Chapter 1 - Forgotten and Lost

Zaps Apple
Chapter 1: Forgotten and Lost

The darkness, it was coming for me... I ran again, as fast as I could. Suddenly I gasped as I felt something and that’s when I woke. My eyes snap open looking to the sky again, feeling the droplets of water hitting my face as I blinked. I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position rubbing my head feeling a bit stiff and a little cold as I took in the sights around me. It was dark but I could still see and make out things.

I saw trees all around me with some strange colourful fruit that looked a lot like apples, but I also wasn't sure how I knew they were apples. Still, I guess if my mind was saying they were then they were... I can't argue with my own head I guess. I look down to my… hoof? I twist the foreleg around a little to look at the underside of my front hooves; I guessed if they were attached there then they were mine. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to have hooves though, or if something else was supposed to be there...

“Wow my head is in a mess... I can't seem to remember anything.” I spoke out to myself hearing my voice, it seemed to be young I thought... “Guess I am a child or was I an adult? Or a child... or both... Could it be possible to be both?” I whispered to myself and then pushed myself up on my hind legs, wobbling a little. I fell over on my rump. “Ouch... wait a second!” I paused looking to my hind legs waving my tail left and right a little in my own commands it was cream and black and my fur was yellow.

“Hind legs and forelegs... I should walk on fours I think... or is it two’s?” I grumbled trying to figure out what happened or what is happening. I only remember the darkness chasing me and I shivered at that thought. “Ok no thinking about bad dreams...” I slowly pushed myself back onto my hind legs, holding out my forelegs for balance. “No this isn't going to work... I guess four legs it is.” I fell forwards on my front hooves with a 'clop' and glanced around, trying to understand where I was...

I looked on to the rainbow apples feeling a pain in my stomach that knotted, I was starving. So I moved my legs and almost fell instantly and started to stumble a little bit more. I eventually came to one that hung low enough for me. I jumped up on my hind legs and tried not to stumble as I took it with both front hooves and pulled it off before landing on my rump again. This time I didn't care, I simply licked my snout at the sight of something to eat.

I took a whole bite out of the apple and chewing it felt wonderful, the taste, the texture, the electrical flow and the spicy taste with a bit of sweetness to it. “Yummy!” I took another bite with my eyes closing, enjoying my apple. It might be a strange color but I didn't care, food was food. Soon it was all gone, even the core. I looked back to the tree and walked up to it while looking up. “How am I going to get this down?” I pondered. Then I looked to my hooves and back to the tree. “Maybe I could try and hit it to shake a few down?” I hit it with my front right hoof hard and I could only to yelp in pain. “Bad idea!” I shook my hoof a few times and placed it gently on the ground. I cringed in pain a little. “Ouch... stupid tree...” I turn away and started limping a little and then I smacked it with my right hind hoof which did not hurt as much as before, but the tree barely even moved. “Come on! I want another of those apples!”

“Growl...”

My ears perked up to the rumbling sound that was clearly a growl of some kind. I twisted my ears instinctively to track the sound. “He-hell-hello?” I slowly turn, looking around for the source of the voice. “I-is som-some-somepony there?” I heard what I said and it didn't seem strange, but it felt off. I guess it one of those things I forgot like everything else...

Wait what was my name?

I forgot about the growling, trying to desperately figure out something so important. “My Name is... My name is...” I muttered trying to remember tapping my head a few times with my right hoof, I cringed on the second touch. Then the growl came again which made me jump.

I turn to face the source of the voice this time. “He-hello?” I stepped back with my heart racing as I try to locate whatever was making the noises... I was scared of it... “The darkness... th...” I turned and galloped away from it fast as I could. I wasn't sure what I could do or where to go, but I wasn’t about to stick around!

I tripped on a root and tumbled down into some mud, causing me to stop in my tracks. As I felt the rain fall, I held myself against the cliff side. I had fallen into a pool of watery mud. I felt it dripping in large clumps off my fur and hair... Or was it mane? I think. Right, I am a small pony, that’s why I said 'somepony...'. That’s what I was before I think... I forget that for moment.

Something was chasing me... oh right the darkness... “Please don't find me... please don't find me...” I whispering to myself over and over again, hearing my child like voice that I had gotten used to hearing and I suppose that it had always been mine... Of course I could be wrong… My thoughts were shaken aside when the sound came again and ducked lower into the muddy pool, sadly it was shallow but I was hoping to submerge myself in it to hide from whatever that voice or the darkness was.

I raised my head to the sound, seeing what looked like a wooden snout of sorts, which I decided was weird. I saw the wooden teeth then heard another growl which made me yelp in shock. Another one appeared, their glowing green eyes started to scan near the mud pool. I had my hooves over my snout trying not to make a sound with tears falling in the mix of rain and mud. I was terrified that they would see or hear me.

I heard the sound of them moving away and looked up to confirm this. I let out a sigh of relief. “That was too close... I need to keep my head focused. No distractions!” I whispered harshly to myself. Getting up was slow going as I worked through the muck. I made my way out. “Eep!” I slipped and fell to a stop. I saw the mud pouring into a large river. My eyes shrunk since the height of the potential drop seemed crazy. “Why am I even here?!” I screamed into the distance. “I don’t even know where here is, or who I am!” I cried out into the rain and instantly regretted being so loud. I heard the snarling from above and looked up seeing the wooden creatures again only this time they were looking directly at me. I laughed nervously. “Nice wood things...” I stepped back and slipped. I fell down into the waterfall of mud splashing into the raging river.

Struggling to get to the surface, I coughed and tried to kick at the water like crazy and the white tip of the waves hit me and I went under again. I hit the bottom and held onto a rock looking around at the force of the water surrounding me. I was holding my breath as long I could and then I kicked off with my hind legs to the surface gasping for air. The waters continued to drag me along. Then I hit my head and everything went dark once more.

Run, run, run! “Please help me!” I was running from the darkness again. I couldn't believe that this was happening again. I then turned to face the darkness. “Go away!” I screamed, not even sure if it was another living creature or not. Tears started falling from my eyes. “Leave me alone!” I yelled at again, standing my ground.

With a gasp I coughed and coughed opening my eyes to see I was on some sort of shore line of the river. I wasn't aware of how much time had passed since I was knocked out or where I was.

I tried to stand but felt a surge of pain through my hind leg. Looking to my leg I saw a bruise that was clearly seen through the fur. I glanced around, trying to figure out where I was now. I felt a sense of familiarity from the last time this had happened. There wasn't any direction I could point to and not know where it would lead. Those things made out of wood... they were wolves of sorts, I think. “Timber and wolves... I guess they were Timberwolves?” I muttered trying to ignore the pain through my hind leg. I hopped onto my three good hooves, trying my best to put no weight on my bad one.

The growls and barks of those Timberwolves came and I turned seeing them on the edge across the fast flower river. They seemed to be scouting out the best way to cross. I could guess how they were going to get to me and was correct in my assumptions. I felt fear as they starred right at me and then they ran up the river. “Oh no, the river thins out as it goes up... oh where to go... where to go!” I was in a panic mode looking around for a way to get away from them and lose them before they found a way to cross.

I looked at the darkest part of the woods before I had to squint my eyes. The trees were thick causing hardly any light to shine through. My heart was racing and the pain surging through me did nothing to calm me down. I had wolves closing in on me and the dark and foreboding nature of the woods. I was petrified of both! I couldn't move a muscle... darkness and strange wolves were racing through my mind. “Darkness already took everything from me, what’s the worse it can do now?” I whispered to myself and gulped and did my best to make a quick escape into the darkness. It was slow going through the forest as it got darker and darker; I could hardly see any fine detailed. My heart, I could feel was racing. Why am I in this mess? What happened to me? What is going on!? I want answers! I yelled in my mind with tears falling while I walked on my three good legs at my best possibly speeds.

I turned around, finding it difficult to see in any direction. I hope they have a hard time seeing as I do... I thought and wondered deeper in the thick brush trying to go where ever I could to make sure to lose them.

Wait a second! My nightmares I had, something was there. Something that felt pleasant and welcomed and safe... but what was it?! What was it that helped me out of the darkness and into the forest? And why put me in that crazy and scary place anyway?! I thought to myself trying to work out why I am in this forest as I trotted slowly glancing around for a possible way out. Was the darkness really harmful? Was it after me still? Why was I running from it in the first place? I was petrified of it.. I just didn't think of what would happen if it got me...

The sound of something moving caught my attention. Something has to be following me! I quickly found a place to hide, it was a very large log with an opening. I quickly gathered some littered branches and leaves to cover up the whole and jumped inside. “Why don't those things give me a break...” I muttered feeling rather frightened again. I looked through the gaps in the leaves and sighed quietly when I saw the wooden leg of one those beasts. Please don't find me! I said in my mind, not moving a muscle and breathing slowly. I just couldn’t get a break.

Time past as I waited and waited. I wasn't sure how long I was hiding in this log but I was glad they didn't find me. I felt rather tired at this point and the pain from my leg was hurting more than ever. “Maybe I should rest here for now...” I whispered and cuddled a little up into the log lying there looking to the little light I had. I felt frightened to death of both the Timberwolves finding me and the nightmares of the darkness.

I yawned and press my head against my forelegs and slowly closed my eyes allowing me to drift on wards to sleep. I was at least safe for now, and that was all that mattered.

Chapter 2: Timberwolves are Howling

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 2: Timberwolves are Howling

Darkness why always the darkness chasing me in my dreams now... I finally escape them and now they hunt me in my sleep, I do not know how I know what I am dreaming but I was frightened of it... petrified of it... I just fled from it but then a strange feeling came over me something was a head it was the same sparkling light that I saw before I ran to it and then...

I found myself standing in the middle of an orchard full of those colorful apples the place was peaceful it was wonderful and somehow it felt at home but it didn't feel it either... I never dreamed of this or didn't remember but what I saw a small town as I slowly walked through it, it was quiet but the town was built around a fountain with about twenty or so buildings max.

I looked around it felt some how I knew it but I couldn't place it in my mind... I look to the ropes across above me attached from building to building all the way to the top of the fountain where a flag of the rainbow apples. I was rather confused then I saw something ghostly images of ponies harvesting the rainbow apples bucking them down one of them I saw it was... “Me!?” I saw myself with a red large stallion with a short black mane and tail he smiled to the colt beside him showing him how to buck the tree.

“Alright, kid you got it?”

“Yeah big bro I got it!” the colt bucks the tree but nothing seem to happen and then one of the ponies hiding in a tree a pegasus knocks it down landing on the colt's head. “Ow...”

“See you did it!” the red stallion beamed

“Yeah, I did didn't I big brother!”

“Don't...” the young colt already eating the apple

“What?” he said with a full mouth of apple.

“Sometimes I don't know what worse, you eating them as they are or you being a big pain of a little brother” he grabs the colt and starts to tickle him with his hooves.

“Uncle! UNCLE!” he cried out laughing uncontrollable.

“That my brave little brother” he chuckled rubbing the colt head “Now why don't we finish the harvest?”

“Sure bro!” the colt jump up on his hind legs and resting the front legs on the large creatures that were at least a head higher than the colt when standing on all fours.

I saw a flash of lightning and snap my eyes open looking around seeing I was still inside the tree what a strange dream... it felt right but did it? I wasn't sure if that was home or I was creating something in my own mind... a world out of the darkness but the lightning and thunder caught my attention I peered out of the hollow tree seeing the trees just a few meters away sparkling like the ones before and I saw the grey colour apples again.

“The rainbow apples!” I beamed in delight I had food as I saw them appear one by one in a beam of rainbow light it was the most delightful thing I saw. I walked up to it ignoring the pain in my hind leg still causing me to limp a little.

I saw my goal a few apples low enough for me to grab them with my front hooves or my mouth. I pulled a few down right away and started to eat them one after another, they was as tasty as the one I ate when I first awoke with those being my only memoirs of the past few days... the dream must have been something created in my mind when the surge of energy came from the apples, I some how felt it as if I was connected to the ground. It was wonderful since I was snaking away.

“That better...” I sighed feeling full from eating about four of those apples, I had about four left looking around for something to put it in I saw a odd looking saddle bag lying there “This look like it been lying around longer for quite some time... well it look like it still usable” I opened it up to see it was empty but smelt really disgusting “Urg that is gross...” I was about to toss it when I saw something in it that I missed. “I thought it was empty...” I looked inside to find a photo of a few ponies “Wow I wonder who they are...” I smelt the bag again and put a hoof to my nose “No way I am carrying that thing... but how am I going...” then I saw it another bag that look recently dropped it had a red coloured apple on the side of it 'I thought apples are suppose to be rainbow' and when I opened it up it had a book, empty sheets of paper and a set of quills.

'Strange... how did I know they were quills, paper, and a book?'

I placed the four apples in there with the photo I found then went back to the log I was hiding in and sat there in my hiding spot pulling out the book with my mouth carefully and place it in front of me reading the rough written words 'Cutie Mark Crusaders Diary' when I saw those words I was a little confused I understood it, I never saw them yet I somehow knew it. “What a diary... but what are Cutie Mark Crusaders? And why can I read this?” I asked myself with wonder “I don't remember learning to read...” I using my hooves pull the cover over to see a long list of different activities most of them crossed out so much I barely could read them.

One I did saw said 'Zip Lining' and I looked at it with wonder “What zip lining?” then saw a drawing of a set of symbols on a few pages on “Whoa so that a cutie mark huh? Those symbols on the flanks... wait my dream...” I closed my eyes picturing it in my mind and saw the red stallion cutie mark was of a partly cute rainbow apple with a purple star behind it and a shield behind that with the core of the apple seen in the symbol. “Wow... could that pony be real? Or was I making things up in my head... urge...” I groan trying to remember anything before the darkness but nothing came up it was just giving me a headache then I hit my right hind hoof against the wood with a buck in annoyance.

I blinked there was no pain, I slowly look back and the bruise was gone “Wh-what!?” I screeched in shock “My bruise it all gone! B-but how...” I was a little spooked by that and hope this wasn't a dream so I hit my head with my hoof a little harder then usual and felt the pain “Ouch that hurt... no dream...” I rubbing my head a little then look to the book flipping over the pages to the last one to get a idea what this book really about.

I read it out loud to myself whispering it so nothing heard me “Today we going to the Everfree Forest with my brother and sister with my best friends to do our assignment for Miss Cheerilee on the Zap Apple Tree origins and hoping we get our cutie marks too, It really annoying that most of the class has their cutie marks and we still haven't. But today we hoping that doing something about my family will earn us the cutie marks. Me, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Still I have high hopes for it this time with my brother and sister tagging alongside us and keeping us safe from all the dangerous critters there is in the Everfree Forest, I know that we shouldn't write out our thoughts in this book but I just know we going to get it today! I know we will! So I write this like every other time in hope we will get it”

then I looked at the last part

“Well that it for now, Cutie Mark Crusaders assignment completers! YAY! Applebloom”

I blinked as I said 'yay' loud as it was written in the book “Where there others here? Bu-but if so wh-where are they?” I gulped with fear realising I just shouted out that word and heard howling in the distance “Oh no...” I whispered with ears flat against my head I realised my yelling caught their attention. I quickly put the book back in the bag and push my head under the straps and let the saddle bag settle on my back.

I step out of the log looking around for them, I couldn't see them but I could sure hear them, I look around for a way to go and saw what look like hoof prints in the mud leading away “That way!” I spoke out and ran in that direction of the hoof prints lead, they vanished into the leaves and grass but I didn't care I had to run and that I did.

I suddenly heard the sound of the Timberwolves howling and turn my head for a second to see them charging right at me, I was so frighten I just picked up the paste and ran with all my little legs could carry me, I could hear the sounds of their wooden feet closing in on me, I didn't look back I just kept running.

I ran into bushes pushing through them hard as I could hear the branches swing back and smack the Timberwolves with them, I grinned seeing that my quick idea worked and glad I was so small to get through them, I burst out of the thick brush tumbling around a little and quickly got up to see a house and a barn. I quickly looking for a place to hide I ran for the barn through the field seeing the moon high in the sky I guess it was night, not sure how much time past but I was glad to run into the barn and hid behind some big stacks of hay.

I was breathing hard and my heart racing slowly I peered around the hay to see the Timberwolves coming out of the brush and charging right towards me I gulped and was frozen in place I had nowhere to go and they were going to get me... then it came...

“The Timberwolves are a-howlin'! The Timberwolves are a-howlin'!” I heard a odd cracky voice then saw a green odd mare running back and forwards with what look like a pair saucepans and a pair cooking pots banging together this seem to cause the three Timberwolves that was growling to back off slowly, I was wondering again how I knew something that I just saw but my thoughts was broken by her screaming out again.

“The zap apples are comin'! The zap apples are comin'!” I couldn't believe my eyes the wolves scared of an odd pony and they were... they fled back into the forest and all I could do was sigh in relief and place the bag beside me...

I sat there against the hay bay wondering what to do, I was on somepony's land and felt rather scared if they found me, so I decided to just to stay where I am and try to sneak out by morning, I had no idea what they would do to me... I shivered at the thought of the darkness “Th-they might throw me into the darkness... or back into that scary forest...” I whispered with a deep gulp and lay there looking to the bag I had and then back to the entrance of the barn I could see that old pony still yelling away.

'If she can scare off those things no telling what she could do to me... she might look odd but she scary...' I thought to myself and lay there rubbing my hooves in the dirt not sure what to do now... I was stuck inside a barn, finally out of the forest now stuck in an unknown place and fearing the worst, since that all I could do... finally I let out a yawn and sat on the hay bay side and let my tiredness get the better of me... I closed my eyes and glad that the wolves won't get me and let myself fall asleep...

Chapter 3: First Friends

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 3: First Friends

I ran from the Timberwolves fast as my legs could carry me, galloping hard through the woods dodging their bites and their swipes, I managed to pull a branch back and let go of it slapping two in the face, I grinned as I ran turning to see them slow then stop with fear. I slowed to a trot then to a stop wondering why they stopped. I knew I didn't do enough to stop them, I was only about one fourth their size...

They started to howl as they backed away “The Timberwolves are a-howlin'! The Timberwolves are a-howlin'!” my ears perked back as I heard it behind me and slowly I gazed upon a huge green pony with massive pans slamming together the echoing and blast of them made me slide back as the wolves were blown away. Her voice rang again “The Timberwolves are a-howlin'! The Timberwolves are a-howlin'!”

“AHHHH!!!” I covered my head all the sudden she disappeared into dust I looked at what happened and looking around I was back in the strange town again with the fountain, rainbow color apples hanging from the trees with a beautiful sunny day with a large castle sitting on top of a hill in the distance “Wh-what...” I glanced around trying to figure out what happened.

“What a strange dream, you have quite the imagination” I turn to the source of the voice it came from a pony dark sapphire blue coat with two shades of blue mane and tail waving with sparking light as well wearing something on her chest and head. I tilted my head when heard her voice I knew that voice. “Thus not remember me?”

I rubbed my head a little “I remember your voice, you held the darkness in the pitch black at bay so I could escape. Then I thought I saw you again in my last dream of this...” I paused “Am I dreaming?”

“Yes, you are a young one. But do you not know me other than my voice?”

I looked into her cyan eyes and shook my head “Sorry I don't, I have never seen you before only heard your voice about fighting of fends in the black.” I answered

She looked at me with some wonder now walking around me as I sat there “What else do you remember young one?”

“Nothing much.. I only know things I never seen before which is weird and then the only last few days in that forest till I escaped it and saw that odd pony scaring the wolves... I kind of got fearful that if she found me I would be thrown but into it...” I replied to the pony before me.

“Mine, then you do not know my name?” I shook my head “My name is Luna and I am...” she seems to pause for a moment making me look at her oddly “I watch over the night and look into dreams, thus why I am here. Your fear is misplaced though, she isn't odd but old and loud banging of the pans scare the Timberwolves away. You do not need to worry about Granny Smith, she is the elder that lives on Sweet Apple Acres”

“Sweet Apple Acres? That the name of the farm I ran on to?” she nods “Erm one more question, what's old?”

Luna almost fell over when I said this and I reacted by getting up and stepping back a little with the reaction she gave. “You seriously do not know you're a child?”

“Erm I think so but not sure, only had one dream of seeing me with some weird red stallion,” I thought about it then look to her “What exactly is this place? It feels real but I not quite sure why...”

“It part of your mindscape young one, do you not know why?” I shook my head “You know my name but what is yours?” I shrugged silently “This is concerning you do not know your name? Why this is within your mind and dreams?” I shook my head again. She walked around me “The red stallion and the ponies must mean something to you if this is your safe haven within your dreams” She and I turn to the scene playing it self out again like last time.

I walked up to her “So your name is Luna? That kind of a cool name but what exactly are you? I kind of know about Unicorns, Pegasus and earth ponies for some reason...” I was till trying to get my head around knowing things I didn't even see till suddenly I did... “I saw them in my last few dreams in this town in fact but I have no idea how I know this is a town or know why I know each type... it kind of confusing...”

“Yes it would be, I am known as an Alicorn, a pony of all three traits” Luna explained to me.

“So your a special type of pony?” she laughed softly at that reply “Did I say something funny?”

Luna put one of her sliver hooves under my snout as she leans down to me “A little but yes there only a few of us, my sister, niece and respected pony who studies for many hours and lives in the Golden Oak Library in Ponyville”

“Four?” I got a nod from her. “Ponyville? Is that another town like this one but real?”

“Yes and that is where Sweet Apple Acres is and where you are currently, you're in a safe place but you have to let those around you know of your problem young one” I gulped at that feel rather fearful again. “I know you're afraid and I would be in your place. That is why I will do what I can to help you, my little friend”

“Friend? I heard of that but not sure how... it something to do with a group of ponies that erm... talk together, do things together... and erm... like each other and do things for each other? And care for each other too? Is that a friend?” I asked trying to get my head around what came into mind.

She smiled stepping back “Yes my young friend that is true. I believe you been discovered”

“What do...” I heard something echoing in the distance

“Hey wake up!” I just heard it looking around. “Come on wake up already!”I heard it clearer again

“Well it sounds like Scootaloo has found you, tell her that I spoken to you in your dreams, till we meet again young one” She starts to fly away as everything starts to fade away.

“Luna but I don't have a...”

My eyes open as I shot up into a sitting position “name!” I blurted out and looking around then saw purple eyes from an orange pony about my size with purple mane stare at me. I just stared back “Erm... hi...”

“Hi” she smirked at me “Your a hard one to wake, I tried shaking you, even rolling you off the hay bay but that still didn't work” I look up and notice I was off it and on the floor 'I didn't wake from that?' “And then I tried yelling at ya and it finally worked"

I sat there just looking at her “Sorry if I worried you...”

“Nah it ok” she waved her hoof at me. “So who the hay are ya?”

My eyes turn away staring at the ground “I don't know...”

“Come again?” she frowned at me.

I sighed looking at her “I don't know my name... I can't remember it... I don't remember a thing till a few days ago... I think...” I paused I wasn't even sure how long had past “It could have been a few days... being lost in some spoken forest with Timberwolves trying to bite you kind of lose track of things...”

She waved her hooves “Whoa whoa whoa... you seriously don't remember a thing? Like your name?” I shook my head and this made her give a more confused look “Your age?” I groaned even that was a mystery to me... “How about how you woke up in the Everfree Forest?” she pressed for answers those I wanted answers too...

I felt lost but I did my best to answer her “I remember running from the darkness in pitch black... then a voice came and told me to run to the light... so I did and found my self lying on the ground looking up at grey colour apples changing into rainbow apples before I couldn't keep my eyes open...” I told her my first memories.

She seem to be weary of what I said from the silence between us “So let me get this straight, you were running away from this black stuff whatever it is then found yourself under some zap apple trees in the forest?” I nod in reply. “And before that, you have no memories”

“Then what do you know?”

I thought about it “I know the differences between ponies... Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth Ponies like I am one” putting a hoof to myself “And the Alicorns that Luna told me in my dream. She said she some keeper of the night and dreams, guessing she could look into ponies dreams” I tried to answer the best I could

This seem to bring a spark in the pegasus eyes as she smiled “You met Princess Luna! That is awesome! I met her in my dreams for the first time too!”

“Princess? She didn't say her first name was Princess...”

“No no you got it all wrong that a title like of example...” She seems to think about it and raised her hoof “Like Rainbow Dash, that the name of an awesome sister of mine, she also a captain of the weather team here in Ponyville, she would be called Captain Rainbow Dash if being formal about the weather team”

“Oh, so Luna is the night watchers name?” I asked with wonder.

“Yep sure is, so what did she tell you?”

I thought about it and point a hoof to her “Your Scootaloo, she said you were trying to wake me up and that this farm called Sweet Apple Acres and part of a town called Ponyville!” I blurted out with a smile remembering what Luna told me.

Scootaloo grinned “That right!” my stomach growled a little. “Sound like somepony's hungry.”

I turn to the bag and found it beside the hay bayl, pulling out two zap apples guessing that what they called, I gave one to Scootaloo “Here you can have it, I got few more left, it not much but they really tasty” I started eating mine and got a strange look from Scootaloo. “What?” I said with a mouth full of apple and swallowed. “They really good”

“You just ate a zap apple...”

“Yes...”

“But how!? I heard from Granny Smith that they only good for zap apple jam! I never seen anypony eat a zap apple like you did!” Scootaloo seem really surprised what I did, I wasn't sure why. It just a tasty meal for me. “Urg... never mind... do you mind if I keep it?”

I shrugged a little “You can if you like...”

“Thanks, Zaps” she put into a bag she seems to have with her.

I blinked a few times “Zaps?”

“Yeah since you have no idea what your name is and your friends with Luna, so I called you Zaps. Isn't it a sweet name?” Scootaloo grinned and seem to wait for me to answer.

I rubbed my head a little “I think it ok, better then... ouch” I pulled out a trig from my mane

“Your pretty dirty Zaps” she chuckled pulling off a leaf from the dried in the mud “You also kind of smell”

I sighed “Running from Timberwolves was all that was on my mind... sorry” I lower my head a little and felt a hoof on my chin and raised my head a little and was eye level with Scootaloo.

“Hey don't be sorry for something you couldn't control, heck I only found ya cause I was looking for my friend Applebloom, she seems really upset yesterday when she lost her bag” Scootaloo replied trying to make me feel a bit better and explained how she found me. “I heard some snoring and found you sleeping on the hay bay, that when I tried to wake you” she giggled a little.

I pulled up the bag that was on the hay bayl “this?”

“Whoa it is!” she took it from me and looked to see two more zap apples inside it “You found this?”

“Yeah it was under another set of those zap apple trees, I kind of read the book though...” I said to her and got a shocked reaction “I was wondering what it was about and why I could read it... I wasn't even sure what it was about. I saw some lists, pictures of cutie marks and something Applebloom wrote about a school project for some pony called Cheerilee” I explained to her best I could.

Scootaloo took the zap apples out and place them in front of me “Well you really helped us out of a jam so I can say this can be overlooked” she smirked “Wait here and I'll take this to Applebloom, she be over the moon to get this back”

“Why do I have to wait here?” I tilted my head

“Because if somepony find you they might think your some thief” she walked around the hay bay and I stood up looking at her “Please just stay here and don't go anywhere. I will be back I promise”

I sat down “Ok... I'll wait...” with that she was gone with both bags. I sighed looking at my two remaining zap apples sitting back down against the hay bay and took a sniff of my foreleg “Wow I really do smell of swamp water...” I paused and blinked “Another word I know... but how...” I whispered rubbing my head with a groan.

Time went by as I sat there waiting. I yawned a little thinking about everything that happened so far 'Darkness, Luna saving me from it then appearing to be again and seeing her for the first time even in my dreams... then I escape the forest and in some apple farm then met one of these Cutie Mark Crusaders called Scootaloo but she also gave me a name... a name... I have a name... Zaps... Zaps sound like a really cool name that I like too... better not having one at all even if my memories that wiped out... but what about that town and the one I call brother, was they really real? Urg my head hurts trying to think of why that place and those ponies are in my dreams! I want to know why but I can't figure out why it there!'

My trail of thoughts wasn't helping me much... I felt better with a name but I stood up climbing up on the hay bay to take a look around where I was, it was a barn for sure, hay bays, barrels, ladder, tools and other things that a farm has. I watched as a red stallion walked into the barn pulling an empty wagon into it, he took off the harness from himself and place them down. I was curious getting up higher on the hay bay to get a better look at him.

“Hey Big Mac, ah'm going into town to see mah, friends, with the baskets in place and four days before harvest ah got some free time” a voice came and saw an orange pony with a hat on entering the barn

He turns to her “Eeyup” he replied and followed on by “Have fun Applejack”

“Ah sure will” with that Applejack the blonde mare had left.

I leaned over to see what he was doing then I felt the hay bay started to shift, I realized it was me who caused it and before I knew it, I was falling with the hay bay following me soon afterward, I screamed in fear and hit the ground with a thud. I groaned in pain and thought the hay bay was going to land on me but it didn't, I opened my eyes turning to the left to see some straw fall on the ground and saw a hoof there too, cream colored than red fur, I followed it up to come to a collar then a head looking directly down at me.

I saw the ginger mane red stallion Big Macintosh looking at me with a gentle smile and soft look in his green eyes looking right at me seeing that he'd protected me from the hay bay, taking the hit and not flinched by it. “Yer ok?” he spoke and I slowly nod in reply not sure what to happen now... but for the better or for the worst I didn't need to hide anymore...

“Come on girls I like you to meet somepon...” I turn my head and so did Big Macintosh to see Scootaloo with two other ponies all around the same age and my guess was one of them was Applebloom and the other was Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo only could finish with one word. “Ponyfeathers...”

Author's Notes:

Wow 20+ faved this already. I am happy with you all liking this story so far that it took me four different times of writing this to just get it to the point that I like it and hope you readers like it too. I am really happy that there interest in this story of mine and I want to keep you all interested in reading this story and enjoy it too.

Well I hope you all enjoy reading this latest chapter and still love to hear any comments you all have when reading this. I will continue to do my upmost to keep you all happy and continue to write on with the next chapter, if you guys or girls like to suggest any ideas what should happen in the next chapter be happy to let me know ok ^^

Till next time my friends! And enjoy!

Personal Note: If there any grammar or spelling mistakes please let me know, here the truth why I find it hard to notice things like this, I might have a very creative mind but when it comes to grammar and such it quite at tricky thing even now it still is. I have what called aspergers syndrome a sort of disability to do with the mind that genetic, I lived with it all my life knowing there be limitations to some of the things I do. So if you guys or girls can give me any tips or show where I gone wrong or even like to check my work out before it posted it up, then I kindly expect the help from ya.

First Friends: Scootaloo's POV

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Zaps Apple
First Friends: Scootaloo's POV

-Events after Scootaloo left Zaps at the barn to find her friends-

I raced over to my scooter leaving Zaps back at the barn behind all those hay bays, 'I just hope he can stay hidden long enough for me to find Sweetie Belle and Applebloom' I thought as I placed my helmet on and got onto the scooter. “Right time to find my friends” I rapidly flapped my wings.

Speeding down the dirt road I went for the clubhouse first darting in and out of trees doing some of my sweet tricks as I leap over some branches to come to a landing on my scooter stopping right outside the clubhouse. “Hey, Applebloom! Sweetie Belle! You in there!?” I walked up to the door and opened it to see no pony there. “Nope...”

Next stop was Rarity's. I arrived there within a few minutes of zipping by the apple trees into Ponyville. “Hope they here...” I knocked on the door seeing the sign saying closed.

“Coming!” I heard Rarity's voice and the sound of movement. The opened with Rarity standing there all dressed up “Oh hi Scootaloo, what brings you to my establishment?”

I took my helmet off putting it on the scooter beside me “I was wondering if Sweetie Belle and Applebloom was here”

She put a hoof to her snout thinking about it and shook her head “Sorry dear last time I saw them was about a half an hour ago at Sugarcube Corner having some milkshakes. But I got no time to say and chat darling, I got to meet up with the girls for a picnic at the hill and also something about bowling later tonight, maybe I have some outfit for that... hmm... IDEA!!!!!”

The door slams shut with me just staring at the door “O.....k then” I wasn't going to dare wait to see what wacky outfit Rarity was going to wear for bowling... I got onto my scooter putting my helmet back on, soon I was off again this time to Sugarcube Corner, it wasn't too far so it didn't take more than a few seconds to get there.

I jump off quickly and ran inside looking around seeing ponies buying some treats but no sign of Sweetie Belle or Applebloom, I walked in to see Pinkie Pie with a basket of treats “Hey there Scootaloo! Guess where I am going!”

“A picnic?” I frowned at her

“Great guess! You win a cupcake!” she gave me one instantly as I held it I stared at the hyper pony. “Let me guess you're looking for Applebloom and Sweetie Belle right?”

I stared at the cupcake then at her “How...”

“Just a hunch” she giggled “I last saw them heading to Twilight's” she hummed afterward walking off out of the door.

I just groaned and ate the cake, it was yummy then I left heading to Golden Oak Library on my scooter taking my time this time around... I was getting annoyed zipping around trying to find my friends. “This is getting stupid, everywhere I go they already gone by mere minutes!” I suddenly Fluttershy with Twilight Sparkle “Hey Twilight! Fluttershy!” I came to a stop standing there still on my scooter.

“Oh hi Scootaloo,” Fluttershy said shyly to me with a soft smile

“Are you looking for the girls?” Oh great, I knew this was going to be another wild goose chase. “I saw them at the library with Spike looking up about the zap apples for the project,” Twilight said to me and I remembered.

I put a hoof to my head “Arg I completely forgot about that! I was caught up looking all over that I should have remembered they be at the library...”

Twilight looked at me oddly “Isn't that Applebloom's bag? I thought she lost it in the Everfree Forest the other day”

I quickly look to it “Oh that... well, you see...”

“Twilight! Fluttershy! There you two are!” Rainbow Dash lands before us “Come on slowpokes we got to get ready for Applejack! She is meeting us at the hill a few hours!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and I was glad Rainbow Dash came in “Thanks Rainbow I own ya!” I quickly dart off to the library only to hear.

“No problem Scoots! Erm... what?” I giggled knowing far well she didn't know what I meant but she got me out of a jam about telling how I got Applebloom's saddle bag back.

I arrived at the library about to rush in then thought about it... 'If I rush in with the bag, Spike going to ask about it like Twilight did... last thing I want is a whole bunch of adults asking about Zaps and how he lost all his memories, being in the Everfree Forest in the first place and all the boring things... this time we will help him, no adults attached' I placed the bag in the bushes hiding it good when I entered the library.

I saw Spike with my friends and knew my idea was the best as I placed my helmet on the table side. “Hey, girls, sorry about being late. I completely forgot about meeting you girls here for our project”

Applebloom smiled “It ok, we just about to start on researching about the zap apples since we couldn't get one because of those darn timberwolves and losing mah bag...”

“We been trying to play catch up with some of our notes lost as well,” Sweetie Belle said looking at the books. “So far we found very little about the part from the same tale that Granny Smith told us last zap apple season”

I came over to them and looked “Yeah that kind of sucks... if only we had a zap apple of our own from the Everfree Forest”

Spike place another book down “You know that not going to happen, plus they already vanished”

We all sighed heavily, I was a few seconds afterward playing along since I had one of them and had to keep my mouth shut till Spike was gone. “Hey, girls, this book Spike got might have something”

“Ya right, it before Granny's time too!” Applebloom turn the page

Spike look to it “Be careful this book really old. Twilight would kill me tenfold if I got this book destroyed...” Spike gulped a little.

Sweetie Belle turned to him “We be extra special if you like you can stay with us and watch so we don't damage it”

Spike nods “Good idea”

I groaned a little “Yeah great idea” I muttered then notice a page showing a town “Spike what this?”

“Oh, it says that this town that grew nothing but zap apples but before then they weren't called zap apples but the apples of harmony. They were grown by a group of ponies that broke from the three tribes sick of their distrust with each other kinds and the bickering. They founded a small land and used some sort of magic to turn normal apples into zap apples showing their combined magic could create something extra special” Spike read a little about the zap apples “But this is only a legend though, the town has never been found or proven to even exist and if it did then it might be somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest”

I was curious about this “Erm... Spike”

“Yeah?”

“Can a pony from this town eat zap apples raw?” I asked with wonder.

He shrugs “Beats me, maybe. There no way to know without meeting one of those ponies but if this town did exist it long gone by now since that would have been close to over 1000 years ago if the legends of this myth of the first zap apples was true. But the name zap apple only came to because of Granny Smith”

Sweetie Belle was writing the notes down about this, she put the pencil down “We can use this girls, the myth and legends would be a strong source of fiction to the zap apples because no pony can prove or disprove it”

“Ya right Sweetie, let get to work!” For the next few hours, we were writing up notes doing drawings and looking through the old book. Finally Spike took the book away and told us he was going to take a snooze that he was putting his trust in us not to make a mess, for once I wasn't going to do this because I really needed to tell the girls about Zaps and it been hours since I had a chance to do so...

I watched for a moment then turn to them “Girls I got one of those zap apples” I whispered

“Yeah right” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.

I grinned walking out the door and came back with Applebloom's bag placing it on the ground “Hey that mah bag! How did ya...” she saw the zap apple. “Ya didn't”

“Nope I didn't” I sat there with a smile seeing the looks on their faces, it was priceless!

Sweetie glance at it then back at me “But who...”

“This is why I waited to tell you, girls...” I clear my throat with a cough then spoke to them about Zaps and how I found him in the barn in Sweet Apple Acres and everything he told me.

“Whoa...” both replied then Sweetie Belle put a hoof to her snout “You're telling me he was that dirty!? Has he ever heard of a bath?”

I shrugged “Beats me, I gather he hasn't” I chuckled lightly. “So girls like to go meet him? He's still in the barn waiting for me to return and I did promise I will be right back.”

Applebloom got up taking her bag putting the apple inside it “of course we should! Ah want to thank him for helping us in our project and we can help him learn things and even might get our cutie marks!”

“Great idea!” Sweetie Belle beamed

I got on my scooter putting the helmet back on “then what are we waiting for? Zap apple season?” they giggled getting onto the wagon that attached to my scooter. Then I saw Pinkie Pie walking away. “Did she...”

“Don't bother she Pinkie Pie remember” Applebloom giggled, with a roll of my eyes we were gone and heading back to the farm.

My heart skips a beat when I saw Applejack leaving the barn heading our way as we got off the scooter and wagon heading to it. “Whoa nilly girls what the rush?”

“Oh we forgot something in the barn, we just picking it up!” Applebloom said quickly to her.

“Ok sugarcube, see ya later, going to a picnic with mah friends” Applejack waved to us and trots off out of Sweet Apple Acres.

I sighed in relief and we all ran to the barn "Come on girls I like you to meet somepon...” suddenly we all slid to a stop seeing Big Macintosh standing over Zaps with a hay bay on his back what left of it with straw falling down around them and both of them looked right at us and all I could say was... “Ponyfeathers...”

Chapter 4: Looking Forwards

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 4: Looking Forwards

Silence between everypony, I was still on my back looking right up at Big Macintosh as he had moved tossing the hay off his back into a pile beside him, I wasn't sure what was going to happen now, it was so sudden, first Scootaloo found me, then I got too curious for my own good and now this... I slowly turned over and sat on my rump looking up at the large stallion then to Scootaloo and her friends.

Big Macintosh finally broke the silence glancing over to me “Applebloom this isn't a safe place to play games in, ah told yer before”

Applebloom spoke up “What!? Ah, don't even know who he is, big brother! Scootaloo told us she found somepony sleeping in our barn and wanted us to come to see him before we told ya or Applejack” Applebloom protested looking right at him as she said it and he looked at her.

Then his green eyes came to my eyes as he shifted his body a little “Then what are yer doing on our farm?” he came to be a look that gave a chill to the air as I shivered at that look he gave...

I gulped “Hey leave him be! It not his fault he ended up here because of those stupid timberwolves! They was chasing him last night and he seek safety here in this barn!” Scootaloo suddenly was in front of me in a stance that was protecting me... “I had to even give him a name because he didn't know his or how he got so deep in the Everfree Forest!” she jumped buzzing her wings rapidly before landing with a snort.

“Hey don't talk to mah brother like that Scootaloo!” Applebloom yelled out at her

“And scaring him isn't going to help!” Scootaloo yelled back.

“How he suppose to know! Yer just told us!”

“But he didn't have to give him such a cold look like that!”

“He was doing what he needed to do! Because that colt is on our farm!”

“That doesn't matter!”

“It does!”

“It does not!”

“IT DOES!”

“DOESN'T!”

Both of them had their heads press against each other eyes looked on each other with Sweetie Belle putting a hoof to her head seeing me look at them argue with a confused look and watch them continue to exchange words at each other till Big Macintosh step up putting both front hooves between them and slid them apart.

“Enough!” Big Macintosh voice boomed “Ah like to hear it from this young colt, so keep quiet!” both of them went silent seeing Big Macintosh stepped in on their argument.

Sweetie Belle nods “It would stop you two from arguing too”

Big Macintosh look right at Scootaloo this time “Yer said he didn't know his name so ya gave him one, what did ya name him?”

“Zaps! Big Mac, since he woke under some Everfree zap apple trees and can eat them as they are, so I thought it be a fitting name” Scootaloo replied with a smirk looking right at me with the corner of her eye winking at me. Then her expression changed “From what I know off him is that he knows almost nothing, so I am sure he doesn't even know his own family is”

“Really?” both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom look at me with what I could see was the surprise in their reaction.

Big Mac eyes turn back to me this time a calmer look. “Is this true?”

I pushed my front hoof against the ground a little sliding it backwards the lifting it and tapping it on the ground “It true...” 'what do I say to them or him... that he looks like the pony in my dreams is the only thing that I would call family even I didn't feel if that pony was my big brother or not... I really confused... I wish I just know who I am... what going to happen to me...'

My eyes slowly raised to his “Answer me truthful when ah ask ok?” I nod silently

“Do ya know where ya from?

“No”

“Do ya know ya age?”

“No”

“Do ya know who ya family is?”

“No...” tears started to fall from my eyes as I said the third 'no' I felt really sad and couldn't contain my sadness

Big Mac seeing me in tears felt taken back at the questions he just asked but the final question he had to ask “Do ya know where is ya going? Or where ya be going to?”

“No... NO NO NO!!!!!” I cried out as I started to sob and cry hard with me lying there with my front hooves over my eyes as I just cried my heart out. “I... don't... have... anything part... from... my... zap apples...” I said between my sobs.

I was crying for not sure how long but I just kept crying... I felt sick as I did and sniffing as my nose ran a little from all the emotions flooding through, I was truly lost...

Suddenly I felt three sets of hooves and slowly raised my head with my eyes burning from the tears still falling through my furry face, I saw the girls called the Cutie Mark Crusaders if I remembered right hugging me. “That not cool” Scootaloo whispered

“Yeah come on ya got us as yer friend” Applebloom added

“So your not alone you got the Cutie Mark Crusaders to help you!” Sweetie Belle spoke as they continued to try and help me feel better I softly smiled but it soon faded.

Scootaloo saw the short happiness I had “Friends help each other out Zaps, even your in a rough spot you got us, as one thing I like what Rainbow Dash said to me is 'never leave a friend hanging' and that what you are to me a friend and we leave no friend hanging” I slowly looked to her then the others they nodding to her words. I sniffed a little rubbing my eyes as they broke away from the hug.

“Th-thank you...” I said very quietly sitting there between them, suddenly I felt the large hoof touch me on my back slightly and I turn to meet the cream hoof followed with red fur leg to the eyes of Big Macintosh once more.

He lowered his head to my eye level “How about we sort out these problems after ya had a good bath” I looked at my front legs seeing they still covered in mud, dirt, leaves, and twigs.

“We can help!” Applebloom beamed

Sweetie Belle nods “Even if we don't get our cutie marks for doing this it the right thing to do!”

“I'm in!” Scootaloo raised her hoof and the other two clapped their hooves with hers. “Hey Zaps come on raise your hoof and clap with us, then you be truly our new friend”

I looked to Big Mac with a bit of nervousness he just smiled and gave me a nod. I walked over to them and jump up on my hind legs and place my right hoof against theirs with a 'clop' then they cheered together “Cutie Mark Crusaders! Helpers! YAY!” I also blurted out the 'yay' part with them and they all stared at me.

“So-sorry...”

“Nah it cool” Scootaloo put her hoof around my back and push me against her “Your a pony needing of some awesome friends, even we all just met moment ago, your going to enjoy it here in Ponyville and what better way to start things off being our friends” she poked me with her other hoof on my chest.

“Yeah like Scootaloo said, ya now a friend and we might be able to make things even better by making ya a crusader like is to find our cutie marks!” Applebloom added looking at me with a smile. “What ya think?”

I turn my head to the ground “maybe when I get used to all this suddenness maybe I could join... could I get used to all this first... if it ok?” I raised my head looking to the trio.

Sweetie Belle replied to this “Sure that cool with us right girls?”

“Right!”

“For now it cleans up time!” Sweetie Belle steps up behind me and started to push me back onto all four hooves, she continues to push my towards to exit of the barn “Come on its time to get you all cleaned up!” I heard the movement of the others following behind me as Sweetie Belle continued to push me, my hooves skidding against the dirt.

I quickly got my legs working and walking as she finally stopped pushing me “Right towards the house over there!” Applebloom said and runs ahead of us “Ah'll get the tub filled and ready!”

Big Mac only replied with a simple “Eeyup”

I looked around as we walked taking into the view of the farm, I could see apple trees all over the place as far as my eyes could see. But they wasn't holding the zap apples they had red and green apples on them. “What kind of apples are those?” I asked with wonder.

“They normal apples, the zap apples only come around this time of year.” Big Macintosh explained to me “We have Apple Cider season, apple bucking season and zap apple season. It where we make the money to feed ourselves and keep the farm going with paying bills and keeping roof over our heads. But that nothing for ya to worry about yer too young” Big Macintosh chuckled lightly as we continued to walk, I didn't get really what he meant by bills and paying but I guess it was important for him but not for me the way he said it to me.

I saw the house coming into view and what seem to be a sign at the entrance of the farm, I soon saw Applebloom standing by a large tub of soapy warm water before us, I blinked a few times. “How did she do that so fast?”

“When you get sap all over ya, we learn to get ourselves cleaned up fast," and then Scootaloo chuckled “And with our club house in the area of Sweet Apple Acres it comes down to practice” Scootaloo explained to me as we stopped before the tub.

“In ya get” I yelped with shock as Big Macintosh grab me with one of his forelegs and tossed me into the water with a splash, I surfaced coughing a little and saw them laughing. I looked up and saw why I had a crown shape bubble suds on top of my head. I laughed a little as well. “Now get yerself cleaned up while ah talk to Granny Smith” Big Macintosh walked into the house and I looked over at the girls as I sat in the water using my front hooves to start cleaning myself.

I was puzzled again when I was doing this and the girls noticed it “Look like you know how to clean yourself” Sweetie Belle said to me

I thought about it “I do not sure how... it like I have done it before but I don't know when or how...” I rubbing the dirt out of my fur.

Scootaloo shrugged “Not sure what we can do to help you on that one Zaps, if you know how to clean yourself it means you did it before. Even if you forgot when you did” Scootaloo turn to Applebloom next to her “What do you think Applebloom?”

“Ah haven't got a clue, never met anypony with a complete gap in their memory like ya Zaps,” Applebloom said to me and I did wonder myself why I did have this gap in memory... I sighed heavily “Don't feel bad please... ah'm sorry...” Applebloom turns to the others “Let talk about something else, this just making him feel bad and sad...”

Scootaloo flapping her wings rapidly hovering a little and lands on her hooves “We can talk about our home town Ponyville!”

“Yeah!” both replied.

The girls told me about Ponyville, the key locations such as Golden Oak Library, Sugarcube Corner, the Carousel Boutique, School House, Bowling alley and many other places around the town. They told me also about Applebloom's sister and her friends. I wasn't sure how much time was going by but we just sat there and besides the tub after my watch listening to them talk about Ponyville learning a lot from them and happy to know this town I was in and how peaceful it was for the most part.

“Do you remember how we raced all over town just to hear the stories of how Rarity and the others got their cutie marks?” Sweetie Belle giggled as I wondered about these stories.

“Hehe yeah” Scootaloo replied

Applebloom turns to me “If ya wondering Zaps, Rainbow Dash did this move called a Sonic Rainboom when she was about our age and chain of events lead to mah sister and their friends all getting their cutie marks. From singing with animals, finding some crystals, parties, magic, racing and finding where yer belong, it was really something when we heard all those stories” Applebloom explained to me about it.

“That really sounds amazing, I not even sure how you get a cutie mark. I know what they are, the symbols on the flank but not quite sure what they mean though...” I rubbing my head a little with my hoof.

Scootaloo put a hoof over my back and I looked to her “It your special talent, we been trying all sort of things but nothing came up”

I thought about it but couldn't really think of anything part from the strange tingling feelings I had among the zap apple trees. “So... if I find out what I am good at then focus on it then there a chance I get one of these cutie marks?”

“Basically yes” Applebloom replied.

“So what are you three good at?” I asked with wonder.

They look to each other then back to me “We not completely sure, we kinda tried lot of things” Scootaloo gave her answer

“Yeah, we kind of get into a bit of trouble half the time” Sweetie Belle rubbing her right hoof over her left front leg.

“Ya will get it soon young'uns” they all turn and I did to gasp in shock seeing whom it was. “Ya must be the young colt Zaps that Big Macintosh spoke of, Ah'm Granny Smith”

I step back a little getting up on my hooves “Y-your the one with th-those pans...”

“Yes ah was yer do not need to fret young colt, ah not going to harm ya. So Zaps how today been?” she said in a kind steady voice.

I look to the girls then saw Big Macintosh standing there behind Granny Smith. “Is it almost over already?” I took notice of what she said and look to the sky seeing the sun was almost set and the moon starting to appear. “Have we been sitting here and talking all day?”

“Well, the afternoon but it been cool” Scootaloo answered. “Now you know more about our home town Ponyville”

I turn to the barn “I better get my zap apples and go... I am sorry for being on your land without permission Miss Smith...” I turn to head to the barn.

“Hold on there sugarcube did ya say zap apples?” I turn and nod to her. “Ya pick them from the Everfree forest?”

“Yes... I only remember waking up there and finding myself under one set then found another set sometime after, maybe a day or two... not quite sure, that when I found Applebloom's bag and used it to carry my find and also found some old photo in a stinky old bag, it still in her bag” I remembered not taking it out and got a surprised look from the old mare.

“Did ya say photo?” I nod “Well ah'll be, that old bag was mine, ah lost it on my second trip to the zap apples with mah pa... that when ah lost that photo too...” she smiled softly looking to Big Macintosh “Ya right about this young'un he got an Apple within”

“Apple within?” I blinked in confusion “What do you mean?” I turn around looking at her for an answer to what she said.

Big Macintosh steps up to me and I looked right up at him. “It means ya staying here till we find yer, family”

I stared wide-eyed and so did Applebloom “Wh-what!? Ya mean he staying here!? Applejack won't allow that Big Mac! He's not an Apple, but just some random colt that has no memory of where he from or how he got in the forest!”

I had to agree to Applebloom it was true all of it... “I don't want to be a bother... I can find somewhere to...” I was cut off by Big Macintosh putting a hoof over my snout gentle and smiled at me.

“Ah won't take no for an answer Zaps, ah will deal with AJ when the time comes, Granny and ah talk to over and agreed that ya better off staying with us. Tonight ya have something to eat with us, get some rest in our guest room and tomorrow we see what happens” Big Macintosh said to me.

I look to Applebloom “Ah say it strange we doin' this but ah okay with it, also in return, he can help us with the school project”

“He already has” Scootaloo cuts in “He gave me an Everfree zap apple which means we got what we needed!” Scootaloo told her.

“Since Y'all helped Zaps out why don't ya all come in for something to eat then ah take ya and Sweetie Belle home,” Big Macintosh said to Scootaloo then glance to Sweetie Belle.

They both smiled happily “Yes please Big Mac!”

“Then all ya get in and at the table” Big Mac smiled and they rushed in. Granny Smith gave me a smile and hint for me to come in, she enters the house leaving me and Big Mac looking at each other “Come on Zaps, in ya come” he put the hoof to the door and I wasn't sure if I was very happy or scared but I choose to enter by request and step through the door into their house.

'Is this what Luna meant about telling those at Sweet Apple Acres what happened to me... that I have something to look forwards?'

Author's Notes:

Well here is the next chapter of Zaps Apple and hope you all continue to enjoy it. I been looking through it over and over again today as I finished typing this up, if there any grammar errors I apologise now to you all now ^^ Also if you kindly show my where these errors are I can make a mend to it.

Also if anyone willing to help me out PM me please and gladly accept any help and send ya the chapter to look through ahead of being posted up.

So hope you all continue to like this story and hope you enjoy it!

As I said before I will accept any help from you guys and glad to hear what you got to say. Just don't say "The grammar mistakes are doing my eyes in and can't read this anymore..." that won't help me to improve this.

Thanks to all those that enjoying this so far that why I am posting this up two days ahead of the usually time table ^^

Electuroo

Chapter 5: True New Beginning

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 5: True New Beginning

“That great Zaps!” I been sitting with Applebloom learning a bit more about things on Sweet Apple Acres and Ponyville, she been a real big help through the evening as Big Macintosh had left to take home Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo leaving us in the care of the elderly pony Granny Smith who had fallen asleep in the rocking chair not too far from where we sat.

Applebloom point to the picture before me “Now tell me each of their names and what they do” Applebloom instructed me to do.

I took a good look at the photo before us. “Rainbow Dash, she the weather mare and one that train with her amazing moves over Sweet Apple Acres time and again” I point to the rainbow pony, Applebloom nods “This one is Pinkie Pie, she very random and loves to throw parties.” Then I look to Applebloom “I still don't get what you mean by very random or about parties... what exactly is a party?”

Applebloom giggled “it full of fun, music, games, food and sometimes have gifts. Also friend and families come to...” she trailed off seeing how I looked when she said families. “Ah'm sorry...”

I gave a smile to her “It ok Applebloom.” I decided to move on pointing my hoof to the next “Rarity, a designer in wears and also the older sister to Sweetie Belle, next to her is Fluttershy, she lives near the Everfree Forest in a cottage and looks after animals of many sorts”

“Eeyup that right, ya good at remembering once ya saw something.” Applebloom turns to me.

I rubbed my head a little feeling a little with a sheepish smile “I don't how though that it...” then I look to the photo looking at the next few ponies “That Twilight Sparkle, she got that title of princess right?” I saw Applebloom give a soft nod. “That her brother... erm... erm...” I looked at the white stallion rubbing my head a little. “Shield Shining?”

“Nope”

“Armour Star?”

“Nope”

“Erm... Shining Star?” I said with a big grin.

“Now ya just throwin' random names, but yer was close. That Shining Armour” Applebloom corrected me.

I groaned a little “I almost had it... just didn't put those two words together” then I look to the dragon “Spike right?”

“Eeyup”

“He is a dragon... are all dragons that small?” I asked with wonder.

She giggled in reply “Nope silly he's only a baby dragon.”

I look to the photo and felt rather sadden when looking at it more closely, they was all together smiling and having a great time at that shining place where ever it was... “I wish I had something like this... maybe it could of help me to remember who I truly am...” I whispered with some tears falling.

Applebloom put a hoof over me “It ok Zaps, ya can make new memories with me and mah friends, mah family and others in Ponyville, ya will have ya own photo like this to keep than”

“You really think so?” I rubbed my eyes a little

“Ah know so!” Applebloom smiled pulling out a book with her mouth placing it on the ground “Shall we continue?”

I nod to her “Sure thing Applebloom” I look to the cover “Crystal Empire?”

“Eeyup that where this here photo was taken” Applebloom point the background in the photo.

I turn over the pages looking at the images and writing “Wow this place sounds like an amazing place and I thought the dreams I had of that town and castle surrounded by zap apple trees was amazing” I said looking at the images of the empire in the book.

Applebloom turn the page “That crystal ponies, they all shiny and such, ah only know it something to do with that here Crystal Heart under the palace. But ah only saw the palace from a distance once from the train station” she gave me a curious look about what I said. “A town with nothing by zap apple trees around it hay?”

“Yeah it kind of been a place in my dreams but the last time I dreamt it Luna was there talking to me and the same events from before played out... it kind of weird place, about twenty or so buildings and some festival happening. Other then that I know nothing of that place or where it is...” I replied trying to figure out why I only see it in my dreams and not my own memories. “Luna told me is a place within my memories... but I don't remember it other then what I see in my dreams...”

Applebloom tapping her hoof on her snout a little “Strange...” suddenly our chat was cut short by the sound of voices outside the house, one I knew instantly it was Applejack's

“Sugarcube ah know Y'all for winnin' but look at what ya did to ya wing Rainbow Dash”

The next voice must be Rainbow Dash's “Hehe yeah I kind of did over do it, but hey we won didn't we? We proved to be the better team over those stallions”

“So true RD, but ya sprained that wing of yer's doing that crazy triple rainbow whatiz” Applejack replied as the voices came clearer and closer to the door of the house both me and Applebloom look to each other and before either of us to react the sound of the door opening came to our ears.

We both saw Applejack walking into the room with Rainbow Dash “Howdy Sis!” Applebloom said in a instant. “How was the bowlin' sis?”

Applejack smiled to her “It was a great game, Rainbow won it for us by a single pin”

“Yep pure awesome all the way” Rainbow grinned with pride “Just cost me a few muscles in the wing though” she look to her bandaged up right wing. “Can't fly for a day or two but totally worth it”

“Ya say that now Rainbow and then by tomorrow ya be whining little a foal” Applejack turn to Rainbow Dash then noticed me “Well nelly who this little guy? A friend of ya Applebloom?”

Applebloom wasn't sure how to answer that “Well...”

Rainbow Dash came eye level with me “That mane really make you look awesome squirt” I didn't get a chance to reply.

“Well ah don't mind ya havin' friends around but with Rainbow off her wings ah goin' to ask for him to go Applebloom” I gulped as she said it. I had no where to go, Big Macintosh said I could stay here... I was sure he said it.

Applebloom saw me turn more into my silence and not reply to this looking to the ground. “Zaps...” she whispered and I heard. “Applejack ya can't just ask him to leave like that! Specially...”

“Applebloom it late, his family is most likely worried about him!” Applejack replied with a deeper tone of voice being serious. “Now young'un it time for ya to leave, pack ya things...” I closed my eyes feeling very alone... I don't know my family... I don't have anything...

Applebloom protested “That it sis! He doesn't know his own family! He hardly knows anything! YA CAN'T THROW HIM OUT!!!!!” She screamed waking Granny Smith in the process.

“Huh? Wha?” she looking around and the sound of thundering hoof steps could be heard.

Rainbow Dash turn and did a jump flipping in a spin three times before landing on her hooves to have Big Macintosh slide to a stop where she was. “Whoa...” Rainbow Dash saw the look Big Mac's eyes “Erm Mac...”

“Applejack what ya doin'!?” he instantly asked as I was behind Applebloom for her protection.

Applejack look to me then back to her brother. “Ah was just saying for him to go home and all the sudden Applebloom... jus... just snapped at me saying he has no idea whom his family is or know much...”

Big Macintosh came up to me putting a hoof on me pushing me close to him a little “That is true, Scootaloo found Zaps in the barn this mornin' and went to find her friends, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle came back to find that ah already found him. From what ah know he awoke in the Everfree Forest with being his first memories. Ah believe him and will do what it takes to keep him safe”

“Say what!?” Rainbow Dash blurted out then put both her hooves over her mouth getting a glare from Big Macintosh. “Sorry big guy but this colt Zaps really have it that bad?” he nods “Whoa... that is not cool...” she turn to me walking up to me and putting a hoof out “Name Rainbow Dash, pleasure to meet ya Zaps”

I put my hoof against hers and shook slowly and removed it. “Ah don't believe this, ya saying this colt staying here under our roof because he said he can't remember anything? Where ya born yesterday?”

Rainbow Dash looks to me in the eyes and I was shaking a little in fear but she blinked a few times and smirked “If he was then he a very good liar because all I can see is one pretty scared colt”

“Rainbow Dash are ya serious?” Applejack looked right at me and I was looking back at her shaking still from her reactions so far. “Unless ya have proof there no way this colt staying here on...”

“Applejack!” we all turn to Granny Smith staring at her granddaughter. “What gotten into ya!? How can ya say such a thing!? Ah believe him so ya saying ah'm gullible!?”

“Yeah and Scootaloo was the one that gave his name! He doesn't even know his own true name!” Applebloom was on my side and glaring at her big sister.

“Eeyup” Big Macintosh confirms it and backs up it up.

Applejack looking back at me “Is this true? Scootaloo gave ya Y'all name?”

I swallowed hard “Y-y-yes...” I managed to say stepping back a little and turn to run for the door but didn't get far when I felt something grab me by the tail and lift me up off my hooves “Please don't hurt me! I don't want to go back to the darkness! I don't want to go back to that scary forest!! Please don't throw me back in there! PLEASE!!!!!” I had my eyes shut screaming out in fear with my words pleading to not go back to the Everfree Forest.

“Ah won't” my heart was raising but when I heard her voice my eyes slowly open to see her still holding my tail by her mouth and I hanging upside down looking right at her as I looked down which was up but... urg my head was hurting a little but I was frozen looking at her eys. “Ah believe ya” she said in a muffled voice and place me down on my hooves.

I quickly scrambled over to the nearest body which was Rainbow Dash and hid behind her from Applejack. “Wow great going AJ, that was a great idea, make me scream out in fear so you get the truth...” Rainbow Dash said to Applejack “Was that really needed?”

“Ah got to agree with ya Applejack... that was a bit OTT” Applebloom added.

Big Macintosh put a hoof to his head “AJ ya own him an apology, a big one as most”

She took her hat off placing it to her chest sitting there “Ah'm really sorry.... ah just went a bit over the top as Applebloom said... ah shouldn't of done that”

Granny Smith look to Big Mac “take Zaps up to ya room, we will sort this out in the mornin' and Applejack can work on her apology for this” she glared at her granddaughter.

Applejack put her hat back on her head with a sigh “That ah will... Rainbow Ah show ya to the guest room”

“Alright Applejack, Zaps don't worry about AJ, she real friendly, you can trust me” she winked at me and walked with Applejack out of the room.

I sat there with Applebloom sitting alongside me. “Wow that was intense”

“It was... I thought my heart was going to jump out the way I felt there... I was so scared... I couldn't control my outburst...” I said thinking about the words I just said shaking a little with fear.

Big Macintosh put his head under me, I was on his back and he looked at me “Alright time for some shut-eye” I nod in acceptance. “Goodnight Y'all”

“Goodnight!” Granny and Applebloom both replied as Big Mac carried me off to his room.

Soon I found myself inside his room and saw sitting in the corner and make shift bed “That be ya bed Zaps, it not much but ah thought it be best if ah watch over ya tonight”

“Thank you Big Maac” I jump off him and onto the bed “It beats sleeping in a log or hay bay”

He chuckled softly “Ah bet it does. Here have this” I saw a soft toy before me.

I took it and it felt soft to the touch but the plushly looked like it had better days “Thank you, Big Mac, it awesome, but why are you giving me it?”

“Smarty Pants ah think would be good with ya. It will help ya sleep” he whispers to me pulling the covers over me as I laid down, he started to hum a tune to me.

I yawned a little “But... I...” I couldn't keep my eyes open the soft tune he was humming was soft and smooth it made me very sleepy... I yawned once more before drifting to sleep holding the doll close to me...

Tonight was sudden and scary with Applejack but things turn around for the better soon afterwards and for the first time as I just about to go to sleep as I look back in my memories this was the first step of a new beginning for me... maybe she won't be so scary tomorrow and maybe get along with her... Maybe things are truly a new start for me...

One question that came to mind was...

'Are they going to be my new family?'

Chapter 6: Bunnies and Watering Cans

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 6: Bunnies and Watering Cans

The wind and the speed, this is sweet. Time to show my stuff and get to Sweet Apple Acres on the double! Sweetie Belle was most likely on her way there too. I zip pass a few ponies doing some of my tricks on my scooter. I was still thinking about Zaps since last night, he was so new to everything that it just felt weird. I slowed down by Golden Oak's Library and looked to it, I thought about Zaps not knowing much about Equestria...

“I wonder...” I got off my scooter walking over to the door giving it a knock

“Coming!” the door opened. Twilight stood there with a smile “Morning Scootaloo what brings you to the library this morning?”

I walked in. “Oh I came by to see if I could pick up anything for a friend of mine. He rather new to Ponyville and kind of Equestria... and lots of other things.”

Twilight frown at me. “He’s from outside Equestria?” She questioned incredulously.

“Erm... I’m really not sure...”

“Scootaloo what’s going on?” Twilight closed the door behind her.

I took my helmet off placing it on the side. “It kind of hard to explain...”

Twilight sat down at her table “What exactly hard to explain about this pony?”

“You see... urm... well...” I felt rather warm all the sudden not quite sure what to say then I just sighed.

Twilight still had a questionable look upon her face. “Well?”

“I found him in Applejack's barn yesterday and he has no memories of who he is or where he came from, and the fact is I even had to give him his name and help him to even learn to eat at a table with my friends. That and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since last night!” I said rapidly and fast to Twilight Sparkle, when I finished I took a deep breath.

Twilight smiled. “It seem you have a crush.~”

“What!? Please! I am not that sappy! I just want to really help him out! I want to do whatever it takes to help him!” I protested. “Like Rainbow Dash says! 'I never leave a pony hangin’!' and that what I plan to do! I want to really really help him out! That all!”I insisted, probably a bit too loudly than I should have.

Twilight put her front hooves up. “Ok, I get it Scootaloo, you don't need to explode on me.” She smiled softly. “So you gave him his name huh?” I nod. “Interesting, especially how that a colt around your age found himself in the barn in the first place.”

“Oh! About that... erm I forgot to say that he awoke in the middle of the Everfree Forest first and had a close escape from some Timberwolves.” I laughed nervously.

She stared at me when I said it. “Say what?”

“Uh, well his first memories were of some darkness of a nightmare and then waking up under Zap Apple Trees!” I said while feeling slightly annoyed.

She walked back and forwards now before me. “Strange... I never got a letter from Princess Celestia or Luna about this... something like this happening I thought I would of heard about it specially sudden appearance of a colt in the Everfree Forest...”

I watched as she went into one of her 'egghead modes' and rolled my eyes half the things she was saying now was getting really cheesy and boring that all I could hear was 'blah blah blah'... so I went to a book shelf and looked at all the books, I saw one that caught my eyes Recent Equestria Addition Encyclopedia I pulled it out and turn to the back of the book. “Newest update of maps, history and events that taken place in the last 1000 years.” I whispered. “Might be a bit egg headed but if it help Zaps out then I'll take it!”

Twilight was standing over me when she spoke. “Ah, I see you found the newest addition to my library!”

“AH!” I jumped back. “What the hay Twilight!?”

“Sorry, I was rambling on and noticed you weren’t paying attention to what I was saying.” Twilight looked to the book and back me. “About this colt, where exactly is he right now?”

I forgot to tell her his name and put a hoof to my head. “His name is Zaps, Twilight, and he’s over at Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh and Granny Smith both agreed that he could stay on the farm till further notice, that’s where I was going until I stopped here.” I explained to her.

Twilight got up and called out to up the stairs. “Spike! Spike!”

Spike, I saw came down the steps a moment later. “What is it Twilight? I was about to have one of my bubble baths.” First thing that came to my mind when he said it was a 5 to 7 hours long bubble bath and I just rolled my eyes.

Twilight also rolled her eyes with wings flared open. “Good thing I did call then, your bubble baths usual take anywhere from 5 to 7 hours easy...” She turned to me. “I need a letter sent to Princess Celestia at once about a young colt named Zaps, from what Scootaloo told me this colt found himself with little or no memories before waking up in the Everfree Forest.”

Spike just stood there with a few blinks “Something like that would have been noticed by the princess right?”

I just shrugged “Beats me, I just found him in the barn but Luna spoken to him in the dreams.”

“WHAT!?” I covered my ears instantly as Twilight yelled out at me. “Princess Luna already spoken to him via his dreams!? Why didn't you tell me in the first place!?”

I slowly uncovered my ears from the ringing I got from her outburst. “It slipped my mind.” I grinned sheepishly at Twilight.

She groaned while putting a hoof to her head. “And I had to learn of this from you Scootaloo...” She turned back to Spike. “Please write a letter at once to both princesses.”

“Ok!” he went over to the stand taking a quill and scroll. “Ready, Twilight!”

“Dear Princess Celestia and Luna, I have learned from Scootaloo, a young filly who lives in Ponyville, about a young colt that awoke with no knowledge of whom he is or where he came from, from what I can guess he found his way out of the Everfree Forest and onto the farm of Sweet Apple Acres where he currently a resident to as well.

I also found out that Princess Luna had contact with Zaps via his dreams for the last few days and maybe responsible to aiding his escape from the forest. I do not know much at this time and will press on with an investigation on the matter at hoof, but I do like to know if it alright to do so since this a young colt about the age of some of the youngsters that live within Ponyville.

I await your reply.

Your Former Student,

Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight finished saying what needed to be said for the letter and turned to Spike.

“Got it all down Twilight, shall I send it?”

“Please do.” Spike rolled it up and blew his flame through it burning it up in the green flames.

My eyes lit up seeing it in action. “Now that’s something! I wonder if us crusaders could send a letter to Princess Celestia on how to get our cutie marks?” I got a look from Twilight that made me gulp. “Or maybe not?” I laughed nervously rubbing my head a little.

Twilight sighed but picked up the book with her magic and we followed her out of the library. “Use my cart to carry the book back to Sweet Apple Acres, just bring it back in one piece, please.” She put the book into the cart and attached it to my scooter. “Me and Spike will most likely be around later today to meet Zaps for a friendly visit, I won't press the matter unless the princesses believe I should.”

I got my helmet on after Spike gave it to me. “Thanks, Spike”

“No problem.” Spike replied and I turn to Twilight

“Alright Twilight, I promise to bring it back in one piece. I’ll see you at Sweet Apple Acres, later on.” I got onto my scooter. “Thanks for letting me borrow this book!”

“I am always willing to help Scootaloo.” I smirked with a salute and with that I rapidly flapped my wings and soon I was on my way back to Sweet Apple Acres, I waved back to them on the way out.

As I got closer to Sweet Apple Acres I could hear singing which sounded like Granny Smith and Applejack when I got closer to the farm. I couldn't believe my eyes. I stopped my scooter right between Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom. I instantly took my helmet off staring at Applejack singing to the watering cans... and hopping over them like a bunny?

I stared at what I was seeing; I was half expecting Apple Bloom to be doing this since I did help out last time with Granny Smith with my friends but this... Applejack in a big blue bunny suit jumping over water cans singing A,B,C to it... “Rainbow what gonna on?”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Applejack's punishment for scaring Zaps last night.”

“Wow... so who’s idea was it for Applejack to sing to the watering cans?” I was still a little surprised seeing Applejack and wondering about the punishment. Then I saw Zaps trying to copy them in another bunny suit but as he did two jumps he fell flat on his face. “Zaps?”

He got up rubbing his snout a little. “I'm not so good at this...” He sighed then turned to me. “Oh, hi Scootaloo. Don't I look cool?” He smiled looking over himself in the bunny suit. “This red one Granny Smith had in spare and said I could try doing this singing the watering cans thing.”

Zaps rather looked silly in it but this is the best mood I seen since I found him yesterday. “You look amazing!” I replied. “So Applejack scared ya?”

“Huh uh. But she said sorry and she’s doing this with me to make up for what happened. That’s what she said anyway.” Zap rubbed his head with his hoof covered in the bunny paw suit. “After doing this, Big Macintosh said I can come with him to help water the zap apple trees with these cans.”

Granny Smith turned to Zaps. “Well wipper snapper give us a hoof then.”

“Ok.” Zaps turn to me “Wan’t to help?”

I shrugged. “Yeah why not, better than doing nothing.”

Rainbow Dash put a set of bunny ears over my head. “That the spirit Scoots, have fun!”

Funny thing, that’s exactly what happened. Me and Apple Bloom joined in to help sing and jump over the watering cans with Zaps, Granny Smith and Applejack. We were having an amazing time, even Zaps fell over a few times and I did as well. It was all in good fun to help out for the Zap Apple Harvest.

'I wonder if the Zap Apple Jam will taste even better than last year?' I thought as we finished doing the little hop and sing to the cans. Big Macintosh loaded the cans onto the cart turning to Applejack. “Don't wait on my part Big Mac, ah’ll be there soon as ah get this thing off.” I watched Big Macintosh help get the costume off Zaps then hoofed it to Applejack. “See yer two at the trees!” Applejack turn and trotted back into the house with Granny Smith and Apple Bloom.

Rainbow Dash stood by the wagon looking at it “Scootaloo why do you have a book like this?” she pulled it out showing it to me. “Isn't it kind of an egghead book?”

“Yeah I know, Rainbow.” I giggled nervously. “It’s to help Zaps since he doesn’t know anything about Equestria and what happened, like you and the others being the awesome element bearers!” I explained why I had that book in the first place. “Also the wagon is Twilight's I promised to bring it back to her in one piece..”

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to me. “That swell Scootaloo, great to see somepony looking out for Zaps.” I smiled seeing she was happy with what I was doing. “Now why don't you go join him and help, if Sweetie Belle come’s by I will let her know where you are.”

I kept my smile. “Sure, thanks Rainbow!” I was about to run off then turn to the wagon. “What about...”

“Don't sweat it, I'll take care of this stuff and you go help them.” Rainbow Dash stood by my scooter tapping it with her hoof.

I gave her a swift nod and galloped after the others. “Thanks Rainbow Dash!” I called out as I left her to take care of my things. I had some catching up to do, 'I wish I learned to fly already! It so annoying that I can't...'

I arrived at the zap apple trees to just find Big Macintosh with Zaps with a large cart full of watering cans. “Big Mac are we going to water all of them with these?” Zaps asked while tapping one of the cans with his hoof.

“Eeyup, it part of how we make zap apple jam, when we finish we will get one of our spare jars out so ya can try some on bread.” Big Macintosh said to Zaps with a warm smile putting a hoof to his head.

I saw Zaps looking over excited over helping Big Mac, I didn't see any fun in doing this, I rather be crusading for my cutie mark rather than watering some tree, but if it means helping Zaps out I can bite I guess... “Hey could I leand a hoof?” I called out walking up to the two earth ponies.

Big Mac gave me a strange look. “Ya want to help water the zap apples? That rather strange of ya Scootaloo...” Big Mac was giving me a real questionable look now walking around me with a stern stare with his green eyes.

Zaps spoke up. “Maybe Scootaloo just wanted to help me? I did notice that book in that wagon she had..”

’He saw that thing!? Great now he is going to call me...’

“I don't really know why she wants to, but isn't help, help?” He asked.

Big Mac turned to Zaps then back to me. “Hmm... Eeyup!” he turned around, heading over to the wagon. “Very well, ya’all can help but none of your crazy crusader ideas.” he turned his head slightly to me looking at me with the corner of one of his eyes.

I put my hoof over my head. “Yes sir! Understood sir!”

Zaps watched me and looked at his own hoof then copied me “What exactly does this mean? Putting your hoof over your head like this?”

“Oh it just means I’m saluting him and that I understand what he meant and will do what he asked...” he blinked at me. “It means also means he is the boss and I have to take orders from him.”

Zaps turned back to Big Mac “Is that right?”

“Eeyup, now come along yer’ two, ah’d like to get started before Applejack get back from the house.” Big Mac took a look around. “Ya two will work on these trees, tip the can and use only about a quarter of the water from it, it should be more than enough. Understood?”

Zaps look into the watering can then at the tree “Wouldn't they need more water than that? They look rather big…”

“Normal they would but they magical trees.” Big Macintosh replied putting a hoof to one. “Never buck one or ya get shocked.”

I remembered what happened to Sweetie Belle and started to laugh. “Hehe funny you say that, Apple Bloom warned Sweetie Belle and she got zapped when bucking one.” I laughed a bit more.

Zaps gave a confused look at me when I was laughing. “But I bucked one in annoyance after hurting my front leg and didn't get shocked, but nothing happened to the tree either.” My laughter disappeared as I stared at him so did Big Macintosh.

“Ok, buck the tree.” I wanted to see this for myself.

Big Macintosh raised his hoof. “Not right now, Scootaloo, ah’m curious about this as ya are, but we got to water these trees before this afternoon when the next storm blows over. Also you are the one who asked to help out.”

I sighed. “Fine... after ok?”

“Eeyup!” Big Macintosh put the watering can before us. “Now ya two start with these trees.”

“Yes sir!” I saluted

Zaps look to the can the back at him. “Erm... ok, so how do we use this?”

I smacked a hoof to my head. “Let me show you Zaps and then we work together on each one ok?”

“Alright, Scootaloo.” Zaps watched me and I felt rather nervous from that, but I pulled it over using my mouth while dragging it, then I tipped it a little letting some of the water out of the can onto the tree before pulling it back. I wiped my head. “Wow that’s tougher than I thought it would be and not so much fun either... I can't believe I am doing farm work... if...” I turn to see Zaps listening to me.

'Gah! I can't give him a bad impression... just act cool'

Zaps came up beside them. “Guess Big Mac put us together for a reason then; they do look heavy when filled with water. Maybe working together we can do it easier.” His idea was sound but boy it was so boring...

Zaps and I moved the can to the next tree lifting it and pouring it on. “Only two trees and I'm already bored out of my mind...” I groaned. “And it a lot of hard work...”

“Because it is sugarcube, it not a simple instant to do task, ya just goin' to have to put up with it.” we turn to see Applejack standing there before us. “How about this, if ya two water these trees here before we do the other three quarters, ah will personally take both of ya and the other girls on a whirl wind tour Crystal Empire for a few days. After zap apple harvest though.”

“Seriously!? You’re not pulling my leg!” I beamed at this chance. “I heard that the Wonderbolts are going to be there next week!”

Zaps gave both of us a confused look. “What the Wonderbolts and what is this Crystal Empire?”

I put a hoof around him. “Two of the coolest things around, so how about we win this race and get that award!”

Zaps smiled looking to me. “We have to do it right. Right Applejack?” he turned to her.

“Indeed sugarcube. Besides, we a bit behind as it is, so a game would make the job go a little faster and with ya youngin' helping me and Big Mac we be done in time.” Applejack cross over her left hooves over her right. “So children up for the challenge?” Big Mac now stood by her with both mare and stallion smirking at us.

I turn to Zaps. “Are you in Zaps?”

“Ok, I'll give it my best shot…” Zaps replied with an unsure voice, I could easily guess he’s not sure why we are doing this, but he was going to go along with it which made it even sweeter to know.

“Sound like somepony doing a bit of a competition, may I be the judge?” We all turn to see Twilight with Spike on her back.

Zaps looked to her and points. “Hey you’re a Alicorn like the night guardian Luna, are you related to her?”

Twilight almost fell at this and gasped. “Well not really, but since my brother is married to Cadance and she is kind of the niece of Luna, I guess you could say I am.” she then smiled “You must be Zaps, I heard about you from Scootaloo here.” He nodded in reply.

“Howdy Twi, Spike” Applejack came up to them. “Zaps, ah like ya to meet mah good friends Twilight Sparkle and Spike.”

“Hi Zaps!” Spike waved at him.

Zaps looked at his claw hands then at his own fore hoof and furrowed his brow. “Why does he have strange shaped hooves?” Spike started to laugh but stopped after receiving a glare from Twilight. “Did I say something wrong?” He blinked

Twilight shook her head “Not at all, he has claws; he is a baby dragon and my number one assistant”

“Dra-dr-dra...g...g...” He tried to say it

“Dr-ag-gon..” He continued to stutter.

Zaps kept trying to repeat what Twilight said “Drag-dragon...”

“Correct!” Spike gave him a thumbs up. “So what about this race huh?”

“Oh right, ya two can judge.” Applejack replied turning to Big Mac. “Fine by ya brother?”

“Eeyup!”

Zaps spoke up while walking around some of the trees looking at them curiously. “So this race... does it mean we have to do our part faster than they do their part, and we win this award?” He stopped and turns to me.

I walked up to him putting a hoof out. “That right, so let do our best!”

“Alright.” he put his hoof against mine then he turned his head to the trees. “Maybe we could use less water then they put on some of the trees, for… some reason I feel a connection to them.”

“Huh?” I blinked a few times and raised my right eye a little.

Twilight smiled as Applejack and Big Mac didn't seem to hear this. “You could be right Zaps, Earth Ponies do have a connection to the ground and the lands, you just don't know it because of what happened.”

“Yeah and use your instincts.” Spike also suggested. “And what feels right in here.” he put his claw hand on his chest.

Zaps tilt his head a little “Erm... your chest?”

Spike fell over getting a laugh from me and Twilight. “No silly” I said putting my hoof to his chest feeling the pulse of his own heart. “Your heart, follow the feel that you have to the land, I might think this all egghead stuff is boring but when you have two friends that an Earth Pony and Unicorn, and all of us getting our cutie marks... well trying, it best to know these things I guess” I explained to him removing my hoof from his chest. “Like to say it?”

“Say what?”

“Ready?”

“For what?”

“CUTIE MARK WATERING ZAP APPLES CRUSADERS! YAY!” I began and he got caught up in it with me making me even say it louder, at the end both of us were saying it making me get a very warm smile. “Great one Zaps, we’ll make you a crusader for sure!”

He was laughing and looked very happy. “I could go with that, I really enjoy saying it!”

“Ah yer two done or we can get into positions?” Applejack spoke to us.

I turn and put a hoof out. “Sure Applejack, let the best ponies win!” I put my hoof out.

“Try to have fun also, win or lose we will be doing our best.” Applejack replied putting her hoof against mine and we shook in friendship. Apple Bloom's sister is pretty darn cool, no wonder Rainbow Dash spend a lot of time competing against her.

Soon Twilight stood between us and the adults. “Are you all ready?” we all nod “Then get set!” we stood ready and able.

“GO!” Spike yells and the contest begins with me and Zaps racing to the first watering can to drag pick it up together and carry it over to the first tree while we say Applejack and Big Macintosh got a head start on us easily. They were already carrying the watering cans in their mouths moving to their second tree each while we just started on our first.

But one thing was for sure, we tipped less water into it just as Zaps suggested, I was going blind on this with an Earth Pony who had almost no memories but if one thing I learned from my friends and Rainbow Dash and that is to trust in your friend's instincts when it really matters most. And this really did!

Chapter 7: Victory

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 7: Victory

Me and Scootaloo was trying our hardest to keep up with the adults, but doing as I suggested by using a little less water on the trees compared to them wasn’t doing us any favors. I was going by what they said to me. The heart and gut feeling about these trees, I hardly knew how it was supposed to work, but I felt it was right to do this and went along with it.

“Come on Zaps, they’re going to beat us!” Scootaloo was eager to win this; I guess this Crystal Empire and The Wonderbolts meant a lot to her. She had already done so much for me, so I felt like I had to try and win this just for her.

We dragged the next watering can to another tree; the can was just as heavy as the last few. We were at least getting used to them finally.

“Ready?” I turn to Scootaloo

“As ever!” She called out.

We both pushed it over slightly tipping water on the tree and pulled it back up. “Wow this is sure a lot of hard work... we’re pushing ourselves and this is just well the most boring thing ever...” she put her head against the can panting for air.

I put my hoof to her. “Sooner we get it done the better right?”

She suddenly smirked, getting up from her rest. “Sure is!” Scootaloo looked to the adults working hard on their trees, they were getting close to finishing. “But I don't think we can beat them now…”

“Then let’s finish what we started!” I suggested seeing Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and even Spike cheering us on. “I think we got support on our side”

Scootaloo turned back to them with a grin; she did a twist spin on one of her forelegs landing back on all fours. “Then we can’t disappoint them!” we saw Rainbow Dash gave us a salute giving Scootaloo more determination to win this.

We got through about five trees almost nearing to the finish. We breathed heavily while we struggled with the last few trees, trying our hardest. “Just... two... to go...” I whizzed trying to catch my breath, I don't recall even doing anything like this, but it felt so tiring...

Scootaloo pulled with everything she had left with I was pushing the can to the final tree. “One... to... go” she also speaking between breaths now. “Come... on Zaps... let’s finish... what... we started...”

“Right... one... two... three...” we pushed the can right over with the last of the water spilling over the tree empting the last of the can.

“We finished!” both of us said in unison while holding weak smiles and clapping our hooves together.

“Cutie... Mark... Watering... Zap... Apple... Crusaders...” then we collapsed against each other’s backs sliding to a sitting position. Scootaloo raised her right front hoof up while I raised my left hoof up speaking out the last word. “Yay....” then we lowered them and pressed the backs of our heads against each other while trying to catch our breaths. Our muscles felt weak and we were sweating up a storm.

A shadow formed over us and we both turned our heads to face Twilight who was standing over us, Spike was also with her. “Wow, you two really did some amazing work!” Spike praised us.

“Indeed you kept going till you finished the job at hoof, well done to both of you.” she said with a warm voice and smile, she gazed over to Applejack and Big Mac walking over to us “However...”

Scootaloo put her front hooves over her face with a groan. “We didn't win...” she lost out on her big chance and I could tell she was very upset by this, we did so well and I couldn't help her to win... I felt bad putting my own head into my front hooves letting out a heavy sigh. “And still no cutie marks... after all that work we did...” I checked my flank too noticing no cutie mark after she peered over to her own.

“Sorry partner, but a deal’s a deal.” Applejack responded walking up to us, we both turned to face her. “But ah got to say yer both did mighty well. Nicely done” she praised us for the hard work.

I turned back to Scootaloo, “Just not good enough to win... I'm sorry Scootaloo... this really meant a lot to you and I let you down...”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No, no! Don't say that Zaps, you and I did everything we could... it was just not enough... but, it was kind of fun.” She smirked lightly at me. “Don't worry we will get our cutie marks, some day.”

I was a little confused over getting my own cutie mark but if she had been trying so hard... “We might have not got it but as you said: we did have some fun even if it was a lot of hard work for us.”

Big Macintosh raised his hooves. “Hold it.” we all looked at the large red earth pony.

“Big Mac?” Applejack seemed slightly confused by this action. “What is it?”

“Ah believe we declared a winner too early, ah like to see somethin' first.” Big Macintosh looked right at me giving me a slight chill. “Buck the tree”

Sweetie Belle spoke up instantly, getting in-between us. “No don't! You'd get shocked!” she warned

“Ah agree big brother that really silly!” Apple Bloom also spoke up in alarm.

He raised his hoof again. “Ah know what ah'm doin'.”

Applejack frowned at him. “Big Mac...”

Twilight seemed curious and walked up to Applejack. “This is something I want to see as well.”

Granny Smith then spoke up. “All of ya keep quiet. Ah never seen a pony able to buck a zap apple tree, ah wish to see this mah self, so keep it down!” she stood before me. “Go ahead.”

I turn to Scootaloo. “Go on Zaps, show them!”

“O-ook....” I gulped walking up to one and turn around, I saw them all staring at me giving me a really scared twisted feeling in my gut. I raised my rear legs up as I did before and pulled them back as I leaned on my forelegs.

With a push I bucked the tree with nothing happening, I landed my hind legs on the ground feeling a bit of pain from the bucking but it was because I had hit it so hard.

“No way...” I heard Sweetie Belle say staring at me with mouth wide open... but she wasn't the only one, it was all of them... I gulped loudly. “Let me try!” Sweetie Belle came by me and went to the tree.

“Sweetie Belle d--” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both tried to warn her but soon as she bucked it.

I saw sparks come from the impact rising up the tree then back down through her hind hooves and body, the shock sent her flying right into me, both of us tumbling around till I was thrown back hitting a basket. It fell on top of me as I lay there dazed... “Are ya ok?” I heard, lifting the basket, Big Macintosh looked at me as I slowly sat up shaking off the dazed feeling I had.

“Ow...” I saw Sweetie Belle shaking off her pain she got from the shock, she was frizzled with her mane and tail having small patches of smoke coming from it where she got shocked. “I shouldn't have done that…” she groaned and turned to me. “Sorry Zaps that was really silly of me...”

I took a few steps to her and put a hoof out. “It's ok, I didn't even know that would happen to other ponies.” she put her hoof against mine and then I moved back a little looking at Big Macintosh. “What was those sparks of lightning?”

“That was magical electrical based energy.” Twilight answered before Big Mac could. “Somehow it doesn't affect you at all though...”

Granny Smith took her turn to speak. “Ah been around for a long time and this is somethin' very new to mah old eyes... yer very special Zaps.” she put a hoof to the tree. “Ah believe we should wait till the flowers bloom to see whom the winner is.”

Applejack looked to all the trees and back to her as I watched. “Seriously Granny? That won’t be till later in the day...”

“Indeed, if he is immune to the magic of the zap apple trees then ah like to see how the trees will bloom, well the one’s that he and Miss Scootaloo here watered.” Granny Smith moved her hoof from the tree, she trotted over to Scootaloo while turning to me. “Till then these two youngun' need some much needed refreshments for all their hard work!”

Big Mac smirked down at us. “Eeyup!” and we all heard a rumble from Applejack and Big Macintosh's stomachs followed by everypony laughing at their blushing faces of embarrassment. “Eeyup!” both said together and joined in with the laughter.

“Did somepony say refreshments!?” We all turned around to the high raised voice to see a pink pony with a pink mane and tail that was fluffier than any other mane and tail I had seen before. “I got treats, cooked meals and drinks!” she bounced on the spot spinning around with a big wide smile.

“Wh-who is that?” I asked with wonder and trying to figure out how she came to be there and how she knew we needed it...

Scootaloo giggled at my reaction. “Oh that’s just Pinkie Pie being herself, she’s very spontaneous so you’ll get used to her, Zaps.” soon as she said my name the pink pony called Pinkie Pie was towering over me.

I quickly got behind Scootaloo. “A new pony! Oh my gosh! I knew there was a new pony! It’s awesome to meet a new pony!” she saw me being rather scared of her close and backed off while lowering her voice. “Oh sorry...” she suddenly changed her approach lowering herself to my eye level as I kept behind my friend Scootaloo. “Please come out and say hi, I am super friendly and only want to be friends with everypony, including you!” she said in a softer tone making me blink slowly moving out from behind Scootaloo. “I'm Pinkie Pie, Party pony of the town and you are?”

I look to Scootaloo as I came out of hiding and she smirked with a nod to me. I turned to Pinkie Pie. “Z-Zaps... but Scootaloo gave me the name...”

“Huh? You can name other ponies?!” she turned to Scootaloo.

She chuckled and shook her head. “He kind of has no memories of who he really is.” Scootaloo answered for me. “I think he’s sick of re-telling that story though, I sure would be.” she rolled her eyes.

“Oh you poor thing, how about something to eat? I got some great food here!”

Applejack spoke up. “Howdy Pinkie Pie and ah see ya did good as always.”

“Sure did Applejack!” Pinkie Pie bounced over to her wagon. “I had a feeling that refreshments were needed here, so here I am!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed while hitting her tray with a hoof. “I even brought along some of my spare jars of zap apple jam!” she raised one up on her hoof showing it to us all.

Rainbow Dash flew up to the wagon. “Whoa you did a great job Pinkie Pie, I can see cooked pies, candy, apple juice and all sorts, how long did this all take ya?”

Pinkie Pie put the jar back. “Oh not too long, I had help from the cakes and put my own bits into the cost of all this, so it’s free for you all!”

“Amazing work Pinkie, is that...” Twilight docked as I watched a board of wood land and open up into a table with a sheet over it and bench seats attached to it. “O....k” Twilight Sparkle just stared at it with me blinking and trying to understand what exactly was happening.

“Is it safe?” I walked over to it looking up and down the table and benches that were suddenly set up, trying to understand the impossible set up.

Pinkie Pie tapped it. “Sure is, it my instant set up refreshment table. I recently made it!”

Twilight was trying to figure it out as well. “Is that springs I see under the table? And is that snap joint legs?” she turned to Pinkie Pie. “How did you make this?”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “It was as simple as baking a cupcake!” she giggled and started to randomly bounce around us.

Spike put a claw to Twilight shoulder. “Don't bother,” she sighed and agreed with a nod. “Why don't we enjoy the meal?”

“Alright.” Twilight replied. “Come on Zaps time to try some of Pinkie Pie's cooked goods!” Twilight put a hoof to the seat, I looked to it and then back to Big Macintosh who was already sitting at the seat patting it with his forehoof. I nod and jump up onto the seat sitting by him, soon every pony was on the seats with Pinkie Pie dishing out plates of apple pies.

“I know this might not be like your pies Applejack, but I always try to make them nice, a bit healthier and a bit of sweetness to the taste.” she beamed. “It’s my little bit extra I add to the apple pies.” she giggled. “I hope everypony enjoy’s it!” she sat down beside Twilight, with everypony diving in apart from me.

I gave the pie a questionable look. “Go ahead, it’s real good!” Big Mac said to me after swallowing his piece.

I hesitantly chewed on a piece and immediately my eyes grew. I had never eaten anything like this before! I found it amazing in texture and taste, the flavor was a bit sweet, but I really liked it. “Wow this is amazing!” I ate another piece.

“Ah got to say Pinkie Pie, this is some good pie.” Applejack raised her piece up a little and ate it soon afterwards.

“This is awesome!” Rainbow Dash said with glee.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all cheered in glee. “CUTIE MARK PIE EATING CRUSADERS! YAY!” they all giggled as I ended up once gain caught up joining them half way through and felt my face warming up looking down shyly seeing they all laughing soon afterwards.

Twilight turn to me and then glance over to the girls. “Is he going to join you as a crusader?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Not sure, but if he keeps that up he sure be one of us in no time, right girls?”

Apple Bloom raised her hoof. “Sure! Ah think it a great idea!”

“Yeah! I think it be a great idea, Zaps sure got the voice!”

I felt my checks warming up even more when they said this with me tapping my front hooves against each other feeling rather shy over this. I couldn't make eye contact when they spoke about it.

Applejack turned to me, watching my blushing state so I turned away from her. “Ah think it be a great idea, spendin' time with children like them will help him out of that shell he’s got.”

“Eeyup!” Big Mac replied to this idea.

“Cool. Can I throw a party to welcome him?” Pinkie Pie asked and munched on her cupcake afterwards.

I tilted my head. “Party? What a party?”

“Oh my gosh you don't know!?” she gasped in shock “Then I got to make one tonight! Enjoy your meals and once you finished put all the rubbish in my wagon! I got a party to set up! NOW!!!” she screamed out the last part and dashes off in a blur of pink towards the house and barn.

I just blinked holding a cupcake she dropped in my hooves as she left. “Wh-what j-just happened?”

“Just Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash chuckled stretching her wings. “I am going back to my house now, my wings feel much better from last night.”

“Ok sugarcube, just don't do anythin' crazy.” Applejack warned her.

“Don't sweat it! And see ya at the party!” she was gone in a blur of rainbow into the distance.

I was left with my mouth hanging with a really surprised look in my eyes. “Whoa... that was fast...”

Scootaloo jumped up on the table. “She sure is!” Scootaloo jump up on her right hind leg then hop onto her left. “Doing moves with a swift left, then right, left with a twist, flip and vroom!” with each word she said, Scootaloo jumped and land between each of the plates and dishes twisting around and doing a few back flips before landing on the ground on her hind legs with forelegs in the air.

“That was amazing Scootaloo! Can you show me how to do that!” I blurted out seeing how she moved around.

Scootaloo standing on all fours turn red slightly in the checks. “Hehe, sure I could give it a try, maybe you won't have four left hooves like Apple Bloom”

“Hey! My dancing is cool!” Apple Bloom protested

“I don’t think you’re dancing is that cool…” Sweetie Belle giggled.

“Is so!” Apple Bloom yelled at Sweetie Belle

“Is not!” Sweetie Belle yelled back at her.

“SO!”

“NOT!”

I look at both of them. “I have no idea, maybe she could show me.” I suggested

Scootaloo chuckled. “Sure, that will solve this once and for all.”

Apple Bloom grinned and sent a whip of her tail into Sweetie Belle's snout. “Alright time to show mah stuff!”

I watched Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle get some distance from her as she started to show her moves, I saw her move around as if everything was to mean to be targeted... I ducked when she kicked a salad bowl right at me, then saw why they all took cover, the adults was doing the same. “Ok you’re good Apple Bloom, you'd can stop!” I called out

Apple Bloom stopped and turned to me. “Really!?” She looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I gulped with a nod. “Huh uh, it pretty good... but you kind of need to control those kicks... it kind of knocked things all over the place…” I waved my hoof around me.

“Hehe... guess I still need some practice.” she came up to me. “So ya like mah dancing? More than Scoots?”

“They’re both good, but she got style while yours has…bang.” I replied

Scootaloo came out from hiding. “Yeah he’s got a point there, nopony can make a dance as a 'bang' as you can.” Scootaloo chuckled.

“Yeah, nopony can out match you.” Sweetie Belle giggled. “But you do need practice”

Apple Bloom turned to her family. “Is that true?” they all nod in reply. “Ok ah will!”

I felt a chill and turned to face the Everfree Forest feeling rather weird. “What’s going on?” I asked looking around seeing the clouds coming over rather fast with rain and wind mixed in it as everything seemed to darken.

Big Mac simply smirked, seeing it all come over with sparks flying off the trees.

“Sugarcube it’s the next stage of the zap apple trees and right on time!” Applejack jumped up on her hind legs kicking her front legs in the air. “Here come the flowering of the zap apple trees! Yeehaw!”

I watched as the trees starting to grow more leaves and then flowers starting to appear. I saw some growing on the tree that I had bucked and they looked different than the ones that the adults had watered. I looked up at one that was closest to the ground... “Hmm...” I watched as the others seem to be amazed by the trees blooming and I saw something that might help. “That branch, maybe jumping on it might spring me up to that flower.” I said to myself pushing my front hoof on the ground, I put my tongue to the side of my snout running towards it and I jumped.

Scootaloo called out to me. “What are...” she watched me hit the branch on my hind legs and with a push I did a leap right for a flower catching it with my mouth. I did a few flips in the air coming to a landing on a branch, sliding down it, I followed up with a small jump doing a forward flip landing on my hooves before her. “you doing...” she managed to finish with a jaw opened, now staring at me with a few blinks. “Ho-ho-how did y...”

I put it before her. “Here you go Scootaloo, hope you like it. I wanted to thank you for helping me to learn so much already. So I thought the flower would be cool, isn't it?” I saw her just staring at me. “Erm Scootaloo? Did I do something wrong?” I look to the flower then back at her. “Was I not supposed to pick it?” I sighed. “Sorry...” seeing how I got a staring reaction I turned away feeling bad at what I did.

Scootaloo snapped out of it shaking her head. “N-no... you didn't but those moves... how did you... I mean that something I pulled just moments ago!”

I turn to her. “I just did it... was I not supposed to?”

Scootaloo look to the flower her face turning a shade of red. “erm... you did amazingly well... erm...” she sighed. “Not sappy.” I heard her whisper. “thanks for the gift, it’s awesome!” I took it and put it into her mane.

“How do I look girls?” she turned to them. “Cool gift right?”

I stood by her seeing them look at her. “How did he pick that flower?” Sweetie Belle pointed to it.

“Ah'm even confused but it does look good on ya in a 'cute way,' specially for ya” Apple Bloom giggled.

Scootaloo just waved her hoof. “Oh please, it doesn't! It just makes me look awesome that’s all!” she said with pride, “Right Twilight?”

“If you say so…” Twilight then turned to me. “You’re doing things that shouldn’t be possible… it’s amazing. I have to understand this!”

Granny Smith looked to the glittering flower then at the others followed on to the dull normal zap apple flowers. “Ah got to say they the best dang flower ah ever seen, ya really got an rare Earth Pony touch.” Granny looked right at me. “A special one indeed, ah can gladly say that ya and Scootaloo won.”

Applejack took her hat off placing it on my head. “Ah got to say ya trees are better lookin’ than ours.” she chuckled. “So ah let yer wear mah hat for the rest of the day!”

It slipped over my eyes and I pushed it back up “Erm... thanks but it’s kind of big... I can't see anything wearing this, but thanks.” I gave it back to her.

“Sure thing sugarcube, ah gracefully accept defeat.” she smiled to me and Scootaloo. “Since ya won guess what?”

