• Published 12th Oct 2012
  • 4,153 Views, 71 Comments

Revenge of the Nightmares - Commander_Pensword



A Group of mages gathered to use their magic to bring about a change in the world, a world of Night.

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14
 71
 4,153

Of Moon, Nightmares, and Ponies

William found himself someplace other than where he last remembered himself being as he opened his eyes and looked around without moving his body. He looked around in confusion wondering what was happening as the last thing he remembered was being escorted out of Luna’s Palace and into the ranks of Celestia’s Guards. He had moved to the Command Tent and at the invitation of Celestia sat down. Now he was waking up and his eyes caught the sight of the roof of the Apple Family barn. He yawned and the first thing he felt was to roll over to get a little more sleep. He blinked however as he realized he was or had been sleeping on a pile of hay in the corner. He slowly looked around and saw that there were a lot of other small hay beds with sleeping forms of multi colored unicorns and pegasus. He then saw in the middle stacked neatly and orderly the armor and weapons of the Lunar Guard. He slowly sat up in realizing that he must have sleep the rest of the morning and, he paused to look at his watch and saw that he had slept most of the day away. Then again he did just go through what felt like days of little sleep. “I guess I needed that.” He muttered to himself.

He slowly yawned a big yawn as a few of the guards picked their heads up and looked at him with eyes that unnerved him. The eyes were normal and for WIlliam having spent the last few days with the Lunar Guards while in armor and uniform to see them out of their armor just unnerved him. He blinked as a blue Unicorn walked up to him and bowed his head a little. “I am sorry.” He whispered before stepping aside to let a Lunar Guard in armor and a Solar Guard in armor as well just looked at him. “The Princesses of Day and Night wish for your presence in the Farm House. They want to finish this quickly so they can return the farm back to the Apple Family.” The Solar Guard spoke crisply while staring at William as one would look at a POW.

William slowly nodded his head as he stood up fully and brushed off the hay on his clothing. “okay, lead the way.” William looked around for his weapons only to have both ponies spread their wings to stop him.

“We need to move NOW,” The tone from the Solar Guard was such that William had the feeling that he should not argue. He took a deep breath a little as he felt suddenly uneasy and he looked at the shadows. He looked back and thought he caught the look of worry pass between the two ponies.

They quickly led him out of the barn and to WIlliam’s heightened fear found eight more guards, four from each side of the Princesses take up a formation around him. He saw that their were all three types of ponies protecting him. He blinked and felt suddenly more ill at ease. The formation was not used unless guarding either a high priority target that was being led to more secure holdings, or a Princess protection detail. He gulped and started to sweat as he saw the farmhouse as it almost was swarming with guards. He saw cannons on clouds from Luna’s military and a lot of other signs of temporary dug in defenses.

They led him through the back door and right into the kitchen. He saw only Luna and Celestia standing there and looking at each others till William walked into the kitchen and then turned their gaze upon William.

Luna smiled a little, “Now, we can begin dear sister and thou wilt learn why I am pushing hard for the steps outlined.”

Celestia nodded and using her magic pulled a chair to the table and nodded for William to sit down. “Now, can either one of you explain to me why you and Luna are so ill at ease with telling me a potential threat?” She looked at Luna with a hurt look. “You are my sister, we, I want to never make the same mistake that I did those thousand years ago. I want to help you now, we are meant to rule side by side. I learned that one hard way.”

Luna looked at her sister and with worry brushed one foreleg against the other and bowed her head. “William, you are a human and I know that you can be blunt. SO please use that human bluntness here.”

Celestia looked at her sister with concerned before fixing William with a look that made him think of a mother that was very angry at a child and wanted the truth right that instant. He gulped and slowly spoke. “What your sister is, well how I am reading it as is this.” He closed his own eyes and took a deep breath. “She created life on the moon, her own ponies and a tree and melted ice to form water. She created a civilization once the anger of Nightmare Moon was suppressed by the Elements.”

He stopped talking and bowed his head further as he could feel the same shame that Luna most likely was feeling. He flinched as he heard the clip clop of hooves on the floor and suddenly felt a wing on his right shoulder and felt himself pulled closer to Celestia’s warm body. The action caused William to open his eyes and realized that Celestia was pulling William and Luna into a hug. She had this strange look in her eye now as she looked at Luna and William. “Well, then I will have to say this is something to celebrate. My baby sister created her own life. This is-” she trailed off at seeing the look in both William and Luna’s eye. “What, happened?” She slowly spoke.

