah wanted t’give you somethin, Tempest. As a thank you,” she said.

Tempest smiled and felt her cheeks redden slightly. “Oh that’s alright, Apple Bl-”

The filly paid her no heed, and instead took the bundle off of her back, and unfurled it. “Here. It’s my Cutie Mark Crusader cape,” she said proudly. “Ah want you t’have it.”

Applejack’s lip quivered and her eyes sparkled like the night sky. “Gosh darn it, Apple Bloom, ya’ll’re makin’ me misty-eyed,” she mumbled. Apple Bloom looked around at her and beamed, then extended her hooves towards Tempest.

Tempest reached out hesitantly. “I...” She had never received a gift for doing her job before. She didn’t particularly know what to do with it, and felt the bridge of her nose start to tickle. “Thank you, Apple Bloom,” she said quietly. “But don’t you... need it, too?”

Apple Bloom giggled and blushed. “W-Well, since ah’m gettin’ bigger, ah kind’a need a new one anyway.” She smiled up at her rescuer and gave her a quick hug. “Are ya sure y’can’t stay? Sugar said she’d make a cake, just as soon as ah get my chores done.”

The commander laughed and tousled her mane. “I’m sure, Apple Bloom. Hey, do me a favour and stay out of trouble, okay?” Her expression became stony and serious for a moment. “And no more talking to TV ponies who tell you they’re your friend, right?”

The filly paled and nodded hurriedly, glancing between both adults looking down at her sternly. “Yessum.”

Tempest flashed a smile at her and straightened up. “Good. Take care, Apples. Knights!” she barked, making her team snap to attention. “Move out!”

Applejack watched them go, with Tempest leading from the front, then Tirek, then Chrysalis and Cozy Glow. She smiled to herself and shook her head. “Twilight was right about them,” she murmured quietly. “Ah just never thought ah’d see it with my own eyes.” She nudged Apple Bloom back into the house. “And as fer you, young missy,” she said sternly.

Apple Bloom grimaced and shrunk away from her before being scooped up into a tight hug.

“Boy, am ah just glad t’ee you safe and sound again.”

The filly reciprocated the hug and smiled. Although her eyes began to bulge as Applejack squeezed. “Ack! Ap-jack! Help! Leggo!”

As the sound of laughter faded away into the distance, the Nightmare Knights once again traversed that dusty old path between Sweet Apple Acres and Ponyville. Tempest and Tirek conversed about Limbo, with the latter asking the former about what she saw, and writing what she said down in his notebook.

“A twisted mirror of the living world, you say? Fascinating.”

Tempest snorted. “Try life threatening. Why’re you so keen about this stuff anyway?”

“Call it professional curiosity. It would do well to learn about where spirits come from, wouldn’t it?”

“I suppose. Are all spirits from Limbo, then?”

“Not necessarily.” Tirek scratched his chin and ran a hand through his beard. “Perhaps a lot of dangerous ones are. Our quarry is very much still an unknown variable, even to us. The more we can learn will only help us in the future, I am sure.”

Tempest blinked before nodding in agreement with him. “That’s true.”

“Now, as the Beast itself... this amulet, that you mentioned. What did it look like, exactly?”

As the commander began to describe all that she could remember, Cozy started to lag behind them all, twisting and scrunching her face up in deep thought as she drifted haphazardly through the air, heading straight for the treeline.

That was, until Chrysalis coughed and glared at her. “Ahem.” She tapped her hoof impatiently, hanging back a bit to let the filly catch up to her.

“What? Oh,” she murmured, adjusting her course to avoid the trees. “S-Sorry.”

It wasn’t like Cozy to apologise, or for that matter to appear so thoughtful. Chrysalis groaned inwardly and rolled her eyes. “What is it?” she grunted. “What’s bothering you?”

Cozy squirmed and grimaced. “Uh.. well...”

The queen scoffed and grinned at her. “My my, has Cozy Glow lost the use of her tongue?” she teased. “Spit it out, girl. Honestly.”

The pegasus scowled back at her and huffed. “I’m getting to it, alright?” she snapped. “It’s just... embarrassing.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and focused on the path, listening to the trees rustle.

Cozy inhaled and exhaled slowly, and pressed her forehooves together. “When I was asleep... I didn’t... say anything, right?”

The wind blew past them both, ruffling their manes. Chrysalis slowly turned and looked down at the pegasus, her condescending sneer replaced by a look of quiet curiosity. Her brow wrinkled the tiniest bit before she answered. “No,” she answered, narrowing her cold, alien-like eyes ever so slightly, and cleared her throat. “Why?”

The pegasus looked somewhat relieved and stopped appearing so nervous. “Phew. Oh, uh... just ‘cause I was having some weird dreams, y’know?”

Chrysalis arched one eyebrow upwards as they kept walking.

“Yeah, like--like one where we, me and you, Chryssy, we were actually... cuddling, and I... I called you mom.” Cozy chortled and rubbed the back of her head with a nervous, somewhat awkward smile on her lips. “I mean... talk about weird, right?”

“Hmm. Yes.”