Scootaloo jumping around taking my front hooves with hers as she throw me around with her. “We won! WE GET TO GO TO CRYSTAL EMPIRE AND SEE THE WONDERBOLTS!!!! ZAPS YOUR AWESOME!!!!!!!”

I was trying to keep my hind legs on the ground with her swinging me around, she finally let go off my front hooves, I landed on all fours twirling around a little moving left and right trying to getting the spinning out of my head. “Urg... y...your welcome...” I fell over on my back my eyes twirling around and all I could see was the world spinning.

“What is this about the Crystal Empire and the Wonderbolts?” Apple Bloom asked curiously while walking over to me.

Scootaloo was still dancing around happily. “I like to know too.” Sweetie Belle was curious too.

Twilight watched Scootaloo dancing around and smiled warming at the excitement. “Since Granny Smith gave the victory to Scootaloo and Zaps, you girls get to go on a trip to the Crystal Empire while the Wonderbolts are, Applejack and Big Macintosh is taking you four.”

“Wh-what!?” Apple Bloom gasped

“You mean we get to go to the Crystal Empire for real!?” Sweetie Belle also gasped in shock.

“For real” Twilight turned to me as I slowly got up. Before I knew it, I was getting hugged by both the other girls cheering in delight. “It seemed you made the Crusaders really happy, you made really good friends Zaps.” I smiled as I return the hug to the girls.

“Ah!” I yelped as Scootaloo jumped on top of us, so did the girls and I groaned and slowly tried to get up only to see a certain pegasus on top of us. “Scootaloo... can you get off us please...”

Scootaloo giggled. “Sorry got a little bit too excited” she got off us all

“Ah believe ya girls could take him to the club house and show him around Ponyville” Applejack suggested to the girls and took a look at me. “Ah'm sure he would like that, wouldn't ya sugarcube?”

I had to agree with that it would be cool to see Ponyville. “Yeah I am up for that, thanks for the suggestion Applejack!”

“Since ya staying with us might as well learn about the place ya live in Zaps” Applejack smiled to me.

Scootaloo points to a direction “Come on girls let go!” she turn to me “And follow us Zaps!” I look to Applejack and Big Macintosh with a nod from both I turn and followed the trio off into the apple fields to their club house.

Author's Notes:

Thanks again for Cold Spike for proof reading this for me and it seem the Cutie Mark Crusaders be giving Zaps the whirlwind tour of Ponyville and Pinkie Pie setting up for a first ever party for Zaps.

The party I like some ideas whom should be there other then the mane six, so if you all like to shall some of your thoughts on this, I like to hear it since I want to try to make it a awesome party for Zaps being his...

"Hey Pinkie here and to say we neeeeeed awesome ideas! NOW!!! I want this to be super awesome that he will enjoy his first ever party and might even be his birthday too! hehe, so even the writer here is awesome I am sure he need your help, see ya all at the party and bring your party hats!"

Was that... Pinkie... Urg... Nevermind, well you heard it from the pink mare's mouth, like to hear your suggestions. Electuroo out...

Chapter 8: The Tour Begins!

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 8: The Tour Begins!

Racing ahead of the others I had a bit of a lead over them. Galloping towards the clubhouse, Scootaloo was directly behind me, catching up. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were a little further back, unable to keep up with either of us. I was enjoying myself as I raced with them to the clubhouse, and even though I wasn’t really sure of what it looked like, I was having such a great time that as my hooves pushed off the dirt and dust towards my goal, it reminded me of something I had dreamed of.

I watched myself race against a red stallion through the path leading into town; for somepony as young as me I was keeping up well. I watched as we both ran around the centre fountain of the town darting in and out of the crowds.

“There they go again” a pink unicorn smiled, wearing brightly coloured robes over her yellow mane and tail. “Any bets?” she called out to two other ponies, also watching them race.

The orange pegasus chuckled “I’ll take that, I’ll bet my best set of Zap Apples that the older one wins”

“You’re on!” Called out the other spectator, I bet my own fruits he loses to his little brother.”

The red stallion seemed to hear them, and he seemed to take notice. As we came up to the gates of the house the stallion slowed down a little, and hit the door with his hoof at the same time as me.

“I can't believe it! I tied with you big brother!”

“That you did little bro.” The stallion put his hoof on top of my head and rubbed it, seeing me laugh “Now wasn't that a lot of fun?”

“It sure was bro!” I said, breathing hard “I really have a lot of fun with you”

I tilted my head hearing this. 'Fun? What is fun?' I thought to myself, and curiously listened.

The stallion sat down on the step of the house with me sitting beside him “it’s not always about winning or losing,you know. It just matters that you have fun and enjoy yourself, fun is something you do that makes you feel happy. It’s a pleasant, personal, and to some extent an unpredictable experience. Even though we drew you had fun, didn’t you?”

“Yep I did!”

The two other ponies chuckled “It was fun watching you two race, even if it was a tie and neither of us ended up getting any fruit. You knew didn't you?” The pink pony inquired, looking hard at the red stallion.

“Of course, what sort of harvester do you think I am?” the red earth pony chuckled “So up for tomorrow night’s get together?”

The unicorn pulled some cards out from her robes “of course, bring the fruit and all bets are in”

“Bets?” I asked myself with wonder.

“Nothing to worry about little brother, it’s an adult game. Now why don't we go in and tell our mother how much faster you've got?” He offered, looking me in the eyes.

“Sure!” Beaming and pushing the door open we both entered the house and the dream ended...

I recalled the dream in a flash and turned to Scootaloo who was still running with all her might to catch me. I somehow had the upper hoof in this race and slowed my run a little so she could keep up. “This is so much fun Scootaloo! I know it from my dreams!” I said to her.

“Sure is! And I’m going to win it!” Scootaloo picked up the paste and so did I.

“No way, this is my first race and I’m gonna win!” We were both running as hard as we could but I was low on energy, looking to her as she looked to me, I failed to notice what was in front until it was too late. Right before me there was a root sticking out of the ground, no chance to jump or slow down...

My right front hoof hit it and I tripped over. I collided into Scootaloo and the results led us to tumble around out of control several times, coming through the bushes. I landed on my back and as I came to my senses felt something on top of me, just above my snout. Looking up, I saw Scootaloo's purple eyes looking into mine.

We stared at each other’s eyes for what seemed like forever until I felt a warmth in my cheeks and saw a shade of red form in hers. Suddenly Scootaloo looked away. I feared that I might have upset her as she carefully got off me, rolling over to her right, and sat there looking over at me before turning away. “Hehe sorry... I di-didn't mean to collide with ya like that,” she said, staring at a patch of grass near my hooves.

I sat up and looked over at her, trying to avoid eye contact. My stomach felt sickly and I was feeling rather strange, but I replied as well as I could. “No it was me. I… I saw the root too late to dodge it... I really enjoyed racing with you Scootaloo, it was a lot of fun. I just wanted to enjoy the feeling of excitement, that’s what fun is right?” I was finally was able to make eye contact with her again as I sat there.

Scootaloo smirked losing the red in her face “It was awesome, and guess what?”

“Hmm?”

Scootaloo turn to her left. “We tied.” As she said that I saw what we were next to. It was a small house like structure supported by beams, built up against a tree or, at least, part of it was in the tree, I was greatly surprised by this and looked up to see a ramp leading from the platform around the building up to a tower on top of the tree. “What do you think of it?”

“This is the clubhouse?” I turned to see her smirk then quickly nod. “Wow this place is really... 'awesome'. I’ve never seen anything like it...” I heard the noise of leaves rustling and turned to see the others finally catching up with us.

Applebloom sat down, breathing heavily with Sweetie Bell up against her back, also breathing heavily. “Wow you two... are fast...” Sweetie Belle was taking deep breaths trying to recover from her physical effort.

Applebloom raised one hoof up “Ya fast... Zaps... where da ya get... that energy... from?”

I shrugged “No idea, I still feel great” I said, trotting on the spot. “I just feel great” I repeated then I stopped and saw them just looking at me. “What?”

Scootaloo put a hoof on me “Don't worry Zaps ya just more athletic like me”

I turn to her with slight confusion “What’s ath-ath... erm what was that word again?”

“Athletic, it means you are good a running and such, it’s a kind of sports” Scootaloo had that smile on her. “I think we’re gonna be awesome friends!”

Applebloom got up with Sweetie Belle “Ya like to see the clubhouse?”

“Sure” I replied looking at it again, I was curious about what it looked like inside and was now wondering if this athletic thing was the reason I was able to run and walk for so long without catching my breath or if it had something to do with the fact I ate Zap Apples... my thoughts were broken when Scootaloo pushed her elbow into me. “Huh?” I turned my head to her.

“Day dreaming?”

I thought about telling her about my dream but choose not to “Yeah kinda...” I replied “just thinking about what you said about this athl-athletic.” I turned to her and as the others went up the ramp to the clubhouse the clear sound of hoof steps on the wooden ramp could be heard. “I was thinking if it was because I was able to run away from the timberwolves but... I might have been like that before the darkness...”

“Don't beat yourself up over it Zaps” Scootaloo put a hoof to my foreleg with a warm smile. “Now let’s go” she walked up the ramp and I followed her to the door. “Welcome to our clubhouse” she said, pushing the door open. On the inside it was one room, but a good size.

I slowly placed my hooves on the cracking floorboards. Looking around, I saw Sweetie Belle sitting by the left window while Applebloom was on a wooden stool by a table, I noticed a banner with a rainbow lightning bolt on it, one of the other tables in the room was covered in papers and pencils. On another there was a small vase filled with all sorts of different coloured flowers.

“Y'all like?” Applebloom put her hoof out to the clubhouse, to the right side there was a doll that looked like Rainbow Dash and a poster of her flying.

I walked up to the poster and turn to each of them “why are there so many things to do with Rainbow Dash in here?”

Scootaloo stepped up beside me looking at the poster “Oh that, it’s just part of the clubhouse, it’s not only for our crusading, we also use it as a fan club place for the one and awesome Rainbow Dash.”

“Fan club?”

“A Fan, it means you really like something and follow and admire them, like by getting autographs which are signed by those ponies. Having a fan club makes a pony famous too.” Sweetie Belle explained. “It’s something Rarity’s been trying to get for herself in Canterlot”

“Oh ok... still not completely sure but I think I kind of understand” I turned and looked out the window. “Does Rainbow Dash sleep on clouds?”

“Yeah why?” Scootaloo stepped up beside me and saw what I was looking at. “Yeah that’s normal” Scootaloo pulled me away from the window to Applebloom. “Applebloom you got the map?”

Applebloom rolled it out in front of me “Right here Scoots, it’s the one Twilight gave me a few months ago.” Applebloom showed it to us.

I looked at the map she put out, on it were many different locations; names were written on some places but the town was far bigger than the town I dreamt of... I saw names of places such as Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, Gold Oak Library, Joke Shop, Schoolhouse, Café, Quills and Sofas, Bowling Alley, Toy Shop, Aloe and Lotus Day Spa, train station, Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy's cottage and many more including a town hall with a market square and homes...

I put a hoof to the map looking at all these names, some I was curious about but others I wasn't even sure of. “There’s a lot in this town... I never knew there could be so much in one place...” I looked all over the map. “This is a very big town...”

“Eeyup” Applebloom giggled “And today we pick four locations by random”

I could see what Applebloom meant by it but wondered how we picked by random. “Do we just put our hooves down on one location each?”

Sitting by me, Scootaloo shook her head “No, we pick one at a time, eyes closed waving our hoof around and wham! We got a location!” Scootaloo explained, we got up to allow her room, she stood by the table hoof out. “Like this.” She closed her eyes, moving her hoof around and...

CLOP!

We looked at where she put her hoof down on and it was the train station. “See first location picked, sweet right?”

“My turn!” Sweetie Belle took her turn closing her eyes and doing the same.

CLOP!

Sweetie Belle looked at what she picked and we saw it too. “Cool I picked the toy store!”

Applebloom put a hoof to it “Yer turn Zaps, ah'll go last”

I took my turn closing my eyes putting my right front hoof over the table I moved it around “Ok... when shall I stop?” I asked.

“Anytime you're ready” I heard Scootaloo say to me. I decided to count to three in my head and lower my hoof down on the map.

CLOP!

I opened my eyes to see my hoof was placed on Carousel Boutique “I picked some place called Carousel Boutique”

Sweetie Belle gave a happy squee and said right afterwards with a big smile “That my sister's place! You'll get to meet my older sister Rarity!”

“Is she another one of Applejack's friends?” she nodded in reply to what I said. “I guess this cottage is home to another?”

“Eeyup, that’s Fluttershy’s also one of mah sister's friends. They’re the element bearers too” Applebloom replied. “We’ll explain about that later, now it’s mah turn” Applebloom stood before the map with a hoof out to it with eyes closed. “And here!”

CLOP!

We all looked at the last location on the map and where she placed her hoof. “You’re kidding me! The schoolhouse!? Seriously Applebloom!?” Scootaloo glared at Applebloom for her pick.

“Ah could pick another” Applebloom put a hoof to her head seeing Scootaloo's reaction, I was looking at both of them with a little confusion.

Sweetie Belle shrugged “We can always make it our first stop, it is the closest.” her suggestion got them both looking at her.

“Is that where this Miss Cheerilee is? I heard about the schoolhouse from Rainbow Dash, when I asked about teachers after reading it in...” I paused slightly looking a little nervous at each of them, my head lowered pressing against the table finishing what I said with both front hooves over my head. “The crusader book... you girls’ book...”

Scootaloo put her hoof on mine “It’s ok Zaps, like I said before, you didn't know.” I lowered my hooves back on the ground and turn to her. “Now let’s get your sorry flank up; we got a tour to give ya, four stops before your big party”.

“Eeyup, it time for the cutie mark crusader tour” Applebloom put her hoof up and the other two put their hooves against hers with a 'clop'.

“CUTIE MARK TOUR GUARD CRUSADERS! YAY!” I watched them all say it together and the combined voices caused me to slide back a little.

“Wow that was amazing! Do you girls do that often?” I asked with wonder.

Sweetie Belle put a hoof out to the door “Come on Zaps, we’re wasting time and it’d be great for you to meet my sister and, to answer your question, yup we do”. Sweetie Belle smiled with pride along with the others beside her.

I began to think about it and wanted to join them in this crusading for cutie marks, it seem sort of exciting and thrilling the way they acted, I stepped out of the clubhouse with them and we made our way to the schoolhouse for our first stop.

Scootaloo put a hoof in my way, stopping me in my tracks “Scootaloo?”

“Can you keep that whole accident thing earlier to ourselves?” she asked quietly to me.

I wasn't sure why but I guessed there was a reason behind it. “Ok I won't say anything about it”

“Thank you” Scootaloo and I continued on, catching up with the others. “What else did Rainbow Dash say?”

I thought back to the morning before Scootaloo showed up on her scooter “Rainbow Dash said something about you being an awesome kid and doing really neat tricks with that scooter of yours.” I thought about the scooter and had to ask “Could you show me some tricks with it?”

“Really Rainbow Dash said that?” I nodded in reply and Scootaloo was excited over it, flapping her wings rapidly “Oh my gosh! That so awesome!” she bounced around in glee then stopped and turned to me, laughing a little while rubbing her head “Sorry, got a bit carried away, here... so... yeah, sure I can teach you some tricks with my scooter!”

“That be... erm... awesome?”

“Yep it will be” Scootaloo beamed in delight. “Come on, let’s catch up with the others!” she galloped ahead of me and I followed to catch up with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

We all soon arrived at the schoolhouse, the first stop on our tour. The building was pinkish in colour with a large tower on its roof, housing a bell On the school fence was a sign with a picture of a book on it. To the left of the building were two small structures. Curiously I walked up to one of them, but before I could get far I walked into somepony's leg. Looking up at who I’d just walked into I saw a purple earth pony with a two toned pink mane and tail and light green eyes looking directly down at me as I looked up at her.

“Oh hello there, who might you be?” she asked in a sweet voice with a warm smile.

“Zaps miss... erm... hi” I felt a bit nervous when I spoke.

“Zaps hmm? Haven't seen you around town before, did you and your parents arrive recently?” As she said that I lowered my head, not sure what to say or how to say to another pony that I have no memory of parents or family.

Applebloom saw my reaction then I heard a sigh from her. “Zaps is it ok if we tell her?” I turn my head slowly looking at Applebloom with a sad expression on my face and nod in reply.

“Tell me what Applebloom? What have you three been up to this time?” Cheerilee turn to the three fillies.

Scootaloo put a front leg over me “It’s really important Miss Cheerilee... you’ve got to hear this one way or another...”

“O...k” Cheerilee seemed confused by this “Come inside and tell me then”

“We will Miss Cheerilee” Sweetie Belle replied and we all entered the schoolhouse, my first time seeing what a school is, I saw seats attached to desks all in front of a large desk with a green board behind it with white pieces under it.

“Now explain” she asked from all of us.

The girls explained everything that they knew from what I had told them or was told about me from the others like Applejack, Big Mac and Rainbow Dash, they explained about my lack of memories, from why I am staying at Sweet Apple Acres to my beginnings of the days I knew very well since the darkness, it took a little time but Cheerilee seemed to understand why I didn’t answer that question about me being new into town with parents...

“And that’s about it, Miss Cheerilee...” Sweetie Belle finished the last part of the story to Cheerilee. Scootaloo sat by me giving me some comfort, she been doing so much to help me and I’d given her almost nothing in return, apart from helping her to win that contest to do with the Wonderbolts and Crystal Empire... I wondered how important that really was for Scootaloo...

One thing came to my mind and that was... 'I don't really know how important it is to Scootaloo... or the others... was what I did with the Zap Apple trees really worth that much to the help they gave me?' my thoughts were slightly confused since I knew very little about Ponyville, this Crystal Empire or whatever else there was around this land...

Cheerilee looked directly at me “Zaps how would you like to come attend school tomorrow with the girls, get to know how school is and learn a few things in class with fellow ponies around your age.”

I looked really surprised by this. “I-I can come here tomorrow?”

“Yes I don't see why not, but it be only for a day though, I will have to talk to Applejack and Big Macintosh to go through the paperwork to sign you up.” What Cheerilee told me sounded really amazing but some of the things were rather confusing, I didn't understand the paperwork or the signing up part, but going to school sounded interesting to me.

I smiled at the idea of seeing what this school would be like “Thank you Miss Cheerilee I’d like that”

“Then it’s settled” Cheerilee put her hoof to my left foreleg with a smile. “Now girls go take him on your little tour while I go see Applejack and Big Macintosh about arranging his visit tomorrow and try to get Zaps signed up to school” Cheerilee looked at the girls with a warm smile.

“Sure thing Miss Cheerilee” Scootaloo saluted with a smirk.

Applebloom also saluted so did Sweetie Belle “We’ll give him the best tour possible Miss Cheerilee”

“Yeah and you can come to the party too” Sweetie Belle added. “It’s gonna be Zaps' first party” she squeed in delight.

Cheerilee lead us out of the schoolhouse “Sure I'll gladly be there, see you all soon. Have fun kids”

“We will Miss Cheerilee” they said together as I watched them wave to her as she head off to Sweet Apple Acres.

Scootaloo turned to me “Schoolhouse visit completed and a success!” She look to her flank “No cutie mark, you girls?”

“Nope” Applebloom sighed

“Nothing” Sweetie Belle muttered

“We’ll just have to finish it to see, so where next?” Scootaloo asked them.

“Train Station, Toy Store then my sisters!” Sweetie Belle suggested

Applebloom put a hoof up “Ah'm up for that”

“Same here” Scootaloo put her hoof against hers and Sweetie Belle did so too. I put my hoof against theirs “four out of four then, how sweet is that?”

“It’s cool!” Sweetie Belle said with glee.

“What exactly is a train station?” I asked with wonder.

“Oh you’ll see when we get there” Scootaloo took my front right hoof with hers and pulled me along. “Come on, time’s a wastin!”

I looked to the others for help but they just shrugged and followed, I finally got my hoof free and we walked into town and what a town it was! I was overwhelmed seeing dozens of ponies walking around, sitting, chatting and some other things I didn’t quite understand but it was full of life... I felt warm and happy seeing so many friendly ponies, playing and enjoying themselves.

I heard a whistling sound that startled me, making me jump and spin to the source of the sound. “Whoa what is that thing?” I saw something moving along two metal lines alongside a building coming to a stop.

Scootaloo chuckled softly “It’s a train stopping at the train station we’re visiting next. Awesome right?” Scootaloo walked over to the station with me beside her looking at the station in front of us. “The trains take ya anywhere in Equestria. Canterlot, Manehatten, Crystal Empire and sorts of other places, this is what we’ll be taking to get the empire in the next few weeks”

We were on the platform and when I saw the train it was something for sure I’d never seen. “This thing will take us to this Crystal Empire?”

“Well not this train but a train will” Sweetie Belle replied looking at the time table on a board, I looked at it and saw numbers and the word 'timetable' so I guessed this was how they kept track of day and night... I felt completely out of place, I so had little knowledge on how these things worked. “You see that clock?”

I looked at it “Yeah I do, that round thing with the hands right?”

“Yes, it tells time, it says 2:40pm, which means afternoon and this train is that one on the time table” Sweetie Belle points to it with a hoof.

I took a look at it “2:45pm departure to Canterlot then to Appaloosa non stop” I read out aloud. “Is that another town?”

“Eeyup, that where mah cousin Braeburn lives, he also owns the apple farm there.” Applebloom answered my question and told me of another of the Apple family. There must be a lot of them, I thought through it but wasn't sure how many there could be...

I curiously looked over to the train and its carriages with wonder. I walked down the platform towards the front with the girls just behind. Peering into the front part of the train I saw all sort of things from levers and a set of wheels to other things I didn’t recognise that had numbers on them and hands like the clock coloured white, green and red on each part of the round object.

"Hello there can I help you young colt?" I turned to see a stallion standing there on three of his hooves with his other front leg holding a silver container.

I looked up at him tilting my head to the strange looking hat he was wearing. "What do all those levers and wheels do inside this train? And why does your hat look like that?" I asked with wonder.

He put the container down and place his hoof on my head rubbing it "you’re a curious young colt aren't ya?" I nodded in reply and he continued to speak. "This hat is what a train driver wears and in there is where I control the train the leavers work the train and the wheels control the flow of steam and power. I wish I could say a little more, but it would take too long to explain it. Let’s just say my talent is to do with trains."

"Wow" I was amazed by this and even more curious over it. "Erm... My name is Zaps..."

He look right at the girls specially Applebloom then back at me "An Apple, I've met my fair share of those county ponies and they are, I have to say, quite the ponies." He said mostly to me and Applebloom. "My name is Steam Whistle and it’s pleasure to meet you all, but I’ve got to go now. Passengers to take. See you youngsters around." Steam took his flask and entered the train closing the door. Standing on his hind legs he place a foreleg over the door as he closed it with a smile. He pulled the whistle and the train slowly began to move. Steam billowing out it left that station, off towards the large city on the mountain side.

"Whoa that was really awesome" I said to them looking to the city. "Is that Canterlot?" I asked, taking a guess to the place I could see in the distance.

"That sure is and we’ve been to the gardens at the palace, it was awesome seeing all those statues there." Scootaloo replied. "Maybe you’ll see it one day too."

I smiled at that idea. "I would like that, so what next?"

Sweetie Belle put a hoof over my back "The Toy Shop and you get to see what stuff we play with"

"Play?"

"Y'all know, filly and colt stuff, playin' games, toys, scooters, video games. Don't ya know what fun is?" I nodded in reply. "It’s just like that but with toys, ya’ll understand when ya see them" Applebloom put her hoof on my back too. "Ready?"

"Yup” I replied and we all made our way to the next stop...

Chapter 9: Saddlebags and Suits

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 9: Saddlebags and Suits

“Welcome to the toy store Zaps!” Scootaloo pushed open the door to the store, I entered through the doorway to see the store wasn't too big. Inside, a few ponies were looking at one section of the store and at the far end sat a large stallion behind the counter, eyeing them, as the browsed the various trinkets on display. Curious, I entered the toy store to get a good look around. I had never seen anything like these ‘toys’ before... 'were my memories that badly affected or is it that I never had any toys that looked like these things?'

My thoughts were interrupted by a nearby mare and colt “Mum please!”

“For the last time no, Button! Pick something that is 20 bits and no more” the mare replied, giving the colt an angry look.

“Please! It’s latest in the series and I need it to see what happens next!” he pleaded.

His mother shook her head “No and that’s final, if you’re not going to pick something then we are going home now”

“Fine...” Button grumbled and looked up at her “Could we hold on to the bits and wait till next time though? And get it then?”

She groaned “Button Mash...” and turned to us, seeing the girls and I watching. “Very well... let’s go home...”

“Oh ok...” they left the shop and I stepped up to the display glass looking at the game he wanted.

“What exactly is that?” I asked the girls.

Scootaloo chuckled “A video game, Button Mash loves playing them... a bit too much if you ask me” Scootaloo rolled her eyes a little at this.

Sweetie Belle put a hoof to her head “Tell me about it, he came to school and fell asleep and started snoring in the middle of Miss Cheerilee’s lesson. She wasn’t too happy with him, but it was kinda funny” Sweetie Belle giggled a little.

“Ah recall yer with hooves out like this,” Applebloom lay down and put her front hooves over her each side of her face with a dreamy look. “And looking all dreamy.”

“I was not!” Sweetie Belle protested.

I watched this but couldn't get a clear idea what they was saying... “Suuuurrrreee,” Scootaloo teased.

Sweetie Belle glared at her “Seriously I wasn't!”

“Whatever you say” Scootaloo waved her hoof and turned to me. “What do you think of video games?”

I looked at the strange box showing a character moving around with coloured bars and icons above its head. “It’s kinda strange... what’s causing the moving pictures?” I tilt my head a little, trying to understand what I was seeing.

“It’s called a TV, it’s kinda of new to Ponyville, Babs says it’s quite common in Manehatten since they have all the techo stuff and the biggest buildings around,” Scootaloo explained to me.

I was even more lost by this. “Babs? Manehatten? Biggest buildings?” I asked, trying my hardest to get my head around it.

Applebloom noticed me putting my hoof on my head trying to get to grips with what what was being said. “Babs Seed is mah cousin and she lives in Manehatten, she says the buildin's there are huge, as tall as mountains.” As Applebloom explained I pictured it in my head... A house-like building tall as a mountain and about four times as wide, reaching into the sky...

“Do yer get it?”

I turned to her and nodded “Yes... I can imagination it... erm... one question how big is that town?” I got laughter from them.

Scootaloo put a hoof to her snout trying not to laugh any more, calming down a little “Hehe Zaps... it’s not a town, it’s a city.”

Applebloom continued, “Towns are like Ponyville and Appleloosa, they’re kinda this size. But cities like Canterlot and Manehatten are bigger and have way more ponies.”

I tilted my head at this and thought about my dream “What about a place with twenty or so homes surrounding a market with a castle close by, next to a farm and an orchard of Zap Apple trees?” they seemed a little confused with what I said.

Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo “You heard of such a place?”

“Not that I know of” she replied. “But didn't that book talk about somewhere like that?”

“Yeah I think it did,” Sweetie Belle said, tapping her hoof on her snout, thinking about it.

I sighed and turned to another display “Hey, this has a scooter and helmet in it, but what does 'sold out' mean?” I asked.

Applebloom stepped up beside me looking at the scooter “It means somepony’s bought it and is pickin' it up later on,” she replied.

“With these bits right?” I raised a coin up and she looked at it.

“Eeyup, where’d yer get that from?”

I look to the coin then back to her “On the floor just now… Wait. How do I know what money is?”

“Beats me, yer seem to know some thin's without reason right?” I nod “maybe it’s just thin's yer know without rememberin' why.” I understood what Applebloom meant. It had been happening time and again for the last few days, I knowing things without reason or knowing how I knew it in the first place so I just went with it now.

“We should pick up some things while we’re here girls, we still got our school project to finish,” Sweetie Belle said as I turned my head to see Applebloom join them.

“Good idea Sweetie,” Applebloom replied.

Scootaloo hung her head “I left my bag back at Sweet Apple Acres...”

“Don't worry we got ours,” Applebloom showed her bag. “What do we need?”

“I think it was pencils, paper and colouring pencils,” Scootaloo said tapping her head a little with her hoof thinking about what they needed.

I left them to it and looked around, seeing the papers and pencils they spoke of “Sir...” the unicorn with cream yellow fur with dull purple mane and tail looked at me. “Why is there stuff like this in this store? They’re not toys are they?”

“They sure aren’t young colt, they’re just something youngsters like yourself like to use for things other than just playing games, sometimes you find it fun to draw things.” I looked at him as he spoke. “We sell saddlebags to young ponies too, for school and stuff.”

“Oh?” I thought about it now, looking at the others then back at him. “Guess I would... but I only got this one bit, the one I found in this store.” I showed him it.

The unicorn look over to my friends then to me “They called you Zaps right?” I nod “My name is Comet Tail, I am doing a favour for a friend by helping out for the week, but I was told that this bag was on sale.” Comet Tail lifted it up with his magic, showing me the bag. “This is at a 'Wonder Deal' for the week and today is the last day, this is the last one and usually it’d be two bits on sale, but I will let it go to you for just that one bit.”

I looked at the coin, then the bag and finally at Comet Tail. “You’re changing how much it costs? Why?”

“Does there need to be a reason? Usually it’d be the customer haggling for the price to be lowered, but you seem to be all new to money.” Comet Tail lowered the bag onto the counter looking me in the eyes.

I look down to the ground. “Yeah it’s true... I don't really understand this whole coins for items thing very well... I know somehow what it means but don't really get it...”

Comet Tail just gave me a warm smile. “Then this’ll be your first buy?” I nod. “Then it sells for one bit,” he lowered the bag to me and took the bit off my hoof. “Good doing business young sir.”

“Thank you Comet Tail.” I beamed and looked at what I’d just got from him. For the first time I got a real good look at the bag, holding it up with my hooves. It was blue apart from a yellow strap where it went over my back. The flaps on each side had yellow lightning bolts with wings sticking out them. “Wow this is awesome!”

Comet Tail used his magic to place it on my back and put a mirror in front of me, I wasn’t sure where that mirror had come from but I got a good look at myself wearing my own personal saddlebag, and it was awesome. “It does look awesome on you, why don’t you go and show your friends?”

“I will!” I ran up to them “Hey Girls! Look what I just bought! Isn't it awesome?” I stood before them showing off my new saddlebag that I had just bought with the bit I found.

“Whoa that’s sweet Zaps” Scootaloo beamed with delight. “We also got what we need, maybe you can help carry some of it.” Scootaloo trotted off to the counter to pay for the supplies they’d just bought.

I looked at my new bag and back to her “Sure, I don't mind, it will give me a chance to try my new saddlebag out!” I was really excited about getting something that really belonged to me. I felt so proud of it.

Applebloom giggled and I turned to her “Yer sure are happy with that bag Zaps, ya lookin' good.”

“Wouldn't it be more ideal for a pe... ow!” Applebloom nudged Sweetie Belle. She glanced at Applebloom then looked back to me “Yeah it looks good on you Zaps.”

I wasn't sure what that was about but Scootaloo returned to us with the items in hoof “Stuff’s bought girls.” She shared the supplies out between our three bags. I ended up with a bit more but I wasn't bothered by it. In fact I felt glad to help out with carrying something for them in return for their kindness.

I guess a toy store wasn't really what we wanted; sure, there was lot of toys, but in the end we only got stuff that seemed to help with the girls project and something that I can use to carry things. Not that I was bothered, though I was curious about who had bought the scooter and helmet.

We soon left the toy store but not before I gave Comet Tail a wave and he returned it with his own hoof “Have fun children!” he called out to us.

Scootaloo called back “We will!”

“Next stop is the Carousel Boutique! My sister’s home and shop!” Sweetie Belle said with delight in her voice as she trotted ahead of us, happily leading the way to the Carousel Boutique.

We made good time getting to the Carousel Boutique the home of Sweetie Belle's sister and that’s when it hit me, I didn't even know her name…

“Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle came to a stop and turned towards me just as she was about to knock the door “Yes Zaps?”

I rubbed my head a little with my hoof “With all the excitement of you all giving me this amazing tour of Ponyville, you didn't tell me your sister’s name...”

She put her hoof to her snout “Oops... I didn't,” she giggled. “Her name is Rarity and I should warn you...” Sweetie Belle seem to get nervous all the sudden, what could be so worrying about a brother or sister? “She’s kinda... well...”

“She’ll make ya model for her dress or suit designs,” Scootaloo blurted out, rolling her eyes. “I've been there...” she groaned. “Never again... those dresses were sappy as ever...”

Sweetie Belle knocked on the door “That only happened once and your idea to ask Rainbow Dash about her cutie mark meant we found out after a whole day of talking our sisters and their friends that they were all connected.” Sweetie Belle reminded Scootaloo.

Applebloom giggled “That was a fun day though, some of the stories was a little strange but in the end we did learn that they all shared an amazin' connection between them.”

I wasn't sure what they were talking about but I just interested in hearing this.

Scootaloo huffed a little with her front legs crossed “Yeah your right... but Rainbow Dash's story was the best.”

“Ah agree.”

“Same here.”

I heard the door open and turned to see a white unicorn with a curly dark purple mane and tail standing there looking at us. “Oh hello girls what brings you to my Boutique today? Another one of your crusades?”

“Kinda sis, we’re showing Zaps around,” Sweetie Belle pushed me in front of Rarity. “Zaps, meet my big sister Rarity.”

I looked at Sweetie Belle who pushed me giving a big smile then I turned my head to her sister Rarity. “He-hello Rarity...”

Rarity looked right at me when she started speaking “Hello to you too Zaps...” then she stared at me before letting out a hysterical scream that made me jump back in fright.

Startled, I began to slowly step back from her “Wh-what... what did I do!?” I was scared by this sudden reaction.

“Oh no my dear it’s not that... I just got a huge idea!” she said lowering down to look at me. “Will you be a dear gentlecolt and help me?”

“He-help... what? Help with what?” I was rather lost at this point seeing the girls giggling and almost laughing.

Rarity flickered her eyes a little “Pretty please!”

I recalled what Sweetie Belle and the others had been talking about. “Is this something to do with your dresses and suits?” I asked, somewhat apprehensively.

“Oh my stars it is my dear Zaps, will you help me out?” Rarity asked, in a way that almost sounded like a plea for help...

I wasn't sure where to go on this so I just nodded. “Erm ok... if it doesn't take too long, Pinkie Pie’s setting up something called a party for me... it’s going to be my first.”

Rarity gave me a funny look “Your first? My dear you look old enough to had at least a few... how could you not had been to a party?”

“I don't remember really having gone to any...” I diverted my gaze away from her eyes feeling a little embarrassed over not knowing what parties were or what to expect...

“Not even a Hearth’s Warming Eve one?” I shook my head. I had no idea what that was. “Nightmare Moon night?” I shook my head again. “Oh my this calls for some major work! I must design you something that will make you absolutely dashing for your first ever party! I can not let this go unanswered! No, I must do something splendid! Something remarkable! Something OUTSTANDING!!!!” She shrieked the last part... I wasn't sure if Sweetie Belle's sister was crazy or just overstating something... but she scared me a little when she spoke out that last set of words...

Scootaloo put a hoof to her head with a grumble “Now you've gone and done it...”

“Done what? I was only being honest...” I was a little unsure of what Scootaloo meant by it.

Rarity opened up her door with her magic “Now Zaps, be a dear and come with me, I’ve got to take some measurements to make sure I do this right, it shouldn't take too long.” I glanced at the girls but they only gave me a nod back. “Come along Zaps time’s awasting!”

“Ok...” I answered and followed her inside with the others close behind.

I heard Applebloom first “Ah wonder what she’ll make him.”

“Beats me, I hardly see my sister making suits,” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Ah got to see this,” Applebloom spoke next. I was keeping an eye on where I was going as I followed Rarity to a room.

Scootaloo was next to speak “Whatever girls... you know what Rarity’s like, this will take forever...”

“But Scoots, have yer ever seen Rarity make a suit before?”

“Not that I’ve seen, Applebloom, mostly outfits for mares... a bit too girly for my taste,” Scootaloo answered.

“Nopony’s forcing you to stay Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle said to Scootaloo.

“I know but our plan was to explore the town with Zaps so he gets to know things,” Scootaloo answered back. “So I’m sticking around since we all gave our word to Applejack.”

“Eeyup,” Applebloom replied.

Rarity stopped in front of me and put a hoof out to some round platform. “Now stand on that and don't move ok?”

“Ok Rarity...” I answered and walked up to the platform and stood on it. “Like this?” I turned to face her.

Rarity had put on a pair of red glasses. “Yes dear Zaps, now be a good gentlecolt and don't move, I am going to use this measuring tape to take some measurements of you.” I gave a short nod and saw the blue magic appear around the measuring tape. “While I work on this, why don't you tell me a little about yourself and where you’re from.”

I wasn't sure how to answer it and was sick of telling the same thing over and over again, but I knew she didn't know so I just had to tell her the same thing as the others... “I don't really know where I am truly from... I woke up from a pitch black nightmare in the middle of the Everfree Forest... those are my first clear memories… being lost and confused... not really knowing I was a pony at first or how to use my limbs...”

Rarity gave me a really odd look when I said this while she took measurements with the tape of my back, around my forelegs, my neck and even the underside of my body, carefully recording each one in her notebook. “Well that is rather strange... You really have no memories before that?”

“I don't really know Rarity... it’s the same story I’ve been telling to so many... it’s kinda annoying...” I closed my eyes with a heavy sigh then opened them. “I didn't even have a name till Scootaloo gave me one.”

Rarity was floating some sheets of cloth over me, held together with pins, carefully working it with scissors, needle and thread. “Oh my, I wouldn't even be able to figure out how that felt... no idea of why you were there or what reasons somepony would have for leaving you in the middle of that dreadful forest...” she smiled warmly at me. “But you found yourself to Ponyville though.”

I glanced at Applebloom “I have... Applebloom's brother and sister agreed to take me in until they could find my real family... if I still have a real family...” I turned to Rarity, looking away a little. “Everypony’s been so kind to me since I arrived at Sweet Apple Acres... I’m really grateful for everypony’s help... it really means a lot to me.”

“I’ll bet it does darling and if it counts for anything I will do what I can to help you too, I have some high class contacts and could call in a few favours to find out if your family’s looking for you Zaps,” Rarity said in a graceful tone of voice. She seem genuine in her offer to help me out and that made me happy to hear.

Sweetie Belle came up to Rarity “Sorry to bother you sis but Pinkie Pie just dropped this off for you.”

Rarity took the piece of paper and open it. “Well it seems I’ve been invited to 'Zaps’ First Amazing Birthday and First Time Party Party.' Dear, I didn't know it was your birthday as well.”

I blinked “it is?” I was lost by this. “I think I know what a birthday is... it’s erm... the day you were born right?” she nods “But I don't know when I was... why would Pinkie Pie say something like that?”

Scootaloo spoke and I turn my eyes to her. “Because what better way to have a first ever party than to make today your birthday as well. After all, it really could be your birthday and you wouldn't know it right?”

“I guess that would be possible...”

“Then don't argue with Pinkie Pie's logic, she’s one crazy pony you can never underestimate!” Scootaloo smirked at me. “And I think it’d be awesome for it to be your birthday party too.”

I frowned a little and smiled afterwards “I guess it kinda makes a bit of sense...”

Rarity shook her head softly “Pinkie Pie is a rather energetic mare but she always comes through for us and has done things that I wouldn't dare argue about!” Rarity continued her work pressing some different clothes over my forelegs. “Hmm...”

“What?”

“I’ve got it!” she shrieked “Why didn't I see this before! I have the perfect outfit in mind for you Zaps, now stay perfectly still and this will be done soon as possible!” Rarity seemed to be energetic now, pulling around all sorts of sheets of clothes. “Girls do you mind going outside the room please, I am in the zone!”

“Ok Rarity,” Sweetie replied.

“Fine...” Scootaloo grumbled and left with the girls.

“We’ll just be in the next room,” Applebloom added and they were gone.

Rarity smiled at me with a big toothy grin. “Now let’s make you look fabulous Zaps!” All I did was nod in agreement to this, not sure of what was about to happen now that I was under the scope, pins, needles, thread and eyes of Rarity... I felt really nervous at this outcome...

Chapter 10: A Rare Surprise

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 10: A Rare Surprise

“No that won't do... yes that will... hmm... this here and there...” I had my eyes closed, thinking about this party coming up, I wasn't sure how long I had been there but my legs all felt a little sore from standing in one place for so long. Despite the aching though, I kept as still as I possibly could, breathing steadily. I would rather do as Rarity asked and get this over with than complain... “Yes that it!” I felt something land on my head.

“What was that?” I asked, opening my eyes and looking up to see the rim of something. “Is that a hat?”

I turned my gaze to Rarity moving in front of me with a smile. “Oh my stars, you look adorable!” She seemed really happy over the work she’d done. “Darling you can move, I've finished.”

I blinked “Really?”

“Of course Zaps, you allowed me to try over seven different styles, and this one suits you the best, the others I will keep as references for other colts your age. I am really happy with your cooperation!” Rarity said with delight. I tilted my head down looking at my raised front hoof to see a black sleeve with white under it. Wearing these clothes felt really strange, but somehow familiar, as if I had worn something like this before...

I looked at Rarity “Could I see how I look please?”

Rarity's horn lit up and I saw the large mirror roll across until it was directly in front of me. “My best work for the young yet, if I say so! Don't you think?” she praised her own work.

I looked right at the reflection of myself. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by feelings that made me gasp and I closed my eyes to see an image of myself in another, similar, blackish outfit, without the hat. I had my hoof on the collar, and was pulling at it.

“Big brother, why do I have to wear this again?” I moaned, tugging on it.

The red stallion in a similar black suit put his hoof on mine, pushing it away “You want to look good for your brother's own wedding don't you?”

“Yeah I guess so, but it feels so weird!” I complained.

“I think you two look dashing and my little McApples look cute as ever!”

We turn to see an orange mare with a horn on her head and a red and yellow mane that sparkled in the sunlight.

“Mum!” Both of us yelled at her at the same time and she chuckled.

She was wearing a blue dress and a necklace with a rose on it, with small coloured gems surrounding the bud. “Now Armour McApple, make me a proud mother”.

“I sure will, and my best colt here will make it so.” He tapped me with his hoof on my head and ruffled it.

I grinned, “guess wearing this silly thing was worth it”.

“Harmony Rose?” Our mother turned to a stallion in armour standing before us. “We’re ready, if you would all take your places.”

“Of course, now let’s make this a wedding to remember children.” She smirked and walk on out.

Armour McApple groaned, “Mother! I am not a child!” he yelled back and sighed. “Well ready little brother?”

“Sure!”

“Zaps darling are you ok!? ZAPS!” I blinked, seeing Rarity with her hooves on my shoulders, shaking me a little as I blinked a few more times. “Oh my stars! You had me worried... what happened?”

I rubbed my head. “I don't know...” I tried to comprehend what I saw and felt... It made my head feel like it was spinning on the inside out... “It was weird...”

“Weird? Care to explain?”

I lowered my eyes from her’s still trying to comprehend the images I had just seen... “It felt distant... as if it all happened some time ago...”

All I got then was a shriek of happiness, seeing Rarity with a excitable look. “Those are your memories darling! You remembered something from your past! What was it? I do hope it was a pleasant one?”

I rubbed my side of my head again... “Well it felt like a good feeling but... I’m not quite sure how to describe what I saw... I heard two names I think... erm... something McApple.... and Harmony something...”

“Oh my, they must mean something, can you remember the full names, Zaps? It would help me out.” She was writing down the words as I spoke to her.

I started to sob a little, feeling really upset that I couldn't quite remember what I had just seen moments ago... “I’m trying... really, I am... I just can't remember the rest...” As I continued to cry she put her pad down and pulled me over, giving me a hug.

“There there Zaps, it’s ok. I wasn't trying to pressure you darling... I was just trying to help, and what I’ve got will help, so you can keep the suit on, ok?” I nodded silently and stepped out of the hug with a smile. Rarity smiled back at me, wiping my tears away with a cloth “Now go show my sister and her friends your new outfit.”

“Ok, I will Rarity, thank you.” I sniffed a little with a bigger smile and walked over to the door before stopping and looking at it. I felt rather unsure, but looking over to her, Rarity gave me a nod, and I stepped into the room with Rarity behind in tow. “Hi girls... what do you think?” I was standing in front of them and suddenly everything turned dark. A beam of light shone over me from a strange, bright, round object, radiating light from its centre. I looked at them and felt rather warm around my cheeks again. Rubbing my right hoof on my left leg and watching them staring back at me, I felt a little shy...

Sweetie Belle spoke up first, “Whoa Rarity he looks really amazing!” Sweetie Belle beamed at her sister. “You really did great Rarity!”

“Ah think it suits him, ‘specially that hat, and ah’m sure sis will like it too,” Applebloom added, much to Rarity's delight, seeing how two of the fillies liked the outfit she had made for Zaps.

Scootaloo seemed to stare at me and I stared right back at her for what seemed like forever then she snapped out of it. “It suits him and it’s not too sappy too. So I say it’s awesome, wouldn't mind something like that myself, dresses aren’t really my thing.”

Rarity's eyes widen in delight “Oh? Is that so Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo saw that look. “Hey I didn't... let me go! GIRLS ZAPS!!! HELP!” Scootaloo found herself in Rarity's magic being picked up with the lights all coming back on.

“I’ll be right back! Lucky I made an extra part from the hat, with some minor changes you’ll be all done in no time” Rarity said dragging Scootaloo away in her magic.

I turned to chase and the girls did too. We entered the room and within those seconds Scootaloo was standing there in an identical suit to me... I stood there stunned, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle too... Rarity did it so sudden and so fast... “Whoa...” was all I could manage to say.

Rarity added the final touches to it, making it slightly smaller than mine to fit Scootaloo and cutting holes in the sides for her wings to pass through as well. “Now that wasn't too bad was it Scootaloo?”

“I guess not...” she muttered and looked at the mirror, seeing herself “Wow... I look awesome in this! It’s not sappy at all, and it looks great!”

Applebloom giggled “It sure does Scootaloo, yer look great!”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “You do know you wore a dress for the wedding right? And you liked it too, in fact you kept it right?”

“Yeah that’s true I did, but come on! This look great on me!” Scootaloo jumped up on her hind hooves doing a spin on the spot with one hind hoof in the air, spinning on the other, and landing back on all fours.

Sweetie Belle just kept her smile “Of course you do Scootaloo! It suits you.” She giggled, “Rarity can we get a picture of both of them please!”

Rarity saw what Sweetie Belle meant and looked at both of us “Oh my stars that simply must happen!” Rarity opened a draw and pulled out a camera “Now both of you stand by each other, and don't move,” she added.

I looked at Scootaloo and she looked at me “Let just get this over with...” she grumbled.

“Ok” I stood by her and looked at what they called a camera “What’s a camera do anyway?” I frowned a little.

“Just stand there and smile and I will explain afterwards,” Rarity replied. So I stood next to Scootaloo and smiled when all of a sudden there was a flash. I blinked a few times, trying to shake out the lights in my vision.

“Wh-what was that... why can I see tiny sparkles in my eyes!” I cried out, trying to get rid of them, panicking a little.

Scootaloo put her hoof to me and I stopped panicking and looked right at her, still unsettled with what was in my vision. “It’s normal ok, chill...” I took a deep breath “It’s only the flash from the camera, you get it for a few seconds every time but it’s worth it. I promise.”

I tilted my head a little “Worth it? But I don't know what it does! Other than blinding me with light...”

Rarity giggled “It takes a picture, have a look,” she was carrying something in her magic. “It’s an instant transfer camera, I use it so I don't have to go to the shops all the time to get them developed.” She waved it around for a few seconds then showed me it.

I stared in amazement “It’s a still image of us!”

“Yeah it sure is Zaps, and we’re looking awesome right?” Scootaloo nudged me.

I couldn't help but agree. Then it happened again...

I stood there groaning “Mother how long do I have to stand here! It’s been forever!” I complained standing on the spot in the same outfit as before as the pony I called mother stood with another pony doing something with brushes and colour.

“I know sweetie but it’s nearly finished; my friend Brush Luck is almost done.”. I looked over at the blue pony with a red mane and tail wearing a hat shaped like a leaf, and a cape over her body. The Earth pony’s eyes were filled with concentration as she worked on the board with the paints.

“It’s almost there, Harmony Rose, your son’s just like your eldest in so many ways,” Brush Luck said, moving the brush up and down as she spoke to Harmony Rose.

“I know Brush Luck,” she smiled “They’re both my stars in the sky.”

“And done!”

“Finally!” I moved stretching my limbs feeling some of the muscles pull with soreness. “Can I see?”

“Come over and take a look”, Brush Luck replied and I did. Sitting on the easel was a perfect painting of me sitting there with the different shades of flowers in pots around me and the arch my brother had just got married under. “Whoa that is amazing! It a still image of me!”

“It’s a portrait, my little sunshine, and it’s of the cutest and most adorable little colt I know.” Harmony Rose nuzzled her snout against mine.

“Mother!” I laughed a little and hugged her “It’s coming home with us right?”

“Sure is! As soon as it dries we’ll put it right above the fireplace for all to see when they come over and visit,” she said with pride and we hugged.

I blinked few times and felt a hoof on my back. Scootaloo was looking right at me, a concerned expression on her face. “Are you ok Zaps? You look like you've seen a ghost or something.”

I rubbed the side of my head. “I had another one of those weird things again... this time it was something to do with a portrait and... urg... I can't recall the names I heard... it was so clear a second ago,” I said, hitting my hoof on the ground hard in annoyance. “Why am I getting all these weird images and words appearing in my head... I don't understand it!”

Rarity put a hoof to my chest and I looked up at her. “Calm down and take deep breaths, you’re having what we call flashbacks, memories of the past, but since you can not clearly remember those events you’re trying to understand something that simply wasn't there before, it’s overwhelming and at first it will be hard for you to process, just give it time darling.”

Sweetie Belle seemed stunned by what Rarity had said. “What did you do with my sister!” she yelled at Rarity.

“Nothing Sweetie Belle, Zaps is under a lot of stress, when you work in fashion as much I as I do, you learn to recognise when another pony is stressing out, even if you yourself feel completely relaxed. Why don't you all go to that clubhouse of yours to drop off your things before Zaps’ party over at the farm. I’ll be there in one of my dresses soon. I want to look glamorise for Zaps first party!” Rarity put the photo into my saddle bag and left, humming to herself.

I look to Sweetie Belle “Is she always like that?”

“Weird and crazy sister... yeah...” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes “Come on, let’s get to the clubhouse quickly!”

I looked at myself, then at Scootaloo “Do you think we’ll be fine wearing these there? And back to the farm?”

“Sure, just make sure not to get it dirty or we’ll be in for a heck of a pain from Rarity's shrieking.” I shuddered at that thought and nodded in agreement. Taking my saddlebag, and the others taking theirs, we set off back to the clubhouse.

On the way we got some looks from the adults, some of whom were saying things about me and Scootaloo... cute, adorable, a cute pair, whatever they meant by that. I saw Scootaloo react with a flush of red under her eyes, I remember feeling warm around the same areas before. I wonder if red appears under those areas too with me...

We soon arrived at the clubhouse. The girls put their gear away and I admired the photo of me and Scootaloo while they finished up. Applebloom stopped what she was doing, stepped back, and looked from their wall to the picture I was holding. “Ah think we should put this right here,” she declared, took it out of my hooves and, with a little help from Sweetie Belle, pinned it up on the wall. “There, that’s a keeper for sure, don't ya think Sweetie?”

“Sure is” Sweetie Belle replied and looked over to Scootaloo “What do you think Scoots?”

Scootaloo stepped up beside me and we all looked at the picture, pinned where it was on the wall. “Sure is” Scootaloo replied. “ But we’d better get going or we’re gonna be late for Zaps’ party.”

We all started to leave and I looked back at the photo again from the doorway; it made me feel very happy inside seeing it there and with a smile I chased after them as we headed back towards Sweet Apple Acres.

I was going the right way or, at least, I thought I was... I galloped around looking left and right, but after the short distraction of looking at the photo, now pinned to the clubhouse wall, I couldn’t find the girls anywhere. 'Where did they go? Where exactly is Sweet Apple Acres... all these trees look the same...' my thoughts were cut short as I ran into something and bounced off heavily.

I quickly shifted my weight and managed to land on all fours, sliding to a stop with a heavy sigh. “That was too close... Rarity just made this for me... last thing I want is to make her upset after her kindness of giving this to me...” I said to myself, feeling relieved that the suit and hat I wore were still pretty much as they were when Rarity had first put them on me.

“Oh my... I am so sorry...” I heard a soft, quiet voice in front of me and my eyes trailed up to its source, a light yellow pegasus with a pink mane and tail. A basket sat by her hooves where she must have put it down. “Are you alright little one?” her soft voice was carrying a hint of concern and worry in it.

I looked over myself and smiled a little “I'm fine miss, sorry I wasn't watching where I was going... I was heading back to Sweet Apple Acres and got turned around by all these trees looking so similar... Applebloom and the girls rushed off ahead of me back there...” I explained and apologized for running into her...

She smiled warmly at me “It’s ok, we’re both still standing.” I nodded in agreement to that. “Are you new to town?” At that I groaned audibly, putting a hoof to the side of my head.

“Di-did I say something wrong...”

I sat on my flank, looking at her “No… It’s just... I’ve been telling everypony the same thing over and over and over and over again... I’m just getting a little frustrated...” I decided I had to try to give her a short version if I could...

“I woke up in the Everfree forest with no memories apart from the darkness and waking up. After running away from some timberwolves I found myself at Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo discovered me and gave me my name, Zaps, and Applejack and Big Mac agreed that I could stay with them. Today I have been exploring some of Ponyville with Scoots and the other girls. Rarity’s place was one of them and then we went back to the clubhouse and I got lost after losing the girls and ran into you...” I told her everything in a compacted story, rushing it, I wasn't sure if it was accurate, but at this point I simply didn't care.

“Oh you poor thing... my name is Fluttershy, by the way, and I was heading to Sweet Apple Acres for a party for you,” she raised the invite out of the basket.

I look at Fluttershy, then down at the invite. “Oops, I forgot to mention that part with Pinkie Pie...” I stood up. “Could I come with you to Sweet Apple Acres? I’m still so new to this place...” I started looking around, trying to get a bearing of where I was roughly.

Fluttershy smiled warmly to me “Of course Zaps, follow me... if that’s ok?”

“Sure, and thank you Fluttershy!” I beamed with delight.

“I almost forgot, Rarity made that right?” she looked at me as we slowly trotted back to the farm.

I glanced up at the hat overlapping my mane a little. “She sure did, I really like it. I think I wore something similar once before, but not quite the same... I’m not sure when or where though... I had what Rarity called a 'flashback' and can't quite focus on what I saw in it...”

“You will in time, I am sure of it” she said to me. “I guess the suit and hat is your birthday gift from her?”

I turned my eyes away, thinking about it, then looked back at Fluttershy and replied, “I’m Not sure... I know they were a gift for helping her out with so many outfits but I’m not sure if it was a birthday gift.”

“Either way you look cute Zaps...” she paused putting a hoof to her snout. “Oh my, that came out wrong didn't it?”

I frowned a little over her reaction. “Not sure... but I heard a lot of ponies say that on my way here and just went with what they said, I guess. Why are you unsure of what you said?”

“Oh I don't cope well with new ponies... even the young ones like you Zaps, I am rather shy” she explained to me.

We were approaching the gate to Sweet Apple Acres, “I’m bit unsure what to say to other ponies too, to be blunt” I admitted to her. “I feel closed and tight when some of them are speaking to me... I just feel like hiding behind Scootaloo and the others half the time...” I sighed, feeling a bit silly.

“Well, amnesia does funny things, don't worry Zaps, you will be fine.” She put a hoof to me as we stopped outside the barn. “Applejack wouldn't have taken you in otherwise.”

I looked to her eyes and scraped at the ground, shifting some dirt with my right hoof. “You’re right... that is true” I looked at the doors and began to get nervous, breathing heavily, “I’ve never been to a party before...” I gulped, and started backing away a little. “I don't know if I can do this... I don’t know what happens in a party or what will happen when I open the doors... I mean, I know there’s a party, but what if this party’s a bad thing... what if it...”

“Zaps calm down, you’re hyperventilating.” Fluttershy spoke in a serious tone putting her hooves to my sides and looking into my eyes. “Slow your breathing, relax” she said softly.

I did what she said, slowing my breathing and calming down but the massive sickness in my stomach was still there, I felt it twisting and giving me waves of strange feelings. “I-I thi-think I'm ok...” I replied trying to calm myself...

“We go together, ok?” I nodded silently and stepped up to the door again, both of us put our hooves against it. “On the count of three ok?” I nodded again to Fluttershy. “One... Two...”

“Three!” we said together and pushed our hooves against the doors and they swung open...

“SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!”

Author's Notes:

The last of the mane six have been met being Fluttershy ^^ I came up with this idea how he get to meet her before the party and it worked out well. Also Zaps about to have his first birthday slash party! Also thanks to rikusorasephiroth and Vailen for the idea of the flashbacks and they seem to work well in the story so far, specially the ones Zaps had.

Thanks again for Joesephius_Loewe taking his time to proof read this once more!

Now the question I have to bring forwards is how exactly to do this party scene. I am not quite sure how to write parties out in my stories... I want to sound exciting! Fun! and Really enjoyable to read!

"Yeah! Since it a party I made so get your flanks off the ground and give him some pointers! PINKIE PROMISE ME!!!"

Erm...what? O_o

"Bye bye, party time on the next chapter! So I got to hop to it! hehe!"

Sure... erm... what was I saying... oh right... tips and any helpful comments like the last ones be great!

Also like to say I really enjoy working on this and why I been trying to take my time with each chapter to make it good and enjoyable to those to read, try to keep in character and such.

Till next time!

Chapter 11: Parrrrrttttay!

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 11: Parrrrrttttay!

“SURPRISE!!!”

A sudden light blinded me for a few seconds. Startled and shocked, I began to see ponies emerge from different locations all around the barn, yelling it out. I started to notice the different colours of ribbon all over the place, the tables of food, the games, the ponies smiling, and by a station of some sort, the white unicorn with a spiky blue mane and big purple glasses.

In the centre of the barn, lay boxes of all sizes piled around a large cake... I started to get that feeling again, as everything all of a sudden seemed to change once more...

I stood with my brother Armour McApple and about 30 or so other ponies, all gathered around. I was the only child in the crowd and was using my brother to get higher to see my mum on a raised platform in front of everypony.

Her horn glowed as she spoke. “Well done everypony, it has been another great harvest and the season’s celebrations can begin!” The ponies began cheering and clapping their hooves against the stone surfaces. “We have all worked so hard in our little kingdom, it might be out of the way and hardly noticed, but we all live in harmony and the friendship and family bonds we share with each other mean so much, for not only do we today celebrate another grand harvest of Harmony Apples but we also celebrate my son’s birthday!”

Armour McApple walked past as everypony turned to look at me. Looking at the ground, I could feel myself turning red in the face. I hid behind his head and neck much as I could. “Mum! This is embarrassing!” I cried out.

She smiled happily, looking down at me from the platform; many other ponies were cheering in delight. “The festival is not over yet everypony! The fruits of our labour are ready to eat! The ponies with their music are ready to play! And there are games for us all to enjoy! Let us make this another grand festival of the Harmony Harvest! ENJOY!”

Harmony Rose looked at a pegasus and earth pony beside her smile at each other. She Pressed her horn against their heads and a bright glow shone through it. A beam of energy shot up into the air and exploded with colour, leaving a wondrous magical aurora skimming through the sky high above the small town and castle in its wake.

She stepped down from the platform and walked towards us as the crowd of ponies went their separate ways to enjoy the festival, talk amongst each other and dance to the music that was being played. A few danced together, mare and stallion.

“I think this year is our best yet, don't you think?”

“Indeed mother, it really is a treat to see everypony enjoying another successful year,” Armour McApple said with a warm smile. “And even better with the marriage to Sunny Day... oh she brighten...” He got a kick to the back of the neck from me. “Ow! What was that for!?”

“No mushy stuff you promised!” I snapped at him.

Harmony picked me up off his back and placed me on the ground. “Go and enjoy the festival my little cutie.”

“Ok mum!” I almost ran into a white unicorn with a pink mane and tail who was coming towards us. “Sorry Sunny.” I looked up at her. “I wasn't watching where I was going!”

“It’s fine, just be careful ok?” She patted me softly on the head.

“I will! Can I go play with Nighty?” I asked with pleading eyes.

Sunny giggled at my expression “How could I say no to those cute big eyes?” she giggled again. “My sister’s over by the table where they’re serving food, I believe. Go and have fun.” Sunny Day smiled at me and I return the smile with a “YAY!” and then was gone, dashing to the food stands.

A massive bang snapped me out of the flashback. I yelped in surprise as a big round tube on wheels exploded tiny bits paper and string at me, causing me to leap back into Fluttershy's forelegs, who was just as surprised as I was with what Pinkie Pie just did.

Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, was in fits of laughter. I heard everypony else laughing too “Sorry Fluttershy... that was really surprising...” I jumped out of her hooves and she stood back on all fours.

“It’s ok” she giggled.

Pinkie Pie stood by her strange device, tapping it “What do you think of the Party Cannon? It was a real bang of a surprise wasn't it?”

I couldn't help but laugh “It sure was!” I looked more closely at the ‘Party Cannon,’ as she called it. “Can I try?”

“Sure!” Pinkie Pie picked me up with her front hooves and dropped me next to the cannon string. “Now take your hooves on the string and pull your hardest!”

“OK!” I replied, took it with both hooves and pulled my hardest as she had suggested. In the corner of my eye, I saw her step back a little.

BANG

The Party Cannon exploded, throwing colourful bits of paper and string all over Rainbow Dash, covering her normally blue fur with a layer of multicoloured dots. “Sorry!” I called out, seeing what I had done. “I didn't mean too!!!”

Rainbow Dash chuckled, spitting out some of the tiny paper pieces. “Hehe don't worry kiddo, nice shot for your first try at the Party Cannon.” She raised up a mug and drunk some of it contents. “How’d you like the surprise? Awesome right?”

Pinkie Pie put me down on the ground and I went over to her. “Sure is Rainbow Dash, I really like it, but what’s the music being played by the white unicorn? I’ve never seen anypony play music without instruments before.” I got a surprised look from Rainbow Dash. “Wha-what?” I felt rather nervous.

“You said 'instruments before'...” She was trying to place the words. “You said you don't remember much, how is it you know about musical instruments?” She notice my fear as my eyes fell from hers. “Hey, I’m not mad, just... curious. Come on squirt, tell me, nothing bad’s gonna happen I promise.”

I gazed back into her eyes. “I had one of those flashback things again... third one today... my head feels really weird with all the new things popping all over the place in my head... I remember some of what I saw but not all... at first it was all there but then... nothing...” I sighed heavily. “I recalled something about a festival and ponies playing musical instruments... two pony names I remember were Sunny Day and Nighty... an older and younger sister... I think Nighty was a friend of mine... I’m just not so sure...” I tried to explain.

Rainbow Dash gave me a small cup of some liquid and lowered herself to my eye level. “Yeah those things do that to ya, sometimes you reenact them as if you were really there, trust me, even I’ve done it a few times” she whispered to me. “But that’s our little secret ok?” she winked at me.

I looked at the cup’s contents then back to Rainbow Dash. “Ok Rainbow.” I beamed and drunk some of the contents “Wow this is really tasty!”

“I know right?” she smirked. “Now let’s go and play some games, Scootaloo and her friends are over there, I think they also owe you a little something.”

“Huh?” Then I remembered them running off without me. “Oh that... erm... that was kinda my fault... I was distracted by the picture they’d put up in the clubhouse,” I said to her as we walked over to them. Sweetie Belle was stood with what seemed to be a tail in her mouth, wearing a black sheet over her eyes and began walking towards a poster. Spike was also there with them.

Rainbow Dash look down at me and I looked up at her when she spoke. “Not exactly, they promised to keep with ya, remember?” I nodded. “So they broke it. The best way to earn a friend’s forgiveness is for them to apologise and learn from their mistakes, trust me, ok squirt? I had that drilled into me a few times by the Egghead.”

I saw her glance over at Twilight. I wondered what 'egghead' meant, maybe I could ask Rainbow Dash or Twilight that... “I think I understand.”

Sweetie Belle placed the tail on the leg of the pony in the picture. Taking the sheet off her head, she looked at it then started groaning. The other two were just laughing. “Ah come on!” she grumbled.

I tilted my head a little, looking at the tail “Isn't it suppose to be on...”

“Yes I know! You try doing it blind folded and...” Sweetie Belle turned to me and froze. “Oh... erm...” she looked right up at Rainbow Dash. “Hehe hi Rainbow Dash...”

“Yeah hi” Scootaloo giggled rubbing her right hoof against her left.

Applebloom gulped “Ah erm... we...”

Rainbow Dash look down at me, pushing me a little “I think you owe this colt something girls.”

“We’re sorry!” they said together.

“Yeah we didn't mean to run off like that seriously!” Scootaloo began.

“Yeah we got super excited and completely forgot!” Sweetie Belle added their reason.

“Ah should've known better, but we all really messed up...” Applebloom finished and they all lowered their heads.

I moved my eyes from Rainbow Dash to the girls then back to her, and finally back to the girls again with a smile. “It’s ok girls, it was kinda my fault too. I know you all promised but Fluttershy helped me get here so it’s kinda ok.” They raised their heads with a small smiles.

“You’re a real pal Zaps, thanks.” Scootaloo hugged me and so did the others. “Now!” She turn to Spike.

He put a thumbs up to us. “Oh I got this!” Suddenly everything turned dark.

I gasped, looking around quickly “The darkness!” I screeched, moving around, trying to find where I was but all I saw was the darkness... the overwhelming scary darkness! It came back for me!!!!

Suddenly everything came back and I found myself on the floor of the barn shivering with fear, balled up. “SPIKE!!!!” I heard, and the music stopped. Twilight was over me instantly, using her magic to pick me up. I held tight against her neck, still terrified, tears streaming down my face. “What was you thinking!?”

“Bu-but it was as much their idea as mine!” Spike protested, pointing to Rainbow Dash and the girls.

“Really!?” Twilight snapped at them.

“Yes” they all said in unison.

Twilight groans “I know you just wanted show him some games, but suddenly putting a blindfold on and turning his vision to pitch black without warning Zaps is not the way to go. Seriously girls didn't you hear enough about his stories of the endless pitch black darkness? How much it really gets to him!?” Twilight was giving them a full lecture as feelings of fears slowly drained my energy, but I saw something... I saw her, the one in the flashbacks... then I passed out...

Something odd was happening I found myself, once again, standing in front of the poster of the pony without a tail, I was confused... I recalled the overwhelming fear but...

“Hey, What?”

I turned to see the white unicorn take the blindfold out of Spike’s claw hands. His reaction after looking up at the unicorn was fear “Erm... hi” he gulped. The white unicorn had her purple glasses raised and the eyes looking at him had a distinctly displeased look... Had I just nodded off for a second. Was everything that had just happened a dream?

My thoughts were broken... “Not cool Spike, not cool at all, you were about to give the colt a panic attack.” I was very confused, and from the looks of it, so were most other ponies in the room... “Think about it! Blindfold equals black darkness and what has Zaps been through?” Did the white Unicorn just have the same dream I had just a second ago?

Spike released and put his claw hands over his snout. “Whoa... how did I miss that...”

Twilight stepped over to the unicorn. “Vinyl, what the hay’s going on and when did you learn to use teleport?”

Vinyl put a hoof up to her “Not now dude, this is more important than that.” Vinyl now faced her. “I just had some weird deja vu and saw things getting out of hoof that I just prevented, so you should be thanking me.”

“But nothing happened! Apart from you teleporting and snatching that blindfold from Spike!” Twilight protested.

“What’s Deja va?”

Vinyl groaned “I can't explain it ok! First I was standing at my station seeing you all fighting while poor Zaps was out cold from the panic attack after Spike put the blindfold on and then next thing I know you’re all frozen in time and wham! This mysterious orange mare with the most awesome fiery mane and tail I ever seen told me of some rerun and wham! Here we are on the rerun. Then, somehow, I teleported and stopped Spike from putting the blindfold on, call me crazy but...”

“I believe you” I instantly said and Vinyl looked down at me with a smirk. “I saw her in all my flashbacks... but I’m not sure who she is though...”

Twilight looked suddenly ready to have a go at Vinyl but Pinkie Pie came to the rescue “It’s time TO PARTY!!!!!!!” she screamed out. “Come on ponies, let’s get this party going again!!!” she was at Vinyl's station and started up the music, I saw Twilight just sigh and go off back to Applejack and Fluttershy, dropping the matter.

Vinyl turned her attention to me, she lowered down to my height and whispered “She’s more then that isn't she?” I looked right at Vinyl, spooked. “Don't worry, you can tell me later.” I winked and she put her purple glasses back on over her eyes. “Now, ready to play pin the pony?”

I looked unsure, since I was still kinda scared of the darkness.

“Buddy, it’s cool, it’s just like when you sleep, but instead of closing them, you keep them open and cover them with this, that’s all” She showed the blindfold. “Ready to give it a try?”

“S-sure” I replied.

“Ok, relax and breathe easy.” She used her magic to levitate it over my eyes and tie it on. “Ok dude?”

I gulped rather loudly “I-I think so... I don't like this much...”

“Ignore what you see right now and focus on the music and my voice,” Vinyl said to me, and got a nod in return. “Now hold this in your mouth.” She placed the tail in my mouth and twisted me around a few times. “Now you’re facing the poster, walk straight forward, and place that tail on the flank!” I felt her push me forwards a little.

I felt the tail hit something and pulled off the blindfold with a gasp. “I did it! I got the tail where it should be! See that!”

“I do Zaps that’s awesome!” Scootaloo said with a warm smile as she saw that I hit it on the mark. I was happy that I hit it in one go, this game wasn't half bad... “Great move Zaps.”

“Nice going Vinyl, you really saved the day!” Rainbow Dash nudged Vinyl with her elbow and she grinned. “But tell me, did what you describe really happen?”

“Sure did Rainbow, it was some crazy wizz and wham, that mare was really weird too, she was all cryptic and stuff, but wonderful too, and she seemed to like your cider.”

I was a bit startled by what happened next...

“SAY WHAT!?” Rainbow Dash put her hooves over her mouth as Vinyl stood there laughing, she had managed to put Rainbow Dash on the spot.

“Just pulling your tail Rainbow” Vinyl nudged her.

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her head “Darn it, ya got me good Vinyl, nice one.”

“Anytime.” She slapped her hoof against Rainbow Dash’s who returned the favour with a double hoofbump.

Vinyl was heading back to the station. As she left I turned to Scoots. “I'll be right back.”

“Sure, go bug Vinyl,” Scootaloo waved me on.

I went over to her and tapped her with my hoof against her hind leg, she looked down at me. “You’re Vinyl right? I heard Rainbow Dash call you that.”

“Sure am Zaps, what can I do for an awesome little colt like yourself?” she smirked

I rubbed my front hooves together. “Erm I... well, I’m not sure what that thing is, I know it’s music of some sort, but what exactly is it?” She looked at her decking system, seeing Pinkie having a whale of a time. I saw her shake her head disapprovingly.

“It’s my decking system, you never seen or heard of one before?”

“I haven't Vinyl... it’s kinda strange looking, I don't see how it’s making all the music...” I was curious about it and wanted to see how it worked.

She scooped me up and placed me on her back then walked over to the station. “Alrighty Zaps, it’s time for DJing 101 with Vinyl Scratch and Pinkie Pie.” She gave Pinkie a wink as she said this. I could only wonder what it meant...

“Yeah you’re so going to love this!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Now look at the turntable, you see those rods?” I listened to her but wasn't sure about the rods and such but if it works I guess it does... “They read the discs and turn it into sound through these wubs, Vinyl awesome wubs!”

“Erm ok... but how?”

“Do you need a reason for it to make sense or just love the music it makes?” Vinyl said to me.

I turned my eyes away and thought about it for a few seconds, then looked back at her eyes. I couldn't actually see them behind the glasses, but I think I was looking at her directly. “I guess not, but could I try?”

“Sure bud.”

She turned her body around slightly as I reached a hoof out to one of the turntables. “Place one hoof on the lever there and pull down slightly to number 2,” she said to me.

“Ok.” I pushed it down and the tune of the music changed slightly. “Whoa did I do that!?”

“You sure did bud, pretty rad, right?”

I looked at her, a little lost by the words she used but I didn't care. “Yeah it is rad... whatever that means.” I laughed a little.

I was really enjoying the party, I stuck with Vinyl and Pinkie Pie watching them use the music station. I really wanted to repay her for the help she gave me earlier; that blindfold thing was creepy but I got through it thanks to Vinyl.

Vinyl gave her station to Pinkie Pie and took me around the food, drink and games, she even tried to show me some dancing, it kinda didn't work out... my hooves were all over the place as I tried to keep up with Vinyl's strange dancing. I saw some other ponies were watching and gave some smiles and shakes of the head.

Soon it was time for the cake and it was massive. It was just a head short of most the adults... I saw Vinyl licking her snout hungrily; I guess it was a good cake to eat and I looked forward to it myself! I was a little overwhelmed but I heard a laugh from Vinyl snapping me out of my stunned expression.

Twilight stepped up using her magic with a flick of her horn, Whoa, she was good with magic!

“Zaps, all you’ve got to do is blow out the candles and make a wish, make sure not to tell anypony or it might not come true,” she said to me. “Then we can have some...”

“No way, candle blow out then PRESENTS!!!!!!!!” Pinkie Pie appeared out the blue behind the cake. I was sure she was next to Vinyl a second ago... “Then we eat cake” she bounced back over to Vinyl, standing by her.

Pinkie Pie grinned at her and Vinyl chuckled. “There’s no point trying to work out your randomness.”

“That right, ‘cause there’s only one of me!” She tapped her chest with pride. “And don't roll your eyes at me!”

I looked at Vinyl’s glasses then back to Pinkie Pie, how did she know? Did she... Nah it had to be my imagination... I turned back to the cake, wondering how I was going to blow all those candles out.

Big Macintosh stepped up beside me and placed me on his shoulders. He moved closer to the cake. “Go ahead Zaps, blow them out” he said to me.

I look down at his eyes “Ok Big Mac! Do I blow really hard?”

“Eeyup, And don't forget the wish!”

“I won't!” I beamed, taking a deep breath and then blew with all my might, extinguishing all but three of the candles. With another blow I got them all. “I did it!”

“Yer did Zaps, and good on ya,” Big Mac praised me.

Applejack spoke next “Well done Zaps, yer done good, now let’s get yer to open all ya presents.”

I tilted my head “Are those the oddly shaped boxes? Are there things inside them?”

“There sure are darling, gifts from us... well, not from me. You’ve already got your gift from me on, and might I say it very becoming,” Rarity said to me with a warm smile, admiring her work with pride.

Applebloom gave a whistle and I turned to her as she stood beside me. “That’s a lot of presents Zaps, ah never get that much, but this is yer first after all.”

The music was still playing in the background, but I had all the ponies staring at me and I felt rather nervous. The party and the candle blowing was great, but this... I wasn't sure what to do and what presents were about... “Applebloom what exactly are presents?”

She giggled in reply, then put a hoof to me. “It’s where yer get gifts from yer friends silly. Since it was sort of short notice and no pony’s really sure what yer like it’s a mystery what ya’ll get. It could be anythin' Zaps.” Applebloom explained to me. “Open that one,” she pointed her hoof to a flat one on the top of the pile.

“Come on already!” Scootaloo yelled out. “We haven't got all day ya know!”

I turned my head to her direction but she just smirked at me with a teasing look. I turned to the item Applebloom had pointed out and I looked at Twilight, “The flat one with the blue paper with clouds on it please.”

Twilight smiled and using her levitation brought it to me after reading the short message on the gift out loud. “To my new awesome friend Zaps, from the coolest pony ever, Rainbow Dash...” she stared at Rainbow Dash. “Seriously Rainbow Dash... you had to write that?”

“What can I say? I'm awesome,” she chuckled.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That, we know...” she placed it in front of me. “First gift is from Rainbow, let’s see what she got you Zaps.”

I ripped the paper off and brought it up to my face, holding it with both hooves. I read the title, “Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny...” On the cover were two pegasi; I guessed one was Daring Do but the other was... “Rainbow Dash!?” I gasped, hearing her chuckle. “Why are you on this cover?” I looked right at her with surprise.

Twilight shot a look “Rainbow Dash! He hasn’t read any the other books! If he reads that he’s not going to understand how the story goes!”

“Hehe oops” Rainbow Dash shrugged with a shy smirk.

I rubbed my head “Can somepony please tell me why she’s on this book... I am really confused...”

“You see there’s a interesting story about that book...” Twilight began.

Rainbow Dash cut in. “Daring Do is real and that book is sort of based on an adventure we had with her, awesome right?”

I smiled “It sure sounds it! But how can something in a story book be real?”

Rainbow Dash just kept her smile. “I'll tell ya after you read the other books, I am sure... TWILIGHT got them for you.”

I glanced over at Twilight “You did?” she just facehoofed herself.

She lowered the box down in front of me. “Open the lid...” she grumbled.

I looked inside and there was four other books inside. “Whoa... you two got me the whole lot? Why? Are the stories really that good?”

“They sure...” Twilight shot a magical spell at Rainbow Dash and caused a zipper to appear on Rainbow Dash's mouth.

“To us yes, but you may or might not like it, so you can trade them in for other books to read if you want” Twilight said calmly then remove the zipper from Rainbow Dash.

“Not cool Twilight, not cool...” Rainbow glared at Twilight.

I turned to Applebloom “Does this happen often?”

“Eeyup” she giggled. “But it’s only a silly little thin', nothin' to worry about” Applebloom answered.

Scootaloo pointed to one “Bring that one, it’s from us crusaders!”

I looked at her, and the others moved in front of me. “We had it made quick while you were being dressed up by Rarity.” Sweetie Belle said with a smile.

“No you didn't!” Rarity spoke out.

“Maybe sis...” Sweetie Belle gulped.

“Not the gold seriously! NOT THE GOLD!” Rarity seem to be in a panic or over-reacting to something...

Twilight lowered the box down and the girls stood together. “From us Crusaders!” they said together, pushed the lid off and pulled out the contents of the box. Together they held up a cape of some sort in front of me. “WELCOME TO THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS! ZAPS!!!!” they yelled together. I covered my ears until they stopped and even after that I felt a bit of ringing.

“Whoa... serious? Just like that?” I stared in dumbfounded expression at the three girls I got to know... Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

“Of course silly, yer stayin' with us at the farm and yer got to hang out so we decided to let the first colt ever join our club!” Applebloom beamed in delight. “What do ya say?”

I look at Scootaloo who had the biggest smile of them all and was nodding rapidly for me to say yes. “Ok I'm in!”

“YES!!!!” Scootaloo jumped into the air buzzing her wings rapidly and doing a few flips before landing on all fours in front of me. She hugged me tightly and the others joined in.

“Picture, quick!” Vinyl yelled out.

Fluttershy got her camera out “I got mine, here.” Vinyl took it and aimed it at us, I could see the camera floating just in the corner of my eyes then a flash and I saw stars again.

“Gah! The stars!” I groaned, I really hate those cameras that flashed... I always get stars in my eyes...” I got laughter from the others as I rubbed my hooves over my eyes to get rid of them but I smiled and started to laugh too.

Fluttershy brought down the next gift. “This is from me, I wasn't sure what to get, but I hope you like it...”

I looked at it with wonder and opened the round lid to see a bunch of cookies. They all smelt really nice and were even still warm. I licked my snout, taking one out with my hooves, I tasted it. “Wow I really like these Fluttershy!”

“You can keep the tin too” she giggled.

I looked at the round object. “Cookie tin?” I asked and she nodded. “Wow two gifts, thank you!” I gave her a hug and she returned it.

“That’s alright Zaps, I am glad you like it.” Fluttershy let go of me and I stood there, looking at the last few gifts I had left.

Spike lifted up the next one. “This one’s from me.” he stood in front of me and handed me a small, delicately wrapped box, perhaps no bigger than an apple.

I took the box and carefully pulled the lid off. Inside was a beautiful, cherry red, crystalline stone. I took it out I looked at it with some puzzlement. “Wow it’s pretty... but what is it?”
“That… is a ruby. I didn't have anything else to give, so I hope that’s ok,” Spike said to me.

I raised it up over my head and watched the light shine through the ruby. “I like it, it’s shiny and cool.” I put it back in the box. He put his hand claw out closed and I gently hit my hoof against it with a smile.

Twilight looked at the last few presents “You’ve got a choice of Applejack and Big Macintosh or Pinkie Pie.”

I looked at Applejack and Big Macintosh, I could only guess what they had gotten me... “I take Applejack and Big Macintosh's first.” Twilight used her magic to lift it up and lowered to me. I opened it to find a picture frame inside. I picked it up.

Twilight smirked and took it instantly out of my hooves. She placed the photo Fluttershy had taken inside. “Here we go Zaps” I took it and was amazed by what I saw. It was of me and the girls embraced in a group hug.

“A bit sappy, but definitely a keeper.” Scootaloo stood by me, looking at it.

“Ah know it’s not much but ah thought it’d be somethin' special to keep by yer bed.” I smiled at Applejack, tears beginning to run down my cheeks. I was happy with it, yet I still had tears falling.

“Sappy” Scootaloo giggled.

Big Macintosh put his hoof on my back gentle “Yer gonna to like it here Zaps, ah and everypony else showed yer what friends and family are.”

I nodded, wiping my tears away. “Yeah I have... it’s really amazing.” I sniffed a little. “Only one gift left...” I look to it... one word came to mind... “Massive...” I whispered looking up at it slightly, it was at least as tall as I was, if not bigger.

“OPEN IT OPEN IT!” Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down. “You will love it! I am sure of it! It a super dooper present!”

I looked for a way to open it. “How do I open it? The box is so big...” I walked around it with the others watching me. I put my hoof to the paper and pulled, ripping some of the wrapping paper off underneath was another box. “A brown box?”

“Nope” Pinkie giggled.

“Something inside?” I turned to her.

“Yep” She seem really excited and I wondered why...

Twilight used her magic to help me. “Here let me open it for you.” I nodded in appreciation at the help and watch the lid on the side of the box open, inside was something covered in paper of different colours. “Pinkie is this some joke?”

“Nope, there something inside there forsure, just dig it out!” she was bouncing up and down.

I looked up at Twilight and she looked down at me, together we started digging out whatever it was and when we finally reached it, I gasped. “No way...”

“What is it Zaps?” Scootaloo asked, coming around to the open side.

“Look what Pinkie Pie got me!” I tried pushing it out, but it almost fell on top of me and Twilight caught it with her magic. It was a scooter, the one sold in the shop!

“You’re kidding me!” Scootaloo turned to Pinkie Pie “You’re the one that bought this!?”

“Yeprenee!” she giggled “You like it Zaps?”

“I love it!” I was jumping around it looking up and down. “Now I can learn alongside Scootaloo! How cool is that Scootaloo!?”

Scootaloo flapping her wings with a buzz of excitement “It awesome!”

Applejack's Point of View

Ah watched Zaps with Scootaloo and the girls enjoying Zaps’s presents and checkin' them out fully. Ah started to wonder about Big Macintosh's choice with this colt and was glad he followed his heart on this. We’d made this young colt very happy and that made me happy...

The party draw to a close, everypony started to make their way out, it was gettin' late by the time the cleanup was completed. Ah stood by the barn door with Pinkie Pie watchin' Zaps try out his new scooter. Scootaloo rode alongside and helped him. He even gave Applebloom and Sweetie Belle a try on it.

“Yer did good Pinkie Pie, that was one mighty fine gift, but how did yer know he’d be so happy with that gift?” Ah turned to Pinkie Pie sittin' there with that big smile watchin' what she did please Zaps so much.

Pinkie Pie took a sip of her mug of cider. “I saw them in the shop when doing my invites and wham! I knew what to get!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Isn't it cool that I guessed right?”
“Eeyup yer did” ah took a sip of my own cider. “So what yer doin' tomorrow?”

“Nothing much, just chilling with Rainbow Dash.” When she said that ah only could think of one thing... pranks “Well, I got to get going, I promised that I would take Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle home.”

Ah nodded to her “Good night sugarcube.”

“Goodnight AJ.”

Pinkie Pie bounced over to the children and ah saw them just groan before saying their farewells. Soon Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were leaving, but not until after Scootaloo had clapped hooves with Zaps.

“See ya at School Zaps!” Scootaloo called out and she was gone with Sweetie Belle who also waved goodnight to Zaps and Applebloom. They were good children, a bit of a hoof full at times, but they had their moments.

“Alright yer two, it’s time for a wash and bed,” ah told both of them.

“Ok Applejack,” Zaps replied, followed by Applebloom, “Sure thing sis.” Both youngsters left, headin' back to the house.

Ah turned to Big Macintosh carryin' the last of the trash and puttin' it into the trash wagon for tomorrow. “Big Mac what’s yer view on Zaps?”

“Somethin's are a mystery with the young colt but he has a good soul, and ah’m glad that we agreed to keep him here,” Big Macintosh replied. Ah had a feelin' he might say that.

“Ah couldn't disagree even if ah wanted to,” ah chuckled lightly.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh replied, as he went back to work on the final parts of the clean up.

Ah knew one thin' that ah had to do, it was ask the most difficult question...

Ah waited till Zaps was in Big Macintosh's room in the bed settlin' for the night after his wash.

“Zaps?”

“Huh?” he turned around and curiously looked at me. “What is it Applejack?”

Ah sat by his bed “Ah’d like to ask yer somethin' and ah want nothin' but the truth ok?”
He rubbed his head a little “Ok, what is it?”

“The mare in yer dreams, it was yer mother wasn't it?” Ah saw the shocked reaction from the young colt, ah’d hit it on the nail.

Zaps looked at me, very unsure, head lowered a little “I...” then he looked me in the eyes. “Yes... but that all I know... I can't remember her full name... only it begins with Harmony...” he told me the truth and ah was glad he did.

“Ah’m glad yer told me the truth. Ah know it’s hard on yer, not sayin' anythin' for fear of not bein’ welcome here but yer are. We will do what we can to help yer find this Harmony mare and reunite yer with her...” Ah knew this was the right thin' to do.

Zaps twisted his hooves through the sheets “Do you think she’ll still love me...”

“Ah’m sure of it Zaps... but whatever happened between then and now, that we do not know, we must keep an open mind, ok?” Ah put my hoof on his, calmin' Zaps.

Zaps look at me for answers... “Why did this happen to me, Applejack? Why can't I remember anything apart from the days I’ve had so far... even the flashback things are vague...” Ah could see his frustration over it and really wished ah could help him out...

“Ah wish ah knew Zaps... really ah did, now get some rest, yer got a day of school tomorrow.”

“Ok Applejack...” he yawned a little. “Applejack...”

“Yes sugercube?”

“Am I part of the family till I find my own?” This made me think...

Ah smiled, puttin' mah hoof gently against his head “Zaps, till yer family’s found, yer’ll be my little brother, how does that sound?”

“I...” he yawned, “Like that,” he settled down as ah hummed to him the song mah parents sung to me... it made mah eyes water but ah continued. “Good... night sis...” he whispered and he was asleep.

Ah gave him a small kiss on the side of the snout. “Goodnight little brother,” ah whispered back with a soft smile, wipin' the tears away. “Yer gettin' too deep AJ... soon yer not gonna to give him up.”. Ah got up and stopped at the doorway. With a hoof resting against the wall, ah looked at the sleepin' form of Zaps... “Sweet dreams...”

Ah turned off the lights and left the room.

Author's Notes:

Well I hope the party scene and after points went well, I am not use to writing things like this so hope it turned out ok, thanks to my friend again for proof reading it!

Still hope everyone enjoy reading this story and look out for chapter 12 on the 21st of December, it my birthday so I be posting up chapter 12 which will be following Vinyl's point of view! So that a head up for everyone.

Also after posting chapter 1 up of Soarin McLighting story, there be a most likely chance that neither story will be updated till after christmas or the new year.

So there might be a bit of a wait on both stories after my birthday. Just giving you all a update and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Note: 50+ favs and 40+ thumbs up. Thank you for all those that been interested in the story so far and hope to continue to keep you and those future readers on enjoying this story. ^^

Chapter 12: Vinyl and Harmony

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 12: Vinyl and Harmony

Author’s Note: This is Vinyl's view of the scene where Zaps passed out and beyond.

----

Not only did I have to stop my music, but what had just happened was getting out of control fast. I rested my elbow on my DJ station, one hoof resting against the side of the face and tapping the other impatiently against the station. “Great, another disaster... I should have listened to Tavi on this one...”

“But how were we suppose to know that this would happen!?” Rainbow Dash yelled in her defence.

“You should have thought first!!!” Twilight yelled back.

“Ah agree with Twi on this one Rainbow, yer don't just slap on somethin' like that on a colt who has nightmares about darkness,” Applejack joined in.

“Girls maybe we should...” Fluttershy pleaded, trying to break it up.

“Oh yeah, and would you have thought of that before this happened Applejack!?” Rainbow Dash’s snout was pressed right up against Applejack's.

She pushed back “Ah would!”

“No you wouldn't!!!”

“WOULD!!!”

“NOT!!!”

I closed my eyes, groaning as more ponies joined in with the argument. The poor colt Zaps was held in Twilight's magic… but then, everything stopped. I opened my eyes, looking through my purple glasses, everypony was frozen in place. “What the?” I pulled my glasses down to get a better look, the silence was creepy. Heck, I wanted out of this place now... “Ok, haha everypony very funny, now stop standing like statues and speak!” I tapped one, and nothing happened. “Oooooookkkaaayyy.... On a scale of one to ten, this reached a creepiness rating of twenty...”

“Depending on the scale, ten could mean ten million,” a voice called out behind me.

I turned around to see an orange unicorn with the most amazing mane and tail I ever seen, red and yellow glinting in the light like sunlight.

I shook my head in awe, taking off my glasses completely. “Who the hay are you? And what’s up with this lot?” I pointed my hoof to some of them. “It’s almost as if time has stopped.”

“Maybe it has,” she replied and I caught sight of her cutie mark, it was a rose with six different colour petals surrounded by six gems. “But it depends on what you do on the rerun Vinyl.” She took a mug of the cider that could be drunk by all ages. “Hmm not bad, a shame it’s not harmony apple made, now that’s a cider everypony can drink.” She smiled warmly at me.

I was still puzzled, heck clueless, at what was happening. “Bud what do you mean by rerun?”

“Oh you will know, just three words... Blindfold and darkness.” Her horn lit up and I covered my face with my hooves.

Suddenly I was looking down at the decking station. The music was playing and I had my glasses back on. “What crazy?” I paused, looking up and saw it...

Spike about to put the blindfold on and I was there in a flash... seriously I just teleported! I didn't even know I could use that spell! No I couldn't! What the heck is going on around here!? Wait Zaps! I’ve got to act fast! I used my magic to take the blindfold right out of his claws. “Hey what...” he looked up to see me looking right down at me, I removed my glasses and glared at him. “Erm... hi?” He gulped.

“Not cool Spike, not cool at all, you were about to give the colt a panic attack!” Zaps looked at me with confusion at this point, and so did so many other ponies, I couldn't blame them, but whatever it was seemed to have done the trick and prevented the all out fight and the fainting of Zaps... “Think about it, blindfold equal black darkness and what’s Zaps been through?”

Spike released and put his claw hands over his snout. “Whoa... how did I miss that...”

Twilight stepped over to me “Viny,l what the hay is going on and when did you learn to use teleport?”

I put my hoof up to her “Not now dude, this is more important then that,” I turned to face her. “I just had some weird deja vu and saw things getting out of hoof that I just prevented, so you should be thanking me.”

“But nothing happened! Apart from you teleporting and snatching that blindfold from Spike!” Twilight protested.

I groaned “I can't explain it ok! First I was standing at my station seeing you all fighting while poor Zaps was out cold from the panic attack after Spike put the blindfold on, and then next thing I know you’re all frozen in time and wham! This mysterious orange mare with the most awesome fiery mane and tail I ever seen told me of some rerun and wham! Here we are on the rerun. Then, somehow, I teleported and stopped Spike from putting the blindfold on, call me crazy but....”

“I believe you” Zaps instantly said and I looked down at the yellow colt in that snazzy suit and hat with a smirk. “I saw her in all my flashbacks... but erm… I’m not really sure who she is...” I noticed he trailed off after this. I knew this kiddo knew her from somewhere, more than just somepony in a flashback... but I had to let this drop for now.

Twilight was about to give another one of her infamous lectures but thankfully Pinkie Pie came to the rescue. “It’s time TO PARTY!!!!!!!” she screamed out. “Come on ponies, let’s get this party going again!!!” She was at my station and started up the music, wow I love that party pony. She’s a life saver! Twilight just sighed and went back off to Applejack and Fluttershy, dropping the matter like a hat, hehe hat, got to use that line sometimes.

I turned my attention to Zaps, lowering to look him in the face and whispered, “she’s more then that isn't she?” He looked right at me, spooked. “Don't worry, you can tell me later.” I winked and put my purple glasses back on over my eyes. “Now ready to play pin the pony?”

Zaps looked unsure this time. Heck I would be too if I was that scared of the darkness. “Buddy, it’s cool, it’s just like when you sleep, but instead of closing them, you keep them open and cover them with this, that’s all.” I held the blindfold up to show him. “Ready to give it a try?”

“S-sure” he replied.

“Ok, relax and breathe easy.” I pulled it over his eyes with my magic, and tied it on. “Ok dude?”

He gulped rather loudly “I-I think so... I don't like this much...”

“Ignore what you see right now and focus on the music and my voice,” I said to him. I got a nod in response. “Now hold this in your mouth,” I placed the tail in his mouth and twisted him around a few times. “Now you’re facing the poster, walk straight forward, and place that tail on the flank!” I pushed him forwards towards the poster.

Zaps hits the mark, and he pulled off the blindfold with a gasp. “I did it! I got the tail where it should be! See that!”

“I do Zaps, that’s awesome!” Scootaloo said with a big smile on her face. I just grinned, I sorted everything with words and was cool all round, now that’s how a DJ does it.

“Nice going Vinyl you really saved the day!” Rainbow Dash nudged me with her elbow and I grinned. “But tell me, did what you described really happen?”

“Sure did Rainbow, it was some crazy wizz and wham, that mare was really weird too, she was all cryptic and stuff, but wonderful too, and she seemed to like your cider.” I’d hit it on the nail with that last comment.

“SAY WHAT!?” Rainbow Dash suddenly put her hooves and I just stood there, laughing at Rainbow’s reaction. Hehe smooth Vinyl, very smooth...

“Just pulling your tail Rainbow” I nudged her.

“Darn it, ya got me good Vinyl, nice one.”

“Anytime,” I slapped my hoof against hers and gave the most awesome pegasus of the sky a wink behind my glasses. Sweet Celestia, I love this town! Never dull and never boring for a second, well, sometimes, but the sweet moments are what count, and this was one of them!

I went back to my station but felt a hoof against my rear leg. I turned to see Zaps looking at me with his big, curious eyes. “You’re Vinyl right? I heard Rainbow Dash call you that.”

“Sure am Zaps, what can I do for an awesome little colt like yourself?”

“Erm I... well, I’m not sure what that thing is, I know it’s music of some sort, but what exactly is it?” He was pointing at my decking system, which Pinkie was busy playing with. I just shook my head at that random pony.

“It’s my decking system, you never seen or heard of one before?”

“I haven't Vinyl... it’s kinda strange looking, I don't see how it’s making all the music...” Zaps definitively was curious colt for sure, but from what Pinkie told me, I had this covered.

I scooped up Zaps and placed him on my back walking over to the station. “Alrighty Zaps, it’s time for DJing 101 with Vinyl Scratch and Pinkie Pie.” I look over at Pinkie with a wink and she got the message.

“Yeah you’re so going to love this!”
Pinkie Pie giggled.

“Now look at the turntable, you see those rods?”

Zaps looked to the rods and back to Pinkie while holding onto the back of my neck for support. He seemed to recognise them. “They read the discs and turn it into sound through these wubs, Vinyl awesome wubs!”

“Erm ok... but how?”

I could have given him an explanation of how the sound got made, but I decided that none of that really mattered.

“Do you need a reason for it to make sense or just love the music it makes?”

Zaps seemed satisfied with what I had told him and asked if he could give it a try.

“Sure bud.” I turned my body around slightly as I guided his hoof to one of the turntables. The bass was turned up a little high. “Place one hoof on the lever there and pull down slightly to number 2” I said to him.

“Ok” he pushed it down and sound was balanced again. “Whoa did I do that!?”

“You sure did bud, pretty rad right?”

He looked at me a little lost by the words I used, but I didn't care. The party was going well. I had this colt sticking to me and watching me do my stuff while Pinkie Pie helped. The others didn’t seem to mind. This was his party, after all, and I certainly wasn’t going to tell him to buzz off.

I gave my station over to the pink mare of parties and took Zaps around, food, drink, games and even tried to get him to dance although I can’t say he was very good. Soon came the awesome second part of the party as the music died down and the lights dimmed. It was time for the birthday colt's cake! And what a cake! Triple layered with chocolate, white chocolate and frosting that made my mouth water. That party pony sure knew how to make them, this was a treat. I counted ten candles, not sure if that was his true age but I don't think he was bothered. All I could see was his stunned look at the cake, I just chuckled at his expression. It was priceless.

Twilight stepped up and used her magic with a flick of her horn. I thought it was showing off I bit but I kept it to myself. “Zaps, all you’ve got to do is blow out the candles and make a wish, make sure not to tell anypony or it might not come true,” she said to him and I rolled my eyes behind my glasses, thankful that nopony could see behind them! “Then we can have some...”

“No way, candles blown out, then PRESENTS!!!!!!!!” Pinkie Pie appeared out the blue behind the cake. I was sure she was right behind me a second ago... “Then we eat cake,” she bounced over to me and stood next to me.

“What?”

I realised she’d seen me staring but how, I didn't have a clue. I chuckled. “No point trying to solve your randomness.”

“That’s right, ‘cause there’s only one of me!” She tapped her chest with pride. “And don't roll your eyes at me! ” I gulped. Wow she was good...

Big Macintosh stepped up, carrying zaps on his back. The massive stallion moved steadily closer to the cake until Zaps was right up at the ten candles. “Go ahead Zaps, blow them out,” he said to Zaps and I just almost choked on air! The big guy really could say more than 'Eeyup and 'Nnope'... that blew my mind for sure!

Zaps look down at his eyes “Ok Big Mac! Do I blow really hard?”

“Eeyup!” There were the words of the great big stallion I had grown to know. “And don't forget the wish.”

“I won't!” Zaps beamed, took a deep breath and then blew with all his might getting all but three. With another blow he got the last ones. “I did it!”

“Yer did Zaps, and good on ya” Big Mac praised him.

Applejack spoke next “Well done Zaps, yer done good, now let get yer to open all ya presents.”

Zaps tilted his head “Are those the oddly shaped boxes? Are there things inside them?”

The presents came and I stood by my station playing the music as he opened them, I even got a picture taken for him with those fillies, they gave him an awesome cape, it really suited him too. The present opening came to an end and the party carried on, soon it was over everypony went home.

I packed up my stuff, putting it into my wagon, I tapped my hoof against the wheel which was cracked and wobbled as touched it. “Damn, that wheel needs replacing... guess that’s going out of my paycheck.” I shooked my head as I hooked myself up to the wagon. “See ya Mac!”

“Eeyup” he replied as he continued the clean up, I saw the girls with Zaps and that scooter he got from Pinkie Pie, I saw her standing by the door watching, full of smiles.

“See ya pinks”

“Bye Vinyl!” she waved to me and I made my way back home into Ponyville, sighing and hoping tonight would be the night I could get some shut eye! I couldn’t take another 24 hours without sleep! 48 was is bad enough... perhaps that explained why I was seeing strange visions of orange unicorns... I must just be overtired...

I finished putting my turntables and wubs away, yawning, I just wanted to go to sleep... it had been a crazy party but I was exhausted. Those girls have no end of crazy random stuff happen around them, and then there was that crazy mare, what was up with her? Did I really see things that were supposed to happen? Man I need to chill...