Those words were all that was needed and while William pulled back Luna buried her head into Celestia’s chest and bawled a little in a way that reminded William of what must have been the tearful reunion after the purging of the Elements of Harmony. during the bawling she related the memories that she had shared with William. As William watched the moment of sister to sister actions he saw yet more hurt that crossed over Celestia’s eyes upon learning of the complete betrayal of even more ponies.

Celestia suddenly found Luna pushing her back as she sniffed loudly and recomposed herself with a more dignified pose. “Now that you know more of my past.” She looked at William, “I shall explain to the two of you more of why this is really more important and worrisome.” She lowered her head and closed her eyes and channeled magic into her horn.

above the table a smaller map of Equestria in a three dimensional image shimmered a little. “Now Sister, as thou knowest. Equestria in general and Equis as a whole is much more conductive of magic and has a better pool then the Moon. I had to drop my own mana into the Moon’s world so it is not a strong.” She slowly looked at Celestia. “For the Nightmares to cross into this plane enmass they have to capture some key areas of massive magic pools.” She lit up the map in some areas. “The two big ones are Everfree, and Canterlot. Thankfully with your trust in William we destroyed their ready made bridge through Sunny Town. Sadly, with the Lunar Ponies, my ponies, they were working on a means to travel to earth in spacecraft.” Luna shivered and William felt that this was a very hard and rough thing to talk about.

Celestia just looked at her sister. “So how do we, and I want to help you sister.” She spoked moving a wing out to touch her sister. “You tell me how hard you want me to be.”

Luna looked up in tears. “Just hard enough to purge the nightmares from them, they were my friends, I know all of them. I am just,” her eyes lowered softly. “I just want to give them the same chance you gave me.”

Celestia only smiled and stepped closer and placed a wing on her sister’s head. “I shall do my utmost to only purge the nightmares from thine citizens.” Celestia only smiled with the kind that a sibling would that was trying to be on the same level as a close sibling.

however she looked back at William with annoyance and then at Luna. “Humans it seems can cause nothing but chaos by existing, no wonder Discord liked him on sight.” She turned around and began to leave. “We shall hope you keep me appraised on what you plan on doing. I shall defer to your knowledge here.”

As she moved to go Luna gulped and looked at her sister before leaning in and whispering more information that to William’s eyes did nothing as both had their backs to him. Still after a few minutes of quick conversation Celestia left leaving Luna in the farmhouse.

Luna looked at William. “Let us go outside and meet the family, they should be out the front, but we should go out the back and walk around to the front of the farmhouse.”

William and Luna both walked around to the front only to see something and made William actually pause mid step before continuing with Luna. Luna herself was only smiling. “So,” She began, “We meet again Cutie Mark Crusaders.” William only looked at Luna and back at the larger group of children in front of him. There were definitely more than just the ones that he had saved from last night. William was not prepared for the loud cheer that the fillies and colts gave when the founders saw him. The noise was best described as deafening.

While the meeting of Luna and William with the Apple Family and the Cutie Mark Crusaders started Zecora was making her own way back to her forest home. However due to the situation she was having to take another course through the woods leading her near a small boggy area of the forest that she was using to see if their were any new plants that she might be able to use in her brews and herbal staves.

As she walked she blinked as a section of land seemed to sparkle in the manner of a failing enchantment and her being an enchantress with her own type of magic slowly stopped and looked around before walked to another angle. It was like she had been walking down the streets of Ponyville when suddenly there was a break in the enchantment and like looking down a clear alleyway she saw what was being hidden. She stepped forward and it was gone just as quickly and so with slowness she backed up and finally saw the hidden object. With the grace of a Zebra of Earth she turned and took off towards Sweet Apple Acres and the large group of soldiers she looked back quickly as she got the sense that something was watching her now. Still she could see the land shimmering brighter than before and upon seeing that her speed was doubled. Whatever that thing was it was not native to the forest.

Meanwhile back at the ranch the group had moved to be in one of the orchard of apples. William was still looking back a little at Luna and her guards as well as the group of adults wondering how it was that he had been called and asked to watch over the entire group of Cutie Mark Crusaders. “I am watching the most destructive force in all of Ponyville.”