Neither of them noticed how the other’s cheeks turned slightly pinker than usual. Up ahead, Tempest and Tirek turned to look at them, the former grimacing at how much they’d fallen behind.

“Hurry up, ladies!” she barked. “We have a job to do.”

The changeling snorted and picked up the pace. “Well, hurry along then, Cozy Glow,” she snapped. “I for one would be happy to never see this farm again, or the ponies within it.” She stuck her tongue out. “Such unrefinement. At least Twilight actually spoke properly.”

“Ah’m comin’,” Cozy grinned as she flapped her wings alongside her.

“Oh please tell me you’re not going to keep that accent.”

“Ah can’t rahghtly say that fer su-ure, Chrysali-yus. Ah might just d’cide t’turn a bit cou-ountry.”

Chrysalis closed her eyes and exhaled sharply out her nose. “Ugh. I hate you,” she groaned.

Cozy laughed and clapped her hooves together. “I love you too, m--Chryssy.”

Her jovial attitude vanished in an instant and her cheeks burned bright red. Without saying anything else, she buzzed her wings and flew forwards to perch upon Tirek’s shoulder. Chrysalis watched her for a moment before letting some of her mane fall over her face in a Fluttershy-like manner, obscuring the small smile she was struggling to force away that had appeared on her face.

Comments

[Bigwig6666]

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” ~Douglas Adams.

Whew. Better late than never, right? Enjoy! See ya next time!

[Ri2]

I'm a little disappointed Limbo wasn't sitcom hell. Oh well.

[Bigwig6666]

11013982
Believe it or not sitcom hell is an idea I had, just for later :P

[asdtroi8895]

So happy this came out! It was very good.

Cozy was adorable in this chapter and it was nice to read a bit more about her backstory. I wonder what Twilight thought of her family. It's also interesting to see Chrysalis being more and more motherly. Tirek also showed how far he came with his care and professionalism when talking to Granny. I also liked how you wrote the Apples. Their concern felt real and I liked how Sugerbelle was there too. Even the opening with Winona was nice.

The Beast was cool, but I feel like it was a bit too easy to take it down given how Tirek built it up, especially considering that Tempest went in solo. I expected at least Chrysalis to go with her.

“She’s just a filly...” the farmer whispered sorrowfully.

Oh, so now that matters?

Hope to see the next chapter soon!

[Razzy]

That's a thing about deadlines, they're dead, so they don't care.

... Cozy, run, Chryssie's gonna pile all the motherly feelings previously spread across thousands of Changelings solely on you!

... On the other hand, that could be fun.

Ah Poltergeist, I love that movie. Though I don't think any demon can beat the sheer creepiness of Reverend Kane from part 2.

... Sombra's gardening adventures. Somehow I imagine it being like Plants vs Zombies. Complete with a boss rabbit in a huge rabbit mecha.

Honestly, I was thinking Chryssie would go in, changing into one of Apple Bloom's parents or into Applejack to help pull her away from the demon.

At least there were no creepy clowns this time.

That's much to cheery to be in the morning.

Chryssie and caffeinated Cozy: https://derpibooru.org/images/2723765?q=Chrysalis

'Yes to both please,” Tempest said.' - missing starting quotation mark.

'just as Jackdaw inkwell appeared' - Inkwell

'firery-haired' - fiery

'and weak untold havoc' - wreak

'The only sound that remained in Limbo was a distant wailing of some' - sentence cuts off suddenly

'own. her mane' - Her

[Bigwig6666]

11014066
Thanks very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it No joke this one went through so many rewrites and whatnots I have no idea what the original story was anymore

Not gonna lie it's a lot of fun writing the Knights like this. Tirek's pretty much done with the villain thing and just wants to move on with his new life, Cozy is a menace with a tragic backstory, Chrysalis is definitely not feeling like a mother at all, nope no sir, and Tempest is a sympathetic badass.

I've actually never written the Apples as much as this, that accent is usually really difficult to write for so I had a lot of fun with them too, and Sugar Belle-I haven't seen her much in the how but she comes across as a total sweetheart so I tried to emulate that here.

As for the Beast I sort of agree, but it both felt kind of forced to have a long, drawn out conflict between it and Tempest (or the other Knights), and funny to have it go down so easily.

A'course it matters! lol I'm sure sometimes AJ forgets that she's just a kid at times, and when she's reminded AB is her little little sister she gets defensive and throws all reason out the window.

Next chapter (hopefully) by Halloween, and I want to say it'll be a kind of special one too if everything goes to plan. But we'll see

[Bigwig6666]

11014229
That's an excellent line about deadlines I might steal that

Ahh the first of the horror movie inspired stories. Originally I'm sure I had a plan for all three movies to be condensed in a series of references, but it just felt too forced and drawn out imo so I changed it to be a sort of mix between Poltergeist and Insidious, another of my fav horror movies.

I hadn't actually thought of that that's pretty funny. Giant crystal rabbits.

Also, I did plan for Pear Butter and Bright Mac to both be in there and rescue Apple Bloom alongside Tempest as some sort of afterlife police. That idea might come into play later, but not those two idk.