I went up to my room with a sigh, I was glad that I had this place to myself, I could do whatever I wanted and needed to do before my next gigs. “Alright Vinyl, it’s time to hit the sack.” I took my glasses off and yawned again. “Man, I'm beat... but I’ve got to say, Applejack sure is doing the right thing taking care of that colt Zaps, he’s one sweet colt.”

I jumped right into bed and lay there with my front hooves behind my head looking, at my ceiling painted with stars and musical notes. Soon my eyes grew heavy and I was out, or so I thought...

“Vinyl!” I instantly opened my eyes, finding myself at the barn again.

I saw her again, that orange unicorn, but that cutie mark I am sure I had seen somewhere else before... “So what the hay’s going on dude and why did ya do what you did back there?”

“I didn't really do anything, you dreamt a possible event, don't you remember snapping awake when our little talk finished?” I thought about it and blinked... she was right, I did doze off, my bad for sure, but I had been up 48 hours straight pulling off all sort of gigs everywhere. Not my problem...

“Let me get this straight, I dreamt a possible outcome!? Seriously ya think I am that dumb missy?” I pointed my hoof right at her.

She turned to the window, “It was the only way I could really talk to somepony, what is said today can't be said when you awake... I am sorry but you can't tell my son any of this no matter how much it pains you.”

“Then why tell me!? Seriously man, are you one whacko mare!?” I snapped at her.

The mare walked over to the doors and I followed her, rolling my eyes, the doors opened and revealed a town I had never seen before. “It’s hard to explain, but you have something that allowed this to work… do you remember the gift your grandmother gave you?”

I thought back and remembered. “Whoa, you mean the crazy crystal rose with the six gems around it sealed in a...” Then it hit me, the rose was the same as her cutie mark. “N-no way... you’re inside that thing!? Bu-but how man!? That’s seriously freaky!!!!” I stepped back a little.

She smiled softly at me. “You are sharp Vinyl, but that’s why you can't say anything to the child, you can be there as a friend but that’s all, don't push the matter about me, he knows I am his mother but the difference in how long he has really been gone is another matter.” She walked through the door and I followed into this nice little town.

“I think I get it... but was that really a dream I saw or events that would have taken place?” I dared ask...

I walked through sets and sets of zap apple trees, down a path into the town with her. “It was a possible hint, it was a chance in a million, also I sort of helped you with the teleporting, I am quite experienced with magic.”

I rolled my eyes “Yes, I noticed dude, but making me teleport in front of the others, seriously... you got Sparkle on my back now... I haven't got a clue how I did it or how to cast the spell...” I turned to her with slight annoyance.

She just smiled. “Since Zaps awoke, I really do like that name by the way” I saw her change topics for a second and I narrowed my eyes at her. “Sorry... when Zaps awoke the rose sort of activated, that was about 48 hours ago.” She gave me a cheeky grin.

I jumped up, hit her hard and pinned her to the floor, looking down at her. “You’re saying you’re the reason why I’ve been up for 48 hours straight and couldn't sleep! For Celestia sack! You were probing my mind weren’t you!!! Not cool dude! It is not cool to mess with somepony’s mind! And I hope we don't keep meeting like this because it is weirding me out completely!!!”

Her eyes turned away from mine and she tilted her head to the side with a heavy sigh. “I had a feeling that might happen... but I hadn’t expected to be out of touch by so many years... I recall only one path that lead the crystal to you Vinyl... but believe me, this wasn't by choice... it was the only option I had left...” she turned her head to me, looking deep into my eyes, I could see tears starting to run down her cheek. “To compensate for what I have done to you I gave you a little magic boost and some new spells.”

I slowly backed off her and helped her up with my hoof. “Teleport is one of them I gather?”

“Yes it is, an advanced spell in these days but back then a simple one, I just gave you the knowledge of the simple one, it doesn’t use much magic and isn’t quite as accurate as the spell Twilight Sparkle knows but then again, her cutie mark is depicted on the tree...” She trailed off at the last part. “Sorry I just haven't spoken to anypony in a long time... I’m just glad to speak to you Vinyl.”

“Ok, that’s seriously bugging me! What the hay is your name!? Seriously! Tell me now! Or this talk is over!” I stomped my hoof on the ground and the ground shook around us. “Whoa what the?”

She giggled “Dream remember, you’re asleep” she tapped my head with her hoof. “But this most likely will be the only time we talk, it’s true that I have looked into your mind, I am sorry for that but I promise not to say to anypony what I saw and felt, you have my word and for that I will tell you my name...” she smiled “My name is Harmony Rose, Zaps is my son.”

My jaw quite literally hit the ground which shocked me a little bit as jaws aren’t usually supposed to move like that. “It’s a dream remember?” I looked at her, sharply. “I knew you were more to him from what he said! But your son!? But that’s not possible. My grandma gave me that when she was in her...” I trailed off, knowing my grandma was an Earth pony, and a long lived one at that.

“As I was saying, this most likely be the only time we can really talk, the Princess of the Night should be a reason enough.”

“Sweet Celestia, you’re right! She can check out dreams, if she’s not here then that must mean you did that 48 hour thing on purpose just for this one visit.” She nodded and I slapped my hoof against my head. “Gah! Magic is not my thing, music is! Man, I can't believe this... you arranged all this, you must have really souped up my magic back there to keep me awake.”

“Yes, that was unexpected, but at least I was able to play around with your dreams to make it interesting and give you that spell at the same time.” I sat on the fountain wall looking out to the water in the middle of this town as she spoke to me, I really liked this town. It had a certain old fashioned charm to it, Tavi would certainly have appreciated it.

I had to ask about the other spells “What other spells did you give me...”

“Let’s see... oh yes, the soundproof spell. It creates a magical layer that sound proofs a building, I created it to block out the noisy practice of the ponies with their musical instruments in the early hours of the morning. It was a lovely piece they was playing, but it was hours before sunrise!!!” Harmony Rose said with a raised voice. “How is a mare to keep her small kingdom running smoothly if she can't get her beauty sleep!”

I laughed at the way she was being a drama queen “You sounded almost like Rarity there.”

“Rarity... oh the white mare with the purple mane? No... I didn't, did I?” I nodded. “I was a bit like that for real... I really hated being woken up in the morning... but back to spells, the last one I gave you is dream walking.”

“WHOA WHAT!?” I fell into the water of the fountain with a splash. Surfacing, I gasped in shock again. “You can't be serious! Dream walking!? That’s Princess Luna's personal spell not...”

“Let’s just say our kingdom was cut off from the rest of the world and that’s where the best thing about the bonus spell comes in. Look down the zap apple path.” I looked and saw what seemed to be a wall of mist so thick I couldn't see beyond it.

I looked at her. “What sort of mist is that?”

“It’s called the ‘Mist of Misdirection,’ a spell created by the united council of harmony.” I gave a frown at, this climbing out of the fountain and shaking the water off my coat, mane and tail.

“Yeah I know it’s sort of dumb now you think about it... but at the time it meant a lot to us... I mean a lot.... our ancestors, generations before left behind a chaos of dread, mistrust, hate and fear... the three tribes of the unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies might have had a very slim treaty to keep the peace amongst their kingdoms but there was so much hate between them...” I knew this story... I’d heard it before. It was the Hearth’s Warming Eve story that was told when Sparkle and the others played those parts...

She continued to speak. “A small group of ponies from each tribe got sick and tired of it. They choose to leave and find a new home, somewhere where all three kinds of pony could live in harmony, and that is when they found this place.” Harmony Rose raised her hoof to the town I was in and the castle in the distance. “They named this place the Kingdom of Harmony, a kingdom in which we could live united and with no mistrust between us, connected by a magic that brought us all together.”

I stepped up next to her, looking to the castle. “I know that tale, that was before Equestria was founded. But if that’s the case, then this kingdom, even though it was so small was kinda the first Equestria, because that what it means to live in Equestria, harmony. Even if some ponies don't get along, most do, and we leave pretty much in peace. So I liven things up with my wubs at parties and I’ve got to say, ponies love it.” I tapped my hoof and found one by me, making me jump in surprise. “Whoa this dream is amazing, I’ve never seen one so clean.”

“That is all I can say Vinyl Scratch. Thank you for believing me and listening to me.” She put her hoof on my side, I just grabbed her and hugged her as she burst into tears from the embrace.

“Let it all out dude, just let it all out and I promise not to say anything about this to anypony and I’ll try try to get Sparkle off my back,” I said to her as she kept crying, I felt for her... Harmony Rose has a lot riding on her back. I wasn't sure what exactly happened to her or her son but I promised to keep an eye on that colt Zaps for her as a friend and that’s what I planned to do... I hated keeping secrets, especially something this big, but Rosey must have a reason... she must...

“Hey Rosey.” She slowly eased her crying as I pulled away from her. “Thanks man.”

“Rosey what a strange name... I like it” She smiled softly. “I hope we get to talk again Vinyl Scratch but remember, try not to, for your princess might become aware of me and that might put things in danger to the likes you have never seen... remember I said this was a last resort...”

I gasped when she said it. “Rosey what do you mean by that... man, stop creeping me out... what out there could be worse than Discord, Nightmare Moon, that king from the Crystal Empire? Seriously, tell me...”

“I can't... the spell not only left me trapped within that crystal but it did more than you know. I can't say anymore than that because the darkness has a face... a face of....” Everything turned pitch black, I felt really cold and cornered as I stood there and saw it come up right behind her.

“Harmony... th-the-there’s something behind you!” I pointed my hoof at it.

“Fear...” she said coldly and the black mare with piecing cold sapphire eyes raced at me.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” I leaped right out of bed screaming like a filly falling flat on my face. I groaned and quickly looked around for it. I opened the draw to see the crystal rose with the six gems pulsing with magical energy. “Ok, that was a dream I will never forget...” I shivered at the last part. “That fear in the darkness... breeey, that was freaky, I can see why Zaps hates this darkness... that thing was worse than anything I have ever seen or heard...” I closed the draw and looked out of the window. “Morning...” I rubbed my head a little. “Let’s see...” I used my magic and instantly saw the windows covered by a blue aura, I push the window open and screamed my hardest but no pony seem to react.

“Oh sweet this is a cool spell, I put my head through the field of aura and spoke out. “Hey there Derpy how it hanging?”

“Hi Vinyl, morning to you” she beamed in delight, she’s just a great friend. “Would you like to come with me to get some nice muffin treats?”

I looked back to my room and replied with a smile, “Sure, let me turn this soundproofing spell off and I'll be right there, Derps!”

“Soundproofing?” I stepped back and spoke. She couldn't hear me and gasped in surprise, in an instant she was through my window, crashing onto my bed. “Oops... hehe... sorry”

“No harm Derps, like the spell?”

“Yeah it’s cool, so, muffins?” she grinned at me upside down looking right at me with her wall eyed look.

I smiled back putting my hoof out to her. “Of course Derps, what are friends for?” She took my hoof and I helped her up. Turning the spell off, I smirked. “Here’s another trick, ready?” Derpy had no chance to say anything as I used my new found teleport spell and whoa, that was fun! I am going to love these two new spells! Thank you Harmony Rose, you’re a sweet awesome mare... “Sweet Celestia I didn't ask how she did that wicked mane! Darn it!!!”

Chapter 13: Zaps First Schoolday Take 1

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 13: Zaps first Schoolday Take 1

Turning into the morning light I felt the warmth of the sun heart against my fur, letting out a yawn I opened my eyes to see it appearing as the moon started to dip. It was strange seeing this happening before my eyes... the moon setting and the sun rising... I got up and with the sheets wrapped around me as I watched the two switch places in the sky.

The photo of me and the girls hugging each other with the cape still in my hooves was hung on the wall... “The cape...” I whispered, looking over to it resting on the chair where Applejack had placed it, beside it was the helmet and my scooter... I gazed back to the morning sunrise over Sweet Apple Acres, it was beautiful... but I really liked the stars and moon in the evening. They reminded me of something... something at the back of my mind...

I heard a snort and turned to see Big Macintosh's right hind hoof sticking out of his bed sheets as he slept,causing a shift in the sound he made. “If Applejack’s my sister now, would that make Big Macintosh my big brother?” I whispered and felt a strange sense of mixed feelings swirling around inside...

“Mornin' to yer Zaps, ah was about to wake ya and Big Mac.” Applejack was standing at the doorway. “Watch this.”

I watched and saw what she was planning to do but before I could say something, Big Mac turned over and his snout came really close to Applejack's. His eyes were wide open, looking right at her. “Not this time AJ!” He grabbed her hat with his mouth and got out of the bed, landing on the other side of it with a thud, causing the whole room to shake, my bed included.

“Big Mac, that’s mah hat give it back!” Applejack looked rather annoyed.

Big Mac winked at me and flicked it up, it landed on his head and he push it back a little with his hoof. “Nnope.”

“Big Mac, Ah'm warnin' yer!” All she got was a tongue from him and that was it, she jumped right at him over the bed, but Big Macintosh moved to the side and Applejack crashed next to him with a thud.

“Too slow sis.” He kissed her on the cheek and placed the hat back on her head. “And mornin' to ya.”

Applejack got up, putting the hat back on her head perfectly. “Nice one Big Mac.” With a chuckle, she hit his foreleg with her hoof. “Yer got me good.”

“Eeyup.”

I was blinking and wondering what the heck had just happened... “Am I dreaming still?”

“Nnope!” both said together.

I got out of bed, looking at them “Ok... that was just well… I’m not sure what to say...”

“Nothin' to be said about two elder siblings havin' a little harmless fun.” Applejack chuckled. “Bet ya that ya and Applebloom will get into one of these bits of senseless sibling fun sometime.”

I noticed Big Macintosh turn his head to her with a confused look. “What yer talkin' about AJ?”

“Oh erm... darn ah completely forgot to tell ya last night Big Mac, Zaps and ah were talkin' and till he finds his family, we’ll be his family. So ah said he could call be big sis if he likes and I’ll return it back, right little brother?” I gulped when Big Mac looked at me with a raised eye. I nodded silently, not sure what to say or what I could say.

Big Macintosh stepped up to me and gave me a big hug “Well that means ah have to call yer little brother too.” He grinned and holding onto my forelegs with his, he ruffled his hoof over my head and I just let out a laugh, trying to stop him with one of my hooves.

“Mercy!” I cried out and continued to laugh.

Applebloom stepped into the room rubbing her hoof over her eyes. “What in hay’s goin' on in here?”

“Giving mah brother a nuggy.” Big Macintosh smirked.

Applebloom’s jaw opened with a shocked look. “Wh-what? Zaps... Bro...brother... wh... urg... ah’m goin' back to bed... ah'm hearin' thin's”

Applejack shook her head as Applebloom turned to leave. “It’s true, ah said it was ok. He’ll be with us for Celestia knows how long, and it’s best we give him all the support a family would, so how would yer like him to be part of the Apples, Applebloom?”

Applebloom looked back at me. “Ah don't know...he’s only been here for a few days... it’s kinda weird...”

“I know the feeling” I replied as I got out of Big Mac's foreleg and landed on the wooden floorboards. I sat there thinking about it. “I’ve only known things for a few days now... it’s really weird, things like this happening so fast... but I feel so happy that AJ, Big Mac and everypony here on this farm have given me so much to help me out... I feel happy... I want to play with you and our friends, I want to try that crusading out and even that zip lining thing I read in the book! I want to do what others our age do... I don't even know what they do...” I paused, looking down to the floorboards. “Sorry I'm rabbling...”

“A little Zaps but yer right, yer don't know what it’s like to be somepony young as us, yer only seen pieces of it and mah...” Applebloom smiled at this point. “Our sister and brother are doin' what they think is best to help yer out and ah will too! Zaps... mah brother.” She paused. “Urg that was weird...”

We all just burst out laughing afterwards but stopped, hearing Granny Smith yell out, “Do yer mind youngun's! Ah'm tryin' to sleep! Ah’m not as young as y’all! So keep yer yaps shut and let me sleep!”

“Yes Granny Smith,” we all said together then look at each other, putting our hooves over out snouts, trying not to laugh.

Soon afterwards we were downstairs eating at the table, I felt a little excited over the thought of going to that schoolhouse and wondered what I would experience there. Waking up to them making me part of the Apple Family was all so real... I was wondering now what the following days would bring... I look to my hooves as I at the oatmeal in my mouth thinking about it.

“Somethin' on yer mind Zaps?” I turned to Applebloom as she spoke to me.

“Huh? Yeah a little... just thinking about everything that’s happened and will happen... it feels strange... I am just a colt that happened to appear on your farm and now I am part of it... it I don't know...” I took another mouthful of oatmeal.

Applejack put a hoof to mine, the size of her hoof to mine was huge... I really was small to them. Being a colt meant I still got a lot of growing to go. “Zaps, yer needed help and we gave it, everypony did, even Vinyl Scratch. Yer a young colt that happened to appear on our farm, yes. And now yer part of our family, but it’s our choice to help yer and be there for ya Zaps.” Applejack put her hoof gently on my side of my head. “We’ll be here for yer as a family.”

I nodded with a smile. “Now let’s finish eatin' our breakfast and Applebloom can help yer get ready for school.”

“Ok Applejack” I replied, wiping my eyes a little, feeling tears appear on them.

Applebloom did so, helping me get a few pencils, notebooks and paper put inside my saddlebag. I even had a lunch packed into one of the bags, my last zap apple, daisy sandwiches Big Mac had made and a carton of apple juice. All set, Applebloom and I said our goodbyes to Applejack and Big Macintosh and walked down the dirt road to the schoolhouse. I felt scared, nervous, shy, happy, excited and anxious all at the same time, not sure what to expect...

Applebloom broke the silence as we walked. “What the hay was goin' on in there this mornin'? All ah heard was a mighty thud and next thin' ah heard was AJ yellin' at Big Mac.”

I wasn't sure how to answer it while we walked, I thought about it and just had to tell her. “It was weird... I never knew adults could act like that, well, I’m not sure if they should ... does teasing one another count as normal?”

“With them yes, but yer cannot tell anypony.”

I stopped in my tracks with a frown as she turned around and looked at me. “How come?”

“It’s a family thing, yer wouldn't go around tellin' everypony yer a colt that woke up in the forest with no memories. Some might think yer weird.” Applebloom tried to explain to me.

I tilted my head with a slightly confused look. “Wouldn't telling the truth be better than not telling? It’s not my fault I can't remember anything...”

“No no, it’s not that Zaps, telling the truth is the right thing to do but yer need to think about what yer say. Someponies might well just be darn right rude and use what yer tell them as a tool to pick on ya!” I noticed Applebloom seemed to be very unsettled. I didn't like this and felt rather nervous now. “There are two ponies in our school that pick on us because we don't have our cutie marks and they’ll start taking the mick out of ya too because of it.”

I looked at my blank flank where she pointed her hoof then back to her eyes. “Why?”

“They just would... new student, no cutie mark... they’ll call yer blank flank for sure and maybe use yer memory lose to do worse.” Applebloom was telling me something about somepony but I was not quite sure what she meant...

I walked up to her. “Applebloom, I don't know anything about anywhere apart from here… and the places I’ve read about, but I have no idea what they’re like and such... all I have is the truth...”

“Ah know... but ah have ya back ok?” I nodded to her and we pressed on into the schoolhouse.

We arrived at the Schoolhouse, standing outside were Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, both waiting for us. “Hey Applebloom! Zaps!”

“Hi girls” I beamed with a smile. “You wouldn't...” I got jabbed in the side by Applebloom. “Ow... what...”

“Stay in the family,” she whispered.

“Oh sorry...” I lowered my head... “I didn't mean too...”

Scootaloo looked at Applebloom “What the hay Applebloom! What was that for?”

“Yeah that was kinda of mean,” Sweetie Belle added, putting a hoof over me and so did Scootaloo.

Applebloom grunted “It’s nothin', ok. It’s just Applejack and Big Macintosh acting like foals sometimes, ah told yer about it before...”

“Oh the teasing, I remember, you got us to not tell anypony,” Sweetie Belle looked at me. “Don't worry, you can tell us at the clubhouse later.”

“Yeah, we always like to hear what teasing the adults have pulled this time, especially the crazy pranks Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash do!” Scootaloo pulled me in a little and whispered into my ear. “One time they painted all the apples in one field with washable paints, making them look really funny.”

“Really?” I stared at her.

“Yep sure did, those two are really good at pranks, but they usually only do it to their friends,” Scootaloo chuckled. “Now we better get in before the bell rings.”

“Yeah don't want to be late!” Sweetie Belle replied and we all made our way into the schoolhouse.

I suddenly froze as we entered the classroom... sitting at all but four chairs attached to tables was a bunch all different ponies, colts and fillies... I gulped loudly, feeling that I was boxed in, I backed up a little, whispering to the girls. “I-I th-th-think th-this... wa-was a bad idea...”

“Zaps relax, you'll be fine” Scootaloo whispered back. “Now stop acting like a filly.” I nodded a little, still feeling rather tight and scared. I really wanted out of here and that was...

RIGHT NOW!!!!! I screamed in my head turning around to the door...

The exit was blocked by the teacher... Miss Cheerilee was looking down at me with a warm smile. My only chance to run away was gone and all I could do was smile back nervously with sweat rolling down the sides of my face. “H-hi...” I croaked.

“It’s good to see you made it Zaps, girls, why don't you take your seats?” They nodded in reply, heading over to their seats and placing their saddle bags down by the chairs. I was still standing there, shaking a little. “Zaps, it’s ok, take a steady breath.”

Her voice was calm and clear, I slowly did what she said but my nerves still felt shaky with all the eyes locked on me... I gulped again backing up against her leg getting some laughter from them which made it worse for me. I started to sob and wanted out of this place! This school was horrible! I wanted to go back to the farm!

“Children!” Miss Cheerilee snapped at them. “That is not nice at all! What if you were in his place? Feeling how he feels, what would you think if you were being laughed at for being afraid...”

“Not me!” The pale pink one with a tiara on her purple, white mane announced, waving her hoof dismissively. “He’s just some scared blank flank.” I felt myself sink and wanted out even more...

“Diamond Tiara! That is uncalled for! Apologise at once!”

The pony called Diamond Tiara sighed. “Fine... I am sorry...”

“Very well, but you’re on warning though, one more outburst like that your father will be getting a letter about your poor behaviour towards our new young student, he will be joining us from Monday, today is just to get a feel and what you and the others have done isn't acceptable...” Miss Cheerilee said to her mostly and then to the rest of the class.

I noticed Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom look at me with concern... I couldn't blame them... I was scared stiff of this place... I was still in tears wiping my foreleg to get rid of them from my face. Sniffing a little, I recognised another pony in the class. Tt was the colt with the strange hat, Button Mash I think... he didn't look too pleased by what the others had done either...

“Zaps here is staying with the Apples at Sweet Apple Acres. He’s recently been through a lot, more than any of you could imagine.” Miss Cheerilee put her hoof gently on my back rubbing it. “Zaps will you be alright if I explain to them?”

I looked up then at the other children. I thought about it and decided. “Y-yes...”

“Very well, Zaps take the empty seat between Scootaloo and Button Mash ok?” I nodded and walked up to it, looking at the others staring at me as I walked. My head low and ears flat against my head, I wanted this day to be over instantly... I placed my saddle bag down, taking out the empty note book and pencils from it and placing them on the desk before sitting on the seat.

“I saw you yesterday at the toy store, my name is Button Mash.” He put his hoof out to me from where he sat.

I look at it then him and thought about what would be best to do. I decided to put my hoof out to him, then shook. “I s-saw y-you too... wi-with yo-you mu-mum I th-think...”

“Yep, didn't get what I wanted but will next month! But a whole month! I want to know what happens in the game! I want to finish the story!” He was speaking about something that didn't make any sense.

“Button there a time to talk about video games outside class,” Miss Cheerilee spoke up.

He nodded, “Sorry Miss Cheerilee,” and rubbed his head a little.

“It’s ok.” She smiled. Stepping up to the desk, she sat down behind it, looking at us all. “Now you’ve all only just met Zaps so what you do not know is that what happened to him. What I am going to tell you is the truth and nothing more or less.”

I noticed the colts and fillies looked rather eager to hear this. “Zaps sadly has no memories of the last few days, this is why he rather scared and acted the way he did. What happened to him before is a mystery but why I am telling you this is to see if you or anypony you know has seen him or seen him with anypony.” I was surprised by this but was still scared by the eyes that kept looking at me, I sunk into my seat head and lowered a little, hooves shaking.

“He woke up in the forest we all know as the Everfree, he was chased by Timberwolves for the days he was in there, lucky to escape he found Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo found him there. I won't go into the details but thanks to her and those of Sweet Apple Acres, including ponies in Ponyville...” Cheerilee gave them such a short version to my last few days. I was surprised... she summarised it all in such a small way that made sense... even if most of the details was missed out.

The ponies were all looking at me again with sudden sadness, confusion or maybe they just didn't believe it but I felt rather out of place... “I-it... true...” I managed to say. “I don't know who I am really or where I am from... I-I... wa-was.... I...”

“It ok Zaps, you’re in a position that makes you feel frightened, just take some deep breaths, think about what I am saying and also don't mind the other students, you will be fine, trust me.” I nodded to her and she just kept that warm smile. “Now everypony give a warm welcome to Zaps.” They all clapped their hooves around me and I looked at Scootaloo who smiled and winked at me, showing that it was ok. I slowly sat up in my seat, still not wanting to say anything and just sit there but felt a little better...

“See I told ya, you'd be fine” Scootaloo whispered to me.

I smiled weakly at her. “Y-you did... th-thank you Scootaloo...”

“No problem, that’s what friends are for, to help friends out when needed, fun and all that other stuff we do.” She whispered. I nodded in reply and looked ahead to the class with Scootaloo as Miss Cheerilee was about to start her lesson.

“Right class, today I am going to be teaching you about Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, the royal sisters that raise the sun and moon.” As soon as she said that, I was puzzled, then recalled this morning... the moon setting and the sun rising, that was Princess Celestia and Luna? But what did that princess part mean?

I raised my hoof “Yes Zaps?”

“Ho-how do they do it? I did-didn't see them any-anywhere near it” I lowered my hoof and asked the question to the teacher.

She smiled at me and moved to a picture on the wall. “A very good question, Zaps, and one of the subjects I be addressing to you all.” Miss Cheerilee said and pointed a hoof to the picture. “Who can tell me what this place is?”

A hoof raised. “Yes Peppermint Twist”

“Itsh the platshform for the shummer shun shcelebration happened at the shlast one, Princshess Celeshtia and Luna with Prinshess Twilight did together!” Peppermint Twist answered the question to Miss Cheerilee.

“That is correct Peppermint, the platform is mostly used for the Summer Sun Celebration where ponies from far and wide see the princesses fly up high,” Miss Cheerilee point to a photo, “Using their magic to lower the moon and raise the sun at the same time. At the point of their passing Princess Twilight unleashed a magical blast that made it a speculator event.”

I wrote this down using the pencil I held in my mouth, I really didn't understand how their magic could do such a thing. I didn't know my friend Luna could do that. Maybe I could ask her next time I see her in my dreams, I wrote down the notes and put the pencil down. Listening to this almost made me forget about the ponies around me.

That is when I made my mind up and focused on Cheerilee and not around me. Maybe I can get through this day... learn something about the princesses of Equestria too...

As the lesson continued Miss Cheerilee talked about how each princess ruled the day and the night, including the festive events that were held in honour of the princesses, from the Summer Sun Celebration to an evening event called Nightmare Night.

“What can an pony tell about these ponies?” Cheerilee asked, pointing a hoof to the board showing a photo of two ponies, one in gold armour, the other in silver.

Scootaloo raised her hoof. “Yes Scootaloo?”

“The left is Princess Celestia's royal guards, they work day and night shifts. On the right are Princess Luna's personal royal guards that work only for her, they’re the bat ponies,” Scootaloo said with a smile. “And those Bat Ponies are really awesome too! I saw them on Nightmare Night pulling Princess Luna along! They’ve got slitted golden eyes which reflect Luna's moon!”

“That is correct Scootaloo, very well done” Cheerilee saw me raise my hoof. “Yes Zaps?”

“W-wh-what abou-about o-other kingdoms? O-oth-other then Eq-Eq...” I felt shaky asking the question, to the point where I just couldn't get the words out and felt really silly...

Cheerilee raised up a few other images pinning them to the wall. “That is true, you do have others and as you can see here, from Zebra's to Griffins they all each have their own style of royal guards, also ponies from lands outside out kingdom, that was a nice question Zaps, thank you for bring up other nations.” I nodded a little as she continued to talk about them.

She talked about the guards from the different kingdoms which she only could know so much as I listened writing and drawing down the stuff. I wanted to write everything that I learned into this notebook, so I never forget again... I smiled a little knowing that I was making sure that whatever happened to me before won't happen again...

I learned that the royal guards in other countries were similar to that of Equestria where they did duties that fell in line to protecting the kingdom, especially the capital and the royals, from any harm or dangers. She brought up one subject to do with Canterlot and the Wedding Invasion from the Changelings. I was really surprised by this and had never even heard of these Changelings before, they looked kinda creepy and when I heard they could change their appearances it made me shiver a little thinking about it.

Cheerilee look to the time on the wall seeing the hand was almost on 12. “Alright class it’s time for lunch, go outside and enjoy yourselves, remember to play nice and also after lunch we be talking about the Crystal Empire and the current rulers of the land.” Cheerilee explained, and the sound of the bell high above sounded. “Class, enjoy lunch.”

“Yes Miss Cheerilee,” everypony said and quickly took their bags, some leaving right away. Others taking their time.

I slowly got out of my seat when a hoof touched me, making me yelp is surprise before turning to see Scootaloo. “Sorry...” I rubbed my head a little.

“It’s cool Zaps, how did you like school so far?”

I scanned the room after Scootaloo said that and back to her. “I started out wanting to run a mile...” I admitted. “I really felt silly and out of place... you all know so much... while...” I turned way with a sigh. “I know so little... I was trying to ask so many questions... I got annoying looks at me... to the point... I just didn't want to ask anymore and just listen...”

I put on my saddle bag, walking with them slowly as they spoke in turn. “I think the questions were really good, you got us engaged in all sort of things, did you see how strange that griffin armour was? And what the Zebras wear for royal duties? I didn't even know any of that, Rarity would have flipped seeing some of those styles... she would say, 'That is the worst design ever! I must remake them into an image that suits royalty!'” Sweetie Belle spoke and mimicked Rarity’s voice, we all laughed a little in response, it was easing my nervousness a bit more.

“Would she really say that?” I asked.

Sweetie Belle shrugged, “Maybe, but you’ve seen how my sister is, look how many designs she put you through.”

I thought back to it and chuckled, “Yep I remember.”

“Ah agree, but how about we talk more after we eaten?” Applebloom suggested.

“Sure Applebloom” Scootaloo heard her stomach growl. “Hehe...” she shyly rubbed her head.

We all made our way to the door, Miss Cheerilee put a hoof to me, I turn and looked up. “I know I shouldn't eavesdrop on other ponies talking but I heard what you said. All I can say is that being engaged is the best way to learn, you asked very nice questions today and also helped broaden the understanding of other royal cultures, I heard from Applejack that she will be taking you and the fillies to the Crystal Empire in a few weeks. So this second half would be best for you to stick around, so if anything happens at lunch come to me ok? I be inside doing some marking.”

I nod to her “Sure Miss Cheerilee... so-sorry ab-about wh-what I said...”

“It ok, you’ve never experienced school before, this is very new to you and you would rather just forget it and run, but the one thing is best to do Zaps is face your fears rather than run.” Her voice was soft and caring, I thought about what she said and had to agree.

“Thank you...” I gave her a hug and she returned it.

“Now go and enjoy lunch Zaps.” She let go off me and I ran out of the room to find the girls.

I ran outside into the play area and seeing them on a log I rushed over to them until a hoof came in contact with mine causing me to lose my balance, stumbling to keep on my four hooves I fell forwards into a roll, coming to a stop and lying in a way that had my hind quarters over me slightly. The crusaders looked to me but before they could help me, we all heard laughter.

From my view I could see the grey and pink pony come up, still laughing. “Had a nice fall Blank Flank?” Diamond Tiara chuckled pointing her hoof to my flank.

“Hehe yeah, you’re just as clumsy as the rest of the blank flanks and look at you, you’re so scared that you want to go home and cry to your mummy!” the grey one giggled.

“Silver Spoon, he doesn't have one remember, she most likely abandoned him in that forest, ashamed of him being a Blank Flank!” I felt tears well up as they walked by laughing.

I pushed myself over and lay there sobbing about what they had said made me. Scootaloo put a hoof to me as I muttered the words “I hate school...”

Chapter 14: A Lesson to be Taught

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 14: A Lesson to be Taught

I rubbed my hoof gently on Zaps' back, knowing how it felt to be teased that cruelly... That Diamond Tiara had no shame for what she did to Zaps and me. I held back my tears, trying to act brave and help him as he continued to cry. His emotions were so much more out of control compared to any of us. I noticed this the first day I found him.

I had to tell him what she did to me and the girls. It was the only way to break through to him before he did something crazy and foolish...

“Whoa where did that come from!? How the hay am I saying things like that in my head!? Is this what Rainbow Dash has been trying to get through to me? Did it only take seeing that happen to somepony else who is a very close friend to see that? Is this what the talk we had in my room that day, before we made our move to the Crystal Empire, really meant to me? And then the journey, that was the furthest I have ever ridden my scooter, pulling my friends along. That’s the bond we share as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, it’s sappy, but it feels right.”

“Hey, Zaps, I know how you feel right now... I... we girls know what it’s like with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon...” I sighed, thinking about what she and Silver had said. I felt so angry then. I had just wanted to punch the living daylights out of both of them with my front hooves, until they saw black and blue!

Zaps slowly raised his head, looking at me with tears still falling from his eyes, and his snout quivering over the wave of emotions he had exploding out of him... “Y-y-...”

“Shh let us talk ok?” I smirked. He nodded silently and I turned to the girls. “We need to tell him what happened to me... it’s the only way.”

They looked at each other with a smile, then back at me. “Yer right Scoots, ah agree.”

“Yeah! I believe he has the right to know... no way we’re letting her do that again, not to anypony!” Sweetie Belle added and we were together, a team again, standing up for those who needed to get their Cutie Marks like us!

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Rock!” I screamed in my head.

We sat on the log together and as we ate our lunch we started to tell him what had happened. He was taking out a sandwich silently listening to us. I noticed him flinch as he moved, and saw the bruise on his right foreleg. “You see, Zaps, we had prepared this awesome performance for the Running of the Flag, the best team would get to carry the Ponyville flag at the Equestrian Games in the Crystal Empire. We’ll explain the games afterwards, ok?” Zaps gave me a nod.

“We did amazingly well for our first try and Rainbow Dash was almost screaming with joy!”

“As professionally as possible, of course,” Sweetie Belle chimed in.

“Ah thought we did great,” Applebloom continued. “Then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon showed up after we had started to set up for another try. They started to talk about how good our performance was, and then how...”

I felt a knot in my throat, thinking about what they had said, with a loud swallow I spoke... “They started to talk about me... well, more about the fact that... I... well...” I found it hard to form the words, then let it out it. “Icantflyyet!” I said quickly and he looked at me with confusion. “Sorry... I erm... can't fly yet...” I said, a little calmer. It still felt embarrassing letting him know... “They started talking about me not being able to fly and attacking me about it and hurting me in here...” I put my hooves to my chest. “I decided to do whatever it took to fly, no matter what... that’s when things went sour...”

Applebloom put a hoof around Zaps, “Eeyup... thin's went bad to worse... we started to argue to the point that we almost lost what had made us a team... and friends...”

“We were at the station and we decided to go without Scootaloo to the Crystal Empire to perform without her... she didn’t think she could do it without flying,” Sweetie Belle explained. “It took Rainbow Dash explaining to us what we did wrong and stopping the train... We rushed back with Rainbow Dash after another taunt from those two bullies...”

“I was in my room, broken down... I felt like I had nothing left, no hope, no friends, no awesome joy, nothing. I even threw my scooter in the bin, along with all my posters. My dreams felt crushed.” I felt really sappy at this point but I just didn't care. “Then they came back with Rainbow Dash and she made me understand what was really important. Maybe I can’t fly at the moment, and maybe I never will. What’s important is what I do with who I am and I should never let anypony let me forget that, it took my friends to help me see that.”

“We dashed all the way back to the Crystal Empire with Scootaloo pullin' us on her scooter while we were on skis! It was a lot of fun and we even won!” Applebloom beamed in delight. “But...” She looked him in the eyes. “Yer might not know where or who yer mother is but one thin's for sure, yer got me as a sister and them as yer friends.”

Zaps began to smile, feeling better, then it hit me... did Applebloom just? “Whoa whoa whoa! When did that happen!?”

“What happen?” Applebloom looked at me, confused.

“Yeah when did that happen?”

“What are ya talkin' about?” Applebloom looked from me to Sweetie Belle and back again.

“Zaps being your brother!” We both pointed at Zaps at the same time.

Applebloom giggled. “Oh that... this mornin' Applejack said that since he’s stayin' with us till Celestia knows, he’s part of the family, makin' him mah and an honourary Apple, cool right?”

I couldn't think of what to say... but I could see he was happy with it. “It’s sudden but... Awesome!” I blurted out the last part, hitting him on his right foreleg and causing him to yelp in pain. “Oops, sorry... I was trying to give you a playful punch to say something like, well... good for you Zaps.... hehe, but it kinda backfired.”

“I-it’s ok...” he whispered, rubbing it with his left hoof. “Maybe the zap apples will help me with that...”

“Huh?” We all said, and looked at him with a frown.

He reached into his new saddlebag and pulled out the zap apple. “I don't understand it but I had a really banged up leg and it was all better after eating zap apples.” He sighed as we responded with confused stares.. “I'll show ya...” He bit into the zap apple, getting the attention of none other, than that stuck up, good for nothing Diamond Tiara...

“Gross! That... is... gross! How can you eat a zap apple! Those things are horrible if they’re not made into Zap Apple Jam!” Diamond Tiara was waving her hooves in disgust.

“No wonder he’s a blank flank with no memories...” Silver Spoon added, showing equal disgust.

Zaps finished eating it and licked his snout. “Th-they’re yummy,” he answered.

“Not to a NORMAL pony they’re not! That, is just plain disgusting!” Diamond Tiara snapped at him.

Zaps looked at his foreleg and grinned, “It worked!” He jumped off the log on all fours, stomping his right front hoof on the ground. “See? All better!”

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon jaws dropped before us, they was frozen with shock. I cracked up, and burst out laughing at them. I fell off the log but I didn't care, I just couldn't contain my laughter. It wasn’t long before thee others started laughing at them too.

Silver snapped out of it, seeing them all laughing at her and Diamond Tiara. “Stop laughing! That is just stupid and...” She couldn't get her voice over them. “Stop it!” She yelled and ran back into the schoolhouse, leaving Diamond Tiara alone to be laughed at. I was trying to contain my laughter but seeing her back up and feeling small as we did, I just felt happy. We hadn’t done anything and she had made herself look like a foal...

“SHUT...” WHAM! She turned and walked right into the swing post, falling over into a puddle of mud, holding her head groaning.

I looked at Diamond Tiara sat on the ground, her purple and white mane was turned brown with a layer of mud. A nasty looking bruise had started to show where she had hit her head.

Zaps looked less sure now, he had started backing into me again, and was no longer smiling.

"Are you OK?" I asked Diamond Tiara. I reached out a hoof to try and help her out of the mud.

"I don't need your help, blank flank!" She swatted my hoof away and tried to pull herself off the ground, but only succeeded in slipping and falling into the mud again.

Some of the other ponies started laughing again as she clambered around in the mud.

Zaps took a step towards her “Please let us…”

Diamond Tiara turned around with a glare, mostly ignoring what Zaps just said, yelling out to all those that were laughing, mostly at her. “SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” She ran inside, crying...

The laughter died down and a large group had gathered around Zaps moments later. “That was awesome, how did you do that?” Snips asked, pointing a hoof to Zaps right foreleg.

Zaps looked uncomfortable at the sudden attention he was getting. “Erm... well... I-I... do-do-don't know... I ju-ju-just fo-foun-found out ea-ea...” He quickly backed up, and hid behind us.

I put a hoof out, “Come on guys... give him some space, look at him, you’re scaring him...”

“But how did he do that with the zap apple though?” A filly asked, I wasn’t sure who with them all gathered.

I shrugged “All he told me, he was being chased by some timberwolves, got hurt then ate some zap apples and wham! His hind leg was all better, he doesn't remember much, so it was a surprise to him...”

“Yeah so ease up, ok?” Applebloom stepped in. “Since he’s stayin' with the Apples till his real parents are found, he’s mah brother!”

“What in Equestria is going on out here?” We all turned and saw Miss Cheerilee. Diamond and Silver were stood behind her with dark smirks on their faces... this couldn’t be good. “I heard that Zaps started a fight with Diamond here. Is this true?”

“What!?” I screamed out. “That is a bunch of ponyfeathers!”

“Scootaloo! Language!”

“Sorry miss but that’s not true! She tripped him over then afterwards called him names and said mean things! She told him that his mother abandoned him in the Everfree Forest because of not having a Cutie Mark!!!!” I yelled out at her in an outburst of anger.

Miss Cheerilee looked at Diamond Tiara. “It’s not true!” She lied... gah I hate her!

“Yeah!” Silver Spoon backed up. “Why would she have a bruise and be covered in mud if Zaps hadn’t done anything?”

Applebloom spoke next in defence of Zaps. “Miss Cheerilee, she hit her head on the swing bar and landed in the mud! The only reason Zaps doesn’t have a bruise is he healed thanks to his zap apple!”

“Seriously? Are you going to believe that before the zap apples are even ready to be picked he had one? A story about magical healing zap apples? He’s just making it up! Miss Cheerilee.” Diamond Tiara spoke up.

She sighed “Diamond Tiara has a point, there aren't any...”

“THERE!!!” I pulled one out and showed it to them. “This the one Zaps gave me! It for our project tomorrow!”

Cheerilee took it and looked at me. “The Everfree Forest?”

“Yeah, that’s where he woke up, remember! He took it and put them in Applebloom's back that she left there” Sweetie Belle spoke up. “You can even ask Big Macintosh and Applejack, they were with us when Applebloom lost the bag due to the Timberwolves chasing us!”

“Doesn't mean he had one, for all we know, he could have given you the last one.” Diamond Tiara explained. “Did any other pony see him eat it?”

“I did” Snips answered

“So did I!” Snails joined.

“Me too!” Button Mash put his hoof up, and the others followed.

“Wh-what!? They’re just siding with him!” Diamond Tiara yelled out in protest with what she saw.

“Yeah they’re just being nice to the newcomer, that’s all!” Silver Spoon added.

Cheerilee looked around all of us with a heavy sigh. “I have no idea exactly what’s happened and it seem to be a toss and turn, but she is injured and you’re not, Zaps, care to explain?”

Zaps looked at his foreleg, then back at her. “I-I... can't expl-explain... it. I en-enjoy eatin-eating them... th-the-they have some s-stra-strange... effect on me... I get hurt, and eating th-them ma-makes the injuries d-disapp-appear.”

“There is one way to decide whether you’re telling the truth, Zaps.” Miss Cheerilee looked around. “School dismissed for the rest of the day.”

Most of them cheered and rushed off to get their things and leave. I looked at Zaps, “What’s going on Miss Cheerilee...” I turned to her.

“Only idea I have... Diamond, you and Silver are coming too, we’re going to the hospital and we are going to get to the bottom of this right now.” Miss Cheerilee said, looking to Zaps now. “This will help you prove your innocence.”

Zaps nods “o..okay... I'll do it... can Scootaloo, App-Applebloom and Sweetie Belle come?”

“Yes they can”

Applebloom raised her hoof, “Miss can I go and get mah brother and sister?”

“Sure,” and with that Applebloom took her bag and ran off down the path. Just great! Diamond Tiara and her stupid friend Silver Spoon had not only called him a liar, which he not, and now we have to prove some stupid trick with the zap apple aiding in healing Zaps. I so wanted to hurt her badly! “Get your bags, children.” Miss Cheerilee instructed.

We got our things and all waited for Applebloom to return. Applejack and Big Mac were not looking to happy. “What in tarnation is goin' on Cheerilee?”

“Applejack, there was a slight incident with Zaps and Diamond Tiara, I got two sides of the story and one is stranger than the other.” Cheerilee explained. “I’ve never heard of a zap apple being able to heal a pony before.”

Big Mac looked at Zaps. “Ah never saw it mahself, but ah believe Zaps. Ah look into his eyes and ah know he ain’t lyin’, ah don't even think he knows what lyin' is.”

Diamond Tiara looked over at Zaps and narrowed her eyes making him move slightly towards Big Macintosh. “Really?”

Zaps looked confused. “What does lying mean Big Mac? They keep saying it, and that I am making it up... but I...”

“It’s ok sugarcube, yer sister’s here.” Applejack hugged him slightly as he sobbed.

“Please... he’s just trying to get attention,” Diamond rolled her eyes. “My injury and what’s happened to me is proof enough!”

Big Mac stomped hard, making her yelp “Yer little brat, stop lyin' through yer teeth!”

“Big Mac that’s uncalled her, until we understand this, I have to side with Diamond Tiara...” Miss Cheerilee stated and I groaned. Great... that good for nothing Diamond Tiara’s done it again... “But...” they looked at her. “If the doctor can find evidence to back up what Zaps said then I will be having a very long word with Mr Rich and Silver Spoon's parents.”

Applejack smirked. “Very well sugarcube, then let get goin' and prove that little filly wrong, because ah’ll bet mah hat that he’s not one to just fight! He’s been through a lot already and ah’m not goin' to let some lyin' filly tell me otherwise.”

“I am not lying!”

“Yeah!”

“Shut ya yap!” Applejack snapped back. “Till we get to the bottom of this yer two ain’t sayin' another word!”

“Bu...” both tried to say.

Miss Cheerilee put a hoof at them “Girls please, now we’re all accounted for let’s go to the hospital. This is sure to be an interesting lesson if it true... in all my years as a teacher I’ve never come across such a thing.”

“Oh it is,” Big Macintosh replied calmly as he picked up Zaps, putting him on his back. “Now if it is true, and ah believe it is, ah want those two to say sorry to Zaps for puttin' him through this and ah expect their parents to be present too...” both of them gulped and I saw it, Big Macintosh saw it too. With a wink to me, he led the way to the hospital.

As we arrived Twilight Sparkle came out of the front door. “What’s going on?” she inquired, seeing our group.

“Oh it’s just that Diamond Tiara lied and now we’re trying to prove that zap apples have magical healing effects on Zaps...” I said in a sarcastic tone, rolling my eyes.

Twilight frowned at this. “I’ve read and done a lot of research around zap apples, and I have never once heard anything about this but even so, there is a great deal of mystery surrounding zap applies and the strange ritual to prepare the jam, that Granny Smith does so well, I might add.” Twilight looked to Cheerilee “Could we join you? I am rather interested in knowing this myself.”

I noticed Spike didn't look too hot, “What the hay happened to you Spike?”

“I ate too much crystal ice cream...” he groaned, holding his stomach.

Twilight shook her head. “Sadly, that’s why I was here... Doctor Stable gave us some medicine that should work on Spike's stomach ache.”

Applejack laughing a little, patting Spike on the back with her hoof. “Trust yer to eat so many treats.” She turned to Twilight. “Twi, we’ll talk about that later, of course, but for now, ah'm here to clear up mah brother’s name.”

“Big Mac? But I thought Zaps was the...” Her eyes suddenly opened wide, “Wh-what!? You can't... you taken Zaps in only a few days now! How did this happen so quickly!?”

“We’ll talk later, sugarcube...”

“Urg... sure...” Twilight put a hoof to her head.

We entered the hospital together and Cheerilee walked up to Doctor Stable and started talking to him, occasionally glancing to Zaps. “Hey it will work out Zaps,” I smiled

“I hope so... I don't know what’s going on anymore... why are there so many injured ponies in here?” Zaps was looking around at the other ponies in the waiting room.

I put a hoof to my head this time. “Right, you’ve never been in a hospital... it’s where they treat sick and injured ponies”

“Like Diamond Tiara?”

“Yeah, but they also do tests too... I think they’re gonna see if what happened to you is true. This really sucks. I hate Diamond Tiara for putting you through this.” I whispered to him so she couldn't hear.

He got the message. “Because I ate a zap apple and it healed me?”

“Yeah pretty much.” I turned away, grumbling a little to myself about how much I really wanted to beat the living hoof out of Diamond Tiara. This was a real low blow for sure, putting Zaps in this situation. It was just not fair on him.

Doctor Stable walked up to us and talked to Zaps, who was resting on Big Mac’s back. “I heard what Cheerilee said. I’ve never come across anything quite like this, so we are just going to check on you ok?” Zaps nodded.“Everypony follow me,” instructed Doctor Stable and he led us into a small room, closing the door behind us.

I look right at those two... Diamond and Silver... I really hoped he could find something for Zaps because their lying could get him in real trouble. “So Doc what ya going to do?”

“A simple few tests, first to see his foreleg.” Doctor Stable’s horn lit up and he used his magic over Zap’s leg. “Strange... I...” he blinked a few times “My word... I’ve never felt internal magic like this before.”

Twilight stepped up beside him as Zaps sat there on the bed looking very nervous. “Let me have a look!” She used her magic and gasped in surprise as well. “That’s not possible. That kind of Earth Pony magic is impossible!”

“Sugarcube what are ya gettin' at?” Applejack frowned.

“I mean... he well... I don't know... but I believe somehow he’s absorbed the magic from the zap apple and it in turn healed him. I believed it was impossible, but there is simply no other explanation for this kind of Earth Pony internal magic, it’s nothing but amazing!” Twilight turned to Applejack and Big Macintosh, “You know the 101 on Earth Pony magic right?”

“Yes Twi... the Earth Pony magic helps thin's to grow... it’s basic stuff but what are ya takin' about with Zaps here?”

We watched Twilight create a chart with her magic. “Here this is a normal Earth Pony magic from you or any other, some have higher or lower than others, depending on diet, lifestyle and such.” We watched her demonstrate this with the bars on the chart. “Now, this is Zaps.” A new bar appeared on the chart and we all looked at it, it was twice as high as the others.

“Oh my...” Cheerilee exclaimed. “But isn't that dangerous!?”

Twilight was looking at Zaps again. “Normally, I would say yes, but Zaps is a mystery. I’ve never seen anypony with that level of internal magic. It’s amazing and just impossible at the same time.”

Doctor Stable looked at the chart. “I’ve seen it.” We all turned to him instantly. “Only once, mind.”

“Please tell sugarcube.”

“It is very rare in Earth Ponies and Pegasi. In fact, I’ve only seen another like this before and that is Rainbow Dash. I should keep this confidential, but well, she is the only pony ever known to perform a Sonic Rainboom, correct?”

“Yes I get what you’re getting at... but what about Pinkie Pie?”

“I don't even want to know about her...” Doctor Stable trailed off slightly. “Her sugar levels are through the roof, any other pony would have diabetes, high blood pressure, serious weight gain, and yet she’s still healthy...”

“What about ya Twi, yer magic isn't average, yer were even able to create that new spell then become an Alicorn because of it.” Applejack stated.

Zaps jumped down looking to me. “Does that mean I am not in trouble?”

“Nope you’re in the clear Zaps and someponies owe you an apology, not only to you, but to the whole class.” I grinned at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Right girls?”

“Eeyup”

“Yes! They should!”

“Grrr....” Diamond Tiara looked really unhappy and I was happy to see that.

Miss Cheerilee looked down at the two troublemakers. “Indeed that is true, what the girls said. I believe you two do owe the whole class and Zaps an apology for what you had done, not only have we violated poor Zaps’ personal space trying to clear his name, but you ruined this afternoons lesson which I will have to teach on Monday.”

Cheerilee turned to Twilight, “I bid you all a good day, I’ve got two children to take home to their parents, and on Monday they will be apologizing for all of this mess they’ve caused.”

“But miss...”

“No buts! Now it’s time for you two to go home... I got a lot of explaining to do now...” Cheerilee walked them out of the room.

Big Macintosh put a hoof to Zaps, breaking his silence. “Zaps, ya’ll ok?”

“uh huh...” he replied, rubbing his hoof against his other front leg. “Feels weird knowing that I got some crazy internal magic thing inside me...”

Twilight was about to speak but Big Mac put a hoof up stopping her. “Twilight, ah will tell him about his internal magic, it’s best if ah do, he trusts me a lot more than yer... no offence.”

“None taken, it’s just amazing to know that there are quite a few ponies out there with this level of internal magic. I always knew that Rainbow Dash had a little more than normal, especially after seeing that Sonic Rainboom and how fast she can move." Twilight smiled at Big Mac. “ I would like permission to inform the princesses of this. It might give us leads to finding his parents.”

Big Mac looked to Applejack who nodded, he turned to Twilight, “Yer have permission, just make sure Zaps doesn’t suffer because of this. He is only a colt. He doesn't need this kind of attention. He should be free to do what youngun' do.”

Twilight put her hoof to her chest. “I promise Big Macintosh.” Twilight looked at Spike “Let’s go home and get this letter made and sent, then you can have all the rest you need.”

“That’d be great Twilight... I feel like I...”

Twilight gasped “Ah!” she picked him by her magic. “Got to get home fast before he throws up!” in a flash they were gone.

“Well...” Doctor Stable blinked a few times... “This has been an interesting day... well, if there is nothing more to be done, you’re all free to go.”

“Thank ya Doctor Stable, one for clearing Zaps’ name for somethin' he did not do and for givin' him a clean bill of health,” Applejack smiled.

“No trouble at all Applejack, have a nice day.” We all left the hospital.

I stood with Zaps and the girls. “Now what do we do?”

Applejack smirked. “How about yer children against us at bowlin'?”

Applebloom gasped “Wh-what!? Yer serious!?”

“Bet ah am!” Applejack grinned. “So yer up for a game or two? Or yer afraid getting whipped by us adults.”

I put my hoof at her. “Not a chance! I'm in!”

“Yeah, me too!” Sweetie Belle beamed.

“Count me in!” Applebloom put her hoof out against mine and Sweetie's.

Zaps placed his on ours. “We a team right?” He smiled and that was it, we got him back! “Just one question...”

“What’s bowling?” We all started to laugh as we made our way down the road back to Ponyville.

“You're going to find it awesome Zaps! It really is an easy game to play! And we Cutie Mark Crusaders are going to win!” I beamed in delight, I guess Diamond Tiara had done us a favour, no lessons after lunch and having an afternoon out with my friends and two awesome Earth Ponies, Applejack and Big Macintosh.

“Did somepony say bowling?” We turned to see Rainbow Dash standing there against the wall of a building with her hooves crossed over her other legs and a grin on her face. “Care if I join?”

“OH MY GOSH THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!!” I burst out flapping my wings in a buzz of excitement.

“I take that as a yes, and I'll be siding with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.” Rainbow Dash walked up to us. I was over the moon at this! She was not only going to play with us, but on our team too!

“Cool, can I play?” Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared beside Applejack causing her to yelp in surprise. “I am reeeeaaaaalllly bored!”

“Yeah, sure, Pinkie.”

“Eeyup.”

“Alright, off to the Bowling Alley! Me and the Cutie Mark Crusaders versus you three!” Rainbow Dash pumped her hooves into the air.

“Sure thing sugarcube, and may the best team win!” Applejack put her hoof out and Rainbow Dash took it with a smirk on both of their faces, looking into their eyes.

“Best day ever!” I cried out and nudged Zaps “Right Zaps?”

“I'm not sure...” he shrugged. “But it looks like it is going to be if this bowling game is fun.”

“Oh it will be!” I beamed. “Together crusaders!”

“Cutie Mark Crusaders! Yay!” We cheered and raced for the bowling alley with the adults running just behind.

Chapter 15: Zap Apple Harvest

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 15: Zap Apple Harvest

Twilight Sparkle

Internal magic... I needed to know more about internal magic, this could answer so many questions I had about strange magics, perhaps even the mysterious Pinkie Sense. I pulled down shelf after shelf of books, checking through each of them one by one. I had read about ten since this morning when I got up but had found nothing. How could I know so little about the magic of the other ponies around me?

I checked over the list again. It had my name on it, Rainbow Dash’s, Pinkie Pie's and finally Zaps. I decided to add Fluttershy, Applejack and Rarity to the list as well since they did also seem to have unique qualities to them. “Gah! Why could I never find anything when I wanted to!” I yelled out at no one in particular, throwing my front hooves into the air. “Then you’ve got Vinyl with her new found teleportation and sound proofing spells!” I added her to the list as urgent and continued searching through the library. “Now, let’s see... nope, this book won't do... not this one... not this one...”

I was beginning to grow in frustration at this point. I flipped through book after book on unusual internal magical events and all I got was... “NOTHING!? There was nothing here about internal magic! Only the basic facts I already know! All it described was a natural variation in magic levels across ponies over generations! But this couldn’t possibly explain my findings here in Ponyville.”

I placed the books back onto the shelf and stared out of the window at the sunlit morning. It was another beautiful morning in the little village. “I wonder if Spike is awake yet, maybe... No no no I can't do that.” I grumbled with a heavy sigh. “If I wake him up he’ll be grumpy all day. I might as well just get some fresh air.”

Walking past Spike by my bed, I made my way down the steps. Suddenly, just as I was about to leave, I could hear him coughing. “Spike?” I asked in worry.

He coughed a few more times and burped out a flame, summoning two scrolls before me. “Urg...” Spike groaned. “What is so important as to wake me up like that? I still feel terrible from the crystal ice cream...” Spike held his claws over his mouth and ran right by me to the bathroom, slamming it shut.

I cringed at the sound behind the door. “What I would give for that sound proof spell.” I felt sick just hearing him being sick. I could easily blame Spike for eating all those treats but I didn’t. He was already regretting it enough. I turned to the scrolls he had left on the ground, I opened the first that had the seal from...

“Princess Luna!? I’ve never received a letter directly from Princess Luna!” I gasped in surprise, I quickly opened it up to see what it said.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle,

It may be a surprise to receive a letter from the Princess of the Night, but I do so with a request for you. I have learned from what you have sent to my sister about the young colt Zaps and his unusually high levels of internal magic, though rare, it is not unheard of for some non-unicorn ponies to have such a large pool of magic within.

I also wish to inform you that it was I who saved him from the darkness in his dreams. I did not know that he would not know of the world he woke into until I met him within his dreams. Using what fragments I have found within the young colt's dream, I put together a place of harmony within his mind from the nightmares he had feared for so long. I became his Guardian of the Night and his friend. Not for the crown I wear but for who I am. It made me feel happy as the first of Nightmare Night.

Now to the reason I write to you, I wish to meet Zaps in pony, rather than in his dreams. I wish to invite him and his guardians to Canterlot for such a meeting. If you and your friends wish to accompany him, then do so with the knowledge this is not a formal meeting but rather a meeting between friends.

I have included in the other scroll the documents for Big Macintosh's request that I received a few days ago.
In addition is enclosed a golden train pass for the use of the Apples and an unlimited number of guests this weekend only for travel to Canterlot and back.

If it wasn't for your help at Nightmare Night I may not have been so forward coming as I am now, I thank you for your friendship Twilight Sparkle and and that why I so openly became friends with the colt Zaps. Unfortunately I was not able to grant your request for research into the Colt’s internal magic as my sister and we believe that interference from scholars will put at risk the colthood that he has, until now, been denied.

I wish you well Twilight Sparkle, my friend. I bid you well and look forward to seeing Zaps at Canterlot this weekend.

Your friend,Luna.”

I read the letter once more, then three more times to be sure that I had read it right, I frantically picked up the other scroll and upon opening it, fell a golden train ticket. I gasped at the sight of it. “Unlimited free access for train travel between Canterlot and Ponyville: Apples and company,” just like Luna had written in the letter.

I pulled out the adoption papers for Zaps and the small letter containing the request that Big Macintosh made, I hadn’t been aware of this and most likely neither had Applejack. I sighed turning to the bathroom. “Spike, are you alright for a trip to Sweet Apple Acres? I have some important documents to take there.”

Spike opened the door, holding his head. “If we don't teleport, my head still feels like it’s spinning.”

“Sure thing Spike, I will take the wagon, just for you.” I smiled.

“Thanks, Twilight.”

Putting the letter and papers into my saddlebag, I got the wagon out for Spike to ride in. We were soon on our way from Golden Oak's Library to Sweet Apple Acres. I hate dropping a matter, however the internal magic research would have to go on hold indefinitely, until further notice. But I had one thing in mind as I walked, I had to figure out Vinyl Scratch before I could take any trip to Canterlot. I needed to know how she gained those spells.

We soon arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, I noticed Applejack with many of the apple family, it was almost like the family reunion. There was no doubt that Big Macintosh and Granny Smith would be there. Zaps was resting his front hooves over the head of Big Macintosh, watching the trees. Along with them, were Braeburn, Apple Rose, Apple Cinnamon, Apple Split, Candy Apples and Red Gala if I remembered correctly, they must have been everyone who could come in short notice to help with the Zap Apple Harvest.

My friends in Ponyville were all there too, where did I forget the memo on this? “Howdy Twi!” Applejack turn to me. “Ah see yer got mah letter, ah was afraid ya’ll wouldn't be able to help today.”

“Letter? I didn't get any, in fact, I am here because Princess Luna sent me over the documents for Big Macintosh and you to sign to become the guardians of Zaps.” I replied to Applejack.

Applejack glared at Big Macintosh “BIG MAC!” Oh boy...

“Eeyup?” He stepped up to AJ.

Applejack took the papers I pulled out of the saddlebag. “Care to explain!?”

“Do yer really need an explanation for that, sis? Didn't we decide that he was now an honorary Apple?” Big Mac calmly responded. “This just sets it in black and white, nothin' more AJ.”

Applejack groaned “Fine yer right... ah get it.” I brought up a ink well and quill. “Thanks Twi, so where do ah sign?”

I pointed a hoof to the second line “Here, Big Mac signs just above since he is the pony who made the request.”

Applejack took the quill with her mouth and signed her name, “done, yer turn, big brother.”

Big Macintosh took the quill and signed his name. “Does that mean I am really part of the family?” Zaps asked, looking at the papers from above Big Macintosh's head.

“Eeyup!” Big Mac smirked.

Zaps hugged him as best he could from where he was on Big Macintosh with a warm smile. “Thank you, big brother.” I heard him whisper. I smiled seeing that they was really warming up to each other, no way I could continue something that would ruin something like this.

I turn my head to Spike “Could you said this to Princess Celestia and Luna?” I raised the rolled up adoption paper.

Spike took it with a smile. “Sure thing Twi, this is an important stage for Zaps anyway, he got a awesome family!”

“Eeyup!” Big Macintosh replied rubbing a hoof on Zaps. “Mah little brother.”

Spike blew his green flame and in a flash it was gone. “Looks like we’ve got a new cus’.” Braeburn spoke. “Let’s hear it for the newest member to our Apple Family!”

“Hip hip hooray! Hip hip Hooray! Hip hip Hooray!”

“And one for luck!”

“Hip hip Hooray!”

They gathered around cheering it out to Zaps making him really feel part of the family. Spike, the girls and I watched with warm smiles seeing how happy he was as he looked around them from his position on Big Macintosh’s. A very happy little colt now had somewhere he could call home.

Applejack turned to see the storm moving in. “Right on time! And perfect for our newest and most wonderful moment!” The storm moved in with lightning and rain, sparks flew off the first apple and the grey colour changed to a beautiful rainbow coloured apple.

I witnessed the magic at work first hoof and it was quite something, all of us watched with awe as the fruits, one by one, exploded with rainbow light, reflecting off each other. “Whoa look at them go! They’re changing so fast! Look at the awesome colours in the sky!!!!” Pinkie Pie was bouncing up and down with excitement.

“Gotta admit, that is pretty sweet seeing the zap apples turn into their colours, since they match my awesomeness to a T!” Rainbow Dash said, showing off her mane and tail, I just rolled my eyes with a shake of the head.

Fluttershy spoke pointing a hoof at something. “Erm not to be rude or anything... but those ones aren't changing.”

“You’re right darling, they look like they're just sparking with electrical magical energy...” Rarity replied with a frown.

“Whoa look at those! They’re really glowing!” Spike pointed at them.

Applejack frowned. “What in tarnation is goin' on? Zap apple trees ain’t supposed to act like that!”

I gulped seeing the sparks getting bigger and the energy build up around the trees. “I wonder what’s causing them to act like...” I didn't get to finish when the trees exploded with energy, rainbow beams of light came from each of them, shooting right up into the sky.

“Whoa, that is awesome!!!!” Rainbow Dash was thrilled by the light show.

The rainbow energy curved and all aimed for one tree. “Wee! This is fun!” Cried out Pinkie.

The tree that got hit glowed with pulsing energy so bright that I had no choice but to cover my eyes, I tried to see what was happening but I couldn't. “The light is so intense!” I called out and then with a huge flash of light a wave of energy came from the tree and turned all the grey apples into zap apples. Passing right through us, the magical wave continued outwards before dying down.

But what we all saw made us all gasp, standing in the middle of those zap apple trees was a huge zap apple tree bearing fruit on it branches... “No way!” Rainbow Dash spoke out first and zoomed up to the tree head of us flying up checking it out. “This is sooooo awesome! This tree is mega huge! It’s at least 100 feet tall!”

We all slowly walked up to it, looking up at the huge tree before us, the tree trunk alone was three times the size of any of the other trees. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. “Wow, look how big it is! It really cool right, Big brother?” Zaps spoke with excitement.

Big Mac put a hoof to the tree trunk. “Eeyup, it sure is, ah’ve never seen magic work like that...”

“I don't think any pony has... this is really amazing... this zap apple tree must have hundreds of apples ready to be picked.” I could see some of them, the tree was so thick with leaves and brimming with life.

Rainbow Dash flew down to us “You’re right, Twilight, there are a lot of zap apples in this huge tree, they’re all glowing with sparkling energy though, the other ones look as normal as the ones in the field, as if they won't special at all.”

“Ah know.” We all turned to Big Macintosh standing still by the tree with Zaps looking up at the apples hanging.

“Please tell” Rarity asked.

Big Macintosh put a hoof to the tree trunk again closing his eyes. “Ah believe this tree is the magic from those around it, the magic of each tree focused on one. This one.” He opened his eyes and turned to face us. “This is the one that bears the special zap apples that we been lookin' forward to seein’.”

“Darn right ya are!” Granny Smith spoke out, she turned to Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and me. “Since yer all got wings, ya’ll be pickin' these fruits, Big Macintosh, Applejack, Apple Split, Spike, Pinkie Pie and Zaps’ll be helpin' to catch them. The rest of ya’ll be pickin' and gettin' the zap apples from the rest of the other trees, we have till sundown!” Granny Smith spoke out to us. “Ah’ll be in the house preparing to make zap apple jam! Ah’ll also be creatin' a new formula for these special ones, now get pickin'!”

“Yes ma'am!” Rainbow Dash saluted. “Alright girls, let’s get picking!” Rainbow Dash zoomed up to the tree, I open my wings with a gulp.

Fluttershy gulped. “It rather high but I did come to help... so here I go...”

“Ok here go nothing...” I took off after Fluttershy, following her up to the tree to start picking those zap apples, the other ponies ready below to catch the zap apples we drop.

Zaps Apple

I jumped off Big Macintosh's back and watched him bring over a basket, the others brought over theirs ready to catch the zap apples that were ready to be picked. “Alright everypony, listen up!” Applejack called out to us. “We’re gonna make this a game, the ponies with the most zap apples caught wins!”

“What do we win!” Pinkie Pie spoke bouncing up and down with joy.

“Just a win, it’s a friendly contest Pinkie, yer know, a game for fun!” Applejack grinned.

“Oh yes yes yes! I love those games! Friends playing to have fun! Catch them all!” Pinkie Pie pulled out a weird cone from her mane. I blinked a few times trying to understand how she storing all that stuff in there...

“Uh oh...” Applejack gulped. “Not the megaphone Pinkie!”

Pinkie Pie grinned. “Erm is that the thin' ah heard six or so months back from Rainbow Dash's home...” Big Macintosh gulped loudly.

“Megaphone?”

“Yer about to find out...” Applejack replied.

Spike covered his head quickly with his claw hands. “Everpony cover your ears!!!” He screamed out.

Rainbow Dash looked down and saw it. “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Oh my...”

“Oh buck...”

“GET READY TO PICK! READY STEADY GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I was thrown into a roll from the super explosive wave of sound from her megaphone, I slid on my back to a stop, laughing hard as soon as I saw the other ponies scattered all around dazed, I couldn't understand how or why that happened but the zap apples just sat there unharmed on the branches as if to tell Pinkie Pie they would not move, even for her megaphone thing, making her sigh and that caused me to laugh even harder.

“Oh shoot I thought that might work, oh well, back to picking.” she turned to me seeing that I was still laughing, before finally looking around seeing what she had done. “Oopsy.”

“Oopsy!? Yer crazy, mare! Look what yer did to everypony!” Applejack glared at her, but it didn’t last and a smile came to her snout and chuckled. “But good one Pinkie, ah’d take mah hat off if ah still had it,” she looked around.

I got up and felt something in front of my hoof . I picked it up and put it over my head, “It’s here.” I was laughing a little, trying to keep it from falling over my eyes.

Big Macintosh let out a hefty laugh, “that’s one way to start the zap apple pickin', hay AJ?”

“Too right.” She chuckled, looking up and saw the two dazed pegasi and alicorn. “Ready to pick and drop?”

Twilight rubbing her head. “Give us a second to get our bearings... that wasn't very fun...”

“Sure thin' sugar.”

“Here you go” I gave Applejack her hat back.

Applejack rubbed her hoof on my head. “Good on yer Zaps, let’s get pickin'!”

“Yay!” I yelled out back and she laughed.

After a few minutes they were back in the air and starting to pick, dropping the zap apples down to us below, Big Macintosh, my awesome new big brother, and I worked together, catching them, he caught them in the baskets while I caught some with my head or hooves, bouncing them with a swift motion into the basket.

Twilight was having some problems, almost crashing into the tree and landing on the branch with a thud. “Gah this is so annoying! I can't get my wings to work right!” She grumbled and aim her horn at one of the apples.

“Don't Twilight!” Applejack called out but it was too late, we saw the magic from the zap apple react to her magic, backfiring into her. The results made us all burst out laughing at her, including spike. “Hehe... suga... hahahahahahaa!” Applejack fell over in uncontrolled amount of laughter.

Twilight was looking around at Rainbow and Fluttershy to us on the ground. “What? What is it?”

Pinkie Pie laughing hard. “Oh Twilight haha you hahaha look hahaha silly hahaha!”

“Yeah, rainbow suits you!” Spike yelled out.

“WHAT!?” Twilight, looked up at her, now spiky, mane and saw that it had rainbow coloured sparks shooting out of it. “AH!!! My mane! Get me a mirror fast!!!”

Pinkie Pie, somehow, was on the branch by her all the sudden. I look to the basket then back up. “Whoa how did...”

“Don't bother haha” Applejack chuckled.

Pinkie Pie pulled out a mirror. “Here you go Twi”

What she saw was what we were already seeing, her mane was sparking with rainbow colour shimmering off it, spiking too as if struck by a bolt of lightning. “My mane! It’s... it’s rainbow... what the hay!?”

“Ah tried to warn ya sugarcube, unicorn magic against zap apples doesn't mix well and these ones are different to the normal ones so the results were kinda... well funny.” Applejack was trying not to laugh again.

Twilight groaned “Will it wear off?”

“Sure, by the morning ah’d guess...”

“MORNING!? You’re telling me I have to look like this until morning!?” Twilight tapped her hoof on her mane to get a shock. “Ouch...”

Pinkie Pie took a photo of it with a camera. “A keeper for sure!” She giggled.

“PINKIE PIE!!!” Twilight launched at her but Pinkie Pie dodged her bounce. “Come back here!!!” Pinkie Pie slid down a branch and hopped into the next tree then jumped down on the ground. “When I get my hooves on you I am gonna get that camera!!!!!!!!” Twilight chased after the pink pony.

“Catch me if you can!” She giggled.

Rainbow Dash landed by me. “Who do you think’s going to win? Pinkie or Twilight?”

“I say Pinkie” I ate one of the zap apples, munching on the tasty flesh. “Hmm yummy, like one?” I offered a zap apple.

“No thanks, zap apples don't agree with me unless they are in jam form, thanks anyway, squirt.” Rainbow Dash waved her hoof. I shrugged and ate it. “It’s pretty awesome that you can eat them as they are, but you know we’re suppose to be picking them, not snacking on them.”

I swallowed the apple licking my snout. “But they’re so tasty!” I complained.

Applejack shook her head. “At this rate we’re not going to get anything done...”

“Just relax Applejack, not everyday you get to watch something like this.” Rainbow Dash sat back against the large tree watching the purple alicorn dive bomb at Pinkie Pie.

“Ah say it’s quite amusin' seein' this.” Big Macintosh held a bit up. “Ah bet on Pinkie Pie.”

Twilight almost got Pinkie Pie but she ducked and all Twilight got was water, the shock from her sparking mane sent her flying up. “OW OW OW!” she was waving her hooves crazily on her mane. “That... hay it back to normal,” she grinned but the mane was still in the mess but the surge of water and magical electrical energy shorted it out. “Now where is...”

Pinkie Pie lunged at her and landed in a roll to a stop by the ponies. “Gotcha!” she giggled. “I win!” Pinkie Pie hopped off and turn to everypony. “Who want’s to play next?”

“Maybe later Pinkie” Applejack shook her head. “Let’s get back to work.”

“Sure!”

Twilight grumbled. “I am so not going to like that photo...”

The rest of the time went on with the zap apple picking going smoothly, I went back to helping Big Macintosh catching the zap apples, soon Applebloom arrived with our friends and aided in picking the zap apples through the rest of the day before sundown. By that time, I saw the sun starting to vanish and so did the zap apples, each of them popping out of existence, one by one, with a flash of magical light.

The wagons were loaded with so many zap apples it made my mouth water, they were so tasty and yummy... I wanted them all. “Can we keep some back please! I really love eating them as they are!” I pleaded, giving my cutest look possible to Applejack and Big Macintosh.

Applejack turned to Big Mac “Ah don't know... do ya think we should?”

“Maybe”

“Please! PLEASE!!!!” I cried out to them.

“Sure,” they said together.

“YAY!” I cheered in delight.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “You and those zap apples...”

“But I like them sooooo much! They tasty, sweet and really yummy!” I bounced up and down on the spot.

Scootaloo shook her head. “I rest my case...” Her gaze turned to the massive tree. “But I never thought the magic from those zap apple trees would do that though... that thing is HUGE! It the biggest tree I’ve ever seen!”

“I do say it is darling, but it was because of you and Zaps that the tree came to be, if I am not mistaken.” Rarity replied.

Scootaloo moaned. “But we did all that hard work and never got our cutie marks for it! Look how awesome it is! Even without the zap apples on it, it’s still huge and green as it can get!” Scootaloo pointed it out. “I am not even an earth pony and yet Zaps and I helped create it!”

Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Scootaloo. “Think about it Scoots, you and Zaps somehow did that but now that tree will be part of Sweet Apple Acres forever, pretty awesome if you think about it, we can have snoozes all the way up on those thick branches, we could even create a new awesome tree house on it.”

“What really!?” Scootaloo beamed turning to face Rainbow Dash.

“Like thae clubhouse?” I asked with wonder looking to the tree in the distance. “But wouldn't that be all the way up there...” I looked up slightly with a gulp. “Isn't that a little dangerous?”

“Only if it’s not built right.” Rainbow Dash replied. “But think about it, the view from up there in a big clubhouse for you crusaders will be awesome! You’ll even get to see me do my tricks without having to look up!” Rainbow Dash flew up and did a few spins and land. “Wouldn't you think that would be awesome?”

“I’ll say!” Scootaloo was liking the idea a lot.

Applebloom came over from the barn as Applejack and the other adults finished unloading a few wagons of zap apples into it. “Ah like that idea, a new mega high clubhouse, we could see Ponyville from there too!”

“I know right? Pretty rad idea I thought of.” Rainbow Dash grinned.

Big Macintosh stepped up to us, looking to the tree in the distance in the zap apple side of the orchid. “It would be some undertakin' but ah believe it could be done, but with care and understandin' so as not to damage the tree as well.” Big Macintosh said calmly to us.

Rarity came over to us now. “I think it’d be a wonderful idea, something we all could help once a week. I wouldn't mind supplying you little ones with something to make it look fabulous!”

“Really Rarity? You’d do that?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

“Of course Sweetie Belle.” Rarity hugged her and she hugged Rarity back.

“Thank you big sis!” Sweetie Belle beamed in delight.

Twilight came up to them with Spike. “Care if we join?” We all look to see everypony that helped today gather around, looking up over the great tree as the last light of the sun vanished over the horizon. “What a day this was, hay everypony?”

“Yer can say that again. Sugarcube” Applejack chuckled lightly. “But we did it, almost every zap apple picked, a new record on our account. Tomorrow we’ll give Granny a helping hoof.”

Twilight slapped her head. “Ah I totally forgot!” Twilight pulled out the scroll and ticket. “I got a letter from Princess Luna, along with this train ticket to visit Canterlot this weekend!”

“What? Sugarcube tomorrow is gonna be crazy! Yer can't expect...” Applejack began to talk but Big Mac spoke up as he took the ticket and looked at it.

What Big Macintosh said seemed to startle them for some odd reason. “Ah’ll take him and anypony else who wishes to visit Canterlot for the weekend.”

“WHAT!?” Applejack blurted out. “Big Mac! Ya’ve never done anything like that before! Yer always put work on the farm first! Ah’ve never seen yer take a day or weekend off!”

Big Macintosh just stood there calmly. “Ah know sis, but the princess went out of her way to invite Zaps for a friendly meetin',” he pointed a hoof at the letter. “See?”

Applejack looked at the letter now, I saw her face turn a shade of red all the sudden. “Rainbow Dash get me a horseshoe from the barn...”

“Erm sure... why?” Rainbow Dash look rather nervous at the anger in her eyes.

“Just do it please...” Rainbow Dash flies off and came back with a horseshoe. I wondered what was going on, and from what I could see, so did everypony else.

“Applejack, something wrong?” Fluttershy asked.

Applejack stared at the trees with her eyes looking around carefully. “There’s a freeloader on mah farm! Ah knew somethin' was not quite right when ah noticed some apples missing off the trees, it wasn’t those bats so it must’ve been a pony, and not just any pony.”

Twilight eyes widen. “No Applejack, you can't! If you’re saying what I think you’re saying! You just can't!”

“Try and stop me sugarcube.” Applejack stopped looking around. “There ya are! Yer pesky vermin!” Applejack toss the horseshoe in the air and with turn, she kicked it with her hind legs with all her might.

“Whoa...” Rainbow Dash put a hoof over her eyes watching the horse shoe sail into the sky and soon descending on one of her apple trees.

SMACK!

CRACK!

THUD!

A dark grey bat pony with purple mane and tail spiky, wearing the royal armour of Princess Luna fell out of the tree, landing on his back with the horseshoe landing a few feet away. I blinked a few times... I somehow knew he was a bat pony? Wait, I remember seeing him in my dreams of course! Luna told me she was sending him to watch me... Oh... I kinda forgot to tell Applejack... I turned my eyes to her as she ran down towards the downed bat pony.

“Applejack wait!” I cried out.

She slid to a stop turning around. “Zaps?” I came running up to her putting both my front legs against her.

“I am so sorry! I forgot to tell you that Luna was sending a pony called Night Spark to keep an eye on me! I didn't realise she meant here when I was awake! I thought she meant in my dreams!” I said to her trying to not get him in trouble.

Applejack frowned. “That’s not like Princess Luna at all. Ah’ve met her a few times but never thought she’d be that protective... but...”

The dazed bat pony slowly got up, his helmet lay on the ground bent and buckled by the force of the horseshoe impact. “Ow, what hit me?” His yellow slitted eyes met the green eyes of Applejack. “Aw buck...”

“Language! We’ve got a colt here!” Applejack snapped, pointing to me. Then, she jabbed him in the armour chest plate with her hoof. “Mind tellin' me what yer been doin' here!”

He step back a little. “Sorry my name is...”

“Night Spark, yes, Zaps told me and told me about Luna wantin' ya to keep an eye on him, that’s why ah am askin' what yer doin' here!”

“I do, apologise Miss Apple... Princess Luna gave me this assignment since she’d be unable to check on him all the time via dreams, she’s shown some unusual interest in the young colt. I was given a pay rise and instructions not be seen and to keep close at all times to Zaps. I’ve also been reporting to her every evening,” Night Spark explained.

Applejack sighed, seeing the others at the barn close to the house, looking over to us. “Fine... ah accept yer apology, but yer goin' to pay back the bits for the apples yer’ve eaten, yer freeloader!”

“I will and I have, I paid into your account at the bank at first light.” Night Spark replied.

“What!? Yer did?” Applejack looked down with a heavy sigh. “Then I apologise for hitting yer in the head with the horse shoe.”

“That’s what hit me? Wow, that some toss you've got Miss Apple.” He turned to see me sitting there looking at the damaged helmet. “But I had orders to follow... how did you find out?”

Twilight came over with the letter seeing Applejack wave her over. “This,” Twilight replied.

I jumped up on his back, he seem to react suddenly but he kept calm looking at the letter with his amazing cool slitted eyes. “Hey mister Light how can you see with your eyes like that?”

“They’re normal for us bat ponies” he laughed softly. “I am surprised you’re not scared of me.”

“Luna told me about you, but I mistook the dream guard for you Night Spark.” I explained.

“Yeah, dreams are a tricky way to get messages across.” Night Spark chuckled. “Now about this letter...” He stopped at near the next. “Ah Luna, damnit! I can see now how you figured it out, the apples going missing and this, hehe, looks like the Princess busted me without even knowing it.”

“Don't worry sugarcube, it’s good to know Princess Luna lookin' out for Zaps.” Applejack smiled in turn to the Luna guard. “How about yer join us all for somethin' to eat. Share in the Apple hospitality.”

Night Spark bowed his head slightly with his hoof across his chest. “I’d be honoured, Miss Apple.”

“It’s Applejack, call me Miss Apple one more time, and ah’ll buck ya where it don't shine.” Applejack replied.

“Of course m... Applejack.”

I tilted my head a little. “Buck where it don't shine? What do you mean by that big sis?”

“Erm... nothin' sugarcube. Nothin' at all!” I saw her snout twist up and her eyes dart away from my own eyes. Is that what that lying thing was? Where they keeping something back? Guess she had a reason I guess... but it looked like she hated lying though.

Twilight spoke up. “I am curious though, why would Princess Luna take such an interest of Zaps like this?”

Night Spark shrugged. “Beats me Princess Twilight.”

“Twilight, please or you know what might happen.”

Night Spark gulped. “Yes of course... I mean I haven't got a clue... erm... Twilight...” He quickly turned a gaze to me. “Would you like a ride in the night sky before dinner? If permitted by Applejack.”

“Yes please!” I turn to Applejack “Can I PLEASE!!!!”

“Sure thing sugarcube, have fun, just don't be back too late, ok?” I yelled out in joy. “Hehe, have fun.”

“Hold tight, little stallion, this will be a ride you will enjoy.” Night Spark smiled at me.

“YAY!” I cheered as he took off into the sky, I look down to see them waving at me, the others already heading in. I looked around as the stars came out and the moon rose into the sky, the night in the sky was amazing! I could even see the mega size zap apple tree towering over the rest. I saw Ponyville below with the lights on, the night time look of the town was so different to that of the day and from so high above! In the distance I could see Canterlot and a strange city on a cloud. “What city is that?”

“It’s Cloudsdale, the main home of the pegasi, funny thing is. I am from there too, before enlisting at a night guard I worked the night shift at the Weather Factory. It was a nice job, but nothing beats being a royal guard for Princess Luna.”

I hugged the back of his neck as he sailed over the clouds, “Luna was my very first friend, she saved me from the darkness. I can't wait to see her for real.”

“That I will tag along to make sure you get there, for now, I am your guard, young little stallion. How about we head back?” I nodded in reply and he flew back to Sweet Apple Acres, I really enjoyed today and couldn't be more happier then I really felt now. I had a home and tomorrow, I would see the guardian of the night, Princess Luna, my first ever friend.

This day had just been perfect and I never wanted to forget it... Ever!

Author's Notes:

The harvest final comes with some more surprises! The story really doing well I think and also to let you all know that the next chapter be another side chapter with Scootaloo once again during the say time as the harvest chapter.

It will be called: Zap Apple Harvest: Scootaloo POV

This be during their presentation at school to the zap apple harvest that not appeared in this chapter. Just giving you all a heads up

Also the camera idea came up way before I saw the Pinkie Apple Pie episode! But it has given me some crazy ideas that I may or may not follow up on. Still The mystery of Zaps is continue to mount and answers will come soon! Depending on how it happens is the question in mind.

Comments yet again are welcomed! Love to hear your thoughts my friends!

And Zaps is now part of the Apple Family! YAY!

Bonus Chapter: Zap Apple Surprise

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Zaps Apple
Bonus Chapter: Zap Apple Surprise

Big Mac was still back at the super large zap apple tree so I was making my way there to join my new awesome big brother, everything was amazing. I felt happier then ever! I remembered that darkness that was all around me and Luna helping me out of it but thanks to my family, it all felt like a distant memory.

I wished Scootaloo and the girls were around to help with the zap apple picking, but they were at that school and with that Diamond Tiara. I really disliked her, she was so mean to me and...

“Huh?” My ears were twitching to some strange sound in the distance and above, I turned towards the unpicked zap apple trees. “What is that strange sound?”

'Vworrrp Vworrrrp'

I kept looking around for the strange sound, looking up and around me. “Where is that coming from?”

'Vworrrp Vworrrrp'

It was getting louder. “Hello is any...” Suddenly, I heard branches snapping as something fell from the sky, through the tree, followed by a mighty...

CRASH!

I yelped in shock and the the next thing I knew I was on my rump, something had landed on my head, I pushed it up with my hoof to see it was a long, black top hat. I was confused, where could it possibly have come from?

Then I saw him. Hanging above me in the tree was a grey earth pony with a darker grey mane and tail, wearing a bow tie. His cutie mark was of a hourglass I think.

“Well, hello there! Sorry for dropping in!” He spoke, waving his hoof at me. I just stared back at him with a confused startled look on my face, holding the hat up from falling over my eyes. “By the way, good catch with my hat.”

I blinked a few times sitting there. “Erm... Sure. Are you ok, mister?”

“Never better! I’m just a bit embarrassed to say that I fell out of my TARDIS.” He slowly pushed back, hanging now with his front hooves on the branch. He let go and landed on all fours in front of me. “Did I just say that out loud?”

I just nodded a few times finding this weird stallion very weird. He said he fell out of something called…

“Erm... Tar-Ta... Whatever you say mister, how did you fall out of something from the sky?” I glanced up and looked at the Zap Apples above me. I licked my snout and took one, then threw it up and caught it in my mouth, munching it down.

The strange stallion gave me a frown and whipped out from his collar some kind of strange metallic stick. He pressed it and it glowed, and made a strange buzzing noise. “Now that’s a first! You just ate it as if it were nothing!”

“Why does everypony find that strange? I love zap apples! They’re so tasty!” I ate the other one that was beside me, happily munching on the fruit.

“I don't find it strange, I find it wonderful. You’re body is showing incredibly high levels of internal magic, more than I have ever seen in an Earth Pony. That really is something!” He declared, still waving that weird stick around at me.

I was confused. “That’s what Doctor Stable said to me yesterday! He used his magic to scan inside me I think, so did Twilight. What is that thing? Some kind of hoof magic stick, like a unicorn’s horn?”

He laughed and my curiosity changed to shame. I’d done something silly again... “What’s the matter?” He stopped laughing and put a hoof under my snout, looking at me in the eyes. “You can tell me and I promise not to laugh.”

“Oh ok... I kinda don't know very much, only what’s happened in the last few days. I woke up alone in the Everfree Forest not long ago with no memories of anything before that. Since then, Luna has helped fight off the endless darkness in my nightmares and Scootaloo gave me my name too. And now I’m part of the Apple family! It happened so fast and I feel so happy!” I beamed at the end. “Oh... I didn't tell you my name, did I, mister?”

“Nope you didn't.”

I rubbed my head a little, remembering I was still wearing his hat on my head. “Do you want this back, mister?”

“Thank you kid.” He took the hat, putting it back on his head. “Now what should I call you by then, other than kid?”

I smiled. “My name is Zaps, mister! Zaps Apple! Big Macintosh and Applejack signed some papers that Twilight gave them and now I am their little brother!” I beamed, jumping up and down with joy, I paused landing on my hooves laughing a little. “Sorry, I didn't get your name, mister.”

“The Doctor”

“Doctor huh? Do you have a last name like Doctor Stables?” I asked, tilting my head.

He look a bit disappointed for some reason. I didn't get it. Suddenly he smirked and rubbed his hoof on my mane a little. “Another first, you really are something, Zaps...” He seemed to pause looking at the large zap apple tree in the distance where Rainbow Dash was zipping all over the place, picking apples and darting down the tree. “Wait, Zaps! No it couldn't be! Zaps Apple!? THE Zaps Apple!?”

“Erm... Doctor mister sir... Why are you looking at me like that?” I felt rather nervous at his sudden interest in my name. I backed up a little.

“Today you just became a Apple?” I nodded. “Oh, this is fantastic! No wonder my TARDIS went crazy! That tree must have thrown off so much magical energy that the TARDIS was knocked off course! What a great way to meet you Zaps! I’ve read so...” He paused and I tilted my head in confusion. What was he blabbing about? “Never mind that. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young Zaps, now to answer your question.” He held up the stick thing again. “This is my Sonic screwdriver, I scanned you with it, like a unicorn horn...”

“I was right!? I’d guessed that it was magic and I was right!”

“Well it’s not quite like that, tec...”

“Oh wow! That is so awesome! Can I try it please!” I cut off the Doctor pony stallion. “Please can I try your magic Sonic screwdriver!”

Doctor put his hoof out, handing me the metallic device, I took it and looked at it. “You won't be able to...” I pointed it at him and it was making the same buzzing noise. “Use... It...”

I looked at it and tilted my head. “Where is the stuff it says about you?” I looking up and down the little .

“You won't be able to find...”

“Wow, it says you got two hearts! And you’re over 9...” He took it off me instantly and looked at it, then at me. “Did I do something wrong?”

The Doctor chuckled. “Wow, that zap apple magic really is something, somehow it mimicked...” He paused again. “Never mind that, but I am impressed, you are full of surprises. Well, I’d better get going. I think I hear somepony calling you.”

I turned my head to the sound of Big Mac. “That’s my brother, what is your second name Doctor?” I turned to him as he walked away.

He turn to me with a warm smile. “Doctor Whooves, Zaps Apple. It’s entirely possible I might drop in again some time, but not like this. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”

“Same to you Doctor Whooves! Bye!” I waved my hoof happily and darted off to the large zap apple tree to help Big Macintosh. Behind me, I heard that weird sound again.

'Vworrrp Vworrrrp'

I just shrugged and went back to help my big brother, I decided not to tell him or any pony this, I thought they might just think I was making up stories. A stallion with two hearts and that old!? That was just crazy to think about it! But it was really fun meeting that strange stallion Doctor Whooves! I wondered if I would meet him again! He said he might drop by, so maybe I would.

“There yer are Zaps, what yer doin' over that part of the zap apple orchard?”

I laughed nervously. “I kinda found some zap apples on the ground and ate them!”

Big Macintosh chuckled. “Ok, fair enough Zaps, like to help me put these in the barrel?” He tapped his hoof on the barrel.

“Sure! Big brother!” I beamed and he gave me a very warm smile. I looked back towards the tree, but there was no sign that the eccentric doctor had ever been there.

Zap Apple Harvest: Scootaloo's POV

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Zaps Apple
Zap Apple Harvest: Scootaloo's POV

Lunch... what a time to reflect. I sat alone in the classroom, looking over the presentation we would be giving the class after lunch. We had somehow ended up last to go up again. The other presentations had been cool but there were two that got more attention, Diamond Tiara's and Silver Spoons' talk about Canterlot and the old ruined castle of the two sisters.

Snips and Snails’ presentation was about the trains in Equestria and they had even got the Conductor to come by too. Normally those two really screw things up, but learning about the all the trains in Equestria had actually been pretty interesting, especially when he told us about the two trains that run on a type of ‘magical charge’.

I rolled the zap apple around on the desk with my hoof, I had lunch in my saddlebag but I just didn’t want to eat anything right now. I thought about to what those two creeps did to Zaps, but was I really any better? Were the girls and I just using him because of what he is?

“Scoots, yer ok?” I turned my eyes slowly, without moving my head, towards Applebloom who was standing by the desk. “Yer don't look so swell, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking about...” I looked away from her and at our presentation about the mystery of the zap apples. He had given us this zap apple, “Zaps...” I muttered.

Applebloom sat down. “Is this about mah brother?” I turned my eyes back to her, it felt so weird hearing her call him that. “Yer really care about him don't ya?”

I just gave a heavy sigh. “Is it that obvious? Hay?”

“Eeyup. But yer been actin' a little off since yesterday, what’s the matter?” Applebloom was just being an awesome friend, as ever.

I raised my head a little, holding the zap apple with both my front hooves. “Since we learned about how special Zaps really is, it makes me think that we’re just as bad as those two.”

“What!? Yer can't...”

“Think about it Applebloom, he gave me this zap apple for the project and we’ve put him against the adults not just once, but twice in the space of a few days, and then there’s was what we did to him at the party... urg...” I turned my head away from her. “I just don't think I am being a good friend...”

Applebloom rolled her eyes. “If it wasn't for yer, ah would never have had an awesome new brother, ‘part from that Scoots, yer gave him his name, yer made him feel more welcome and pushed for him to be a crusader with us, ya worked as a team with him to beat Big Mac and Applejack. Ah think yer the most awesome friend anypony could ask for.” Applebloom said to me and I looked back towards her as she spoke on.

“Wasn't it yer and Sweetie Belle all that time ago that helped me out of a jam and we created the crusaders on the first day?” I thought about it, tapping a hoof on my snout... “Without you we never could have won the contest for carryin' the flag, whatever those two did to try to ruin our friendship.”

I Smiled a little. “Yeah you’re right... sorry, I was kinda being a bit of idiot...”

“It’s ok Scoots, but ah do wonder about one thing...”

“Hmm?”

Applebloom grinned. “Yer really really like him don't yer?”

I felt warmth under my eyes as she said it. I just burst out at her. “Oh please! I am not that sappy! I just really care... I mean I like... erm... you know I... Urg!” As I got tongue twisted she started grinning even larger. “You know what? I am not going to speak about it!” I got off the stall, putting the zap apple away.

“Hehe yer redder than Big Mac.” Applebloom grinned.

I just glared at her. “What did you say!?”

“Nothin'.” Applebloom stood by me. “Ah just never thought yer were one for being that 'sappy'.”

“Don't push it Applebloom!” I glared at her.

Applebloom put her hoof over her snout. “Ah won't say a word, ah promise.”

“You’d better not!” I wasn't too pleased, but Applebloom didn’t look like she wanted to drop the subject that easily. “How about we sit down and eat before lunch is over?” I asked, changing the subject as my stomach started to rumble a little.

Applebloom put her bag down pulling out some apple fritters. “They might not be hot, but ah hope this will do!”

I took one eating it. “Mmm they’re still as tasty as ever!” I turned to her. “Thanks again AB.”

“What are friends for?” Applebloom beamed and we laughed a little before snacking on the fritters.

“Why are you two in here? It’s nice outside.” Sweetie Belle walked into the classroom, over to us. “Are you two getting the final touches to the presentation done?”

I shrugged “Kinda, I guess.”

Applebloom gave Sweetie Belle a fritter. “Ah was just thinking about what we call the mysterious kingdom that pre-dates Equestria.”

Kingdom of Harmony, little one...

“Huh?” I looked around for who had said it, I am sure it was a mare who said it, but from where? It almost sounded like it had come from everywhere at once.

“Hey Scoots, what’s the matter?”

“Didn't you two hear that?” I asked them.

Sweetie Belle looked around. “Hear what?”

“Some mare just spoke to me, I am sure of it!” I got up, trying to locate the voice that had spoken to me.

Applebloom finished eating her food and got up. “Ah don't see anypony ‘part from us Scoots. Yer must be hearin' thin's.”

I grumbled, sitting down. “No... I am sure of it...”

“We didn't hear anything Scootaloo...” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

I got up “Well I did... Her words were, ’Kingdom of Harmony little one’.”

“Kingdom of Harmony?” Applebloom looked at the picture and gasped. “Oh my gosh! That’s a perfect name!”

“I agree, you really thought of a great name there! Nice one with the hearing things Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle giggled, “You really had us going there for a second!”

“Say what?” I raised my eye at them. I had just said what somepony had told me and they thought I had come up with it myself. They thought I was joking... “Ok you got me... I was joking with ya, hehe. Cool huh?” I laughed a little trying my best to just act as if nothing was wrong.

Applebloom wrote it down on the board. “There! We’re all set to go!” Applebloom beamed in delight, seeing how we all did a good work with it, maybe I could ask Zaps if any of his flashbacks were of this Kingdom of Harmony, it was long shot but worth a try.

We finished eating our lunch and the bell rang for the afternoon class. Standing in front of the class as they spoke to each other, we knew it was time for us to show our presentation. Miss Cheerilee tapped her hoof on her desk. “Ok class, settle down, we’ve got one last presentation before school is finished today.”

The class went silent, apart from Diamond Tiara. “Zap apples! Wow, what a project.! You three are really original, you know that?”

“Nah uh! This is goin' to be somethin' special, yer wait a see!” Applebloom snapped back at Diamond Tiara.

“Whatever, it’s going to be lame either way.”

Cheerilee stared at her. “Diamond Tiara! You are already in enough trouble as it is, your presentation was very nice but you have to give others a chance to explain theirs.”

“Yes miss...” Diamond replied with a half mutter.

“Girls, you may begin.” Cheerilee said to us.

Applebloom step forwards. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders decided to do our project on the mystery of the Zap Apples from their origins to the myths behind them.”

Sweetie Belle stepped forward. “We all already know that they helped with the founding of Ponyville back in Granny Smith's fillyhood and the story of where she found them.” Sweetie Belle pointed her hoof to the map on the wall. “This is roughly where the first Everfree zap apple trees are located. We recently learned another group of trees, all the way over here.” She moved her hoof to the next location of the map.

“Eeyup, that is where Zaps woke up in the Everfree Forest, directly under those zap apple trees.” Applebloom replied. “Zaps made his way from there to the ones mah granny found when she was young. It also where he found mah bag after I lost it.”

I took my turn to speak. “We know that the zap apples are not normal apples by a long short. Granny Smith has to do all sort of weird and crazy things to get the zap apple jam to taste right. It behaves differently, depending on what we do... making the magic of these zap apples really awesome, even though very little is known about it.” I picked up the zap apple from my bag placing it on the table.

“Also not everypony can eat them as they are, I tried before and it really was an an electrifying experience!” I showed the class a photo the girls took of me right after eating one, getting a bit of laughter from them. “Yeah, it was a dare but in a way it was worth it, even if it made me look silly. I learned that not everypony is the same. Zaps is special that way, he can eat this without a second thought and somehow it can heal him.” I said. “This was proven by Doctor Stable too!”

“Indeed, I was there.” Cheerilee backed us up. “The magic within a zap apple is too strong for most ponies yet it has positive effects on the young Earth Pony Zaps.” She turned to us. “You may continue.”

“Thank you Miss Cheerilee.” I replied and showed the map of the Everfree. “We only know a little about the forest, here is the Poison Joke.” I point to a small blue patch on the map. “To the North is the castle of the two sisters and Zecora's place.”

Applebloom added the two zap apple locations to the map. “We only know about the forest what stories and a few reports from the small number of studies we could find in the library. That is when we came across this old book.” Applebloom stepped up to the book stand with us. “This very old drawin' pre-dates Equestria if the date in the book is to be believed.”

“Yeah it’s suppose to be a kingdom of ponies of Unicorns, Earth and Pegasi ponies who lived side by side during the conflict of the three tribes where the trust between them was thin at best,” Sweetie Belle explained to the class. “You can see that in this drawing of the old painting there are zap apples but they are described in this book by a different name, Harmony Apples.”