He was still rubbing his head from hitting his head on a low hanging tree branch at learning that their were more than four members of the CMC. He was still trying to work out how to ask some questions without sounding like he knows too much about them.

Sweetie Belle squeaked in shock. “What? How, we don’t mean to, we just.” She trailed off as Scootaloo took over with a boastful look and polished a hoof on her chest.

“We just are that awesome, even though we seem to end up with tree sap all the time.” She paused at the end before looked over her shoulder. “Hey Dinky, what was it you said was why we always are getting in trouble?”

Dinky looked up as she seemed to have been writing something in a blue book. “Oh, well what is happening is that with the activities you all have been through and done. It has left an imprint that even when you earn your cutie marks anytime all of us are together, we shall, well as my daddy would say. We can affect the very fabric of space time and that is brilliant.”

The rest only nodded their heads while another small colt smiled a little. “I like your dad, he never yells at us, well, in anger. He does yell but half the time even I can’t understand him and he and I share the same accent region.” William slowly nodded his head, this was Pipsqueak who was talking. Still he looked around himself before looking back at Apple Bloom.

“Can I have a role call so I can know just who is here? I rather not have to send out any search teams.” William chuckled a little as he adjusted his rifle on his back. He realized that might have been one reason, so many blank flanks and one, he trailed off as he looked at Luna what was she doing? She was creating a very tempting target for the Nightmares. Then again if Celestia was right, then their should be no more Nightmares to worry about.

He was blown out of his thoughts by yelling and suddenly all the fillies and Colts were standing in front of Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. He slowly watched as the CMC conducted a head count.

“Right,” Applebloom began. “We shall read off the names based on membership enrollment.” She looked at Sweetie Belle. “You may commence reading the roll.”

She nodded her head. “Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo.” As she read their was a here spoken. She moved then to more of the list. “Babs Seed, Dinky Doo, Pipsqueak, and Honorary member Twist.” She turned to face Applebloom. “All are accounted for.”

WIlliam smiled as they all quickly broke ranks and began to play again, however Dinky with Pipsqueak walked over to William and sat down to look up at William. “You wondering some things, like why you have only heard about the first three?”

William blinked and looked up and around the clearing to keep watch before speaking. “Yeah, I was wondering that.”

Dinky smiled and laughed. “It was something my dad told them, expand a little and include friends no matter if they have a cutie mark or not. Hence that Honorary Member, that way we all can be Cutie Mark Crusaders even when we earn our marks.” Dinky smiled a little. “Also, just to let you know, this is all new, about a month old on the ideas. Happened after my dad found out that Spike took the CMC on a train ride to the Crystal Empire. This way, we can keep an eye on everypony better and not cause fears like that.”

“Smart man,” William paused a little and gave a quick look toward Dinky before looking back out into the field. “Who is your dad anyway?”

Pipsqueak laughed and spoke this time. “Doctor Time Turner as he likes to call himself at times.” He paused. “But he likes it if we just call him Doctor, says its easier on everypony around if we do that.”

William could only laugh a little at the comments, he had meet Doctor Time Turner once already, so he could guess where that was going still he looked at the two. “So why come hang with the scary human?” As that was what Granny Smith had called him and thrown two apples at him before anyone or pony could stop her.

“Because you use your scariness and danger to help others.” Dinky responded in a childlike manner.

“Also you look all cool, almost as cool as Pirates are.” Pipsqueak replied as well before the two began to laugh.

“Still, you better run off and join your friends, I don’t want-” He trailed off as shouting was heard and they all saw a Zebra run full pelt out of the Everfree Forest running towards the Farmhouse. “Well this might,” William looked up and raised his voice. “OKAY CMC MOVE TO THE FARMHOUSE YARD!”

His voice rang through the clearing as the CMC looked at him, William quickly thought of something else. “I’LL SEE IF THERE IS APPLE PIE-” He didn't get any farther before a stampede of tiny ponies almost bowled him over as they raced to the yard. “Oh dear.” he muttered in fear of what he might have just promised in a child’s mind.