At least there were no creepy clowns indeed... yet

I saw that image on reddit earlier today, months after I'd written her coffee scene funny how the universe works like that. I love it.

[Doctor_Den]

11014308

11014309

they definitely need to think about how to somehow (with the help of technological devices or a magical artifact) to enhance the Cozy Glow. For let's be honest, with her still childish body, she is the weakest link in the team. Yes, she has high intelligence, but so far she has not had a moment where she shone. (the comment was written before reading this new chapter, so this post may be out of date)
as practice shows, in an aggressive confrontation, you should immediately hit the weak link in the team. If the weak link is successfully defeated, one of the team members will be forced to be distracted to save the struck comrade, and the rest can be seized by blind rage, as a result of which the enemy will imperceptibly make mistakes and not notice the little things that can be used against them.

[Bigwig6666]

11015965
Oh definitely, that's something I have planned for later no worries just none of them have actually realised that. Maybe Cozy has, but she isn't saying anything to get out of doing stuff

[Doctor_Den]

lol, I can't see the image of Sombra now as I saw him before. Now, in the context of this story, the image of Thanos as a farmer emerges after he achieved what he wanted.

so the chapter turned out to be atmospheric and cute in its own way. True, the boss of this level seemed to me rather weak for the one who bears the title of "the most powerful demon we have ever encountered"

[Doctor_Den]

Tempest counted hundreds--if not thousands of them--as they wailed and shrieked and started to encircle the Beast.

Demons violating the boundaries of hell and thousands of lost souls who need to be shown the way.
it looks like the afterlife distribution service has a lot of work to do right now. :)

At this rate, the Reapers will never get their day off.

[Doctor_Den]

11016119
for this very reason, during the creation of the image, I decided to give her "Dagon" (a wand - an artifact from "Dota") so that she could sometimes shoot lightning from a long distance. 🙃

[Bigwig6666]

11016222
That's the image I was kind of going for like he's done, he's finished now he just wants peace, but the universe won't give him it (hence the rabbits)

And yeah I get that might be a common complaint but think of it this way: if a powerful demon was so used to gathering souls and stealing children (maybe its not the first time its done this sort of thing) wouldn't it be arrogant and so cock-sure of itself that it couldn't comprehend that a mere pony could take it down? That's my reasoning for it anywho

11016234
idk what this game is but it looks like one hell of a stressful job banging tune tho

11016277
Dota?! Yeah fair dos lol we might need to update it when I do give her a proton pack. I mean whoops did I say that? Oh well

[Doctor_Den]

11016336
1) In principle, your arguments are quite weighty and I accepted them. (It just seems to me that in the past chapters there were more powerful creatures.) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2) Considering what kind of souls there are, I would not be able to hold out for a long time in this job. :)

3) I like the combination and confrontation between science and magic in works of art, but since in the story to get a "portable installation" you first need to find a tech-savvy specialist, I thought it would be easier for the characters to find a magic analogue of which Dagon became the prototype, since it allows to the carrier to shoot energy beams and at the same time does not make the character too strong.
but again, I was only trying to predict and think out the upcoming images of the characters in addition to inspiration. So it looks like I completely missed this in detail. 🤔

[Bigwig6666]

11016391
Y'know that's a fair point. After some deliberatin' I've decided to just omit that line about it being the strongest they've faced

[Doctor_Den]

11017268
or it was possible to put a joke in the discussion between the knights that the "strongest demon" turned out to be a "big soap bubble" that you poke and it will burst. Or Tempest could reproach Tirek for not being able to understand ecto categories. 😄

for some reason I just now remembered one scene where the hero, after a dangerous journey, managed to get out of the otherworldly portal.

M: Wow, you're back!
N: Yes, so that I once again ...
M: This is incredible! What did you find there?
N: An abomination that even words cannot describe.
M: Wow! Something else?
N: I found one of the magic notes.
M: Yes!!! I knew! do you understand what this means?
N: I guess we're one step closer now to lift the curse.
M: Yes, and the Shopkeeper has to wash the dishes for a whole week!!!
N:...?
M: I won the bet! Thank you.

I don’t know why I shared this.

[Crazy_Balloons]

This needs so much more love that what it has right now. Sure it kind of started as a cheesy Ghostbusters adaptation but so far it is much, much more that just that. The amount of story and character development along with the ever growing ominous threat looming just out of sight in the background makes this truely epic. I can’t wait to see more of this and how it develops. Keep up the amazing work!

[Bigwig6666]

11018484
Thanks for enjoying it, I'm enjoying writing it

[Lex the Pikachu]

I felt the small snippet with Sombra was out of place for the chapter as it didn't seem to relate to anything in the chapter.

[Bigwig6666]

11027703
That's fair, I just needed a transition and figured a small update with whatever Sombra was doing would be fun

[Holydude]

Can't wait to see what happens next

[Eroraf86]

Slowly but surely, Best Villain Family is growing closer. Ever since "Frenemies", I can't see them as anything else.

[Bigwig6666]

11386321
Ikr? Same