I came up to the name Applebloom written by the book. “That why we call this place the Kingdom of Harmony, it might not be the real name of this little kingdom but no pony has ever found it’s real name yet in any of the book of myth and legends. In many ways this one old kingdom is kinda like the first Ponyville.”

Cheerilee looked at the image in the book. “I’ve seen this before, the real painting, it’s held at Canterlot Palace. I saw it when I was very young with my parents and I do agree that those apples are zap apples. However, the pony that made this was not right in the mind at the time… He lived over 700 years ago from what I know of this pony. He was infamously terrified of the shadows and the dark... he would sit in candlelight and the sun for days on end, if he slept it was due to being overtired, never out of choice.”

“Before he completely lost it he drew this one painting with every inch of willpower he had. His name was Spark Art. He was a pony who was always looking for new landscapes to paint but soon after he finished this piece he spent the rest of his days in solitude, hardly eating, hardly doing anything, refusing to talk to anypony. He would only mutter the words, 'The Darkness... The Fear... The everlasting darkness... Fear...' over and over again. Those were the only words he would ever say... the nightmares he had. That’s how the stories go anyway, only Princess Celestia knows the truth but she will not openly confirm or deny anything.”

Hearing this, I gulped... That sounded almost exactly like what Zaps went through. “Wow, that’s kinda creepy Miss Cheerilee.”

“Yes it is, but it’s only a tale though, so do not worry.” She smiled to us. “Thank you for presenting such a lovely piece of work, it’s wonderful to know a little bit more about the zap apples.”

We bowed to the other classmates as they clapped their hooves together at our presentation. “Ok, I admit it is strange and creepy... but if there’s a dark side to the zap apples why didn't any pony speak of this?” Diamond Tiara asked.

Applebloom shrugged. “Ah don't know, all ah know is that with anythin' there are always two sides to the story. We all have fears to face, don't we?”

“You might, but I don't.” Diamond smirked at us.

I gave my own smirk. “Oh? I thought you was afraid of saying sorry to Zaps?”

“What!? I am not afraid! I just don't want to waste my...” Diamond Tiara paused turning to Cheerilee and sighed. “Yeah ok, I am afraid cause my daddy is unhappy with what me and Silver did...”

“We all learn from our mistakes Diamond Tiara, it’s all part of learning,” Cheerilee told her. “Girls, take your seats please.” We nodded and went to our seats. “Now that all the presentations are completed I would like to say to you all, that you all did a outstanding amazing job with each of your projects, these really show that you are all learning something new that you never knew before, even if it’s something unexpected that drops in.”

Cheerilee stood by the door. “For a job well done and patience for the final presentation you all may collect your hard work and take it home with pride, letting everypony know that you all did an outstanding job. Enjoy the rest of your day and I’ll see you all on Monday when we will be learning about the Crystal Empire. Class dismissed.”

We packed everything we had put together for the school project into the wagon Applebloom got from her sister. Sweetie Belle and I tightened the straps on it and started to pull it back to Sweet Apple Acres as Applebloom trotted along beside us. “Ah can't believe how well that went!”

“I know! We even learned more about the painting from Cheerilee!” Sweetie Belle beamed as we made our way from the schoolhouse to the farm. Something caught my eyes on the way there, something tall and tree-like, that definitely wasn’t there before.

“Do yer think we’ll get better marks than Diamond Tiara?” I didn't reply, I just stared at the huge tree that had appeared in the distance. “Scoots ah'm talkin' to ya!”

I turned my head to her. “Yeah I heard everything you said Applebloom, but are we heading in the right direction to Sweet Apple Acres?”

“Oh course we are! Ah take this route all the time!” Applebloom protested, clearly taking offence at Scootaloo’s questioning of her directional skills. “Why’d yer ask?”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh no reason... apart from the massive tree directly in front of us...”

Applebloom took notice of what I said and gasped. “Oh my gosh, what the hay is that!?”

Sweetie Belle saw it too. “Whoa, that tree is huge! It must be over 100 feet tall!”

“What’re we waiting for girls! Let check it out!” I said to them with a smile we all made a run for Sweet Apple Acres, pulling the wagon along with us.

We arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to see Rarity unloading a few baskets of zap apples with her magic. “Hi sis! Where did that big tree come from?”

“Oh, good afternoon, Sweetie Belle, why, it came from the zap apple trees Scootaloo and Zaps watered. Somehow all the magic from those trees poured into one zap apple tree, turning it into this!” Rarity looked right over to the large tree. “It’s a bit big for my own taste but it’s still a fine example of the craftwork of nature.” Rarity put the last basket into the barn and trotted over to Braeburn.

“Howdy Braeburn!” Applebloom ran up to the stallion.

“Howdy Applebloom, it’s good to see ya, how was school?” Braeburn gave her a hug and she returned it.

“It was fun, we all showed off our projects and they were all amazing! We’ve got ours in the wagon.” Applebloom hinted to us as we unhooked ourselves from it. Taking off the straps too.

Braeburn looked over at us, then back to Rarity. “Ah would love to see it cousin but ah’ve got lot of work to do, if yer’d like to be helpful though, go see yer brother and sister at the large zap apple tree.”

“Ok Braeburn! See ya!” Braeburn tilted his hat to us and he and Rarity made their way to the other section of the zap apple trees, we could see many ponies working together to pick the zap apples, collecting them in baskets before finally loading them onto the wagons.

I turned around to my friends. “Girls, let’s give them a hoof!”

“Ah'm one for that!” Applebloom put her hoof out.

“Let’s give it our best!” Sweetie Belle placed hers on top.

“We are an awesome trio! Let do it, girls!” I put my hoof on theirs and we raised them with a cheer.

We ran off down to the large zap apple tree to give a helping hoof, throughout the remaining day we worked as best we could, helping the adults to catch all those amazing, sparkling and delicious looking zap apples until the sun started to set. We all worked together, adults, fillies and colts! We did amazingly well!

I was a bit let down not to get a cutie mark because of all the awesome work we had put into it but what Rainbow Dash said to me made me happy. That the tree would be a symbol of Sweet Apple Acres and, with help from Zaps, it will form a mark that will become a part of my memories, one that I will never forget.

That when it happened, the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Rainbow Dash and my jaw hung as, without warning Applejack picked up a horseshoe and bucked it straight into the tree, striking down a bat pony, and not just any bat pony but one of Princess Luna's! “Rainbow Dash erm... remind me not to get her mad...”

“Sure thing Scoots...” Rainbow Dash gulped a little. “Jeez, I knew AJ had a real buck behind those hind legs of hers but that was just awesome!” Rainbow Dash walked up to Applejack as she returned with Twilight. “Where Zaps?”

“Oh Night Spark is giving him a ride” Twilight replied. We looked up to see the bat pony flying above us towards Ponyville.

“Night Spark?” I tilted my head. “The way Zaps ran off it’s like he knew that bat pony...”

Applejack walked towards me, looking into the sky. “Sure did sugarcube, it seems Night Spark was sent by Princess Luna herself to keep an eye on Zaps.”

“Seriously!?”

“Eeyup”

I turned to the girls “Did you hear that!?”

“We sure did! That’s pretty amazin'!” Applebloom said and turned to her sister as she headed into the house. “Is he stayin' for dinner then?”

“Eeyup”

“Yer not mad are ya?”

“Nnope” Appplejack teased.

“Applejack stop that!”

“Nnope” Applejack smirked, taking Applebloom's bow from her mane and ran into the house.

“Hey that’s mine! Get back here!!!” Applebloom chased after her sister.

Rarity walked by to the house. “Come on Sweetie Belle, we’re going to be eating with friends tonight.”

“Yay!” Sweetie Belle cheered. “Race you to the house!”

“Now that is just unlady like.” Rarity protested, before started to giggle and run “Oh it’s on! And I am going to win!”

“Not fair sis!” Sweetie Belle chased after Rarity.

Night Spark landed before us, letting Zaps off a few moments later. “Twilight, can we keep the horseshoe incident to ourselves please.”

“Only because you remembered not to call me princess.” Twilight put her hoof out to the house. “Guards first.”

“I thought it was...” Night Spark paused and sighed. “Yes ma'am,” he walk up to the house with Twilight and the others.

“Zaps did you get your cutie mark?” He and I looked at his flank and he shook his head.

“No, but I guess it wouldn't be that easy! I want to do some crusading with you and the girls!” He beamed at the idea of partaking in some of our crazy adventures.

He turned to leave but I raised my hoof, stopping him. “Erm Zaps... can I talk to you alone for a moment?”

Zaps looked at me curiously. “Yeah sure... What is it?”

I rubbed my hoof on my other leg, feeling a bit nervous speaking to him about this. “By any chance, the kingdom that you see in your dreams, is it called the Kingdom of Harmony?” Zaps reaction gave me my answer. “I take it that’s a yes.”

Zaps seem startled at first but was now looking directly at me. “How did you know? I never told anypony...”

“No way... You really mean...”

“It’s supposed to be the place I came from, I think... I don't really know... everything is so hard to remember... even the flashbacks I had...” Zaps looked down to the ground. “I wish I really knew...”

I put a hoof to him. “It’s cool Zaps, how about we go in? I bet you’d like to eat some of those zap apples!”

His eyes lit up. “You’re right! Applejack and Big Mac said I could!” Zaps jumped up and ran into the house.

I turned and look out towards the zap apple tree in the distance, shining in the moonlight. “I think things have just got a lot crazier. More than we crusaders ever thought... Kingdom of Harmony...” It was completely insane. He couldn't possibly be from that kingdom. It wasn’t possible! He was only about my age. “No that’s just stupid! There’s no way he could really be from there, could there?” I asked to myself, but as no answers came I walked back into the house to join the others for dinner before going home.

Home, Zaps is home! This is his home! He is an Apple! I beamed and trotted in, happily letting go of what I had been about thinking moments ago. I didn't care that Zaps might be from that kingdom, all that mattered now was that my friend had a home.

Chapter 16: Lost in Canterlot

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 16: Lost in Canterlot

CRASH!

I woke up to a bright flash of lightning followed by the rumbling roar of thunder; battered by howling winds and rain I stumbled blindly through the narrow back streets of Canterlot. An icy gust swept across my fur, stood on end, as I huddled close against the cold, hard wall of an alleyway in the depths of the great mountain city.

I shivered, both from the cold and fear of what demons could be lurking around the corner in the dark, damp streets. Ponies, caught in the open, were running to shelter from the sudden downpour. I could only wrap my forelegs tighter around myself in a futile attempt to keep the worst of the wind off my wet, cold and shivering body.

“I want to go home...” I whimpered, tears mixing in with the rush of water already running down my face. Twilight said this place was wonderful... I was looking forward to seeing Princess Luna but I was lost... So lost...

A dark shadow swept across the walls and I heard the sound of hooves echoing down the alley, coming to a stop right next to me. As I slowly turned my gaze towards the dark figure standing above me, a sudden flash of lightning blazed across the face of the navy blue unicorn looking down on my quivering form. “AHHH!” I quickly scrambled to my hooves, trying to run for it but only managed to slip in a puddle, falling over. I pulled away from the unicorn, cowering in fear, eyes slammed shut fearing the worst...

This was the worst day ever!

Earlier

I sat at the window, looking out of the train as it head to Canterlot, I was really excited at the idea of visiting the huge mountain side city. “Big Mac is this your first time too?”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac sat by me, looking out the window too, Applebloom was bouncing up and down excitedly on the seat. “Easy there Applebloom, yer don't want to break the seat.”

Applebloom stopped giggling. “Ah can't help it Big Mac! Ah'm super excited! We all are!”

“Yeah! How often you get to spend a night at the Canterlot Palace!” Scootaloo joined in with the excitement. I had to admit the ‘palace’, as they called it, was huge, towering over the rest of the city. If you ever got lost that would be best reference to find.

In contrast to the other two, Sweetie Belle was complaining. “Come on sis! I don't want to look like some overly dressed filly! The others aren't wearing anything fancy!”

“Come dear, it’s the princess we’re seeing, it might not be a formal visit, but we still want to look our best.” Rarity said, adjusting Sweetie Belle's dress. Rarity was wearing one too.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “She has a point Rarity, we’re not wearing any fancy dresses.”

Rarity looked at her sister and then back to us. “Urg fine... We will do without the dresses then.” Using her magic, she removed both dresses from herself and Sweetie Belle, placing them back into her case. “I am glad Spike came to help me though, you’re such a gentlecolt.”

“Nothing to it Rarity.” Spike smiled. “Not everyday I get to spend time away from helping at the library. Twilight seemed a bit off though...”

“I think it is something to do with Vinyl darling, ever since she learned those spells, Twilight’s been trying to figure out how she came to know them so fast, and how in Equestria she is able to use them with such little loss of strength.” Rarity explained to Spike. “I’m surprised you didn’t know that.”

Spike sighed. “Yeah I did but she still seemed off.”

“It’s a shame Fluttershy and Applejack couldn't come too. It feels kinda weird, only three of us going.” Rainbow Dash turned to Pinkie Pie who was eating some cake. “So Pinks, what are you going to do at Canterlot?”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “I know what I am going to do Dashie! I am going set up a party for the evening! It’s going to be so super duper! And Luna will enjoy it too!” Pinkie Pie finished off her cake. “Nice...” She rubbed her stomach.

Laughing a little, I turned to Night Light, looking out to the countryside. “Night Spark...”

“Yes what is it?” The bat pony turned to me.

“I heard from Twilight that your kind sleep in the day, I was wondering why you don’t too.”

He smiled at me and rubbed his armoured hoof gently across my mane. “Most of the time I do, but I am a bit of an oddity amongst my kind, which is why Luna likes me to do special assignments. Unlike most of us, I like both the day and the night. I can work in both conditions, so when the need comes for a task in daylight hours, I can do it without much fuss.” Night Spark pointed a hoof at his eyes. “Notice how they’re not as slitted during the daylight?” I nodded in reply. “My eyes are kind of a mix of pegasi and bat pony. My mother was a bat pony and my dad was a pegasus, that’s why I was raised in Cloudsdale.”

Rainbow Dash stepped up to us. “I thought I knew you from somewhere, Night Spark right?” He nodded. She stared at his rounder, daylight eyes for a second. “Yes! I remember now! You were the weather night pony! You got the job on the same day as I got assigned for Ponyville's weather duties! You signed up for your first duties just before me. We clapped hooves and both said...”

“See you around buddy!” Rainbow Dash and Night Spark said together, and both laughed.

“Wow, that brings back memories, I was such a newbie back then.” He chuckled lightly. “But it’s good to meet an old friend again!” He clapped hooves with her. “Element of Loyalty huh?”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “Yep and 120% pure awesome!” Rainbow Dash hugged him and he hugged back. “Still, you deserve this pal.”

“Jeez, you mind the sappiness?” He smirked and got a light punch in the foreleg from Rainbow Dash in return.

“Don't push it, Night!” She smirked back at him and turned to me. “I am glad that Luna picked you out of all those others to keep an eye on Zaps here.”

“I really like it that I got to meet you Night Spark! You’re an awesome bat pony!” I beamed. “That night flight was one of the most amazing things ever!”

“I am honoured.” He nodded his head towards me.

The remainder of the journey passed swiftly by and we soon arrived at Canterlot Station. I stepped off the train with Big Mac and Applebloom into the wondrous city of Canterlot. It was so different to the small, rustic feeling of ponyville. A feeling of grandeur emanated from the station and the other buildings around the city centre as a flood of well dressed unicorns strode assuredly down the paved street.

“Now if you’ll all kindly follow me, I will take you to Canterlot Palace.” Night Spark announced and started to walk, we all followed down the path for a few minutes. Something caught my eye on, glinting in the street. I turned and trotted over to it. “Whoa a bit!” I quickly picked it up and held it in my hoof. “I wonder what I can get with it...” I whispered and looked around, “Erm... Big brother what can I do with a bit?”

No answer. “Big Mac?” I turned and gasped with panic. “Where did you all go!?” I yelped in shock looking around for them. I ran up to a well dressed mare. “Miss! Have you seen a large red stallion? He’s my big brother and...”

She walk by me without taking any notice. “Miss... Sir...” I went to stallion this time.

“A common Earth Pony... How rich... go back to where you came from.” The stallion said to me.

“But...”

“I’ve got better things to do then chat with some common Earth Pony... Now go!” He waved his hoof, shooing me off.

I sighed heavily looking to the bit in my hoof. “Stupid bit!” I threw it and it smashed through a window. I gulped, seeing what I had just done...

An angry looking stallion glared at me as he ran out of the shop. “Hey, you brat! Look what you did to my window!”

“I-I didn-didn't mean too... I am sorry...” I backed away from him.

“Sorry isn't going to cut it! Now get here!” I shook my head backing up even more from him. “I said get here now!”

I turn and ran for it. “Guards!” The stallion yelled out and I just bolted as fast I could down a street, I didn't know where I was going or where I ended up, I just wanted to get away from the scary stallion!

Shaking with fear I slowly looked over a cart that I had hidden behind as a small group of ponies wearing gold armour ran by, one stopped and looked around. “I am in so much trouble...” I whispered slowly, sliding down against the cart. “What am I going to do?” I looked around, realising I didn't know where I was.

After getting up, I slowly crept away from the cart, hitting my hoof on a block under the wheel, it started to move. “No!” I grabbed the rope with my mouth, pulling on it as hard as I could to try and stop it but my hooves simply slid over the stones, dragging me along behind the cart.

The guard ponies watched it roll by and saw me grabbing onto the end. “Let go of it!” One of them yelled out but I was too afraid to move my jaw. The wagon rolled down the road with me sliding alongside it. My hooves burning from sliding against the stones. I eventually managed to let go of the rope, falling over and rolling into a nearby glass stall, causing some of delicate items to fall and smash around me. I quickly jumped up and as I ran away I heard a smash behind me as the wagon crashing into a shop window.

“Get back here you little pest!” The mare at the stand yelled. “Guards! He ran that way!” She pointed right at me. I turned to look back and saw the unicorn guards, two of them. One brown and the other grey, running after me, yelling out something to me. I darted into a nearby alleyway and leapt up some nearby boxes, over the wall. I landed on the roof of a small shop and slid off it into a fountain. On surfacing, I looked up to see where I fell, before climbing out and running away from accusing calls of nearby ponies, no idea of where I was or where I would end up...

For some time I waited in the alleyway, hiding behind some rubbish cans, shivering a little from the cold breeze. Dark clouds started to be rolled in by pegasus ponies high above me, I remember Rainbow Dash telling me that there was a storm by noon... I slowly walked out of hiding down the street looking around wondering where I was or how I could get back to the train station at least.

I wasn't sure how much time passed. Droplets landed on my head and as I look into the sky a flash of lightning made me yelp and cover my head. Soaked, I ran into a shop as it started to rain heavily. “I am sorry but you young one, cannot stand there.”

I looked up at the stallion, then at the many other ponies in the place at tables eating. “But it’s raining really hard out there! I don't know where I am or where to go... I am lost.”

“It’s not my problem young one, I will have to ask you to leave...” He pointed to the door.

I turned to face the heavy rain, gulping loudly. “Co-could you tel-tell me how to get to the palace?”

“Oh course, just turn right from the door and then left and continue up the steps out of Canterlot.” He said rudely to me.

“Bu-but my big brother will be there worried about me! I am suppose to see Princess Luna! She’s my best friend!”

“Now I am not in the mood for any games from you colt. Get out now!” Holding me up, he used his magic to open the door and threw me outside into the rain. A mare and Stallion looked at me and raised their heads with closed eyes, holding up something that kept them dry. “Welcome sir, madam to the Canterlot Cliff Restaurant, I will take you to the tables.” He took one look at me as I sniffed with my eyes welling with tears as the flood of rain fell on me and the harsh winds of the storm battered against my face. He snorted loudly, and slammed the door shut.

I slowly pulled myself up and walked away through the downpour, each step grew heavier as the rain was soaking into my and through to my skin, I shivered and sneezed. No pony in this town would help me, I was worthless to them, practically invisible. My mane and tail dragged across the ground, soaked through and through... “Big brother... BIG BROTHER! Where are you!?” I cried out but a flash of lightning and rumble of thunder was all I got in response. Yelping in shock I ran for any sort of cover, I found part of the alley was shielded from the wind and rain, not much but it would do...

I sat there shivering and sneezing every so often, I felt so awful and sick to my stomach, my head was pounding from the cold wet droplets hitting it. I felt cold… I felt worthless... I felt alone... So alone... I pulled myself in, huddling close to the wall, crying and crying as no pony came to me... They didn't care. They were mean, very mean... I sobbed and sobbed until the cold and wet faded away to darkness.

I closed my eyes. I just wanted the nightmare to end... I just... Wait the rain! Had it stopped? I slowly turned my head looking up to the navy blue unicorn with yellow mane and green eyes behind the glasses he wore on the end of his snout, a light blue magical aura emanating from his horn holding up a large fabric sheet, keeping the rain from hitting us.

He reached a hoof out to me and I reacted by scrambling a little to back away. “It's ok little guy, I'm not going to hurt you...”

I glanced at his soft smile “Achoo!” I sneezed, still shivering.

He used his magic to take off his own brown jumper and wrapped it around me like a blanket. “Here this will keep you warm.”

“Soulful my friend, what are you doing in the alley?” I heard another voice, my eyes trailed to another unicorn with another one of those funny things hovering over him, he was white with blue mane and tail wearing some sort of suit with a pink bow on his white shirt, with a blue moustache and some sort of glass on a chain over one eye. “This weather might be gloomy but I doubt you will get much shelter here.”

Soulful chuckled lightly. “No nothing like that Fancy Pants, I found this frightened young colt.”

“Oh?” He stepped into the alley way, I noticed his hooves were similar to my big brothers but almost the same colour as his own mane. “My, what happened to you, young stallion?”

I shivered, holding tightly inside the jumper, trying to keep warm. I was afraid to speak, I just turned my eyes away crying a little. “He looks terrified Fancy Pants... Something dreadful must have happened...” Soulful turned to the white unicorn.

Fancy Pants sighed. “Most likely he ran into those most unwelcoming nobles.. Sometimes I wonder why they are so stuck up.” My eyes gazed over to him. “My name is Fancy Pants, what is yours, my delightful young friend?”

I turn my eyes back down to the brown jumper around me. “Z-Zaps...” I replied with a chatter of teeth. “Ap-Apple...”

“Did I just hear right? Zaps Apple? In the delightful Apple clan?” I wasn't sure what a clan was but I guess it was same as family. I nod slightly, “You poor thing, why are you all alone in such dreadful weather?”

Soulful picked me up placing me on his back. “It’s ok Zaps you are with friends. How did you end up here?”

“Achoo!” I sneezed once again, sniffing a little. “I-I... ACHOOO!” I covered myself as much I could with the jumper, trying to keep warm, still soaking wet.

Soulful turned to Fancy Pants from looking at me, feeling sorry for the state I was in. “Fancy Pants I did see a red stallion looking around hollowing that very name, he was huge... I mean from the look of it he works on a farm or something.”

“Big Macintosh! My big brother!” I spoke out over my chattering of teeth.

Fancy Pants smiled to me. “Then why don't we take a walk and find your big brother then?” I nodded happily at that idea, these two unicorns was so kind to me, it made me feel happy. “Which way shall we look first?”

Soulful gazed around then pointed a hoof. “I say this way, I think I saw Big Macintosh there.” He pointed the other way. “I say we might run into him down there.”

“Hmm indeed. Very well. Shall we?” With a nod they made their way down the path with me riding on Soulful. “It seems fate had instilled us this meeting young Zaps. It’s a pleasure to meet another of the Apple clan, Applejack I believe was the other I met before, during a garden party.”

My eyes lit up. “That’s my big sister!”

“Well fate indeed has lent a hoof in this my dear boy. I might say we will have to get you back to your brother then.” Fancy Pants said kindly to me, making me feel better.

“Cutie Mark Finders!” We heard and emerging from the darkness and rain was my sister Applebloom with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all wearing yellow water proof coats and hats.

“Well it seems we’ve encountered quite a spirited bunch.” Fancy Pants laughed a little. “I gather you’re looking for him.” He nodded his head towards me on Soulful’s back.

“Zaps!” They said together.

“Oh my gosh ah'm so glad we found you! Big Macintosh told us to stay at the palace but we wouldn't leave one of the crusaders lost!” Applebloom said to me. “Yer ok brother?”

I nodded, still keeping as warm as I could with the jumper “Achoo! I'm ok... Soulful and Fancy Pants helped me...”

“Fan-Fancy Pants!?” Sweetie Belle squealed in delight. “Oh my gosh! I heard about you from my big sister!”

“And who might that be my fair young friend?”

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle beamed.

Fancy Pants laughed. “Now this is getting more interesting by the moment, I’ve not only met more of the Apple clan but Rarity's little sister too. This has became quite the wonderful day in this gloomy weather.”

Scootaloo came up to Soulful looking up at me. “What happened to ya? We’ve been worried like crazy... Princess Celestia and Luna got the guards out to look all over for you.

When she said that I put a hoof to my face groaning. “G-guards... I kinda ran away from them...”

“Why?” Scootaloo asked.

“How about we take shelter at Donut Joe's and get some hot chocolate, it seems we all need it.” Soulful chuckled, looking at each of the girls.

“What about mah... Our brother?” Applebloom asked.

“What about me?” We all turn to see a soaking wet red stallion looking us.

I jumped out of the jumper right into his hooves “Big brother!” I cried out in joy, hugging him as he hugged me. “I am so happy to see you!”

“Ah'm happy to find ya too little brother...” Big Macintosh rubbing his snout against my head. I was so happy... The nightmare was finally over. “Yer safe now...” He raised his head to Fancy Pants and Soulful. “Yer have mah thanks...”

Fancy Pants smiled warmly. “I am delighted to see a family reunion after what Zaps has most likely been through, how about we all get out of the rain and I treat you all to hot chocolate and donuts at Donut Joe's?”

“Ah would rather...”

“Dear friend you need to get somewhere warm and dry. I will inform a guard to let the palace know you all are well, please allow me to gracefully offer my hoof in friendship.” Fancy Pants put his hoof out to Big Macintosh.

Big Macintosh put me on his back and took Fancy Pants' hoof, shaking it. “Very well stranger. Ah owe yer for findin' mah brother.”

“You don't owe me anything. My name is Fancy Pants and may I say it is a pleasure to meet the older brother of not only this young filly and Zaps but Applejack.” Fancy Pants said.

“Ah’ve heard of ya, the voice of Canterlot?”

“Well I wouldn't go that far but I do always have a good word or two here and there. Please follow me.” Fancy Pants turned and walked as we all followed him. “Soulful Haiku, it seem your editing of my article will have to be put on hold, if you do not mind.”

“Of course not, Fancy Pants. It can wait. It’s welcome to get to know such nice ponies. I think the nobles, well most of them just don't take the time to appreciate the fruits of those they call commoners. If they were to ever actually open their eyes to them they might find that they have significantly more character than those snobs.” Soulful said with a warm smile, folding up his jumper and placing it in his saddle bag.

Fancy Pants chuckled softly. “Indeed, you took the words right out of my mouth.”

Scootaloo whispered to me as she walked beside Big Mac. “I like these unicorns, they’re pretty cool.”

“Yeah, that they are,” I replied.

Fancy Pants walked up to a guard. “Good sir, could you please inform the princesses that Zaps Apple is found, he is safe and with Big Macintosh and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. We will all be returning to the palace shortly after we have warmed up in Donut Joe's with some delightful donuts and hot chocolate.”

“Right away sir.” The unicorn guard saluted and ran down the stone path leading to the palace.

“Now that’s sorted, let’s appreciate the joys of Canterlot and hear your tale Zaps.” I nodded to Fancy Pants, knowing one way or another I was going to have to tell Big Macintosh and the others...

It made me feel better to tell them and the donuts were so yummy... I guess there was a bright side to Canterlot.

Chapter 17: Secrets of the two Sisters

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 17: Secrets of the two Sisters

“That’s when Soulful and Fancy Pants found me and helped me find you girls and Big Mac.” I finished my story and picked up my donut in my hooves, dipped it in the hot chocolate and took a bite out it, feeling a little better.

Fancy Pants sighed sadly. “It’s a shame you had to go through all that Zaps, this city is normally such a wonderful place but I suppose no place is perfect. I beg of you not to judge this town too harshly or dwell on what has happened, see instead how we are all now having a good time.” Fancy Pants put his hoof out to everypony gathered around the table as they all enjoyed their hot chocolate and donuts.

Soulful looked like he was thinking about something. “Fancy Pants, why don't we write about what happened to Zaps, without naming him of course. An article about such events might get some heads turning and help clean up some of those snobby nobles’ acts.”

Fancy Pants was rubbing his hoof against his snout. “It sounds like a reasonable idea, Soulful Haiku, but I would still advise against it. Such things have repercussions that could put both of us in more than a tad of bother.”

Scootaloo jumped up onto her chair “ You can’t publish such a terrible story. It doesn’t matter why you say you want to do it. How would you like it, buster, if somepony came along and published your worst day ever for the whole of Equestria to see?”

Big Macintosh nodded once in agreement. “Eeyup.”

Soulful gulped loudly.

Fancy Pants put a hoof to Soulful. “She is right, dear Soulful, instead I would like you to write a letter to the Canterlot Cliff Restaurant, demanding an apology for what the stallion at the door did to Zaps. Nopony should be treated like that, especially not a lost child.”

“Ok! You brought up a valid point, I won’t write the story.” He turned to Fancy Pants. “I will begin writing a letter to the restaurant immediately.”

“Good!” Scootaloo poked him and went back to happily eating her donut, as if nothing happened.

The girls and I were laughing at what Scootaloo had done to Soulful. “Remind me never to upset that filly.” I heard him whisper to Fancy Pants.

“Don’t worry, I will.” Fancy Pants chuckled. We all joined in laughing. The owner Joe watched with a smile at how happy his customers were. I guess having Fancy Pants here was also a boost for him as his presence in the shop seemed to encourage a small group of other ponies to come in and buy some of Joe’s freshly baked donuts.

After finishing our donuts and hot chocolates we left the shop and actually made our way to the palace this time. The sun was shining again and I was on Big Mac's back as we walked up the wide, paved road leading to the palace gates. This time I wasn't going to get lost.

I small detachment of royal guard ponies marched up to us, and addressed big Mac. “We have been sent by the Princesses to escort you all to the palace.” They turned to Fancy Pants and Soulful. “You are also asked to come as well.”

Soulful face showed a sudden expression of surprise. “Wh-what? Wh-why?”

“The Princesses wish to personally thank you both, for helping in the search of Zaps Apple, sir,” the guard explained to them.

Fancy Pants stepped up to the guards. “ As grateful as we are for the invitation, there is still a large amount of unfinished work Soulful and I have to complete. Please send my regards to the princesses and my regret that we cannot make it at this time.” Fancy Pants turned to Soulful. “However we will come by the castle in due time, once we have finished.”

“Very well, sir, I will relay the message for you,” The pegasus guard replied.

Soulful pulled out a quill and gave it to me. “Here, take this Zaps, a little gift. I hope we meet again.”

I took it with my front hooves with a smile. “Thank you, Soulful, I hope we do too!”

“Yeah! It’s been great meeting you Fancy Pants! I will say hi to Rarity for you!” Sweetie Belle hugged Fancy Pants.

He hugged her back. “Please do, young one. We had better be off, Soulful.”

Soulful and Fancy Pants waved their goodbyes as they left. We returned it, waving back. “Goodbye!” The girls and I called out.

Along with Big Macintosh, we followed the guards up to the Canterlot Palace, without any problems this time. I was glad that I got to ride on Big Macintosh, it was a steep hill up to the palace, and I was exhausted from getting lost around the city.

As we arrived at the palace and entered the hall, we found Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Night Spark waiting for us.

“Oh my stars look at the state of you.” Rarity ran up to me as I climbed off Big Macintosh. “Just look at the mess your fur and mane are in. What in Celestia's name happened to you?”

I looked down, rubbing my hoof on the polished floor. “I got very lost and the rude ponies didn't want to help me. Not until Soulful Haiku and Fancy Pants found me.”

“Fancy Pants!? You ran into Fancy Pants!? Oh my goodness Zaps, I am so glad you ran into somepony like him. He is a real gentlecolt here in Canterlot.” Rarity looked really surprised.

“We sure did sis! He even asked me to say hi to you too!” Sweetie Belle was beaming and bouncing up and down in excitement.

“Thank you Sweetie. It is a pleasure to know he still keeps in touch.” Rarity raised her head, looking at Big Macintosh, then at me. “You two can't possibly meet the princesses in that state, look at you, damp, messy, you look as if you two have been in some dirty alley.”

Big Macintosh looked like he was about to have a go at her, but Night Spark spoke up. “I will take them both to the private baths here in the palace, why don't the rest of you go and freshen up for the meeting with Princess Luna and Celestia.”

Rainbow Dash stepped up to him and whispered something to him with a smirk, I wasn't sure what she said but if I were to guess, I‘d say it was about saving Rarity from Big Macintosh. “Big Mac do we have to?” I looked up at him.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac replied and we followed Night Spark up the steps.

Pinkie Pie called out to us from behind Scootaloo and the others. “Be back soon! I’ve got a party to plan! There is some mega cheering up needed!” Pinkie Pie zipped right past us and disappeared down the corridoor.

Night Spark blinked a few times. “What in Luna's name did I just witness?”

Luna's POV

I had watched the young ponies walk under guard escort into the palace, at that moment I had finally seen, with my very own two eyes, the young colt called Zaps. The name was new but the colt was the same, and it made my heart race and my stomach twist, I had saved him from the darkness without a second thought but now...

“Luna I just received word from our guards, they have arrived safely.” I had been staring out the window for over ten minutes, silent, absorbed in my own thoughts when my sister called out my name and broke me from my trance. “Luna you had no idea it would be...” Tia paused, looked over towards the guards in the room and, turning back to me whispered...

“Him.”

I lowered my head with a heavy sigh.” Indeed... But are you sure that is right for him to be adopted into the Apple family?” I knew the answer already but it was still hard to come to terms with.

Celestia leaned her head against my own. “Yes Luna I am sure. You and I both know that we cannot reveal to them what we know about that colt, it is for the best.”

Celestia led me out of the throne room and down the hall past the huge stained glass windows documenting the history of our land. After a brief glance down the hall my sister used her magic to open up the wall, revealing a secret room inside the palace.

We stepped inside and entered the small room, lit only by the light coming through the stained glass windows, each forming a part of the triangular ceiling. Depicted on the windows were three scenes from long ago.

The first was an image of peace, laughter and happiness between ponies. The second picture represented love between two ponies. The third, final, picture was one of desolation, destruction and defeat, at a price. The days we had so long tried to move on from.

In the centre of the room, on a polished marble column, sat a shining crystal on top of a red cushion. “Is that the cutie mark of...” I saw her tears and dared not speak the words. I hugged her as she broke down into tears. “Sister, just let it out,” I whispered and she continue to sob silently into me as we embraced.

As I stared sadly at that crystal, I felt myself fade into another world, a world I had long since left behind. Celestia released me and stepping back, used a silk cloth to wipe her tears away. “Luna?”

I pulled at the long dress I had been forced to wear but my sister put her hoof firmly against mine, shaking it. “Nighty, you’re fine., relax. After all, you're not the one who’s getting married today,” She whispered to me with a soft smile.

I despised everything about that dress, the way it covered my light purple fur, how the blue reminded me of the night and darkness, and the ridiculous braides that had been forced into my blue, flowing mane. I would never had worn it, were it not for my sister.

“I know, Sunny Day but I hate this thing, it reminds me too much of what we lost coming here,” I whispered, looking cross eyed at my horn with a sigh.

Sunny Day smiled and hugged me. “I know, little sister, I know it has been very strange for you, being such a small filly.”

“Hey!” I pushed her off me, out of the hug, glaring. “At least you kept your cutie mark!” I muttered under the sound of the music being played by the band. “But I’ve got to admit, this life feels... normal, and I kind of like it.”

“So do I.” Sunny Day replied and hugged me again. This time I didn't protest, I just returned it to my big sister.

The sound of Harmony Rose laughing made us both jump. “It reminds me of my own two sons, how they get into their little squabbles.” Harmony turned to her fellow rulers. “Today marks a very special day for not only you two, but for me and my children. Today is the day I welcome two new ponies into my family, the day I call you two my daughters, if you allow me too.”

I bit my lip, looking up to my sister then back. “I... I would like that Harmony Rose...”

The doors opened to the fanfare of trumpets playing as Armour McApple walked down the aisle, accompanied on either side by two guard ponies in golden armour, carrying the flag of the kingdom in their hooves.

“I do have one question though. Should it not be me walking down the aisle?” Sunny Day asked and I giggled, turning to the yellow colt beside me who was rolling his eyes at that comment.

Harmony Rose shook her head. “No my dear, we wanted to create a place of harmony when our ancestors found this place. Our traditions are very important to us here,” Harmony Rose replied in a formal tone before ascending the stairs to the raised stage with an Earth Pony and Pegasus Pony, the two stallions looked to her with a nod and stepped to the side.

Armour McApple walked up and turned to face Sunny Day. Harmony Rose waited for the music to finish and, using her magic to amplify her voice, began speaking to the large group, gathered around the square.

“Today marks a grand and great day, not only for us but for our new friends and family, ponies who, only five years ago seeked refuge from the world of chaos beyond the Mist of Misdirection, are now welcomed as part of the harmony within our kingdom.

I humbly stand before my son Armour McApple and Sunny Day, the graceful unicorn who won my son's heart, to fulfil my duty to wed this stallion and mare. May the years that follow this day be for you forever joyous and full of love and devotion to one another. Our kingdom is small and little known to the outside world, but we live for a peaceful today and a harmonious tomorrow.”

Harmony Rose used her magic to lift a ring to Armour McApple. He took the ring with his mouth placing it on Sunny Day's horn. “The love between these two young souls is powerful and I hope for everlasting joy for you two. If anypony has any reason why these two should not marry, let them speak now!” The request was met with silence.

My horn was shimmering from the excitement of seeing my sister's joy. “I present you as mare and husband, you may kiss the...” Harmony didn't get to finish when we all saw Sunny Day launch at Armour McApple giving him a big kiss.

“Well that is one way of doing it.” Harmony Rose laughed as the congregation let out a unanimous cheer of approval.. A magical aurora of light shimmered across the square as the cheers continued. Armour and Sunny stood beside each other with a hoof raised waving to everypony with the biggest smiles I had ever seen, I looked to Harmony Rose.

She looked back at me. “Does that mean you're my mother now?”

“Yes it does, welcome to the family Nighty.” I gave her a hug and my sister smiled as I got Harmony and I embraced. Soon Armour and his brother were joining in with Sunny and together we embraced our ever growing family...

“Luna, are you ok?” Celestia asked me as I opened my eyes.

I smiled. “I was just remembering a very important day... A day that was...Normal.” I turned and left the room with Celestia. She closed the wall, looking sadly down the hallway.
“Sometimes I wish we could have done more.”

“You and I both Luna...”

Chapter 18: Party Crash in Canterlot

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 18: Party Crash at Canterlot

The baths at the Canterlot palace were the biggest I had ever seen. After washing the dirt out of my fur, I followed Big Mac and Night Spark back to the foyer where we had left the others. I felt much better now that I was clean, and, from the smile on Rarity’s face as she trotted up to greet us again, I think she did too.

“Now you two look much better.” Rarity said with delight.

We returned to the others who had gone down the corridor to the hall where Pinkie Pie had dashed off to earlier.

“Zaps darling,” she said to me, “I have been doing some investigation while you two were having your much needed baths.” Rarity sighed. “I regret that to inform you that I have sadly failed. I feel so horrible, but all of my leads left me empty hoofed.” Rarity looked like she was about to cry and I remembered the promise she had made to me before I left.

I ran up alongside her. “It’s ok.” I smiled.

“Yeah, he’s got us! He’s an Apple now!” Applebloom jumping up and down. “Ah have another brother!”

“Yes, darling that’s all fair and well, but I did rather want to help him find his real family, wouldn't you like as well, if you were in his position?” Rarity sternly replied.

Applebloom stopped bouncing up and down and gazed sadly over at me. I guess she felt a little uneasy about what Rarity had said, about what would happen to us if we found my real family.

“Ah suppose... ah was just gettin' used to havin' him as a brother now. Ah wake up and kinda expect him to be there, wakin' up in his bed in Big Mac's room.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac replied.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Don't forget the plushie that Big Mac gave him.”

“Wait, Plushie? What plushie? You mean that Smart Pants toy?” Rarity turned to Big Mac. “You still have that thing? After all the trouble it caused?”

Big Mac glared at Rainbow Dash. “YUP!” He voice was fuming when he said it.

Rainbow Dash laughed nervously. “Hehe oops... I... Erm... I’d better go see if I can help Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash flew off down the corridor and was soon gone.

“What wrong with Smart Pants, Big Mac?” I felt a little unsure about Big Mac’s gift now. I had been sleeping with it for the nights I had been with them. I had even brought brought it with me to Canterlot in my bag. Big Mac must have put in the room we’d be staying in.

Big Mac looked at me with a calm smile. “Nnope, it’s fine, Princess Celestia removed the spell Twilight had placed on the plushie. Ah just kept it because ah really liked it.” He explained to me and - probably more - to everypony else in the group.

The girls were giggling at it. “Yer three put mah picture of it in that paper of yer’s! Ain’t ya learned ya lesson from that?” They stopped instantly. “Remember what ya did and what harm it brought?”

“Yes Big Mac...” They said together as we walked. They hung their heads down a little feeling sorry for something although I wasn’t sure what.

Listening to Big Mac tell the girls off, I wasn't watching where I was going and walked right into a long, blue foreleg.

“Ow...” I hit the ground on my rump and sat on the ground, rubbing my head. “Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was...” I looked up and gasped, seeing who it was. “LUNA!!!!” I jumped up onto my four hooves, overjoyed to finally meet her in pony!

I leapt right up to her and she caught me in her foreleg, hugging me in return. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you too Zaps,” she laughed. She put me down and looked over to the others. “By any chance, was that Rainbow Dash zipping by me a moment ago?”

Rarity stepped forwards. “Yes, princess, she may have annoyed Big Macintosh somewhat and, as one might say, 'high tailed it' before she put herself on the spot.”

Big Mac smirked. “Eeyup.”

“Hey, Princess Luna! Good to see you again!” Scootaloo walked up to Luna. “I can't thank you enough for helping me to face my fears!”

“Your fears?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Hehe erm... Nothing!” Scootaloo took my hoof. “Come one, let’s get to the hall! There a party to go to!”

Luna stepped to the side as we ran past her with the others giving chase. “Scoots, get back here!” Applebloom called out.

“You have to catch us first!” Scootaloo called back and we galloped as fast as we could down the hall, away from the other two.

I looked back and saw that we had gained distance on them. I turned back forward again and mere meters away from me, a door swung open and a tall, groomed white stallion stepped into view. “Watch out!” I cried, trying to stop myself but only managed to trip into Scootaloo, sending both of us rolling into the stallion.

CRASH!

BANG!

I was in a bit of a daze from the impact, I saw Scootaloo lying on top of me and I was on the stomach of the stallion we had crashed into. “Gah! Get off me you common folk!” He struggled and waved his grey hooves around madly in front of him, hitting me off him in his frantic panic attack.

I landed on the ground with a thud, holding my snout, my eyes were watering the pain from the hit was excruciating. Scootaloo was thrown off him and landed on her back, she got up and glared at him. “Hey what was that for!?” She yelled at him. She didn’t noticing me holding my snout in my hooves with tears falling down my face.

“You common ponies are so dirty and are not to touch me!” The white stallion said at us, arrogantly.

I heard hooves behind me and saw Big Mac and Rarity, Luna was just behind them. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked stunned at what had happened to me. I just continued to cry with my hooves over my snout. “YOU!” Rarity’s voice yelled out. “What have you done to Zaps, you big brute!”

Big Mac ran up to me. “Yer ok?,” he asked. I shook my head, my hooves still covering my face.

“Let me see.”

I slowly moved my hooves away and saw that they were coloured red, the same red that was now coming out of my snout. I could taste something weird about it, something metallic... I put my hooves over my snout to try to stop it but the pain when I touched my nose was so intense.

Luna glared at him. “Blueblood, what have you done!?”

“What have I done!? Look at what he did to me!” Blueblood said, pointing a hoof right at me, Big Mac was holding me close, trying to comfort me. “He and that orange pest ran into me and ruined my mane! It took hours to get this just right!” He snorted with disgust at us. “Such common folk shouldn't be allowed in the palace!”

“Don't push your luck Blueblood!” Luna sneered.

Applebloom came up to me. “Here, Zaps, take this.” She held up a cloth and I took it with my red stained hooves and put it over my snout, nodding thank you. “Ya say sorry to mah brother, ya big meanie!”

“Humpth! Not a chance! In fact, he should be saying sorry to me!”

Big Mac got up and turned to Applebloom. “Applebloom keep a eye on Zaps...”

“Sure big brother, what yer goin' to do?”

Night Spark could see the anger in his eyes. “This isn't going to end well...”

Big Mac stood before Blueblood with a narrow look in his eyes. “Yer will say sorry to mah little brother.”

“Not likely, you farm pony, your type are never welcome here. Take your good for nothing common folk and leave at once! I, Prince Blueblood command it!” He pointed at Big Mac with his hoof.

I saw Big Mac smirk, before rearing up onto his hide legs, twisting his body back a little with a right front hoof pulled back. “Big Mac! Do...” Rarity tried to stop him.

Celestia POV

The hall arrangements were completed as Pinkie Pie finished off the last few things. Tables were laid out with food and drinks and a big cake in the middle. There were even games, everything from apple dunking to pin the tail on the pony. I was getting a feeling that pin the tail on the pony was Pinkie's favourite game. Outside in the garden, a stage was set up, standing on which were four ponies whom I recognised from the Grand Galloping Gala last year. A bright red canon sat next to the stage. Clearly Pinkie was more than prepared for this party.

CRACK

CRASH!

I turned to see no other that my nephew bursting through the doors, flying across the hall into two guards, landing with a mighty thud. “What is...” I didn't get to finish when I saw a rather angry red earth pony storm in, one heavy hoof fall after another, showing off his formidable strength.

“Whoa, big guy! What the hay is going on?” Rainbow Dash darted in front of him, putting her hooves against his chest to try and slow him down. “Big Mac! He’s not worth it!”

“Get out of mah way, Rainbow Dash, ah’m goin' to teach this good for nothin' buckin' royal snob, not only to never mess with the Apples but to never lay a hoof on mah brother!” Big Mac roared. I was surprised to see him use such words... He really was angery with Blueblood, although I couldn’t tell why.

Luna was practically dragged in after him. She was using her magic to try and hold him back but he kept moving, he was simply pulling her along. “Celestia, help me!” Luna cried out. “He’s too strong to restrain!”

Blueblood was pushing himself off the guards, trying to get away from Big Macintosh. I watched as Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, Night Spark and several other guards tried to hold him back, I couldn't help by smile at this. All of them with their magic, strength and willpower couldn't hold back this massive work pony.

“Wow, look at him go! Big Mac sure is super strong, even for an earth pony!” Spike cried out. Somehow he seemed to have found some popcorn, which he was now eating as a scene of chaos, worthy of Discord himself, unfolded before us.

“STOP!” I commanded and the hall froze. Every face in the room turned to look at me. Even Big Macintosh stopped in mid motion and stared at me.

“As amusing as it is to see you all try and stop Big Macintosh, you are all to stop this madness at once! This is supposed to be a casual evening among friends, is it not?” They look to each other, Rarity nodded. “Big Macintosh I can see you’re rather angry with Blueblood but what would your brother and sister think of you acting like this?”

Big Mac slowly turned to the young ones. He sighed and everypony that had been trying to hold him back let go, giving him space. “Yer right princess, it would bring a wrong message to mah family...” He glares at Blueblood. “If he apologises right now! Ah will drop the matter.”

I nodded once, turning to Bluebood. “I believe those are reasonable terms, don't you?”

“What!? Me, apologise to him! And those others! N...”

“Or I could allow Big Macintosh to continue 'knocking sense' into you.” I said, cutting him off. Of course I would never actually let Big Mac hit him, but he didn’t need to know that.

Blueblood look at me with a gulp and, visibly shrinking, got up. “I... I am sorry for what I did...”

“And?”

“I promise, under my royal oath never to lay a hoof on Zaps again...” Blueblood groaned as the last part was said. “Happy!?”

“Eeyup” Big Macintosh smiled and went back to Zaps to tend to his injuries.

I turned my attention to Blueblood. “As for you, nephew, you’re going to write me a report on this, detailing how you learned to never harm a young colt again.”

“Yes auntie...” Blueblood hung his head low, walking out of the hall in shame.

Luna snorted. “Should have blasted him to the moon...”

“Much as I would like to, that is not an option, Luna.” I walked up to her. “Now, shall we tend to Zap's injured snout?”

“Yes.” Luna and I walked over to the young colt holding the cloth to his snout. “Sister, he would need to be seen by a doctor for that, although we could use our magic to heal him.”

I smiled with a shake of the head. “I don't think we need to, if I recall correctly, all he needs is to eat some zap apples.”

“Of course, Zaps is quite the special pony.” Luna vanished in a flash and reappeared seconds later with a few zap apples. “Here Zaps, eat these.”

Zaps took one and took a large bite out of it. He soon finished it off, and the next one too. We watched with amazement as the bleeding stopped and simply vanished. “Amazing...”

“Yeah it is!” Scootaloo beamed. “And he’s the only pony that can do it!”

“True, but zap apples aren't always around, they usually go bad after a month or so, even if they’re kept in fresh storage.” I replied. “It might have it’s positives but the downside is that it can only work during the zap apple season, after that he will heal like any other pony if hurt.”

“When you put it that way....” Scootaloo turned to Rarity who was walking up with a wash bowl and cloth. “What’s with that?”

“To clean you both up, look at the blood you’ve got on your hooves.” Scootaloo looked at her hooves and sighed, seeing Rarity was right.

“Fine...” Scootaloo muttered.

“Good, now let’s clean you two up for the party.” Rarity started working on Scootaloo’s hooves and I turned to Night Spark who seemed startled by the sudden party Pinkie Pie put together.

He looked around. “H-how!?” He blurted out. “How is this even possible!? It’s not even been a hour since she zoomed off past us!”

Rainbow Dash was laughing at his reaction. Rarity calmly responded, “Two words darling. Don't bother.”

“Don't bother!? But she’s not only set this up but she’s got Octavia and her friends to this party too! You have Parish Nandermane on the harp! Beauty Brass on the sousaphone! Frederick Horseshoepin the piano player! And the one and only Octavia on the cello!” Night Spark was flying up, pointing his armoured hoof shoes at them. “These are the best classical musicians in Equestria, they have no equal and they are all ready to play at this party!”

“Sounds like Octavia got a fan.” Rainbow Dash teased the bat pony, nudging him. “Like classical music, do you Spark?”

“Of course!” He replied and flew over to Pinkie Pie. “You knew didn't you?”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Of course silly! I’m always on the ball when it come to parties! Right Octi!” Pinkie Pie bounced over to the cello player.

Octavia smiled. “Of course, shall we start?”

“Yepronee!”

“You heard her, friends.” Octavia started to play and the others all joined in with her.

I smiled as the party officially started and turned to Zaps. “I wish we could have met under better, and more friendly settings. I do apologise for Blueblood, my nephew can be a bit of a hoof full sometimes.”

Zaps smiled, feeling better from the look of things. “I'm ok...” He seemed to stare at something and I glanced at what he was looking at. It was my... Cutie Mark. “Hey you’ve got the same cutie mark as the pony in my flashback thing.”

“Oh my darling you remember more of it?” Rarity said with a graceful smile. “So who was the name of the pony you remember in your flash backs?”

Zaps was tapping his snout and I felt my heart race now. He couldn't remember that much already could he? Or was it just pieces of it? “Sunny Day, I think... I think she was married to the pony I called big brother in it...” Zaps sighed. “I am really trying Rarity... Really I am!”

“I know darling, now why don't we go and listen to the music?” Zaps nodded with a smile walking with her to the stage and the other foals.

I watched Rainbow Dash join them with Pinkie Pie and Night Spark, all listening intently to Octavia’s cello. I felt as if my own heart that beating for over 1000 years had stopped for a second when he said that name. I was overwhelmed by such a mix of feelings. I had never felt like that before, not when Discord took over, nor when Sombra destroyed the crystal empire, not even on the day when I banished my own sister to the moon for a millenia. I had never experienced such a mixture of hope, dismay and sheer helplessness.

"Sister he remembered your...”

“Don't Luna... Please don't... He knew the cutie mark, but not me...” I whispered, with tears falling, closing my eyes as my thoughts drown into them.

“I wish I could tell you who I am Zaps, I really do, I knew your true name before... I can't begin to feel how sorry I am for everything that has happened and why it happened in the Kingdom of Harmony, a place I found a normal happy life, I might not have been an alicorn there but that’s what made it a magical moment in my own and Luna's life. It was a point in my life where everything was safe, secure...”

“Princess...” My thoughts were broken, and my eyes snapped open as I turned to no other then Big Macintosh staring at me with those green eyes a serious, stern look. “After the party, you, Luna and I need to talk...” He walked away to join the others, turning one last glance at both of us. “In private...” The final words were icy and deep.

“He’s figured it out hasn't he?” Luna turned to me.

“Yes he...” A bright light caught our attention and out of no where Vinyl Scratch appeared landing on top of Octavia. “What the...” This wasn’t possible, I had placed a spell over the castle that stopped any pony from teleporting into the palace, only Luna and I could.

The ponies were laughing at what happened and I even almost smiled a little. “Hehe... Hey Tavi, hope you don't mind me dropping in like this?”

“Vinyl! What the hay are you doing!? And did you just teleport!? When did you learn that!?” Octavia yelled out at her.

“Oh it’s a little something I’ve kept hidden, and for good reason too.” Vinyl got up as we stepped up to the stage.

“It had better be a good reason; this party has only just started and you are already crashing it!” Octavia tapped her hoof firmly against Vinyl's chest as she spoke.

Vinyl swiped it away. “It’s not my fault, Tavi! You try running away from a crazed purple alicorn all day long!”

“Twilight? What the hay has she got to do with this!?” Octavia replied.

“She keeps bugging me all day long about how I can suddenly teleport and use my sound proofing spell! I was going to keep them both back as a surprise for you, Tavi, when you got home! I figured that a nice sound proof spell would be ideal to keep things that bit quieter for you!” Vinyl explained.Her talk of spells caught my attention.

Octavia sighed. “That doesn't explain how you ended up here... Ponyville is too far for any teleport spell!”

“Not this one! It doesn't use much magic and it get you places in no time at all! I even teleported to the Crystal Empire and back! How awesome is that?” Vinyl grinned. “But I had a panic attack and had to get away from Twilight so I just thought about you for that split second and wham I teleported here on top of you!”

“Oooooooookaaaay....” Octavia raised her eye a little. “Since you’re here now. Here.” She gave Vinyl an accordion.

“What!? You can't be serious Tavi!”

“Yes I am!” Octavia jabbed her hoof at Vinyl. “Either that, or answer to the princesses for crashing in!”

Vinyl groaned. “Fine fine! I’ll play the stupid thing... I don't even know why I told you I played this in the first place...”

We all laughed and the music started to play again, this time with a rather more upbeat edge to it. Rainbow Dash was dancing to the music, and was even trying to get Zaps to try, although he seemed less than impressed. Big Macintosh was sitting back watching with a smile and Pinkie Pie was showing off her crazy moves. This evening was going to be nice.

Luna and I glanced at each other. We knew those spells that Vinyl described, and we could work out how she got them too. There was only one pony we knew who had that kind of magic and she never taught it to either of us during our lives in the Kingdom of Harmony, a set of spells she had kept back as a message to us.... We looked at each other and said to together.

“Harmony Rose.”

Party Crash: Vinyl's Great Escape

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Zaps Apple
Party Crash: Vinyl's Great Escape

“Finally! Having something to eat without Twilight annoying the heck out of me!” I sat back, feeling really chilled and relaxed, eating at the café within the Crystal Empire. It all might have been a little unexpected but man, I was happy to discover that I could teleport super long distances with this teleport spell.

I munched down happily on my sandwich. “Well isn't this a surprise!” I turned my head and, looking through my glasses, saw Shining Armor standing above me, next to some orange pegasus guard. “Vinyl Scratch, right?”

“Yep, that’s me, how’s the prince life, Shines?” I drunk my juice and relaxed into my chair, leaning my free foreleg on the armrest, giving him a cool, chilled, awesome look.

He chuckled, rolling his eyes. “It’s either Shining or Shining Armor, how many times do I have to tell you?”

“Million.” I replied, dismissively, getting a laugh from the pegasi who quickly put a hoof to his snout. “So?”

“It has it perks and of course, I love Cadance with all my heart. But what bring you all the way up here anyway?” Shines asked me, “I didn’t think you had any gigs in the crystal empire coming up.”

I shook my head, pulling up my shades to look at him in the eyes. “Nope, I’ve been trying to get away from a particularly crazy mare who won't leave me be, because of my new spells.” I charged up my magic and, with a quite crackle, cast a flickering blue shield across Shines and myself. Instantly the noise of the busy city was cut off. “That’s one of them, sound proofing, pretty rad right?”

Shines turned to his guard and said something to him, but the guard simply stared blankly back, he clearly hadn’t heard a word Shining Armour had spoken to him. “I say, that’s quite a spell you’ve got there. Most muffling spells can only only dampen sounds; very few can completely cut out noise like that. I am impressed.”

Shines stuck his head out of the shimmering soundproof bubble and talked to his guard before popping back in. “So, I have a feeling that since you’ve put this up there’s more to your story?”

I rolled my eyes. “Two words...” I sighed. “Twilight. Sparkle.”

Shining groaned. “What did Twily do?”

“She’s been after me for two days! Ever since the party! I don't get a single moment to myself in Ponyville without her following me around, pestering me about these spells! I got so stressed off and wondered how far I could teleport to get away from her and would you believe it! I teleported all the way to here!” I said giving a massive grin. “Nice huh?”

Shines blinked. “Did you just say that you teleported all the way from Ponyville to here?” I nodded. “Holy Celestia! That is huge! You teleported all the way from there to here, without a sweat!?”

“Yeah? What’s the big deal?”

“Vinyl that is, by far, the longest range teleport any pony has ever done!” Shines exclaimed. Oh, here we go again... “But if you knew this spell, then why not just tell her?”

I put my glasses back over my eyes. “Simple Shines, I promised to someone very important that I wouldn’t share this knowledge, not even to the princesses. Who knows what what would happen if the wrong pony got them...” I muttered. “I might be a DJ but I still have standards. You should very well know those Mr Ex Canterlot Captain!” I poked him in the chest with my hoof.

Shines rubbed his chest with his hoof and sighed. “Fine, I get why you want to keep it private.” He smiled. “That’s why I won't tell anypony about these two spells. I’ll make sure that Flash behind me keeps your sound proof spell to himself too.” Shines put his hoof out to me. “Is that fine?”

“I knew I had a reason for liking you, Shines! You really understand what a mare needs.” I teased with a smirk and clopped my hoof against his. I lowered the sound proof spell and sat back again in my seat. “Nice chatting to you Shines, and nice to meet you too Flash!”

Then it hit me, I remembered Twi had mentioned a pony called Flash. “Hey, by any chance is your name Flash Sentry?”

“Erm... Yes it is, why?”

“Oh no reason. Just thinking about something Twilight told me.” I replied, cooly. “Now if you don't mind boys, I’d like to finish my meal in peace.”

“Sure thing Vinyl, let’s go Flash.” Shining Armour and the now red-faced Flash sentry turned to leave. “Be seeing you around Vinyl,” Shines called out with a smirk.

I waved my hoof. “No problem, Shines! See ya around too buddy!”

I finished my lunch off and paid. The time had come to return to Ponyville... Gah! I really hated this part. “I hope I get my aim right this time...” I closed my eyes and pictured my home in my mind. My horn lit up and I began to cast the spell. “Please work... Please...” In a flash I appeared and felt air running through my fur. With a scream, my eyes snapped open.

“OH SWEET CELESTIA! NOT AGAIN!” I cried out, free falling right for Ponyville's lake!

SPLASH!

I landed right in the middle of the lake. Surfacing and coughing, I swam over to the shore and checked my head with my hoof. Thankfully my glasses were still firmly attached. I shook off some of the water from my fur but it still dripping off me. “Stupid aiming... No matter what I do, I’m always off target by miles!” I stomped my hoof in annoyance as I realised I was still at least a five to ten minute walk from Ponyville… Again!

Eventually I made it back home, I open the door to find... “Twilight, what the hay!?”

“Hey Vinyl!” Her face look creepy as heck! Her eye was twitching too. “I’ve been waiting for you!” She grinned.

“Erm... Sparkle are you ok? You look freakishly whacked out...” I had seen this before, and it was not good.

She was grinning like some crazy pony as she walked right towards me. “Now let’s find out those spells! I... Must... KNOW!” She charged right at me.

I quickly reacted by teleporting and appearing on the roof facing my house. “What the hay man!? What the heck are you doing Sparkle!?”

“I must know! Get back here!” Twilight’s crazy look was really whacko, almost the same as the look all those ponies had, after Twilight put a spell on that old doll. Luckily for me, my shades filtered it.

With a flash, Twilight teleported right in front of me.

“Ah!” I turned and slid down the roof, jumping off it, landing on my hooves and making run for it. “Twilight chill! You’re going crazy!”

She laughing as she chased me. “No I am not! I will get those spells! I will!”

“Sparkle get away from me!” I yelled back, using my teleport again, I appeared behind her running after her now. “Ahh!” I slid to a stop and turned to run the other way.

I hid by the alley wall. “Where did she go!?” Some of the other ponies were looking a bit creeped out, I couldn’t blame them... “Vinyl I will find you!”

“In your dreams...” I muttered and shuddered, I recalled I had that spell too. “Harmony these spells might be awesome but when you have a crazed purple princess on your tail…” I stomped my hoof in annoyance.

“There you are!” I turned and yelped. She had found me. “Come here Vinyl!”

“NO! Keep away from me you crazy alicorn!” I turned and made a break for it. This purple pony was crazier than Pinkie Pie!

I found a new place to hide and there she was again! Right there, with those crazy looking eyes, I ran for it, in any direction, as fast as my hooves could take me, I had to get away from her. I jumped into the lake, she couldn’t possibly find me there. But there she was again! Right on my tail, I jumped out the water, screaming like a filly and dashed off back to Ponyville.

I was a blur to most ponies by now. I just shot past them and dashed to Sweet Apple Acres and dived into a pile of hay. Looking around panting, I was in a panic, this wasn’t the way an awesome DJ like me should live! I needed to do something to just keep her from going completely insane!

“Hi Vinyl, care for some tea?”

“Sure why...” I heard the voice and my head slowly turned to come face to face with the mentally shattered Twilight. “AHHHHH!” I burst out of the hay bay and fled again, with her giving chase. I ran in and out of the trees, trying my best to lose her.

“What in tarnation is going on out...” I heard Applejack shout and come out to see me running for my life from Twilight Sparkle. She stared at us for a few seconds, completely dumbfounded and just went back into the house to do whatever she was doing. Couldn’t she see I needed help?

I ran up to the mountains outside of Ponyville and up the mountainside path, jumping over rocks and a landslide that had happened a while back. I got to the cave and slid inside coming to a stop as I was met with mountains of gold coins, jewels and all sorts of treasure. “Whoa... How the hay did anypony miss this?” I raised my shades up and stared at the treasure in front of me.

“Oh, that’s just something left after Fluttershy asked the dragon to leave.”

I rubbed my head a little. “Really? All this treasure just sitting here? Do you think that dragon will come back for it?”

“Beats me, he seemed pretty anxious to leave, but that’s not what’s important right now...” I gulped when I heard that, my ears flattened and I turned slowly to see Twilight once again. “Right, now I must need those spells!”

“AHHH!” I leaped up over Twilight as she dived at me, leaving her lying dazed from the impact into the gold. “Sparkle, cut this out! You’re going completely ins... Ah!” I dodged a cage falling right where I was. I stared at it seeing the purple magic, then turn to see Twilight holding up two more gold cages. “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Vinyl there’s nowhere to go!” I turned around to see the entrance was blocked off by a mountain of gold. “Now tell me your spells!”

“Never!” I dodged the cages falling at me, I knew she was crazy, but this was beyond crazy!

“You will tell me the spell to guide those out of the Mists of Misdirection! You will!” She yelled out at me and I saw it a flash of sapphire blue in her eyes for a split second.

My eyes must be playing tricks. It must be... “Twilight! What the hay’s gotten into you!? This isn't you! Look at what you’re doing!”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “I know perfectly well what I am doing Vinyl Scratch!”

“You’re not Twilight! You’re that fear pony! The one from the pitch black!” I yelled at her, lowering my glasses. “Sorry Twi but I got to do this!” I ran right at her and tackled her. Using my magic we teleported into the Golden Oak Library with a thud.

“You think doing this is going to help! I will take you and get...”

I had to do something fast, I zapped her with the dream walking spell, hitting her right in the face. “AHHHHH!” She fell over and next thing I knew I was in pitch black.

“Well done...” I turned to see a pure black pony, the outline was shadowy at most. “It seems you’ve caught up to me. It’s been too long since I was able to see the outside world.”

“You’re that crazy fear pony!” I sneered at her.

“Indeed I am, The Pony of Fear... I had so much power! So much fear I fed on! But Harmony ruined it all by trapping me in that cursed place!” She sneered at me.

“Good for you! Now you can stay there for another 1000 years or so!” I spat at her.

“Oh I won't for long, but you won't remember this encounter. You’ve won for now and I put my hoof down to you. I won't be able to do this again, but I have other ideas how. This has been the closest I’ve ever gotten to getting out of this prison Harmony Rose placed me in. I have some beings that have been fooled by my graceful hoof to aid me in my escape. But you can't remember any of this, not after I wipe your mind completely clean of everything you have and had! You won’t even remember your own name!” She grinned darkly and I felt her magic at work, my memories started to fog up.

I was trying to fight her magic, but it was so strong... I couldn't hold out much longer...

The only thing I could think of to get away from this monster was one pony... Octavia

FLASH!

Suddenly I was falling, right towards Octavia. How did I get here? I was teleporting away from Twilight, I think!

She wasn't happy at all... “Hehe... Hey Tavi, hope you don't mind me dropping in like this?”

“Vinyl! What the hay are you doing!? She snapped at me. “And did you just teleport!? When did you learn that!?” Octavia yelled out at me. Opps I didn't tell her that. Hehe my bad...

But one thing that was going around in my head was... Why was I so relieved to see Tavi? Why did I just feel that I had just made the grandest escape ever, but why would I be trying to escape from Twilight? She’s my friend. Man, this was so confusing... I remembered being in the Crystal Empire talking to Shining Armor about her but what else was I missing?

I got off Tavi “Oh it’s a little something I’ve kept hidden, and for good reason too.”

“It had better be a good reason; this party has only just started and you are already crashing it!” Octavia tapped her hoof firmly against my chest. Boy this is going to be a long night, but a fun one from the look of things, seeing this awesome party and that’s when I knew what I would be doing next...

Our talk lead to me playing… the accordion. Why did it have to be the accordion, I hate that thing. Oh well, it could be worse. I decided to start it off, making the best of this less than preferable situation!

The ponies began dancing enjoying the music. Heh, I guess good things come to those that drop in, hay? “Don't you think?” I winked behind my shades.

“Who are you talking to Vinyl?” Tavi tilted her head to me as we played.

“Oh just bunch of fans.” I whispered with a snicker and got a shake of the head. I just smirked and continue to play the music on this accordion, enjoying the party I just crashed.

Chapter 19: The Dark Truth

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 19: The Dark Truth

“Twi, ya in here?”

I could just make out Applejack’s voice. My head was pounding. Shadows were flickering behind a crack in the door. My mind was a jumble. I felt dazed, weak, confused....

“I don't think she’s in here Applejack...”

That was Fluttershy. I could barely hear her over the ringing in my ears from... I couldn’t remember. No, wait! I was attacked by… I groaned as a sharp pain pierced through my skull.

“Did ya hear that Fluttershy?”

“Y-yes... It sounded like Twilight. But there’s nothing in her room...”

“Yer right sugarcube. She’s not in here either, but look at all this mess, it looks like something happened in here.”

“Oh my! Do you think something bad happened to her?”

“Maybe... We’d better go and look for her.”

“Gi-Girls... I'm in here...” I cried, just loud enough to catch the attention of the two ponies.

“Twilight?” I heard them both say together and a blinding light flooded into my eyes as the door swung open.

I sighed heavily and opened the door to my room. I’d really ticked Vinyl off this time. I knew she didn’t like the pressure I’d been putting on her about her new spells, but I didn’t think she would teleport just to get away from me. I had no idea where she’d, but it couldn’t have been too far. Even I couldn’t teleport much further than across town.

“Wow, I really messed up this time...” I sighed again, looking out the window. “Ok, from now on I promise to leave Vinyl alone.” I turned to the picture of me and my friends together. “I’m so sorry, I’ve messed up again...”

“Oh, how unfortunate.”

A voice called out. I looked around the room. I was alone. “Wh-Who is there!?”

“Look in the shadows.”

“Huh? Shadows?” I spun around and looked at my shadow projected on the wall. Suddenly, it started to move and grow. I gulped, “my shadow was coming to life!”

A black hoof reached out of the shadow, and peeled itself off the library wall. “No, something is coming out of the shadows! What is that thing!?” I stepped back.

My vision was shrouded in black smoke as shadows swept around me out of the wall and opened the wardrobe door. I aimed my magic and fired a bright beam of purple energy at it. The blast hit the centre of the shadowy mass but simply went through it, exploding against the wall. “Really?” The form moved around, appearing in front of a book shelf. I fired another shot. Books flew across the room but the shadow just broke away, dodging the shot. “Hahaha come on Twilight Sparkle, you can try harder!”

“Gah, what are you!?” I shot more, blasting walls and shelves apart and sending splinters exploding through the air.

I heard the laughter continue and the swirling mist moved in to envelop me. My horn lit up again and I teleported out of the shadow’s clutches. “Behind you.” I shouted at the dark shape.

The figure turned around and I yelped in surprise as I saw it’s face.

“Hello!”

“AHHHH!!” It was me. The face in the shadows was my own, but it was a side of me I constantly struggled to keep buried. It’s eyes were wide open, its mane was a mess and it wore a wide toothy grin! “The crazy me!?” I gulped, backing up. I was overwhelmed. I couldn't move. I was frozen... my magic... nothing would work, my eyes shrunk with fear. I was helpless.

“Oh the fear, how magnificent! This really is a wonderful form.” She chuckled, it was my voice. It couldn’t be! “I wish I could feed on it but sadly this spell of mine only allows me to exist for a short time. Nevertheless, it’s enough for me to get what I need,” She sneered at me.

“N-NO!” I tried to summon my magic, to attack her. I tried to stop her, but the shadow pony fired a magical blast back at me, slicing through mine.

The spell hit me and I felt myself be thrown off my hooves and tossed into the wardrobe like an old, discarded toy as the remaining black mist transformed into ropes, tying me up inside the small, dark cupboard.

She grinned at me with those crazy eyes and for brief moment they flashed a cold, blue sapphire. “Oh don't worry, I won't ruin your image too much. I’ve got a spell to discover.” She smirked at me. “Goodnight Princess Twilight Sparkle. Oh, and thanks for lending me your memories too, I promise I’ll put them back afterwards.” She rolled her eyes. “Not that I have a choice in the matter. Well nighty night!” My vision flashed violet, and then the world went dark.

“Twilight!?” My eyes came into focus and I saw my friends, Applejack and Fluttershy, looking down at me. I couldn't move much. My head was still pounding, although the ringing had died down. I tried to stand up but I realised I was still tied up in my wardrobe by those ropes...

Applejack jumped up on her hind legs and grabbed the ropes in her mouth. She put her front hooves on the wardrobe sides and, groaning with exertion, pulled and tugged at the dark restraints, pulling and pulling until her hoof gave way beneath her and she slipped, falling on her back with a thud. Despite her best efforts the rope had remained firmly tied.

“Darn, those ropes are tough, ah’ve never seen anythin' like them before...”

I tried to use my magic but the ropes glowed and the magical energy in my horn was dissipated away. “I can't use my magic either. The ropes must somehow be absorbing it.”

“Oh my... I’ve never seen magic like that before.” Fluttershy looked at the ropes as they shimmered with black energy. I noticed something in her eyes when she looked one part of the rope. The sun was setting and the light was shining through my window against the ropes. “Is it me, or are the ropes reacting to the light?”

“Yer right, Sugarcube, the sunlight is making them fade away...” With a sharp tug, I pulled my hoof free and soon pulled the rest of my legs free as the rope tore to pieces, dissolving into a black vapour before vanishing. I pulled myself up onto all four hooves, shaking myself free from the last strands of the rope. “Yer ok?”

“Now I am.”I looked at the remainder of the rope, slowly fading into a black cloud. “But if she used shadows to make this, then why wasn’t she affected by the sun light?”

The two girls shrugged. “I don't know Twilight, but...”

I saw the moon and it was the connection I needed, “I’ve got it!” I yelled out, making Fluttershy yelp as I landed on her hoof. “I am sorry Fluttershy, I know what freed me.” I quickly took the rope, placing it in a saddle bag.

“Please tell.” Applejack replied.

I turned to the window, pointing up into the sky. “At the very last moment of the day, the sun and moon share the sky for a few seconds. The combined light must of countered whatever magic was used to make this rope.” I put the saddle bag on as the girls turned back to me.

“Yer just guessin' aren't ya?”

I nodded sheepishly. “Sadly yes... I’m only guessing from what I saw. I still don't understand this magic, it was very dark and scared me to the core.” I shuddered at the thought it. “But we’ve got no time to waste!” I quickly flew up to a window, struggling to take off.

“Where are you going?” Fluttershy asked me.

I turned to them. “I’ve got to get to Canterlot and tell the Princesses what has happened to me right away! Who knows what that crazy me has done to Vinyl!”

“ Then we will come with ya!” Applejack stepped up to me as I open the window with my magic.

“There’s no time, girls this is important, I need to tell Princess Celestia what has happened. The next train isn’t until the morning. Don't worry, I’ll be safe.” I struggled to keep airborne but I knew what I had to do.

“Ok Twilight. Be safe ok?” Fluttershy said with concern.

I was still feeling weak from my ordeal with that shadow version of myself, but I couldn’t let Fluttershy know that. “I will be, don't worry girls.” I flew out of the window into the newly formed night sky. “I hope...” I whispered, knowing very well that I was pushing my limits, but with Spike at Canterlot I had no choice but to take this course of action, there was no time for waiting for a train...

Celestia's POV

Big Macintosh tucked in the children, they had all played their hearts out at the party and were exhausted. It always amazed me how gentle this large work stallion was as he put the covers over all of them, he had left them when they fell asleep. I smiled at how cute and peaceful they looked when they weren’t causing trouble.

Big Macintosh left the room, closing the door quietly behind him before looking at me. “I Hope they sleep well tonight,” I whispered.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac replied in his usual calm manner and we walked down the hallway together. I had left Luna's guard, Night Spark in front of the door, just so Big Mac wouldn't worry for the children's safety or that they would try to wander off.

“If you would care to follow me, it’s time for you to know the truth.” I whispered to him as I lead him to the hallway of the windows that displayed the most important parts of our history. He gracefully nodded to me in silence and followed me. Upon entering the hall I turned to the guards, “please close the doors behind us, no pony is to enter until I say otherwise.”

“Yes your highness!” Bronze Shield replied, he was a brown unicorn who had been one of my loyal guards for a long time, he never really took charge, he was just happy to guard this part of the palace.

Upon closing the door I lead Big Macintosh to the end of the hall to a wall. “What I am about to show you stays behind these doors. Nopony, not even your sister can know about this except for one of two conditions, the first being we decide tell somepony about this. The second being that something happens that will lead to this to be told, not before that.” I turned to him, staring at him with all seriousness. “Do I make myself clear, Big Macintosh Apple.”

“Eeyup.” He bow slightly to me and I believed that his word was solid.

He stood back up and I turned to the wall. “Very well.” I used my magic to open it up to find my sister Luna standing there, talking with Vinyl Scratch.

“And that’s how I got my cutie mark by playing that thing...” Vinyl said with a smirk. “It’s kinda wacky compared to what I do now but in all hindsight, it was a special day, even if it annoyed the heck out of the pony who I took it from.” She chuckled and turned to see us. “About time you two got here. I was running out of things to tell Princess Luna here.”

Big Mac gave me a particularly disapproving look. “Princess, yer never told me there’d be another pony here...”

“Big Macintosh, the reason Vinyl Scratch is the same reason that you are here. You want the truth, she knows about the pony in question.” I turned to Vinyl. “Am I correct?”

I closed the wall up behind us as we entered, lighting up the candles in the room with a simple spell. “Sure are Celestia, in fact, I met that pony in my dreams.”

“Indeed...” Luna didn't seem to happy by this, I knew how she felt. She had the chance to see that pony again and it had slipped by Luna.

Big Macintosh looked up at the stain glass windows, looking at each of three. He stopped directly at the middle one. “That must be Armour McApple... Ah heard Zaps say his name in his sleep. He looks almost identical to me in every way, apart from the eye colour and cutie mark. We must be related some way.”

Perhaps there was a blood line leading from all the way back then. Maybe some of the ponies did escape. “It seems that way Big Macintosh, take a look at the cutie mark symbols on the glass.”

Big Macintosh looked at it and his eyes widened in shock, he looked back at me. “Th-that’s ya Princess!”

“Indeed it is, I went by the name of Sunny Day back then. I was just a plain old Unicorn like Vinyl here, so was Luna, her name was Nighty and she was just a filly.” I summoned my magic and a clouded image of the both of us appeared in the air in front of them.

“Whoa Luna! You look so cute and adorable!” Vinyl snickered, then she noticed at the flank. “Whoa! No way you didn't have a Cutie Mark!?”

“That is true... I did not.” Luna answered slowly. “But before we arrived at the Kingdom of Harmony, trying to escape Discord's chaotic magic with a few other ponies, the Mist of Misdirection had a strange effect on us both. We lost our alicorn magic, including our wings and we were also reduced in age. I became a very young filly, perhaps only nine or ten years old, while Celestia was a young mare.” Luna explained to them.

I looked at the first window. “That is when we arrived in the Kingdom of Harmony and met Harmony Rose and the other two pony leaders of the small kingdom: Steadfast Blitz was the dark blue pegasus stallion standing beside her and the amber Earth Pony stallion was named Root Goodness. They stood as the leaders of a small Kingdom united by the union of three kinds of ponies, they were around the seventh or eighth generation since the founding of the Kingdom,” I explained, showing them images of the three ponies with my magic.

“Harmony Rose had two sons, a young stallion, Armour McApple and a colt of around the same age as me. You know him as Zaps...”

Luna was cut off by Big Macitosh's shocked reaction. “What!? That’s not possible! Zaps is only a colt! Ah cannot see mah little brother bein' from this kingdom! It’s completely impossible!”

Luna sighed and so did I. “Hey, let them finish...” Vinyl nudged him.

“Fine...” He said in an unpleased voice towards us.

Luna continued to speak. “We wish we could tell you his true name but it’s best not.”

“Why?” Vinyl asked.

“Because, my little pony, Zaps isn't the same pony today as he was back then. The effects of his life since leaving the Everfree Forest have impacted not only him, but the lives of everypony around him. By revealing his true name and bringing back the past events in such a way we could poorly effect Zaps’s well being. We want him to have a normal young life with the Apples.” I explained to Vinyl, looking at Big Macintosh as I spoke every word.

Big Macintosh look at the second glass again. “Yer got married in this one?” I nodded. “That would mean Zaps is yer brother in law.”

Vinyl took off her glasses hearing this with a dumbfounded look. “Whoa that is big! No wonder you want to keep this wrapped up! But why have Big Macintosh and Applejack sign those papers? Couldn't you two, you know take care of him? He is your brother, after all!”

“We wish that were true...” Luna looked at the last glass window. “I still see parts of him in Zaps and sometimes I even think that he recognises us, but I’m just fooling myself. He doesn’t truly remember us. If we told him his brother married Celestia over 1000 years ago how do think Zaps would react? That foal is damaged enough as it is; telling him that he has been lost in time for over a millenium isn’t going to help anything.” Luna snapped at the unicorn. It wasn’t like Luna to speak so harshly to somepony, but I knew how much this hurt her.

Big Macintosh looked at the last glass window. “Somethin' bad happened to the Kingdom didn't it? Somethin' yer try to forget. If ah was in his horseshoes and learned this ah would be overwhelmed, scared, confused and would most likely lash out. Ah believe the princesses did the right thing by leavin' him in our care. Not just for his own safety but for his own well bein' as well.”

“That is true.” I replied. “That day hurt us more than Discord, more than Sombra, even more than imprisoning my own sister in the moon...” I stared at the crystal in the display, a tear dropped from my eye onto the glass case. “The day she came… Was the day the worst possible thing that fear can create appeared...”

“Princess Luna! Princess Celestia!” We all heard Twilight's voice.

“Oh no...” Vinyl put a hoof to her head. “Not her!”

“Where are you!? This is urgent! Really urgent!” We listened to Twilight from beyond the hidden wall. “I know you’re here somewhere! The guards said you entered and there’s no way out! Unless you teleported or smashed a window!” We listened to her hoof steps moving back and forwards down the hallway. “I was attacked by some crazy pony in the shadows! She used some spell to create a crazy version of me to get to Vinyl for one of her new spells!”

Vinyl look up at me, concerned. I knew the pony Twilight was speaking of, and it brought dread to me instantly. “Princess you don't look to hot...”

“I'm not...” I used my magic to open the wall. Twilight spun around and faced us directly. “Twilight enter now!” I said firmly, she gulped and entered. I closed the wall up behind her.

Twilight looked at each of us and then the glass windows. “Whoa! What is this place? Why is it hidden?”

“Twilight... The pony that attacked you? Did it have cold sapphire, pulsing, glowing eyes? I need to know right away.”

Twilight shuddered as I asked the question. I didn't need an answer. “Y-yes... She brought fear to me like I’ve never felt before! I was terrified of her! Really really scared! I couldn't move a muscle!”

“The Pony of Fear,” Luna whispered. She knew who Twilight was talking about too. “So she finally es...”

“No she haven't escaped, whoever she is. The spell was a one off, she told me so herself and as creepy as that pony was, I don’t think she was lying.” Twilight interrupted.

“Yes that is true.” I replied. “It is not in her nature to lie. The pony you saw has a name that has a meaning of fear like no other. She is the most cold and uncaring pony you will ever meet. Uttering her name is dread in itself.”

“Triskaide,” I announced. A cold blast of wind blew through the closed room and all the candles flickered out.

While I relit the candles, Big Mac, Vinyl and Twilight all huddled close to Luna, shivering in fear. “Sister! That name is forbidden for a reason!” Luna snapped at me.

“They needed to know.” I replied, coldly. “She took away what really mattered to us. We lived a happy, simple life in the Kingdom of Harmony. I was married to a wonderful stallion. It was our life Luna! Do not forget our brother. You shared countless evenings gazing at the stars within the castle tower of Starswirl’s study. She took that away from us.”

“Whoa wait a second! Did you say MARRIED!? As in married, married!?” Twilight screeched. “You, Princess Celestia was married!?”

“Yes I was...” I replied looking to the second window. “We lived in the kingdom for five years before I finally made my mind up and accepted Armour McApple's proposal in marriage.”

“Sister, I believe it would best to show them.” Luna suggested.

“Yes, of course.” I summoned my magic and projected myself into their minds. In a flash they had witnessed my marriage to Armour McApple. In an instant they had watched the happiest day of my life. “I was just a unicorn. I didn’t control the sun as I do today. A simple unicorn. I lost my alicorn powers and changed my name to Sunny Day and Luna’s to Nighty.” I explained to them.

“Wow...” Twilight whispered. “Wait...” She turn to Zaps. “Th-that’s Zaps!? Are you telling me that the young colt Applejack took in is the same one from here!? But th-that...” Twilight mane frazzled and she wavered as her mind’s attempts to make sense of it overwhelmed the young alicorn.

Luna put a hoof to Twilight. “Twilight, breathe, before you pass out.”

Big Macintosh stared at her. “Ah find it hard to believe as well, but ah will continue to call him mah little brother.”

“B-But this doesn't make any sense! How can he be still a colt!?”

“That is something we can't answer.” I replied. “Last time we saw him was on the edges of the Mist of Misdirection.” I closed my eyes in pain, remembering that very last day... The day our happiness was torn away.

I showed them more my memories. I wished for them to see it. I had to show them and Luna helped me. I felt her magic as we showed these three ponies the final days of the Kingdom of Harmony, the day it was all taken away...

My love, our family, our mother... Our beloved home...

Chapter 20: The Fall of Harmony

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 20: The Fall of Harmony

“Where are we?” Twilight asked. After I had cast the spell, the canterlot castle had disappeared and we had reemerged together within a land of fog, walking towards the place where they would witness the events that my sister Luna and I had, for so long, tried to forget. “Princess...”

Eventually we approached some steps leading to an ancient, stone tower. We walked under the archway that formed the entrance into a large, circular room housing a grand, ornate fountain. The walls of the room were lined with five mirrors.

Finally I addressed Twilight. “We are between dreams, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Luna has brought our consciousness to these plains, your bodies are still where they were, just asleep like us, when we awake morning shall come.”

“I don't understand though, why are we here?” Twilight asked, pacing around the room.

Big Macintosh, meanwhile, was stood in front of one of the mirrors, staring in shock at what he saw in the glass screen. “Why am ah seein' mahself with a black mane and tail? And what’s happened to mah cutie mark? It’s turned into a shield star and zap apple.”

Luna stood behind him; her own reflection remained unchanged in the mirror. “That, Big Macintosh is what you’re going to look like when experiencing the events. This spell doesn’t simply allow you to observe the events, but places you into the memory, allowing you to be a part of it. You will all be playing the roles of three ponies in the town. You, Big Macintosh will be playing the role of Armour McApple.”

Big Macintosh gulped at that and nervously glanced up at me. “But wasn't he yer...”

“Yes he was. You will be playing the role of my husband.” I answered, calmly. “As you can see in this mirror, I looked very different then. I spent seven years without my wings in this kingdom, and I grew to love it as my own home.” In the mirror behind me was the reflection of the white unicorn with soft pink mane and tail.

Twilight looked at the mirror reflections of both of us. “Amazing, so we get to roleplay the events of the past, just like in the Hearth’s Warming Eve play, but instead of just pretending we will actually living out this last day as if we really were them.” Twilight was virtually jumping up with excitement as she looked up at me. “Celestia, I’ve never seen magic like this. I’ve never read about it either...”

Luna stood before her mirror, looking at the unicorn filly. “Starswirl created the spell. He insisted that we were the only ones to know about it. The improper actions of those who take part in a memory could alter the outcome of an event, potentially changing the memories of the pony to whom they belong. For this reason, the spellcaster has an incredible amount of power over the dreamer.”

“I see...” Twilight replied thoughtfully, before gasping loudly as she noticed her own reflection in the mirror. “No way! I'm Clover the Clever!” She shrieked. “Are you telling me that she and Starswirl were both was with you when you were escaping Discord!?”

“Yes she was. And you’ll be with Starswirl quite a bit on this final day. Just remember to try and keep to the role of his apprentice Clover.” I warned her, looking the reflection in Vinyl’s mirror.

Vinyl stared at her with a frown. “Liking the crazy mane and tail style she’s got going there but what’s with the glasses? They’re dreadful. They make her look, well, nerdier and far too serious...”

“Oh.” Luna giggled. “That’s Treasured Note, she’s a piano player and music writer, just to warn you though, she was a perfectionist to the extreme, as well as a terrible joker. The dreamscape will help you adopt the personalities of your roles to an extent, but you will all have to remember to stay in character.”

“I'll take that as warning...” Vinyl muttered, looking at the brown unicorn with the blonde mane and tail with blue highlights running through it and a cutie mark of two musical notes.

“Ah don't like the idea of bein' Armour, Princess. No disrespect, but ah don't see why ah have to be him.” Big Macintosh turned to me.

I put a hoof under his snout, looking at him in the eyes. “I know how you feel, Big Macintosh. But Zaps will be there and so will Harmony Rose. We want to ensure that his true name remains hidden so he will be called Zaps in dreamscape. Will you do this, at least to understand why we don't want Zaps to know his true past?”

“Very well Princess, ah will do it.” Big Macintosh stepped back. “For mah family at least.”

“Thank you, that is all I ask of you.” I turned to everypony in the room. “Now are you all ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Vinyl grimaced.

“I think so.” Twilight nodded in reply. “Now what happens?”

Luna smirked. “Simply step through the mirrors,” she instructed before stepping through the shimmering glass pan herself. The others followed soon afterwards, until I stood alone in the ancient room. I turned to face my mirror and sighed.

“The pain I felt that day will be felt again...” A few tears fell from my face as I stepped through my mirror and the sequence events started to play out from dawn...

Clover the Clever

“Clover...” I heard an elderly voice gasp. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a little stiff and groaned. “Were you working all night again, Clover?” I gazed at the pony whose voice I could hear speaking to me, I couldn't believe my eyes.

“S-Starswirl?” I whispered, rubbing my eyes a little.

He chuckled softly, using his magic to pick up some of the books. “My dear Clover, good morning to you.” Starswirl wasn't wearing his famous attire, but he was just as impressive as I had always imagined. “I see you managed to get almost everything packed. It’s a good thing you did too, my young apprentice...”

“Starswirl, what’s the matter?” I got up. “Did something happen?”

“No.” He slowly moved over to the stone window overlooking the small town and the colourful glow from the zap apples ready for harvest. “I should have told you the truth about why we are packing all of my books, my scrolls, my robe... Everything...” He put his hooves on the window edge. “Last week Harmony Rose received a disturbing message from... herself.”

I gasped. “She used your one use time travelling spell!?” I shrieked.

He turned to me with an amused smile on his face, rubbing his hoof gently through his bread. “It seems somepony has been looking through my spells again.”

“Hehe sorry. I just got curious, that’s all.” I stood by him, looking out the window. “Was it really that bad?”

“Yes, I can't lie to you Clover. I wish there was better news. Today darkness will fall upon the kingdom and the only chance of getting out of this is for you and the others to go without me.” Starswirl pushed her off, walking down the corridor. “I am glad you did all the work.”

“Starswirl you can't be serious!? What darkness? What do you mean ‘go without you’!?” I demanded, running after him down the stairs.

Suddenly he stopped and turned to me with that soft, knowing, look in his eyes. “You’ve been my apprentice for so long, Clover. It’s time for you to take what I have and make it into something that is yours. I only wish we had more time... I have almost completed my masterpiece spell. It’s just missing something but I couldn't quite figure it out. If I had time I would be able to perfect it. But I don't.”

“Starswirl, please tell me. What are you going to do?” I rushed past him and blocked off the corridor, stopping him in his tracks.

Starswirl sighed and laboriously removed a carefully bound scroll from one of his bags. It contained an assortment of magical letters, but I couldn’t make out their meaning. “This is the last spell I will ever create, it can only be used once before it burns up. I intend cast it on you, Zaps, Celestia and Luna to take you to safety along with all my spells and books. I need to know they are safe when you all escape her...”

“Escape who?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes...”

“Then trust me when I say this, I am not going to give the Pony of Fear a chance to get her hooves on the only family I knew. I will use every last inch of my magic to defend you and the others. That is why I created this spell. It is the only way to save you and the others.” He put his hooves on my shoulders, looking deep into my eyes.

“Now let’s enjoy the last day of this beautiful kingdom and make the most of it. We owe it to them all. I might be old but this land has given me so much life, I cannot allow even the most terrible of evils to taint these ponies’ festival. Will you do that for me?” I nodded slowly and He hugged me tightly, his white beard brushed softly against my cheek and I hugged him back. I couldn't believe it! I was hugging him! This was so awesome! SO...

I saw his eyes close and tears run over a grateful smile. This old unicorn knew his time was numbered by the hours.
“Yes Starswirl. Yes I will.”

“Thank you Clover...” This was so unreal. He knew what was going to happen and knew he was powerless to stop it. All he could do was make this day mean something.

I put my hoof out towards the stone stairs. “Shall we go and help with the harvest?”

“Yes let’s.”

I smiled and made my way down with Starswirl.

Armour McApple

Last thin' ah remember was walkin' through the mirror of the reflection of the stallion and next thin’ ah knew, I woke up in a strange bed in a room with a tall, white unicorn mare looking out of the window. “Morning Armour, it’s really beautiful today isn't it?”

Ah got up out of bed, a strange stallion looked back at me in the mirror. Out of the window the zap apples sprin' was comin' to life. “Eeyup. It sure is P...”

“Sunny Day.” She whispered to me. “Re...”

“Hey no fair! We got you breakfast!” We both turned and ah saw him. Zaps had run in with Nighty who was her usin' her magic to hold up a metal tray of hot tea and sliced zap apples and carrots. “Come on! Why did you two have to be up early for once!” Zaps complained, makin’ me laugh a little.

“Yeah we even picked some of the zap apples and cut them up!” Nighty chimed in.

They place it on the table and ah look at the zap apple with some concern, ah’d never been able to eat them as they are, ah tried once, but never again. “Big brother, are you ok? You never look at food that long without eating it.”

“Of course. Ah just woke up, that’s all.” Ah took one with my hoof and took a bite it. Instantly my eyes lit up with all the flavour, it was amazin'. “This is the best ah’ve ever tasted!”

“Yay! I told you picking from the tree I helped water was a good idea!” Zaps turned to Nighty and grinned.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, you were right.” She looked at Sunny Day. “Are we helping with the harvest, sister?”

“Of course we are, Nighty. We’ve been family for two years and I think today marks a special day, don't you, Armour?” Ah turn to her with a smile and nodded. “Well, go and eat your own breakfast kids, I am sure Har... I mean mother will have it all ready for you.”

“That’s right! Race you!” Zaps ran out of the room.

“Hey, no fair!” Nighty chased after Zaps.

Ah drunk some of the tea and found it strangely refreshin' too. “Ah have to say, this food and drink is the best ah ever had.”

“It would be” Sunny Day raised one of the zap apple slices with her magic and ate it.

“I see you two got the royal breakfast.” We turned and mah eyes met Harmony Rose's ah felt mah heart skip. The orange unicorn had a red and yellow mane and tail, if she had her horn removed and the cutie mark of... “Son are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

Ah shook my head a little and got mah senses back. “Ah'm ok m-mother. Just feelin'...”

“I knew I shouldn't of told you what was going to happen...” Harmony Rose muttered as ah watched her step into the room. “Son, you haven't told Zaps have you?”

“Nnope.”

She smiled with relief. “That is graceful of you Armour McApple, I know how hard it has been to keep quiet for this week but today will be the last day we are all together as a family and I want it to be the best...” She turned to Sunny Day. “You are still keeping your promise to make sure Zaps gets what he needs?”

“Yes, we are his brother after all. Both my sister and I will do all we can to give him the best life possible.” Sunny Day put a hoof to Harmony Rose. “You have my word.”

“That all I needed to hear. Thank you” Harmony Rose smiled. “Now why don't we join the children and have a nice family breakfast?” She picked up our tray of food and led us away from the bedroom.

We soon found ourselves, not entirely willingly, sat at a large wooden table. A small vase of brightly coloured flowers sat in the middle of the table, on top of the white, frilly tablecloth. However, the one thin' that stuck out for me was the paintin' of Zaps hangin' over the fireplace, between the paintin's of Armour McApple with Sunny Day on their weddin' day and the whole family sat together.

“Two years ago. Where has all the time gone?” Harmony smiled, lookin' at us all. “Here, with a family whom I love to my very core and my wonderful children.” She said warmly, raisin' her cup. “To family and to forever be together, no matter what happens.”

“To family!” We all said together.

Zaps was drinkin' his juice when he put the cup down, lookin' at me. “Big brother, is everypony going to be helping today?”

“Ah believe so, it is Harmony Harvest today afterall.”

Hmm? How did ah know that? Celestia said ah would have some help in playin' Armour McApple's role in this dream. I suppose that must have told me.

“Eeyup. Everypony’ll be helpin’ today.”

“Cool!” Zaps looked very happy and could understand why. This kingdom maybe small but, like the Apple family, it had a big heart, and ah knew they were very close, even if they weren’t related.

“Indeed, it’s an extra special day.” Harmony picked Zaps up with her magic and hugged him. “Since it’s also your birthday.” She announced and started nuzzlin' him.

“Hehe stop mother! That tickles! Hhahaha!”

She lowered him back into his chair and ah stared at the reflection in the tea. “Feels almost like home...” Ah whispered.

As ah drunk a little of the tea, Harmony Rose leaned down and whispered to me, “Indeed, Big Macintosh Apple.” Shocked, ah spat out mah tea into Sunny... Celestia's face. Harmony Rose was laughin' and so was every other pony part from erm...

“Erm... Sunny, why are ya grinnin' like that?” Ah watched her raise a jug of water, starin' right at me. “AH!” Ah leaped away as a sudden jet of water was fired at me.

I scrambled under the table as Sunny Day fired more water at me. “Get back here and fight like a guard!” She screamed as she chased after me. Ah dodged and tried to run from her relentless spray of water. The others didn't help one bit, they just continued to laugh at mah demise from the onslaught from Celestia!

Treasured Note

I woke up to the sound of something very loud dropping. I opened my eyes to find myself resting on a desk with a sharp pain in my head and a strange brown hoof in front of my eyes. It soon became apparent that this hoof was mine and I remembered what had happened.

Why did I have to be this unicorn? She was so nerdy and uncool, her messy blond hair fell over my right eye; with a blow it moved out of my view and I noticed my vision wasn't perfect too. Great, this mare Treasured Note didn't have good eyesight either.

Eventually, I found the glasses and placed them over my eyes. I blinked as the vision cleared to see three ponies standing around me. “Working all night again, Treasured?” The pink unicorn mare said. Her mane and tail were completely green apart from a red stripe running down the right side and her cutie mark was a spinning line with two musical notes twisted into it.

The other two ponies, one mare and one stallion, were exactly the same colour, a shade of purple. The stallion was a Pegasus and his sister was a smaller Earth Pony. They had similar red, blue and white manes and their cutie marks were four musical notes, each with half a shield behind which, when placed together, looked completed. Somehow I knew each of their names though.

Looty Lute was the one that had spoken to me first and the other two were the twins Keen Sway and Shimmer Echo. “Yep I was Looty Lute.” I smirked. “What can I say dude? Got to make this music awesome, right?”

“Always...” Keen Sway began.

“The same.” His twin, Shimmer Echo, finished.

Looty raised a glass up to her snout and suspiciously sniffed the contents, before taking a small sip. “Gah! Treasured! More of this gross stuff!” I watched her try desperately to get the taste off her tongue, even going so far as to use her front hooves to physically rub the taste off.

I couldn't help but laugh how silly she looked. “Not my problem, Looty. I like the stuff.” I took the glass off her with my magic and downed the contents in one. “Hmm not bad. Man, this stuff is sweet.”

Keen Sway rolled his eyes. “Only you like that stuff TN. Have you finished the lyrics yet?”

“Were playing for the harvest today. You’d better have finished it.” Shimmer Echo threatened, frantically sorting through the mess of sheets on the table, looking at them in her hooves. “It’s not finished! Treasured Note! You always finish it!”

“Let me see!” Keen Sway took them from his sister. “TN! This isn't like you at all, you always make it perfect!”

I smirked crossing my forelegs. “You know what?”

“What?” They all asked in unison.

“Let’s wing it!”

Looty Lute tilted her head, looking at what had been done so far and used her magic to lift the sheets up as I watched with a smirk still on my snout. “You know what, Treasured Note? I think we might just about manage that. We’ve got enough to start it off and get into the rhythm, we should be alright from there.”

“Now you’re getting it dude.” I slapped my hoof against her foreleg.

“But first...” Looty Lute turned to the other two ponies. With a nod from her they took me by the forelegs, dragging me away.

I was struggling and next thing I knew Looty Lute was standing by a rope. I felt a cold droplet hit my snout and I looked up and gasped. Directly over my head was hung a bucket of cold water over some sort of shower head funnel. “Oh buck!”