William tried to run but was finding it a little hard to run then last night, he was sore for one thing. The other was that his body felt tired and worn out, as if he was having trouble breathing. Still he pushed it to the back of his mind and as he got closer it did look like the Apple Family was serving apple pie to the fillies and colts. William smiled a little till he saw a few Night Guards forming up around him and Luna with Zecora walking at her side approached him.

Luna looked at William and then at her troops. “I want to take William to the barn to draw blood.” She looked at William now. “I realized that I would rather not have any undue risk of blood infections or the like. For you, I would rather know now if your blood is compatible with others, or others with your own.” She looked at Zecora, “Meet me at the edge of the orchards when thou art done. We have a situation that needs all our special troops attention.”

William blinked but knew from Luna’s tone of voice not to question her in the open on the problem and so followed the two guards to the barn yet again. Inside he found another of her bat winged ponies. This one to his amusement was wearing a white band around both forehooves with a red cross, also on his helmet was a white circle with a red cross. “Even in cross dimensions, that seems to be the symbol of healing and medicine.”

The medic only chuckled. “I am happy to hear you know what this means.” The pony motioned to another bale of hay and a Unicorn with the same signs of a medic. “Don’t mind bloodsucker or I, he is here to keep the area purified for the drawing of blood.”

“Bloodsucker?” William asked as he took off the battle blouse and saw a dark blue undershirt. He sat down and held his arm out to be poked while looking away.

“Don’t like needles?” Bloodsucker asked as he walked over to look into his eyes while his horn glowed the uniform red color. “Yet you have fangs in your mouth, nice ones at that with your helmet on.”

William looked in confusion and found a mirror in front of him and he saw that as he opened his mouth, while he could not feel them. There were two sharp fangs in his mouth thanks to the helmet, in fact they were right where is own canines should have been. “Woah.” He spoke in a confused manner. “That is freaky yet cool.” He felt a sting at that moment and a pressure cuff around his upper arm as well. He grimmiched before Bloodsucker pulled the mirror down showing his own fangs. They were smaller than Williams.

“As for my name, that is really a nickname for any of the medics. Kind of a running gag, what with us looking like vamponies.” The pony in front of him chuckled a little. “Our commander liked it, so the nickname has stuck in the ranks.”

“Good way of keeping the real names safe.” She looked at William a little. “That way when we are off duty, nopony would know that we are Night Guards or not.” He smiled as William turned to look at the procedure and saw the pony removing a full vial of blood and putting a new one on. He saw that they were going to take three vials. “After all, with the way Ponies look at us. It is good that we can blend in. We can be the ears for Luna for outside of the royal courts.”

“makes sense.” William muttered as he took a deep breath and shivered a little causing his back to pop a little. “Oww.” He grunted from the wave of pain. Even as he spoke he felt something funny in his body as he saw the horn on the other medic glowing. “What are you doing?” William inquired with curiosity.

“A quick body scan to see how your body is doing, so far, it just looks-” He trailed off. “What did you do last night?”

“Uh wrestled a Nightmare Flyer, got thrown off a ledge by some fillies in the throes of fear, and oh, rolled into a ditch.”

He didn’t like the tsk sound he heard from the unicorn medic. “Okay, I am going to be asking the Princess to put you on bed rest for a few days. You hurt your back, you have bruising all over your body, and your blood pressure is high and-” He seemed to be silent. “They, you, you had open, HOW DID THEY LET YOU INTO THIS BATTLE?!” The medic yelled the last part.

“Uh, only one that can use the weapons, and, one of Celestia’s guards told her and I that I had to fight. Oh, also the Nightmares were wanting me, so maybe a little baiting as well?” William was sweating a little from the angry look from Bloodsucker.

“Bloodsucker what’s?” She stopped as she had to finish removing the final vial and place the cotton and tourniquet type bandage on his arm. She finished and packed the items away in a mist producing container that William figured was magically cooled he had moved his eyes to look anywhere but Bloodsucker.

“His chest was split open, his heart cut and sewn shut with repair work on on the heart itself, I, I remember reading that their was a medical problem but that he was needed for this assault no matter what, I thought it was magic backlash, but this. This is not, Luna what was she thinking? I am the medic and her personal physician... How can she be so reckless?”