“Let go!” I ordered and they let go of me. Unfortunately Looty Lute also let go of the rope and I yelped as the freezing cold water rushed over me. If it weren’t for the promise I made to the Princesses that i would stay in my role I would have left those crazy ponies right there.

“Ahhh! That’s bucking freezing!” I leap away, dripping with freezing cold water as they laughed at my expense. “What the heck!? Man, that is so uncool!”

“It was just your wake up call, that sugar refreshment thing you drink always leaves you cranky and we need our lead pianist at top form today for Harmony Harvest!” Looty Lute nudged me.

I scowled and shook off the water over them. “Now I feel better.” I smirked and we laughed again.

A shimmer of light caught our eyes and the twins were at the window. “It’s time!” Keen Sway declared.

Once again, his sister Shimmer Echo spoke after him. “And we need to get ready for our performance!”

“Come on!”

“Let’s go!”

I quickly gathered the papers together, putting them into order and frowned a little as they all left ahead of me. There was a zap apple on the table side that they must have brought in;curious, I picked it up to me and took a bite. “Not bad, I guess the ponies in the kingdom could eat them.”

Around the room was a selection of sheet music, neatly piled up. “Tavi. Now I know how you feel being in your band and you know what? It’s awesome!”

I darted out the door, running after the other three ponies. I was going to have to play that piano. I just hoped Celestia had given me some of TN’s knowledge to fit my role in this crazy dream!

Sunny Day

The stage was set for the event after the harvest and Treasured Note and the other musical ponies of this town had gathered with their instruments. Harmony Rose stood with them on stage as she used her magic to speak to us all.

“Hello everypony! I am happy to see you out and ready for the harvest. Most of you already know what I have been telling you each and everyday. We are going to make this the best day we have ever had! We will have fun, sing and enjoy being friends and family! We are the ponies of the Kingdom of Harmony!” A huge cheer erupted from the crowd with hooves beating on the ground. Harmony Rose paused to let the cheers die down.

“We are the Ponies of Harmony! And we today we shall prove this more than ever before! Together we are strong and today we will show that!” The other two ponies stood with her and using the magic shot a beam of rainbow energy into the sky which exploded into fireworks of light as the whole kingdom of ponies cheered with delight at the display.

It was just as I had remembered. My mother, Harmony Rose, cheering everypony up those last hours to come. Of course they knew the truth, that most of this harvest would go to waste, that this was their last day in their little kingdom. At least, they all knew except for Zaps, Harmony Rose wanted to keep him smiling and happy as long as possible. She just couldn’t face seeing him sad.

“Alright everypony let’s get this harvest on the road! Make this day perfect!” She turned to Treasured and said two words. “Hit it!”

The music started to play as she hit the keys on the piano, Harmony Rose and I used the magic to increase the sound and bellow it out throughout the whole kingdom as Looty Lute playing strumming her lute, Keen Sway played the violin and Shimmer Echo sung over her harp. The four performers playing signalled the beginning of the best part of my life, I turned to Armour McApple with a mischievous smile.

“You know? They need a soft and deep voice to sing this, care to sing with me?” I put my hoof out.

He took one look at Zaps and then at me. “Eeyup!” He placed his hoof on mine.

Together we marched down the path to the first set of zap apple trees and in a clear bass voice, Big Mac began to sing.
For five days we wait
We wait for the fruit
The fruit that brought the kingdom together
On this day we harvest together
Harvest the fruit, not divided
But as one united in harmony

Armour McApple stood in front of the old forest, holding a hoof out as he sung to the crowd of ponies.

Together we march for a common course
Harvest the apples of Harmony
With one day to pick
We must work together
Before they vanish on setting sun

Working together as he continued, they started to buck, pick and pull the zap apples down one by one with others catching them in their magic or with baskets set below.

Pick, buck and pull
Together we united
The Ponies of Harmony
Together we work as friends and family.

A few ponies stood together, singing out together about their three kinds of pony. With others joining as they continued their work harvesting the zap apples from each tree. Others took it the carts filled with baskets, three types of ponies pulling along together.

Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns
united together, one and the same
Together and forever
We are the ponies of harmony

Kingdom of Harmony
We are united, harvest together
We are one and the same
We are ponies to the core

Holding up a zap apple, I began to sing with a soft smile, looking at the kingdom around her, it was her home and everypony working together made her feel happy.

This day fills us with cheer
The day we are together
Fun and happiness fills our hearts
As I watch and help these amazing ponies

For seven years I’ve called this home
And become part of their family
In the apple harvest
I tread my hooves alongside them

I went down to the orchard to help some of the ponies with picking the fruit and aiding them in carrying it back to the small town where the festival was busily being set up as the band continued to play the music.

Together we pick
Together we Carry
Together we celebrate
Together in the Kingdom Harmony.

I walked back up to the stage. The band was playing and everypony joined in the singing as they worked to harvest the apples and prepare the festival. Star Swirl and Clover were working with those at the festival, setting up tables, ribbons, games and brightly coloured flags.

Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns
united together, one and the same
Together and forever
We are the ponies of harmony

Pick, buck and carry
We help each other
No pony alone on this day
Together in the Kingdom of Harmony

Armour McApple returned from the harvesting and stood by me. Our younger brother and sister sung below us on the ground in front of the stage. The harvest was moving fast, smoothly and everypony was enjoying themselves as they worked on each tree.

Side by side we are together
We enjoy each passing day
None more so then this day
The harvest harmony

Harmony harvest side by side
We work together on this day
We pick the fruit and carry it
Together forever at the home we call
The kingdom of Harmony

The kingdom maybe small
But we all enjoy our days and nights
Everypony together at the Kingdom of Harmony
The Kingdom of Harmony

With the final harvesting completed in record time everypony made their way back to the town, singing together as they carried their loads. Some of the the apples were put away for storage, others were taken to be used for baking goods for the annual Harvest Feast that took place on this day.

We are the of ponies of Harmony!
Today is the harmony harvest
We together can do anything!
We are the ponies of Harmony!

Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns
united together as one and the same
We together and forever
We are the ponies of harmony

Together and forever
We are the ponies of harmony

Together and forever
In the Kingdom of harmony!

The ponies of the town sung by the stage as the last of the notes were played by Treasured Note and her friends as unicorns let loose fireworks with their magic and in the air pegasi performed spectacular flips and twists in the air, much to the enjoyment of the crowd who stamped their hooves in appreciation.

Harmony Rose stood back on stage and addressed the town with a warm smile. “Everypony, you have done a great job! The harvest was completed in record time and the festival looks more magnificent than ever before. I congratulate you all on a supreme job! Once again, we succeed by standing together as we have done for generations since the founding of our kingdom.”

She strode left and right across the stage as she continued to speak to all the ponies before her. “As is our tradition we harvest the apples given to us by this beloved kingdom, over the coming months we will consume the fruits of our labour and shall be closer than ever before. This is the Kingdom of Harmony, our home, the home of all united ponies: Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies alike. We are all ponies to the core and together our kingdom is precious.”

Harmony Rose stood on centre stage with a big warm smile. A bright glow lit up the stage as she used her magic to raise the kingdom's iconic symbol over the heads everypony and place it on top of the fountain.

“This symbol, this mark of our harmonious nation, represents what we can accomplish when we work together as a united kingdom! Now everypony enjoy yourselves! It is time for the festival to begin!” The ponies exploded with cheer as more fireworks shot into the air and the band started playing, signaling the start of the Harmony Harvest Festival celebrations.

Luna

I looked to the sun as the ponies enjoyed the festival, I was playing my role with delight, enjoying every moment that I had with my brother once more, but I stared at him as the ponies around celebrated his birthday during the Harmony Harvest Festival.

“Why today... The day my brother got the gift from me and my sister. It was a perfect day, we were full of joy for him, the last foal of the Kingdom of Harmony. A question that I still ask myself to this day. Why was he the last foal? Why did they stop having children after him?”

“Nighty, thank you for the present! It’s really amazing!” Zaps broke me out of my thoughts and I looked into his eyes. We were the same size, more or less, so I was already at his eye level. Around his neck was the gift we had given him, the crescent and sun pendant. It shimmered with a rainbow crystal forged from the mountains around the castle.

I smiled hugging. “All for my brother.” I whispered with tears falling. “I am so happy that you like it.” I pulled back, wiping the tears away.

“Are you crying? But you’re happy?”

“Yes, I am. We even put a little bit of magic in the crystal for you.” I tapped it with my hoof. “It’s a really special birthday gift from us.”

Zaps turned to Sunny Day, walking up to us. “What sort of magic has it got inside, Sunny?”

Sunny Day glanced over at me before answering him. “Very special magic. The magic of the friendship that bound us together on the first day we arrived, welcomed open hoofed.” Sunny Day told him.

“Magic of friendship huh? That's pretty neat! I like that!” Zaps was bouncing up and down with excitement, making us laugh. The crystal was shimmering with a magical rainbow aura from his joy. We were not only family to him, but also his friend, all around him were his friends, they made him feel so special and...

Me, they made me feel special too...

A guard pony came running up to Harmony Rose. Breathing heavily he wore a worried look on his face. No! It couldn't be that point already. I looked at the Mist of Misdirection, another guard was backing away from a mare with a dark black robe covering her completely. A thick black cloud of magical mist was seeping from her figure with each step. Under her hood were two pale, piercing eyes, eyes that even the Princess of the Night as myself feared...

Those cold sapphire eyes flashed and under her cloak I could even make out a cruel smirk. Harmony Rose was using her magic to call out to all of us. “Everypony run for the castle, now! Get inside!!!!” The ponies quickly turned to flee. “Get our children in there! Protect them!” I felt myself get whipped up by magic from Clover and Starswirl as they ran, Sunny Day and Armour McApple taking Zaps as they rushed for the castle.

We were rushed back to the castle. One of the guards fired a magic beam at the pony but she shielded it with a black shield of mist creating a transparent shield around her and countered with a blast of her own magic sending the guard flying to the ground. The other unicorn with Harmony Rose helped him up onto his hooves and together created a barrier around the town and castle, sealing us off from her.

The darkness finally arrived...

I blinked and found the five of us standing together as our normal selves, not to far from the guard ponies and Harmony Rose. The other two leaders, Steadfast Blitz and Root Goodness, were standing by her as the cloaked pony stepped up to the magical barrier. “This is the beginning...” Celestia spoke.

Twilight clearly felt uneasy, from the look of her, and I couldn't blame her. Even in the dream, the mare was frightening. “Those eyes... They’re filled with so much coldness...” Twilight whispered shuddering at the sight before her.

“Is this how you treat a guest in your lands?” Triskaide spoke with an icy voice as her black clouds of magical energy tried to find a way through the magical barrier.

Harmony Rose was stood calmly on the other side of the barrier. “I was prepared for you Triskaide.” The voice caused many ponies to gulp and shudder at the name when spoken. I know how that felt and why it was forbidden to say it. “I will not let you harm any of my ponies.”

“Not that you have a choice.” Triskaide’s cloak flew away revealing a pure black earth pony, the tendrils of dark magic shrouding her form combined into the shape of a great throne below her. She sat on it and chuckled. “Now let’s see.” She put a hoof out to the magical barrier and a beam of black energy smashed into it, causing the whole thing to ripple outwards from the impact.

Vinyl jumped back as a tree fell over by us. “Whoa, that is some magical blast!” Vinyl dodged another, which fell right on top of me, cutting through my astral form. I stepped through it, walking up to her.

“We’re not really interacting in the dream role at the moment, we’re only watching.” I explained to her calmly.

“Right. That pretty neat.” Vinyl swipe a hoof through a tree. I coughed. “Oh, right!” She turned and we continue to watch.

Harmony Rose stepped back, feeling the pain from the blow. “What’s the matter?” Triskaide mocked. “Is my magic too strong for the great omnipotent Harmony Rose? Let’s increase it, shall we?” Triskaide fired three beams of magical energy at the barrier this time, causing the whole thing to ripple and crack. The whole ground shook from the impact.

A silky vein of dark stabbed into the ground, summoning unicorns out of the black mist magic energy, each of them firing more beams of energy into the shield. More and more appeared with every blast and more magic slammed against the shield. Harmony Rose saw more cracks forming fast and looked to her fellow leaders. “Pull back to the castle!” They nodded, and so did the unicorn guards. They slowly started to step back, using their magic to keep the rapidly shrinking barrier up as long as possible.

The relentless attack by Triskaide showed no sign of stopping as more spectral unicorns were summoned from the black magical cloud. The beams from hundreds of ghostly magical beings crossed, creating a magical blast that tore through the ponies shield. They had no choice by to fall back giving her more and more land.

Triskaide watched with amusement as her black unicorns pushed the barrier back. I wanted to intervene, I wanted to fight back but all I could do was watch this happen. In the castle I could see myself standing at the window Zaps, my sister and Armour McApple, watching with many others as the dark clouds formed, casting shadows over the lands Triskaide took over in mere minutes.

Everything it touched seem to react in fear. Animals panicked and tried to escape it’s influence, hiding in trees and under bushes. Ponies who had failed to get into the castle were frozen in their homes in fear, immobilized by sheer terror of Triskaide.

“I could end this now, Rose, but seeing you struggle is just so much more fun! I love everything about this!” Triskaide chuckled, stepping up to the barrier. “Boys, ease up a little.” The blasts weakened a little. “Now, how long will this barrier last? Minutes? Hours? Shall we find out?”

Harmony Rose glared at her. “You’re cruel, Triskaide.”

Triskaide was floating on a cloud of black magic. “I travel to kingdom to kingdom, I let them grow then bring them down in fear and anger, every kingdom must fall eventually, Rose, whether it is the greatest empire or a quaint little nation like yours. Eventually I will come and tear you to the ground. Harmony can never prevail amongst pony kind.”

She made a crystal ball appear and it showed the fear, anger and hate that long ago manifested itself in the winter storms that divided and starved the three pony kingdoms. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“You’re sick...” Steadfast Blitz stated, staring at it with anger.

Harmony Rose looked over to the castle. “Please hurry Starswirl, get them behind her...” She turned back to the barrier using her magic with the unicorns to hold it up, the other two leaders stood by her, placing their hoof on her’s sharing their strength with her magic, they were all shimmering with magical energy and the shield increased in strength.

“Impressive...” Triskaide leaned forwards, watching them. “Full power!” All the black unicorns stored up their magical energy and fired. The beams smashed into the barrier but it held fast.

“Now I am interested.” She turned into the black magical cloud and engulfed the barrier at every corner trying to break through. “Hahahahaha!”

I was looking around. It was pitch black, I couldn't see a thing, Clover's horn lit up and with help from Starswirl lit up the candles and torches in the castle. It took about ten or so minutes to do so. The barrier still held but everything outside was almost impossible to see. It was completely dark, darker even than my night. Even in my dream I felt very scared looking at that pitch blackness out that windows.

Celestia

I stood by the window with Armour McApple. Zaps was hanging on the window ledge looking out at Harmony Rose. “Is mother going to be ok?”

“I wish I knew, Zaps. The magic she and the others using are quite remarkable, what exactly is it?” I already knew, of course, but I had to keep in role.

Zaps turned to me, letting go and landing on his hooves. “The Magic of Harmony from a tree, I think. Mother calls it the Tree of Harmony, the stories say that the three founders were blessed by the tree and that helped them find this land. They were the ones that created the mist too,” Zaps explained to me. “It’s in the books here in the castle, Nighty and I read them all the time.”

I looked at my sister. “I always believed they were simply tales, I didn't know there was any truth behind the stories.” Nighty shrugged at me.

“That’s it!” Zaps exclaimed. “The Elements of Harmony reside in them! Mother told me last night that I was to tell you that as well! She said that we going on a trip to get the elements and save Equestria!” Zaps beamed and ran off down the hallway. We looked at each other nervously and followed the young colt, I picked up my sister, putting her on my back and galloped after him.

We arrived at a chamber I had never seen before. Three wooden tables had been put together to make up a triangle. I guess this was where they held meetings for the kingdom. Zaps was at the far end of the room, pulling a book out from a hidden panel behind one of the paintings. I took it off him and read the title. “The Tree of Harmony.” Opening the pages, I began reading through the book.

Several hours passed as I poured over the yellowed pages. Finally, I found what I was look for, the Elements of Harmony. “The Elements of Harmony are powerful mythic gems supposedly held within the Tree of Harmony,” I read. “Each element represents one of the various manifestations of the magic of Friendship: Generosity, Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Loyalty. The combined presence of these five elements, along with a presently unknown enchantment, results in the formation of the final, most powerful element of them all: The element of Magic, which takes the form of a six pointed star.”

“Although the actual effects of the elements are purely speculation, it is assumed that their magic could be used the protect the greater realm of Equestria from any foreseeable threat. The symbols of the sun and moon carved into the tree add to the mystery that has surrounded the elements since their existence was first theorised (figure 5).” Included next to the text was a drawing of mine and Luna’s cutie marks.

“It even has the location, sister, we could find them and use them to save Equestria from Discord.” Nighty said with delight.

I looked up at the blackened skies through the windows in the chambers. “If we can get pass that Pony of Fear...”

We could hear music being played and stepped out of the chambers. The band was playing their music in the mane hall, trying to keep everypony relaxed under the stressful conditions we were all under.

Starswirl ran up to us, “There you all are. The spell is ready and so is the wagon, Celestia, Luna? It’s time.”

Zaps looked at us with confusion, so did Armour McApple. “Celestia, Luna? Sunny Day, what’s goin' on?” Armour McApple asked. Big Mac was playing his role well.

I sighed as we all walked with Starswirl. “Armour, my real name is Celestia and Nighty's is Luna. We came here to escape Discord seven years ago with our fellow friends from Equestria. We changed our names to protect ourselves, and you as well.In reality I am an Alicorn, I only became a unicorn when I arrived here, although I could not say why.”

“I can answer that, Celestia. The magical effects of the Mists of Misdirection cause time to move at a different rate to the outside world to us. Seven years in this kingdom could pass as only one or two weeks to the outside world,” Starswirl explained. “In the time we have spent here I discovered that the magic in this pocket of kingdom works differently to that of other kingdoms. It explains how eight generations could have already passed in this kingdom since the founding of Equestria.”

Zaps was rubbing his head a little as we walked. “I don't get it, how can time work differently here to the outside world?”

Starswirl shrugged. “No idea Zaps. I’m only speculating at the moment but when we return, I believe they revert back to their normal age and appearance, as for you Zaps, I do not know what will happen.”

“What do you mean?” Zaps look at us then to him. “Why would that be a problem?”

“You’re going with them, Harmony Rose and Armour McApple won't be able to come, they have to hold her back long enough for you all to escape,” Starswirl explained as we arrived at the hall with the wagon and ponies ready to go.

Zaps look at Armour. “I don't want to go without you brother!”

“Ah know Zaps but this is for the best. Ah’ve got to hold the fort here in the castle, protect everypony from her.” Armour McApple hugged him tightly. “Be safe, ok?”

“Ok big brother...” Zaps wiped his eyes as tears formed and fell. “Please be safe.”

“Ah will.”

Clover step up to us. “We are ready here Starswirl. You’re sure about this?”

Starswirl took the spell. “As I can ever be, I am too old now, it’s time for you all to move on and make a better life.” He put a hoof to her shoulder. “Take care of everything, ok?

“Of course, Starswirl.”

I heard a large thunderous crash, we all turned to the window. The rainbow shield was failing fast. The cracks through it surface were clear to see, even as far away as we were, and with each thunderous crash the barrier weakened even more. “We’re out of time, she’s stepping up her attacks against the barrier, it can’t hold much longer. I knew this Pony of Fear would be strong, but this strong...”

Another bang and we were knocked to the ground by a powerful tremor as the barrier collapsed from the attack. The doors burst open and our worst nightmares stood on the other side. The Pony of Fear strode into the castle, surrounded by a cloud of black magical energy around her, shrouding her features.

“Isn't this a sweet little place? You’re kingdom might be small but it certainly knows how to build a fort. I am impressed.” Ponies backed away in fear as she walked through the door. Only Treasured Note and the other musicians seemed unaffected, continuing to play. “I will enjoy sucking the fear out of every single one of you.” She chuckled.

Starswirl turned to us. “Goodbye and good luck.” He started to cast the spell.

“What do you think you’re doing, old pony?” She launched a beam of magic at him but Armour McApple stepped in the way, taking the hit and flying into the armour displays, causing them to crash to the floor.

“Big brother!” Zaps cried out, trying to get to him but I held him tight. “Let go! He’s hurt!”

“Stupid stallion trying to be the hero. Well, no pony’s going to block me this...” She was cut off by a piano flying through her and smashing into the wall. The cloud of black magic reformed back into her and her sapphire eyes locked on Treasured Note. “That wasn't very nice.”

“Well if I had another I would use that too! You freak!”

Triskaide stepped up to her with a smirk. “Very well, so be it, I don't mind.” The arms of the cloud reached out to Treasured.

“Dude one thing, I was a distraction.”

Her head snapped back to us as the spell was completed. “NO!”

“Goodbye, my friends...” Starswirl spoke out to us and used the spell to teleport us and the wagon right across to the edge of the Mist of Misdirection.

The guard ponies took hold of the wagon and together we all made a break for the Mist of Misdirection. The sound of Triskaide screaming out in rage could be heard in the distance and we could see her black cloud explode out of the castle and charge towards us, those big sapphire eyes shining brightly.

We were just short of the Mist of Misdirection by an orchard. We galloped through the Zap Apple orchard as fast as we could with a wagon full of spells, items and other things that we had to take with us and keep away from her hooves.

I turn and fired a beam of magic at the rapidly approaching cloud but once again it was stopped by a shield. I turned and fired more beams at her, trying to give us more time but it wasn't working. She gained ground on us and aimed a cloud of that black magical aura right for my sister as we had almost reached the border of the Mists of Misdirection. Unfortunately Zaps saw this too. He stopped running and looked at me with a warm smile. “Goodbye sis.” He leapt right into the cloud, shielding Luna from the impact.

We stopped and turned to see him get caught, Luna took his hoof with hers and tried to pull him back, using her magic too. “No Zaps!! Please hold on!” She cried out as she fought against the magic.

“Nighty... I'm sorry! I am sorry! I can't! It’s too strong!”

I was in tears. I grabbed him as well, pulling with all my might. Clover tried to help as well, but to no avail. Harmony Rose stood directly behind the cloud that was Triskaide. “Mother help us!”

“I can-can't...” She said in pain, I saw her horn was cracked. “I summoned everythi-eveything I ha-had left into this sp-spell... ”

“Hahaha! Of course! I can feel their fear building as I take this colt from them. I can feel their magic, feeding me with its futility. It is wonderful! I am simply delighted at having found this place! In all the years I have travelled and feasted upon the fear of kingdoms, I have never fed upon anything more glorious than this little kingdom. It fell so fast that the fear is ten fold! I will keep you all alive and feed off you forever!” Triskaide’s magic reached out for Harmony Rose but it missed her, instead extending towards Zaps. “What is this!? Why can't I focus on anything but him!? What’s going on!?”

Harmony Rose allowed herself a small smirk as her magic crackled and increased in power, bursting out through her cracked horn. “My son is special, he is an Earth Pony but his internal magic is unlike anything I ever felt in anypony. You see the trees around you?”

Triskaide looked around, the zap apples were sparking with magic, I saw this too as we tried to save him from her grip. “Wh-what kind of magic is this!? It’s holding me in place! I can't move!”

“Now you know what fear feels like...” Harmony Rose said coldly to her. “I am sorry for what I am about to do, I never thought casting this spell would be required.”

Triskaide was trying to break free from the rainbow lightning sparking around the cloud. It surrounded her, encasing the pure black earth pony, tearing her cloak away and revealing her bare flank. The last determined strands of dark magic held defiantly onto Zaps.

“I will not be defeated like this! I am Triskaide, the Pony of Fear! I am the darkness!” She screamed out fighting with all her might to break free from the prison that held her. “It will not hold!”

Harmony Rose collapsed, breathing heavily. I turn to her and extended my hoof to aid her but she batted it away. “Sunny Day... Celestia don't... My... Daughters... Be strong, you have married my son and joined our family... To the end of days you always be my little... Sunny Day...” She got up slowly with her magic growing stronger and rainbow colour swirling around her horn. “Sunny Day...”

“Yes Mother...”

“Run and don't look back!” I looked at her startled as she spoke to me. “Run you fools! RUN!”

I closed my eyes, letting him slip away from my magical grip. “Sister, what are you doing!?” Luna cried out as she lost her grip on Zaps. “Zaps! Please fight it!”

Zaps’s eyes widened in fear but he smiled at Luna, putting a hoof to her side of the snout. “I can't... Goodbye Nighty...” She took hold of his pendant and it ripped off his neck as he was pulled towards the fading Pony of Fear.

“NOOOOOOOO!!! ZAPS!!!” She screamed out and ran for him but I grabbed hold of her, pulling her back with Clover to the Mist of Misdirection. “Zaps! ZAPS! WE’VE GOT TO SAVE HIM! PLEASE NO!! PLEASE!!!!!” She was struggling against us with everything she had, even as a filly she was very strong.

Harmony Rose raised her head, looking at Triskaide as she pulled in Zaps. “You’re thinking I won't do it because you’ve got my son, Triskaide?

Triskaide looked in terror at Harmony Rose as the crackling beam of energy fully engulfed her, ripping and tearing apart her cursed form. We were about to enter the mists, the magic was so bright and powerful as we heard her scream her final words. “I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! I WILL CRUSH YOUR EQUESTRIA! I WILL MAKE YOU ALL SUFFER!!!!!!!” Those words rang out throughout the kingdom as the blast wave hit us and sent us all flying out of the Mist of Misdirection.

We landed outside as the clouds leading to the kingdom reshaped and changed. Soon the whole mist covering the vast land vanished completely. I gasped as an entire kingdom disappeared in seconds before my own eyes as an explosion like no other caused a wave of energy to spread out through the forest, the magical energy covering every inch of the land and skies.

Irradiated with strong magical energy, the forest became alive, became sentient. Trees grew and twisted across the ground. Storms formed on their own. Strange looking creatures emerged from their rotting nests and dens, bearing sharp teeth and poisonous fangs against the natural disorder that had overcome the Everfree.

I saw I was normal again, I had my wings and my mane and long tail, waving with magical energy. It felt unnatural, unknown and full of doubt.

I felt my Alicorn magic flow through my horn once more. My sister wept quietly, holding the last thing she took from Zaps, the pendant, she hugged it tightly, crying even more as I comforted her against the loss of our family… my love, Armour McApple... The Kingdom of Harmony...

Vinyl

Seeing that last scene left a bitter taste in my mouth, I wasn't sure how Harmony Rose and Zaps had got out of there, seeing it all happen had made me realise how impossible this all seemed. Stepping out of the dream, I stood back in the room filled with mirrors. We were still dreaming for sure as I stood there looking at my shades, although I pinched myself just to make sure. “The truth is hard to accept isn't it?”

I raised my head and right there was Harmony Rose, sitting on the fountain ledge. “Harmony Rose!?”

“Hello Vinyl. It is difficult to understand what happened back then and how much time past when I cast the spell of Last Resort. Come with me Vinyl.” Harmony Rose got up off the fountain and with a flash of her horn a tear in the dream appeared.

“What about the others? Twilight, Big Macintosh and your daughters?”

Harmony Rose smiled, looking to the mirrors. “They will be redirected to where we are going. I do have some skill in connecting dreams together. It is rather simple in this form, if a little taxing.” Harmony Rose stepped through the tear, I look for the mirrors but they were all gone, every single one of them.

I smirked and ran through after Harmony Rose. In a flash I was back in the kingdom with the others. “What’s going on? The dream was finished.” Luna demanded, looking around for answers.

“Indeed this is unusual...” Celestia seemed unsure as well.

Twilight looked around and saw me. “What exactly is going on here, Vinyl?”

“Beats me, one minute I was in that funky chamber with the mirrors when all of a sudden Harmony Rose was there and opened a portal in the dream which took me here,” I answered.

Big Macintosh walked by me and glanced ahead. “Zaps?” We all turned and saw him playing a game of tag with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, running after Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. “What in tarnation is goin' on around here?”

“My dear son, I can answer that.” Harmony Rose was standing before us with a warm smile. “Welcome to the Dream of Harmony.”

Chapter 21: Dream of Harmony

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 21: Dream of Harmony

Big Macintosh

“Ah beg ya pardon. But ah'm not yer son, Harmony Rose.” But she looked so alike to mah…

No, Harmony Rose isn't her. I ‘ain’t goin’ to compare her with this unicorn from the past. As ah looked at this unicorn a thought came into mah head. “Yer were in the dream-scape with us. Weren’t ya?”

Harmony Rose nodded. Ah knew it as soon as she’d called me by mah name when actin' as her son in the dream-scape of the Fall of Harmony. “Yes my dear child, I was. Finally I understand what I did back then...”

“What do ya mean, ya finally understand?”

“I do not remember what happened back then, Big Macintosh. When Vinyl entered the dream-scape I finally had a chance to remember and replay those events as if I was really there again.” Harmony Rose turned to Vinyl Scratch. “I am sorry for doing this without your permission.”

“Nah it’s fine, I’d be in the same boat dude. So I’m cool with it.” Vinyl waved it off.

“I wish I could remember.” Ah watched her turn towards the town. “I really wish I did. I only know my magic is limited and where I exist is not a pleasant place at all, trapped within a crystal. I do not know why I have been frozen in time or how I ended up inside it. I don't even know what happened to my own kingdom.”

Harmony Rose turned to me. “Big Macintosh, I shouldn't have said son... I am wrong for doing so, I looked at you and I saw something in your eyes that spooked you.”

Twilight stepped up to Harmony Rose. “Your horn? How damaged is it? I saw the cracks in the dream-scape...”

“I do not know... I only know what you saw in the dream and that is all. I learned so much from this experience but so much is still missing. Vinyl has helped fill in what this century holds.”

Harmony Rose turned to Vinyl Scratch as ah stood in silence and took in what she had said. “I’m so weak and so lonely... I wish I could just feel again, be there for my little colt...”

Harmony Rose sat down in front of us. Tears fell down her face as she watched the four children play, the adults dodging them as they rushed around, playin' tag. “I don't even remember what I named my son. I try so hard to remember but I only know the name Scootaloo gave to him. I am a terrible mother...”

“Yer not a terrible mother.” Ah walked up to her and gave her a firm hug, resting mah head gently against the top of hers. Ya did everything ya could. There was no time, no answer that was right, ya had to take what was around and do what you could. Yer were hurt and the magic within you was at the point of explodin'. Yer did what any mother would do, try to protect her children, and yer know what?”

She raiseed her head and her sad, watery, eyes looked into mah own. “Wh-what...”

“Yer did just that. Zaps is safe. He has us Apples to take care of him, he has friends, the princesses keep us safe. Remember why ya brought us here to this Dream of Harmony. Not for what’s hurtin' inside, Harmony Rose, but for what is here in this moment, in this dream. Perhaps in the waking world yer lost within some crystal but here yer free. Go to Zaps and be his mother one more time before ya rest, until the day we can brin' ya home.”

Ah gazed at all the ponies around me, they seemed to be frozen in time. Mah words rang loud and clear to each one of them. Ah leaned down to her ear and whispered, “The reason ah feel very uncomfortable is because yer look almost exactly like mah mother... Even the voice.”

Harmony Rose looked at me. The shock in her face showed it all, ah could see she had no idea of this connection, that it was as if ah was seein' a ghost but ah knew all too well, she wasn't mah ma. She was willin' to be part of the family though, to be with her son again. Ah couldn't keep that away from her.

“I can't...” Harmony Rose broke from the embrace, starin' at me. “I don't know why or how we woke as we did. I know he is my son and what our kingdom was and now I know how it fell to the darkness. But I can barely cope with knowing I am over 1000 years in the future, I know I rest within the crystal Vinyl has but that is little consolation...”

Vinyl chuckled. Surprised by the interruption, we all turned to her.

“Hey, chill dude, you’re sweet and awesome. Right now, you are here. Didn't you call this place the Dream of Harmony? That’s what this is right, a dream? That’s all he will think it is. You talking to him would be just that. So be a family with the big guy here, with Applebloom and Zaps. Be a family.”

“I...”

“Just do it for me dude, you might have given me these funky spells but in the end you owe me more than you think. Think of this as a repayment, if you want. Face it like a mare! Like a mother!”

Vinyl put her hoof around Harmony Rose. “Now go!” She let go and pushed Harmony forwards. “And for you two princesses, don’t say a word about being her daughters.”

“Under... Stood...” They said slowly and ah chuckled lightly at the irony of the great, omnipotent leaders of Equestria being put on the spot by a DJ.

“Now it’s time for some awesome music! Bring down my station, Dream! It’s time to lay down the wubs.” We all looked up as two large speakers and a DJ station descended from the sky and landed in front of Vinyl Scratch. “Oh yeah! I love dreams that feel like this! They rock, just like me. LET’S ROCK THIS DREAM!”

Vinyl paused and gazed at me. “Buuuuuut first...” Suddenly I felt myself wearing a headset. I looked down and saw my Pony Tones outfit. Rarity was standing next to me, along with Toe-Tapper and Torch Song were on a stage with lights shinin' on us and the bright day had turned to night. “Everypony of the Kingdom of Harmony!” Vinyl yelled out into her microphone. “I give you the awesome and most amazing... PONY TONES!!!!!”

Harmony Rose, who was standing at the front joined the children, Zaps was on her back and ah saw the shock she felt at that, but she kept composed regardless. “Mother, what’s goin' on? What are the Pony Tones?”

“We’re about to find out, my sweet little apple,” Harmony Rose replied.

Ah gulped, seein' the princesses in the crowd, although nopony seemed to care much, as if they were completely unfased by the presence of royalty.

“Ready, Pony Tones?” Rarity turned to me and the others. “We’re goin' to give them a performance they won't forget!”

“Oh boy, this is going to be awesome!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly, hoverin' over Twilight and their friends, ah even saw mah sister and Granny standin' there.

Spike was there too but he wasn't a dragon any more, he was a stallion. Then it hit me, ah looked round at Luna and Harmony Rose. They were both grinning wildly. This dream was not just bein’ shared by us, but by all our friends too, they’d expanded the dream sharin' to somethin' even ah couldn't comprehend.

“Alright Vinyl, you got the music, right?”

“And now introducing the fifth member of the Pony Tones, Fluttershy!” She ignored me, and instead announced the arrival of a surprisingly calm looking Fluttershy, who stepped up onto stage, lookin' at me. “Hey Flutters, you and Macy are the ace singers here, give them a show they will never forget!”

Ah couldn’t help but stare as Fluttershy, who so recently had refused to sing even for her friends, confidently reassured her, “Oh don't worry, we will.”

“Alright Pony Tones, on the count of three!” Vinyl turned to the mixture of Kingdom of Harmony and Ponyville Ponies, all gathered together in the centre of a town containing a mish-mash of buildin’s from Ponyville and the Kingdom’s little village. Ah’d never seen a dream like this.

“Everypony ready!” Vinyl called out to the town.

The crowd let out a unanimous cheer, reassuring me as we got ready to perform. “One!” The crowd yelled out. “Two!” They began pumpin' their hooves with a thunderous clop and ah started off the a doo-wop-style scatting.

The Ponytones started to hum.

They start harmonizin'.

Flutter and I started to sing the introduction together into our microphones.

Trot outside and see the sunshine,
Something's in the air today,
Sky is clear and you're feelin' so fine,
Everything's gonna be a-okay.

The rest of the Pony Tones joined in with me and Fluttershy.

If you listen carefully,
On every corner there's a rhythm playing,
Then it happens suddenly,
The music takes you over and you'll

Find you've got the music,
Got the music in you,
Find you've got the music,
Got the music in you.

Flutter and ah sang the next line together with big smiles on our faces. We were enjoyin’ it just as much as the audience was. Seein’ Zaps singin’ too and wavin’ his head around to the music only made me smile even more.

Everypony's sayin' you should learn to express your voice,
But if talk doesn't seem like it's the answer,

Singin’ together, we continued to pick up the pace and gave them a real show.

Luckily you have a choice,
When you find you've got the music,
Got the music in you,
Find you've got the music,
Got the music in you,
Got the music, got the music in you!

We came to the final part of the song, singin' our hearts out. Ah knew this was only a dream but it felt so alive. Ah didn’t know what would happen when it finally ended, but for this moment all that mattered was sharing the music with mah friends and family. Everypony was so happy, ah wondered how many ponies could be sharin' this dream-scape.

When you find you've got the music,
Got the music in you,
Find you've got the music,
Got the music in you,

Got the music, got the music in you!

The song finished and we received a thunderous clappin' of hooves from the crowd with cheers that echoed around. Some ponies were even throwin' flowers onto stage.

“Now that is one musical number that is pure awesome! Now everypony enjoy the party!” Vinyl cried out.

Ah stepped up to Harmony Rose. She smirked, pushin' a rose that had been thrown onto the stage into my mane. “I had no idea you could sing like that, Big Macintosh. That is one heck of a voice from such a mumble pony as yourself.”

“Big brother, you was amazing! I really like everything about it!” Zaps jumpin' up and down on Harmony's back. “Mother, don't you think?”

“Really something that I never expected.”

“Ah’ll say. Ah’m not sure what’s goin' on, but ah feel great and it’s good to see ya again, ma.” Applejack said as she trotted up to us. “What’s up with the horn?”

Harmony Rose chuckled. “Sweet child, I’ve always had this. Here, let me show you all something.” Harmony Rose put Zaps down and stepped back. She readied herself and charged up the magic in her horn. With a bright yellow glow it fired a beam of energy so high into the sky that we all had to look right back to see it explode into a dazzlin' spectrum of rainbow colour that burst outwards in a shockwave.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “You did a Rainboom!?”

Harmony Rose looked up. “Well, really it’s just an explosion of harmonizing magic. It’s what I might call showing off but that wouldn’t be proper of me.” Harmony Rose smiled warmly at us as rainbow dust rained down onto her mane.

Harmony Rose look around with a gentle smile. “I shall never forget this moment, Big Macintosh...” Ah looked at her directly. “Give my son what I never could. Give him a life.” Ah looked over at Zaps as the crusaders tried to catch the rainbow stardust with their hooves. All around the others were laughin', the princesses, Twilight, Vinyl... Everypony was enjoyin' this dream-scape moment.

Ah turned to her and gave her a big hug. “Ah will... Mother...” Ah pulled away a little, lookin' right into her eyes with a massive warm smile and she return it; we hugged tightly.

“Thank you Big Macintosh...”

“Now It’s time to PARTY!” We broke apart' from the hug to see Pinkie Pie with a large party cannon firin' it as fireworks shot into the sky, to the delight of the everypony around. “Hey Big Mac, like the party? I just thought it up and wham! It was here! How cool is that!? I know what to do! A roller-coaster!” Pinkie Pie zipped off and both of us look at each other, confused

Harmony Rose blinked. “What is a roller-coaster?”

“This silly!” Ah jumped back in surprise, lookin' at the pink pony. “Not me silly! That!” Directly behind the small, pink pony had appeared a tall metal structure. “What do you think? Cool right?”

“I’ll say! That looks like an awesome ride!” Rainbow Dash dropped in beside us. “Hey Harmony, come and let us give you the ride of a lifetime!” She pushed Harmony Rose towards it.

Harmony Rose looked up at the track, with it’s turns and spins and drops. “I suppose I could, it looks rather strange, but fun too, I guess.”

“Can we come?” The crusaders asked, after running up to us from their game.

“Eeyup!” Ah replied and they cheered, runnin' towards the contraption. Ah followed the children to the ride.

Pinkie Pie stood on her hind legs with a cane in one foreleg and restin' her other on the wall. She was wearin' some kind of pink and white striped top and a hat that reminded me of the outfit those darn Flim Flam brothers had worn. “Alrighty ponies! Here we are, the Pinkie Extreme! The roller-coaster of a dream! It’s fast! Twisty! You’ll go Up! Down! Sideways! Spinning! It’s going to be the ride of a dream life time!” Pinkie Pie promised the excited group that had gathered around.

“Sister, can we ride this too?” Ah heard Luna ask Celestia. Ah blinked. Ah couldn’t believed mah ears, they were gonna ride this too?

“Sure, a dream can be exciting for us too, can't it?” Celestia smiled. Zaps hadn’t heard them though, he was in front with Harmony Rose.

Harmony Rose… Ah’d just called her mother and it felt wonderfully strange to do.

Ah was thinking so hard about this that ah didn’t even notice Pinkie Pie pop up beside me. Even for Pinkie Pie she was wearing an unusually large grin on her face. “Let’s ride parter!” She giggled.

“Erm... Eeyup?” Ah replied, not entirely confidently.

Nevertheless ah got onto the ride with the other ponies, sittin' with Zaps, who looked completely unfazed by the prospect of what was about to happen. In the distance ah could hear the music Vinyl was playin'. Ah felt somethin' move and watched the plastic rest lower over mah head and tighten against mah body. With a sharp click it locked into place. Ah couldn’t go back now.

With a sudden jolt the coaster slowly began to trundle up the steep slope. Ah looked right towards the sound of Vinyl’s music and could just make out the stage below me in the distance. Ah gulped. We were pretty high now. All of a sudden, the clickin' of the cart stopped and we reached the peak of the slope. Gradually we were tilted over the top and Ah felt the wind slap mah face as we shot down the other side.

Ah heard a mix of screams as we hit the first loop. Ah just held on tight with mah front hooves to the harness, ah’d never been on such a thing before. Even in a dream it felt real, ah’d never understand this type of dream magic and didn't want to. The twist came afterwards, bending into another loop, the cork-screw was followed by a increase in height with a long turnin' bend.

Eventually ah mustered the courage to open mah eyes. Ah looked over at Zaps and ah couldn’t believe it. He was enjoyin’ this. He was yellin' out with joy, so were the other children.

Finally we slowed down and came to a straight, before it stopped though it twisted around and around about three times more, followed up by one more twist as we came back to the platform.

Ah felt the harness click and release me, surprisingly though, ah didn’t feel terrible. Ah actually felt ok, even excited!

“Wasn't that something Big Mac!?” Ah raised Zaps and my own harness bars. Rainbow Dash was hoverin’ over us. “Come on Big Mac, you got to say that was awesome!”

“Eeyup.” I replied, not entirely truthfully.

“I must say, that Roller-coaster certainly was something. Do these exist in the land of the waking as well?” Luna asked her sister. Zaps had run off with the girls again to play some games, ah smiled and turned to the princesses.

“Indeed sister, there is one in Las Pegasus in fact, the city of lights, day or night it’s always full of activity.” Celestia replied warmly. “In fact, I think we should visit it someday, this roller-coaster, even for a dream, is most exciting.”

“I agree, the fun will be doubled!” Luna rose on her hind legs yellin' out with joy.

Harmony Rose didn't seem to keen though. “Are ya ok sugarcube?” Applejack came up to her.

Harmony Rose put a hoof over her mouth. “N-no... The ride was...” She stared at Applejack. “Fun, but sickening... I’ve never been on something that fast and in control of your movement like that before. It was rather thrilling, but not entirely pleasant, my stomach feels all twisted and queasy.” Harmony Rose shook it off a little. “Is that what this thing is meant to do?”

“Eeyup! Sugarcube, roller-coasters are all about the thrill, just ask Rainbow Dash about that.” Applejack pointed at the pegasus, who was busy doing a few flips in the air. “Think of it like way, it’s like experiencing being a pegasus, without needing wings.”

“I will keep that in mind, dear Applejack.” Harmony Rose clopped hooves with mah sister and walked over to me. “With my real body locked in some crystal, the body in the dream is the closeted I can get to the real thing.”

“Ah think ah get it.” Ah smiled and turned to see the rising sun peerin' over the horizon.

Harmony Rose sighed. “I knew this would happen, bring so many ponies into a shared stated of dreams will end the Dream of Harmony sooner than expected.” Harmony Rose stepped up to Zaps.

“Mother what is it?”

“Zaps. I will always be in your heart and dreams, remember to be a good colt for your big brother and sister, Big Macintosh and Applejack. Remember to have fun and enjoy every moment with your friends. This dream may come to an end, but remember the fun you had tonight and just enjoy your life.” Ah watched her kiss him on the forehead with a soft smile, she hugged him and he returned it.

“I will mother! You’re awesome, as always!”

“Yes I am.” Harmony Rose laughed and ah took a look at Applejack and her friends, Vinyl and the princesses were all gathered together with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Even in a dream it was the perfect moment of harmonious bliss.

Ah opened mah eyes.

Ah was in mah room in the palace in Canterlot. Ah sat up. The four youngun' were still asleep, smiling in their sleep. They were dreamin' peacefully. Ah stepped up to the window ledge and looked out to the mornin' sun as it rose. On the balcony above me, Celestia was pulling it across the sky for the whole of Equestria to enjoy. For a brief moment she turned her eyes to me and smiled before turning back to the raisin’.

“Everything's is gonna be a-okay.” Ah hummed with a warm smile, starin' out to the mornin' sky, lazily resting my forelegs against the window frame.

It felt wonderful...

Chapter 22: Breakfast with a View

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 22: Breakfast with a View

“I will mother! You’re awesome, as always...” I opened my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun across my face. I sat up, next to me the girls were still asleep. Was everything that had happened a dream? I yawned and hopped off the bed onto all fours. Big Macintosh was standing by the window.

The sound of my hooves hitting the floor alerted him to my presence and he turned around to face me. “Mornin' Zaps,” he greeted me.

“Morning Big Mac!” I replied cheerfully.

He stepped up to the tableside and picked up a small object in his mouth, before placing it on the ground in front of me. “Princess Luna dropped this off little while ago, along with this note.”

He carefully handed me a white envelope, sealed with Luna’s cutie mark. I opened the envelope and pulled out a carefully folded letter. I unfolded it and began to read.

Dearest Zaps,

I wish that I could have attended your Birthday but the duty of a princess isn't always so simple. Nevertheless, I have thought long and hard about what to get you, and within this box is a small gift from my Sister and I, a rather belated birthday gift. It is a small token from us to remind you that, no matter how overwhelming the darkness seems, the light of friends and family will always shine through.
I bid you also a warm good morning and hope your gift suits you well and that your dreams have been pleasant.

May my and Celestia's gift bring a smile.

From your friend, the Princess of the Night,

Luna

I smiled at the letter, it was amazing that the Princess had written this for me. “Big Mac, what’s belated?” I asked him.

“It means somethin's late, but still given.” Big Mac explained to me.

“Oh! I get it! My birthday gift from Luna and Celestia is late! That’s what belated means?” He nodded and I looked at the box in my hooves. “I wonder what she got me.”

Big Mac shook his head. “Just open it and yer’ll see.”

I gently lifted the lid up from the small, ornate, blue box. Inside lay a beautiful, golden pendant, a sun and moon orbiting a shimmering crystal attached to a thin chain. “Whoa...” I took it out holding it with my hooves. “Look what Luna got me!” I showed it to Big Mac.

Big Mac took the pendant and held it up, looking at it with shock for a few moments, but his shock gradually turned into a big smile. “It’s a beautiful gift Zaps, a really thoughtful present from the Princesses.”

“Could I wear it?” I asked, looking up at my big brother.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac took it off me and undid the chain, he put it around my neck and rehooked it.

“Whoa! Zaps, that is awesome! The princesses got you that!?” Scootaloo had woken up and was sitting on the bed, staring at me and the pendant I was wearing around my neck.

I nodded happily. “Sure did, Scootaloo!”

“Awwww that so nice! I wish I could get a gift like that!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Ah’ve got to say, it look pretty neat.” Applebloom stepped up to me, taking a good look at it. “And good on ya!”

Scootaloo looked at me for a second. I looked back at her, but she suddenly turned away again. “Yeah it does... Erm...” She got out of bed, walking to the door. “How about we get something to eat! I'm starved!”

Big Mac opened the door, letting us out to be greeted by Night Spark. “Morning, I'll show you the way to the dining room for breakfast with the princesses.” Night Spark put a hoof out in the general direction.

I looked up to him as everypony left. “Morning Night Spark! Did you sleep well?”

Night Spark put his armoured hoof on my head, looking down towards me. “Sure did kiddo. Hey, nice pendant, did Princesses give that to you?”

“Sure did!” I beamed.

“Zaps!” Big Mac called out.

Night Spark turned back to his direction. “We’ll talk more at breakfast.” I nodded and we quickly caught up with Big Mac and the girls. “This is going to be something new for me...”

“How so?” I asked the bat pony with wonder.

“I’ve never dined with the princesses before, this assignment I was put on has given me some special treatments that I never would have had otherwise.” He seemed rather confused by this, I didn't know why though. “I wonder why Princess Luna has so much interest in you Zaps...”

I was thinking about it but didn't really come up with much. “I don't know, Night Spark. Is this unusual?”

Night Spark chuckled. “Not really, ever since Luna's return, things been… Both interesting and unusual,” Night Spark explained as we made our way to the dining room. “So I’ll just say it’s another thing that keeps us guards on our hooves.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” We both turned to see Fancy Pants come into the room with Soulful Haiku.

“Hello Fancy Pants, Soulful Haiku, what brings you two to the palace at this time of the morning?” Night Spark asked them as they joined us to the dining room.

Fancy Pants gave a small smile. “Oh, nothing important, we were invited to breakfast by her royal highness as a gesture of goodwill after we aided in bringing young Zaps here to safety.”

“Sounds very much like them.” Night Spark replied.

I looked at the dark blue unicorn showing my pendant to him. “Look what the princesses got me for my birthday!”

“It look great Zaps.” Soulful looked at it then at me. “But I have to admit, I feel rather nervous...”

“Why?”

“I’ve never been invited to anything like this in my life... I knew working for Fancy Pants on the article was an amazing opportunity, but getting to dine here in the palace?” Soulful gulped. “I feel like my heart is just going to leap out of my mouth and run away.”

I blinked and looked rather confused, I didn't get it. “How can your heart leap out and run away?”

Fancy Pants laughed softly at my comment. “No, my dear child it can't, it’s a figure of speech, one way of saying I feel rather nervous about the prospect of speaking to the Princesses and eating with them. The last time I did anything like this was at a royal venue for Princess Celestia's birthday a few years back shortly before Luna's return.”

I was about to ask about it but the doors were opened by the guards and we walked through to the dining room to see Twilight, Vinyl, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash already sitting with Princess Luna and Celestia at a large round table, all talking to each other. I looked around the large round room. I remembered the palace had large round towers and guessed we were in one of them at the lower levels.

At one side of the room were a large set of windows, gasping I quickly rushed over to them putting my front hooves on the glass pane as the girls and I all started in awe at the view. In the distance we could just make out Ponyville. It was so small from all the way up here. “Whoa the view of Ponyville from here is awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Zaps what do you think of the view?”

“I think it’s really amazing, I never knew how far or how high we would be from Ponyville, you can even see the clouds above it.” I now had a idea that this city was truly higher than most clouds. This must be the view that you got from the cloud city that I read about, Cloudsdale I think it was called. I looked around the sky for it and far in the distance I thought i could just spot it, it looked a very faded blue in the sky, almost invisible with the clouds around it. “I see Cloudsdale!”

“Ah can see it too! Ah never really saw it from this high up before! It looks so different from the ground at Ponyville.” Applebloom pointed out to it with her hoof.

Sweetie Belle looked out towards the horizon. “What do you think of the view of Equestria, Zaps?”

I took a good look at what I could see, the view of what I could see of Equestria was incredible, but one thing that stuck to me was the Everfree Forest beside Ponyville. “The place I woke up in... The place of my first memories...” I stared at the thick forest.

“Indeed it is Zaps but remember what it leads to.” I turn my head seeing Celestia standing beside us calmly looking out the window. “My sister and I once lived there.”

“The castle of the two sister right?” I looked back at the forest.

Celestia smiled. “Indeed, though our home there is no more than ruins. The Everfree Forest is taking it over, piece by piece...” Celestia looked around at Twilight. “Until Twilight and her friends started to restore it. They been working hard and they doing a good job of it.”

“Princess we’re just doing what we can.” Twilight smiled. “I...” The smile disappeared and I saw why. It was him!

Prince Blueblood... I quickly got behind Big Macintosh as he approached. “Here...” He drop a piece of paper before my brother and walked over to the table taking a seat at it.

Big Macintosh took it with a hoof and looked at it. “Ah write this to apology not for mah... Actions... But for harming the co... Comm... COMMONER!?” Big Macintosh snorted heavily. “Yer call this thing ah apology!” I gulped, seeing Big Mac’s anger grow and didn't like it. Big Mac saw me looking at him with a bit of fear, he calmed down, taking deep breaths. “Ah’m sorry Zaps. Ah should have known somepony that stuck up wouldn't apologize the way it should be done...”

I nodded a little not, saying a word, he put a hoof out to me. “Ah'm sorry Zaps.”

“It’s ok big brother... Could we have breakfast?” He nodded to me and we went over to the table sitting away from that white stallion.

Celestia sat at the table. “I hope no pony minds, but I asked for a typical Ponyville breakfast for today. I have tried it in the past and quite enjoyed it. I thought that, since we have honoured guests with us as friends, we should be fair and try some of their normal meals.”

“Does that mean we get stuff like Oatmeal, Apple fritters! Pancakes! And that other yummy stuff!? Not that fancy dancy stuff that hardly fill a plate?” Scootaloo asked sitting by Princess Luna and Rainbow Dash.

I sat beside Big Mac and Applebloom, while Sweetie Belle sat with Rarity and Twilight, Pinkie Pie by Rainbow Dash and Twilight between that rude stallion Blueblood and Night Spark, he didn't seem too keen sitting by Blood Blue either. Soulful and Fancy Pants sat on the other side of Rarity.

“Indeed, sweet thing it is, I, the Princess Of The Night requested this and my sister thought it would be ideal as well.” Luna replied to Scootaloo who cried out a... “Yes!”

Blueblood didn't look nearly as happy with this decision. “That sounds repulsive! Eating commoner food in the palace! I...” He took a look at Celestia and Luna and went quiet instantly. After a moment of silence he replied. “I will... Try... It...”

“That’s very noble of you, nephew.” Celestia bow her head a little with a graceful smile. “As for refreshments, I believe Tea, coffee, water or juice will be the four choices.” I watched ponies dressed in some strange outfits step in with their horns glowing, carrying metal trays holding pots and jugs.

I watched as they each approached us gave us the drink that was was requested. I looked up at the stallion that had come up to me. “Erm... Can I have apple juice... Erm... Please...”

“You may sir.” He tipped the jug of apple juice and poured it into my glass. “Enjoy your drink sir.”

“Th-thank you...” I watch him move onto Big Macintosh and he ordered the same thing. “Applebloom why does he sound so... Weird?”

Applebloom shrugged. “Beats me, ah think they do it as part of their job. Ah’d rather they just themselves though, instead of actin’ so strange.”

I nodded in agreement. “I get what you mean, Applebloom.” I took my glass and drunk a little of the juice. “Doesn't taste as nice as the juice back home, but it’s ok.”

“What would you two youngsters like for breakfast?” Another pony came up to us, this one was a mare, she held up a note pad up.

“Pancakes! With apple fritters! And chocolate sauce on the pancakes!” I spoke out licking my snout.

Applebloom eyes lit up and she spoke up. “Ah’ll have the same!”

“That’s triple to me!” Scootaloo yelled out.

“Me four!” Pinkie Pie giggled.

The mare looked around at each of us that spoke out. “Erm...” She took a look at Celestia who gave a nod. “Sure I will have the chief make that at once for...”

“If you don't mind I will have the same.” Celestia interrupted.

“That goes double for me sister.” Luna spoke afterwards.

“And me!” Sweetie Belle yelled out.

Rainbow Dash put her hooves behind her head. “I will have what Scoots having.”

“Count me in too! If these dudes like it, then I will give it a whirl!” Vinyl smirked.

“Right...” The mare wrote it down and bowed before leaving. Rarity giggled at the reaction of the mare taking the orders, although ordered something different for herself, along with Twilight and anypony else who didn’t want a bowl of diabetes for breakfast.

Fancy Pants lifted his cup of tea up looking around at us. “I would like to propose a toast.”

“Indeed, I say...” Prince Blueblood began, but was cut short by Fancy Pants.

“To friends.”

“I’ll toast to that!” Rarity applauded, seeing how annoyed Blueblood looked.

I raised a hoof and they all looked at me. “Why do we do toast as friends? It make no sense,” I complained.

“I agree! It doesn't make sense to toast our friends!” Pinkie Pie said right after me, I stared at her in confusion.

Big Macintosh put a hoof to mine and place it on the glass. “This toast is when yer raise the glass or cup up and say what Fancy Pants say, to show yer agree with him.”

“Oh... Erm ok... Although I still don't understand what toast has to do with any of this...” I didn't really understand what he meant, but I guess this was normal for most ponies. “To friends?” I offered, raising my glass as high I could.

“To friends!” They all replied and sat back down, taking a sip of their drinks.

Fancy Pants looked at me. “My dear young friend, how would you, and any other pony here, like to join me and Soulful Haiku for a trip today to the Wonderbolt Derby?”

“The Wonderbolt Derby?”

“Oh my gosh! You really mean the Derby, Derby? The one that the Wonderbolts race in at Canterlot!?” Rainbow Dash quite literally took off from her seat. We all watched her fly around in circles until she realised where she was and sat down again. “That Derby!?”

“Yes indeed.” Fancy Pants chuckled.

“Oh yeah! This is awesome!” Rainbow Dash pumped her hoof into the air.

Realising that I was unlikely to get an answer to my question I sighed. “Nevermind...”

Fancy Pants chuckled. “Dear Zaps, the Wonderbolts Derby is a set of races around an oval track. The competitors race each other to see who can go round the track the fastest to win. It is quite enjoyable.”

I looked at Scootaloo. “Do you think we should go?”

“I say we should! You will get to see them before their performance at the Crystal Empire!” Scootaloo replied excitedly.

I turned back to Fancy Pants. “Alright, I would like to go! If it’s ok with Big Mac.”

Big Mac responded with one word. “Eeyup!” Rainbow Dash screamed out in joy, sending all of the ponies around the table into fits of laughter at her reaction. If this Derby was enough to set Rainbow Dash off going crazy like that, then I supposed it must be fun to watch!

Soon our breakfast was served up and it was pretty neat. I got to enjoy my pancakes in chocolate sauce, and so did every other pony that ordered it. The fritters were good, but not as good as the Apple family’s fritters. They were really tasty. I think Big Mac agreed with me when he ate his, but he really enjoyed the pancakes though.

I took the plate after finishing my breakfast off and licked it clean, I got a 'eww' reaction from Blueblood followed by. “That is gross! This is exactly why we shouldn't have co...”

“You say that word one more time in my presence Blueblood, I dare you!” Luna sneered.

“Erm... I mean to say it is ill mannered for one to act in such a way in front of other ponies, especially those that aren't... Family...” Blueblood, taking great care in his choice of words.

Vinyl rolled her eyes, I was surprised to see her without her shades on, although I doubt she had much of a choice in the matter. “Oh lighten up Bluey, he’s just a colt, for Celestia’s sake!”

Blueblood glared at her. “It is Blueblood, Prince Blueblood to you, unclothed pony!”

Vinyl glared back at him. “Vinyl Scratch to you mister! And I can call you whatever I like, as long as it is not rude, and calling you ‘Bluey’ isn’t rude, Bluey!”

“It’s Blueblood, you annoying mare!”

“Whatever Bluey.” Vinyl waved her hoof at him and turned back to me. “So...”

“Blueblood!” He yelled. Throwing the cloth down he got up and stormed out of the room.

Vinyl chuckled. “Well that worked.” Her comment was met with a polite chuckle from the two Princesses. “So Zaps, how have things been hanging for ya?”

“Been great Vinyl! Are you coming to the Derby thing too?” I asked her.

Vinyl shrugged. “Why not? Since I am here, I might as well take the chance to relax for a change.” She looked over at Twilight.

Twilight sighed. “I am really sorry Vinyl, I didn't mean for it to go this far. Can you accept my apology?”

“Alright have Sparkle, you’re one cool Alicorn. You just need to chill sometimes and take a step back.” Vinyl pulled up her shades from under the table, placing them on her eyes. “Everypony has their crazy moments, right Sparkle?”

“You’re right, and thank you.”

“What are friends for?” Vinyl turned to Pinkie Pie. “Right Pinks?”

“Rightorunnny!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “This has been one of the most fun breakfast gatherings I have ever had! Even the meanie prince was ok for a change!”

“I agree darling, for once he kept a lid on that big mouth of his.” Rarity drunk some of her tea, placing the cup down carefully. “And might I say Zaps, that pendant looks really smashing on you.”

“Thank you Rarity!” I beamed, looking at it and back at her.

Rarity turned to the princesses. “May I ask where you got the crystal from?”

Luna and Celestia looked to each other for a brief moment before answering Rarity. “Luna and I can't say, they are very rare. We decided to have the pendant and crystal forged together for young Zaps after what happened to him. I do hope you understand.”

“Oh of course darling, it’s a shame but I do understand.” Rarity answered, respecting their wishes.

I looked at it again holding it into view with my hooves. “Maybe I should leave it in my room, I don't want to lose it.”

“It’s up to you young Zaps, only we in this room know of it value, nopony else does.” Luna walked around the table over to me, she knelt down to my eye level. “Even if something is of value you should never feel worried about losing it. These gifts aren’t given as a test. They are given because of what is truly important, in here.” She tap the pendant with her hoof.

I look to it and into her eyes. I smiled, feeling a strange warmth from it as if I saw for a second it seem to shimmer to my feelings inside. “A gift from friends has no value, because the value of friendship is all that matters right?” I said, looking into her eyes.

“Yes Zaps that is correct. And that is all this gift is, a sign of friendship, even if you lost it I wouldn't be upset, because in the end, the biggest treasure of them all is our friendship.” When she said that I gave her a big hug around her neck, and Luna returned it, much to the delight of everypony else in the room.

“Where a camera when you need one!” Rarity grumbled.

In the corner of my eye I saw Pinkie Pie pull one out of her mane. Before I could try and work out where in Equestria it had come from, she suddenly announced, “Happy Breakfast! Everypony!” And, with a flash, she took about two pictures, or maybe it was more, I couldn't tell, it happened so fast. “Yay, more photos for the 'Canterlot Weekend Scrap book! The best, most awesome, most fun and even the sadder parts of the trip, all recorded in this book!”

I let go of the hug from Luna and we all gathered around, looking at the multitude of photos she had already glued into the large book. My mind couldn't make sense of what I was seeing, I saw myself being chased by the guards in one shot, but no pony was around when that happened, how could Pinkie have a photo of it? Nevertheless it was there, and I was looking at it.

“Don't bother trying to understand, it’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash reassured me.

Rarity looked at some of the pictures I saw of her in it. “At least she got my good side.”

“Oh look, there’s the one with Vinyl crashing the party!” Scootaloo pointed to it.

Vinyl chuckled. “Well that was a good shot, loving the reaction from Tavi, could you make a copy of this Pinks?”

“Sure!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down.

Luna giggled at the pictures. One was even of Celestia, eating some cake while at the same time trying a go at apple dunking. “Sister I believe the idea is to put it in your mouth.” Luna suggested, as I looked over and saw the apple stuck on Celestia’s horn.

“Oh my, that all seems quite funny when you see it here.” Celestia giggled too.

“We’ll be waiting for all who wants to come down by the gates.” Fancy Pants told all of us and walked on with Soulful out of the room.

“See you all in a little bit!” He called out to us.

Night Spark smiled at the photos of us in the train. “Now that’s a keeper.” He pointed to it with his hoof.

“Sure is!” I beamed.

We continue to look at all the photos she taken so far and they were all amazingly impossible, but the last one shocked me the most, and it wasn’t just me. It made everypony stare at it for a few seconds, trying to understand it. “No way!” Scootaloo spoke out.

“That’s not possible!” Rarity declared, her voice rising with surprise.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash said, blinking and rubbing her eyes.

Twilight looked at every detail of the picture. “Th-that...”

“Applebloom are you seeing what I am seeing?” Sweetie Belle turned to Applebloom.

Applebloom nodded a few times with tears and a smile on her snout. “Ah sure am...”

“Whoa dude that one awesome picture!” Vinyl confirmed, staring at it too.

Big Mac hugged me with happiness over the picture. I returned it, tears welling up as he and I weeped over what we saw. It didn't seem possible by any accounts but I didn't care. Even Luna and Celestia seemed to not care about the impossibility of the photo.

Pinkie Pie was simply bouncing up and down, apparently completely unphased by what she had accomplished.

The photo was of everypony from the dream, it was of me with my mother and everypony gathered around with happiness in all their faces and eyes. The final moment of the dream I remembered so clearly...

An impossible photo that showed how family and friends were truly...

Magical.

After Breakfast Discussion

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Zaps Apple
After Breakfast Discussion

Twilight

“Big Mac, I am asking you to go with Vinyl and the children ahead of us, I really need to talk to the girls and Spike about what happened to me in Ponyville,” I pleaded with Big Macintosh as the children in the next room cleaned themselves up for their trip to the Wonderbolt Derby. The sound of running water could be heard from within the bathroom.

Big Macintosh placed Smarty Pants down on the bedside and turned to face me. “Ah understand Twilight Sparkle, but keepin' this from Zaps is bad enough, lettin' the others know where he is truly from... it’s just not somethin' ah will agree on...”

“I can't keep them in the dark, they need to know!” I protested.
He just shook his head with a simple, “Nnope.”

“Gah what do I have to do to get you to agree!? We’ve been talking in circles for almost twenty minutes now!” I was glad the children were taking their time to get cleaned up, but Big Mac was being very difficult!

“Nnope!”

“Gah! What will it take!?”

“Compromise...”

I sighed, why did Big Mac have to choose now to be stubborn? I had to let the girls know what exactly happened to me and what danger we might be facing. “Big Macintosh...” I walked over to the window, looking out to Canterlot. “What if I just tell them that I was attacked by the Pony of Fear, that she has been trapped in the Kingdom of Harmony for over 1000 years and that she tried to use me to find a way to escape but failed? I won’t say anything about Zaps’s part in it all.”

Big Macintosh stepped up beside me. “Eeyup.” He nodded his head.

“Thank you Big...”

“Only if ah can tell mah sister the whole truth when Zaps is in school on Monday.” I stared at Big Mac blankly. I couldn’t believe him. How could he stop me telling ponies who might be in danger because of Zaps, but then tell Applejack himself?

“But…” I started.

“That is mah compromise, Twilight. Ah have to tell Applejack, she has a right to know.”

I rubbed my hoof on my snout, it was obvious that he wasn’t going to budge. “Fine, Big Mac, I suppose she did sign the agreement to be the guardian of Zaps, even if you two are calling him your little brother. Alright you can tell her, but can I be there as well when you do?”

“Eeyup.”

“Thanks, I’d better get going to tell the girls to meet me. Make sure that Vinyl, Night Spark and the others know that the Spike, the girls and I will meet you all at the Derby shortly.” I trotted over to the door and opened it, turning back to look at Big Macintosh as I left.

“Eeyup.” His typical reply. I just smiled and shook my head as I closed the door. In the other room I heard the flow of water stop and the bathroom door opened. “Children, are yer ready to go?” Big Mac called.

“We sure are, big brother!” Applebloom yelled back in reply.

I turned and left. It was time to go and find Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Spike. I’d better work out what to tell them. I’d given my word to Big Mac and I was not going to let that stallion down.

Two guards stood by the entrance as I made my way down to the study. They opened the door for me as I approached. Stepping through, I immediately spotted my friends. Pinkie Pie was sitting in the corner reading a book and giggling at the contents. Rarity was fixing up the hat she planned to wear for the Derby and Spike was sitting with his arms crossed, looking incredibly bored as a very impatient Rainbow Dash paced back and forwards.

Rainbow Dash turned to the sound of the doors opening and was instantly in my face. “About time you got here Twilight! What the hay is this all about!? We’ve been waiting here since breakfast!” Rainbow Dash’s attention span was not nearly as long as the time I had spent arguing with Big Macintosh.

“I'm also wondering why you’re here Twilight. Vinyl told me that you were acting, well...” Spike paused, though that hardly surprised me. The crazy mare that had cast a 'Want it, Need it' on an entire town was not a part of me that I was particularly proud of.

“What Spike is trying to say, darling, is that you were acting rather frayed.” Rarity finished.

I walked up to them and took a seat on a cushion by the low table. “That wasn't me, and that is why I asked you all here. Vinyl and Big Mac already know what I am going to say but we can’t tell the young ponies any of this.”

“Oh! Is it a scary clown?”

“No Pinkie...”

“Is it the boggy pony?”

“No...”

“Is it...” Rainbow Dash put a cupcake from the plate on the table into Pinkie Pie's mouth.

I shook my head. “Thanks Rainbow.”

“No problem Twi, so what’s the deal with the crazy Twilight? If it wasn’t you then who was it?” Rainbow Dash landed by Pinkie Pie.

I stared at Rainbow Dash. “How did you...”

“You said it wasn’t you.”

“Oh right...”

“So was it a Changeling?”

“If only, Rainbow Dash. This creature, whoever she is, is much worse than a stray Changeling. She is a pony of mysterious for sure. I know very little about her, other than that she was after Vinyl and that she was somehow able to create some sort of magical double of me from shadows. I don’t think she can cast the spell more than once, it is very powerful and would be unstable to use a second time.” I explained to the girls. The very thought of what I had seen in that pony made me shiver in fear.

Rainbow Dash frowned at me. “If she can’t cast the spell again then why are you worried?”

“I agree, Twilight dear. What exactly was she after from poor Vinyl?” Rarity inquired as she finished working on her hat, placing it down beside her.

I shrugged. “That, I do not know but Princess Celestia called her the Pony of Fear...”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh Twilight, that’s just a pony tale! There’s no such thing as the Pony of Fear!”

“Yeah Twi, I have to agree with Pinkie.” Not even Spike, my loyal assistant, believed me.

“Please, I am serious, she was trapped in the Kingdom of Harmony! The ponies there were somehow able to restrain her and seal off the kingdom from the rest of Equestria with the Mist of Misdirection.” I stood up, stomping my hoof down to emphasise my point to them.

“Woah, Time out Twi!” Rainbow Dash cried, forming a T shape with her hooves. “Are you telling me that this ‘Pony of Fear’ not only attacked you and tried to use an evil double of you to, for whatever reason, go after Vinyl, but she did this all while trapped in some mythical kingdom?”

I nodded with a heavy sigh. “Yes Rainbow Dash. She couldn't get what she wanted though. Somehow Vinyl was able to fight her off, maybe it was to do with her new teleport spell but she was lucky to escape that crazy mare. If it wasn't for Applejack and Fluttershy finding me in my wardrobe, I might still be tied up by her black magic ropes...”

“Wow, you’re serious...” Rainbow Dash said slowly to me. Finally, it was sinking in. “Wow Twi, that’s creepy...”

“I’ll say.” Spike shivered, rubbing his arms with his claw hands. “But Twilight, if she is stuck in the kingdom, then why are you still worried?”

“Please tell darling.” Rarity looked a little nervous, either by what she thought I was going to say or what had been said.

I walked by them, picking up a large, dusty book from the shelf and placing it on the table. “You see this book? It has thousands of pages in it, each one filled with information, and each one unique. As long as this book exists that information is preserved; anypony who wants to can open these pages and discover all of this information for themselves.”

“Right.” They said together.

I flipped the pages over. “Somepony like her wouldn't accept defeat this easily. Not after being locked up for over a thousand years, as many years as there are pages in this book. Five hundred years ago an artist, the author of this book and a genius of his time, found the Kingdom of Harmony. What he saw turned him mad. He became paranoid, obsessed by the creatures of his imagination. One night, overcome by paranoia, he destroyed his life’s work; this book is all that remains.”

“I believe that when that pony discovered the kingdom, an essence of the Pony of Fear was absorbed into him. It is only a matter of time before somepony else finds the Kingdom of Harmony, Celestia knows what could happen then.” I took a good look at each one of my friends as I explained this to them.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh the mad pony that only saw fear and never stopped talking about it, right?”

“Yes”

“Oh I wish I was there to make him smile and tell him not to be scared!” Pinkie Pie saying this reminded me of the first time I met her and I couldn't help but laugh. “See! I made you forget your worries!”

“Yes, Pinkie, you did. But for now we are safe. I just want you all to keep an eye out for any shady ponies, any that bug Vinyl about spells, especially one’s that she hasn't shared.” I hope I am just being paranoid about this, but we can’t be too safe.

Rarity put her hoof on my side. “Of course darling, we can do that for you, and we won’t let any of the children know either.”

Spike crossed his arms. “Did the Pony of Fear say anything to you that might be important?”

I shrugged. “Not really. I think she was just finding it amusing that I was so scared...”

“Your crazy self...” Rainbow Dash shuddered. “That’s creepy for me, I almost fell for the crazy spell you put on that thing Twilight.” Rainbow Dash paused and frowned. “I noticed Zaps has it now, how the hay did it get to Zaps?”

“Oh that... Erm... Well...”

Pinkie Pie cut in and explained it to them. “Oh it’s simple silly! Don’t you remember the article that the girls wrote about Big Mac and Smarty Pants when they were still doing the Foalfree press?”

“Oh yes I saw that, so it was true?” Rarity turned to me.

“Yes it is... Big Mac refused to give it back and since I did cause all that mess I gave up trying and just let him have.” I rolled my eyes with a groan, that pony is always so stubborn. “Now he passed it on to Zaps after fixing her up.”

Spike gave a shrug. “Well at least it’s not sitting in your dusty chest anymore, Twilight, it found somepony that will take care of it.”

“Your right Spike.” I replied. “Smarty Pants has found someone who needs him more than I do. Maybe someday he might even give it to somepony else when he’s older.”

“Indeed darling.” Rarity placed her hat on her head. “Now why don't we leave and catch up with the others, the Derby will be starting soon.”

Rainbow Dash pumped a hoof into the air. “Oh yeah! Wonderbolt Derby time! This is going to be epic!”

“You mean super dooper fun!” Pinkie Pie giggled as she bounced around.

I opened the doors and one by one we left. I was the last to leave. The talk I had with them and dangers we might be facing stayed in my mind. I just hope I had told them enough. “I did my part Big Mac, now it’s time for you to fulfil the agreement we made.” I whispered with a smile and closed the doors behind me, it was time to go to the Wonderbolt Derby.

Chapter 23: Fear in a Bottle

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 23: Fear in a Bottle

I looked around at the crowd around me. Ponies everywhere were cheering furiously as the pegasi flew the Wonderbolt Derby. Even they were cheering, they had no idea that I was watching and listening to everything they were doing.

“Wow that was just epic! Did you see Spitfire go! She did those turns like a pro! She should win just for that!” Rainbow Dash declared. dancing around in joy. “I just love this view, it’s epic!”

“Dear Rainbow Dash, it’s welcoming to finally see such open enthusiasm from a group up here. I’m really enjoying 'Hanging out', as you might say, with everypony here?” Fancy Pants chuckled lightly, looking over to the racecourse as the track was moved and changed. “Ah here it is, the heart of the race itself.”

I spotted the pony I was looking for, the one they called Zaps. He was watching them move the clouds around. “What are they doing?”

“It looks like they’re realigning the course for the final event. This race is going to be bigger and longer, that’s why you have those unicorns over there, using their telescopes and their visual display magic. They let us watch the action from that display over there.” Twilight pointed a hoof to the transparent display that lit up high above the stadium.

“Yeah it going to be fun to watch!” Spike announced, eating some popcorn.

It was strange, I had always assumed that dragons were fearsome beasts that breathed fire. Perhaps this popcorn eating specimen was defective.

The orange filly. Scootaloo had climbed onto Rainbow Dash's back and was looking over her head. “This is going to be awesome!”

“I know Scoots, it will be! I’ve heard of this epic race but I’ve never got to see it before. I just can't keep my hooves on the ground, I really want to be there and race!” Rainbow Dash was barely holding herself back from leaping into the race herself. “Loop de loop, tight u-turn bends and speeding straights and turns! This is THE race course I’ve been dying to see!”

Zaps got on Big Mac's back and looked over his head. “Who do you think is going to win, Big Mac?”

“Ah have no idea, Ah’ve never been to a race quite like this, it different to what ah’ve seen before.” Big Macintosh replied with a happy smile. “Ah am glad we came, this is one trip ah will never forget, bein' here with mah little brother and sister on mah first trip to Canterlot.”

Rarity took out her binoculars. “Indeed darling, it’s a real treat, even Princess Luna came to watch it with us.”

That surprised me, the Princess of the night was one of the few ponies who might recognise me for who I really was. I had to keep in character, if the Princess were to stop me, all of my hopes of escape would be ruined.

She stepped up to the small group on the VIP platform. “Please, call me Luna, I invited you here as friends, did I not?”

“Yep! Luna sure did!” Pinkie Pie cried, bouncing up and down. It didn’t look like she had noticed my presence. Still, I would have to be more careful in the future.

“And she rocks the night too!” Vinyl grinned.

“Indeed I do.” Luna responded politely and both mares laughed a little before the announcer declared the start of the race, and the Wonderbolts got into their place.

Standing next to me, Night Spark chuckled. “Always keep us on our hooves, right?” He said and turned to me.

“Indeed sir.” I replied, the simple response expected from a solar guard, accompanied by a firm look as he performed his duty for the Princesses, Night Spark did not suspect a thing.

As the racers set off around the course I retreated a little out of my thrall and rolled my eyes dismissively at all the delightfully frivolous rubbish that I’d seen over time in the memories of my lovely, unwilling subjects. If only they realised how I was manipulating them, guiding them through to their dream jobs just so they would be where I needed them most.

“I’ve learned so much from Equestria in the last 700 years, it’s a shame that such a rich history will be lost when my time finally comes to be freed from this wonderfully disgusting place I’ve called home for the last 1000 years.”

I stepped away from my connection into the outside world. The shadowy windows into the minds of the few subjects weak willed enough to allow me to take control of them and use them as my tools throughout history.

The shadows followed underneath my hooves and above my head, absorbing the light from the sun. Its rays never strayed closer than ten feet from my body. The cold darkness was what I liked and so I kept it that way. I didn’t need any sunlight to sustain me, the fear of those that fed me over and over kept me going, but it was getting stale. There was no taste in their fear, just an empty feeling, like chewing air. It was enough to sustain me and my magic but I never felt full.

“I hate this Kingdom of Harmony... It’s dreadful, peaceful... I learned that lesson 900 years ago after spending almost 200 years trying to raze this place and make it cold and lifeless...” I muttered to myself, staring resentfully at the reason for my discontent, the six zap apple trees that held me in place when Harmony Rose used her magic on me. That child who held me in place... His fears were so rich and yet I still didn't know his name.

Only one other pony in this place of tranquil torment knew the answer to that, and he was both stubborn and annoying...” I teleported outside, into the empty streets of the kingdom frozen in time. It never aged and never changed. My magic could easily destroy it, but within seconds, it would have rebuilt itself. I walked over to the six trees that gave me so much trouble and within stood Armour McApple, protected from me by that same ancient spell.

He was doing the same exercises he performed every morning, afternoon and night. This annoying stallion was all I had to talk to and all I ever got was a stubborn mule for my troubles. “Evening Trisakade, how are you doing?”

My eyes flashed with fury. “Biding my time, as I always am. I used my double shadow spell on poor Twilight. Now it’s only a matter of time before she and the musician one slip up.”

“And you’re telling me this because?” He stopped his exercises and turned to face me. There, that got his attention.

I created the image I needed to show him with my magic. “Your little brother, the one Luna saved from me. He is back. Her magic was quite strong but, as you can see, he is living a new life now, with a new family, I might add.” I smirked darkly at him, maybe I could finally spark something in the stallion.

Armour McApple stepped up to the edge of the protective line that kept him safe, looking at what I showed him. “That large red stallion, Big Macintosh, he is his new big brother now, just look how much fun they having without you,” I teased, showing him the race at the Wonderbolts’ Derby. “So much time has passed for you. The world has moved on and forgotten this kingdom, even him.”

Suddenly, a great smile grew across Armour McApple’s face. “Good for him, I am glad that my little brother is safe and sound. It means that getting his name is going to be more problematic for you. And don't forget my mother slipped out as well, 700 years ago when that stallion took her crystal slumber. They have forgotten you just as much as this kingdom.”

What? How dare he mock me like that! “I AM THE PONY OF FEAR, I AM TRISAKADE! I SHOULD BE FEARED, NOT TOYED WITH LIKE SOME FOOL!!!!” I screamed at him, sending black swirls of magical clouds smashing into the barrier in my rage but, as always, it did nothing. The rainbow barrier lit up and held against my dark magic.

I couldn't reach that annoying stallion! I wanted so much to crush his life force out of him! But I needed him, he knew the one key word that would aid in my escape! A name long forgotten! The true name of that colt!

“Zaps huh? Neat name that they gave him, I like it.” I blinked once, my sapphire eyes burning into his smile as I calmed myself. “It seems your tactics aren't working Trisakade, you’re still trapped in this kingdom and I am still stuck in this one little spot where you can never reach me. It must be torture for you. The only means to your escape.” He tapped his head with his hoof. “And you can't reach it.”

“GAH!” I slammed the barrier again, with no results. “I don't know what’s worse about this place! The endless hunger, or talking to you!”

Armour McApple canters smugly over to small cottage he had built for himself. “If you need to talk again, I’ll be up by morning.” He trotted inside and shut the door.

Furious, I slammed my hoof against the barrier. A bolt of lightning burned through me, swatting me away from the shield like a helpless insect. Slowly, I pulled myself off the ground, my hoof was throbbing with pain from the impact. “Damn zap apple trees and it’s cursed magic...”

I walked over to one of the homes in the village, inside which was a harmony pony, frozen in black magic crystal. My strength returned as I sapped the fear from it. Tasteless as ever, there was no pleasure from taking his fear, I needed something new and refreshing! I couldn’t stand eating this tasteless fear.

Back in the chambers I stood at all my shadowy windows, staring at the images displayed before me. I could talk to these ponies and give them simple commands, but that all I could do, no real power to make them do what I needed, all thanks to that crazed pony 700 years ago. I was only able to attach magical signatures to so many and as the years went on the number of my slaves gradually decreased. There were very few who I could see through anymore, and those windows were widening.

“I planted the fear of my return to Vinyl and Twilight, they in turn told their friends about me. I’m not sure what Big Macintosh or the orange one, his sister, are up to. They don't speak much about their family to anypony who isn't family, I just couldn’t get the seed of my fear into them.” I spoke my thoughts out loud, or at least I thought I did, it was getting harder to tell after so long on my own.

“It might have something to do with their blood lines. I managed to get a pony to have a look at their family tree and from the look of things there were twins about the time the Kingdom of Harmony was formed. They parted ways soon after, one stayed with the Earth Pony tribe and the other became one of the leaders of the new kingdom. It might explain the similar appearances of Big Macintosh and Armour McApple.” I went on, desperate for something that might help me with this.

I turn my eyes back to the slave I had managed to place at the Wonderbolts Derby. They were at their final race, in its second from final lap. “Generational similarities...” I whispered seeing something that caught my eyes... “Rainbow Dash... There’s something familiar about you...”

“Come on Spitfire you can win it!” Rainbow Dash was yelling out, bouncing up and down with Scootaloo barely hanging on to the overexcited mare.

“Yeah, you can win it!” Scootaloo cried out, clearly she was more than accustomed to Rainbow Dash’s violent movements.

Worst of all, even McApple’s little brother was having fun. “Thi-this is so much fun to watch big brother! I ne-never seen anything like this!” He finally stuttered. If they weren’t going to let me feed off him, they could at least teach him to speak properly.

However, instead of reprimanding him, Big Mac simply replied with a, “Eeyup.”

Suddenly the one standing in front of me with the bow in her mane -- I think her name was Applebloom -- pointed out to one of the racers. “Surprise took the lead!”

“GO SURPRISE!!!!” Pinkie Pie cried out, cheering her on.

Even the, so called Princess, Luna was screaming out as she watched them do the loop and sharp u-turn bend. “This is so exciting! Why did I never come to watch this before!?”

“Sometimes we overlook the small things, your highness.” Soulful replied.

“Some of the truest words ever spoken, young Soulful.” Luna said with a smile and continued to watch as the race hit it the final lap.

“We’re on our final lap! Spitfire is in the lead with Surprise, Fleetfoot and Soarin right on her tail! It’s all down to this last lap! Who will win? Let’s find out and see!” The announcer cried out, actually encouraging the crude behaviour that seemed to have overcome the crowd as the racers zoomed around the track.

Night Spark stepped up alongside Rainbow Dash. “This really is something, I’ve never seen a race like this.” He said, watching carefully as they flew around. “No wonder they’re the greatest fliers in Equestria.”

“I know right?” Rainbow Dash replied as she watched on, not taking her eyes off the race for a moment. “I even got to meet the real Daring do, that is just~”

I quickly froze the image and replayed that last words with my magic. “I even got to meet the real Daring Do~”

I didn’t understand, how was that possible. “Daring Do isn't a fictional character? I saw some ponies read a book about her from an A.K.Yea...Yealing...” My eyes froze on the lips of Rainbow Dash as she spoke those words.

Finally after all this time, I had realised how to escape this prison. I grinned as those words rang out again and again in my head. “If the hero is real, then that must mean that all of her villains are real too.” I quickly floated back down to the centre of the chamber. “Thank you my little guard pony, you have given me just what I needed.” I chuckled.

I looked across at all the images in the shadowy mirror, until I spotted the one I was looking for, a young filly receiving the signature of a famous author.

“I know exactly what to do now, and as for the rest of you. Your services are no longer required. When you wake you will have no memory of who you are or how you got your jobs, lives, cutie marks... Nothing. You will be as empty as when I first brought fear into your hearts.” I chuckled as the black lightning was unleashed all through the room, destroying all the images but one.

“You will be a distraction for Princess Celestia and Luna for weeks, while my key pawn sows the seeds of my escape.” I looked at the one image that was left, the very last one I needed, and it was all thanks to Rainbow Dash giving me the information I needed without even knowing she was doing it. “Oh this is going to be fun!”

Night Spark

I felt a chill run down my spine to my tail, it was creepy, like a wave of coldness. “What the hay was that?” I asked, looking around for the source.

“My word, that was chilly, I felt it too.” Fancy Pants said to me.

Our thoughts were interrupted by the call of the announcer. “The winner is...” We quickly turned back to see the racers rush through the finish line, with the flag waving. “Surprise, by a nose!”

“WHAT!?” Rainbow Dash squealed in surprise at Pinkie Pie. “I can't believe it!”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Woo hoo! Surprise wins! How awesome, super dooper cool is...” Pinkie Pie froze in mid jump in the air and landed with a thud, looking suspiciously at one of the guards.. “What’s up with the pegasus guard?”

We all turned around to see him looking around in confusion and fear. Zaps walked up to him “Mister are you ok?” Zaps asked him. Suddenly, he grabbed Zaps in his hooves, looking at him in the eyes. “Mister let me go!” Zaps demanded, trying to break free.

“Where am I!? Who am I!? What am I!? How did I get here!? What is here!? Please tell me!? What going one!?” He was throwing question after question at us, all the time with a terrified look in his eyes.

Cautiously, I stepped up to him. “Shield Cracker, it’s ok, I am a fellow guard pony, put Zaps down and calm down.” I slowly raised my hoof, trying to calm the terrified stallion.

Luna tried to help control the pony. “You are a solar guard for Princess Celestia, do you not remember that?”

“N-no...” He looked around at all of us. “Keep back! Whatever you are!”

“Let mah brother go and we will keep our distance.” Big Macintosh pleaded, but the presence of the large red stallion only served to startle the panicked pony more.

Without warning, the guard holding on to Zaps rushed by us and took off into the sky, but his wings were beating unevenly and he started to lose control. “ZAPS!” Big Macintosh ran to the edge and leap out at the guard pony, grabbing him in mid air, but the impact knocked all three ponies off the stadium platform.

I flew out of the VIP booth with Rainbow Dash, who still had Scootaloo holding tight onto her. “Hold on Scoots, we’re going to save them!”

“Got it Rainbow Dash!”

“Let’s do!” I cried out to her and to the shocked gasps of many of the crowd we dived after the three falling ponies.

We zoomed down and got a grip on Big Mac and Shield Cracker. That’s when he totally lost it. He was fighting to break free, and in his panic to escape he let go of Zaps. “We got him!” I heard a voice cry out behind me. Spitfire and the rest of her team zoomed by, heading right for Zaps as he fell further down the mountainside towards the green valley below. The eight Wonderbolts dove in formation towards the young colt as he screamed for help and fell helplessly towards the ground.

I was trying my best to hold Shield Cracker with all my might as he struggled before he eventually simply passed out. I sighed in relief when I saw Spitfire and her team fly up alongside me with Zaps on her back, clinging on around her neck.

Rainbow Dash had help from two more of the Wonderbolts to pull Big Mac back up to the stands as I pulled Shield Cracker to safety, I was relieved that they still have strength in their wings after that race... No telling what would have happened otherwise.

We all landed safely back in the stadium as the guards reassured the worried crowd and gave Luna room to walk up to us with the others from the VIP booth. “Now can somepony tell me what the buck is going on?” Spitfire demanded, taking off her goggles with a thrust and throwing them on the ground.

I look at Shield Cracker. “Not sure exactly...”

Luna stepped up to him. “I do not have complete answers either, one moment he was fine then there was a very cold feeling in the air and Shield Cracker, one of my sister's guards, reacted as if he never seen a pony in his life before or even knew what he was, the reaction of fear I saw in his eyes was...” She paused. “Total fear...”

Zaps gulped. “Th-that exactly how I felt when I awoke in the Everfree Forest... Lost, confused, unsure of what I was or who I was, I didn't even know how my limbs was suppose to work at first...”

Fleetfoot raised her eye a little. “Weird...”

Spitfire stepped up to Zaps. “At least you’re safe now kid.” She patted him on the head a little with her hoof. “Well I'll be...”

“Huh?” Zaps saw her looking at my bag. “What?” He looked at her in confusion.

“Hey Soarin, isn't that yours?” Zaps saw the stallion step to him as Spitfire said it, I watched as Zaps stared at Soarin with loss.

Soarin took a good look at it. “It is! I lost that two weeks ago.”

“Kid, it’s not nice to stea...”

“But I bo-bought it from the to-toy shop...” Zaps protested.

“Yer hold on a dag minute! Zaps doesn't even know much about the Wonderbolts! In fact, this is first time seein' ya!” Big Mac stepped in front of Zaps blocking Soarin and Spitfire from getting near him.

Soarin turned to Spitfire. “I got a replacement Spits, there no need to cause a fuss over it.”

“Soarin, sometimes you’re thick headed, remember why we tried to find it in the first place?” Spitfire put a hoof to her head.

I step up and spoke. “Tell me why and let’s get this over with.”

“We had papers in it, they were what gave us approval to perform at the Crystal Empire, without them, there’s no show.” Spitfire explained.

Zaps open up one of the slots and pulled out some papers. “You mean these things? I found them when I was putting my lunch in the saddlebag, I kept them safe because I wasn't sure what they were and they looked kinda important.” Zaps gave them to Spitfire.

I smirked “Nice going Zaps.”

“Did I do good?” Zaps asked.

“I think you did.” I saw Spitfire's eyes lit up at what she read.

Spitfire picked Zaps up and gave him a kiss on the forehead before putting him back down. “Thank you Zaps, you are a life saver! We own you big time for this kid!”

“How big are we talking?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Not that big Rainbow Dash.” Spitfire chuckled. “Only that I can get anypony here with Zaps the best seats in the arena for our show.”

“Seriously!?” Scootaloo asked.

“Sure kid.” Spitfire tossed over her goggles from the floor to Zaps, he caught them and looked at her. “A little parting gift from the Wonderbolts, we’ve got to get going. With the show back on we’ve got a lot of work to do.” Spitfire flew up with her fellow members. “See you all at the Crystal Empire! And tell us exactly what happened here too! I want answers!” With that they took off into the air.

Spike stepped up to us. “Not to ruin the moment, but we’ve got a stallion that needs help.”

We all turned to Shield Cracker and I picked him up. “I will take him to hospital.”

“Very well Night Spark.” Luna nodded to me. “We will retire to the palace for dinner. I believe Zaps and the girls have school tomorrow.”

“Awwww....” Came the reply and I chuckled.

Soulful waved a hoof to them. “It has been fun but I’ve got to get going myself, got work to do and such.”

“Indeed and so do I. It’s been a pleasure meeting all of your, I bid you all a good day.” Fancy Pants and Soulful left on their own way back to Canterlot's city centre while the rest of the group went back to the palace for dinner. With the help of some fellow guards, I picked up Shield Cracker and flew him off to hospital to find out what exactly happened to him.

Chapter 24: Zaps's First Schoolday, Take Two

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 24: Zaps’s First School day, Take Two

The endless night sky is so beautiful. I was lying on my back, resting my forelegs behind my head. I was sat up on the wooden platform hanging out of the large zap apple tree watching, mesmerized, as the stars shot by behind the silver glow from the moon. The stars’ twinkle and the silver shine of the full moon made the night sky so amazing to look at. As I gazed, I saw a pony appear from that moon, a familiar face flying towards me. It was Luna.

“Luna!” I called out happily, instantly jumping up on my hooves as, with a few gentle flaps of her wings, she landed on the deck of the Zap Apple Treehouse. “What brings you to Ponyville?” I leapt up to her.

Luna said nothing. Silently she turned to look at the view of Ponyville in the distance. I stepped beside her and together we watched Sweet Apple Acres directly below and - not too far away - the flickering lights of the streets of Ponyville. “Impressive view.”

“Yeah, it sure is!” I beamed in delight. “But how did you appear from the moon like that?”

Luna laugh a little, rubbing my head with her hoof. “Sweet Zaps. This is merely dream, you’re asleep on the train back to Ponyville.”

I blinked a few times. “I am? But this seems so real.” I looked around the treehouse.

Luna lay down beside me, motioning me to sit closer to her. I shuffled towards her. “Yes you are. I thought I’d pay you a visit. I didn't expect your dreams to move from the place you found safe so soon though.”

“I guess I feel at home with Big Mac and the others.” I looked up at the night sky. “Is the night sky always this amazing?”

“Indeed, it is. Living on a farm will give you sight of the beauty of my night.” Luna was also looking at the stars, sparkling in the endless night sky. “But something troubles you?”

She was right, something was troubling me. “It about what happened to the guard...”

“Ah yes. The solar guard Shield Cracker, it is troubling that something like what you experienced could happen to a fellow pony before our own eyes.” Luna said calmly, sheltering me under her wing. “Do not worry my young friend, I will promise to keep you safe.”

I looked up at her calm blue eyes. “Thank you Luna.”

Luna nuzzled me a little. “You do not need to thank me Zaps, We are simply doing what we must to protect ones friends from harm,” she spoke in her royal voice. “We are helping Shield with a speedy recovery as best as our abilities allow it.” She looked up to the sky. “Remember the beauty of something within the night. Even the darkest corners will have a spark of light, you just need to find it.”

“You have family and friends that support you, Zaps,” Luna continued to speak. “They have helped you in so many ways during this week alone. All the memories you have gained from the moment you woke, they gave you your name and your family. They are your life now.” Luna remarked, still staring at the sky. “

I put my head against her side. “You’re right.” I yawned, feeling my eyes grow heavy. “They make me feel... Safe...”

Luna put her head gently on mine. “Thank you for your kind words, my young friend. It’s time for you to wake now. When you do, remember to not be afraid of school, you have friends and family. Enjoy your life, learn new things and find your destiny.”

“I will...” I smiled and the whole land around me lit up in a white light.

I opened my eyes to find myself being carried by Big Macintosh down the road towards the schoolhouse. I raised my head, still feeling a little sleepy and yawned. “Look like somepony finally decided to wake up.” I looked down at Scootaloo who was grinning at me. “Good thing too, we’re almost at school.”

“Big Mac decided to let yer sleep.” Applebloom giggled. “Yer must have been havin' a good dream with that smile on ya face.”

I yawned wiping a foreleg over my eyes getting the sleep out of my eyes. “I did, I was talking to Luna, she was showing me the night sky. It was beautiful.”

“Well, best get your head out of the clouds because this is your first official day!” Scootaloo declared.

“And we get to hear Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon saying sorry to all of us.” Sweetie Belle beamed in delight. I wondered what kind of trouble the girls been through with those two. I really didn't like them much after what they had said and what they had put me through...

Big Mac was pulling a wagon full of our stuff. He came to a stop by the schoolhouse and I got down. “Yer be good ok? Ah’ll see y’all two at home after school. We’ve got work to do with the Zap Apple Jam. We’re goin’ to start sellin’ it this afternoon.”

“Ok Big Mac! We’ll be home after school!” Applebloom replied as Big Mac gave us all our saddlebags from the wagon. He in turn start to leave heading back to Sweet Apple Acres leaving us in front of the schoolhouse as the other students entered the building.

I felt a bit uneasy about this but recalled the dream talking to Luna. “Are ya ok brother?”

Applebloom was concerned, and I guess she had a right to be. “Yeah I think I will be. Just feel a bit uneasy about this, last time I ended up being taken to the hospital to discover that I had some crazy internal magic in me that I still don’t understand.” I turned to my sister Applebloom. “Do you understand anything about what was said back then? Sis...”

“Ah’ll say ah don't, it’s kinda confusin' for me too Zaps.” Applebloom replied. The bell rang a few times and we all stepped into the schoolhouse for my official first day at school.

The girls were already taking their seats in the classroom so I went over and sat down at my own seat too, putting my saddlebag beside the desk. “Hey Zaps! Where were you this weekend?” I turned around to look at Button Mash.

“Erm... At Canterlot...”

“Whoa really?” I nodded in reply. “Sweet! I went to Sweet Apple Acres to find you, I wanted to show you some of my awesome games.” Button Mash showed me the small device he was holding in his hoof. “This is my Joy Boy, I play this every chance I get!”

I tilted my head a little, looking at it. I could hear sounds coming from the device, and bright flashes of light were coming out of the screen on the front. “Joy Boy? What does this thing do?”

“Just look!” I leaned over him to look at the screen. Staring back out at me was an oddly coloured pony wearing a large red hat. Button pressed his hoof against the ‘Joy Boy’ and suddenly the pony moved. He pressed another button and the pony jumped in the air. “What do you think?” Button asked.

I moved back to my desk rubbing my head, trying to understand what I had seen. “I don't know Button Mash, it look like fun, I guess, but I can't get my head around how something like this works.”

“Why don't you give it a try?” Button Mash pushed the toy in front of me. Tentatively, I picked it up and pushed the button once. The screen lit up and the strange pony appeared again, staring up at me. I pressed the controls just as Button had done and the pony moved to the right.

Honestly, I didn’t know what all the fuss was about, it wasn’t even that fun. You just pressed the button and the pony moved. I pressed again and the pony jumped, easy.

Triumphantly, I handed the device back to Button Mash who, though a little confused, dutifully took it off me. “Err… You know you can play more if you want?” he said and offered it back to me.

I shook my head. “No, that’s alright, I don’t think the pony likes me very much.” The character on the screen had gone back to staring at me. “And it’s making my head hurt a little. I don't like it, sorry...” I gave it back to him again.

“At least you tried it.” Scootaloo said stepping over to us. “Right Button?”

“Yeah, at least you tried it.” Button repeated, less enthusiastically than Scootaloo before suddenly perking up again. “Hey, do you wanna be friends?” he said and put his hoof out to me.

I smiled and clopped my hoof against his. “Sure, Button Mash.”

“Alright class. Take your seats.” We turned to see Miss Cheerilee walk into the classroom and went back to our seats. “Before we start our lesson on the Crystal Empire this morning, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would like to say a few words to the rest of the class.” She turned to the door and watched as they entered, followed closely by their parents. I remembered having seen one of them before, I think he was Diamond Tiara's father.

“Filthy Rich, I think Granny called him... Not sure about the other ponies though, I guess they must be Silver Spoon's parents.”

“Diamond Tiara, go on.” Her father Filthy Rich put a hoof on her for support. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Diamond Tiara sighed and stepped up in front of us. She pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her saddlebag. “I, Diamond Tiara would like to apologise for my actions before the weekend. I interrupted school lessons for the sake of my lies and started trouble with Zaps Apple. My actions were selfish and unkind and I want to apologise to anypony who I harmed.” She was reading directly off the paper. I could see that she seemed tense over some of the words she said.

“I would also like to say sorry to everypony here for all the trouble and for violating a pony's personal space to resolve our lies...” Silver Spoon added at the end, stepping up alongside Diamond Tiara.

Finally they both said together. “We’re sorry and we won't let this happen again, we promise.”

Miss Cheerilee smiled at them. “This is a good deed you have done, owning up to your mistakes, of course we forgive you. Take your seats so we can begin our lessons.” Miss Cheerilee turned to the adults. “Is this acceptable?”

Filthy Rich bowed his head slightly. “Of course, Cheerilee, we will take our leave. I have some business to attend to at Sweet Apple Acres anyway. We bid you a good day. I promise my Diamond Tiara won’t cause any more trouble.”

“I will make sure she doesn't, and the same goes for Silver Spoon, have a nice day.” Cheerilee replied and the parents left the classroom. I was a little confused why Silver Spoon's parents didn't say anything. I guess they’d rather let Diamond Tiara's father speak for them.

The girls sat at their desks and Miss Cheerilee got up from behind the desk. She walked over to the large board and flipped over a piece of paper she had stuck there. It was a picture of the Crystal Empire, similar to the one Applebloom had showed me. “Ok class, with that out of the way we can begin our lesson on the Crystal Empire. I am happy to announce that we will have a guest speaker with us who can tell you a lot more about it then I can. Can anypony guess who this pony is?”

Diamond Tiara raised her hoof, Cheerilee nodded to her. “Is it Princess Twilight Sparkle?”

“No it’s not, but you’re very close Diamond Tiara.” Cheerilee replied and pointed to Scootaloo.

“Is it somepony related to Twilight?” Scootaloo asked.

Cheerilee gave a nod. “Yes indeed, but can you guess who?” I thought about it and recalled the pony on the card Applebloom had showed me and I raise my hoof. “Do you know who it is Zaps?”

“Is it Twilight's brother, Shining Armor, Miss Cheerilee?” I asked.

Cheerilee raised her foreleg to the door and announced to us. “Yes Zaps it is, everypony give a warm welcome to Shining Armor, the prince of the Crystal Empire!”

I blinked and turned to Scootaloo. “Prince?”

“Yeah, he’s married to Princess Cadance, we even got to be part of the wedding. The dresses was really sappy but the wedding was awesome! Especially seeing Rainbow Dash do a Sonic Rainboom for them!” Scootaloo explained to me. It reminded me of the flashback of the wedding I’d seen Armour McApple in, I think he was my brother once, but I couldn’t be sure. The memories were fuzzy at best. Still a Sonic Rainboom...

“I wonder what a Sonic Rainboom is? It must another one of Rainbow Dash’s stunts, she is always talking about them. Maybe I could ask her about it later on.”

I snapped out of my thoughts when I saw a white stallion with blue hooves, mane and tail enter the room. He was definitely the same Shining Armor I had seen in the photo, but he didn't look like a prince. “Hello Children, it’s a pleasure to be here today to talk to you about the Crystal Empire.” He warmly greeted us all.

“Wow, Shining Armor!” Another one of the students cried out. He had a dark two toned grey mane and tail but I didn’t know his name.

“We’re getting to hear about the Empire from the prince himself!” Even Silver Spoon sounded excited.

“It’s really Princess Twilight's brother!” Another of the ponies, this one with brown and white patched coat, and a dark brown mane and tail whispered excitedly . “Do you like the Hayburger too Mr Shining Armor!?”

Shining Armor just gave a small laugh to everyponys reaction. “I really can see that everypony is excited about seeing me here for your lesson today and to answer the question from that young colt over there, I’m afraid to say that I have never been to the Hayburger. Has my sister been there?”

“She sure has! The Cutie Mark Crusaders asked her to join them and she did! She even enjoy the food there! We all saw it!” The brown and white colt replied, I was a little lost by what this place called Hayburger was.

I turn to Scootaloo. “What is this Hayburger place?”

“It sells all kinds of food super fast. It’s got loads of tasty treats! We will take ya there Zaps!” Scootaloo told me.

“That’d be cool.” I answered and saw a shadow loom over me, I turned and saw Shining Armor standing in front of me. “H-Hi...” I squeaked.

Shining Armor just stood there, wearing a strange smile. “So you’re the colt that guessed who I am. What is your name, young stallion?”

“Z-Zaps... Za-Zaps Apple... S-s-sir...” I managed to say, shuffling gradually lower into my seat with a gulp.

Shining Armor started laughing and put his hoof on my head rubbing my mane. “Don't worry Zaps, I won't bite.” I replied with a nervous a smile and sat up, though I still felt anxious. “I heard you’re the pony that helped spring that massive tree at Sweet Apple Acres.” I nodded a few times.

“Well, that’s kinda why I am here. My wife Cadance heard of the new Zap Apple Jam that had been made from the zap apples from that very tree and well, I volunteered to come to Ponyville. Not only for the Zap Apple Jam but to finally be able to visit my sister, instead of her being dragged to the empire for some crisis or another.” He chuckled lightly, walking back to the front of the class.

“Is that why you’re here?” Button Mash asked him, looking really surprised. Most of the class was looking over at me and Scootaloo. I went back to trying to force myself into the seat. A sickly feeling was building up in my stomach again.

Shining Armor shrugged as he stood at the front of the class, looking over at us all. “Yes and no. This lesson wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for two troubling little fillies.” He gazed at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, they just smiled obliviously back at him. I sighed, so much for their apology, now they’re going to gloat that trouble they caused me was worth it.

“Which I don't think is right, putting a young colt that is new in that situation is a very wrong way to go about things. You may have your cutie marks but it doesn't give the right to tease others over the fact others haven't got theirs yet and tell tales about family they hardly know.” Both girls looked down in shame. They wouldn’t be gloating anymore.

“Sorry Prince Shining Armor...” They said together.

He seemed to be pleased with them saying sorry, though I wasn’t sure they really meant it. “The other reason is because of the tree that two youngsters here helped to create.” He look directly at me and Scootaloo. “What you two have done is amazing, but remember. Everypony can do something amazing in their own way. Every little thing can create a spark that can grow into something awesome. It’s just finding that right spark that matters the most.”

“We got it Shining Armor!” Scootaloo answered for both of us. “But how did you learn about the tree?” I was wondering about that myself.

Shining Armor pulled a letter out from a bag he was carrying. “From my sister, Twilight Sparkle, she wrote to me about the new prime zap apple jam that will be on sale. So I came today to see if I can get my hooves on a jar, but after this lesson of course.” Shining Armor walked over to the black board picking up a chalk with his magic. “Now for the lesson about the Crystal Empire, are you children ready to learn about the magic of the Crystal Heart and the Crystal Ponies?”

Everypony cheered out in response and so did I. “Then, children, let’s let Shining Armor get started, shall we?” Cheerilee interjected and the class fell silent. “Go ahead Shining Armor.”

Shining Armor picked up the picture of the empire and placed it on the black board before us. He cleared his throat with a cough and circled around the picture with the chalk. “Now, who can tell me about the Crystal Empire?”

Applebloom raised her hoof and he points to her with his. “The empire is full of a different type of crystal ponies! They’re like us in many ways but they’re shiner and sparklin'!”

Wait, did Applebloom just say the crystal ponies sparkled? I guess that was the reason behind the name.

“That right.” Shining Armour confirmed. “They also pony the Crystal Heart with their love, happiness and friendship. It is the source of their power.” Shining Armor brought up another photo showing the Crystal Heart to us. The class collectively let out an 'Awwww!'

Except for me. I was too busy rubbing my head, trying to make sense of what Shining Armour had just said. “The heart is powered by the ponies and the ponies need it to get their spark? Does that mean both the Crystal Heart and Crystal Ponies need each other to exist?” I asked.

Shining Armor looked directly at me with a smirk, using his magic to pull up a set of pictures of the crystal ponies and a photo of their magic flowing into it and returning a blast of energy back to them, making the ponies shine with the kingdom with a magical aura bursting out into the sky.

“That is correct Zaps, in a few weeks time, we will also be hosting the Equestria Games.”

“Equestria Games? What’s that?”

Shining Armor looked surprised when I said that, I was really confused. “It has been talked about around Equestria for quite some time. How can you possibly not know about it?”

I look at the desk feeling sad, I didn't know about it because... “Oh my, I knew I forgot about something.” Miss Cheerilee quickly spoke and turned to Shining Armor. “Zaps doesn't remember much, most of all he only remembers what has happened and what he has learned in the last week.”

“So he doesn't know sports?” She shook her head. “Then there’s something we can do right now.” Shining Armor smirked as he glanced right at me. “Children, how would you all like to compete in our own little version of the Equestria Games right here and outside the schoolhouse?”

Everypony was cheering out at the idea, I was still rather confused over the Equestria Games and sports, but I supposed if the others liked what he had just come up with then I guess I could give it a try as well and see what exactly this sports thing is all about.

Shining Armor opened the door with a hoof out. “Alright children, let the games begin!”

Chapter 25: Junior Ponyville Games

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 25: Junior Ponyville Games

Twilight

“For the twelfth time Filthy Rich yer not buyin' all of the special Zap Apple Jam. Ah already told ya yesterday that it’s one jar per customer only! We were only able to make so many jars of it! Heck, we only got about 30 and that’s stretchin' it.” Applejack complained, raising her voice at Filthy Rich as Spike and Rainbow Dash and I watched as the argument continued to play out and it was getting nowhere fast. Filthy Rich wasn't taking no for an answer.

“I'll double my previous offer Applejack, that’s more than fair for 30 jars of the jam!”

“Sugarcube, the money is more than enough, but sometimes it’s not about the money and this is one of those times. Ah’ve been tellin’ ya from the beginnin' of this talk, ah’m givin' away one jar each to a few selective ponies only. Ya’ll be gettin' two jars as it is. Ah think that’s more than generous don't yer think?” Applejack pleaded, trying her best to finally get through to the stubborn Filthy Rich.

I thought it was a nice idea that she was giving out the jars. Her friends would all be getting one each. I heard that one was reserved for Cadance and somepony would be coming to pick it up today, I wondered what guardspony she'd be sending.

I turned to Rainbow Dash. She was holding onto her jar of sparkling rainbow jam. I had sent Spike off to fetch ours. Pinkie Pie and the others had already collected their jars and I knew that Applejack had kept three back for herself.

Finally I decided to step in. “Filthy Rich, a number of the jars already been taken by us. I have one, so do Rainbow Dash and the rest my friends. You’ve already got two and the Apples are keeping three back for themselves. Princess Cadance has sent a courier especially to pick up a jar.” I stood over Filthy Rich as I spoke to him.

“That makes 11 jars already taken. I think it’s fair that the next 19 go to other buyers of the Zap Apple Jam. Granny Smith needs as many people as possible to taste her jam. It took a lot of hard work to make it and you can’t just take all of them for yourself.” I finished. Hopefully it would get through to him this time. “Don't you think that’s fair? You will still get 50 jars of normal Zap Apple Jam that you always get, plus these two for free.”

Rainbow Dash was hovering around us and raised her jar to the sunlight. “Yeah, I think it is, this jam totally rocks but even I’m still getting a few jars of the normal jam. Can't beat Sweet Apple Acres Zap Apple Jam! Right Filthy Rich?”

“Yeah it’s a pretty sweet deal as it is.” Spike stepped up beside me. “What do you say?”

He looked around us and came to a stop when Big Macintosh stood in front of him. “I suppose when you put it that way, I think it is.” Filthy Rich gave his best smile to us. “Maybe next year I could buy assortment of them?”

Applejack took a glance to her brother who nodded once and she smiled at Filthy Rich. “Sure, ah don't see why not, since we finally figured out how to make this special jam, ah’m sure we can come up with some arrangement. Think of this as a taster.”

“That I will.” He finally accepted the offer and took his two jars, placing them into his saddlebag. “Here is payment, up front of the usual.” He tossed the bag in front of them, landing by Applejack's hooves. “I bid you all a good day and expect the usual delivery of the Zap Apple Jam to my shop as normal.”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac answered and Filthy Rich left us.

Applejack sighed right away hanging her head low. “Finally... Ah thought he never listen to what ah said...”

“I get ya AJ.” Rainbow Dash gave her a hug.

I watched Granny Smith slowly walk up to the stand preparing it for the afternoon sale. “Granny, how long did it take to make this special jam?”

Granny Smith placed the sign down and looked over to me. “Long enough youngun', it wasn't easy. The zap apple was really stubborn and that bein' kind to it. Ah had to come up with a whole different approach to prepare this jam.”

“Ah say. The first batch exploded on us.” Applejack chuckled.

That surprised me. “The jam exploded!?”

“Too right it did! Right in our faces, ah’ve never met anythin' so stubborn as those apples, their magic has quite the punch.” Granny Smith threw her hooves out, trying to mimic the exploding jam. She looked totally serious but I couldn't help by laugh at how I pictured it.

“Eeyup, laugh it up, youngun' but it was quite the show when it did and the mess we were covered in. Ah found out it liked painted squares though.”

“Squares? Seriously?” Rainbow Dash raised an eye at the peculiar method by which zap apple jam was made. “Why does zap apples have to be so...”

“Strange?” Rainbow Dash nodded to me. “Beats me, the zap apple is just that unpredictable.”

“Darn tootin' it is! One amazin' and unpredictable apple, ah always like a good challenge mind you, and ah sure got it!” Granny Smith looked happy over it and I couldn't blame her. She was a one of a kind pony for sure, she might be old but she always had a surprise or two up her hooves.

Applejack turned away from us. “Ah’d love to stay and chat but ah’ve got to help finish preparin' for the Zap Apple Sale, and get the wagon loaded with Mr Rich's 50 jars of Zap Apple Jam for Big Mac to deliver.”

“Sure, no prob!” Rainbow Dash replied cheerfully and zoomed off, shouting back to us as she flew away, “See ya guys!”

“I got things to do as well, research and such.” I gave Applejack a wave and she gave one back as I and Spike headed back down to the Golden Oak Library.

“Sure thing Twi!” Applejack called out as we left, before saying something to her big brother and then heading back together to get the jam ready for selling.

We soon left the farm and made our way back to Ponyville. After a few minutes of walking I could hear sound of the children cheering from the schoolhouse. Curious, I turned to head towards the school when one voice in particular made my ears twitch. “Isn't that your...”

I cut Spike off right away. “Yes it my brother but...” Then it hit me, the pony coming to Ponyville for the special Zap Apple Jam. “So my big brother came for the jam. Why didn't he come by to say hi to me?!

“Maybe he got caught up with the children; he is a prince of the Crystal Empire after all.” Spike had a good point and I wondered what he was up to as well. “Should we go and see what Shining Armor is doing?”

I smiled. That was just what I was thinking. “Sure, let’s go and see what my BBBFF is up to.” We made our way towards the race track.

When we got there, I couldn't believe my eyes. My brother, Shining Armor, had a cap on his head and was busy watching a group of children from Cheerilee’s school race around an oval track. Cheerliee, meanwhile, was standing at the edge of the track, cheering the racers on.

“Whoa! Are you seeing what I am seeing?”

“Yes Spike I am! It looks like princely duties also include supervising school sports days. My only guess is that, with the games coming up Shining must be giving them a taste of it, a kind of Junior Ponyville Games,” I suggested to Spike as we watched Rumble, Thunderlane's little brother, sprint past Scootaloo’s frantically waving chequered flag to win the race, followed closely by Zaps in second and Button Mash in third place.

That’s when we saw Thunderlane land beside us from a cloud to give his little brother a hug. “It sure looks like that, Twilight!” Spike replied and we made our way to the track.

Shining Armor gave a high hoof to each of the ponies that had completed the race, congratulating them. “Well done colts! You all did a great job on that race, a close one for sure!” He looked up from the children and his face instantly lit up as he saw me arrive. “Twily!” He called out immediately and the youngsters parted, giving him room to come rushing up to me.

“BBBFF!” I called back and we hugged him tightly. Smiling at my brother, I pulled away. “I see you’re getting the children into the Equestria Game spirit!”

He stepped over to the children as I followed with Spike. “You bet I have Twily, at first, Miss Cheerilee just asked me to teach the children a few things about the Crystal Empire but then I learned Zaps here didn't know anything about the games in the empire that would be happening, or sports at all for that matter, so I thought this would be a good way to enjoy the lesson. They get to know a bit more about the empire and have a bit of fun too.”

He turned to all the children. “Right kids?”

“Yeah!”

I flinched at the very loud cheer from the high pitched voices from all the children, but Shining didn’t seem to notice. “I can see that. I think it is a wonderful. Can I lend a hoof big brother?”

“Sure Twily, I don't mind at all, an extra pair of hooves is most welcomed.” Shining Armor approved. “And Spike, would you like to give a claw as well?”

Spike jumped at this. “Sure!” He put the jar into my saddlebag as I took it off and placed it on the side of the track. “What would you like me to do?”

Shining Armor gave him a pad and quill. “I’d like you to keep score of everypony and see who comes first, second and third in each race or track event. I’d like to make this feel like something similar to what it will be like in the Equestria Games. Can you do that for me Spike?”

Spike saluted. “You can count on me Shining Armor!”

“Thank you for helping Twilight, Spike. We’re very grateful, right children?” Cheerilee added, and the children cheered again.

Spike raised his arms out and spoke out loudly. “Let the Junior Ponyville Games continue!”

Shining chuckled, rubbing his hoof on Spike's head. “Nice name Spike, I like it!”

“Thanks! I thought of it myself!” He proclaimed proudly, in reply I just rolled my eyes. “Typical,” I thought to myself. “That’s just like Spike.”

I took a look around at all the children that were gathered around the oval race track. “Was that the first event we saw, Shiny?”

“Indeed it was Twily, the 200 meter gallop and I’ve got to say, these colts have got some real speed behind their hooves, especially for some that have never raced like this before.” Shining Armor answered, walking over to the three colts that had got the top three positions. “Zaps, how did you find it?”

Zaps was before that talking to the other two colts Rumble and Button Mash about the race. “It was great! I really enjoyed it Mr Armor!”

“Kid, call me Shining or Shining Armor if you insist. Calling me Mr makes me sound old.” Shining Armor told Zaps as they walked over to the halfway point of the track. “Now it’s the fillies turn to race, are you girls ready to do the 200 meter gallop?”

“Sure we are!” Scootaloo yelled out.

Diamond Tiara groaned. “Do I have to? This running around the track looks totally lame...”

Shining Armor just shrugged. “If you want to miss out of the fun it’s your choice Diamond Tiara, I am not forcing you to do anything.”

“Good, I am sitting this out.” Diamond Tiara announced and sat down by the tree. “Come on Silver we don't need to do any this sports stuff.”

Silver Spoon, however, seemed unsure looking over to Diamond and the others. “I wouldn't mind trying Diamond Tiara, how often you get a prince doing this kind of stuff with us kids?”

“Well that is true but I’d rather not get all sweaty.” Diamond Tiara replied. “If you want to race go ahead.”

“And we’re still friends?”

“Yeah why wouldn't we?” Diamond Tiara replied, matter of factly, really surprising me a little, even though they were so often rude and mean to the other children or just showing off their wealth, they were still friends in some respect. I guess they learned the magic of friendship after all.

Silver Spoon smiled and raced over to the other side of the track, joining the others. I stepped up to Diamond Tiara. “So you do know the meaning of friendship.”

“Yeah, of course I do, she’s been my best friend, even after all the trouble the Cutie Mark Crusaders caused us.” Tactfully ignoring that comment, I kept as calm as I could. This blame game between the two groups of fillies was silly but wasn’t something I could take sides in. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had to find some common ground on their own.

On the running track, Shining Armor was getting ready to start the race. He raised his head with a magical aura forming around his horn. “On your marks!” The fillies crouched down, getting ready to run. “Get set!” They lower themselves a little bit more and Shining Armor launched a blast of magic into the sky. “Go!” They launched off the starting line and raced around the track to the sound of furious cheering from everypony on the sidelines.

They had blasted through the turning in their respective lanes when I suddenly had a fantastic idea. A simple summoning spell later and I brought forth the microphone, levitating it close to my mouth. This race needed some commentary.

“And Scootaloo dashes round the first turning heading into the straight in first place with Silver Spoon and Twist just behind her! Applebloom and Sweetie Belle closing in with Dinky at the rear! But wait! They’re closing the gap on the straight, galloping with all their might towards the finish line! And now it’s Dinky in the lead! Wait, here comes Firelock!”

I did my best to keep up with the race as the fillies scrambled for the finish line and Shining Armor stood with the flag, ready to wave it as they passed across the finish line.

“The winner is Firelock, by the nose! Followed by Scootaloo and Dinky in third! A Close fourth for Silver Spoon followed closely by the fellow racers!” I announced the results and Spike quickly recorded them, marking the scores down.

Shining Armor stepped up to all the children. “Now that was the racing, who can give me the name of another sporting event that’s popular in the games? Who can tell me?” Zaps raise his hoof. “Yes Zaps.”

He looked right over to the straight line track with the sand after it. “What exactly is that for?” He asked, pointing directly to it.

Cheerilee stepped up beside Shining Armor. “That Zaps is the Long Jump track, you gallop your hardest and jump on or before the white lane as far as you can without magic or flying.”

“Oh so you just run and jump as far you can into the pit of sand? Could we do that?” Zaps asked. Shining Armor looked at me and I gave him a quick nod of approval.

“Sure, and after that we will do one more event before we finish up for lunch. I will let you know what that is after the Long Jump.” Shining Armor said to them as he stepped up to the side of the track. “Now who wants to go first?”

“Ah will!” Applebloom announced, striding boldly up to the start of the track. “Ah’ve watched mah sister do this plenty of times against Rainbow Dash.” On the wave of the green flag by Shining Armor she set off running down the track. She reached the white line and leapt across, landing at...

“5 meters 2!” I called out and Spike wrote it down as attempt one for Applebloom. “Not bad Applebloom, that one heck of a leap you got there for a filly.”

“Thanks Twi!” Applebloom beamed with pride.

Sweetie Belle was next and leaped leapt over the line all the way to, “4 meter 9!”

“Wow I really jumped that far? That’s awesome!” Sweetie Belle looked really pleased with the result of her first attempt.

Button Mash was next up. He ran up to the white line and virtually launched off the track. “6 meters exactly! I declared and Spike wrote it down, “The first score for the colts!”

Scootaloo set up next. With a lick of her lips she ran for the white line. Her jump surprised even me, not least because of the front flip she decided to throw in the middle of it. “Whoa! 7 meters 1! That really is something Scootaloo!”

“Woo hoo! An awesome score for an awesome pony!” She punched the air with her hoof.

Timidly Diamond Tiara stepped up to the end of the track and, to my amazement, actually started to run down the track but as she was about to jump she suddenly came to a dead stop. “What the hay am I doing?” She cried out, “I am not jumping in some filthy sand pit!”

I rolled my eyes as Spike put a no jump. “Seriously Diamond Tiara? You’re not going to score anything at this rate.”

“Doesn’t bother me, this little sports thing just seems pointless to me anyway.” She replied, walking away. I just groaned putting a hoof to my head.

“Twily, what is up with that filly?” Shining Armor asked me.

I hung my head down in defeat with a sigh. “Does stuck up sum it all up?” I whispered to him. He looked right over to her and back to me. He gave me a nod and I went back to waiting for the next Jumper.

Rumble came up to the track and made a run for the white line. He leapt right over it and landed with a tumble before pulling himself off the ground, laughing as Thunderlane flew up to meet him. “Awesome jump bro!”

“Thanks Thunderlane! What did I score Twilight?” Rumble asked me as I checked it.

“6 meters 9 Rumble, nicely done.” I said to him and looked up to see who was next. Zaps. “Ok Zaps best of luck!”

The little colt made a run for the white line and gave a mighty leap from it; he landed in the sand with a thud, sending sand flying everywhere. I waved it out of the way with my magic. “How did I do?” Zaps asked as he stepped up to me.

I checked the closest mark to the white line. “I’d say 7 meters. Hey, you got the same score as Scootaloo!”

“Right on!” Scootaloo yelled out with a hoof raised high. Zaps raised his to meet it and they clapped it against hers. “Sweet jump Zaps, you really know how to kick up the competition.” She giggled and Zaps laughed alongside her. This was turning out to be a fun event for the children, made even more special by helping my big brother put it together.

Spike continued to write down each score I spoke out as the first set of attempts were completed, followed by the second and finally the third attempts. Each jump pushed the colts and fillies a little further, making longer and longer jumps to try and beat each other. The atmosphere was still friendly though and the children were all enjoying the sporting events they were participating in. Diamond Tiara saw all of this, and finally, on the third attempt, decided to make a jump.

“Ok, here go nothing!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed, ran for the line and took a big leap from it, flying through the air and landing on all fours before turning to see how far she got, eagerly awaiting her score. Carefully I measured her jump against the bar that ran parallel to the sand pit. “How well did I do?” She asked expectantly.

“You did pretty good Diamond Tiara, 6 meters 2. For your first and only go that is rather impressive.”

Looking directly at the filly, I stepped up to her and lowered my head to her eye level. “It’s great to see you joining in the fun Diamond Tiara.”

“Well I wasn't going to look like some loser just sitting around not doing it.” She replied bluntly then walked over to Silver Spoon and, as they performed their usual chant, I just sighed heavily.

Spike put a claw on my leg, trying to reassure me. “Twi, some ponies have just got a head full of rocks.”

“Yeah tell me about it...” I muttered and raised my head to Shining Armor. “So Shining Armor, what’s the last game?”

Casually, Shining Armor strolled over to the middle of the track and held up a small coloured horseshoe. “Ok everypony, the last event will be a relay race. The object of the game is the pass on a horseshoe like this to the next runner. The track will consist of a straight run followed by a series of flag poles; you will have to weave in and out of them as you make your way to the second pony.”

He pointed to the line on the track. “The next runners will take the horse shoe and jump through all of these hoops to reach the next runner. The third pony of the team will have to run through slippery muddy water, so be careful and don't rush through it or you could trip and lose your horseshoe, this will mean you and your team are out of the race” He explained the relay course to the children.

“Finally the last ponies will be your fastest gallopers; they will run as fast as they can down the home stretch to the finish line. If the team wins, each of you gets a medal but remember it all in good fun!” Shining Armor reminded them. Throughout his speech he gradually began to get more and more excited, and it was rubbing off on the children, even Zaps was jumping up and down in anticipation. “So enjoy the race and pick out your teams!” Shining finished.

The teams were quickly decided. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Zaps, their newest member would form one team. Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Dinky and Pip, a rather unusual mix of ponies would form the next. The final teams were Rumble, Button Mash, Firelock and Twist, and Snips, Snails, Featherweight and Archer. Four teams of four ponies.

“Thunderlane and Twilight, you two be flying above to keep track of the race. Spike, I need you to be here at the finish with me and Cheerilee.” Shining Armor told us.

I smiled and took to the air. “Sure, Rainbow Dash has been giving me some helpful tips with flying, and I’ve read loads of books on the subject, so this should be no problem.”

I flew up to a nearby cloud with Thunderlane and we landed on it. Thunderland was already absorbed in the race below as I peered over the edge, seeing the children heading off to their horse shoe exchange points on the course Shining Armor had managed to set up.

“I really hope my little brother's team win. Who are you rooting for Pr...” A sharp glare at Thunderlane swiftly dissuaded him from using my new title. “Erm... I mean Twilight, sorry about that.”

“It’s ok.” I sighed, though I still wasn’t used to people calling me that. “I just hope that everypony has fun” I replied, a perfect answer for a Princess. “Though I think Scootaloo’s team have the best chance,” I added, slightly less Princessly. Below us, Zaps had taken up his place for the muddy section of the course after Scootaloo, who had taken position in from of the hoops. Surprisingly, Sweetie Belle had placed herself at the end of the course – I had never envisaged her as much of a runner – Applebloom, meanwhile, was starting off the race for their team. “It looks like they are almost ready to go.”

Thunderlane looked down at the ponies taking place in their selective roles of the relay course. “Yeah they sure are. I can see my little brother taking up for the hoop course from here.” Thunderlane sat down and we were silent for a few moments, then a few more moments. Shining sure was taking a while to get all the racers ready.

Thankfully Thunderlane broke the silence. “I hear that a 'Trade In' sale going to happen in the next few days and you will be making sure that all trades are fair.”

“Yeah I am but I plan to be part of that action too. I have a few dusty old books I need to get rid of.” I replied looking around at the ground below. “So are you planning to go?”

“Sure am, I plan on taking Rumble there too, maybe he can get rid of some of his stuff that sits around all day long.” Thunderlane replied and then we heard Shining Armor speak.

He stood by the line giving each of the team a horse shoe each. “You can either carry it in your mouth or on your hoof. Don’t forget, if you lose the horseshoe for more than ten seconds then you and your team are out of the race. My sister, Princess Twilight and Thunderlane are keeping an eye in the sky. Finally, I’d like a good, clean race, so no pushing, kicking or pulling back. Have fun and remember that it doesn't matter who wins or loses.” He calmly told the children, magically amplifying his voice so that the children at all the various parts of the track could hear him.

“Are you all ready?”

“Yeah!”

“Get set!” Shining Armor's horn glowed and fired a beam into the sky, exploding into fireworks of colour. “GO!” He yelled out and the first racers begin the rush for the flag poles.

The race was on and Applebloom took the lead as she ran around the flag poles, followed closely by Snips, then Pip and Firelock. They weaved in and out of the flags poles but Snips tripped over one of them and Pip with Firelock had to run around him. Quickly Snips pulled himself onto his hooves, giving chase as the first ponies arrived with their horseshoes in their mouths, passing then to their friends.

Scootaloo took the horseshoe off off Applebloom and made a beeline for the hoops, she hopped through each ring running for the next checkpoint with Rumble right beside her. Silver Spoon was not far behind. Archer, who was having to play catch up seemed to be doing really well and tore through the hoops section of the course, leaping from hoop to hoop and rapidly gaining on the others.

“Go on Rumble! Keep it up! You’re doing great bro!” Thunderlane shouted, cheering on his brother.

I smiled glancing over to him and then back to the race as Archer, who had taken the lead, gave horseshoe to featherweight. He made a run for the pool of mud leaping in and wading through it to the other side where Snails was patiently waiting. As he set off, he was closely followed by Zaps, who took the horseshoe from Scootaloo. “Go Zaps! You can do it!” Scootaloo bellowed flapping her wings, excitedly hovering on the spot.

Silverspoon gave the horseshoe to Dinky and she instantly leapt into the mud splashing Silverspoon, “gah! Dinky! You’re getting me all muddy!” She waved her hooves around in the air, trying to get the mud off her fur, but Dinky didn't hear her and just kept going.

Twist took the horseshoe from Rumble, leaping into the mud to catch up on the others just ahead. “Go Twist! Go!” Rumble called out to her.

The four children wading through the mud having fun, this was one crazy race course. Most races didn’t require Shining Armor to place bowls of water at the end of each section of the rally for the contestants to clean themselves up.

I had never seen quite the race like this but it still looked like a lot of fun, maybe I could even get my friends to have a go, it was almost like an assault... Then it hit me, I put a hoof to my head. “Gah, that brother of mine! I knew I had seen something like this before!”

“Where?” Thunderlane turn to me.

“This race, it’s the sort of training guards do, some of this is exactly like it but I guess he softened it up a little for the children. I should have expected my brother do something like this. He would never let being a prince stop him putting all the time he spent training as a royal guard to use.” I began to laugh at the oddity of it all, but Thunderlane simply raised an eye at me and went back to watching the race.

The final passing of the horseshoe was about to be made for the final leg, a run to the finish line between Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, Snails and Button Mash. I could see this being close, apart from maybe Diamond Tiara, who, after taking the horseshoe from Dinky, decided to carefully wash it off in the water before starting, costing her valuable time in the race as while Diamond was cleaning her hoof the other racers had already set off running down the track.

Everypony was cheering on the runners as they galloped as fast and hard as they could to the finish line with the horseshoe in their mouths. Shining Armor raised the flag as they approached the end of the track in front of a billowing cloud of dust. Somehow Diamond Tiara retook the lead, but then Sweetie Belle pulled ahead! Button and even Snails managed to catch up. Thunderlane and I watched from high above the finish line to see who was going to win but it was so close. They were neck and neck now!

Finally, Shining Armor waved the flag with his magic and announced, “The winner is...”

Chapter 26: All Good Things…

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 26: All Good Things…

“Go Sweetie Belle! Go!” I cheered as she made for the final dash alongside the other three ponies. I couldn't quite see who was winning from where I was but I didn’t care. This sports thing was so much fun! I couldn’t wait to see the Equestrian Games for real!

The racers approached the finish line and Shining Armor raised the flag. “The winner is...” He waved the flag and they raced past the finish line. “Button Mash!” He finished. Next to me, Twist screamed out in joy, dancing around in circles and jumping into the mud, spraying dirt everywhere, including all over me, Featherweight and Dinky.

Everything froze for a second and we all stared at each other. Wet muddy sludge covered our faces and dripped off our fur onto the ground as we all turned to look at Twist, who looked right back at us in complete silence.

Suddenly Dinky started to giggle, so did I and soon we all burst out into fits of laughter, before diving into the mud and splashing around like it was a bath, covering each other in the dirt as we played in the mud.

“MUD FIGHT!” I suddenly heard behind me and turned to see Scootaloo run right at us and leap in, splashing us all. More and more ponies joined in, throwing balls of slime or splashing muddy water at each other.

I have no idea how long we spent covering each other in dirt, or why the adults didn’t stop us, but they didn’t, and we had fun. Instead they just stood there and watched as Shining Armor use some sort of magic to protect them from any mud, well, apart from his sister, he didn’t cover her, and it didn’t make her happy.

“Shining! You did that on purpose!” She glared at him.

Shining Armor chuckled. “And what if I did? What...” He might have said more but Twilight had already picked him up in her magic. “Twily! D-AHHHH!” We all jumped out of the way as Shining Armor landed in the mud with a mighty splash. He surfaced and grinned. “Now it’s on!” He picked up a large glob of mud with his magic and moulded it into multiple balls of dripping mud. “Incoming!” He shouted and fired them all at her.

“Ahhh!” Twilight cried and covered her face with her wing from the sudden barrage of mud balls, sending one right at Cheerilee and another flying off towards Sweet Apple Acres. “Ok that does it!” Twilight shouted, “No more miss nice mare! You’re in for it Shiny!” She leapt right at Shining Armor.

Cheerilee looked speechless at what was happening around her, so did Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Miss, are Princes and Princesses supposed to do things like this?”

“I don't really know... This is all new on me.” Cheerilee replied, watching in awe as the mud fight continued.

“Incoming!” Thunderlane yelled out, before diving right into the mud causing a huge splash, covering Cheerilee, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in mud.

Eventually the mud fight ended with us all lying on the grass, covered in dirt and smiling like crazy. I had never had so much fun, although Cheerilee looked less than pleased. She pushed us all back towards the schoolhouse so we could get cleaned up before the final medals.

When we got back Shining Armor gathered us around and stood in front of us with Twilight and a particularly worn out looking Cheerilee. “Well the mud fight was unexpected but it was a lot of fun to see everypony enjoying themselves, even royalty.” He said and everypony laughed a little as Twilight Sparkle looked incredibly embarrassed.

Spike ran over to us from the tree where he had been sat, thankfully out of range of any muddy projectiles. “Yeah I even got photos of it too!” Spike said and raised a camera up.“Got to save those awesome moments right Twilight?” He added as he turned to her.

Twilight stared at the camera and put a hoof to her head. “Yes Spike, just don't show them to everypony in town please...”

“Sure no problem!” Spike put the camera away in the saddle bag.

“Give me a copy for me and Cadance, ok?” Shining asked. I had no idea who this ‘Cadance’ was but Twilight hug her head down in defeat when Shining said Cadance was getting a copy, so I suppose she must be sompony important..

“Now, with that settled, it’s time to give these medals to the winning team of the relay.” He turned to the winning group. Button Mash, Rumble, Twist and Firelock all smiled in response. “Young fillies and colts please step fourth.” They stepped up in front of him.

Thunderlane, who was standing behind us, whistled out to them. “Great job team! Awesome win bro!”

Shining Armor took the medals from the tray Spike held up and placed each one carefully around the necks of the winners.

“For a great race and winning the relay I give you the Junior Ponyville Games medals, not only for winning, but for having a great time, enjoying yourselves and finally for great team work. Congratulations to each and one of you. Never forget that enjoying the spirit of the race with your friends is just as important is winning.”

He raise his head, speaking to all of us. “I hope to see you all at the Equestria Games in a few weeks time!” Let’s hear it for the winners!” We all cheered stomping our hooves.

“Now what the hay is going on over here?” Applebloom and I turned quickly around to see Applejack walking over to Twilight and the other adults.

“Applejack, I thought you was preparing everything for the sales.” Twilight asked as she walked up to Applejack.

Applejack just looked around at the assault relay course that was still set up and at all of us kids. “Ah was, until ah got hit right in the face by a flyin’ mudball. What the hay all this, Sugarcube? Is this some sort of sports day ah wasn't told about? And what are flyin’ mudballs doing at a Sport’s day?”

“Oh that.” Twilight glanced around. “This was set up by my brother, I didn't even know about it until I heard him speaking out to the children.” Twilight turned to Shining Armor. “And he was the one that hit you.”

“Was he now?” Applejack walking over to Shining Armor. “Yer like throwin' mud balls at ponies huh?”

“Applejack it wasn't like that! I was thrown in the mud by Twily first. I was only retaliating, one must have missed her and shot off.”

“Yeah, right at me.” Applejack took a good look around and a diabolical smirk began to grow across her face. She was planning something.

“Well, since yer dragged me here Prince Arfmor, how about a race on this here course.” Applejack suggested, and pointed her hoof to the relay course.

“Is he going to accept?” I whispered to Applebloom

“Ah do not know Zaps.” Applebloom replied.

“Shining I wouldn't if I...” Twilight tried to warn him but he didn't listen.

Shining Armor then smiled. “Why not. A friendly race sounds like fun.”

“No darlin’. This is a wager, if ah win ya’ll be helpin' out on the farm for the rest of the day with the Zap Apple sale.”

“Wh-what!?” Shining Armor gasped, Twilight put her hoof on her head, shaking it and Spike was laughing under his claw hands. “You can't be...”

“Serious? Ah am. And if ah lose?”

Shining Armor quickly looked at his sister for help. “I'm not getting involved. You already agreed to the race, you should have asked if there was a catch.” Twilight responded.

“Thanks Twily...” He said dryly to her. “Fine, if I win you give me a extra jar of that special zap apple jam and all other jars that I was going to buy free of charge.”

Applejack spat on her hoof. “Deal!” She put her hoof out to him. Shining Armor raised his own in response and to our surprise actually spat on it before he clopped it against hers, sealing their wager. “Shall we get started?”

“Sure sugarcube.”

Sweet Apple Acres

I walked alongside Big Mac, helping to carry the jars of zap apple jam. It was stored in a holder I had hanging on my back, a cloth saddle with pockets for three jars on each side. Applebloom however was not with us, she had left to go and help Applejack sell the jars of jam to the ponies.

Standing instead on the other side of my new big brother was a tall white Unicorn wearing a colourful polka dot apron. He had been tasked with giving out the jars to the ponies and taking the coins off them, the apron was an insistence of Applejack, something about not wanting to spill apples over the royal fur.

A click and flash caught my attention and I saw Pinkie Pie taking photos. “Thanks Pinkie Pie, that’s going to go to Cadance.” Twilight said, emerging from behind her with a smile.

Shining Armor just smiled back with a shake of the head. “I might have lost the race Twily but at least I can admit defeat with honour.”

“Of course Shiny, and you’re doing a smashing job too. Who knew you were such a good apple seller?” Twilight retorted sarcastically. Big Mac and I put the carriers down and with the help of Shining Armor they were placed on a large pile behind him.

“Well youngun'. Ya will get some jars as a thank you for helpin' us out and a good old fashion Apple's dinner for yer hard work.” Granny Smith said to Shining Armor as she gave one of the few special zap apple jams to a pony. He was careful to take it with his hoof rather than his magic, he was still suffering from his earlier attempts at dealing with the jam. He rubbed his mane with his hoof, trying once more to return it to it’s normal position, but it was still buzzing with the static.

“Thank you Miss Smith, I just wish I had known about the dangers of unicorn magic on that special jam before I used it.”

“Don't worry about it Shinin' Armor. Yer mane will be back to normal in a few hours, ah do apologise about that though, ah should've told ya about it but it slipped mah mind.” Applejack said to him as she place the Bits into the chest they had out.

“It’s perfectly fine Applejack, I saw the photo of Twilight when she took one with her magic. At least I didn't suffer from the same ill effects of that magic backfire.” Twilight gasped and glared at Pinkie Pie.

“PINKIE!”

“Oops, I think I hear babies! Got to dash!” Pinkie Pie was gone in a puff of pink smoke, followed closely by a less than pleased Twilight.

“Pinkie! Get back here!” Twilight yelled as she chased after the pink mare.

Rainbow Dash saw them run past her as she landed at the farm. She shook her head and walked over to the stall to buy her jam. “Let me guess, Twilight's rainbow disaster?”

“Eeyup” Big Mac answered.

“Hehe thought so, Twilight hates that photo getting out.” Rainbow Dash said and placed the bits on the table. Shining Armor obediently placed three jars into her saddle bag. “Thanks Shining Armor. I heard about your loss to Applejack.”

Shining Armor shrugged. “I lost and that's that. I don't mind, really this is a rather nice change of pace for me.”

“Sure.” Rainbow Dash turned to me and Applebloom. “I heard your team came second in the relay course, nice going.”

“Thanks Rainbow Dash!” Applebloom replied.

I thought about the sports. I really found them to be fun. “I enjoyed it, the racing, the long jump and the relay! I can’t wait to see the real Equestria Games at the Crystal Empire!”

“Yeah it’s gonna to be fun, shame yer didn't show up a month or so ago, yer could've been with us in the flag carryin'.”

“Flag carrying? What do you mean?” I had no idea what they were talking about now.

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her head. “Duh I should have told ya Zaps, each team in the Equestrian Games represents their home region and each team has flag bearers responsible for carrying their regional flags out on to the field alongside the team.” Rainbow Dash explained to me.

Flags? I knew about those. “Like a six colour crystal patterned flag with a with big purple star in the middle?”

“Erm... Yeah but I never seen one like that before, except...” Rainbow Dash looked at me, a curious expression on her face. “Wherever did you see a flag like that?”

I thought about it and looked at her. “It’s the one on top of the castle in my dreams, in the Kingdom of Harmony...”

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Rainbow Dash interrupted, waving her front hooves for a second. “You’re telling me that crazy flags I saw in my dreams is the national flag of the Kingdom of Harmony!? But that star is Twilight's Cutie Mark!”

“Ah saw it too! But how can ah know that dream place too? Did yer dream of that place Applejack?” Applebloom asked and we all turned towards Applejack. Who was looking at us wide eyed with shock.

“Yer got to be kiddin' me! Ah had that same dream too! There was a crazy rollar coaster that Pinkie Pie made! And ah saw that flag on top of the castle too! There was a pony that looked exactly like... erm... well...” Applejack’s voice trailed off into a set of mutters.

“Now, that’s strange, ah had the exact same dream. Ah saw Big Macintosh, Fluttershy and Rarity singin' on stage in front of ah lot of ponies includin' Princess Celestia and Luna.” Granny Smith said.

So she had also seen the dream. I was surprised by this, I had dreamed of that place over and over again since waking up, and yet nothing ever made sense, how could they possibly be having the same dreams?

“But Big Sis, how can you have dreamed of that place. I thought it was only in my head, I thought that was just a place I had dreamt of since I woke up in the Everfree Forest? How can you have seen it too?” I asked, confused and a little hurt that she hadn’t told me.

“Ah don't know sugarcube, what’s really strange is the photo Pinkie Pie has of the dream with us all in it. Do yer remember it bein' taken in the dream?” Applejack asked each of us and we all gave a nod. “Shinin' Armor have yer dreamed of a place called the Kingdom of Harmony?”

Shining Armor finished giving the last jar out to a pony and walked over to us as the last of the ponies left. “Well thinking about it now, I do. In fact, it was the night that Nightmare Moon returned and when you, Rainbow Dash, Twilight and the other girls defeated her and Princess Luna returned. I dreamed of that place only once. When I woke up I searched through the Canterlot Library for information about it, but all I found was the old painting and a barely legible diary, nothing more.” Shining Armor explained to us.

“Am ah the only one that findin' this to be a tad creepy?” Everypony shook their heads. “Big Mac, ah think we need to gather everypony that dreamed of the Kingdom of Harmony and have a little chat about it. Maybe it’s just me, but somethin' about this seems awful fishy for something that’s just myths and legends.”

Rainbow Dash raised her front hooves up, standing on her hind legs. “Whoa. Chill out ponies. So we all had a dream of the same place? I agree we should get Twilight, Vinyl and the others together on this but if we start acting crazy it’s not going to get us anywhere. Look at what happened at the Crystal Empire and even here in Ponyville whenever something crazy started happening, we all acted a bit out of sorts and things got a little out of hoof.”

“She’s right.” Big Mac declared and we all looked at him as he spoke on. “This doesn't just involve Applejack and you the elements, this involves more of us: me, the children, maybe others we don’t know about yet. We each shared a part of this dream, and we each learned somethin’ too. Zaps should know about...”

“Yer can't Big Mac! Remember what yer promised me!” Applejack cut in. I was looking at each of them trying to understand what was going on, nopony was making any sense.

Applebloom was lost by this too. “Applejack what’s goin’ on?”

“Now listen here, Applejack, if this has somethin' to do with the family then it concerns all us Apples, ya here?” Granny Smith stared Applejack and Big Mac. “Well do ya? Ah’m waitin' for an answer!”

Applebloom and I looked at each other and back at the adults around us. “Do you know what they’re talking about?” I asked her.

“Ah’ve got no idea. All ah know is that the adults know somethin' we don't...”

“I wonder what it is, look at our brother and sister arguing...” Applebloom and I watched Big Mac and Applejack step away and talk about something that we couldn't hear, they were in a full blown argument with Granny Smith.

Granny Smith suddenly looked shocked and shook her head sadly.

“Yer two should be a shame of yerselves! Keepin' this away from Zaps and Applebloom. They have a right to know about this, ah don't care what the princesses said, this is the Apple Family! We don't keep secrets like this! Yer remember how much it hurt last time. It almost drove this here family apart and broke mah heart. Applejack yer know this more than anypony. Especially after yer left for Manehatten to live with yer Aunt Orange and Uncle Orange!”

Applejack lowered her head and scraped her hoof in the dirt, looking to the ground in shame. “Ah do Granny... And yer right...”

“Eeyup...”

“What’s going on? What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to make out what in Equestria they were talking about happened before me.

“Ah think it’s somethin' to do when ah was only a little foal, when Applejack left Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac told me about it after Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo learned of how she got her cutie mark.” Applebloom said to me. “Ah still don’t really know what happened but it caused Applejack to just get up and leave, she returned after the Sonic Rainboom with a cutie mark.”

“Wow talk about heavy.” Rainbow Dash said. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to what has been said than we seeing here?”

“Yer right, the only ponies that know about this are Vinyl, Big Mac. Ever since mah brother told me, the princesses and Twilight.” Applejack explained. “When everypony is gathered the truth will be told and ah hope this doesn't affect how yer see us as family Zaps...”

I saw the concern and worried look in both hers and Big Mac's eyes, they looked scared, actually fearful of what they were going to to tell me. I gulped, feeling rather sick but I just about managed to say to them.

“Y-You will always be my f-family…”

Chapter 27: The Truth of all Things

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 27: The Truth of all Things

Scootaloo

I headed over to Sweet Apple Acres on my scooter, stopping just short of the farm to look up at the huge tree Zaps and I had somehow helped to create. With a heavy sigh, I glanced at my blank flank and back at the massive zap apple tree. “I know Rainbow Dash said that it’d be part of Sweet Apple Acres and my special talent was different...” I pushed my scooter closer towards the farm, eyes still fixed on the tree. “But when Rainbow Dash did the Sonic Rainboom she got her cutie mark and her friends got theirs as well... Even if the stories of their Cutie Marks are kinda sappy.”

“Yeah that’s pretty true, squirt.” I turned around, looking up to see Rainbow Dash hovering over me with her usual smirk, I smiled back. “I’ve got to admit I was surprised as well.” She said as she landed beside me.

My smile vanished as my eyes went back to the tree. “You really don’t think me and Zaps should have got our cutie marks?”

“Not sure squirt, I did get mine for doing something awesome instantly but the tree took time to appear, so maybe it’s something different.” Rainbow Dash shrugged.

“I guess...” I looked down at the ground, disappointed once again at my lack of cutie mark, but my thoughts quickly turned back to why I had come here. I continued to push my scooter towards the farm with Rainbow Dash walking alongside me. “Rainbow, what’s going on? I was told by Sweetie Belle that it’s something about the dream we had a few days ago.”

Rainbow Dash suddenly looked very serious. When Rainbow Dash looks at you like that you know something is up. “I had that dream too squirt, even you were in some of it, do you remember the roller-coaster?”

“Yeah I do, the crazy one that Pinkie Pie crea...” I stopped and turned to her, eyes the size of saucers. “Wh-what? You were in the same dream I was having? But how?”

“Rainbow Dash doesn’t look at all startled, I don’t get it! How can we have shared the same dream? Does that mean Zaps, and the others I was playing tag with around that fountain, they were dreaming too? The same dream? Ok, that is seriously weird. I know Princess Luna is good at dream walking but having the whole town share the same dream dream? I don't think even could do that alone, unless that unicorn with the yellow and orange mane was...”

My thoughts were broken as Rainbow Dash spoke, I turned to her. “Beats me, but something else happened before the dream, and Twilight, Applejack and Big Mac are going to explain it to us.” Rainbow Dash stated, looking directly at me.

“I got a feeling that the reason you and Sweetie Belle were asked to sleep over Sweet Apple Acres has something to do with this secret that Twilight, Applejack and Big Mac have...”

“Your sure?”

“I’d bet my whole collection of Daring Do on it, squirt.”

If Rainbow Dash was wagering her beloved adventure books on this, then it really must be serious. We walked by the house and began making our way to the river side. The others already there waiting for us.

“Then I won't let him or you down Rainbow Dash!”

“I know you won't.” She rubbed her hoof on my mane with a smile and we continued our way down to the river side to join up with the others.

Granny Smith and Big Mac had already started cooking the food and there was a delicious smell in the air as we approached the group of ponies sat around a large table. I noticed Zaps was helping Big Mac out with the cooking. He really looked up to Big Mac a lot, he was his big brother now after all.

“Hey Applebloom! Sweetie Belle! I guess Zaps is helping out Big Mac?”

“Sure is Scootaloo, come sit with us! We saved you a spot!” Sweetie Belle said as she tapped her hoof on the bench. Carefully I placed the scooter down and climbed up onto the bench to sit with them. “Looking forward to the sleep over?”

“Sure am!” I replied and turned to Applebloom. “Did you really have a dream about playing tag in that Kingdom of Harmony place as well?”

“Eeyup, sure did Scoots, Sweetie Belle and I remember it, clear as day, as if we were actually there, strange huh?” Applebloom answered. There was no doubt in my mind about it now.

“I’ll say, do you remember that unicorn he called mother?” I whispered to them, glancing quickly over at Zaps to make sure he couldn’t hear.

“Yeah I did, do you think she really is his mum?” Sweetie Belle whispered back. “What about you Applebloom.”

Applebloom stared into the distance. She did not reply. “Applebloom?”

“Yeah ah heard too...” Applebloom she eventually replied, distracted by something but before I could press for it Zaps trotted up to us and sat down.

Twilight used her magic to pick up the plates of food that Big Mac and Granny Smith made and placed one in front of each of us.

“Before we talk, we eat ok? No pony here’s had dinner so before we hear the truth. Y’all youngun’s are going to eat.” Granny Smith said as she sat down beside Applejack. “Now enjoy.”

It was now, just before we began to eat, when the guests nopony expected arrived. The dark shadow landed feet away from our table and as she approached, Princess Luna looked up at us with a warm smile. “Is there room for two more?” A voice asked from behind her, and the bat pony, Night Spark, stepped into view.

Twilight reacted almost immediately, dropping a plate of food and dropping to the floor to bow down for the princess. It was only after a few seconds of amused looks from the Princess that Twilight regained her senses enough to address the guest. “Princess Luna! Wha-what brings you here?”

“The truth, of course Twilight Sparkle. I expected that sooner or later it would have to come out, so I postponed the Night Court and arranged to come out here to Ponyville. I don’t need to be in Canterlot to raise the moon and this is leagues more important than the squabbles of the Capital,” she replied, calm and collected as ever.

I watched her take a seat beside Granny Smith and Night Spark sat on the other side of Zaps. “After all, this affects me my dear friend personally more than most of you could think, so it was of utmost importance that I came.”

I turned to Zaps and saw him fiddling with the pendent he had around his neck. “Zaps, Princess Luna gave you that right?” He nodded once. “Does it... Erm... Well feel familiar?”

His eyes looked up from it and looked at me from across the table. “Y-yes. But I can't remember why or where... I try so hard to understand why this feels like it means something more but I just can't remember...”

“That is one of the reason I am here li...” Luna stopped herself and closed her eyes, she look suddenly sad. “Dear Zaps... By this end of the night the truth will change how you see me from... a... friend...” She spoke very slowly at the end, struggling to get the words out. What was really bugging her? This wasn’t the awesome princess of the night that I had seen in my dreams at all, and it definitely wasn’t Nightmare Night. This was something else entirely, something I had never seen before, as if she was in… Pain?

Granny Smith spoke as she stood up. “Before we talk about this, it’s time for grub! And we’ll all enjoy it together, whatever happens next, includin' Zaps. Ya’ll be the newest member of the Apples and mah grandson.” Zaps smiled warmly back to her and with a curt nod she sat back down and we all started to eat the feast the Apples had prepared for us.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed but we were there long enough to see Princess Luna raise the moon. That really was something.

I groaned, rubbing my stomach. “I think I ate too much...”

“Me too...” Sweetie Belle moaned, resting her head on the table.

Applebloom giggled. “That’s nothin' yer should see how much food Twilight had when she first came to Sweet Apple Acres, she ate everythin'!”

Sweetie Belle and I looked at each other and then up at Twilight. “You did?” We both said together with surprise.

Rubbing her hooves together, Twilight turned away a little. “Yes, I suppose I did. I was all new to friendship and thought it was silly at the time, I just wanted to please Applejack and her family, it all went a bit overboard.” Twilight replied. “But after the events of my...” Twilight paused looking right at Luna.

“Please don't worry Twilight. Were it not for such events I wouldn't be sitting here, today of all days, a day that matters to us all so much.” Luna assured her, looking directly at Zaps. I was really confused by this, that look she gave him, it was kind, loving, familial...

I made the connection and gasped, I turned to Luna, who had turned her gaze directly to me. “Could it be!? Luna sees him as her little brother? But that’s not possible! Yes, she saved him from the nightmare darkness he was trapped in and kinda helped him find Sweet Apple Acres. Yes, she gave him a really awesome gift but she back then she didn’t even know his name. If she really was his older sister, wouldn't she know his name?” Arg! This was giving me a headache!

“The truth of all things will be known soon Scootaloo.” She said to me.
Luna was good at reading out my reactions. I nodded once and looked over as Twilight stood up and stepped back a bit for everypony to see her. Whatever was about to happen here, it was about to start now.

Twilight looked across the table from one side to the other and began to speak. “It started in the place we all saw in our dreams, the Kingdom of Harmony, a kingdom that vanished over 1000 years ago during the reign of Discord, when chaos spread throughout Equestria. This was before he was reformed by Fluttershy, of course.” Twilight began to pace up and down as she told her story.

“Without the magic or knowledge of the Tree of Harmony, Princess Celestia and Luna were forced to retreat from the elements of disharmony and the god of chaos. That is when they entered what we call the Everfree Forest and found the mist that hid away the Kingdom of Harmony. Upon crossing it, their Alicorn Magic was stripped of them and they became unicorns.”

“Indeed that is true, I will show you what I looked like upon crossing the Mist of Misdirection.” Luna stood up, stepped back and summoning her magic, changed form and appearance before our eyes and even shrunk into a filly that was about five or six years old.

“Whoa no way!” I gasped as the powerful alicorn became a filly in front of us. “You became a filly unicorn with no cutie mark!?”

“Yes that is true.” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle giggled at the sound of her voice coming from the filly body, an adult speaking through a child. I couldn't help but find it amusing too.

Zaps on the other hoof looked like he saw a ghost, his eyes shrunk in an instant and stayed like that. I went around the table quickly and up to him. “Zaps are you ok?” I got no reply and waved my hoof in front of him. “Zaps snap out of it!”

He swallowed loudly and blinked, still staring at the Princess. “I-It... N-Nig-Nighty from my fl-fl...” Zaps’s words were hardly escaping his snout.

“Zaps...” I got up on the seat and put my hoof around him. “It’s cool Zaps your best buddy is here.” He looked slowly towards me and gave a nod before returning to stare at Luna.

Luna’s form changed to one about our age. “I had to grow up again but during that time my sister and I went by the names of Nighty and Sunny Day. After five years of our stay we grew accustomed to life there. I was one of the only two young ponies there...” Luna look directly at our direction. “Zaps was the other... His brother and my sister fell in love...”

“Whoa whoa whoa! You’re telling me that you spent five years in the Kingdom of Harmony and let Discord run amock!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Luna lowered her head a little in shame. “Without our alicorn magic and knowing we were no match for him in a direct conflict, we had little choice but to stay where we were. The leaders of the Kingdom of Harmony knew of a magic that might aid us but we...”

“You never told them what was happening to Equestria, you didn't want another kingdom of ponies to risk facing up against Discord.” Twilight interrupted. “But Discord did find the kingdom in the end, didn't he?”

“Is that true, Luna? Discord found the Kingdom of Harmony?” Fluttershy asked.

Luna nodded with a smile. “Yes, but like us he also suffered from the unusual effects of the kingdom. He lost his chaotic magic and even his draconequus form, becoming an ordinary pegasus pony. It was quite funny really, to see even the almighty god of chaos weakened by this unusual magical mist. Unfortunately he left soon after, before we could arrest him.”

Luna returned to her normal form. “As I was saying, during our stay there my sister fell in love with a stallion named Armour McApple. As well as captain of the small detail of guard ponies, he was a zap apple farmer and was very connected to the magic of the earth, many times more so than the average Earth Pony.”

Luna walked up to Twilight and turned to face us. “My sister took the name of Sunny Day and within the five years she and Armour McApple were married by his and Zaps’s mother, Harmony Rose.”

Applejack gasped. “SAY WHAT!?” She turned to Big Macintosh. “Big Mac why didn't yer tell me about that! Seriously! Yer keepin' that from me!? Yer own sister!”

“Well how could I? Yer know how yer would react when yer heard that our little brother is the brother in law to the princesses of Equestria...” Big Mac replied, unfazed by his sister’s outburst.

Zaps however, wasn't fairing nearly as well. I could see it even as I held him tight in my embrace, he was shaking and his face was wet from tears. I understood, I felt overwhelmed too, he was over 1000 old, how was that possible? I just didn’t make sense! He was just a colt, a year older at most...

Applejack looked at us and her eyes lost all their anger. “Yer right...” She walked over to us and sat down, putting a hoof around our shoulders. “It’s ok Zaps, yer got yer sister here...” She put her head gently against his. I didn't bother to try to get out of this, Zaps needed me and I had to stay with him.

“But i simply do not understand,” Rarity said to the princess, looking over at us, “If Zaps really is from this place, and he really is related to Royalty, how is he a colt?

Shining Armor spoke up. “Crystal Empire...”

“Hmm?” Rarity turned to him.

“A kingdom vanishing due to an evil threat, it’s happened before, and I am guessing that’s what happened to Zaps here too?” Shining Armor looked directly at Princess Luna.

Princess Luna nodded once in response and began to speak. “Yes, but unlike Sombra cursing the empire, this was a result of a spell called 'The Last Result’ upon a being that brings fear. She is known to ponies as the 'Pony of Fear', two years after the marriage on the day, on the day of the Zap Apple Harvest, she attacked the kingdom." Luna's horn started glowing. “I will show you all of what happened to the best of my memories.”

Luna's horn lit up into an image of a group of ponies fleeing through the zap apple trees. I saw one, from what I could guess Celestia, trying to use her magic against their pursuer, a dark, shadowy being with cold, sapphire eyes that sent shivers running through my body.

I huddled close to Applejack, Zaps and Big Macintosh, I was terrified of this 'Pony of Fear', so were Applebloom and Sweetie Belle who were holding onto each other. The only one that didn't seem affected by this was Pinkie Pie who was laughing at her. “Wow, look at that! Big meanie cloud trying to scare everypony! Hahahaa what a riot!” She said, throwing some popcorn up into the air and catching it in her mouth.

Granny Smith watched the image with hard stare as Zaps stopped the black cloud taking Luna. She didn't seem affected by it either, what were those two made of!? I even saw Rainbow Dash holding onto Fluttershy, both of them paralyzed by fear at the mere sight of it, not that she would ever admit it though. We couldn’t hear what was happening in the image, but what we saw said it all loud and clear.

With a flurry of sparks the show was over and the glow in Luna’s horn faded. I was still feeling shaken at what I had just seen, but eventually I managed to pull myself together enough to speak... “Z-Za-Zaps lo-lost h-his mem-memories be-be-be...”

“Because of all that dark magic?” Luna looked directly at me as I nodded several times. “Indeed that is my theory too, the magic caused the kingdom to vanish, not by a curse like the one Sombra cast, but rather an accident. An overload of dark magical energy that imploded on itself, taking the kingdom with it. This is what caused the fear that… most of you are feeling.”

We looked over at Pinkie Pie, still cheerfully eating her popcorn. “What?” She garbled behind a mouthful of food. “It was only the super powerful, super evil Pony of Fear, it’s not that scary.

Luna raised her eye a little. “Yes... Of course...” She turned to the rest of us. “The terrible fear you felt was caused by just an image of that Pony. I also witnessed it, and in my fear I failed to save Zaps...” She walked over to Zaps. I was still huddled close to Applejack. My legs were jelly, I had never felt so afraid, it was worse than all my nightmares in one. “I failed to be a sister to you back then... I couldn't save you...”

“But Princess Luna,” Shining Armor said as we looked over to him. “Nopony could have defeated that pony, her magic was too great. Zaps did the only thing he could do. He sacrificed his memories to protect his sister and threw himself into eternal nightmare. Few stallions would be brave enough to sacrifice themselves like he did. ” Shining Armor stepped up to Zaps, kneeling down with tears in his eyes.

“Zaps, I know this is hard on you, but see it like this, Luna saved you from the endless nightmares and brought you out of it, you have found a family that sees you as their own. Someday you will return to your mother and your big brother, I promise you that.” He put a hoof gently on Zaps underside of his snout gazing into his eyes.

“Until then, the Apples have made you part of their family and are giving you a chance in this life. You may have lost your memories from before, but you have a family here, you are not alone.” Shining Armor’s words really made me think.

“T-true...” Zaps wiping his tears away. “I-I j-just do-don't know...”

“It is a lot to take in, Zaps,” Luna put a hoof gently on his chest. “The truth hurts, but it had to be told. I really wish I could have came forward but you had no memories, the little you have gained since then still leaves you in pieces. You may not remember me as i remember you but you will always be family.” Luna kissed him on the forehead gentle.

“Th-thank you S-Sister...” He hugged her around the neck as he cried again, she was crying too... I blinked and rubbed my eyes, this was unreal!

“Thank you, little brother...” Luna said softly and a sharp snap and bright flash caught everypony’s attention. It was Pinkie Pie taking a photo. “Be sure to send me a copy of that Pinkie Pie.”

“I sure will Princess!” Pinkie Pie giggled.

Applejack looked at the smiling Princess. “Ah’m glad y’all are happy but it’ll take time for Zaps to take in what he learned...”

“Eeyup.”

At that moment we heard a desperate cry from above us.“A little help here!” Rainbow Dash cried out, trying to break free from Fluttershy's megaton hug. “I can't free myself from Fluttershy!”

I looked at Sweetie Belle and Applebloom and they looked back at me. We all felt bad about what we had learned. The truth was painful...

I thought about what Rainbow Dash had told me about what Fluttershy did with the dragon, facing her worst possible fears and how hard it was for her. Zaps had to do the same. He had to face his own fears, the Pony of Fears, and I had to help him...

Night had fallen and Princess Luna said her goodbyes, leaving Night Spark to stay at Sweet Apple Acres.. One by one, the other ponies made their leave, we sat by the window, watching them all go. The truth of the Kingdom of Harmony really was something. I had never expected to feel so hurt, frightened and miserable about the whole experience, it was really something to remember...

I turned to Zaps, who was sitting against the bed on the floor, holding out the pendant and staring at the markings and crystal on it. He had been like that since we all entered Applebloom's room. Applejack and Big Mac said they had a surprise for him. I didn’t think anything could make Zaps happy now...

“Hey Zaps?”

Zaps raised his head, looking directly at me. “Yes Scootaloo?”

“How are you holding up?” I jumped off the side down to him.

He looked at the pendant between his hooves. “I don't know... What I saw and learned... I just don’t understand. They say it’s the truth but I just don't feel much coming back to me about that place... When I dream I see it all, and I feel connected, but when I wake up, nothing...” Zaps rubbed his hoof over it. “I look at this though and I feel something familiar and... I just don't know...”

“Zaps, ah don't care that yer from a kingdom from over 1000 years ago, yer still mah new brother and that’s what ah think that counts, don't ya think?” Applebloom stepped up to him and put her hoof on his.

Sweetie Belle put her hoof down alongside Applebloom's. “Yeah, me and Scootaloo are your friends too, we are all the Cutie Mark Crusaders, after all. We never leave our friends hanging, right Scootaloo?”

I joined them and put my hoof down on theirs. “That’s right! We’re your friends, Zaps, and we’re not going to let something like this cloud over our awesome friendship!”

“Let's say it!” Applebloom grinned.

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

I look to Zaps. “You up for it?”

He looked at each of us and smiled. “Sure.”

“Ready!” I looked at them and with a nod we all took a deep breath of air.

And we screamed out at the top of our lungs. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS! YAY!”

There was a sharp knock on the door and a tall, white unicorn stallion walked in.

“Those are some lungs you kids have!”” Shining Armor remarked as he walked into the room..

“Shining Armor? I thought you were heading back to the Crystal Empire.” I was surprised to see him and so were the others..

“I will be, the overnight train is arriving in a hour or so. I just thought I would drop by to give Zaps something.” He used his magic to pull out a posh looking case, opening it, he placed it before Zaps. “It was supposed to be a gift for Spike but he’s got enough gifts from the empire already.”

Zaps looked inside, a short message was embroidered in gold on the inside of the case. “All good things have a beginning and all good things come to an end. Though roads go ever on, family will live forever in your heart. To Zaps, From Shining Armor.” Zaps pulled up the cloth and we just gasped, it was a perfect green emerald. “Whoa...”

“Whoa indeed...” Sweetie Belle stared at it. “That’s a really cool gift Shining Armor, but what about Spike? This was suppose to be his, wasn't it?”

Shining Armor smirked. “Don’t worry, Spike has received plenty from the Empire already and since I didn't exactly get anything for this colt's birthday, I thought I would give him this.” Shining Armor turned to Applejack behind him with Big Mac. “It was their idea too, something extra special for Zaps.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Zaps blinked.

“Yer’ll see.” Big Mac turned and the other adults followed. We looked at each other with a shrug and, picking up Zaps gift and pendant, followed them.

“Ah don't get it, all that’s down here is the dusty old room that’s used for storin' spare thin's.” Applebloom said, looking at us in confusion.

“Do you think they did something to it?” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“Maybe, but what could they do with that room? It was practically fallin’ apart.” What Applebloom was saying made me think. I thought about the treehouse we use for our crusading.

We arrived and they put a blindfold over Zaps’s eyes. “When we say sugarcube, remove the blindfold ok?”

“Erm ok...”

They opened the door to the room and when we followed them in, we all gasped. “Yer can remove it sugarcube.”

Zaps removed it and saw his gift. “Surprise!” They said together.

“Welcome to yer own bedroom Zaps!” Applejack beamed in delight. “Ah thought ya...” She looked at Big Macintosh who snorted. “Ah meant we... Hehe...”

“Right. This is yer own bedroom. We thought that after today you could use some cheering up so we renovated the whole room for yah.” Big Macintosh said, nuzzling him. “Do yer like it?”

Zaps walked in with us, taking a good look around. In the centre of the room was a small bed, a little smaller than Applebloom’s, a spacious wardrobe, and a window on the other side of the room with a view of the huge zap apple tree across the field..

Shining Armor took the case holding the emerald in it placing it down on top of the drawers alongside another photo of Zaps with the Apples. His scooter sat at the end of the bed with the helmet on the handles. “What do you think, Zaps? Quite the room, isn’t it?”

“It amazing... I don't know what to say...” Zaps looked around, completely speechless, and went up to the bed, jumping up and down on the orange sheets with zap apples on it. “Wow this is so soft!”

“Ah thought yer didn't know what to say?” Applejack grinned.

“I think I found them!”

“Eeyup.”

“Well I’d better take my leave. I’ve got a train to catch, I’m sure I’ll see you all at the Equestria Games, or maybe sooner.” Shining Armor waved to us all and left the room, making his way out to return to the Crystal Empire.

“Ah know what we can do!” Applebloom beamed. “We can have our sleepover in here!” Applebloom quickly looked at Zaps. “If it’s ok with ya Zaps.”

Zaps smiled with a happy nod. “Yeah I would like that! Can we Applejack! Big Mac!”

“Of course yer can, Zaps.” Applejack replied.

“Yay!” We cheered.

“I’ll go and bring yer sleeping gear up here, y’all all enjoy the evenin' and don't stay up too late ok?”

“Sure thing Big Mac!” I replied.

“Goodnight sugarcube and hope yer like yer special gift Zaps.” Applejack lower her head to Zaps and he nuzzled hers with his.
We looked at each other and cheered, clapping our hooves together as Big Mac and Applejack left the room.

I turned to Zaps. “Tomorrow after school, how about I give you some riding lessons on your scooter?”

“Sure, I’d like that.” Zaps beamed. “I wouldn't mind getting my thoughts off this evening. I really want to just enjoy what I’ve got now.”

“Yeah, but don't forget that your... our other brother is still out there and so is our mum.” Applebloom said, jumping on the bed alongside him. “Wouldn't it be cool to see them again? They might even know yer real name!”

“What wrong with Zaps?” He asked.

I smirked. “Nothing at all, Zaps, but wouldn't you like it to know your real name?”

“I guess... I just never put much thought about it.” Zaps shrugged. “Do you think it’s worth it?”

“Yeah it could be.” Sweetie Belle said walking up to her sleeping bag. “If you found a way out somehow, maybe others did too! Even Armour McApple might have!”

Applebloom jumped down and got into her sleeping bag. I turned off the lights and went to my own. “Ah wouldn't mind meetin' him! Ah only saw him once in that dream but he was kind and brave and spoke of yer Zaps! He really wished he could be there for ya!”

“He said that? But he was trapped in that kingdom? If it’s trapped like the Crystal Empire then how could he share dreams?” Zaps asked. He had a good point.

“Beats me Zaps, let just leave it for now and let the adults figure it out.” I yawned. “For now we should what to do tomorrow, no point in worrying about something we can't control, since it’s already happened.”

“I guess so...” He yawned, “you’re right Scoots...” and took that Smart Pants plushy and snuggled under the sheets with his head rested against the pillow. “Goodnight everypony...”

“Same to you” We whispered and giggled before closing our own eyes to get some sleep. I smiled at the idea of giving him some scooter lessons tomorrow...

“Goodnight Zaps...” I whispered and fell asleep to dreams of adventures and all the possible cutie marks I could try to get.

Chapter 28: The Crusader's Trade Part One

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 28: The Crusader's Trade Part One

It was almost noon when we finally arrived at Rainbow Falls. I had heard about it from the girls and this 'Trader's Exchange' event sounded like fun, even I didn't want to trade anything of mine. I stepped off the train, looking around the place. The rainbow coloured waterfalls were amazing. I watched them fall from the clouds high above into a river near the bridge.

Not too far away, I could see a path leading to the 'Trader's Exchange'. The road was covered in ponies, most of them carrying saddlebags filled with goods to trade at the event.

“Crusaders, on me.” Big Mac spoke out and I spun around, looking at my big brother standing before the girls, I stood beside Applebloom. “Ah'm gonna say this loud and clear, when we go ah will allow you four to go off and do what yer need to do to trade, ok?”

“Got it, Big Mac!” Scootaloo saluted.

“Y'all stick together, no wanderin' alone ok?” Big Mac gave a firm look at each of us. “Ah'm trustin' y'all to not do anythin' that causes trouble. At sundown ah'll be waitin' by the entrance for y'all.” He was giving us a lot of trust and I wouldn't let him down.

Applebloom gave Big Mac a hug. “Ah won't let you down big brother! We will stick together. Ah promise!”

“So do we, sir,” Sweetie Belle reassured him.

I looked at each of their saddlebags and wondered what they had brought with them. “What have you got for trade? And what are you all after?” I tilted my head a little.

“I am trading in some of my Wonderbolt posters since I got some new, even cooler ones, thanks to Rainbow Dash.

Sweetie Belle showed me her stuff as we got to the entrance, heading down the path to the lower land of Rainbow Falls. “I’m trading in some of the dresses Rarity made for me when I was very little, and this blue gem I found when I went with Rarity on one of her jewel hunts.” Sweetie Belle showed me the two dresses. They did look very small for her to wear.

“And ah'm tradin' some of mah extra bows!” We stopped and looked at her. “What? Ah'm also tradin' in some of mah dolls too; ah don't really play with them anymore and ah thought somepony else might like 'em more.”

They started to walk over the bridge and I followed with Big Mac behind us also pulling a wagon of old farm equipment, my guess was that he might be trading them in for some newer stuff, if possible.

I looked at my own saddlebags. Apart from a couple sparkly zap apples I had brought for snacks they were empty. “I don't really have anything to trade; all I’ve got is my zap apples and a few bits.”

“You don't need to worry, Zaps. You only got most of your stuff recently, so you don't need to trade anything.” Applebloom placed her hoof on my back. “Look there, Twilight!” Applebloom pointed out the rather uncomfortable looking alicorn and we galloped over to her.

Twilight looked away from Pinkie Pie who was trying to bring in a crowd to trade for her books and saw us. “Hello, crusaders, I wasn't expecting you here today.”

“We came to trade!” Scootaloo exclaimed, flapping her wings rapidly and hovering about a foot off the ground before landing back on her hooves.

“I can see that.” Twilight laughed a little. “But you didn't come alone did you?”

I shook my head. “No Twilight, Big Mac brought us here, he told us to stick together and to be back at the entrance before sunset.” I looked over to Big Mac who had just entered and was walking by us all, pulling his wagon along. “He’s trading the old farm gear for something, not sure what though.”

Twilight glanced over at Pinkie Pie and back to us. “Well, I’d better leave you crusaders to get trading. I am sure you will find Applejack and the others somewhere out there. Have fun, ok?”

“We will!” Applebloom beamed.

“Yeah, we might even find our Cutie Marks!” Scootaloo added.

Sweetie Belle tapped her hoof on her snout. “I wonder what it would look like.”

“Don't know.” I shrugged and we left Twilight to look for the first trade.

We must have spent a whole our wandering around the field and still nothing seemed to catch any of their interest, or if they did find something they didn’t have nearly enough to trade for it. It was the complete opposite for me though. We came across so many crazy looking things and weird creatures; I couldn’t help but stare at each one.

“Urgh, I can't believe this!” Scootaloo sat down on a bench with us joining her. “We can't seem to trade for anything we want!

“Tell me about it. I was expecting my gem to go for one item at least. I didn't expect they wanted my stuff and Applebloom's for it.” Sweetie Belle groaned, putting her hooves under her snout and resting her elbows against her hind legs in defeat.

Applebloom just dropped her bag and screamed out. “Ah just don't believe it! What rip offs! Ah've never met more greedy ponies in all mah life, if you don't count Diamond!”

I held up my zap apple and admired it. “I don't really get this trade in deal, you bring all these items to try and trade, but nopony wants what you have to offer. It seems...” Something in the apple caught my eye, a brightly coloured reflection, like a shimmer of rainbow light. I glanced over it to see something on a stall that caught my eyes. “What... Is... That?” I said slowly.

I put my apple away and got off the bench, walking over to the stall. “Zaps, what is it?” Scootaloo asked, running up beside me.

“I don't know, something caught my eye and...” I froze when I saw it. It was a strange looking crystal cased box and on top of it was... “Scootaloo... Th-that cutie mark...”

Scootaloo looked on the top and sides of the crystal casing box and gasped. “No way! It can't be!”

“What is it Scoots?” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle asked us.

“You’re not going to believe it!” Scootaloo pointed to the lone box on the table.

Applebloom gasped and Sweetie Belle blinked a few times. “Is that Harmony Rose's cutie mark?”

“Ah think it is...”

“B-but how can that be?” I asked with utter confusion, staring at my mother's cutie mark on the top and sides of the box, it looked like it was locked too.

Sweetie Belle picked it up looking at the box on all sides. “I don't get it, this box is way lighter than it looks, and it feels very odd... It should be way heavier with all those crystals and all that gold all over it.”

I took it. It felt as if I had held this once before but I couldn't place when or where. I just felt familiar somehow. “I’ve never seen it before, or remember seeing it... Yet it feels like I have.”

“Hey, mister!” Scootaloo called out to the stall owner who had somepony assisting him.

He was an orange coloured unicorn with a dark brown mane and tail with pink strips through them. He wore a pink tie and had a cutie mark depicting the initials 'E' and 'S' with a pink splat behind them. Beside him was a light blue mare with a dark, blue, bushy mane that covered most of her body. Her cutie mark, if she had one at all, was hidden behind a thick layer of fluffy fur. Both had pink coloured eyes.

He smiled at us. “What can I do for you, little ones? Anything caught your interest for a trade?” The unicorn moved his hoof across the stall of all that was displayed.

Scootaloo didn't waste any time. “This one!” She exclaimed and pointed directly to the crystal like box.

“Urr, urr?” The blue one sounded almost like a... What was that word? The animal I heard before.

Sweetie Belle giggled. “She sounds like a sheep.”

“She’s a sheep pony; her name is Curly and my employee.” He replied.

Applebloom tilted her head. “Wow, that’s a new one, ah’ve got to tell Applejack about that.” Applebloom was about to leave but Scootaloo coughed into her hoof. “Oh right that box.” She rubbed her head, laughing a little.

“My name is Think Pink. My associate, Curly asked you what your interest in the box is. I am quite curious too; you’re the second lot to ask about it already.” Think Pink said, picking it up with his hoof.

I thought about it and decided to tell the truth. “It’s got my mother's cutie mark on it. I have very few memories of her but that’s one thing that I really remember clearly. I was hoping we could trade something for it.”

Think Pink looked me in the eyes. “That’s hard to believe kid. This box is almost one thousand years old. It was found in a dig not too long ago by a good friend of mine who then traded it with me. It’s just a shame that I can't work out how to open the blasted thing, and don't have any use for an old box that can't open.”

“Would you believe he’s also…?” Applebloom kicked Scootaloo in her foreleg with hers.

“Ow!”

“Urrr. Urr urr urr, urr?” Curly said to Think Pink.

He gave me another good look and back to Curly. “Seriously?” She nodded. “Fine...” He turned back to us. “Ok I’ll make a deal with you little ones. If you get me a gold lyre, I will trade it for this box. But if the pony returns with the original deal I put forwards to her, then I will have to accept the mare's deal first.”

Scootaloo smirked. “So this is kinda like a race?”

“Well if you want put it that way... Yes”

Applebloom grinned. “Ready crusaders?”

“I am!” I replied.

“Yes!” Sweetie Belle put her hoof up and with clapped our hooves together, we all turn and made a run for the stall we saw earlier that had a lyre on it. Sweetie Belle glanced over to me as we ran. “I wonder what Curly said.”

“Beats me, I’ve never met anypony like her before.” I answered.

“Yeah, weird right?” Scootaloo said as we ran, dodging ponies towards the stall where the lyre was. Of course the stall was right on the other side of the event. As we ran I thought I saw Applejack and Rarity sitting between the stalls talking to each other. They looked like they were having an argument about something.

“There's the stall, Crusaders.” Applebloom was the first to see it, a small stall covered in strange looking instruments. We came to a stop and looked around at all of them. “Do y'all see a gold lyre anywhere?”

Scootaloo scanned the stall until she spotted a small, wooden, stringed instrument. She walked over and picked it up. “Urgh look at this thing, is it a lyre?”

“Here look, there’s one with all sorts of fancy gems on it.” Sweetie Belle lifted it up.

In the centre of the display was a golden lyre in a case. It was heavily decorated with large wings protruding from the top and rested on feet in the shape of paws.

Applebloom took a look at it. “Ah'll be, it’s a griffon lyre.”

“Griffon?” I look to Applebloom as the others gathered around.

“Yeah that a griffon alright.” Scootaloo replied.

“What a griffon?”

“Oh, it's so pretty! The griffons must have made it!” Sweetie Belle said and I was getting rather angry now.

I stomped my hoof and yelled out. “What is a griffon!?”

“Huh?” Scootaloo looked at me and slapped her hoof on her head. “Oh right... Well, a griffon is...”

“Me.” We all turn and saw a tall female griffon standing at the stall. “So dweebs, what can I do for you?”

I tilted my head looking at her. “What does 'dweebs' mean?”

“You have got to be kidding me, right? You don't know what that means? Have you been living in a cave or something? How about you foals get lost and leave me to run my stall!” She snapped at us. I just looked at her confused.

“I’m sorry Miss. I’ve really never heard or seen something like you before.” I walked around the stall to get a good look at her.

“Zaps, that’s not a good idea...” Scootaloo tried to warn me.

I looked at her fully and was amazed. She look like a bird and lion put together. “Whoa...”

“Pretty awesome, right?” She smirked and I saw teeth in her beak.

I nodded once. “Yeah, do all griffons look like you?”

“Pretty much, not that I’ve met too many griffons round here.” She shrugged like it was nothing new to her. “I’ve got a dweeby cousin who lives here, Silver Bill I think... Or was it Quill? Anyway, since you kids think I am awesome. I will listen to what you want to get your little hooves on.”

I looked at the gold one. “I was wondering if we could trade our stuff for that golden lyre in the display.”

She looked at each of the items that the girls pulled out. “Nah not a chance, this isn't even what I want for it.”

We all sighed heavily. “Well that plan’s bust...”

“Yeah...” Sweetie Belle replied after Scootaloo.

“What are we gonna to do?”

I wasn't sure what to do it either. “How are we supposed to get the box from Think Pink?”

“If you dweeby ponies let me finish I could tell you what I want.” We all looked at the griffon.

“Right, now I got your attention. I want three things.” She held her talon up and raised three of the sharp claws. I’d never seen this done before and curiously inspected them.

She curled one in and spoke. “I want a crystal cup from that crystal pony. I want one of those funky looking lamps off that stall over there.” We all looked to where she pointed and we saw the stall filled with strange looking lamps of some creature made out of different animal parts. “And finally, I want a brooch.”

“A brooch?”

“A crystal cup from a Crystal Pony?”

“A Discord statue?”

“You got a problem with that?” She sneered at the girls.

I quickly got in front of them. “No, we’re just asking why you want them. That’s all...”

“Oh, if you put it that way...” She quickly looked around then leaned forwards, lowering herself down to us and whispered, “my family back home has been after them for a while and I was the only one willing to come to this lame 'Trader's Exchange' Fair...”

“Oh....” They replied.

Scootaloo saluted. “No problem ma'am, we’ll get your items for you before you can say 'Rainbow Dash'!”

We all saw her eye twitch. “Did you just say Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah, she's like a sister to me! She's helping me to learn to fly!” Scootaloo replied with a big smile.

The griffon rolled her eyes. “If you see her, tell her to drop by ok? Just tell her Gilda is here and wants to erm...” She began ruffling her talon through her feathers with a nervous look on her face. “Apologise...”

“For what?” Scootaloo tilted her head.

“It’s nothing that concerns you, ok kid?” She snapped.

“Ok, ok chill! I will pass it on if I see her ok!” Scootaloo waved her hooves in defence. “Come on crusaders; let's get those items so we can get Zaps’s box for him!”

“YAY!” We all yelled and ran off to the first stall.

“Hey kid!” I turned to her quickly. “Cool meeting you, ok?”

“Erm... Thanks Gilda!” I replied and caught up with the others, wondering what 'lame' and 'dweeb' meant as well. These words she used were strange indeed.

We arrived at the stall, looking at the strangely shaped lamps. “Does she know Rainbow Dash?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “I don't really know but we need the lyre, so I’d just go with what she says and get the items.”

“Ah think those lamps are kinda creepy.” Applebloom said, looking at each of them.

“Yeah and horrible looking...” Sweetie Belle whispered.

Scootaloo stepped up to the brown pegasus pony behind the stall. She was about to speak when I noticed the strange contraption holding up his back legs. “Excuse me mister...”

“Yes, Child?” He turned to me.

“Sorry...” The way he said it made me feel guilty to what I was about to ask and step back.

“Sorry child, I just had a bit of a stressful day so far. Some pony with rainbow mane wanted to sell her horse shoe for one of my lamps...” The stallion said to me. “What can I do for you?”

“I was curious about that thing you’ve got on. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Somewhat surprised, he turned his head to it and back to me. “Oh, that helps me to get around. My hind legs don't work as they should do, without this I wouldn't be able to do half the things any normal pony does.” He chuckled lightly. “Well, apart from flying. Thankfully it’s light enough that I can still do that.”

“Wow.” I was really amazed by this. “It’s really amazing!”

“Hehe, thanks child. So what can I do for you youngsters?” He smiled warmly to us.

Sweetie Belle stepped up to him. “You see mister; we’re after three items, a Discord lamp, a brooch and a crystal cup from a crystal pony. Then we can get a lyre from Gilda, the griffon running the stall and get the crystal box we found that has Zaps's mother’s Cutie Mark on it.”

“Ah’ve kind of been his brother for a short time and, bein' his brother, ah really want to help him find his real family. That box might hold the key to that. But somepony else is after it too so we’re in a real hurry!” Applebloom said quickly to him. “Please can we trade somethin' we’ve got for one, please?”

He looked at them and to me. “Is this true?” I nodded. “Well I don't normally do this, but for you kids I will see what I can do. Let me have a look at all of your stuff and we will see what arrangement we can come with.”

We placed all the objects out of the bags including my zap apples before him. “This is all the stuff we...” Scootaloo looked to my zap apples. “You’re trading those? I thought they were your snacks.”

I looked at my two zap apples. “Yeah but if I can trade them for something I think it will be worth it.” I replied.

“But no pony will trade food for items, especially zap apples that no pony can eat.” Scootaloo said back to me. She had a point. Something that would last longer than a snack was worth more then my sparkling zap apples.

“Hold on.” We looked at me him as he came over to us, looking at the zap apples. “Why are they sparkling like that? It’s almost as if lightning has struck them and they’re still electrified.” He touched one and held it up. “I’ve seen zap apples before, a few years ago, but nothing like this.”

“Oh that comes from the supersized zap apple tree that Zaps and I helped to create at Sweet Apple Acres.” Scootaloo replied, waving her hoof. “It’s not a big deal since we got nothing for it.”

“Nothing?”

“Our cutie marks.” I replied and he looked at our blank flanks, we sighed heavily.

“I’ll make a deal with you, one zap apple and all your comics for one lamp.”

“Really?” We all said at once, causing him to step back with surprise.

He smiled. “Sure. I think it’s a fair trade, just keep it between us, ok?” He winked.

“You got it mister!” Scootaloo put her hoof out and his placed his on hers. With a shake, the deal was complete.

We gave our items to him, leaving me with one zap apple that I happily munched down, to the surprise of the Pegasus behind the stall. “Now that’s something I don't normally see. How did you manage that, child?”

I licked my snout. “I like them a lot!” I beamed. “What are you going to do with yours, sir?”

“Oh mine?” He looked at the zap apple he had received. “I was thinking about giving this to a cousin of mine that lives on his own on the edge of the Everfree Forest. As for the comics, I'm a kid in heart and this is a series I haven't seen in ages. I’d like to see what new things they’ve come up for the children of today.” He laughed, putting them away. “As promised, one lamp,” he said as he handed it to me.

I stood on my hind legs, holding it with my forelegs and trying to keep my balance. “Girls this thing is big.”

“Yeah, we really didn't think of that did we?”

Triskaide

I watched them from the cover of the stall, seeing him again... “You escaped me once little one, but I will recapture you when the time is right. For now I have to try and trade for that box before you do. I can't allow them to get their hooves on that box, who knows what Harmony Rose has put into it and why it was smuggled out with all the other stuff when those princesses escaped me over a thousand years ago.”

I turned, carrying one of the items I had just exchanged and rolling my eyes as I headed off to the next stall to continue this circus act of a Trader's Exchange fair. I just had to play as the pony and keep my guard up. “I can't allow those elements to know I am using this vessel to put forwards my master plan. It’s too soon.” I whispered to myself and continued on my way, passing a crowd of ponies that were gathering by Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle.

Looking directly at her for a second with no response, for that moment my plans were still on track. “Now where did that stupid stall go...? I’ve got to trade this horrible rusty pan for the next stupid item on my list... Only nineteen more trades to do...” I grumbled. “Can this day get any worse as it already has?”

“My dear, you’ve got a fine pan there. Could I consider a trade with you?” I turned and came face to face with Rarity.

One thought came to mind. “It just did...”

Chapter 29: The Crusader's Trade Part Two

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 29: The Crusader's Trade Part Two

“This is what we’ve got left to trade for the remaining items: Wonderbolts posters, dresses, bows, gems and dolls.” Scootaloo said, checking on the stuff we had left.

Sweetie Belle was tapping the lamp. “I am not even sure why anypony would like something like this.”

I shrugged. “No idea, but I saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fly over to the stall to try to get one a few moments ago.”

Scootaloo turn to me. “They did?”

“Yeah, they had some weird looking stone chicken with them, and then they went off to the food cart.” I said, recalling what I had seen a few moments ago. “Not sure why though.”

Sweetie Belle tapped her hoof on her snout. “I think it might have something to do with that Daring Do book I saw at the adventure stall. I did ask about it and the owner of it wanted some strange looking two headed dog.”

Scootaloo giggled. “That dog was awesome! Did you see how he liked me! I really wish my parents would let me have a pet!”

“You’re kidding me... That thing was worse than Rarity's cat...”

“I thought he was a softy. I didn't have any problems either.” I replied backing up Scootaloo on this.

She smirked. “Look like you have much luck like Rarity has with her cat.” Scootaloo giggled.

“Yeah I guess so...” Sweetie Belle muttered. “I really try to keep my distance from Opal after she cut my mane off with one swipe.”

I looked around. “I wonder where Applebloom is. She said she'd be right back.”

Scootaloo scanned around the large number of ponies walking around us through the stalls. “Yeah she’s been gone for-” She stood up. “Over there!”

We all jumped up as Applebloom trotted up to us pulling a wagon behind her. “Hey Crusaders, sorry ah took so long, ah had trouble hookin' mahself up to the wagon. It's our sister's.”

“Applejack's?” Then it clicked. “Oh right, I remember. I saw her and the others putting stuff into it before getting on the first train!”

“Eeyup!” Applebloom replied. “Ah got mah hooves on it and now we can carry the lamp with no fuss.”

“That's great!” Sweetie Belle beamed. “We can take turns pulling it around.” We all nodded in agreement to this.

“So where do we go next, the broach or the crystal cup?”

We stood in a circle, thinking about it. “Ah’d say the broach.”

“Good idea, Applebloom.” Scootaloo agreed and we replied with a nod. “So, which way is that?”

“I know where it is! Follow me!” Sweetie Belle suddenly squeaked and shot off into the distance, followed closely by the others.

“Girls!” I cried out and they all stopped. “The lamp...” I pointed to it and they put their hooves on their heads, groaning at what they had almost done.

We soon made our way to the stand with all the jewellery on it. The broach we were looking for sat on a purple cushion in a box. “Hey, doesn’t Rarity have one of those on her saddle bag?” Scootaloo said, pointing directly to it. “We should be able to work out an easy deal for it.”

Sweetie Belle stared at it. “I don't know, I think we could but some ponies might ask for more than they should for it.”

“Ah can say that...” Applebloom grumbled.

“Why, sis?” I turn my head to her.

“Ah saw what Big Mac had to give up for a plow that works on tough soil.” Applebloom replied. “It would have been easier just to buy it with bits for what those ponies demanded.”

I recalled seeing the stuff that he had in the wagon, some of it looked really heavy. “So you think we’re going to have to give up more than we need to for this little thing?”

“Ah think so...”

Scootaloo stepped up to the suited stallion. “Excuse me sir can we trade some of our stuff for that broach there?” Scootaloo pointed to it and showed him all of our items.

The stallion looked carefully at each of the things we had. “Hmm...”

“Anything that takes your interest, Mister?” Sweetie Belle asked. The rest of us hoped it wouldn't be something crazy.

“Ah am sure we've got somethin' yer might need.”

“Yeah, what about the dresses and bows?” I suggested, pointing a hoof at them.

He look to each of us and smiled warmly. “You have a deal.”

“What?” We all said together with a stunned look on our faces.

He picked up the dresses and bows. “I have a daughter that would love this type of thing and I would gladly trade the broach for these items.”

Scootaloo looked to us. “What do you think, Crusaders?”

“Ah was gettin' rid of them anyhow, so ah’ll say yes.”

“And I don't wear the dresses any more. It’s fine with me.” Sweetie Belle also agreed.

I stepped up to him with a hoof out. “We agree, mister!”

“Then it’s a deal!” He put his hoof against mine and we shook on it. “Here is the broach and have a nice day children.” He gave us the box with the broach in it and closed the lid up.

“Sir, do you know where the crystal pony who is selling crystal cups is?” Sweetie Belle asked.

He put the items away and pointed over towards the food cart we saw. “Just past the food cart, you can't miss it.”

“Thank ya sir!” Applebloom bowed her head in thanks for the information. “Let's go!” She ran off and the others followed.

I placed the box and our stuff in the wagon and followed; pulling it along. I stopped suddenly as a unicorn stepped in the way. “Oh, sorry miss I didn't see you there.”

“It's ok youngster. My, look this, that’s quite the horde you’ve got.” She said with a really creepy smile.

I smiled a little stepping back. “Erm... Yeah, look miss, I’ve got to catch up with my friends and sister. Can you step aside please?”

The dark blue unicorn had a fiery red mane and deep purple eyes that locked onto mine. “Now, I will trade this little quill for all of your items and you will accept.” Her horn was glowing.

I tilted my head. “Why?”

She blinked. “Wait... Why didn't that affect you?”

“Miss, are you ok? You think I will give all of this for that quill? Why? My sister has lots of them for filling out the account book things she and Big Mac are always complaining about.” I was a little confused what she was talking about and why she wanted to trade a quill. It wasn’t special or anything. It just looked like any other quill.

“Yes I am fine...” She grumbled, stepping to the side.

I looked at her one last time before joining the others. “I guess Scootaloo was right. Some ponies are greedy.”

Behind me I heard a voice cry out, “Curse this stupid place! I can't get one simple stupid thing I need! This is the worst possibly plan I have ever thought of in over a...” I didn't catch the last of what she said as the unicorn just teleported away in an instant.

“What a weird pony,” I muttered and went off to catch up with the others. “Girls, wait up!”

Scootaloo stopped, turning around to me. “What took you?” I looked back to where the mare was then back to her.

“Some strange unicorn wanted to trade some quill for all our stuff.” I answered.

Scootaloo stepped up to me, looking towards where I was pointing. “That flash was her teleporting?” I nodded in reply. “I told you some ponies were greedy.”

We both laughed a little then joined our friends at the crystal pony stall but when we got there they were silent, staring in disbelief at the stall. “Wh-where is the crystal stuff?” All I saw was a bare table.

“I'm sorry children.” The crystal pony said as she was packing away the tables with the help of two unicorns and a pegasus. “I traded all of my crystal items. I’m going home now. I do apologise.”

We sat together around the cart watching the crystal pony finally get her things together and with the help of the official ponies left, leaving an empty place where her stall was. Scootaloo put her hooves behind her head, leaning against the cart side. “Now what do we do?”

Sweetie Belle looked around at the ponies still trading. “Why don't we look around for one of the ponies with the cup and ask for a trade?” She suggested.

Applebloom just shook her head. “That’s a good idea Sweetie but ah don't think anypony would want to do that if they have already traded their stuff for those crystal cups.”

“I guess we can't go any further then.” I stared at the ground.

“How were we supposed to know her goods would go that quickly?” Scootaloo replied. “We have to think of another way of getting something like that.” She got up and was suddenly knocked over again. Standing over her was a giant two headed dog, furiously licking her. “Hehe, ok I get! You like me!”

I saw who had the dog. “Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? Why do you have a two headed dog?” I stared at the dog trying to understand why they had got him.

Fluttershy was rubbing one of his chins, much to the dog’s delight. “Oh, we’re taking this little fellow to the pony that’s got the Daring Do book.”

“You’re trading an orthros for a Daring Do book?” Scootaloo asked Rainbow Dash.

She rubbed her hoof in her mane. “Sure am squirt, for a Daring Do first edition, no less. She wanted this guy, so we’ve been all over the place and now we’ve got him for the final trade off.” Rainbow Dash explained. Then she saw the items in our cart. “Why do you Crusaders have a Discord lamp in your cart?”

“We found a lyre that needed to be traded for a box that has Zap's mum’s cutie mark on it.” Sweetie Belle showed the other items we had managed to get hold of.

Applebloom looked to the empty space as we all did. “The griffon at the stall wanted three items, this broach, that lamp and a crystal cup, but all of the crystal cups have been traded away and now the pony selling them has gone home.” Applebloom held the box with the broach in it. “Now we won't be able to get the griffon style lyre from Gilda.”

“Applebloom, did you just say Gilda?” Fluttershy asked softly.

“Yeah, she’s got a stall of different lyres here.” Applebloom answered. “That where we found the gold one that we really need.”

Rainbow Dash snorted. “Huh, Gilda… Well, we’ve got to fly; this orthros has got to-”

I quickly stood up on my hind legs with both forelegs out. “Wait, Rainbow Dash.”

“What is it Zaps?”

“Sh-she asked us if we found you to see if you could go see her, she said something about being really sorry for what happened last time.” I explained to her, setting back down on all fours. “I don't know what happened but she wanted you to know that.”

Rainbow Dash looked directly at me as I pleaded to her. “Gah! Fine!” Rainbow Dash slapped her hoof against her head. “I will go see Gilda.” She took hold of the lead. “Come on Flutters, let’s get this over with.”

“Oh, ok Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy looked at me with a warm smile. “Thank you.”

She gave me a hug and followed Rainbow Dash in the direction of Gilda's stall.

Scootaloo hit me gently on the foreleg. “Nice one, Zaps.”

“Eeyup” Applebloom giggled. “You did well.”

I began to smile until I remembered about our problem. “But what do we do now?”

“I don't know.” Scootaloo turned to me and let out a heavy sigh before falling back down onto the ground. “I guess we just tell Think Pink we couldn't get the lyre.”

“Sounds like four little ones are having a rough day.”

We turned around to see a grey unicorn with a dark grey mane and sporting an unusual looking white goatee, tail and eye brows. He had really strange looking yellow and red eyes. “Now what can a unicorn like I help you children with?”

Sweetie Belle gave him a questioning look. “Where did you come from?”

He walked around us and the cart looking at all our stuff. “Sorry to eavesdrop on you little ones, but I couldn't help but notice all the running around that you four have been doing so I thought I just teleport in and see if maybe I could help you out.”

“Yeah right, as if you’ve got a crystal cup for trade.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes at the strange stallion before us.

The stallion suddenly pulled a sparkling silver cup out of his saddlebag. “Oh you mean this crystal cup?”

We stared at the crystal cup floating before us. “Where have ah heard that voice before?”

I turn to Applebloom. “You know this stallion?”

“Nnope, but his voice sounds very familiar, just can't place it. And come to think of it, he’s really weird lookin'-”

The unicorn quickly interrupted her. “Do you children want this, or not?”

“We do mister, but what can we trade for it?” Sweetie Belle showed what we had left.