William blinked and bristled at the words feeling like he was about to rant about Luna. “Hey, you think I wanted to be here? Fighting Nightmares? Well we can’t have what we want.” His angry outburst faded suddenly. “At least, at least I am alive and not in some river from gangs who wanted to kill me to initiate a new member.” He lowered his eyes. “So being able to hear this, makes me, well a little happy.” William’s voice fell into a more self thinking and retrospective thought process. The two medics looked back at each other.

“Okay,” Bloodsucker began in a much calmer tone of voice. “I will be recommending to Luna to place you on advisor rosters with medical leeways. I, I just am or was shocked. Above all as that works seems decades more than what we have gotten so far. At least outside of Canterlot.”

The other medic smiled a little. “Let me escort you then to Luna, we can get this worked out.” the medic bat pony looked at Bloodsucker. “You think he is good for a good walk? Or should he be placed in a chariot?”

Bloodsucker fell silent for a bit. “Walking should be fine Neck Bitter.” the name was spoke totally normal and the two ponies did not act at all like it was an unusual name. Still William was trying to figure out just what kind of exchange just happened all the way till he was brought before Luna who was now talking with some of her troops. William was asked to stay back while Neck Bitter spoke to Luna about the procedures and recommendations Bloodsucker gave.

William blinked as Luna looked up at WIlliam in concern before muttering something to Neck Bitter before turning and walking towards William. Without a word she picked WIlliam up and placed him on her back. “Uh Commander?” he started to question before his rifle was also floated up to him.

“I want you to sit up there and give a little over watch.” Luna spoked as she looked at the gathering guards. “I feel it would be good for you to be nearby if what I have a feeling is true. So I am going to listen to the doctors, still we need thee still in the current situation.” She paused and looked forward yet William had to curse a little at the body reading he had gotten from Luna, he could see that Luna was nervous about something and and he didn’t know how to breach that kind of subject. At least without around so many of her guards.

Still the silence around the forest was prevailing. William looked around the edge of the Everfree Forest as they walked now in a more twilight setting due to the foliage covering and block the light from entering the forest floor. He blinked at the feeling of, well riding bareback on a winged equine with a horn protruding from the forehead. “Luna... this is just, I do not know what to even, is this even allowable?” He was nervous as frankly, was their taboos? social norms? Still his body tingled from Luna’s magic surrounding him as she lifted him up to her back.



William blinked and yawned a little wondering why he felt tired all of a sudden when Luna paused along with the others in the group. William blinked and shook his head and looked around in worry. Before he could speak he felt himself pulled off her back gently while her horn glowed the color of her magic. “William if you would care, can you come with me to scout ahead?”

William slowly nodded his head while swallowing, something felt off and he didn’t know what it was. Still he followed Luna forward into the forest and further into the falling light due to the forest cover of the Everfree Forest. To William surprise a clearing soon came into his sights and Luna walked forward into it. In the middle of it was a gutted stone cottage that was abandoned with nothing but said stone walls. The building looked like it had been gutted by a fire long ago.

Luna paused in front of the dark door. “This is a site that,” She paused and turned around to face William. “When I was banished, the most loyal of my guards came to Celestia with a project. While many of the guards were to be disbanded and either absorbed into the Solar or Royal Guards. Released into the world or placed into the dungeons. They suggested that she kill them so that they could become her ears and eyes. The ponies that did that were those that guarded me personally, while the Moonbeams are the forces that are for my protection. These are the ones that have access to my tower, to my armory and are in my most inner circle.” She smiled softly. “For the thousand years after new members were ceremonially killed or died in the line of duty to become the Dead Lunatics.” She sat down and looked at the cottage. “That is where the word came from. A Lunatic was a pony that was totally devoted to me. When I returned I decided to retain the group as they came from my most loyal of bodyguards.” She suddenly stood up. “Come,” She spoke with a tone of a friend wishing to show something.

William stepped forward with wary and fearful looks. He entered the cottage and froze in horror. There on a stone table open to the air was a wooden box with, with his own body in it. Luna stood over the head and looked down. “I know you are a human and not of my own kind, but with what the Nightmares showed you, what you know now.” SHe looked up with half glowing eyes. “I have no choice, but to make you an honorary Dead Lunatic. The Nightmares are trying to tear us apart, make the human fear I and my people. Instead, they are pushing two war vets together to keep sane.” She looked back down. “This way you can be moved higher into the tower, and you can have access to the Lunar Castle. I have set the Military rules that govern my troops and my personal lands. I can only work around them like I am to make things easier for thee.” She looked down. “The only thing I ask is that you are the one to place the lid on your own coffin to finish this ceremony.”