He looked over them and picked up the poster and blue gem. “How about these for a trade, is that fair?”

“I don't know. You’ve been watching us this whole time, right?”

He smirked. “I just happened to have a crystal cup and was eager to help two of the apple family.” I noticed his cutie mark it had a pink thing in a cone with a pattern behind it. “Now are we going to trade or shall I take my leave with my cup. Perhaps another pony will be more willing to trade?”

“I think we should trade. It seems fair.” I suggested.

“Yeah I think so too.” Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo and Applebloom.

Scootaloo sighed. “Yeah, you got a point, Zaps. OK, you’ve got a deal!” Scootaloo put her hoof out to him and shook on it.

He placed the cup in the cart at put the two items into his bag. “Nice doing business with you four, I do look forward to when we can do this again sometimes. Oh what fun it is going to be when we finally meet.” He poked me on the snout with his hoof. “Au revoir for now, I’ll be seeing you soon, Zaps Apple. Enjoy your ice cream!”

In a flash he was gone and we all sat there holding a cone of what I guessed was ice cream on it. “What just happened?”

“Ah don't know...” Applebloom stared at her ice cream. “Where did we get ice cream from?”

Scootaloo was licking hers. “Who cares, it’s really tasty! If you don't want yours I will have it after I’ve finished mine!”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “It’s chocolate mint, my favourite.”

I looked suspiciously at the squishy round ball topping my cone and gave it a tentative lick. It tasted really sweet. “Scootaloo, what flavour is mine?”

“Let me check.” She gave it a small lick to taste it. “It’s lemon flavour, and really tasty!”

“I think I will keep it, if that’s ok.”

“Yeah, that’s fine Zaps,” she chuckled. “Let’s enjoy our ice cream!”

Scootaloo raised hers up and we cheered. I continued to lick the sweet ice cream, but something was bothering me about that stallion. Something about what he said really spooked me, he knew my name and even knew that I was part of the Apple family.

“Who was that pony?”

We finished up our ice creams and made our way back to Gilda's stall. “Hey Gilda we’ve got the items you asked for!” Scootaloo said pulling the cart up to the stall.

Gilda peered over the stall with a smirk from her beak. “Well look who it is and I see you got everything I asked for.

“We sure did Gilda! It wasn't easy!” Sweetie Belle replied. “You got the lyre as we agreed?”

Gilda laughed. “Chill kid I got it, one golden griffon talon crafted lyre as I said. I am a griffon of my word.” Gilda walked around the stall, lifted the case with the lyre inside and placed it in the cart taking the items we was trading for it.

Applebloom opened it and rubbed her hoof against it. “Wow, feel this guys.”

We did, “Wow this is incredible.”

“I’ll say, almost a shame we’re trading it for the box.” Sweetie Belle said and Gilda lowered another that was made out of some sort of silver metal stuff. “What’s this?”

Gilda rubbed her talon over her arm. “It’s a thank you for all of you. This is my gift to you squirts. Now beat it before you make me sappy.”

“Thanks Gilda! You’re an awesome griffon! I hope the talk with Rainbow Dash went well!” They ran off and I was walking quickly behind but stopped to glance back at Gilda.

She looked to me with a warm smile from her beak. “Dweeb I owe you.” I gave her a nod and ran after them back to Think Pink and Curly's stall.

We arrived at the stall to see Curly shaking her head to the same mare that tried to trade a quill for our stuff. “Look! I want that box and I am trading all of this stuff for it! Come on!”

“Urr...” Curly shook her head.

“Hi Curly we’ve got the lyre you wanted!” I spoke out, showing it in the case we kept with it.

Curly’s eyes lit up and she rushed by the unicorn to greet us. She opened the box and held the lyre up in delight. “Urr!!!” She hugged all of us tightly, spinning us around. We were surprised to see she had wings.

The pony stared at me with hate. “Until next time...” She turned and left with all her stuff.

“Wow, talk about a sore loser.” Scootaloo chuckled. She turned to Curly. “So we have a deal?” Curly nodded and gave her the box.

“Hey I'm back Curly how is the-” Think Pink saw her with the lyre. “-trading... Going...” He said slowly staring at the lyre and to Curly. “Let me guess, trade for my tie?” She nodded shyly. “Alright here you go.” He removed it and gave it to Curly and Curly gave him the box with the lyre in it. He opened it looking at the detail. “Now that is one cool lyre.”

“We aim to please!” Scootaloo said with pride. “We all square?”

“Yes we are.” Think Pink nodded to us. “Have a nice day youngsters. I hope you all have better luck opening it than we did.” Think Pink said to us as we put it in the cart.

I stared at the box glittering with rainbow colour from the light reflection. “Even if we don't, I am glad I have something that was really my mother’s.”

The two ponies looked at each other in confusion as we left and made our way to the path back to the train station to wait for Big Mac. As I took my turn to pull the cart along I thought about the box and what it might contain, it was mother’s, I was sure of it.

Triskaide

I watched the four children leave and stared at all the useless items I had gathered in the trade exchange. All the trouble I went through to get that box and all it lead to was a complete and utter disaster. I, the Pony of Fear had been outdone by children, and to top it all off my shadow magic hadn’t worked on that pony.

Worse still was that this pony had a sister, and she was dreadful. “I see your plan didn't work out.” I glanced over at the Pegasus ‘sister’ in her Safari outfit, packing away her things from the trade fair. “Come and help me out, Trish.”
“Well it’s not like you did much better with your ‘first edition book’.” I muttered, looking at it as she put it away in the box.

Teddie Safari knew who exactly I was, but she had no choice but to succumb to my will. This pony would be nothing but emptiness without me. “Well it wasn't a complete waste of time on that part. I got the information you wanted Trish.” She passed me a note and I took it with my magic and hovered it closer to my face so I could read it. “I don't like what you’re planning for Equestria, but you’re my sister and I do whatever it takes for my only sister, pony of fear or not.”

I lowered the note and stared at her, purple eyes changing sapphire blue for a second. “Teddie, I have no plans for this kingdom. You know when I am free this pony becomes an empty shell.”

“I don’t believe that. You’re connected to her more than you think.”

I sighed. She was right, even if I wanted to snap the link from this pony’s body I couldn't. The last time this happened was 400 years ago and I hated it. Even when I wasn't directly in control I still felt everything the pony felt. It was as if I was in two places at once.

“But I did get you that meeting with the real deal.” She handed me another note. “That, Trish, will get you the help you needed. When do you plan on striking, if I may ask?”

I opened the note and memorised the location and time written it. “When the attack begins from a prisoner that escaped from Tartarus...” I looked directly at her. “When that time comes, go and hide, make sure not to be discovered.”

“Why would you care about my welfare Trish?” Teddie Safari continued to pack. The rest of the staff and I were aiding her now. “The stories you told me, the darkness of fears you created, you never once cared about me no matter how much I helped you.”

I just stared at her, “because you’re going to protect this body for me.” I lowered the tent down, folding it up. As I did, the six main problems, Princess Twilight and her friends walked directly past me. I smirked at how I can still keep local tabs on those idiots. “Well Teddie, the next piece in our little game been made.”

“For now you just help me get this stuff back to my wagon, ok?” She pushed a box into my forelegs. I rolled my eyes and continued to help her. No matter how annoying she was to me, Teddie Safari was one of only a few to not be afraid of the fear I created, I needed her in my service.

And strange as it sounded to me, I enjoyed these times...

Despite the setback today, everything was still going according to plan. It would take more than a little box to stop me. Still, I was worried, no, scared. Whatever was in that box was headed for ponyville.

“What did you leave in it Harmony Rose? What could that small crystal box really contain, that scares me?”

Chapter 30: The Mysterious Box

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 30: The Mysterious Box

Scootaloo

“Scootaloo, I don't know if this is a good idea.” Zaps said as he and the others lifted the jackhammer over the crystal cases. “What even is this thing?”

I adjusted myself over the large tool, gripping it firmly with my front hooves on it. All I had to do was push one button and the box would be open. “A jackhammer, we found near our clubhouse a few months ago.”

Sweetie Belle - who was using her magic to help hold the jackhammer in place - rubbed her head. “I still wonder how it ended up in that tree in the first place.”

“Ah’m still confused by that as well.” Applebloom replied, keeping the box steady. “Just be careful Scoots.”

I smirked. “It’s fine, one push and the box is open!” I pushed the button and the jackhammer jumped to life.

KACRACK!

The jack bounced off the little box it like it was rubber and threw us flying from Applebloom and the box. Landing in the mud, Zaps, Sweetie Belle looked dejectedly at the bent up jackhammer. Springs, wires and bits of metal lay scattered around the tool now reduced to a hunk of garbage.

Zaps sat up, staring at it and then at the box Applebloom still held in her hooves. “Was that supposed to happen?”

“No...” I grumbled. “Another failed attempt, this thing impossible! We tried a crowbar! Jackhammer! Fireworks! Can opener! Even dropping a bolder on it! Nothing works!”

I pulled myself out of the mud and kicked it as hard as I could with both of my hind hooves. The box did not move. “Gah! What’s up with this stupid box!”

Sweetie Belle shook the mud from her fur and stepped up to it. “Think Pink did say he’d tried all sort of things to try and open it, didn't he?”

“Yeah, but I really thought we’d be able to do it.” I sighed, hanging my head down in defeat. “Sorry Zaps.”

“It’s ok.” Zaps got up, shaking the mud off too. “At least none of us got hurt.”

“Only our pride…” Applebloom groaned. “Ah thought it would work. What type of crystal is this?” Applebloom asked, rubbing her hoof over the top of it. “Not even a dent from the jackhammer.”

Zaps picked up a piece of the destroyed jackhammer. “I think it came out worse than the box.”

“What in the hay is going on out here?” We all turned to see Twilight Sparkle with Spike rushing over to us.

“Hey, Twilight.” I greeted her, still unhappy from the failure. “We were trying to open this box with a jackhammer but when we tried the jackhammer just broke.”

Twilight's eyes widened with shock. “Say what!?” She exclaimed. “How in Equestria did you crusaders get a hoof on that?”

Applebloom shrugged. “It was in one of the apple trees near the clubhouse. Ah’m not really sure where it came from. It was months ago and today we tried usin' it and well...” Applebloom showed Twilight the box, still in one piece and perfectly undamaged. “As ya can see it somehow destroyed the jackhammer.”

Spike picked up a hunk of the warped metal. “It did this?” We just nodded together and looked to the ground in disappointment. “Wow...”

“Wow indeed.” Twilight took a good look at the box. “Hey, this has Harmony Rose's cutie mark on it.”

“That’s why we got it at the trade exchange fair.” I replied. “We’ve tried everything we could think of to open it but all we’ve ended up with are broken tools and a still locked box!” I yelled out the last part throwing my forelegs up in annoyance.

Twilight stared at me for a second or two then began to speak with a disappointed look in her eyes. “You four shouldn't be using something like a jackhammer to try this; even it fell from Cloudsdale because of Rarity.”

“Because of Rarity?” Sweetie Belle placed her hoof on her snout.

“Yeah it was during the Young Flyers Contest, Twilight gave Rarity butterfly wings and a lot of attention from the local stallions.” Spike answered.

“SPIKE!”

“What?”

“Butterfly wings? Oh can you do it on me!” Sweetie Belle begged, excitedly and her horn began to glow with magic. “Please!”

Twilight shook her head. “No, and I think for your own safety I should take the box off your-”

“NO!” Zaps yelled out quickly jumping on top of it holding it with his forelegs. “It’s the only thing I’ve got to prove that my mum was real and not a dream! There could be more about me inside! I won't give it up!”

“Ah agree! We worked too hard to get this box and we need answers. You can’t take it away now, Twilight!” Applebloom argued, standing right next to Zaps with a hoof on his back and glaring at Twilight.

“Yeah! We worked together to get this and we’re staying together to figure it out too!” Sweetie Belle backed up Applebloom.

“Please Twilight, you can’t take it now. Not when we’re so close and it means so much to Zaps,” I added.

Twilight lowered her head with her eyes closed. “Yes, you’re right children.”

“What!?”

“I said you are right. I can’t take away something that’s so important to you.” She smiled. “You three put aside everything to help Zaps.” Then the smile was gone. “But I won't let you try anything else dangerous to try and open this crystal box.”

We hung our heads down in defeat. “But...”

We raised them looking at Twilight again. “Come to the library right now and I’ll see what I can do to help you four out without breaking anything.”

Spike gulped, holding his tail. “Why do I get a bad feeling this is just going to explode in our faces...?”

“Spike seriously what can-” Twilight picked up the box with her magic and as soon her magic gripped around the latch she was sent flying into the air. “Waaaa!” She quickly opened her wings and stopped herself. “Whoa! What in wide world of Equestria was that!? It felt as if the box created a force beyond my levitation spells!”

Sweetie Belle rubbed her foreleg with her other front hoof. “Yeah, I should have warned you Twilight, it did the same to me at first.” Then she picked it up with her magic.

Twilight gasped. “H-how!?”

“I learned that if you just pick it up from the bottom then it doesn't react. The seal and lid are another story.” Sweetie Belle explained.

I giggled at Twilight's reaction. We don’t often teach her things about magic. “Incredible. A defence spell over the lid and seal. I’ve never felt a form of magic like this in my life.”

“Maybe it’s because of Harmony Rose?” I suggested.

Twilight carefully took the box from Sweetie Belle, holding it on the bottom this time. “Yes that could be the case. Now I know what I am dealing with, maybe I can help you four open it.”

“But Think Pink couldn't Twi! Ah don't know if even an Alicorn can open this box.” Applebloom was unsure but I guess I was too, she had a point.

Twilight turned towards her home. “He didn't have knowledge of who cast the spell, I do. It may be limited but at least I have some advantages that he never had.” Twilight started to walk away but stopped and looked back at us. “Are you five coming or what?”

When we arrived at the library Twilight took us down to the basement and set up a table to sit the box on. “Twilight what do you think is inside it?” Spike asked, tapping the edge with a claw tip.

Twilight looked closely at all the markings scratched onto the side of the box, trying to understand what it meant, I guess. “No idea Spike, the marks on the side are very strange. I can just about make out three words though. One says Friendship, another says Family and this one says Harmony.” Twilight pointed to each one as she told them. “Each of them has Harmony Rose's cutie mark in the middle.”

“It almost looks like she believed in the magic of the Tree of Harmony.” Spike said, pointing to a fourth marking on the box, an image scratched into the side depicting the Tree of Harmony.

Twilight formed magic on each of those points. “Maybe if I summon my magic on those four areas it might unlock it.”

“Twi ah don-”

BOOM!

A huge blast of light followed by an explosion knocked us back. As the smoke cleared I suddenly felt as though everything was just a little bit… smaller. I took a good look around. Everything certainly seemed normal, until I saw the earth pony stallion standing in the middle of the room. I gasped. He had the exact same colours as Zaps. “Z-Zaps...”

He turned to me and gasped. “S-Scootaloo is that you!?” His even sounded like a stallion. “You’re an adult!”

“So are you!”

Sweetie Belle screamed. “What has happened to us!?” We saw she was grown up too.

Applebloom was the only one who seemed relatively calm. She was looking over at herself. “Wow, is that what ah'm gonna look like when ah'm grown up?”

“What do you mean!? We are all grown up!” I yelled at her.

“Not everypony.” Spike said in a deep voice. Even he had got bigger. He was pointing at a small purple alicorn filly. “Twilight you’re a filly...”

Twilight looked over at herself and screamed. “How can this happen!? What happened!?” She yelled, running around in a panic.

Zaps turned to me. He didn’t exactly look pleased. “Does she usually panic like this?”

“Yeah...” I sighed, flapping my wings once with annoyance. “Whoa...” I turned my head and looked back at my now fully developed wings. Could I? I had to try.

I flapped my new wings as hard as I could and, slowly, I felt myself lift off the ground. My eyes were practically overflowing with tears of joy. “I can fly! Girls I can fly!”

Sweetie Belle smiled a little. “That’s great, but we’re still blank flanks.”

“Huh?” I turn to each of them and saw it, or rather, didn’t see it. I landed on the ground, muttering under my breath. “Horseapples...”

“Twilight I saw the explosion is ev-” Rainbow Dash opened the door, running in and stopped in an instant, looking at each of us. “Wh-what in the hay!?”

Zaps raised a hoof. “It’s us Rainbow Dash. We somehow became adults and Twilight became a filly...”

Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight, trying her best not to laugh. “Just laugh it up Rainbow!” Twilight snapped at her and with that Rainbow Dash burst out laughing, collapsing onto the floor in a fit of hysterics. “I think the box countered my magic.”

“You think?” Rainbow chuckled and then turned directly to me. “Looking good squirt, and nice wings, I bet you can fly real good with them.

I nodded with a grin. “Sure can Rainbow Dash!”

“But...” Zaps spoke and stepped up to me. He was almost half a head taller than me now and strong too, maybe not quite as strong as big Mac, but definitely up there. His fur was the same shade of lightning gold, but softer and longer. It suited him really well…

“Scoots? Wh-why are you looking at me like that?” I blinked as I realized I had zoned out.

“Huh? I erm... Well... Y-you...” I hid my face with my wings, turning red in the cheeks. “Gah! This is sappy! What is wrong with me!? Why can't I look him in the eyes? I’m acting like an idiot!”

“Zaps and Scootaloo in a-” Zaps quickly put his hoof over Applebloom's mouth, glaring at her as she giggled, seeing how red he had turned.

Rainbow Dash put her hoof to her head. “Twilight, reverse this...”

Twilight shrugged. “I don't know how too! I just-” She looked at the box. “I know! I will do the same thing I did and-” Her horn glowed and she reached out with her magic towards the box, but a green barrier blocked the path. We looked at Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie Belle, what’s the big idea?”

“If you do that with Rainbow here you will turn her into a filly when we turn back to normal!” Sweetie Belle yelled at her.

Twilight gulped as the realisation of what she was about to do flooded across her face. “S-Sorry... I wasn't thinking...” Twilight lower her head. “Rainbow wait outside please.

“Sure...” Rainbow Dash answered and left through the door, closing it.

“Now you can do it!” Sweetie Belle undid the bubble and allowed Twilight to cast her magic on the symbols.

BOOM!

The light and dust faded and I looked over at myself with happiness, I was back to normal. “Yes!” I leaped up buzzing my wings happily. “Rainbow Dash, we’re back to normal!”

Rainbow Dash entered, looking at every one of us. “That’s great, but how did it happen in the first place?”

“Twilight must have entered the code wrong on the box.” Spike suggested. “I think you have to do it a certain way to open it.”

Twilight looked again at the markings. “You’re right Spike; if I enter it differently we might open it.”

“But what if you get it wrong Twi?” Rainbow Dash frowned.

“Don't worry, what’s the worse that can happen?” Twilight replied and cast her magic on the chest.

We all gulped as it started to glow again. “Not again...” I muttered.

BOOM!

After the light died and the dust settled I apprehensively opened my eyes and looked around at the others in the room. Twilight stood where she was in front of me, but something was very different about her. She was slightly bigger with a longer, flatter snout and a much shorter mane. “Twilight I think it-” I heard a stallion say behind me. I turned to see where it had come from.

“Wh-what the hay!?” Rainbow Dash said. “I'm a stallion!”

“What happened to us?” I turned again, this time at Zaps. She was a little filly.

“Scootaloo your...”

“Yeah I know...” I grumbled.

Sweetie Belle looked into a mirror and tilted his head. “I look weird. Is this what colt me would look like?”

“Ah don't get it. What’s so different about being a colt rather than a filly?” Applebloom said, looking over himself. “Whatever it is, it feels weird.”

“Turn me back!” Spike yelled out. “I look really stupid as a girl!” We burst out laughing at the reaction of the little dragon.

Twilight stepped up to the mirror. “Wow this is weird, so this is how my brother feels?”

“Well I look awesome! This is sweet! Look at these really strong wings! I look even more awesome like this. I bet I could pull a really great prank on Pinkie Pie with this!” Rainbow smirked.

Twilight quickly pulled Rainbow’s tail back into the library before he could get far. “Not a chance, we’re turning back right now!”

“Ah, come on Twi!” Rainbow protested

“No. Now sit!” Twilight put him back on the ground. “Now to reverse this...” He cast the same combination of magic on the markings.

BOOM!

We were back to normal again. I sighed. “Twilight I don't think you should mess around with it anymore.” Rainbow Dash said with concern.

Zaps nodded in agreement. “Mother must have done something to protect whatever’s inside from other ponies; we got too close I think.”

“That is exactly why I am going to try again.” Twilight aimed her magic at the box.

“There ya’ll are Zaps, Applebloom, ah’ve been lookin-” Big Macintosh stepped inside to see Twilight using her magic on the box. “What’s goin-”

“NOOOOOOO!” We all yelled out, trying to stop her but it was too late.

BOOM!

Chapter 31: Set in Motion

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 31: Set in Motion

Twilight Sparkle

“Come on Twi! You can do it!” Rainbow Dash held up the now empty chest before me, I cast my magic firing a single point beam at the top of the lid again but yet nothing happened and this time it was closed.

I sighed as Rainbow Dash put it down and we looked at the sparkling case. Nothing seems to work now... “Five days... I did everything and beyond to try and activate it magic! Why can't I!?” I picked it up with my magic and threw it across the room, but Rarity caught it in her magic in time.

“Darling! You will figure it out! You can't just destroy the last hope for Zaps and Big Macintosh!” Rarity puts the case down and open it, pulling out the orange reddish orb with the strange magical ring glowing on the surface of it. “All you have to do darling is just figure a way to relock it right?”

“That's what I've been trying to do! It's not working! Every magic that was around the lid is gone...” I sighed heavily, rubbing my head with my right front hoof. “It's as if all that amazing, overwhelming magic that was stored in protecting the chest was dispelled at the instant I solved the puzzle...”

Applejack snorted and I gulped. “Yeah and what happen to mah brothers was part of that huh? Ah don't think so sugarcube! There no hay! No way that's possible! And ah won't let this matter rest to mah brothers are back!”

“Aren't they in the way still here?” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Ya mean that stallion!” Applejack snapped at Fluttershy glaring at her. “Rarity what the hay did ya find out about that weird outfit he had on?” Applejack quickly turns to Rarity with Fluttershy shivering.

Rarity step up to the box resting on the table and open it. The brown vest with the metal bobbles of Big Mac's work collar part of it. “It's strange Applejack, I took a loose thread and found out this vest is completely impossible.”

“How so? It looks pretty normal looking even it look like some weird work vest.” Rainbow Dash took it from her taking a good look at it herself.

“That's the thing it made out of multiple different type of materials merged into one whole new piece on a level that I couldn't even get my head around.” Rarity took it out of Rainbow Dash's hooves placing it back in the box. “Wood, metal, wool, cotton and the list could go on. I wish I could create such a thing! It would be a fashion and practical statement to the world!”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Like Golden Apple right? That stallion wouldn't be here wasn't for that spell! And Never got to know what this orb is for as well!” When Pinkie Pie said Golden Apple the look Applejack gave in silence showed it all to me...

I stared at the orb in Rarity's hoof thinking about the very moment Big Macintosh had entered the library and the spell that had caused all this mess to happen in the first place, the very moment my own selfless desire put mine and Applejack's own friendship on very thin ice...

“Maybe we are just looking at this all wrong, maybe...” Fluttershy finally spoke up and we all took a good look at her.

“How so? Sugarcube?”

Fluttershy took the orb from Rarity and place it on the table, we all looking at it now. “Do you notice something odd about the orb?”

“Not sure what you mean darling, it looks normal to me.” Rarity replied.

Rainbow Dash had her hoof place next to it and she looked at the orb, then at her hoof for some strange reason. “What the hay!? This thing not leaving a shadow!”

“Oh come on Rainbow it...” Applejack notices it too now and so the rest of us. “Ah'll be darned!”

I recalled what the stallion Golden Apple said after I, Rainbow and the crusaders first encountered him. “Sweet Celestia. The Shadowless Mines, there real...”

Applejack glanced over to me. “Shadowless Mines?”

“I heard that from the big guy himself! Didn't he said that Princess Celestia had the mines destroyed as well?” Rainbow Dash chimed in and I just rolled my eyes, she had to recall that moment.

Applejack now frowning at the two of us determined for answers. “Yer two better get talkin'! And explain what this had to do with Princess Celestia of all ponies!”

I sighed and begin to explain this. “It happened five days ago right after what happened when the box opened...”

Five Days ago

“Urg...” Scootaloo groaned with ringing in my ears and everything was blurry. I was on my back looking up at the ceiling of the library, the last thing I recalled was Big Macintosh walking in on us when casting my spell and the girls and Zaps trying to stop me.

I sat up and saw the chest was opened! “It worked!” I squealed as Scootaloo got up from under a pile of books and raced over to it.

Rainbow Dash I turn to see her pull free from books too. “That's great Twi! But geez! That thing had quite the punch!”

“I know... But the results were worth it! Look!” I using my magic lift out of the little chest a strange orange red orb with a ring of light reflective shine to it.

Scootaloo turn to the girls seeing they was getting up. “You two ok?”

“Yeah, that was crazy!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

Applebloom pushing a few of the books away with her hooves. “Ah say! Never thought some weird magic backlash thingy would open it though!”

“Great! Now I got to clean up this mess!” Spike complained hanging upside on the ladder looking down at us. “Could you help me out?”

“Sure!” Scootaloo got onto her hooves and with the girls help we got him off the ladder.

“Thanks.” Spike gratefully said to them as he patted himself down with his claws. “Twilight what is that orb thing anyway?”

I was studying it with my magic looking at the shimmering ring that look like it was on the surface of the orb. “Not a clue, I've never seen anything like it. I bet it's one of those strange artifacts from the Kingdom of Harmony.”

“Not even close Twilight, it was forged in the Shadowless Mine before Princess Celestia ordered it destruction over 800 years ago, it's in the Shadowless Temple of the Pony of Fear.” We all heard a strange new voice speak up and all turn to the source of it, it didn't even sound like anypony we knew of.

Pushing the large pile of books aside a stallion slightly taller than Big Mac emerged from it. I've never seen anypony like him in my life! He was lightly colour then Big Mac, with grey four hooves, semi long mane and tail with orange, two tones of cream and black with it being spiky.

The eyes were a really strange looking green with a strange looking vest on with two bobbles at the end of it similar to Big Mac's work collar and the cutie mark was a silver shield with a open green apple in the middle and a yellow star behind the shield.

“It's an activation orb in fact. A very powerful magical orb, she would go on and on about its but never once spoke of it location tho-” He paused looking around the room at all of us. “Is somethin' the matter?”

“Yeah, who the hay are you!? And where Big Mac and Zaps buster!?” Rainbow Dash glares at him ready for trouble, I noticed myself that they was no where to be seen!

The stallion points a hoof to himself. “Ah'm Big Mac... Zaps and Armour-” He looked over himself with curious but startled look. “McApple...”

The colours in his mane, the cutie mark and... “Whoa...”

“Maybe it be best if I should go to Ponyville Hospital...” He suggested staring at his own front hoof.

I look over to Rainbow and the look was returned. “Twi what in Celestia's name is going on here!?”

I curiously looked at the stallion. “I-I don't know, but I think we get to the hospital as he suggested...”

“Where mah brothers Twilight?” Applebloom asked.

Twilight eyes just didn't keep contact with Applebloom. “I-I... I... Applebloom I do not know... But he might know.”

“So clean up later?” Spike asked holding a pile of books up.

“Yes... Later...” I answered and with that put the orb on the table side before we all left for the hospital with the stallion.

Present

“...after that we went with him to Ponyville Hospital and where together created his name alongside a back story Applejack.” I explained about the first few moments.

Applejack heavily sighed, turning away. “And ah with Granny and Applebloom took part in since he was released from the hospital. Ah said ah wouldn't dare lie after what happened to Granny Smith and now look at me...” Applejack sat down on the steps with her front hooves over her eyes. “Ah once again lyin' to everypony. Why can't we just contact Princess Celestia and ask for her help?”

I knew this was going to come up and I had a letter prepared by Spike for this. “Twilight should I send it then?”

“Twi ah think it time to call for help.”

“Darling, I second that you have tried so hard to help them.”

“I-I do-don't know. Wh-what if she you know erm...”

“Come on Flutters spit it out already!”

“What if she destroys the orb, l-like th-the mine fr-from what Golden Apple told you Twilight...”

“Ah reckon that won't be the case she wouldn't do that, its not like Princess Celestia at all to not help if we call for her assistants, right sugarcube?” Applejack glance over to me with the girls all turning to me now.

Apart from Pinkie Pie playing around with the orb giggling. “This is fun! Even in my hooves it shows no shadow! Even my hoof on the table doesn't get a shadow when holding it! How cool is that Twilight?”

I turn to Applejack. “I haven't got an answer for you Applejack. But I have to take that chance.” I nod to Spike. “Send the letter I prepared please Spike...”

Spike pulled it out. “Sure! I'll send it right now!” He let loose a breath of flame, but at the same moment he did a arrow struck it and we all turn to see the scroll now pinned between the bookshelves with the arrow in it and the wood.

At the corner of my left eye I noticed a pony wearing a cloak stood at the doorway with a bow in one hoof with the head drew back a little. The light gold colour foreleg lowered with the girls and Spike now staring at the stranger. “That would be a big mistake calling on Celestia.” She pulled the hood back to relieve herself to be no other then...

“D-Dar-Daring DO!?” Spike wobbled and fell back fainting.

I just sighed and turn my attention back at Daring Do as she step in and with a hind leg out kick the door closed behind her. “Daring Do what the meaning of firing an arrow in a library!?”

She threw the cloak onto the table side walking by as the others stood in silence, watching this adventurer walk around looking at all the bookshelves, she stopped at a group of books looking between the gap before continuing to look again through the shelves. “Stopping you from throwing away any chance of saving three lives.”

“How long was ya spyin' on us?” Applejack instantly spoke and that ran through my mind too now.

Daring Do just took one glance. “And what says that I was?”

“Do yer need me to answer that sugercube?” Applejack raising a right eye as Daring Do took another glance at her with a smirk not saying a word and going back to scanning the bookshelves. “Sugarcube why shouldn't we?”

“Choice, one life or three lives? Which would you choose and which would Golden Apple pick? His or theirs?” Daring Do said without looking at Applejack, we were trading looks at each of them as they spoke.

Now we all were waiting for Applejack to answer, but she turned her eyes away from Daring Do without saying another word. “Erm... Darling this isn't my place in asking this, but...” Rarity decided to speak up with a hoof to her snout as she cleared her throat with a cough. “Where is your attire?”

Daring Do stopped searching and then it hit the rest of us, the question that Daring Do put forwards was already out of the window as we all now stared at Daring Do finally realizing something was amiss and it was Daring Do's jacket and pitch hat. “You had to bring that up didn't you?”

Rainbow Dash was hovering now fell flat on the ground before quickly getting up on her hooves looking up and down with a trot around Daring Do as she steps up to us. “This is soooooo weird! You 'ALWAYS' wear that jacket! I never once read a book or seen you without it on! What's up with that!?”

“I am curious too, it seems really 'STRANGE' to see you without anything at all on you Daring Do apart from that saddle bag.” It felt a bit hard to look at her now without a sense of embarrassment at the adventurers particle nakedness even we all basically are... 'Seriously that doesn't even sound better in my head or thoughts! Why do I feel like it's rude to see Daring Do without her gear on!? Seriously brain stop this!'

Daring Do grumbled “It was stolen”

“Huh? What did you say Daring?” Pinkie Pie asked with a hoof to her right ear twitching it to hear what exactly she said and I barely could make it out too but I was sure she said...

“It was stolen...” She repeated a little louder but it was still hard to make out, but this time I was sure she just said...

“She said it was stolen...” Fluttershy spoke up.

Rainbow Dash stared at Fluttershy. “You heard that?”

“Oh yes, when you have some small little critters it a good idea to have good hearing.” Fluttershy answered with a warm smile.

“Well, that answers that, but that doesn't answer how.” I turn to the adventuring pony. “Care to explain how?”

Daring Do looked rather angry and stomped her hoof down so hard that Spike woke up with a gasp of fright. “I got hit by a damn dart in the rump when I was asleep!” Daring Do flaring her wings open now glaring with utter rage in those eyes of hers. “That damned mare working alongside Ahuizotl got my stuff and she won't stop taunting me about how the 'oh so great Daring Do couldn't stop a simple theft of her stuff from being stolen right off her back and head!' And every step I came to getting ahead of them resulted in her being at all eight out of nine remains of the Shadowless Arches before me!!!!!!!” Daring Do screaming out all her words at the end.

Daring Do breathing heavily and panting as she lower her head to get more air into her lungs. “Better?” I asked.

She snorted. “Yes...”

Rainbow Dash rubbing her head and with a hoof up in the air she flew right out of the library. “I wonder where she going?” Spike looked out the door. Ten seconds later she was back sliding into the library to a dead stop. “That was ten seconds exactly!”

“I still got it.” Rainbow Dash chuckled and showed what she had. “Here, you wear mine.”

Daring Do stared at the vest and pitch hat and back at her. “Darling was you going to dress up as Daring Do for Nightmare Night?” Rarity asked.

“Hehe yeah... But I thought Daring Do could borrow it.”

Daring Do pushed it away. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because there not mine.” Daring Do answered. “Mine is personal and one of a kind, there be nothing like it, this is a kind offer but it's not the same.”

Rarity smiled warmly. “Darling dear, you do not need to say another word on it, I completely understand, it's like wearing horseshoes. One may fit the same but it doesn't feel the same. Correct?”

“Yeah, you can say that.” Daring Do smirked and turn to the bookshelves. “It is strange, I wasn't expecting to see any of you here at all. I followed on some leads that lead me to this library near the Everfree Forest.”

“But we all live here!” Rainbow Dash said to Daring Do. “You even posted a book to my house!”

Daring Do went back to searching. “Yes. I know you do. but I didn't expect you all to live here and didn't expect a princess to live in a library of all places.”

“Is there something wrong with me living here?” I gave her an annoyed look with wings flaring open and Spike crossing his arms with annoyance showing too by her statement.

“Not at all, I said 'I didn't expect a princess to live in a library' and that wasn't aiming towards what you are thinking Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Daring Do stops pushing the books aside. “Yes! I knew there would be a secret compartment!” Daring Do push the mark around and it opens to find it empty. “Damn! She beat...”

I coughed.

“Huh?” Turning around Daring Do glance at me and to the book floating in my magic. “Seriously?”

I smirked. “Spike found it when we were having Mirror Pool trouble with Pinkie Pie here.”

“Please! Don't remind me of that!” Rainbow Dash shuddered. “That was the most uncool experience to ever go through!”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “That makes two of us Dashy!”

Daring Do looked at each of us as she took the book from my magic. “Is what I heard about this town true?”

“Crazy”

“Never boring”

“Surprising!”

“Weird?”

“Never dull”

“Normal?” We all look to Spike before I could say anything after the girls. “What? It is isn't it?” We all laughed a little.

Daring Do sat down at the table with the book and put it by the orb. “Thought so.” She shook her head a little. “That's what I get for never checking things out near the center of Equestria.” She stops after turning a dozen or so pages. “So the journal is correct, there was a ninth arch and it's smack in the heart of the Everfree Forest at the center of the Mist of Misdirection.”

We all gasped instantly. “No!” I closed the book up instantly. “We aren't going there! At the heart of that mist is the Kingdom of Harmony!”

“That unreachable anyway, you missed that window about a month or so ago. I am talking about the night of the 'mega moon' when the northern stars a line with it every nine years.” Daring Do snatch the book away from me and showed the page. “Read before you leap to conclusions, why do you think I stopped you sending that letter?”

I took in what she said and looked at the details in this odd book, she was right. It was all there about the Shadowless Arch of the Everfree. “The guard from over 800 years ago left a journal to give to every first stallion in the family line, I pulled a fair number of strings to get the information about the location of this book and the details about what exactly happened to the first eight.”

“And?” Rainbow Dash egged her on.

“I found out that our beloved Princess Celestia destroyed them all with her own very magic and if she was able to find the remaining one in the heart of the Everfree Forst she would of.”

“You can't be serious! Princess Celestia wouldn't even...”

My protest was cut short with Daring Do head press against mine pushing me back. “She would! It's here in black and white! Read this entry from the very Wonderbolt captain that was by her side at the time!”

“Seriously from one of the legendary Wonderbolt Captains of the past!?” Rainbow Dash snatch the journal from Daring Do hooves before I could take it and read it. “Holy buck! Shes right! It says here that he and his team was personally used to be aerial support and bodyguards to Princess Celestia on her personal assault of the Shadowless Mine and the Shadowless Arches, she ignored all what the ministers at Canterlot said and went on a campaign to stop the darkness of fear to ever return from beyond the gateways to what's called the Shadowless Temple.”

Rainbow Dash summed it all up and as I took it from her and read it for myself she continued to speak. “Seriously!? What's up with that stupid name! Shadowless this and that? Couldn't they a bit more original?”

I read it three times to make sure I had read this right. “I got to ask the princess if this...”

“And the orb you find get destroyed? Do you want to risk it? It's the only way into the temple and maybe the only way to restore those three ponies.” Daring Do put forward that question myself now. I couldn't decide....

“I-I d-don't know...”

Daring Do put the journal away in her bag with the Everfree Book. “Look, I am going to the forest to find that temple, I am going to need that orb.”

“Not without us!” Daring Do groans. “Don't give me that!” Rainbow Dash gabbed her with a hoof. “That mare working with Ahuizotl got ya worked up.”

“Ah agree sugarcube, we can be of help, we've been in there before and we do have the elements.” Applejack hinted to me.

I nod.. “Indeed we can help.”

“Whoa hold up! You are the six!? THE SIX!?” We nod.

“Yep!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “And when we all get back we having a 'Welcome Daring Do' Party! I got everything set up in Sugarcube Corner!”

“Ok fair...” Daring Do quickly wide eyed Pinkie Pie. “SAY WHAT!?”

Pinkie Pie bounces out of the library. “I meet all at Sweet Apple Acres! I am getting treats for the trip!”

“How-what-that...”

“Daring Do don't bother.” Rainbow Dash chuckled putting a foreleg around her. “It Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, just go with it.”

“But she bouncing like... I... Fine! Let just go to this Sweet Apple Acres and go! The sooner we get this done the sooner I can go back to what I call normal!” Daring Do took her cloak and bow leaving the library before any of us could say anything.

Spike held out a ruby and munched on it. “She took it well.” He said with a mouthful and we just shook our heads and left the library with me carrying the orb. “Wait for me! I am not missing out on this!” Spike ran after us closing the door behind him.

I stopped for a second looking around, something didn't feel right. “Come on Twilight! We got to go! She not going to wait forever for us!”

Rainbow Dash was right, Daring Do wasn't going to wait. “Alright, I'm coming!”

Unknown

“Idiots we almost got caught!” I hissed clotting one of the stupid paint marked stallions across the head, he rubbed his head.

“So-sorry...”

I notice a flicker of light from the apple trees from the rooftop we sat on watching the ponies and dragon leave the library. “Luckily for you, your fellow lakkies done their job. Regroup at the farm. It's time for us to spring our surprise. Let Ahuizotl know we're coming and everything has gone to plan.”

“Y-Yes ma'am!” He saluted, jumping down he galloped behind the house and out of town to beat the ponies to the farm.

“Rest of you with me. It's time for a show they will never forget.” The orb around my neck flashing green and so did my eyes as I grinned.

I chuckled. “The great and powerful act of all our planing for weeks are finally coming into place.”

Chapter 32: Into the Heart of Fear

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 32: Into the Heart of Fear

Rainbow Dash

My eyes snapped open in an instant, I couldn't quite remember what the heck just happened! I did know that right that second I wasn't in Ponyville, but some cold stonewall box with very little light coming from the bars just above the bed I found myself on.

“What the hay's going on here?” I spoke out. As I flapped my wings to get a good look around, I noticed that I was in a cell. “Ooooookay... Why am I in a cell?” I flew over to the only door in and out and tapped on it with my hoof.

“Hello! Anypony there!?” I called out. Again I hit the door even harder with both front hooves; nothing. So I bucked it with my hind legs, but the wooden frame remained undamaged. “Seriously? Not even a dent?”

I hit even harder but nothing happened to me or the door. I rubbed my head trying to figure why I was in a cell or even how I ended up in one.

Suddenly I heard hoofsteps come towards the door. “Oh great, now what!?” I waited, ready to engage whoever it was as the door unlocked and swung open.

What was standing there made me quickly lose the will to engage them. It was a pair of purplish black Pegasi, eyes pure white with no pupils, and a cloud of black mist surrounding them.

“Restrain the Element of Loyalty, Spitfire,” one of them said. Sure enough, coming in between them was Spitfire.

I could see one wing was missing, and the Wonderbolt flight suit was ripped in many places. There were cuts on her muzzle and the side of her face, and her mane was in a bad shape.

“Spitfire?”

“Sorry Rainbow Dash, I have to do this...” Spitfire walked into the cell and hooked chains to both my forelegs, followed by a restraining strap around my midsection, holding the wings against my body.

“It's done...”

The two emotionless shadow ponies moved their heads to Spitfire. “Take your remaining Wonderbolts, leave, live and stay out of our way. This is mercy.”

Spitfire nodded, turning with a tearful look to me. “I am sorry, I had to agree to this. I couldn't let what's left of my team suffer anymore. I regret doing this. Taking you down, putting you in here...” With that, she left with one of the shadow ponies.

The remaining one stared at me and spoke. “Follow me... I am watching you. Try to escape and the young colt Zaps will not suffer nightmares; he will die.”

“Fine...” I muttered and followed the accursed pony.

We walked up the stone stairs till I realized where we were; it was Canterlot Castle, or what was left of it. Walking through the hallway I saw the castle was in ruins. Walls were destroyed, glass was shattered and pillars fallen. A huge battle must've taken place, seeing as many guards were frozen in black crystals with fear at the moment they were hit.

There in the throne room I saw inside was Princesses Celestia and Luna; not in crystal but as crystal, black and frozen like statues. Standing at what was left of the throne made all my fur stand on end. It was her... The Pony of Fear, staring right at me through the blackish purple mist with her cold blue glowing eyes.

“Leave us!” she boomed. The black pony beside me vanished into a cloud of mist.

“The self proclaimed Rainbow 'Danger' Dash, Element of Loyalty, holding the line so almost all of your friends and family could escape.” The Pony of Fear moved off the throne and down the steps towards me.

“Yeah and what of it? Can't find them, huh?”

The Pony of Fear was now giving me a look that just confused the heck out of me; she wasn't laughing or even being fearful anymore. It was as if she was looking directly at me and how I reacted; the only reason I was not bucking the heck out of her was Zaps.

“You no longer fear me; first you shivered at the sight of me and now it as I expected. You are immune to my magic. You still fear; I can taste it but I can't take it... It seems I underestimated many of the ponies of Equestria.” She then hit me with black mist clouds that turned into tentacles and went into me.

I grunted in pain trying to fight it. “Wh-what are you doing!?” I cried out as I felt something ripped out of me. The tentacles moved to a big glass orb and put something inside it. I started breathing heavily, feeling as if something that was supposed to be there was now gone.

That's when it hit me! That pony just ripped the pegasus magic out of me! I flapped my wings and got zero lift; I tried and tried yet nothing happened. She took away my magic, magic that was now a rainbow glowing cloud of magical dust in the large glass orb!

“Give it back!”

“Oh you'd like that wouldn't you? Very well, go and smash the glass, it'll only take a few bucks with the strength you have left.” I took one step closer when she said, “That is, if you have time.”

I quickly looked directly at her. “What the hay does that mean, you freak?”

She wasn't fazed by my insult. “Simple.” Her head turnd to my left, where I saw Zaps sitting in a cage hanging over the edge, a black mist cloud next to each clip under it.

“No! You wouldn't!”

“Oh I will. So here it is. Will you race to get your magic back to try and save him? Know that it may not return fully before he goes splat. Or will you go for him and save his not long life by taking your own? From this height he'd most likely live if you broke his fall.” She chuckled moving back to the throne and sitting down on it with her glowing, piercing eyes on me.

“Either way from this point forward you two are free and I won't deal with you ever again. I have the fear I needed from this land. I will fade out of your worthless lives and sleep till I need to awake again to feed.”

I growled under my breath. “You said you never kill!”

“That is true. But all I am doing is letting go of my grip on this wasteland. The ponies did that themselves, and those trapped in my crystals will be freed with no memory of what happened. Life will be a living Tartarus.

"Equestria may be no more or it may rise up again, since the Crystal Empire was untouched. But either way I will leave at this very moment and the magic will end; this is my normal cycle. This will be the last time you will ever see me; farewell Rainbow 'Danger' Dash of Loyalty.”

The Pony of Fear disappeared just as she said, the mist dispersing as did all the magic. The princesses' statues burst apart and they fell to the ground, but I didn't wait to check on them. The cage bottom held in place by the magic ended and Zaps started to fall.

I leapt off the wall with my wings pressed against me. I made my body as aerodynamic as possible to catch up with the falling colt as he screamed. I caught up with him and pulled him into my hooves as I twisted my body around so my back faced the fast approaching ground, and closed my wings, fore and hind legs around him and rested my head gently against his.

“I got ya kiddo. You're going to be ok.”

“B-but your magic...”

“I don't need it, Zaps.” I saw his tears come out and fly up past my eyes as I held him close. “I'd rather do this and let you live a full life than live and regret not letting you grow up.”

“You're going to die!” he cried

I sighed as we fell down the mountainside towards the fast approaching ground. “Yeah... But remember this Zaps: I do it not only for you, but all of my friends. AJ might get mad by my choice, but going for my magic and trying to save you would've come off just as bad. For me this was a no brainer. You live Zaps; be loyal to your friends and family, ok?”

“Rainbow Dash...”

“Be there for me, ok? Don't regret what I've done. I did this.”

“O-o-o-ok... Thank you Rainbow Dash...”

“No problem kiddo.” I smiled, put my head against his and closed my eyes, awaiting the impact.

Crishhhhh!

I felt an impact but it wasn't what I expected. My ears rang out at the shattering smash followed by a mighty splash. Opening my eyes I could see the sky quickly disappearing in a shattering of glass with bubbles streaming around, up and away.

“What in Celestia's name is this?”

I looked down at my hooves to find Zaps cuddled into me. “Zaps...” Before I could get a response the darkness and white bubbles increased until-

“Rainbow Dash!”

I gasped, my eyes snapping open as I sat up instantly. “Oh my goodness! You're awake!” Fluttershy hugged me, followed by the other girls.

Was all that just happened a dream?!

“After you took that hit for Golden Apple Ah thought ya were a goner!” Applejack stated.

“Yeah, that and you still holding that Shadowless Orb! Who would've known that the sign to Sweet Apple Acres was the Shadowless Gate?” Pinkie Pie let go and bounced up and down.

I looked around as the girls backed up, allowing me to get back on all four hooves. We were in some strange chamber with a purplish black glow coming from behind me. It was a gate, and the glow was the portal

“Somehow you getting hit by that attack from the pony controlling Trixie and the orb seems to have popped it open. We had to drag you in,” Twilight explained.

“Not easy when you've got so many ponies with her and Ahuizotl-” Spike didn't finish when the portal flashed and they entered carrying a cage with three fillies in it. “Ah!” Spike hid behind Twilight's hind leg.

I got up and remembered it all now. We were fighting Ahuizotl's tribal ponies and then they brought out the cage with the fillies in it... Daring Do gave up, but not before tossing me the orb. That was when the pony controlling Trixie attacked Golden Apple and I had to block the attack with my own body, still holding the orb that collided with me... Daring Do was there too, but tied up by ropes and held up on a large stick between two of the ponies.

It all came back to me. I remembered exactly what happened...

A Short Time earlier

We were all making our way to Sweet Apple Acres with Daring Do. It was totally awesome to go on another adventure with her, but this was now something serious. Not only were we keeping Princess Celestia out of the loop, but now we learned we had a key the whole time and didn't even know it!

I was flying above them when I noticed something going on around the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres. “Guys, we got a 'BIG' problem!”

Daring Do quickly took the air with Twilight to join me, where they saw what I saw. “Ahuizotl's ponies are attacking a very large stallion that's giving them a run for their bits!”

“It's Golden Apple! He's trying to protect the farm!” Twilight screamed.

“Mah brothers!” AJ quickly took off into a full gallop.

I turned to the two beside me and those on the ground. “What the hay are we waiting for? Hearth's Warming?!” I took off after Applejack; no way was I going to let her take on those creeps alone with Golden Apple!

I dove right into it, twisting my body around and my right hind leg out as I slammed it right into one of them. The force sent the stallion flying into a bunch of others, landing on top of each other in a daze. “You want to deal with AJ's family, you deal with me and my friends!” I yelled.

Some that were fighting Golden now turned to me, aiming their spears at me. “Come on! I got more butt kicking action to give!” I stood up on my hind legs, forelegs up in a battle stance, ready to kick their rumps!

Two came at me, but I blocked the spears with a right foreleg and left wing moving, them to the side. I quickly followed up with a jump spin. kicking one in the head and sending that stallion to the ground, followed by a punch and head butt, knocking him backwards to trip over the other dazed stallion on the ground.

Three others were almost on me when a rope caught around their waists and pulled them down with a thud. They struggled to get free but got tied up by the rope quickly by AJ. She tightened it and let go. “Stand ya vermin!” They whimpered like foals at AJ's stone hard cold look. “Good!”

A cannon went off and another set of stallions was pinned against the fence with confetti and streamers all over them. “Wee! Come and get me!” Pinkie Pie dodged the stallions with ease and bounced around them. “Tag you're it!” She bounced on one of their backs, knocking him flat on the ground.

Some were frozen in place by Fluttershy's stare. “How dare you come here and do this! What would your mother's think of you if they knew what you were doing!?” They huddled together, shaking in total fear. Yep, Flutters had them covered.

Daring Do and I took out a few more of them; me with kicks and punches and her with her whip. “How many of these creeps does Ahuizotl have?!”

“Never took count!” Daring replied.

Twilight zapped a few them. “Well, we don't have to wait to ask!”

We all turned to see him standing behind Golden Apple. “Golden, watch out!” AJ quickly threw her rope around him and pulled him away as Spike called out and Ahuizotl slammed his fists on the ground.

“You won't stop me this time Daring Do!” Ahuizotl shouted. “You and your friends will be defeated and we will take the orb!”

Daring Do stood before him. “Highly unlikely! We're taking out your creeps without a sweat!”

He chuckled. “Then let's make this interesting.” Ahuizotl clicked his tail paw and yet again, out of the blue, behind him those cats jumped out and were standing around him. “My pets, take them out! Get me that orb!”

“Oh my goodness...” Rarity gulped at seeing what we all had to deal with on top of these ponies of Ahuizotl's... “Ahhh!” Rarity used her magic to grab a shovel from by the fence putting it right in front of her when the tiger went in for the lunge. Rarity closed her eyes tight.

BONG!

Opening them again, the tiger was lying on its back with all four legs in the air, its eyes spinning around. “Oh my, this might come in handy after all.” Rarity spun the shovel around with her magic. “Care for round two?”

I dodged Ahuizotl paws while watching Rarity taking care of the tiger. It made me want to laugh. but dealing with Ahuizotl was crazier than last time. “Whoa!” I flipped backwards. slide-landing on all four hooves and spraying up dust. “You're serious about that orb, aren't ya?” I had my saddlebag on and pulled out the orb. “This orb, I bet.”

“You will give it to me!” he roared, and went right for me, I quickly put the orb back in the bag and tossed it over to Daring Do before I gave him a real big hard right twisting hind leg kick in the side of his face.

Ahuizotl stumbled, but turned around with his tail paw closed in a fist and hit me right in the gut. I gasped as it sent me flying into the Sweet Apple Acres sign. Wood flew off from the impact, but the sign held together. I flipped over on it and stood on top balancing with my hooves.

“So you want to do it that way huh? Well here I come!” I took off from the sign, heading for him.

As I fought against Ahuizotl, the girls were taking care of the cats and stallions. Daring Do tossed the bag to Twilight and joined me in the fight against this creep. He blocked and attacked back with his three paw hands. Though he got some hits in, we did as well and he was being pushed back by them.

Golden Apple charged in between us and leapt at Ahuizotl with a flying hind kick, followed by another one before landing on all fours and doing a twist, knocking Ahuizotl off his feet. While he fell, Golden grabbed the tail with his two front hooves and twisted around with his body.

Daring and I hovered with stunned expressions at what Golden Apple was doing, as he spun faster and faster, till finally he let go, sending Ahuitzotl flying into the Sweet Apple Acres sign behind us.

“Whoa...”

“Whoa indeed...” Daring stared at him lying there. Then, as he fell off, the sign also came off and an odd looking black stone emerged from the wood. “The Shadowless Arch?!”

The fighting instantly stopped as we all stared at the arch that was hidden inside the. “It was here in plain sight?” I exclaimed, pointing to it.

“Indeed, the great and powerful act is now complete!” We all turned to see a cloaked pony and more of Ahuitzotl's thugs before us, holding a cage with- “Scootaloo!”

“Applebloom!” both Golden Apple and Applejack cried out.

Rarity screamed. “Sweetie Belle! Let my little sister go you brute!”

The cloaked pony chuckled. “Oh, but I have a trump card.” She tossed Daring Do's jacket, bracelet and pith helmet to her. “It wasn't very showy, you can have it back.”

Daring Do grumbled, taking her stuff and putting it back on. “Kidnapping fillies to get one up on us Ahuitzotl? You know no shame!” She glared at him. I was just as angry

“Oh Daring Do, you've ruined so many of my plans, to finally beat you I had to team up with this delightful mare.” He chuckled, joining her at her side with the other ponies. “Now, the orb, Daring Do!”

Golden Apple looked into the mare's eyes. I noticed it and looked to see a green flash for a second. “Whoa, what's up with the glowing eyes?”

She threw the cloak hood back and we all saw a chuckling Trixie there with a necklace on.

“T-Trixie?! Wh-what are you doing?!”

“Oh, Trixie's body may be here, Twilight Sparkle, but she's actually deep inside here.” She tapped her head with a hoof. “The great and powerful Shadowless will have the orb now.”

“Shadowless... Geez, you all are nothing but lame with names!” I spat.

She just kept that smile. “Yes, that's true, but names are not always what they seem; lame or not, so original can be far deadlier.” Green magic formed around her horn as she aimed it at Golden Apple. “Now to take care of business.” She fired a beam of magic.

I reacted by flying right in front of it, knocking the bag off and sending the orb flying at the same time in line of sight of the beam. It hit the orb and then me, and with a bright flash everything went dark.

Present

We still had the orb, but they had Daring Do and the crusaders; we were in a worse position than they were for sure, and what she said next while pointing to Spike assured us we were in deep trouble.

“Put this around Spike's mouth; gagging him will make sure Princess Celestia not aware of exactly where we are, we're too close to her as it is.” Shadowless used her magic to toss over the gag.

Spike looked to each of us. “Do it Twilight, she has the crusaders and Daring. I don't want to risk their lives...”

“Ok Spike...” Twilight placed the gag between his mouth with her magic and tied it around the back of his head.

I looked around the blackish grey room we were in. “What's up with this place? It's kinda creepy...”

It was dome shaped, and a tunnel led out of it; but for something that old, it looked like it'd never aged since it was built.

Daring Do was freed and allow to join us. “Hey, what about us?” Scootaloo asked. I had to agree, since Daring was freed.

“Keep your trap shut brat! Do you want another silence spell placed on you and your friends?” Shadowless threatened them. They shook their heads.

Ahuitzotl placed his paw hand on the wall nearest to him. “Hmm, no source of light, yet this chamber and beyond is lit up; how interesting.”

Shadowless waved it off with a hoof. “It's just the magic of this temple; it feeds off shadows that keep it hidden from the outside world, and has a shield that blocks out the sun rays.” Shadowless used her magic and the wall opened up before us.

It was daylight outside, yet it felt gloomy; we could see a shimmering greyish shield that was feeding off sunlight itself and-

“Whoa whoa whoa! You're telling me this whole temple is using the light of the sun on that shield to feed the temple shadows?”

“I can see it, but I don't understand it. It reminds me of the rope that the Pony of Fear used on me but in reverse...” Twilight took a good look outside and looked down. “Canterlot?!”

We all quickly gathered and saw it; the castle and city was directly below us! “Hidden in plain sight, right on the peak of the very mountain Canterlot sits on the side of...” Daring Do was amazed as I was; heck we all were! “No pony would even bother to look this close to Canterlot for a temple as ancient as this...”

“No wonder she got me to gag Spike... The magic alone would've directed her to look right up at the peak itself!” Twilight turned to Shadowless. “Your master is planning on returning from being trapped in the Kingdom of Harmony through here!”

She chuckled clapping her right hoof on the ground. “Very clever princess, you get a gold star.” Shadowless used her magic to take the orb off my hooves and float beside her. “Now enough sight seeing. My master awaits her return!”

Golden Apple leaned over to us as the wall resealed itself. “If she frees Triskaide, it's game over... Ah'd rather be stuck like this forever than let her use that orb to free that being. It's bad enough we didn't know what all this was about till now. I didn't even know Triskaide was plannin' this...”

AJ nodded in agreement. “Ah hate to admit it, but Ah'd rather have ya around than let that vermin release somethin' that dark onto Equestria...”

I recalled the dream I had and gulped. “I-I think if she does, not only Equestria falls, but that Pony of Fear will somehow split you and use Zaps against my own Loyalty...”

“What do you mean darling?” Rarity asked as we slowly followed Shadowless and Ahuitzotl.

“It was in a dream I had; she won and there before me she made me choose... my internal pony magic or saving Zaps life...”

“RD yer di-”

“I picked saving his life...”

Twilight look more determined at this news. “We've got no choice! We've got to destroy it now.” Everypony agreed.

Shadowless chuckled. “You really think my master will do such a thing? It would mean killing; she doesn't kill. She'll let you do that to yourselves.” Shadowless was amused by what we were talking about and heard everything we said. “And destroying the orb won't be easy. I will make sure of it. Now follow!”

“Why have us come with ya then?” I demanded to know.

“Simple. So I can make sure you lot don't try anything stupid! And have you witness the release of Triskaide the Pony of Fear!” Shadowless boasted.

Twilight muttered under her breath, “And that ego...”

We walked into a very large, open chamber with the same dome shape as the one we were in previously, only this had a large black purplish orb rippling like water all around it and floating smack dab in the middle of the room; surrounding it at six different points equally apart were obelisks.

“Ok... Big dome room, big scary super sized blackish purple orb, and obelisks. No old tome writing, no markings, no clue of how old exactly this is..” Daring Do scanned the room with her eyes, trying to make sense of it. “Large platform in the middle right under the large sphere... I am guessing that Shadowless Orb goes right on that pedestal...”

Shadowless glanced over to her as she and Ahuitzotl made their way to it. “You sound disappointed Daring Do, too simple for you?”

“Nothing ever is...”

“Oh it is when it comes to this temple. No writings, no tomes, no waste of space rubbish gems. Just a simple enchantment that will bring fourth the Pony of Fear from wherever she is,” Shadowless replied as she now stood before the pedestal.

“What of my awards? My treasure? My artifacts? You promised!” Ahuitzotl demanded his payment.

Shadowless sighed. “I promised and you will. Triskaide will award you, my master is without promise; she makes, she delivers.”

“Fine! But you try something on me and I will make you sorry, pony!”

Shadowless placed the orb on the stone. It started to glow and energy traveled through the floor through six straight line markings right into each obelisk, causing Daring Do's tomes and writing to appear on each of the pillars from the magic.

“Triskaide! The Pony of Fear, my master! Come forth and bring fear upon this world!” Shadowless yelled, forelegs spread out. “This vessel has done its job!” With that, the necklace shattered and Trixie was freed from Shadowless' control, falling on her side unconscious.

Golden Apple took this chance and knocked out the stallions holding the cage of the crusaders, freeing them. “You're safe girls... it's ok...”

“Great; now it's our time to stop this!” I flew up, ready to dive in.

Just as we were about to make a move, everything began shaking. The massive orb fired a beam of black purple mist into the ceiling and formed into sphere shape, inside of which was those pure blue eyes. glowing and staring at us...

Then she roared out in a booming voice that echoed,

“Triskaide has returned!!!!!!”

Chapter 33: Where there Darkness, There be Light

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Zaps Apple
Chapter 33: Where There is Darkness, There is Light

Rainbow Dash

Looking back in life on all the things I'd say were the worst, nothing would come close to what was happening before me and my friends right that moment. We were staring at a threat to Equestria without the Elements of Harmony, the time we really needed them and we didn't have them anymore.

Triskaide; the name made me shudder at the thought of it, her ice cold glowing sapphire eyes stared right down at us. I could make out a pony form with a creepy smile in the dark cloud. She kept that cold, calm stare at each of us as she moved.

We all backed away from her, none of us- even Daring Do- could match or even come close to finding the will to go against her! She was terrifying!

“Ra-Rainbow...” Twilight whispered to me and I glanced over to her, trembling. “Y-ye-yeah?”

With courage she spoke a bit louder, and what she said made me stare in surprise. “Get out of here and warn Princess Celestia.”

“You're the only one of us who's fast enough to get by her and Ahuitzotl,” Rarity agreed.

I instantly shook my head. “Not a chance, you're my friends, all of you are! I am not bailing on you guys!”

Daring Do glared right at me. “You're not bailing... You're helping by giving everypony a chance against this thing!”

“Go Dashie! We'll hold her-” Pinkie Pie froze in mid speech and a chill ran down my spine to my tail as slowly our eyes all turned to the pair of sapphire ones.

She chuckled, standing on her hind legs with the forelegs crossed over each other. “You really think I'd just let you all chit-chat and escape?” With an nod from her, ropes came from the black aura smoke at us.

“AUGH!” I gasped, being thrown back into the wall, feeling the rope wrap itself around my midsection and each of my legs.

SLAM!

Me and my friends soon were all held against the wall, tied up in some weird magical rope.

“Ah can't move!” Applejack tried to break free but the rope was unfazed by her struggles.

“P-please s-stop this...” Fluttershy begged.

The pony of fear just shrugged, looking at all seven of us. “I have no need to do anything more to you ponies, you're not a threat anymore.” She didn't even seem concerned by any of us.

Pinkie Pie frowned, pulling on the rope that held her hooves in place. “Oh oh oh! You're going to tell us what you're going to do, right?”

“No...”

“No? But every baddie has a plan!”

“That I do, but no.” She turned to Pinkie Pie. “I won't babble on like some of those idiots you faced.” Turning away, Triskaide didn't seem to be interested in us anymore.
Twilight was next to speak. “Why are you doing this? What is your goal?”

She didn't even turn to face Twilight as the reply came. “You'd like that wouldn't you? To know what I want? Guess whatever you like; it shall never be revealed.”

“Seriously? You're just going to be lame and not-”

“Rainbow Dash, you will not get the answers that you or any others seek. Equestria will fall, that is all you have to know. How or when is unimportant.” She chuckled, turning to face me now.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “I saw what you will do if you win!”

Now she raised a hoof, touching my chin and looking me closely in the eyes. “That's odd. Something about this seems to be true. You saw something didn't you?”

I noticed something odd, there was eleven of us in total, the girls, me and Daring Do with Golden Apple and the cru- “Hehe...”

“Is something I said funny?”

“No you're the funny one!” I chuckled. “How many of us are there?”

“Seven.”

“How many of us were there?”

Triskaide blinked and moved away as it dawned on her what I meant. “That stallion and the brats... The-they...” A sight of fear came to her, I hit on the nail.

Rarity looked around. “Sweetie Belle! What have you done to her!?”

“You beast! Ya better not have hurt mah little sister!” Applejack chimed in.

Triskaide's eyes darted around. “I ca-can't sense them, they're not in the temple. I can't sense their life force! They escaped!”

Daring Do now laughed. “The almighty pony of fear losing a few ponies! Look like your plan's falling apart!”

She faded away and quickly reappeared in another layer of the smoke before Ahuitzotl and his ponies. “YOU IDIOT! I GAVE YOU AND YOUR PONIES ONE SIMPLE TASK!”

He gulped, huddling up with the ponies that worked for him; it was funny to see him cowering like that! “I-I...”

“TAKE YOUR IDIOT PONIES AND CATS AND GO AFTER THEM! ALSO DESTROY THE GATE AT SWEET APPLE ACRES! I WILL NOT HAVE THE PRINCESSES FIND THIS PLACE BEFORE I FULLY EMERGE! GOT ME?”

He saluted. “Yes Triskaide! I hear you! We're right on it!” He ran with his minions through the corridor into the gate room.

Triskaide turned back to us. “Thank you for letting me know.” The calm voice returned, geez she could do a 180 in seconds. “Even with them escaped I will emerge and the real fun will begin.”

Daring Do rolled her eyes. “You know, they could have not escaped and still be in this very chamber.”

“Please Daring Do, I can sense all the life forms in here and all I sense is you seven little ponies.” Something about what Daring Do said made me think that maybe Triskaide couldn't sense them for some unknown reason.

But for now we were trapped without a chance to escape or fight back.

Scootaloo

The bright light and the buzzing was making it difficult to even tell what was going on around me. I blinked, rubbed my eyes and twitched my ears for any other sounds. Suddenly I could hear screaming over it as it started to clear up. The bright light was dying down and my vision started to clear.

I blinked a few times; everything was blurry and dark, and there was weird black smoke all around me. I noticed the strange glowing light around me. “What in the hay is this?” I put a hoof out to feel it, but it expanded away as I moved. “It's coming from me?”

“Yeah, weird...” Spike, who was standing by me, spoke through the gag around his snout. I turned to see nothing coming from him. “It's not happening to me, though.”

“Scootaloo!” I quickly turned to see Sweetie Belle and Applebloom coming to me with the same weird glowing light around them, and the weird smoke parting as if it was trying not to touch the light around us. “We're so glad we found you!”

“Ya know what's goin' on?” Applebloom asked, looking around. “Last thin' Ah remember was Golden Apple shieldin' us from the black cloud when that Pony of Fear appeared.”

I recalled it myself; but where was that stallion? “W-we must be inside the stuff that make up the Pony of Fear!”

I gulped when Sweetie Belle said that! She was right; we were inside it, but some how we were protected by the glowing magic stuff around us! I fluttered my wings rapidly, nervously trying to get any bearing of where we were in the chamber. “Girls, do you have any idea where to go? This black stuff's so thick I can't see far!”

“Ah don't know Scootaloo, it's nothin' Ah've ever seen before...” Applebloom took a good look around herself.

We heard hoofsteps getting closer. We backed up together, shaking in fear of what was coming towards us. Emerging with the same weird magical light was Golden Apple; he came straight to us and the weird magic around us joined with his as soon as he stood only a few feet from us.

“It's good to see you three are fine.”

“Yeah we are, but not sure where we are!” I put my hoof out into the smoke.

He turned to one direction. “We're within the dark magical field of Triskaide, the Pony of Fear. She found a way to break free from her prison within the Kingdom of Harmony.” He was concerned about this, because Golden Apple was also Armour McApple. “But from the flow of magic it seems she's not fully escaped.”

Spike leapt on Golden's back. “I think I'll stick with you if that's ok.” Golden nodded.

“You mean there's a way to stop her? Even now?” Sweetie Belle asked, hopefu; there was a way to stop Triskaide.

Golden was still looking into the blackness. “Yes, the Shadowless Orb at the centre. If we get to it there's a chance we can stop her.”

“That's great and all, but we're only fillies! That's Rainbow and the other adults job!” I didn't like the way he was speaking about this.

“Ah agree, what can we do that they can't?”

“One, we're shielded from her magic somehow; this magic is coming from us. I do not know what it is or how it was formed but it'a the only thing that keeping us hidden from her. We need to act fast not only for Equestria but for our friends and family.The girls are in trouble...” Golden Apple looked to us.

Lowering himself to our eye level I could see the pleading look he was giving us. “For a stallion, that look is just creepy, you know that?”

“Is it working?” He smirked

“YES!” I crossed my forelegs. “Guh!”

“Wow he did a better plead than you Applebloom!” Sweetie Belle giggled.

Applebloom rolled her eyes. “Yeah he did, but he's mah brother after all, so we Apples need to stick together!” Applebloom stood by his side. “So what's the plan big brother?”

He pointed a hoof into the darkness. “We go in deep and try to disconnect the shadowless orb.”

“That's it?”

“That's it, Scootaloo.”

That seemed too simple, I hoped it was! We all stood together and marched against the flow of darkness heading right for the middle of the chamber, the weird magic around us protecting us still as it got thicker and stronger. I saw some of the magic shield we had start to pull backwards, it was weakening as we got closer to the centre!

Suddenly we were being pushed back, sliding on our hooves. The shield was being stripped apart from the force of it! “Whoa! That's intense! It feels like we're being hit by a tornado or something!”

“This close to the orb, I think so. It's her escaping! We've got little time!” He tried to push forwards with us just behind him but the magic was fading around us fast!

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes. “It's so strong! I can't keep my eyes open!”

“Ah don't think we can make it!”

I wasn't going to give up! Rainbow Dash wouldn't! “Come on girls! We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We can do it!”

“Ah'm tryin'!”

“So this is where you are!” We all froze at the sapphire eyes around us. We gulped and quickly took cover under Golden Apple.
“Hehehe, that little bubble of yours is cute! It kept you from being sensed by me! But now look at you four! It's fading which means I will take care of you!”

Golden Apple neighed loudly, and the weird magic we were creating suddenly pulsed. “No! I will not let you escape! I will defend my friends and my family from you!”

“Really? So fused made you bold!” She chuckled. “Let's see how you hold out!”

“Uh oh...” I saw smoky unicorns appear all around us, unleashing beams of magic against our shield; it was breaking apart. I could feel it losing strength fast! “Golden it's going to break!”

“Rarity help!” Sweetie Belle screamed.

“Big brother what're we gonna do?” Applebloom was panicking too.

“Hahaha!” The Pony of Fear's laughter echoed around us. “Your fear is what I want! Squeeze that shield! Chip it away! Make them beg for mercy!” She continued to laugh as we grew more fearful, partly from Golden Apple; he was in pain, the magic coming from him the most.

Golden dropped to a foreleg, leaning forward and gritting his teeth. “This came from the chest, we were the closest to it! That's why this magic is here! It's from mother!”

“What!?” We all were in shock and when he said it the eyes all turned to one set of eyes, filled with pure anger.

She growled and increased the magic attacks on the shield, the glowing flames breaking even more. “Harmony Rose? She did this? CURSE THAT MARE! I WILL NOT LET HER RUIN MY PLANS, NOT NOW!” Triskaide totally lost it! She was summoning all the dark clouds that were around us into a solid form, it was like a burning aura around a pony in the darkness.

The outlined form glared at us. “I think she's angry...” I whispered.

“Scootaloo!”

“Sweetie Belle!”

“Applebloom! Golden Apple!”

“Spike!”

We all saw Twilight and the others tied up to the wall, they were thrashing about to break free. “Leave them alone! They're children!” Twilight screamed.

She glared at Twilight. “NO! They are more than mere foals! They hold the magic of the kingdom itself! Them and this stallion! I will conquer and devour their fear! Harmony Rose shall not assist in ruining my plans once more!” She focused all her magic into one point and aimed right at us!

The focused beam of magic hit and blasted outwards, bending around the shield. I looked back, seeing it blow a massive hole in the wall. Not only that, but it went on and on!

“Sweet Celestia that blast just took a huge chunk out of the walls and ripped a hole in that bubble around the temple!” I shouted.

“NO!” We saw her panicking. “The shield! I damaged the shield around the temple!” A rumble was heard and pieces of the ceiling came crashing down. She burst apart when a huge piece landed on her.

Golden Apple ran from us right for the orb that we all could see now. “What are ya doin' Golden?” Applejack screamed.

“Girls we've got to help him!”

“But I'm scared!”

“I know Sweetie Belle! I am too! But he needs the crusaders help!” I argued back.

Applebloom stomped her right hoof. “Ah'm helpin'! Let's do it!”

“Cutie Mark Crusaders! YAY!”

Spike quickly got to Trixie, who was on the ground close to the orb and pulled her away from it. “I got Trixie!”

Triskaide backed away from us as we ran at her. “G-get away from me you brats!” She fired magical blast after blast at us; the adults were dumbfounded as each attack just bounced harmlessly off us. “Curses! This isn't happening! Not against foals!” She turned to Golden Apple as he reached for the Shadowless Orb. “NO! I-”

Golden Apple grabbed it and the magic around him infused with the orb as the magical blast knocked us off our hooves. I quickly got up and saw three ponies around him! “Zaps!” I quickly rushed over to him.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom quickly got to their hooves and went to the others. “It's mah brothers! All of them!”

“Including Armour McApple! How?” Sweetie Belle stared at Golden Apple who was still there holding onto the orb.

Applejack and the others were freed as the magic faded, the whole place shook and a pillar fell close by. “We gotta get out of here! The whole place is coming down!” Daring Do told us as she dodged some pieces of the ceiling that came crashing down.

Triskaide was being pulled back into the rift the orb created. “No! This can't be happening! I was so close to being freed!” She struggled against it. “Curse you ponies of Equestria! Curse you all! I will return! Mark my words!”

“We'll be waiting,” Twilight replied, staring at her. “We will defeat you.”

“Not if you can't escape before the temple collapses on you.” She grinned at us. “My parting gift!” With a blast of magic I shivered. “Now try to escape!”

Twilight tried to use her magic but it didn't work. “Rainbow can you fly?”

Rainbow Dash tried to flap her wings, but shook her head. “No I can't! Whatever she did stopped me from flying!”

“Hehe. Now you all are-”

There was a sudden flash, and right before my eyes was Discord. “WHAT?!”

Discord turned to Golden Apple. “Well what have I got-”

“Get them all out of here!” Golden Apple shouted at Discord. “I know we had our differences! Make sure to get them all safely to Canterlot! And tell Big Mac to have the jacket as a reminder of what I was!”

Discord rubbed his chin. “Hmm... Who are you?”

“I am them and they are me! I am fading...”

“Wh-what? Ya can't be!” Applejack tried to approach him but Discord stopped her with his claw.

Golden Apple had tears falling as he started to fade before our eyes. The orb was going crazy! It was glowing brighter by the second and cracks were appearing all over it. “It is, Applejack I might've only lived for a week, but it was one heck of a week. I was created by chance of the fusion of three ponies. I do this for the Apple Family and my friends. Farewell...”

“I won't let you all escape!”

Triskaide was preparing to do another anti magical blast on Discord. I yelled instantly! “Get us out of here! She going to do an anti magic blast!”

Discord raised his lion paw. “Till next time Triskaide!”

“There will be no-”

With a snap we weren't at the crumbling Shadowless Temple, but on the balcony on one of the towers in Canterlot Castle; looking up we watched an explosion of light that spread out for a second before disappearing into nothingness.

My eyes turned back to Trixie, Zaps, Big Mac and Armour McApple lying there among us. No pony, crusaders and adults alike, could think of anything to say.

Discord did. “Well this just got interesting! Anypony want any popcorn? It's going to be a once in a life time chance!”

Armour McApple

Upon opening my eyes the last thing I remembered was eating my breakfast at the table and now I was lying on my belly. What I saw was Discord snacking on some form of food I'd never seen before, and there were some other ponies around me.

I saw my little brother, but before I could even begin to ask what was going on, I heard the sound of doors opening, followed by a voice I'd longed to hear once more. "What is-"

Turning around, my eyes met the very ones I looked into the day I married my true love.

“Sunny?”

THUD!

Chapter 34: Family

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 34: Family

Zaps Apple

The rumbling, swooshing sound of water racing over the dusty stuff, turning it squishy and soggy; it retreated as fast with the swooshing fading away. The gentle wind and the sweet unknown smells came to me as I sat there with eyes closed, feeling relaxed. I didn't know what the large body of water came from but it how it moved up and down with the rumbling swooshing sounds was wondrous.

I opened my eyes to the night sky with the moon shining brightly, the sight of endless water with the sounds made me wonder what all this was. Standing up on my hooves I stepped into the wet squishy soggy stuff, feeling the hooves sink a little. Blinking, I curiously look to my right and to my left.

It was endless too, the yellowish stuff turned brown by water went on forever. I turned and there was just grass after hills of the grainy stuff and big trees with mountains far behind them. “Where am I?” I turned to the endless water again. “I was in the library with Applebloom and the others when Big Mac came in and then I was here...”

“Curious.” I turned instantly and saw Luna standing not far from me. I didn't even see her appear, fly in or even walk. She was just there. “Have you seen an ocean before?”

I blinked a few times, feeling the weird sweet water from the waves and wind sprinkling on my fur and eyes a little. “O-oce-o... erm... what you said Luna. No. I’m not sure what it is. Is it the name of endless water splashing up and down on this yellow stuff turning it brown and squishy?”

Luna smiled, turning to face me now and laughing a little too. She trotted over to me, leaving hoof marks behind that were soon taken by the water washing over it and back out again. “Yes, but it isn't endless as you think. It does end but beyond our sight of vision. As for the yellow stuff turning brown, it called sand. All beaches have it, even the lake at Ponyville I believe.”

“Sand?” I put my right front hoof against the grains and slide it through. “When it dries it’s grainy and when it’s wet it’s all slushy?”

“Some is and some not. This type of sand is grainy, but there are many other types like that at Ponyville and some other beaches on the ocean that ponies go to. They make sandcastles out of it with a bucket filled with sand and put it upside down, the bucket lifts and you get a sandcastle.” A bucket appeared with a spade and she filled it with some of the stuff that was damp but not very wet and turned it upside down.

I watched it lift and there was a bucket-shaped sand object she called a sandcastle. “Wow.” I looked at it and tapped it with a hoof, some of it falling off. “Oops... I didn't mean to!”

“It’s okay Zaps. As for all this, how do you dream of a place you have no knowledge of?” Luna asked me.

I tilted my head. “I am dreaming? But I can feel the weird sweet tasty feel of the water, the squishy sand and dry sand. Even the wind...”

“How long have you been here?”

“Erm... Not long after you arrived I think. Last thing I remember was my big brother Big Mac walking in with us trying to stop Twilight from casting another of her spells on the box.” I replied with what I did remember.

She turned to the sky and I looked up at it too. “So it’s true from what I heard from the others.”

“What’s true?”

“You were fused with two other ponies for a week, Zaps.” She turned to face me again. “He was able to free you and the other two ponies from his form at the cost of his own life to save not only you three but everypony that was there at the Shadow Temple.”

“I don't understand. What do you mean a week and who this he that I...” I paused blinking a few times. “What does fused mean?”

Luna giggled. “When you wake I will explain. I promise.”

“Erm... Okay...” I saw the moon getting brighter and brighter.

“It time to wake. See you when you open your eyes little brother.” With a mighty flash everything was gone.

The brightness went and my eyes opened to a red cloth roof over my head. I remember these! They were the beds in Canterlot Castle, the same ones from before with the party and amazing breakfast with the view of Ponyville from a window. “Good morning Zaps.” I sat up, turning to Luna standing by the bed side with a warm caring smile. Beside her was Night Spark who looked happy to see me too.

“It’s been a while Zaps. How are you feeling?” Night Spark stepped up to me with one of his bat wings out to me.

He helped me get out of the bed and onto my hooves with his wing. I looked up at both of them, specially Luna after what she said in my dream. “Erm... You said something about explaining about this fuse word, about me being part of somepony, you told me at the ocean and beach place we were at in my dreams.”

Night Spark glanced over to Luna. “Fuse? Princess sorry if I speak out of turn...” Night Spark turned around to face her directly.

“You may speak your mind Night Spark, I owe you that. Speak whatever you wish without the need to ask for this day forth.” Luna spoke back. He had to ask to speak his mind? Why? I thought everypony could, is this some guard thing?

“What’s going on here? First one of my best friends I’ve known for a long time doesn't remember anything of his life, family, training or even who I am.” He raised his voice at Luna, looking really angry and putting his hoof out to me as he continued to speak. Night I remember was given orders to keep me safe, I think that’s what it is.

“And now something happened to Zaps, the one you gave me special duty to keep safe. Is there something I am missing here?” His slitted eyes were glaring right into Luna's! He wasn't happy by all this at all! He almost shouted out at her, and his teeth were showing with those pointy ones!

“Did Luna do something to upset you Night?” I asked, tilting my head curiously, trying to understand what going on.

He sighed heavily, putting his hoof on my head and ruffling it through my mane. “No Zaps. I’m just letting out my frustration out on my Princess for not knowing what was going on exactly...”

Luna just kept a smile on her snout. “That is understandable my dear guard of the night. Night Spark, what happened to your friend happened to 27 other ponies all over Equestria.” She looked very sad now. “Me or my sister couldn't restore any of their minds... It as if a darkness passed through them and removed everything they once knew from within them completely. Even their dreams are not what they once were...” Luna lowered her head with the sadness still there.

“I failed your friend and those ponies.”

“Princess you tried and I thank you.” He put a hoof to her. “Now what happened to Zaps?”

Luna rose her head and her eyes laid on me directly. “Over a week ago Twilight cast a spell to unlock a chest by activating the right combinations of the very chest. The result was... unexpected.” Luna’s eyes grew soft. “It fused Zaps, Big McIntosh and one other into one single pony.”

“I don't remember that.”

“You wouldn't Zaps, the memories of his short life were his and his alone. Golden Apple gave up his own life force to restore you and the others.” She looked away with tears. “I had lost three brothers to gain a new, then Golden Apple faded and returned them back to us.”

“Is that other stallion Armour McApple, Princess? The-”

I heard that name and gasped. “Armour!? My brother from the Kingdom of Harmony!?”

“Wh-what!?” Night Spark was startled as I was but for another reason. He was surprised by what I said. “Kingdom of Harmony!? Bu-but...”

“Indeed it’s true, he sits at my sisters bed, unmoving. He made sure the guard would keep my sister safe, and being her husband, he and I confirmed this made sure they listened to his orders.” She warmly smiled, looking down to me once more with tears still there. She didn't care to wipe them away. “Would you like to see him?”

I was conflicted. If my real brother was here, what of my other brother, my sisters and Granny Smith? “Can I see Bi-Big Mac first?”

Luna picked me up with her magic and put me on her back. “As I thought you would say my little brother.” Luna turned to Night Spark. “Can you gather the others and meet us at my sister’s room?”

“At once Princess!” Night Spark saluted and flew out of the door, turning right before disappearing from view.

“Let’s go see how our brother is doing. I heard Applejack and Applebloom are there.” Luna started to walk.

I thought about Applebloom and the others. “Are Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom here?”

“Indeed. They are with Applejack.” Luna answered as she made her way down the hallway, with me holding onto her neck feeling the strange magic of her mane going through me a little.

“Can you run there?”

“Indeed! Hold on Zaps, you are in for a ride!” She galloped and I enjoyed it, laughing as she charged down the corridor. Many ponies quickly moved aside, watching us whizz pass as I continued to laugh and enjoy this ride on Luna's back!

I heard somepony call out and knew it was Applejack. “What in tarnation is goin’ on out here!?” She stepped out from a door way.

“Applejack!” I called out, waving my hoof from the side of Luna's neck in view of Applejack. We over shot and Luna took to the air, flapping her wings to come to a stop.

Applejack looked up at us. “Sounds like somepony’s havin' a good time.”

I grinned. “Yeah! Luna can really run! She’s really fast! I really enjoyed it!”

“Indeed so did I.” Luna landed before Applejack. “Is Big McIntosh awake?”

Applejack showed her own smile. “In a matter of fact he did, just moments before ah heard gallopin' and a little colt havin' a lot of fun screamin' out with laughter.” Applejack stood up on her hind legs with forelegs out to me. “Come on down and yer can see ya brother for yerself.”

I leapt off Luna's back into her hooves and she set me down on my own hooves before she backed on all fours herself. “Yes! And then all can go see my brother from the kingdom!” I bounced each step I took into the room.

Applejack glanced to Luna from what I saw and back towards me. “Yeah... That...”

I saw Big Mac and turned to Applejack with a confused expression. “Why are you sad?”

“It means we may no longer be your brother and sister Zaps, he’s ya real brother... We just-”

“What do you mean? Why would you be not my sister anymore?” I asked, rubbing my head with my hoof. “Is something wrong with him being family too?”

Big Mac chuckled and I saw him get onto his hooves out of the bed. “Enope.”

Applejack spoke up looking directly at him. “Big Mac! With his brother back we-”

“Enope.” He cut her off.

Applebloom stood by him. “Ah agree with mah big brother! It doesn't stop us bein' family! We’re just a bigger family!”

“Yeah, I can see that, what’s stopping you?” Scootaloo now stepped up beside Applebloom with Sweetie Belle.

“I think it’s amazing! He’s over 1000 years old! Even Zaps is that old!”

I tilted my head looking over to her. “Over 1000? Is that really a big number or smaller than ten?”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “It’s way bigger!” Scootaloo put her forelegs out. “You might have been trapped in some weird nightmare place never ageing, but you were born before Nightmare Moon! So that makes you the oldest awesome colt in the world!” Scootaloo beamed with excitement and boasted about me being around sometime so far back.

I rubbed my head. “It’s awesome?”

“Heck yeah!”

Applejack rubbed her head. “Princess is this makin' any sense?”

Luna walked in looking around at each of us. “In a manner of speaking it does, he is at an age that is by calendar over 1000 years of age. The true age I am not sure of, but the same could be said of all the Crystal Ponies from the Crystal Empire including their children. They like Zaps were put into a frozen point in time with magic.” Luna walked around us as she spoke about it. “But...”

“Armour wasn't, was he?” Big Mac made us all look at him as he spoke, the words made us all look very puzzled by what he just said. My big brother just made us all look uncertain apart from Luna.

She stood before him, looking back into his green eyes as he gazed back at her. “You would never part from being his brother, am I correct?”

“Eeyup.”

“Thought so.” Luna nodded to him a little. “Armour McApple is then your brother as much as mine. You are part of our family as we are as yours.” She turned away, heading over to the door. “Come. We go to my sister’s bedroom. Armour resides in there by her side.”

Applejack glared at Big Mac. “Yer and that paper!”

“Do ya regret it?” he replied.

“Enope.” Applejack responded with a hit on his foreleg with her right front hoof. “Now let’s go meet the newest Apple shall we?”

“Eeyup!”

I felt uneasy all the sudden not moving. “Somethin' the matter?”

“Yeah! We’re about to see your brother from the kingdom itself!” Scootaloo added with a foreleg around my neck, with the other grabbing me lightly on the chest.

I look down. “I didn't think this would happen. I feel scared...”

“We all were back in the Shadow Temple.” Sweetie Belle put her foreleg over Scootaloo's and close to me too. “We’re friends, we stick together as the Crusaders we are!”

I nod nervously. “O-okay...”

A flash appeared and before us was this weird looking being I had never seen before. “Who are you?”

“Discord, the god of Chaos! My friend, it’s good to see you and all of you back together again! It was a delight to see you back when I gave you all ice cream!” He beamed with delight, and with a click of the paw thing that should be a hoof a flash appeared again.

I looked at my foreleg to see an ice cream cone. “You’re the unicorn that we traded with!” I gasped in surprise. “You helped us get the box!”

“The one and only!” he chuckled. “I said we meet again didn't I?”

“Yeah! Are you coming with us to Sunny's room?”

“Oh, I haven't heard that name in such a long time!” He chuckled and got a dark look from the adults. “Oh please! I am not going to do anything! I am here because if it wasn't for me you would all be squished!”

Luna sighed. “He is correct. Discord did save you all...”

“Ah would like to know why.” Applejack continued to look at him coldly.

Discord crossed his forelegs. “Oh please! I did it because I choose to!”

“That doesn't seem like ya at all! It doesn't make sense!”

“And what fun is that? Making sense? Me! Mah!” He huffed, turning his head away.

I was confused by this exchange. “He saved us, right?”

“Yes,” my friends and Applebloom answered.

“He looks a little odd, but if he saved us then he’s awesome isn't he?”

Scootaloo went up to Discord. “Yep, in a weird way.”

Discord bowed to her and rose back up. “Thank you! Thank you! I’ll be here all night!” I heard clapping and cheering.

Looking around I couldn't see anything. “Where is it coming from?” I asked.

Discord put his paw thing on my back and pointed to the end of the corridor. “That was me, but look at that.”

I looked at for a second, and I saw something that was... I don't know what it was. It was looking right at me for that second with pale skin and a brown mane on its head and above each eye. It didn't even notice I was looking at it or those soft toys behind it! “Whoa what was that!? I saw-”

He put his paw on my snout. “Shhhh, it’s my gift to you. What you saw only I, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich will understand, no pony else will.”

“Why?”

“It a fourth wall thing.” He chuckled and with a click we all were before Celestia's door! He just teleported us all there in an instant. “And here we are! That will be zero bits please! And just a-”

“Thank you!” I hugged his leg.

He froze up, looking down at him. He looked surprised when I hugged him. “Y-your welcome...”

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked, letting go and looking up at him still.

Discord lowered himself to my eye level. “No... I... You’re truly something. Back in the Kingdom and now.” He touched my snout with the yellow claw. “You always have a way with me kiddo.” He rose back up. “Fluttershy!”

“Discord! I was wondering when you be coming.” Fluttershy flew up to him as the others joined us. “You’re not causing trouble, are you?”

“Me? Causing trouble! Please!”

“Ha yeah right, you’re a big-”

Applejack cuts in. “He didn't. Discord is bein' himself but in a little friendly way.”

“What!? Seriously?!”

“Indeed.” Luna confirmed.

Twilight looked at me and the girls. “Is this true?” We all nod. “Well that is new... Discord got a heart.”

He crossed his arms again. “I got a heart! I always had! I like to show it in the most chaotic way I possibly can!”

“Indeed darling that is true.” Rarity replied.

Pinkie Pie looked directly at me. “You saw him, right?”

“Him?” I blinked and remembered that creature I saw. “Oh you mean that thing looking at me for a second!”

“Oh silly, he wasn't just looking at you. He and everyone that reads will see us!”

“Read and everyone seeing us? What do you mean?”

“Every story has a story!” she giggled.

I tilted my head a little. “I create a story, and if I say they’re making the story, they’re making one?”

“Yep!”

“Wow! How many stories are there?”

“Stories are always being written. It’s just that some haven't been written yet or some have been forgotten over the ages.” We all turned to see the door was open, but none of us heard it open. Standing there was a stallion almost the same colour fur and build as Big Mac, but he had black hooves with a black mane and tail.

He smiled warmly to me. I knew who it was but I couldn't move, I didn't know what was wrong! He was there and I couldn't do anything; my body didn't want to move! I was frozen as he stood only a few feet away from me.

My big brother Armour McApple! And he didn't say anything as no one said anything either for a long time, and suddenly he reached out to me with a foreleg and pulled me into a hug.

I stared into space, feeling the warmth of his fur and now his tears. I felt tears starting to form. I exploded into tears and hugged back, crying into him, not forming any words. He didn't either, but his eyes turned away from me and looked to the others.

We were in tears...

But we were happy...

Why cry and be happy?

A wing, no, two wings came around...

In silence, Celestia with tears embraced us and Luna...

I understand... No words can be expressed of the happiness we had...

No words...

Reunited with a Twist: Armour and Sunny

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Zaps Apple
Reunited with a Twist: Armour and Sunny

Armour McApple

It had been over 1000 years since almost all of us were together, the reuniting moment of two brothers, wife and sister. Yet it was a moment I never thought would happen in all those years in my imprisonment within the kingdom I once... No, always will call home.

I stood on the balcony looking at the city of Canterlot seeing so many ponies of all races either going to bed at dawn's light or starting their day, the changing of the guards and so many other things I could see from up there.

“How did I come to be here? How did magic from something SHE had created to aid in her own escape go horribly wrong? How did it fuse me with Zaps and Big Macintosh? How did it pull me from the Kingdom of Harmony within the Zap Apple magical field that kept me safe for over 1000 years?..”

Sunny stood directly beside me. It had only been about half an hour since I asked to speak to her alone after she awoke from fainting before us when Discord aided in our escape. From what I learned in the last 24 hours of being free... She knew, the pony I married and loved knew, there were more to my questions.

A Princess she may be to them and many may think of me as a Prince, but that's something I never wanted, all I wished was for the love of my life, no matter what she looked like now. It was hard to believe that I would be beside her once more after the 1,000 or so years.

“It has been over 1,000 years since I last saw or even spoke to you my sweet love. But there's more behind the questions you ask.” I didn't take my eyes off the number of ponies that moved around in the morning city sun. But she was right. “You avoid the question that must be asked and answered. And that is what to do with those still trapped in the Kingdom of Harmony itself. While you were free you were trapped as well. You and those that dreamed of nightmares endless...”

Indeed I told her about those trapped in the fear crystals... I had to. “I've never truly seen happiness, Sunny. As long I stand free and outside the kingdom it's another reminder of how useless I've been for so long.”

Sunny beside me with the magical mythic mane and tail flowing in the breeze, her regal crown, the plate around her neck and those shoes. All showed her power as Princess of this kingdom, ruler and alone for most of it. “That is how I felt when I could do little to help you knowing what it would cost if I did so. I bared so much pain for a long time...”

“You had to do what you had to do. I find no fault in you for that Sunny. You had to destroy the means to enter the temple and if you'd learned of the last gate you would've destroyed it too. And what happened now would've not come to pass.” We both lived isolated lives in our own ways, we both had pain and still feel it.

She softly smiled. “And yet there might be a chance now.”

“How so?” I asked.

Her answer made me turn and look up. “Mother.”

“What?”

“You don't know do you?” She turned and looked down to me as our eyes met.

“No. Whatever you know right now and from that smile you know something about mother.”

“Indeed, she had her life and body and sealed within a crystal, one owned by a musician of a form of music you most likely do not know of.” She turned away, walking back into her room.

I took one last look out at the sun shining between the buildings before walking in myself, her magic closing the large glass doors behind me. “She's free? But when did that happen?”

“When you had your last visitor.”

I thought back and recalled with a surprise in turn. “This is mother's doing. She's the one that did something to that chest or got somepony to do it for her.”

“Indeed, from what I learned when asleep from her it was a trap within a trap.” Sunny was speaking to mother in her dreams!? Oh come on! She faints and has a one on one with mother? Well that's just like her.

She lay down on her bed by the fireplace and I joined her laying against her with her wing over me. “It's been too long since we just sat together and looked into the flames hasn't it?”

“Indeed it has Sunny. But I can see you're just changing the subject at hoof. Just to get a smile out of me.” I smirked.

“Is it working?”

“Indeed it is.” I kissed her on the side of the snout. She returned it on my forehead. “Doesn't matter how much you changed on the outside and how much time has past. You're still my Sunny.”

She smiled back resting her forehead against mine. I felt the horn resting on top of my mane slightly as we just closed our eyes, letting the sound of the soft burning of the fire fill the air.

After a short time passed I opened my eyes and parted my forehead from hers as she opened her eyes. “I'm happy with these moments and with my little brother and the ever larger family I have now. But I'll be troubled inside till the day I can find freedom for those in the Kingdom of Harmony from that pony.” I gave her a serious look. I'm never going to give up.

“As will I, I continue to feel that pain. I tried to find a way to free them after what happened to that poor stallion centuries ago... All it took was one pony to cause so much suffering now...” She turned away looking to the flames.

I knew about this myself and what it did to so many other ponies for the centuries to come afterwards till the moment she cut ties with all ponies part from one. That's when it came to me. I gasped getting up on all four hooves. “Sunny! You're a genius! One pony! That's the key!”

“I don't follow Armour. What do you mean?” She looked at me puzzled by my excitement.

I put both my hooves on the side of her snout and gave her a big kiss and parted with surprise still on her face. Oh I love this look! “Sunny she cut off all ties to ponies but one! That one pony is directly connected to her! She and that pony are her! When she's not completely in control she still is on a subconscious level! We need to find that pony-”

“And if we find this pony Triskaide, we have a direct line to the Kingdom of Harmony and maybe we'll be able to free all the ponies. If we can find a way to disable her through that pony, we'll save everypony in the kingdom and get out before she knows what happened!” Sunny also got what I was thinking, our eyes lit up with a possible answer against the Pony of Fear herself! Triskaide!

I rubbed my hoof on my snout. “The only question is... How do we find this pony? It could be a mare or stallion for all we know.”

“That is true. But we do know a form of magic she uses, right?”

We both looked to each other and said it together. “Fear!”

“Of course! Using the magic of the Zap Apples themselves it will act like a compass! It might take time to look through each town and city but if we find a way to use the Zap Apple magic in the fruit itself like it protected me for all this time-”

“-We can use it to locate this pony because her magic that's fuelled by fear will still be detectable!” Sunny turned to the doors to the corridor outside her chambers. “Guards, can you please come in?”

The doors opened and two white unicorns in golden armour stood before us and bowed. “Princess, how can we be of assistance?”

“Me and my husband have come up with a way to free the ponies of the Kingdom of Harmony from the Pony of Fear. We need somepony to pick up as many remaining Zap Apples as possible.” Sunny briefly explained to them the plan; well part of it.

I walked around them getting a good look. “Are you two twins? You look identical all the way to the eye colour, voice, mane and tail length, not forgetting the body build.”

“We wear armour that makes us look and sound alike, your highness...”

“Just Armour will do.”

“Yes Prince Armour.” They saluted.

Sunny cut in before I could say anything about it. “Send word out to some guards off duty to acquire the fruit. We do not wish for our hooves to be tipped.” Sunny gave her orders to them.

“At once princess!” One of them galloped away while the other stood by the door. “Is there anything else you need Princess?”

She smirked and glanced over to me. “We'll be going for breakfast soon, can you send word for my sister, Twilight and her friends to meet at the dining room we had breakfast at last time they were here?”

“At once Princess.” He turned to me, seeing my eyes never stopped staring at him. “Is there something wrong Prince Armour?”

I rubbed my hoof in my mane a little. “The idea of being called Prince just doesn't sit right. I didn't marry Sunny for a title, back over 1000 years ago I married her because I loved her. How about you just pass the word and just call me Armour please.”

“No disrespect sir, but we can't. By code of the Royal Guard we have to call you by title.”

I sighed heavily, getting a snicker from Sunny. “Fine... Just in this castle. Last thing I want is some Unicornian Noble getting their backs up because I am an Earth Pony.”

“Erm... Prince Armour, did you just mention the name of the Unicorn tribe before the Windigo freeze and the formation of Equestia?”

The guard was talking to me now and he had a curious nature. “Yes. My great grandfather was from that tribe and my great grandmother was from the Earth Pony Tribe of Earth. They, along with Pegasi from Pegasopolis of the Pegasus Tribe did not like the way each tribe leader was handling things, so they banded together in a small group of ponies about five in each tribe.” I got side tracked and begin to tell him the tale of what I was told and read to when I was young.

“They abandoned the three tribes to set out and find their own unified home. They travelled day and night for weeks on end till they found a tree of crystal when taking on water supplies. The tree beamed with harmonious magic and they felt in their hearts what they wanted to do. It shined the way to a land within the forest where they could live as ponies and not of type. The birth of my home the Kingdom of Harmony.” I sat down closing my eyes letting the image of my home come into view within the darkness.

“The three leaders of the group that founded the name and the kingdom created a magic from each of them that would protect it from harm from outsides. The Mist of Misdirection. With the magic came the Harmonious Apple or as you call it the Zap Apple...” I opened my eyes, looking directly at him and getting up on my hooves, turning myself slightly to show my cutie mark. “I am the third generation line pony of those founders. I am, or was the lead guard of the small kingdom and a farmer of the Zap Apples that we were able to make it bear fruit all year round.”

The guard looked to me and back to Sunny and back to me. “Equestria was founded on that as well... But there are Nobles of all types and yes some would have ill will to you being married to Princess Celestia, some in fact would counter this and say it's false...”

I turned to Sunny. “I guess that's part true isn't it Sunny?”

“Being lost for 1000 years and no record, even a story, apart from mine and my sister's word. Yes...”

I smirked and she couldn't help but do so as well. “It doesn't matter what they think or say. We're married and if they don't think we are, I say let them complain and counter all they like because Sunny you've always been my light.”

“As you are my Armour of light.” Sunny rubbed her snout against mine and I did so in return. “Oh.” She moved away looking over to the guard. “Do you believe that one should prove themselves and their love for each other through the ages of time?”

The guard eyes shifted between us for a few silent seconds. “Not really, just that Prince Blueblood most likely will not like this much Princess, he will see Prince Armour as a commoner in his own words Princess.”