William looked around and with a little harder breaths he saw the lid. He slowed his breathing and moved over to pick it up. To his own surprise he found it heavy and bulky. So he had to slowly drag the wooden cover over the stone floors and to the stone table. He gulped and moved the lid and using leverage was able to push it up onto the coffin and then pushed it around to fully cover it. The moment he did there was a loud crash of thunder and a lightening bolt that hit the coffin blinding him.

William awoke in shock and adrenaline as he looked around blinking. “Where’s the cottage?” He asked in fear.

The Night Guard to his left only laughed a little. “Ah, so that was why you dropped dead on Luna’s back. Welcome to the family.” The guard unfurled his bat wings and smiled with his fangs showing. William leaned back as he felt his own mouth open in fear.

“Easy Scary Shadow.” Luna admonished with a slightly harsh voice, “Don’t scary William too badly, he is still after all only one by necessity, not by choice.” She sighed and looked forward. “Now, we should remain silent, before we scare Zecora any further.”

Zecora only laughed a little, but said nothing at the looks she got from all present. It was in this silence that the rest of the trip was conducted till they found themselves at a boggy part of the Everfree Forest. This was not Froggy Bottom Bog, but it was close and was more than likely in a much larger scheme of things still connected in a vague manner which did not concern those in the clearing at the moment.

Luna walked forward with William now at his side as they approached the shimmering patch of air. Luna leaned forward and with a bright blue flash of light the magic was dispelled and William found himself backing up in a hurry while Luna rose onto her back legs in fright. There buried on its side in the muck, and looking like it has risen recently was one of the capsules from WIlliam’s mind. Only on the door was not the sickly red clawed crescent moon. But rather a very peculiar shape of a blue full moon with a tree in the middle of the moon. Their was writing on the door but it was not something William could read right away.

On the door was a thick window that was frosted over from the inside and as they watched a vent released a little steam. William looked over at Luna as she settled down and was looked back at William. Both of them turned around and as one issued a command. “Stay Back.” They both looked back at each other and smiled nervously at each other.

“William, Cover me, I want you to get in an angle where you can attack if needed, but you won’t hit me.” She waited for William to nod his head before she and him moved to stand in front of the window.

“Looks smaller than what was shown to me.” William whispered to Luna as his eyes began to look for a place to stand to fulfill Luna’s orders.

“Yes, looks more like one of the prototype single Pony capsules.” Luna responded as her horn glowed and William had a feeling she was probing the capsule for a means to open it. He took a deep breath and suddenly he heard the hissing of escaping air and the door popped open a little as blue lights spilled out around the edges and then it turned red as other sounds began to emit from inside, but were too faint to fully comprehend.

Luna looked back at William and at the white smoke, she slowly opened the door all the way and there was a cloud of white smoke that stayed still for a moment before it began to spill out into the air and falling to the ground. As the two Nightmare veterans watched a unmoving shape soon was seen. TO William’s shock and awe, he realized it was a Lunar Unicorn filly. A child he blinked as he saw around her were boxes of items as well, along with a small plush rabbit in her lap looking a little damp from, from what.

Luna looked at William and then at the Lunar Pony. “I,” She paused before looked back at the Dead Lunatics behind her. “Form up, we, we have a refugee.” William slowly stepped forward before nodding his head upon seeing the Lunar Pony better. “I agree, no Nightmare Taint.” He paused, how did he know that he asked himself as Luna slowly began to pull the items that were inside the capsule and sending them somewhere in some kind of teleport spell. All the while keeping an eye on the still sleeping Lunar Pony.

Author's Note:

Okay, I am very happy in being able to publish this chapter.

Been gathering dust for a while after I went through it a few times to personally edit it here and there and add details where needed.

Also, Please read this blog as it contains very important information for the future of Revenge of the Nightmares.

http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/183546/updates-both-on-real-life-and-revenge-of-the-nightmares

So yes, won't use the Author box to say what it is, just know that their will be an rather unavoidable delay in chapters being posted and even written. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

USB (Seeing as AB is the short hand for Apple Bloom)