“That he will.”

I recalled that name and thought about it for a moment. “Blueblood... Where have I heard that before...” I tapped my hoof on my snout and remembered. “Ah, my good friend Shield Blueblood, I had him go with Sunny, Nighty, my little brother and a few others to escape the Kingdom of Harmony.” I sighed heavily recalling how my little brother Zaps failed to escape.

Sunny put her wing over me. “I was there... He gave up his freedom for Luna's, a little brother doing what he could to save his sisters and those he'd cared about.” Sunny brought her attention to the guard. “Could you go and tell Blueblood to come to breakfast? It's important.”

“Of course.” The guard saluted and left.

“Now shall we go?” she asked.

I wiped a few tears away and looked up at her once again with a warm smile, and I shook my head with all knowing annoyed smile. “You're a pain in the neck Sunny.”

“I know,” she jokingly countered and we laughed as we left for breakfast.

Chapter 35 - Breakfast Surprise

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 35: Breakfast Surprise

Zaps Apple

“Hmmm!” I mumbled as I finished eating the third pancake. I really like the way the chief makes these! Still doesn't beat Applejack's applesauce pancakes.

“Slow down Zaps, yer always eatin' as if somepony will take it,” Applejack said, watching me bite into the pancake.

I swallowed. “I just feel so hungry for some reason!” I devoured my next pancake.

I wasn't the only one: Big Mac was also eating into his fifth. “Yer not the only one.” Applejack watched our big brother eat into his.

“Could it be something to do with them being fused as one pony?” Scootaloo pointed out something I didn't even think about. I recalled them talking about how my big brothers and I were fused from three ponies to one. But why couldn't we remember any of it?

Twilight responded to what Scootaloo just asked. “It is very possibly true Scootaloo. When Golden Apple unfused them with himself they must have only had one third of the energy too.”

Applejack looked toward Big Mac. “Golden Apple wanted to give somethin' to ya. The only thin' that remains of the brother you never would get to meet...” Applejack I noticed had some sort of box beside her chair. I wondered since we all sat down what she'd had in it.

Applejack kicked it over to Big Mac, he stopped it with his hoof and opened it. Pulling it out, he stared as I did at a sleeveless jacket with two metal balls sticking out of either side of the top of it. “Hmm...”

“It came from the fusion darling. It's made of the armour Armour McApple wore and your work collar. Somehow it turned into this. I couldn't even make it even if I tried with all the best materials in Equrestria. What you have there is one of an kind.” Rarity explained about the jacket he held up with his front hooves. He stared at it, still not looking at Rarity.

I thought about this fuse thing: if it made of two things turn into one, what if... “Twilight could you copy what caused us to fuse into one pony but as clothing?”

She instantly turned to me with surprise. “I... I never thought about that. Maybe if I understood what type of magic caused the fusion and how Golden Apple was able to reverse it when he was an Earth Po-” She stopped and looked to Applejack more than anypony else. “Sorry...”

“Don't be Twi, it confusin' as it is for me. Maybe if we knew more about this kind of magic before all this crazy know how happened we could have saved him too.”

“Yeah...”

Big Mac put the jacket back in the box. “What is done is done. We can not change what had happened. As yer told me sis, he said he had no regrets, he showed the best of all three of us. Me, Zaps and Armour McApple.”

“That he did, from what I heard from some of you too.” We all turn to see my brother Armour enter with Celestia into the room. “Well at least a 1000 year old armour went to use though.”

“Eeyup and it will be when Zaps is of age.” I hastily turn to Big Mac as he said it. Curiously I wondered what he meant by 'of age'. “In the years to come when he becomes an adult ah will hoof it to him, not before that.”

I was even more confused. “Years? Is that long?” I asked Scootaloo.

“Do you know what a date is?” Scootaloo asked me in turn.

I looking around for an answer but couldn't think of it. “I heard some talk about it but didn't really understand what it meant.”

Twilight's right eye was twitching. “Do you know what days are?”

“Day is when the sun is out and night is when the moon is out. Days go by every day like every night right?” I replied thinking what she meant by that.

“Ok... A day is also daylight hours but also it the passing of time. So yesterday was yesterday. And a week is seven of those days put together. You were fused with Big Mac and Armour McApple for that time, even though none of you remember.” Twilight explained to me.

“Oh! So seven days make one week? And after that is a year?”

“No... many weeks make months, and the number of days in that month depends on which month it is. Do you understand what I mean?” Twilight's voice sounded really irritated by this.

I blinked. “How many weeks in each of these months?”

“It depends on how many days in the month there is! It could be five weeks, four in some or even six!” Twilight was even more irritated and she sounded it too.

Luna put a hoof to Twilight. “Relax Twilight. None of us in the month that passed explained this to him, so he was just going by day by day without even realising it. He wasn't aware what a birthday was at first, right?”

“You're right Princess... Sorry.”

“Nay Twilight, it's Luna. We are princesses correct?” She nods. “Then you do not need to call me as such.”

Celestia warmly smiled as she sat at the table. “After we have breakfast, how about Big Mac and Amour McApple could teach him dates in the year?”

Armour glared at her. “Seriously Sunny? I know days, weeks, months and years! I had to put up with that-” He stops on realising what she meant, making him fluster. I wonder what he thought she meant.

“Gotcha.” She giggled as he sat down on his rump grumbling under his breath.

Pinkie Pie finished eating her second stack of pancakes. “Sunny?”

“Yeah why is he calling you that? Isn't it Celestia, Princess?” Rainbow Dash was also curious.

She drunk some tea that was poured out for her by one of the waiters at the table. “Sunny Day was the name I went by back in the Kingdom of Harmony. Armour will never call me Celestia, not out of insult but because of love.”

“I think it's nice,” Fluttershy spoke up. “Zaps calls Princess Luna Nighty sometimes even though he also calls her Luna.”

“Indeed to them it a brother sister thing. I do wish I knew his true name once more...” Celestia sighed.

I realised and turn to Armour. “You know my real name?”

He saw many of the other ponies looking back at him. “I do but I won't say.”

“How come? He got-”

Armour put an hoof up, cutting Rainbow Dash off, and spoke as well. “Because his name is the only thing that is keeping that pony of fear locked away. I wish I could do more for everypony in the kingdom and even free them. But I can't because she would destroy what Equestria is inside out!” Amour sighed heavily.

I got what he meant. Everypony in the kingdom is trapped and he can't free them because it would free her and it would be worse! “Big brother... You not happy are you?”

“No I am not... I can never be truly happy. I am out here enjoying breakfast and not a prisoner and yet at the same time I am still one because they suffer in endless nightmares...”

Rainbow Dash jumped into the air. “What are we waiting for!? Let go and free them!”

“Aren't you listening! I can't!” he snapped back. “Seventeen ponies for millions! That what I have to deal with! They mean the world to me! But I can't save them because doing so will put you all at risk! It's a double edge sword...” he spoke out the last words with a sad expression and a softer voice.

Celestia put her wing over him. “And with the nobles most likely to counter our marriage from over 1000 years ago as nothing but lies too.”

“Why would they think of such a thing?” Rarity was shocked to hear this, I think we all was.

Big Mac spoke in turn. “Because only a few know. Those few are the Princesses themselves and to the rest of the country it's divided mostly by nobles of Canterlot.”

“Seriously? Than how do we make them believe?” Rainbow Dash asked, still hovering above her seat.

“We don't,” Celestia responded calmly to Rainbow Dash. “They can continue to believe in what they wish, nothing will change the fact Armour McApple is my husband and my love. We both had shared a form of hardship while I thought he was long gone and he unable to tell me because of being a prisoner in our own home.” Celestia was speaking about the Kingdom of Harmony, my home before Ponyville.

Armour noticed something on the table. “Canterlot Comic Convention this weekend, come and enjoy the fun. Cosplay as your favourite characters from comics, movies, novels and more. Meet famous ponies from all over Equestria as well the one and only A.K. Yearling of the Daring Do series...” He put the paper that he picked up to read down.

“Whoa! No way!” Scootaloo fluttered her wings rapidly in a buzz. “Can we go! It starts tomorrow!”

“Oh my stars! I could make so much for it! I got ideas bursting already thinking about it!” Rarity also seemed to like this too.

I rubbed my head. “What is a Comic Convention?”

“I have no idea...” Armour looked for answers too.

Celestia giggled. “How about you go and see for yourself?”

“Count me in! Daring's going to be there!” Rainbow Dash punched the air with her right foreleg.

“Me too!” Pinkie giggled. “It's going to be so much fun!”

“Ah think ah'll go too.”

“Same here,” Applejack said. Big Mac agreed with a nod.

“I won't... Too many ponies will be there, it will be crowded.” Fluttershy shook her head. “I wouldn't mind going home tonight if that's okay.”

“Sure Flutters. I will make sure to get something awesome for ya!”

“Thank you Rainbow.”

Twilight shrugged. “It sounds like fun, I am interested. What about you Spike?”

“Of course I am going!”

Luna turned to Armour. “Are you going to stay here in Canterlot after this event?”

Armour shrugged. “For Sunny I will but time again I rather be working in the fields.”

“What about Zaps, he's yer-”

“Our,” he interruped Applejack. “Zaps goes back with you of course, you are his legal guardian and his brother. Your my sister too.” Armour put his hoof out and spit on it before moving it to Big Mac to show his serious. “I'll even come back for a time to get my hooves dirty, been too long since I've done any farm work. You have no idea how irritating it has been to wear that armour almost all the time...”

Big Mac spat on his hoof and placed it on Armour's hoof and they shook. “Eeyup, brothers and ah'll make sure yer do get yer hooves dirty with some good ol' farm work.”

“For now we will all enjoy our breakfast.” Celestia said warmly to each of us. “Twilight that includes you, put the scroll down.”

Twilight nervously laughed and put it down with her magic. “Right, sorry Princess.” Armour McApple and Big Mac sat back down at their own seats and we all went back to enjoying our breakfast.

The doors opened and Blueblood came in. “Sorry I am late Aunty...” He slowed his words, looking around. “Why are there so many commoners in here?”

“Commoners!? How dare-” Rarity, who recovered quickly, was in the middle of having a go at Blueblood when Celestia put her hoof up.

“Blueblood, would you say that to my love and husband? He is your uncle after all.”

Blueblood quickly looked at Armour McApple and back at Celestia. “Wh-what!? A-” he paused, looking directly at Armour McApple once again, his eyes not leaving the semi-dark red stallion.

Without words he took the helmet off one of the guards. “Prince Blueblood what are you doing?” The guard asked. No words were said, leaving the guard slightly confused.

Night Spark, who not said anything, now did. “Discord, with a grin like that you know something.”

Discord had appeared out of the blue again. I wonder why he doesn't go around by walking like most. He just teleports all over the place like Twilight does sometimes. Does his two weird horns make him more magical than Twilight?

“Oh I do! I even got some popcorn, like some?” he offered to Night Spark.

“Sure.” He took some with his hoof and ate the popcorn.

Discord suddenly was beside me as the helmet now was placed on Armour's head and slipped on. “Like some?”

“Ok...” I took some with my hooves and ate the popcorn. “Wow this is good!” I said with my mouth full, getting a glare from Applejack. I swallowed. “Sorry...”

“It's ok,” she replied.

Now the helmet was on. Blueblood suddenly stepped back with shaking legs, all of them. “N-no it can't be! No Earth Pony can live that long! It's impossible!”

“What's gotten into-” Celestia paused and remembered, she slap her hoof on her forehead. “Oh how can I be so dense! Prince Blueblood's family line!”

Discord laughing loudly. “Oh hahaha this is hahaha funny! Look at your faces! Hahaha it adds up don't it hohoho! Chaos doesn't always need magic,” he chuckled.

Blueblood gulped loudly. “You're him! Armour McApple!”

“Yes, but-” he realised something and I was confused. “You're related to my best friend and the guard I sent with Sunny when the Pony of Fear was attacking. Shield Blueblood.” Armour sounded weird. He wasn't surprised, it sounded like he was saying it in an teasing way, I wonder why?

“What goes around comes around don't you think?” Discord crossed his arms with a smirk still showing. “Oh and didn't you hurt Zaps that one time? And didn't it take Celestia to stop Big McIntosh from beating the living life out of you because she got you to say sorry to Zaps?”

“Discord...” Celestia sighed.

“What, it's true isn't it?” Discord replied, not looking concerned at what he did.

Armour frowned a little but pointed a hoof to an empty seat. “Prideful and stubborn. You even look like him Blueblood. Sit down here and we can have a chat about what happened with my little brother, and afterwards about my old friend Shield Blueblood.”

“Just like that!? Seriously? After what he did and how he treats everypony?” Rainbow Dash wasn't happy.

“Don't worry when I am done he will wish he didn't act like a snobby prince on his high horse.” Armour smirked. “Not everything needs to get physical. Sometimes the right word is all you need.”

Rainbow Dash saw Blueblood's expression. “If you think it would work, fine. After breakfast I'm going to get to work on my Daring Do cosplay!”

Blueblood gulped in defeat as he joined them at the table. “I'm going to have a lot to make up for this, aren't I?”

“Indeed. But for now I up for something to eat. Haven't had anything apart from Zap Apples for over 1000 years.” Armour rubbed his two front hooves together, licking his snout. “I am going to enjoy a good breakfast.” He placed both hooves on the table. “So hit me with a little of everything!”

Celestia giggled. “You might regret those words.”

“Oh I will, but it be worth it.”

I leaned over to Scootaloo. “Why would Armour regret eating breakfast?”

“I don't know, how much different type of breakfast food can there be?” Scootaloo wondered, also confused as I am.

Applebloom shrugged. “Ah don't know.”

“He will.” Sweetie Belle giggled. “I saw Rarity make different types of breakfast for us everyday in one week, weekday and weekend.”

“Weekday and weekend? Is that something to do with the seven days in a week thing?”

“Eeyup,” they said together and laughed.

“Don't worry Zaps, we'll help ya.” Scootaloo put her foreleg around the back of my neck down my side. “Friends help each other out no matter what! And we crusaders are always there to help each other out!”

This made me happy as we ate our remaining breakfast, but I still wondered why no pony taught me about this erm… a month ago I think I remember somepony saying. So my party with being my Birthday comes every year? I guess there's a very long time till my next.

“Armour.”

“Yes little brother?”

“Are you going to eat with that helmet still on?”

Armour looked up and back at me with a grin. “Yes, yes I am!”

Discord chuckled. “I like you, at least your-”

“Discord.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Oh helping me find love and hearing from the fear of all things you're now reformed and have a friend like Fluttershy,” Armour smirked.

Discord rolled his eyes. “Oh that thing had to spy on little old me, didn't she? Well at least I got the drop on her!” He was in a different outfit, wearing some purple coat and hat, with a black stick he spun around.

Armour put his hoof out to Discord and he took it but then he was pinned against the table with an hoof against his neck startling everypony. “If you double cross us and put any of my family -- specially those in here -- in danger, I will make you sorry,” he said in a dark tone.

Discord tried to break free, but he couldn't from what we could see. “My magic it isn't working! What did you do!?” Discord stopped trying to break free.

Celestia didn't do anything and raised a hoof to Fluttershy. “Princess, he's hurting Discord!”

“No he's not. Look at Discord.”

Fluttershy saw him just snickering. “Discord!”

Discord chuckled. “Dear Fluttershy, it all in good sport,” Armour let go and Discord appeared by Fluttershy. “Don't worry dear Fluttershy, I kind of had that coming.”

“But-”

“Please, I knew he would do it and get angry with me. I did put his home at risk over 1000 years ago, if it wasn't for the magic in that kingdom I would have put my chaos in that land as well.” Discord just grinned as he talked to Fluttershy, finding what happened to him for what he did amusing for himself.

“Discord you're not making sense.” Twilight looked at him, dumbfounded by the way he was speaking.

Discord made a light bulb appear out of nowhere and it even lit up. “Well if it means anything I do the Pinkie Pie promise and that should solve this.”

“The what?” Armour turned to Pinkie Pie. “What is this promise to do with you?”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh, it's a super serious promise that no pony can break!”

“Just like that?” Armour watched Discord do the Pinkie Pie promise. I remember it and saw him even put an cupcake in his eye.

Celestia nodded. “Just like that. Now,” she reset the table in front of her, Blueblood and him. “If the drama is over, how about breakfast?”

“Ah agree, also we might explain what happened to make the super size Zap Apple tree we have now.” Applejack's words made Armour instantly look at her as she spoke.

He quickly turned to the window looking out to Ponyville. “Me and Scootaloo did it! We worked together and put water on some of the trees! Isn't it cool!” I beamed with delight, and Scootaloo grinned with pride with her chest out a little.

“You ok?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Confused... First I dig Discord into a table and now I feel his good at his word but a huge Zap Apple tree!? Seriously, is 'weird and wonderful' a normal thing for all of you?” He looked around the room.

The only reply I heard was an massive...

“Yes!”

“Can we just have breakfast... Discord making sense, huge trees to weirdness being normal... I just want breakfast now...”

“Can do.” Celestia giggled. “Can do my love.”

Chapter 36 - Crusading Canterlot

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 36: Crusading Canterlot

Daring Do

Another book landed on an ever growing pile of books filled with vague answers or foal tales about the Pony of Fear: encountered at the very heart of fear itself, in the once temple that had been vaporized by her own fury with Harmony Rose.

It was also a good side track to what going to be happening today...

I adjusted the red glasses on my snout and flipped through another page in another book about the ancient ruins of a kingdom of ponies before the three pony tribes. The teams that dug them up and done their research found the carvings of the final days of the kingdom, showing a pony through the shadows swallowing it all up.

Looking at the details of this new find, it depicted that she targeted the strongest parts of the kingdom, and brought fear and rage into it. Through the coming years the kingdom collapsed and whatever happened during those darkest years was never written. Another fell into silence because of her.

All these books piled up around me. All this history of fallen empires, kingdoms and countries all because of the Pony of Fear. “She's older than anything we ever came across... Older than Equestria... Older then Discord. She's more ancient...” It hit me when I recalled that fury in her. She lost to the smallest, out of the way kingdom.

“Wow, that thing has it out for Harmony Rose... No wonder she was blinded with fury when the very plan of escape was her greatest weakness. Harmony Rose put a trap within an trap.” I saw why she became so reckless and unleashed all that magical might. “A form of magic that brings fear to the Pony of Fear herself... Incredible...” I rose my head, realising I wasn't alone.

I didn't hear it, but felt it. With a heavy sigh I spoke. “Celestia, I know you're there. No pony radiates magic quite like you do.” I turned around to see her come into view. “And also how the hay is an Earth Pony like you radiating magic almost on par with the princesses?” I glance over to the stallion.

Armour McApple was the husband of the Princess and husband-to-be again in Equestrian light. “I did eat nothing but Zap Apples for over 1000 years with a magical barrier protecting me from Tris and her fear within those said trees,” he answered. I knew he was being sarcastic about it, but he was telling the truth as well. Somehow in a kingdom with no time he lived off the fruit of the trees that protected me. Magic that held off the Pony of Fear.

An Earth Pony, son of Harmony Rose. This pony had answers which I seek about the Kingdom of Harmony and the Pony of Fear. If I could just get him to open up and tell me every little detail about it. Not only will it do me good for the next book but it also shows- Pause that thought... How the buck am I suppose to write about foals defeating the Pony of Fear using her own fear against her!? How can I even write that!? It's insane! I, Daring Do as A.K. Yearling, writing a book where I underestimated and let my own temper get the better of me and used against me!? It took children with magic of light from the Shadowless Orb to beat her! And I am not even getting started with Discord popping up and that fused pony giving up the very last strains of his temporary life for us all...

A hoof waved in front of my face and I blinked a few times. “Are you okay? You're staring at where I stood.” Armour spoke to me; I was staring into space.

I turned away, back to the book before me. “I was thinking about something. Nothing to concern yourself, oldy.”

“Oldy?” he instantly responded to my words. “I am, aren't I? But I do look good for my age.” I slowly turned my head, looking at him smirking.

I didn't smile, just looked him in the eyes. He was in pain and what he was doing was trying to avoid it. “Well here's something to bring that smirk crashing down, Armour McApple. You're hurting because of what happened. You are freed and they are not. You're blaming yourself for being set free.”

Celestia didn't even try to counter me. She just stood as calm as ever. I could never get a read off the Princess, it was impossible. “Wow Sunny you were right, the adventurer is amazing, she read me like a book.”

“Indeed Armour. She is good at what she does: writing and adventuring.” Celestia's smile gave me a chill.

Oh no, she's not going to put me on the spot. “Well this is where I pack up and be on my way. I got everything I can find about the Pony of Fear and the adventure we had is enough to work on for my book. So I bid you all a good day.” I picked up my notes, putting them away in the saddle bag under my cloak.

As I did this Celestia spoke again. “A shame you won't stay around to find out more about my sweet love.”

“Yeah, a shame,” I replied, putting the last of my notes away. Fluttering my wings in my cloak a little, I start to leave.

“Indeed Sunny. It's a shame that she had to go. But at least she could do us a favour in return for everything about my home and Tris.” Armour's now playing this game, great! Now I got two of them! I knew they were playing a game of me do something for them and give me something I want in return.

I turned to them as I stopped walking away. “Not going to work, much as I'd love to get a gold mine of information from you. It would be an Daring Do dream come true, since you are an living artefact itself.” I put a hoof up. “I am not going to play your game. So good day.” I turned around and walked away.

“So you're running away from the greatest challenge an adventurer like yourself ever faced? One that's a far greater challenge then a temple, traps or maniacs.” Celestia said so ever calmly. This got my back up: she pushed one of my bucking buttons!

Armour pushed the next one and it got me. “The Kingdom of Harmony was founded by ponies three generations ago, my great great grandpa and grandma was one of them. They and other ponies from the three tribes had enough of the bickering and mistrust between Pegasus, Unicorn and Earth Ponies that they choose to live all their tribes together as one unified group. They were ponies and the types never mattered. They searched for a new land.”

He paused and that was all he was going to give me. I gritted my teeth. “I am sooo going to regret this!” I turned around facing the pair. “Fine! You win! What the hay do you want the great adventurer to do that is going to be sooooo challenging?” Both of them glanced at each other with a smile.

“Oh it's nothing too troubling. We need you only to foalsit the Crusaders.” Celestia replied.

“Children!? Oh no! I am not doing foalsitting! Forget the history on the Kingdom of Harmony! I am not doing this! It's not worth finding out why Harmony Rose got the Pony of Fear's back up and why it took only the magic from the Kingdom of Harmony to end the nightmares that came to every end of a kingdom because of her and...” I slowly didn't finish off what I was saying.

I was in an corner and my rambling for answers just got to me and they played me into it. “Gah! Fine! I will foalsit the Crusaders! I better not be doing so alone!”

“Oh you're not. Night Spark.” Celestia called out and I turned to the sound of hooves.

“I'll be helping.” I stared at the bat pony that came out of the shadows.

“Why do I have the feeling I just jumped into a blazing inferno with my wings tied to my sides?” I turned to counter this and get away, but before I could both Celestia and Armour McApple were gone. “BUCK!”

Night Spark just chuckled, closing up his leathery wings. “Sounds like the great Daring Do is afraid to foalsit.”

I stomped my hoof on the ground with a heavy snort. “From the name of Crusaders, yes!”

He walked up beside me. “Cutie Mark Crusaders to be exact.” With that the great and almighty adventurer Daring Do had lost. She was about to face the foals that were not only called the CMC, but those that saved my rump and the Element bearers.

How the buck am I suppose to foalsit and do the Daring Do panel!? WHAT HAVE I GOT MYSELF INTO!?

I quickly turned and had to ask. “They're all related or very close to Rainbow Dash and the others aren't they?”

“Yes they are.”

“Oh pony feathers...”

And that how the great Daring Do met her match...

Zaps

I felt so strange. The costume I was wearing covered almost all of my body up, and it felt a little too tight on the legs when I moved my forelegs or hind legs. There was a cape attached to it as well that rested past my rump and down the sides. Scootaloo said it was some sort of super hero costume from a comic she had read and went well with this convention.

I had blackish grey boots on each of my hooves with a lighter shade on the body suit, and a pair of bat wings and a yellow and black symbol on the chest. The cape was blackish grey too,and the weird hood had pony bat ears attached to it that would go over my ears and cover over my mane and part of my upper face.

“Why do these super heroes hide in weird suits? If they're super why not show it?” I asked, trying to understand these super heroes.

“It's to protect the ones we care about.” We all turned to Daring Do entering the room with Night Spark. “I am a writer to those here in the north of Equestria. And my true self is no more then fiction.”

I rubbed my head. “So this hero that looks like an wingless bat pony is real some place else?”

Scootaloo giggled. “No silly, it's a special case with Daring Do.”

“She's real and the Batstallion is not?” I was confused.

Daring Do rolled her eyes. “Yes, let get suited and go on out, fillies and colts. Me and Night here will be keeping an eye on you.”

Applebloom raised an eye. “What the catch? Yer not thrilled by it.”

“I got cornered by Celestia and her husband. I will never play a hoof of poker against those two, I be broke by dawn's light.” Daring Do answered, walking up to me and pulling the hood up over my head and around my eyes. “Hmm, not too shabby. Rarity knows how to work fast, doesn't she?”

Sweetie Belle beamed in delight with a squee. “I like mine! She's an amazing sister! Maybe annoying at times but amazing! Mine is of Vinguard the watcher of the green!” Sweetie Belle showed off her costume with vines around parts of the suit, and flowers and leaves placed perfectly to make her suit really shine.

“Mine is Zaps! The master of the storms!” Scootaloo whirled around on one hind leg showing it off before landing on all fours again. I blinked when she said my name. Was there a hero by that name too in a comic book?

“And I am Filly Second, the speedy and super fast earth pony!” Applebloom did a quick trot on the spot.

Daring Do looked to each of us. “Got to admit that you four are pulling me towards reading a comic or two of the power ponies and Batstallion.” She put an wing out to the door. “Shall we go? Or just stare at the hoof work of Rarity? Either fine by me till two in the afternoon.”

“What happening at two?” I asked.

“Just a panel I'll be running as my novel counterpart A.K. Yearling.”

“We're burning morning daylight, foals let move!” Night Spark said firmly, pointing to the door. “Lets hoof it!”

We all saluted. “Yes sir!” and laughed afterwards before rushing out of the door with the adults in tow.

We all were soon out of the castle grounds and onto the streets of Canterlot. It wasn't the same as I first seen the city. There were banners, decorations, stalls, some strange things ponies were riding on and screaming out or laughing on, and finally almost everywhere ponies from our ages to adults wearing costumes of all kinds.

Scootaloo turned around facing all of us. “How do we even begin to choose what we do first? There's so much going on already!”

Sweetie Belle rubbed the underside of her snout. “I'm not sure, I don't want to miss anything that could get our cutie marks, but I want to have fun too!”

“Why not just forget about gettin' our marks today and have fun! Not everyday we get to go to one of these conventions!” Applebloom stated, pointing a hoof around everything before us, moving it from left to right. “So let crusader on havin' fun!”

“Yeah!” We raised our right front hooves up and clapped together.

I noticed ponies walking up to a stand, getting a folded up piece of paper and opening it up. I noticed it had pictures of places and boxes with lines of writing on it. “Ponies are getting those things, maybe they will help?” I suggested, pointing to the stand with my hoof.

Night Spark patted me with a hoof gently. “Good work Batstallion, the map will lead our way to adventure.” He winked to Daring Do.

She rolled her eyes as I turned my head to her. “Yeah it will. A map leads to treasures, but in this case many paths of adventure. Which way we go is where you little heroes pick.” Daring Do walked up to the stand with a hoof out to it. “One map if you may.”

The stallion handing out the maps looked at her with a slight tilt of the head. “That's one impressive cosplay you got there ma'am. It almost looks real.”

Daring Do shrugs. “What can I say? I am to be the best.” She took the map from him. “Thanks for the map!” She turned and walked back to us.

“It's a pleasure, have fun!” He waved a hoof.

Daring Do placed the map on the ground between us. “So let's have a see.”

Scootaloo pointed a hoof to the rides. “Look at these rides! There's even a roller-coaster!”

I heard some screams, and turning my head looking to my right I could see metal tracks that bend around in the air supported by beams of metal. A cart came around with ponies in it and disappeared from view. “Is that the roller-coaster?”

“Sure is!” Scootaloo rapidly flapped her wings, hovering a little before landing on her hooves again. “What you say girls? Shall we?”

“Sure!”

“Ah'm in!”

“I'd like to try it,” I also agreed.

Night Spark took the map, rolling it up and putting it back under his wing. “We've been out voted Daring.”

“It seems we have. Let's make a move.” We cheered and headed over to the roller-coaster.

While we were moving through the crowds of ponies I noticed something with a paw peer out of the alleyway. The yellow eyes with black pupils seemed to follow us, the weird sharp teeth sticking out of his mouth reminded me of that villain character from the Daring Do books. “Scootaloo, I think I see-” I turned to her and back to the alleyway, pointing to it and finding the figure was gone.

“See what? Zaps?”

“I thought I saw-”

“Come on you two! There's not much of a queue! If we don't hurry there will be!” Sweetie Belle called out to us.

“We're coming!” Scootaloo rushed off to them.

I rubbed my head a little with my hoof. “Guess I'm seeing things.” I ran after Scootaloo.

We got in line and followed other ponies. Joining into the line were three stallions all wearing weird bands and necklace things with feathers and leaves on them. One had green ear bits with yellow feathers hanging from it. “Ah like what yer wearin'. Darin' Do readers?”

The stallions looked at each other and nodded. “Yes yes. We are,” one said.

“Guess we see some looking like villains from the book, as well dressing up as Daring Do.” Sweetie Belle stated.

“Like the one in the alleyway?” I asked.

“Most likely. Just trying to give a scare for fun,” Night stated with a chuckle. “You get all kinds.”

Daring Do looked around. “Not surprising, and blending in is easy,” she whispered. “Now lets get on, it's our turn.”

“YAY!”

Daring shook her head. “You four are really loud!”

“Hehe. Sorry!” we laughed and said together.

“Come get on, you four.” She helped us into our seats and then she and Night took their seats behind us. The three stallions talking to each other nodded and got on the next cart down.

The unicorn at the controls used her magic to cause the bars to lower over our heads and lock against our chests. I put my forelegs around it, holding onto it as others did too. With a hoof raised, the pegasus that pulled on our harness bars waved her wing back to the unicorn.

With a jolt the carts moved away from the station, and went up with a click and clank till it got very high up. We could see the rest of the tracks, which bended, twisted and looped around the big open area of the city. I gulped at the way the track went around. It was all held by metal pillars supported by really thick and heavy platforms on the ground.

“Here we go!” Scootalo raised her forelegs up, and I turn to look in front of us as the clicking and clanking stopped. We started to go down and faster we got. “Whoohooo!”

“Ahhh!” I heard others scream as we went really fast around a turn, then went up, upside and back right side up before twisting around going upside down again.

I was pinned back against my seat, not sure to scream or what. I never felt anything like this with me being pushed and pulled around in this harness bar. I held on with my eyes darting left and right as things blurred by us. Soon it slowed again, and the twists and turns with ups and downs came to an end.

We were back where we begun. “Oh yeah that was awesome! Don't you think Zaps?”

I turned to Scootaloo as the cart came to a stop and the bars rose. “I never felt anything like it! It was really wild, scary and fun! It is suppose to be like that?” She nodded eagerly. “I liked it! Can we go again?”

“Ah'm up for more!”

“Same! What ride should we go on next?”

I pointed a hoof toward the ponies spinning in cups going around a big tea pot. “What about that one?”

“Yeah!” the girls agreed. We ran to it by passing three very green-faced stallions.

We heard Night Spark speak as we ran to the spinning tea cup ride we saw. “Daring, they're on the move!”

“What!? Seriously!? Come on! We just got off this ride! Don't say they're going on another already!” Daring Do darted through the many ponies we managed to get through to catch up with Night Spark.

We gave a bit each to get on the ride, and the adults did too for a few ponies after us. They climbed into their own cups, looking over to us as we waited for the music to play and the ride to start like we just saw moments ago. “All we do is pull this wheel in the middle one way and we spin?”

“Yeah!” Applebloom answered. “We gonna make it go really fast!” She looked to each of us. “Right Crusaders?”

“Right!” We rose a hoof up each with a cheer.

A pony went around, putting a clip on over the opening we climbed in. Daring Do and Night looked over at us from their cup, and we looked over to them waving at them happily. They returned a wave with their hooves. “Are we ready for some fun?” We all cheered out. “Alrighty! Let get those cups turning! Have fun!” the mare spoke out from the box. She flipped a switch, turning on the ride.

Three cups on each of the three big circles started spinning around, with the biggest circle moving the other way round. We pulled the wheel around causing our cup to spin, and the force started to pull us into one side of the cup, squishing us against each other as we slid from our seat.

We laughed and tried to make it spin faster. The forces we felt made us a bit dizzy but it was a lot of fun! I never thought those weird machine rides would be so much fun to play on! The music was really up beat too! “Wooohooo!” Scootaloo cheered. “Keep pulling! We can go faster!”

“Hehehe we're trying!” Sweetie Belle replied as she laughed.

I wasn't sure how much time passed while we were spinning on the ride, but it was getting slower and the music slowly came to an end. The ride was over but it was a lot of fun. “Wow that was amazing! What other rides like this are here?”

Sweetie Belle got out walking funny. Her four hooves weren't moving the way they should with her swaying to the right and to the left. “Everything's spinning!” she giggled. “We can go on the Ferris Wheel next!” She got her sense of balance back, turning around to us.

“I guess we can go on something for the view then the thrill.” Scootaloo didn't seem too thrilled at this idea.

“Ah know where it is! Come on Crusaders!” Applebloom waved at us to follow and we did.

Night and Daring ran after us once more. “How much energy do they have!?”

“From what I've seen, too much,” came Night's reply as they caught up with us, passing ponies wondering around chatting among each other in their small groups or heading to other rides too. It was really packed!

We arrived at the wheel, and I looked up at how high it was. “Wow! I bet you can see more of Canterlot from there!”

“I think we can!” Scootaloo answered. “Come on!” She took my hoof with hers and pulled me into one of the pods, giving two bits to the pony holding the door open. It closed and started to move again. We watched Sweetie Belle and Applebloom get into the next one. After that as we got a little higher, Daring and Night got into the next one.

We got higher and higher as it slowly moved, it was continuously moving. “It's slower than the other two we were on, but the view is really cool! We can see like Pegasi can see!” I put my hooves against the glass, looking at the view we were getting. The city of Canterlot from here looked so different from the castle.

Scootaloo's wings were buzzing as she flapped them, taking a good look around herself. “Wow! This is awesome! We can see almost everything! I have no idea how they got this wheel in the middle of the city!.”

“Could it be with unicorns or the Pegasi?” I asked.

She tapped a hoof on her snout a few times. “Maybe. It would be easier to lift over things or maybe they use magic to fold it away or make it smaller! I heard there were spells out there that could make objects small!”

“Or make something bigger on the inside? Like we in the library?” I recalled seeing things look bigger from inside then outside.

Scootaloo thought for a moment and nodded. “Yeah why not!” Scootaloo quickly moved over to my side next to me with her hoof slightly touching mine as we looked outside. “Look! It's Rainbow Dash!”

“She dressed up like a guard pony but with light blue armour, how come?” I asked curiously.

“That's the armour she wore when showing the Crystal Ponies one of their events when she and the others took out that evil King Sombra! Rainbow Dash told me she still had hold of it as a thank you from the Crystal Ponies!” Scootaloo explained to me.

I was curious about her costume, turning my head to her directly. “Why is there a comic book hero by the same name as me?”

Scootaloo quickly turned. “What? I-” Her end of the snout touched mine, she backed up a little removing her hoof rubbing her snout. “Sorry Zaps!” Under her eyes turned pinkish red quickly.

“For what?” I tilted my head.

“Erm... Forget it.” She waved her hoof dismissing it and the pink faded. “I didn't even think of that Zaps. I didn't realise at all till you mentioned it to me.”

I looked around a bit puzzled by it. “Is it ok for me to have the same name as a super hero from a comic book?”

“Don't know.” Scootaloo shrugged. “Does it bother you?”

I couldn't think of how to answer it since I knew little of the character part from how Scootaloo dressed up as that character. “I don't know Scootaloo. Never seen one of those comic books. What exactly do they look like?”

“When we get off this ride we'll go to the vendors that sell all kinds of cool stuff! I can even show you a Power Ponies comic book!” she grinned.

I nodded happily. “That would be great!” I raiseed my hoof up and she clapped her hoof against mine.

Scootaloo pointed to a part of the convention. “Look, there are the vendors!” I noticed it when she pointed to it. There was all kind of stands, shelves and a lot of ponies and some griffins around it. “Whoa, it looks really packed! Guessing on a Saturday it would be.”

“Does a day mean it's more crowded then it is on another day?”

“It sure does Zaps. Tomorrow there will be less ponies around cause many only can come for one day.” Scootaloo explained.

As the ride came full circle, we were getting close to exiting the ride. “What do you think Big Mac and the others are up to?”

“Having a great time like we are!” Scootaloo stepped off the ride and so did I. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom soon got off too. “Come on Crusaders! Let go to the vendors!”

“We're gonna go to the comic vendor, right?”

“Yeah we are!” Scootaloo replied to Applebloom. “Come on!”

Sweetie Belle turned for a second. “What about the adults?”

“We'll be fine! There are plenty of guards!” Scootaloo waved her hoof and ran off. “Come on!”

“Coming!” we called out and ran after her.

“Not again!” I heard from Daring Do, not sure where she was as she and Night Spark got off the ride, but I was sure they followed the direction we were going.

We rounded a corner getting close to the vendors, and we could see them through the crowd of ponies, but all the sudden out of the blue three paws came out and grabbed us all, pulling us out of sight. We tried to scream out but no one seemed to notice, since there was the loud muffling of talking by all the ponies along with the loud music.

“Ow...” I moaned, feeling the rough landing I had with the girls. We looked up to see no other than Ahuizotl from the Daring Do books. If she's real then...

“What throw-” Scootaloo didn't get to finish when I turned her head. “Ahuizotl!?” she gasped.

He laughed at us with those three tribal-dress ponies beside him, the ones that looked sick and still did. “Muhahahaha! I have you little pests now!”

“What are ya doin' here!? In the heart of Canterlot!” Applebloom yelled at him.

“Oh getting my revenge on you brats! I saw what happened to the temple! You are the cause of it!”

“How do you know we were?” Sweetie Belle asked.

He pointed the tail paw at us. “Because I know! Now I am going to take you all to her and claim my reward! Muhahahaha! Ponies, take them!”

The three ponies closed in on us as we backed away from them, but we were trapped against a wall with nowhere to go. Suddenly a box hit one on the back of the head, knocking him down and out cold. “I have no idea what's going on here but no one picks on foals!” It was that unicorn from the trade fair.

“Girls it's her! The one that lost to us for the chest!” I pointed to her.

Ahuizotl turn to face her. “Oh a unicorn wanting to go against me? Ahuizotl? How charming.”

She glared at him. “Look buster, quit pretending and get out of that costume!”

“It's not a costume!” we screamed out to her. “He's the REAL Ahuizotl!”

She looked to us and back at him. “What?” Ahuizotl grabbed her with his right front paw, so she was face to face with him.

“Am I a fake?” he grinned, showing off his teeth to her.

She gulped loudly, trying to break free. “Y-you're real!?”

“Hehehe... I am.” That's when we saw him holding a necklace with a green jewel in it in his other paw. The girls gasped, seeing as he put it on around the unicorn's neck. “Now Shadowless has you.”

“W-” Her eyes shrunk, then closed a second later. Her head dropped down as if she just passed out.

Scootaloo gulped. “It's the same thing that was controlling Trixie!”

“Big Mac said something about somepony called that leaving Canterlot. What does this have to do with what's happening now?” I was confused by what was going on right this moment, seeing the weird green gem glowing on the necklace on the unicorn that Ahuizotl put down on her hooves.

Applebloom gulped, looking around for a way out. “That necklace had somepony control Trixie before, and now it's controllin' that pony!”

The eyes opened and shimmered with green for a few seconds. She grinned and glanced over to us as she spoke. “It's the return of Shadowless! Welcome me!” she chuckled. “No? You youngsters caused a number of problems for us.” She approached us and poked my snout with her hoof.

I wiggled my snout a little. “Leave him alone!” Scootaloo quickly got in front of me.

“Well isn't this charming.” Shadowless turned around to Ahuizotl. “Now all we need is to bait the fish into the trap. Send your ponies to drag this unconscious one to the warehouse as planned at the Airship port.”

Ahuizotl chuckled. “Of course!” He turned to the two stallions. “Just as planned with a twist my faithful followers. Take him back to the warehouse and make sure that incursed Daring Do and that guard pony follow you.”

“Yes Ahuizotl!” They bowed and took their fellow stallion. With one foreleg over the back of one and the other the same, they used the outer foreleg to the stallion between them to hold the forelegs. They soon dragged him away, leaving us alone with the unicorn now under the control of somepony called Shadowless.

Shadowless turned around to us. “As for you four, we're going to take a shortcut. Ahuizotl, grab them.” Ahuizotl laughed as he lunged his three paws at us. We had little time to react, but it didn't matter he as he was too quick and grabbed us all, lifting us off the ground.

Scootaloo pulled and kicked to try and break free. “Let go of us you freak!”

Shadowless chuckled lightly. “This unicorn knows teleportation, now that's useful. Tris is her name, interesting. She's running a vendor table with her cousin Teddie Safari. You were heading there when she saw Ahuizotl take you. Oh!” She dance-trot over to Ahuizotl with her horn glowing. “I wish I could keep controlling this pony as a puppet, but there would be too many questions asked.”

With a flash from her horn we was suddenly inside some sort of large building with crates all around us. “Welcome to Warehouse Three of the Airship Yard,” she giggled, using her magic to open up a large cage. “Place the little heroes in there. Don't throw!”

Ahuizotl cringed as her eyes glowed, and he slowly placed us all inside the cage. He let go of all of us in a instant and withdrew. When he did the cage closed on us, locked in place with a padlock clicking in on the door slot. “What of the Pony of Fear, Shadowless?”

“What of her? She's trapped now and never getting out. What we're doing is for our own benefits! I go for what I want and I got what you want. So after we deal with the problem at hoof to come, we will part ways for good.” Shadowless turned to Ahuizotl, walking over to a large chest. With a tap of the hind hoof it opened up. “Like I said, I know how to make deals with the worst and get what I want.”

We watched Ahuizotl's eyes glue on whatever was in the chest. “What make you think I would double cross you now?” he chuckled, his tail paw raised up, pressing two of the paw ends together.

Shadowless closed the chest and jumped onto a chair, putting her hind legs up on the crate before her, with forelegs behind her head. “Because we can deal a defeat to the great Daring Do, and give you a chance to get your blue freakish butt with your minions out of Canterlot.” She was very calm as she spoke to him. “Or you can double cross me, and Daring arrives and kicks your sorry paw tail into a Canterlot dungeon, cause you know she will.”

He lowered the tail paw with a smile of his own. “You are correct Shadowless. Very well, I won't betray you. But if we cross paths again I will make you sorry.”

“Yeah yeah I know. So relax.” She waved the hoof dismissively at him. “Now before the fun really begins, we can't let these heroes be telling now, can we?” She cast a spell over the cage we were in.

I looked around as a weird wall of light formed above us and moved over the edges of the cage on all sides. “Wh-what is this?”

“Oh, it's a sound proof spell. I stole this right from under her own snout,” she chuckled. “Let's say I kinda follow the Pony of Fear, but when she messed up like that I had to make sure I got something from it. Like this from that little old kingdom. I saw it thanks to her, a door on one side can be opened so can another.” Shadowless waved at us. “Time for you to not hear us or us to he-”

We didn't get to hear what else she said and silence came from outside the weird energy field around us. “Wow, she double crossed the Pony of Fear!” Applebloom said, looking around. “She must not think highly of her anymore.”

“Maybe... But why go to all the trouble and take us?” Sweetie Belle asked, putting a hoof through the cage bar and passing it through the field of energy. “Wow, it's not a barrier at all, it's just stopping sound.”

Scootaloo walked back and forwards. “That doesn't help us Sweetie Belle. We're trapped in here and can't warn Daring Do or Night Spark that they're walking into a trap!” She threw her forelegs up with a scream afterwards. “How did we not see this coming!?”

“I didn't...” I answered, I did notice Shadowless was reading something. “Is that a comic book?”

Applebloom hit the cage with her hind legs. “It's not even denting!” Applebloom hit it again and again, with it clinging with each hit. “Zaps, let's try!”

“Okay. I'll try.” We both bucked it as hard as we could but nothing happened to the bars. “Why are the bars not getting damaged?”

Sweetie Belle took a good look at where we hit the bars hard with each buck. “I've seen this metal. It's used on the roller-coasters to hold up the tracks. They reinforced Maginite.”

“What exactly is that?” Scootaloo asked in frustration.

“It's a form of metal that's light and enhanced with a form of magic that infused right to it. Only intense heat, focused beam magic or a really sharp sword can cut through it.” Sweetie Belle explained to us.

Applebloom tapped it with her front hoof. “So brute force won't do anythin'?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, not even magic being absorbed can do anything to it. It's made to absorb impact.”

Scootaloo sighed heavily. “Other words, it's weak to being cut but very resistant to being hit?”

“Maybe if we keep kicking the same spot-” Suddenly me and Applebloom felt something put around our hind legs and forelegs. I looked down to see chains attached to braces that were tightly put on.

Applebloom tried to get them off but failed, we both failed. “Yer kinddin' me! Y'all not gonna get away with this!” Applebloom glared at Ahuizotl who had placed them on us. He shrugged and walked back to Shadowless, now waiting for Daring Do and Night Spark to show up.

Scootaloo tried to get my legs free from the braces. “They're not budging!” She stomped her hoof. “Why the hay did this have to happen today of all days?”

“I don't know...”

We turned to see the two tribal stallions carrying the other quickly enter. The one being carried soon was back on his hooves. He looked dazed still, but he was ready and we knew what was coming.

Smashing through a window, Daring Do came in with Night Spark. They stood ready for a fight and that's what we saw. We watched as Daring flew, in kicking a stallion into a crate, breaking it apart. Ahuizotl rose his tail paw, and with a push of the paw ends five cats suddenly came out from behind different crates in all directions. He laughed at her and she said something back at him.

Night Spark joined in on the fight using a staff that I saw him take from the ground, and struck a spotted cat, sending it flying into some crates. He and Daring exchanged words and parted from each other, fighting the cats and stallions. While this happened, Ahuizotl and Shadowless just watched with such confidence in their expressions.

We were glad and cheering on Daring Do and Night Spark as they fought the foes they faced. They were winning from what it looked like. Soon it came to facing Ahuizotl and Shadowless. They stood face to face looking into each other eyes, both sides talking one after the other. We didn't know what they were saying, but when Shadowless pointed a hoof to us they looked to us and back at them.

Shadowless dropped the sound proof spell around us. “Here are your options. Surrender and the little heroes are unharmed or fight us and well I can't say I'd be responsible for what happens next.” With a nod Ahuizotl took hold of a lever and pulled it down.

That's when we heard something click and clack. We looked down to see the bottom of our cage open up. Below was nothing but the green fields below the mountain itself. “Oh sweet Celestia!” Scootaloo screamed out, pressing her back against the bars, but a field of magic stopped her and us. We couldn't hold on to anything as the floor opened up.

“We're going to fall!” Sweetie Belle stood up on her hind legs, pressed against the magical field.

Ahuizotl stopped pulling down the lever and the floor was on the hoof tips of our hind legs. We pressed against the magical barrier, staring right down at ground so far away. “Do-don't move!” Applebloom gulped.

I glanced over to see Daring Do and Night Spark making a move to us, but they stopped. “Don't try it, Daring Do and Lunar Guard. We got you where we want you.” Shadowless stared right at me with pulsing green shades of energy through her eyes. “How does it feel Zaps? How does it feel to be one slip from falling to your doom?”

I gulped with sweat falling from my head running down my snout. “I-I'm sc-scared...”

“Yes you are. Now what happens is up to them. What do you four say? Should they give up? Or fight us with the cost of your very lives?”

“You monster!” Daring Do sneered at her.

Shadowless just rolled her eyes. “Oh please. I am doing what it takes to win. If you can't handle the fact I am willing to let the young heroes blood be spilled to get what I want, it means I am willing to do anything. In fact this pony I have as host, hmmm... Yes.” She walked up to the cage and opened it, stepping in and passing through the barrier. “I can drop this pony and still follow through my plans too. Now you have five souls on the line.”

Scootaloo shakily slipped and gasped, she was falling and I reached my hooves to her. “Don't let me drop! Pl-please!”

“I won't!” I held firm on her hoof, pulling to keep myself and her too from falling.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom couldn't do anything but watch as I held onto Scootaloo. “Tick tock,” she laughed. “You have ten seconds, Daring. Ten-”

“Don't! We give up!” Night Spark put down the spear and sat there with his forelegs rose up. “Daring please!”

Daring growled and sat down with her own forelegs up. “You win... Now put that floor back!”

The stallions bound Daring Do and Night Spark with chains and rope. The floor was returned and they were placed in the cage with us. “See, what did I tell you Ahuizotl?”

“Hehehe. You were right. Now we can drop them.”

“No.” Shadowless turn to the lever and snapped it off. “No, we need them alive for the next phase.”

“What phase?” Daring stared at her.

The stallions wheeled in a cage with six weird looking bug-like ponies all in some sort of trance, all wearing purple gem necklaces. “Changelings!” Night Spark gasped. “You have changelings!?”

“Oh I do.” Shadowless purred, walking up to the cage and tapping it with a hoof. “It wasn't easy to get them in such a short time, but I managed with help of my partner in crime here.”

Ahuizotl looked over each of them. “Still not sure why you wanted to capture them.”

Shadowless brought out from the create she had her hind legs on a blue gem. “It's simple in fact. I plan to copy all the memories of these six lovely ponies, and implant them into these Changelings. They will change into exact copies of our fallen heroes. They will think they are them but will not interfere with our plans, and after a set time make their disguises shift slightly to show their true-selves.”

“Why copy us?” I asked. “What are you going to do?”

“Not saying that part. But we need you to stay alive so they can keep believing they are you. But to get rid of you for a time is a perfect matter.” Shadowless brought up a comic book she had been reading. “I made this myself, it's amazing in its glory!”

She cast her magic on the gem, its beams going over us, and then fired a beam of magic into each of the Changelings' gems. before us the six turned into exact doubles of us but still not responsive. “Now go back to the convention, forget what happened when Ahuizotl attacked you and go on your day as if nothing happened at all.” They nodded and with the cage open, the six that were us walked out the warehouse.

“You're not going to get away with this!”

“Oh please, Daring Do. I already have. Ahuizotl will his prize and be long gone by the time you return and this mare will be found dazed and confused carrying this very comic. If you're lucky you might find yourself on return in some part of Equestria in some foals room.” She chuckled. “Oh how to explain that hmm?”

Ahuizotl burst into laughter holding his chest. “Oh oh Hahahahah! This is better then finishing her off! This is great! My revenge on you, Daring Do for ruining all my plans! And I... No, we win!”

“Now to take care of you six. Have a nice adventure Daring Do and friends! You will need to work together to end the story that now you will be part of.” The comic book opened up with her magic.

“Upon reading this adventure you shall enter and only once the task is fulfilled you will return.”

Suddenly the cage opened and the book pages exploded with light. We were lifted up and pulled right towards it.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Chapter 37: A Book of Adventure – Part One

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 37: A Book of Adventure – Part One

Thud.

“Urg...” I groaned from the impact of landing without any control of my body. I laid on what felt like grass, slowly opening my eyes between the leaves rustling from the wind, and I could see a comic book resting not to far from where I laid.

Reaching out to it with my hoof, I saw not a hoof but a strange yellow claw-like hand sticking out. That's also when I noticed my snout wasn't a snout, but something rounder and bending down. “Wh-what...” I still sounded the same, but the mouth felt different when speaking.

“Are you all alright?” Daring Do sprung up onto her claw hands and paws in an instant, checking up on all of us. “The magic of the book turned us all into griffons upon arriving in whatever comic story Shadowless set up for us.” Daring Do put her claw hand out to me. I rose mine up and she took it.

It felt so strange feeling these digits move around her claw hand. With a slight lift I was standing up, unsteady at first with the fact I stood on these and the soft pads I could feel: paws I think they were called. “Wh-what happened to our costumes?”

“Not sure, guess they were removed as part of the magic.” Daring Do took a careful look around.

“What is it with magic in the last two weeks doing weird things to us?” Scootaloo stood up, ruffling her much larger griffon wings. “First we turned into adults, than we had this weird light magic that helped us stop that creep in the temple, and now we're griffons?” She rose her claw hand up to her eyes, opening and closing them. “Wow, these talons really feel weird... I never felt having so many digits at the end of my forelegs. Is this what Spike feels with his claw hands?”

Sweetie Belle rubbed her head. “I don't have my horn! Where is it!?” She screeched and suddenly out of her claw hand a burst of magic came out. It was brief but there, with the same greenish aura. “Wh-what...” She stared at the talon in disbelief. “I felt my magic but it-”

“Now that's something you do not see everyday...” Daring Do stared at Sweetie Belle as we did. “It seems your magic from your horn can now be cast out of your talons as if you was focusing on your magic through your horn.” Daring Do did her best to explain it to her. “So be careful okay?”

“Okay...” Sweetie answered.

Applebloom looked over her back, flexing her wings a little. “Ah have wings!? This is nuts! Ah'm an Earth Pony! Ah do not like feelin' these thin's on mah back!” Applebloom went to grab one with her right talon to only be stopped by Night Spark. The dark griffon looked her in the eyes. “Ni-Night Spark?”

“If Sweetie has her magic still in her that means you have yours. Think about it. If you grab that wing of yours and pulled, what would have happened, Applebloom?” he said in a really serious tone of voice with a very flat expression on his face.

Applebloom gulped as he let go and decided to take a rock and squeeze it, to only have it crushed by her talons to dust. “Epp!” She let go, letting it shower the ground. “T-that was mah Earth Pony magic!?”

“It was...” Night Spark stated and turned to me. “That includes you. Be careful okay?” I nod, feeling a bit scared at my own strength now. “We're in a comic book and somehow we need to complete the adventure to get home, so we should stop worrying about us not being ponies and figure out how to get out of this fantasy.”

Scootaloo walked over to me with a playful nudge. “Like to try and fly? I sure would! These wings are awesome! Look how big they are!” She opened up her wings with glee. “Come on, open them!”

“I am not sure how...” I look at the wings on my back and back at Scootaloo.

“It's simple really. Think of them as two extra arms but they're just around your shoulder blades, think of moving them to open.” Scootaloo explained.

I nodded and focused on the weird feeling on my back and I felt them open up. Gasping, I quickly look back at them, noticing the lion tail I had too shifting around. “Is that what you feel with your wings all the time?”

“Sure do! But this first time I can really feel that I can fly!” She took a few flaps and got off her paws and talons. She hovered with a squeal. “Oh this is so awesome! I can fly! YES!” She flipped around and landed on all fours with pride. “I haven't forgot that from last time! It's so amazing to fly!”

Something caught my attention when she landed: it sounded like something crunched under her right hind paw. “Scootaloo lift your right paw up,” I asked.

“Hmm?” She rose it and I took what looked like something shiny and silvery. “What is that?”

I tilted my head and looked at it and inside it. The nostrils on my beak picked up a smell of really sweet onions. “It's silvery, shiny, and smells like something made of onions was in it.” That's when I saw the writing on it. “Cheese and Onions Crisps. Gricals full of flavour.” I read out loud. Turning it around, I saw all sorts of writing and numbers on it.

Scootaloo looked over my shoulder to take a look at it too. “Wow, it tells you what's in it too. What are these line things with the numbers under it?”

“Never seen anything like it.” I said. I turned to Daring Do, the larger tan griffon to us but slightly shorter than Night Spark. “Daring Do, we found some weird package that held something called crisps in it.”

Daring Do came over and took it from us. “I've seen foil before, but never seen it used to store food like this.” She turned it around, looking at what we had seen too. “Not sure what to make of these lines and numbers though. But it also shows a chart of some kind.” She put a talon point to it. “Griffon daily amount for females and males... Wow, it's showing how much salt, fat, and protein is in this per 100 grams.”

“So it tells how healthy something is before you even buy it and eat it?” Night Spark questioned, taking it from Daring to look over it himself. “It even gives you a tale of how it was made too, how they improved upon it over the years to give it great taste with less of the bad stuff in it.” He turned to Daring Do. “What kind of comic book takes us to a fictional landscape with this much detail?”

“I haven't got a clue...”

Scootaloo and I walked over to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. “How you girls faring?” Scootaloo asked.

“Ah don't like these wings much but ah'll be okay, just weird havin' a beak and not a muzzle.” Applebloom tapped it a few times with a talon tip. “It feel like it works like mah muzzle, but it also feels strange havin' teeth too in it. Ah seen griffons with teeth in their beaks but never thought I'd get to feel what it's like...”

“Yeah, it's just strange that I can do magic still.” She rose her talon up, and from the tip a glow came and a stone floated between us. “I can levitate still. It's like my horn is not really gone and erm...” She twisted her tail around and now held it. “I like what I look like so far, these white wings, the tail. It just so adorable. I really look adorable don't I?”

“I think we all do.” Scootaloo crossed her forelegs, sitting on her flank. “We need to get back and stop those fakes...”

“Ah am with yer on that.” Applebloom nodded.

“Same here!” Sweetie Belle put her talon out and the others placed theirs on it.

I placed mine on top of Scootaloo's. “I think we can do it. When working together we always did good.” I smiled warmly to them, and they did so as well.

“Together!” We said, rising our talons up with a cheer.

Scootaloo felt something against her left paw this time. Lifting it she noticed a book lying on the ground. Picking it up she instantly gasped. “What is it?” Sweetie Belle asked, quickly seeing Scootaloo freak out a little.

“It's Zaps!”

I blinked. “What?”

“Look!” She turned it to us all and we all stared dumbfounded at what was before us. On the cover was Canterlot's festival, and there was me posing for some reason in that batstallion costume. Across the cover it said: 'Zaps Apple – Canterlot Festive Fresco issue #37'. “It's got us in it too!” She pointed to each pony in the background around me. “What the hay is this!?”

“Daring Do!” Applebloom called out. “Ah think we got a bigger problem!”

“What do you-” She saw what was shoved into her view by Scootaloo. Taking it, she stared at the cover. “I have seen really weird crazy stuff over the years but this...”

“Now that's something you do not see...” Night Spark rubbed his feathered head. “I mean we were pulled into a comic book, but to find a comic book that says we are the fictional ones...”

Sweetie Belle took it and opened up the front page. “Wow, it's Daring Do dressed up with a cloak, funny big hat and glasses. She's doing research, and then Princess Celestia and Armour McApple shows up.”

“It shows our brother pullin' one with the Princess to get her to foalsit us at the convention.” Applebloom and us all turned to Daring Do.

“Wow, you were afraid to foalsit us after all the stuff you've done?” Scootaloo chuckled a little.

Daring Do swiped it from Scootaloo and flipped through the pages. “It's not important, Scootaloo.” She quickly changed the subject. “What is important is that the moment this comic book ends is the moment we arrive here.” She flipped it around and showed us all being pulled in screaming and the words under it – To be Continued. “Somehow and some way we have not only been pulled into a comic book, but it pulled us into another universe where we're seen as fictional, but in fact we are very much real.”

“I am confused...”

“Ah agree...”

“I don't get it...”

Scootaloo, the last to speak out of us four, quickly took to the air above us with talons out. “Hold on a second! If this is here and we arrived through it, doesn't that mean something was reading this before we arrived?”

Daring Do quickly looked around, moving her body in turn to take a good look around. “She's right, and there are a lot of bushes and tree cover around here to hide someone.”

“All in a circle now!” We did as Night Spark told and gathered with backs to each other. “Stay on your guard, we will deal with this.”

Suddenly a voice called out. “Wait!” We all turned our heads to see a blue and cream griffon step out with a bag strapped over his right side, and dark blue wings fluttering from his back. “The joke is over! Come on out with those cameras already! Laugh it up, you got me good!”

“Cameras?” I didn't see any at all.

Scootaloo frowned at this blue griffon. “What the heck does he mean a joke?”

“I think it's because of our arrival.” Daring Do held up the book. “Kid, there no cameras here.” She walked over to him, handing over the comic book.

The blue griffon took it from her and rolled his eyes. “Please.” He didn't seem convinced. “This is all smoke and mirrors. A good laugh to trick me, make me a laughing fool for all of PlayTube!” He was in her face, poking her chest with the tip of his talon. “Come on just cough it up! I bet it's a head cam!”

“What is he talking about?” Sweetie Belle asked, rather lost as we all were I think.

Daring Do looked down at him and took off her pitch helmet, turning it over to him and showing it was hollow. “Not sure what's this head cam you speak of, feather brains, but as you can see it's just a pitch helmet.” She put it back on top of her head.

He put his talon over his forehead shaking it. “Oh this is good, you all good! Keeping up the act.”

“Ah don't get it. Why would we act? And don't we have some weird task to fulfill to get back before those changelin's do who knows what damage to everypony?” Applebloom brought up a valid point and I wanted to get back home.

I turned to the blue griffon. “We're not playing games, we want to go home! Please help us!” I pleaded.

“Yeah as if I will fall for that!” My eyes started to water, and tears rolled over my face down my beak. “Okay that too-” He paused, looking right into my eyes. “N-no way... This-” He took a good look at each of us. “You're those ponies in the comic but as griffons!? HOW!?” He stepped back a few paces. “This isn't some smoke and mirror trick! My comic... That was real magic!? Not some illusion!?”

Night Spark put his talon on my side. I leaned into him, crying into his wing as he wrapped it around me slightly. “Yes, it was a form of Equestrian magic. Now I, being a guard of Princess Luna, demand to know your name young one. You've pretty much blamed us for something we do not even understand.”

He rubbed his talon through the feathers on his head. “This is unreal. I can't believe this. I just got the comic book a few hours ago from the vendor where I get all my Equis series comics. Every griffon that loves the comic book series gets it from Snowtip! There's no way that the latest issue is some magical gateway like in the Equestria Girls Issues 1 through 4. That was a mirror with Princess Twilight getting her crown back after Sunset Shimmer stole-” He was rambling on and noticed silence from all of us staring right at him.

“Right sorry... Nervous habit. I ramble when I am nervous and try to get a grip on reality!” He hovered a few feet off the ground, flapping his wings and putting out his talons to us. “You're all real! I mean that's awesome but how can you be!? Magic can just simply explain it right?”

“It can.” Daring Do stated. “It's rather annoying for a short answer the to things I do, but it happens. Now I believe Night Spark asked for your name.”

“Oh right. Names Gallus. Just chilling but now slightly freaked out that you all are very much real!” He looked around at each of us while still in the air, and came to a landing right in front of me. “So not to sound uncool, you're really Zaps Apple?” I nod, sniffing a little. “Whoa this is cool! Can I get a selfie with you?”

I tilted my head slightly. “What's a selfie?”

He grinned and pulled out a weird flat object, tapping on it with one talon while holding it with the other. Then he stood next to me with a wing over me and foreleg over the back of the neck, with a big smile towards the weird flat thing now turned with the front at us. “Now this is a selfie. Smile and say apples!”

I smiled. “Apples!” I saw a moving image of us on it, but as I smiled it smiled. And before I could react a sound of a camera came from it and a photo was on the object. “Ho-how did it show moving pictures and show me and you on it? And did it also take a photo?”

“It sure did!” He looked at it, staring at the image I think. “Not only are you an awesome looking griffon Zaps, but this photo is pure awesome! Thank you!”

“You're welcome I think...” I rubbed my feathers on my head, trying to understand everything that just happened. “Erm... Where are we?”

“Ah'd like to know too, and is that weird flat photo thin' a camera too?” Applebloom came up beside me. “Ah never saw anythin' like it before. Unless yer count the crazy thin' Vinyl Scratch comes up with her sound sets.”

Gallus showed pride with that weird object. “It is, and it also does long distance calls, texting, you name it. This beauty even got GPS too, so I know exactly where we are at this very minute.” He turned it to us after pressing on it again, and we looked to see what appeared to be a map.

Daring Do took a good look at it. “Are we in a park?”

“Yep, this here is Pride Park, close to Gorge Distinct of our prideful city Griffonstone, home to 27 million, mostly griffons apart from a few hundred thousand others from different races. But still the prideful capital of our country.” He noticed our silent stares again. “Oh come on! You're not on Equis, you're in my world! And also I know how you became griffons!”

“Please tell...” Daring Do crossed her forelegs.

Gallus showed pride as he brought up the subject of his rambling from before. “The same way Twilight turned from pony to human in the Equestria Girls comic when she had to go through a magical dimension mirror. Just with comic books, one here and one back in your world.” He put the object away and brought out the comic book. “My comic is like the mirror, but how that magic applies to this I haven't got a clue.”

“Could be something to do with what Shadowless did?” Sweetie Belle suggested, flapping her wings a little. “She did say she made it herself. Boasted about it too. What if something went wrong with it, and instead of just sending us to the pages it somehow linked to this book?”

“Quite the theory Sweetie Belle, and one I have to go with.” Daring Do rubbed the underside of her beak. “Going with what Gallus just said about the magic mirror, it sounds plausible.” She lowered her talon back on the ground. “The big question is, how do we fulfil the task? I am to guess that will reopen the portal.” Daring's eyes moved to the book in Gallus's talon hand.

Gallus clicked his talons. “I got it! We can go see Snowtip! She's this pure white griffon with really sharp blue eyes. She always seems to be cryptic when speaking, and I bet my flight feathers that she's somehow behind this too!”

“Why do you think that?” Scootaloo frowned.

“Because one: she gave me the comic for free, not asking for any quid. And two: it's the one thing I can think of at this moment as a good lead to helping all of you.” He cheered afterwards. “I get to help ponies from Equestria! I can't believe this is really happening!”

“Oh it is...” Scootaloo muttered. “I've seen one or two griffons and they're not as bouncy as you are.”

“That? Well I was just really freaked out, and now really excited, knowing you're all real and not some fiction characters and-”

Daring Do put her talon around his beak, shutting him up. “Just take us to Snowtip...”

She let go and he saluted with his talon. “Right away Daring Do!” Gallus put the book away and took the foil before placing it in a bin close by. “Follow me.” He waved for us to follow. “When we clear the trees you're going to get mind blown! You will never see a city quite like this! We griffons pride ourselves on the capital that stood the test of time and flourished into the city it is today.”

We got up and followed the blue griffon to a stone path that led out of the set of trees and bushes we were at towards a field with paths between them. What stunned all of us was the cliff walls on either side of us that had buildings against them and pathways leading up.

I looked up at the sun directly overhead, shielding my eyes slightly with a wing without even thinking about it, it just happened. I noticed there was a wall and buildings above too. The place he called Pride Park seemed to go on from one side to the other between the two cliff sides. Many griffons flew in one direction, and another lot on the other side, seeming to fly between many little things blinking on and off.

“That's the skyway, flight paths for griffons to come and go through a given route. If you plan on landing you have to leave the skyway lanes through those slipways where you can see griffons getting on and off. Pretty neat right?” He turned around to us, still very proud to show it off to us.

“I got to admit this city is pretty impressive. The map showed Pride Park cut right through Gorge District from end to the other.” Daring Do marvelled in what she saw. “Still we'll admire this a bit more later. First we best get to Snowtip.”

Scootaloo watched a few griffons using scooters and skateboards on some sort of place with ramps, slops and bars. They was doing all sort of stunts on it. “That's so awesome! They have a skatepark here! Look at them go! I only heard there was a few in Equestria, like in Manehatten and Baltimare.” Scootaloo watched in awe as one red griffon on a scooter did a few flips and landed on the wheels, with sparks hitting and sliding across the bars till all wheels touched the surface. “Sweet move!” Scooatloo called out.

The griffon turned to us and put a talon up with an short wave. “That's awesome to hear! I bet you've got some sweet moves, if you like what I can do!”

“I sure do! But I just haven't got my scooter at the moment. Kinda left it at home.” Scootaloo kept quiet about being from another universe, and I stepped up beside her. “Maybe when I get my wheels I can show ya!”

“Sweet! Well I'm here everyday after school so see ya around!” He closed his talon into a fist and Scootaloo did the same, bumping each others talons.

“Name's Scootaloo.”

“I'm Nitro.”

“Zaps.” I spoke in turn. “Scootaloo's been giving me lessons to ride my scooter, but I'm not so great on it as she is.”

“He, don't worry. We all fall off some way or the other. Well I got my wheels to burn!” He put two talon fingers to his forehead and pushed them away before taking off on his scooter to rejoin his friends.

Night Spark stepped over us, looking down. “Come on you two.” With a push of his wing behind us we walked on with him to catch up with the others. “So this is what a griffon is like when not so mean and selfish. It really is a different griffon land.”

“It sure is.” Scootaloo and I continued to get distracted by every little thing that we got to notice about the city.

After rejoining the others, we all soon came up to what seemed to be tents scattered around a large circle bricked floor with a large tower in the middle. The tower had four clock faces on it showing the time. All around it griffons were selling things to others that were looking around and buying their goods.

“This is Pride Market. Here the saying goes: What you can not find you will find at Pride Market.” He put his talons out to the market. “Also this is where you find the undercover police too. They make sure all trades are fair, that everyone abides by the law, and that every single being that comes here is safe too.” Gallus stated as he put his talon on the underside of the beak rubbed it.

Night Spark took a good look around, noticing families shopping and spending time with their young ones, others chatting away with those that were selling, and others just wandering and taking a good look around. “I see the pure white griffon. Snowtip, correct?”

“Yeah that's her.” Gallus saw her too at a stall selling some comics to a few griffons about our age and size.

I blinked a few times seeing her. She had a white beak, talons, feathers and fur. “Wow, she's really white...”

Snowtip turned her head, blue eyes locked on us. “Is she lookin' at us?” Applebloom asked. Snowtip rose her right talon up and waved for us to come over to her stall. “Ah think she wants us to come to her.”

“Why do I get the sneaky feeling she was expecting us...” Daring Do raised a brow.

I turn and looked up at Daring Do. “How can Snowtip be expecting us if we didn't know about her till Gallus told us, and we just got here because of what Shadowless did with the comic book?” It confused me when Daring Do said that.

Gallus put his talon on my shoulder. “Just go with it. So far it's been a bit beyond normal for me.”

“Because of the comic book portal thing?”

“Yeah. And till that moment all I did was chill out there in that exact place, reading my comics and minding my own business when I wasn't at school.” Gallus stated and let go, walking to Snowtip with us following close behind.

Snowtip finished handing out a comic book to a light grey and white griffon as we arrived. “There you go little one. I hope you enjoy this as much as you enjoyed the last one,” she said with a kind and gentle voice. “Each comic is as a breeze in the wind: it can easily change directions and the whole meaning can change.”

The female griffon giggled. “I sure will Snowtip! And not sure what you mean, but I'll be back the same time next week!” She turn and flies off with the comic held tight against her chest, beaming with happiness.

“Felchlings, they're so adorable and so full of imagination. It always warms my heart to see those happy smiles on their beaks.” Snowtip turned her gaze to the group before her. “Welcome to Griffonstone City, Zaps Apple, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Daring Do and Night Spark. I hope your arrival wasn't too unpleasant; dimensional trips through objective portals can be a bit hazardous on arrival.” She warmly smiled at us.

“Called it...” Daring Do muttered.

Gallus held up the comic book to her. “I'm just the griffon that brought them here, that's it?”

“Not at all Gallus, you are very much part of these string of events as each one of them and I. Haven't you all noticed no griffons are looking at us?”

Scootaloo took a good look around. “Why has every griffon seemed to just stop?”

Snowtip lowered her right talon under the table and rose it back up, placing what looked like an hourglass before us, with sand falling upwards into it. “Gallus, you should know of this.”

Gallus stared in shock pointing at it. “Tha-that not possible! That's the Sand Glass of Uptempical! It's just a myth! It can't be real!”

“Okay you got my attention. That's a magical ancient artefact from a temple or ruins right?” said Daring Do, taking a good look at it.

Snowtip placed her talon over the top of it. “It is. Before selling comics I travelled a lot and found a lot about the past of our world. Artefacts that showed magic was used in plenty back in the day, but slowly phased out for science and technological discoveries. This is why we can talk about what I have to say so casually.”

“A chain of events set in motion that leads to this moment and this time, a point where we meet that's fiction to one but reality to another. Once fulfilled your task and the way home returns.”

Gallus now crossed his forelegs as he hovered, with a very unhappy look upon his face. “How about you stop being so cryptic and get to the point already.”

“She just-”

“Zaps I can see how one thing she just said might be true or not, but behind it she's being cryptic.” He put both talons out to Snowtip. “Just get on with it Snowtip. It's been crazy since they arrived. I want straight answers!”

Snowtip put her talons together calmly, looking at the impatient griffon. “Very well Gallus. If you wish for me to be direct then I shall be, my young impatient blue feathered friend.” Snowtip opened her wings up fully before us.

“To fulfil the task at claw you shall have to enter the Griftir Pass, and there what waits will test all seven of you. The wind sheers will be the first test. No griffon has entered the pass in over 1000 years, even though it sits directly under the old kingdom palace of Griffonstone.”

Gallus blinked few times in shock. “The pass has high wind sheers! No griffon can fly in those conditions! It's a no-fly zone and the old palace is a ruined no-go site! Closest thing you can do is just look at it from the observation deck for tourism! If we go there and get caught we'll all be plucked up by the police and serve jail time!” He flew around us, waving his forelegs around.

Night Spark understood this very well. Being a royal guard at Canterlot, there were similar rules in place, but jail time wasn't one of the punishments. “I remember you telling me this Night Spark, when we were star gazing at Sweet Apple Acres.”

Night sighed from what I said. “It's true, we have areas in Canterlot that are a big no-fly zone and any that break it well end up doing community service as punishment. Usually to do with helping ponies that really need help without pay. They still get a meal break paid for but that's about it.” Night sat down with his forelegs crossed, tapping his right talon tip on his other foreleg. “That's something we will have to think about, Daring Do. One thing is adventure in a forest but-”

Daring Do cut in. “A ruins within city bounders and with such penalties for breaking the law, the risk for us we understand, but putting the youngsters in that position is not acceptable.” Daring glanced at us four for a second. “But the question is... Why the ruins and this Griftir Pass?” Daring Do turned her attention to Snowtip.

“A very good question Daring Do, one that with the help of Gallus will provide. And you already know where to start. Am I right Zaps Apple?” She gracefully turned to me, looking into my own eyes with her blue ones.

I felt my wings ruffle an odd feeling again. “Erm... It's to do with why the palace has been a ruins for over 1000 years, isn't it? And that pass, why there are very strong wind sheers there and no where else, right? I think...”

Snowtip tapped my beak with her talon finger tip. “Very good Zaps. Here's something for you and your friends to have. Think of it a welcome gift to Griffonstone.” With a tap of the hour glass everything became noisy again. She gave each of us a sealed comic book, but we couldn't see what was inside the wrapping. “Open it after Gallus takes you all back to his home.”

Gallus gasped. “What!? You can't be serious!? I-”

“Gallus, over the last two years since you been buying comics from my stall, have I ever steered you wrong? Have I ever gave you bad advice?” Snowtip warmly smiled at him, placing her talon under his beak and lifting his head to meet her eyes. “All I ask is to do whatever in your heart to help them.” She placed her talon on his chest.

He looked down and back at her, putting his own talon on hers. “Fine, you win Snowtip, you got me good. I'll help but next time you try the guilt trip on me I'll be long gone, got it?”

“Indeed Gallus, indeed.” Snowtip moved her talon away. “One last tip, Daring Do. All beginnings catch up with us.”

Daring raised a brow. “What is that supposed to mean?” Snowtip didn't reply; she just had that warm smile. “Fine! Leave me in the damn dark!”

“Thanks for the gift Snowtip!” Scootaloo said, holding onto her gift.

“Yeah! We'll open them soon we get to Gallus' home!”

“Ah can't wait to see what comic we each got!”

I stared at it and looked over to Gallus. “Erm... where do you live?”

Gallus pointed up and we all looked to where he was pointing. “I live on the edge of the Gorge District, right at the top. Usually it takes about a few minutes on the skyway but...” He turned to each of us. “About three of you just got your wings, right?” We didn't have wings before now. “This going to be tough...”

Snowtip giggled, getting all of our attention. “What happened when Twilight first came to the human world? How long did it take the human Rainbow Dash to learn to fly with wings?”

Gallus blinked. “You can't be serious, that comic book logic can't work here. That's just crazy!”

Snowtip pointed to me. “Go on, flap your wings.”

“Erm...”

Chapter 38: A Book of Adventure - Part Two

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 38: A Book of Adventure – Part Two

“I am never questioning comic book logic ever again!” Gallus was very annoyed as we all reached his home and landed... well me, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle crashed and tumbled over each other in a pile of three different colours of wings, tail and paws. “It took me months of trying to even get to fly! You three did it without even trying!” He walked up to us.

Putting his talon out to me, I took it and he helped me up onto all fours. He helped the other two out as well. “Part from the landing, you three kinda suck at it. So it's not all that bad I guess....”

“Ah.” Applebloom spat out a yellow feather from her beak. “Ah never want to fly again! It felt all wrong in so many ways! Ah don't get how Pegasi like to fly most of the time!” Applebloom turned to Scootaloo. “No offence but ah'd rather have mah paws and talons on the ground.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “It's no biggy. But it was awesome to really fly! Even though being a griffon sort of cheated it from being my normal self. I got to feel what it like to be Rainbow Dash! Flying with my own power! Getting to have the wind blowing through my feathers! I loved every second of it!”

Sweetie Belle looked up at the very large building. “You live here?”

“Yeah I do. Third floor of the apartment building; good view of the park down below from my window, and my adopted family is really cool in their hyper own way.” Gallus answered.

“You mean like me? With Applebloom and the others? I was adopted too. Even with my brother back he want me to stay with them. He said I was really happy there at Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Are you?” I nodded in reply. “Same with me. Gabby might not be my real sister, but to me she's the most hyper-friendly, cheerful and most helpful griffon I know of, and without her I am not sure what I would be doing right now. She's been like a big sister to me even though we're about the same age.” He chuckled a little.

Gallus pulled out a folded-up thing. “What is that you got?”

“Oh this? It's my wallet. I keep my cash, debit card, personal photo and this key card to get into my home in it.” Gallus pulled out a weird looking flat plastic thing with a black strip on one side and the other side saying 'Tiptower Apartments'.

We watched him push it into a slot by the door, and as he covered the pad of numbers on it with his wing we heard a set of beeps. That's when the door unlocked and he removed the key card and put it back in the wallet. “It's a two part security lock?” Night Spark examined the pad and slot.

Gallus shrugged. “I guess it is. We also have a security guard at reception too.” Gallus walked in and we followed. “Hey Riptide, they're all with me. These are my friends and their parents.”

Daring Do gave him a questionable look as we did, but she raised a wing tip out of view of the guard and waved it back and forwards slightly before closing the wing back up. Guess we had to play along... “Very well Gallus, have them write their names down in the book and sign here, they're good to go.”

The light green griffon wearing a dark blue uniformed top with a white button shirt under it held out a weird looking flat pad with a stick in the other talon. “Take the pen and write your name here and sign here.” He pointed the tip of the stick on one part and then the other. “Once you leave, let me know and I will do the rest.”

“Erm...” I took it first and looked at it. “I am not sure how to use this...”

“Press it gently on the screen and write your name, little one. And put your signature under it.” I wrote my name out on it but it was a bit messy, and scribbled under it best I could.

“Is that okay?” I asked nervously.

He took a look and chuckled. “I can see you're not use to writing on a tablet. It's fine, we have many youngsters and adults that do not like to use technology. They try to avoid it much as they can.”

Everyone else took turns to do the same, and each wasn't much better than mine. holding the stick was weird, and writing out my name on it was just as strange. I think they found the same thing going through their minds too as they finished. “Sorry that it's a bit messy, but safe to say we're still getting our heads around these devices.”

“Say no more ma'am. Hope your children have fun with Gallus. I'm sure you and their parents will have things to talk about.” He warmly smiled to us. “Hope you all have a pleasant day.”

I went up to the stairs to start climbing them. “Where you going?” I turned to Gallus, and so did the others. “We do have elevators for a reason.” He pushed a button, and with a ding a pair of metal doors opened up. “It also faster then climbing three flights of stairs.”

“We are pressed for time, so we'll go with this elevator.” Daring Do stepped in and so did all of us.

Gallus pressed the number three button. The doors closed and with a shudder I felt as if we were moving up fast. “Whoa, is this going up?”

“Sure is, Scootaloo. There's two of them that go up and down the side of the gorge too. But those ones are for disabled and elderly users only.” Gallus explained.

“So if I was still my true self and I couldn't fly, I could have used it?” Scootaloo asked.

Gallus chuckled. “Yep you could have.” The whole thing shook slightly and a ding came with the doors opening. “Third floor, this way to our home.” He left the evaluator and we followed him down the corridor.

We soon came to a white door with the number 319 on it. “Before we enter, just to warn you: Gabby is a hugger, and she loves to hug newcomers into our home.” Gallus slipped the card in and as before hid the pad from us with a wing. The door unlocked and he pushed it with his talon. “Welcome to my home. It's not much but it's home.”

“Gallus is that you!?” A female voice called out in the instant we all walked in, as Daring Do closed the door being the last to enter.

“Yeah it's me Gabby! I've brought some friends around and-”

Suddenly peering around an open door near the end of the hallway was a griffon who was a few tones of grey, with a yellow beak and talons, and with some of her feathers tied up by a blue hairband. Gabby squealed seeing us. “I knew Gallus would make some new friends! Can I give you four a welcome hug? Please?”

Gallus put his right talon in front of his beak and whispered to us. “She won't stop till you say yes. And she'd give ya the puppy eye treatment too.”

We saw her talons closed together with a begging expression and wide eyes. “This is sappy but okay...” Scootaloo allowed it.

“Okay! I will have a hug!”

“Ah will too.”

“I would like to.” I answered last. She suddenly scooped Scootaloo up and hugged her, than Sweetie, Applebloom and finally me.

“Oh you're all so-” She looked at me with a tilt of her head. “Hey, you remind me of that pony in the Equis series.” Gabby, still hugging me, took a good look into my eyes. I gulped slightly. “Whoa, you have the same eyes as Zaps Apple in the comic! That expression!” She let go off me and I landed on my rump.

Gallus looked a bit nervous. “Hehe yeah he does, but-”

Gabby put her talon around his beak. “Gallus, you're hiding something, aren't you?” He shook his head, his eyes shifting away from her gaze. “You're my little brother; I can tell when you're not being truthful! That shift is a dead give away!”

Daring Do was taking note of Gabby as she kept Gallus from speaking. “She's good,” she whispered to Night Spark, but I heard her too.

“No point pretending with her.” Night Spark stated.

“Agreed...” Daring Do stepped up to Gabby. “Gallus is helping us, I am-”

She turned to Daring Do squealing. “You're Daring Do, aren't you!? Really are the one and only Daring Do adventurer pony! But as an griffon! That pin on your shirt is a dead giveaway for your cutie mark! I bet a magic mirror or some weird magical item was involved, wasn't it?” She was right in the face of Daring Do.

Gallus rubbed his beak. “I should of known better trying to hide it from her. She's way too good at almost anything she does. I have no idea how she does it and she's been my sister like four years.” He put his right talon out to Gabby.

She giggled. “Oh it's so simple, silly! They have the exact colours as the ponies they should be! No! They have the eyes, it's one thing you cannot change no matter what you look like! Even Night Spark! His eyes are slitted!”

Now we all looked to him as he shuffled his wings slightly, with an uneasy look at each of us as we now could see it. “Question is, what would you do?” He asked now, looking at her seriously.

“Oh that's simple! I'll help get you all home! You might be comic book characters to us, but with the crazy past where belief in magic was soooooo much more widespread than today, anything's possible!” Gabby giggled. “It all changed about 1000 years ago at the old Griffonstone, the ruins close to the centre of our city. That area has been a no-build zone for historical value when the greed of griffons almost put a end to the very city. That's when they choose to rebuild, and that's what happened when the old stuff was left to fall apart over the centuries.” Gabby spun around on the spot.

“Yeah like she said, if it wasn't for the few that choose to abandon the old life for a more different approach, this city, the villages, towns and the way of life we have now wouldn't really exist. Got to admit that we griffons are a prideful race that rose from the ashes.” Gallus rubbed his head slightly and walked over to the window. “Have a look for yourself: this is what 1000 years has done for our kind.”

We all walked up to the large window and looked out to the vast buildings scattered around, griffons flying around on other skyways. “We're not exactly perfect. We have our flaws and crimes happen, but overall the government of our nation works to try and give all that live in our borders an equal chance in life, to learn and improve upon themselves and others.” Gabby gazed at the city landscape with us. “It's our home.”

Daring Do slowly looked at the view we had. “For a city it has charm.” She noticed in the distance what looked like to us like a very old and tall structure. “That's the palace?”

“Yeah that is. It stands to the test of time.” Gallus stated. “What, you've seen it before? You couldn't have, could ya?”

Daring Do sighed. “I sure have... At Griffonstone in our world, it's falling apart, and the griffons there are rude and greedy beyond reason.” Daring Do turned to Gallus. “Somehow your version of the world parted from the way things happened in our world. That must of happened over 1000 years ago where Snowtip hinted.”

Gabby squealed again. “She so amazing! I always go to her once a week to get a comic on anything to do with you, Daring Do! Your adventures are always fun to read and look at! Like the first issue to fifth all about the statue you had to get.” Gabby quickly flew through the hallway and turned sharply, before disappearing and reappearing with a comic book in her talons.

“Equis Special Series, Daring Do adventures. Quest for the Sapphire Stone: Issue one.” Daring Do read out loud, taking hold of the comic herself and looking at the cover. “Wow, they really got the artwork down pat.” She opened up the first page and flipped through some. “My story started after I crashed in the jungle and injured my wing. This goes a step further and shows it, impressive.” She closed it up and gave it back to Gabby.

Gabby giggled, holding it close to her chest. “That it does! Sometimes an artist can go that extra mile that a book can't!” Gabby grinned. “What brought you all here, by the way?”

“This... My latest issue of Zaps here.” He hinted to me and pulled out the comic to show her. “I just got it today for free from Snowtip.”

“Ooooooh, Snowtip doesn't give things for free without a reason! She must have known that the book had some magical reason behind it, since she has all sorts of magical artefacts!” Gabby stated.

Gallus frowned. “Come again?”

“We're losing track of why we're here.” Daring Do cut in. “Snowtip is willing to help us in her own weird way; I haven't seen anything to concern me on what she could be. We have already seen one of her magical artefacts. For now we need to find out why the pass is so important to fulfil our reason of being here.” Daring Do wanted to cut to the chase, putting her talons on each of their shoulders. “Can you two help us?”

Scootaloo smirked slightly. “I bet you're interested in that hourglass that flows up and freezes time for a few minutes.”

Daring Do glanced over at her. “I am. I've never seen an artefact with that kind of magic before. Must be native to this plane of reality.” Daring Do summed up.

“Gallus, why not take them to your room and get your laptop out. It'll be faster searching for anything about the past through the internet. Luckily our aunt is looking out for us at the moment. Mum and dad are on their honeymoon.” Gabby turned to Night Spark. “How are you at the kitchen?”

Night Spark frowned. “We at the royal guard are taught to cook the basics at least. But I took some advance classes. Why?”

“That's good enough for me! Come on with me to the kitchen!” She waved him to follow. “We're going to cook up some grub for eight griffons!”

Night Spark turned to Daring Do. “Having something to eat would help. I'll go and help her. You find out what you can and make sure these four keep out of trouble.”

“Hey! We've been good so far!” Scootaloo glared at him.

“Exactly.” With that he took his leave with Gabby.

Applebloom stared out to the city. “Have ya noticed that we got help not only from Gallus, but also his sister, because of Snowtip?”

“Yeah, wonder if what she says is so trustworthy?” Sweetie Belle wondered. “I mean we were pulled through a book and turned into griffons, and throughout everything Gallus has just been helping us.” Sweetie Belle flexed her wings, opening them out and closing them again. “Why do we have such control over them too?”

“Didn't Snowtip state that the human Rainbow Dash in the Equestria Girls comic learned to fly instantly even though she didn't have wings in the first place?” I recalled what Snowtip talked about at her stand.

Scootaloo rubbed her beak with a thoughtful look. “Yeah she did. Also she gave the comic for free. Are we really in another universe? Or are we in a book, and all the help and why we all can fly are just parts of it?”

“Did we all become friends--and Applebloom became my sister like Applejack and Big Mac our big brother--in just around a day or two?” I recalled those first few days very clearly. “I hardly had any memories of anything scary about Granny with those pans.” I rubbed my feathered head, thinking about it and laughing nervously.

Sweetie Belle tapped the side of her beak. “Come to think of it, didn't we become friends at Diamond Tiara's Cute-Ceañera because we all had something in common?”

“Yeah, that was the day ah tried really really hard after Twist got her cutie mark to get mine, even goin' so far to get Twilight to magically make one appear on my flank.” Applebloom stated with a giggle.

Scootaloo laughed too. “That was when we came up with the name the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“Yeah it sure was Scootaloo!” Applebloom clapped talons with Scootaloo. “Wow so that was a clap or slap?”

“I guess so, guess the plus side is we're all griffons at the moment.” Scootaloo stared at her talon hand.

I looked around. “Where did Gallus and Daring Do go?”

Gallus called out from an open door to our left, a bit away from the large window. “In my room!”

We got up and walked up to the door, noticing it was a similar colour to him, with white clouds painted on it. When we entered, the walls of the room were light blue with clouds all over, the ceiling was like a sky too, and the floor was white carpet that felt very soft to the touch. “Whoa, this room is awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed as she looked around too.

Inside was a bed against the wall, close to the window overlooking the gorge and the park below. There was a wardrobe, table, and desk with a chair that Gallus sat at, with Daring Do looking over his shoulders at the lit-up flat device. His palms were against the desk while his talon tips pressed away on letters and numbers.

“Thanks.” He stopped for a second, turning to us with a foreleg on the top of his chair. We noticed the comic books on shelf racks in a glass display case, showing different pictures of Applejack and the others, each with issue numbers and titles. There was even a collection showing me. It was weird seeing me on so many different book covers as I stared at the case. “I like to display my comics. It's my pride and joy.”

“It's so strange seeing so many with us and others of Ponyville on these covers...”

“Tell me about it.” Gallus said. “When I look at them now I feel like I am spying on you guys.”

Daring Do smirked slightly. “In a way every living being is spying on each other in some way or the other, but only on the key points in life and not the small parts.” Daring Do took one and opened it up. “It says nothing in here about everyday life, like me as a writer. It doesn't show me sitting at a desk typing way my stories for the Daring Do fans.”

“Yer right.” Applebloom quickly looked through a few comics, just the pictures. “This doesn't have anythin' about Zaps' test in the hospital and findin' out he has a similar high level of internal magic like Rainbow Dash has.”

Gallus frowned slightly. “What?”

“Look, all it shows Zaps bein' treated and that's about it. Nothin' about the talkin' that took place.” Applebloom raised it up and I could see what she meant too.

I thought about about it and felt the sadness. “I was sad about what Diamond did...”

“Wow, that really is something.” Scootaloo took a good look through some of them. “Hey, there's nothing in here about Twilight getting zapped by the massive Zap Apple tree and Pinkie taking a photo of it.”

“Seriously!?” Gallus looked through the issue Scootaloo held after she gave it to him. “Oh come on! That would have been seriously funny to see!” He slumped in his chair, grumbling to himself before sitting back up and giving the comic back to Scootaloo. “Well I'll just have to get the juicy details between the pages from you guys.”

“Ah guess, but we would like to get home. Wouldn't ya if yer stuck in Equestria like we're stuck here in Griffonstone?” Applebloom brought up a valid point.

Gallus sighed. “Your right Applebloom, but some small details on the way wouldn't hurt.” He turned back to the device, typing away. “Do you really have to breathe behind my head feathers Daring Do!? It's annoying!” He turned slightly, glancing at her.

Daring took a few steps back and found a bean bag cushion to sit on. “Okay, I'll sit here kid.”

“Thanks. And if you're all wondering, if you get it or not, this is a laptop and I am surfing what's called the Internet, a massive library that always has new things put in it on a daily basis by every living being on the planet.” We looked at each other with confusion as Gallus told us what that weird thing was and what he was doing on it.

Scootaloo stepped up beside him, looking at it. “Laptop? What does that even mean?”

“Do you have computers?” Scootaloo nodded. “Twilight's lab right?” Another nod. “That massive thing can only do simple things. This is a way smaller, more advanced computer that does a lot more and has more power.” Gallus smirked. “Let's just say us griffons are about hundred years ahead of ya on some stuff like our technology.” He tapped the top of the laptop.

“I am not sure if that's just too much egghead stuff or just plain awesome that it's small and looks cool.” Scootaloo took a good look at the screen. “All this from inside the laptop: this screen and that pad of letters and numbers?”

“More inside that I don't get personally, but to us this is just basic stuff now compared it giving you all a massive headache. If I tried to explain, it would be just going over all your heads.” Gallus was right about that for sure. We didn't understand it. “It might take some time to get any real facts about the ruins and the pass, because on the internet you have the cookoos that come up with all sort of rubbish.” Gallus turned back to the laptop.

Scootaloo sat down with me. “So we sit here and read comics of ourselves?”

“Nah, you can watch TV if you like.” He raised a long black thing, and with a push the large flat screen on the wall came to life and started to show moving pictures.

“Seriously!? You can watch movies without being in a cinema!?” Scootaloo looked at the moving pictures and sound coming from it.

I heard a song coming from it. “What's 'Transformers robots in disguise'?”

“Just watch it, I don't want to ruin it.” Gallus chuckled.

Applebloom shrugged. “Guess it wouldn't hurt. It's just like the cinema or the movie projector Twilight has.”

Daring Do raised a brow at the sight of it. “By the names that flashed up, my guess that this is a cartoon.”

“Yeah it is.”

“Your land just gets weirder and weirder...” Daring Do muttered.

Gallus chuckled again. “Oh trust me, if I was in Equestria without my phone or any of this, I'd be pulling my feathers out of pure boredom. Even though I got my comics, I still have my phone to text friends and access the internet.”

I was watching what called a cartoon on this TV with wonder. “I don't understand why not having something like this makes you bored. Isn't there lots of other things to do without this stuff?”

“Think of this in another way...” Gallus stopped typing and turned around to us again, the chair turning with a push of his paw. “Unicorns use their horns to pick things up and use magic on a daily bases. Pegasi fly all the time; even Scootaloo uses her wings a lot to speed around with her scooter to get around. And Earth Ponies use their amazing strength to pull stuff around and do amazing things to the land. Take that all way from them, and what do you think might happen?”

“Oh...” the Crusaders said together.

Daring Do ruffled her wings. “I know that all too well.”

I took a look around, noticing the devices including another one under what he called a TV, with what look like a joyboy without the screen on it. “What if you were able to visit Equestria? Wouldn't you like a trip there for a short time without all this stuff? Get to know our home like we're getting to know yours?”

He raised a talon tip up and no words came out of his mouth as he opened it. He closed his beak, looking at me in deep thought. “Weird enough, I would, come to think of it. A trip or holiday is one thing, but being trapped there for a long time is ano-” He looked to each of us. “Oh griffon feathers... I've been showing off, haven't I?” We all nodded to him. “Right, time to show off the right way and help all of you get home! Snowtip believes I can do it. Do you all think so too?”

We nod again. “Right! Time to get to work!”

Not sure how much time passed, as I was curious about this Equestria Girls series of the Equis comics. I found out through it that Twilight went through a portal mirror and found herself as another race like we did, but unlike her we kept our internal magic and for some reason knew how to fly. I saw Rainbow Dash--the human one of her--gain wings and know how to use them from the get go.

I glanced over at my large black wings, opening them and closing them a few times, feeling the feathers shift over each other and the movement of the wings. It felt as if I always had them. I got up to use the toilet. Finding it and using it was different to the ones in Equestria, but afterwards as I washed my talon hands I looked at myself in a full sized mirror.

This was the first true time I got to see myself fully. This body had black fur-like feathers around my eyes, chest, and ear tips, and feathers on the back of my head and wings. I had yellow talons and slightly lighter yellow fur on the rest of my body, with these lion paws and the tail I had. I squeezed the paw toes inwards and released, feeling the three toes on these paws move by my will.

Leaving the toilet I could smell something through my beak that made my mouth water slightly. I had never smelt anything like it before, but it really got my stomach growling. Following the smell, I peeked my head around the corner to see the kitchen with Gabby and Night Wing making dinner. Night Wing was at the stove I think, but this one looked really black and weird. “Hey Zaps! Did you smell dinner?”

“I did. What is it?” I took another sniff.

“Not sure if I should tell you first.” Gabby rubbed the back her head. “We griffons have a different type of taste to what you have in Equestria. But why not try this and I'll tell you.” She cut something covered in golden brown, but white in the middle. She took it with her talon tips and hand it to me.

I took it like she held it, taking a sniff of it. “Wow, this smells amazing!” I put it in my beak and chewed on it and swallowed with wide eyes. “That even tasted amazing! What was it?”

Night Spark was concerned. “It was fish, something once living.”

“I ate fish like Fluttershy's bear eats? But why does it smell so good and taste so yummy? I remember what it smelt like and didn't like it or the taste.”

“You tried?”

“I was curious, never thought it would hurt to try. But I hated it. It was vile, but why is it good now?” I licked my beak a little.

“It's because your a griffon at the moment. Hay would taste okay but almost bland to a griffon. haven't you noticed at the Trade Fair that some griffons you saw didn't really get anything made of hay?” I recalled that as Night Spark spoke to me and nodded to him. “Same applies to these griffons and us for that matter.”

Gabby giggled at my expression of confusion to get a understanding of it. “When we go home, will this upset my stomach?”

“No silly, it won't. Twilight didn't have any bad affects from all the stuff she ate in Canterlot City. So you'll be fine too.” Gabby put her talon on my shoulder. “Think of it as learning to be one of us.”

I nodded with a smile. “I will, Gabby. Thank you!” I gave her a hug and she returned it.

“Go back to your friends. Dinner will be up soon!” She winked and went back to the table top, cutting up carrots, lettuce and other vegetables.

I turned and head back to Gallus's room, I was left in wonder of what the others would think, eating a piece of cooked fish like I did. It was strange to eat something that a bear ate some of the time, but it didn't feel wrong. It just felt okay and normal. “Guess being a griffon made me feel like a griffon.” I whispered to myself.

As I entered, Gallus cheered in delight with his forelegs raised over his head. “Finally found something! After searching through and finding nothing, then searching the same thing in a different context, I finally got something!”

“What did you find, Gallus?” Daring Do asked right away as we all gathered around his chair and looked at his laptop screen.

Gallus moved a small device around on the table. A click came from it as he pressed his talon tip down on the right side of it. “The only useful thing I really found was in the myths and legends, but it was vague on the details part form translations on markings found in the palace ruins.” He showed a picture to us with writing on the side of it.

What we saw was about ten griffons in what looked like robes, with their talons raised. Markings were showing energy coming from them and being poured into a blue statue. A beam came from it and down into the pass, a tight-looking cliff on either side. “The two-headed beast of the storms and wind sealed deep below with all the power we had left, the idol of Boreas lost forever into the depths where the prison of Oapious the beast of storms and wind now lays.”

Daring Do read the description out loud to us, and with her talon tip close to the screen she continued to read it out. “Griffonstone may survive, but what it is now lost. The seal we used shall not last forever. The third alignment of the moon is when the depths deep below shall set him free... Only the blue statue of two heads shall let the wandering traveller from worlds beyond... Pass...” Daring Do stared at it with an few blinks.

“Is that talking about us?” I asked.

Gallus took a good look himself. “That was over 1000 years ago! How can writing on a wall from all the way back then say you would be coming!? That-”

“Princess Celestia somehow knew mah sister and her friends would free Luna from Nightmare Moon,” Applebloom said to Gallus. “It might be different since it was a small number of years, but it's all still there. The Sonic Rainboom was the key to it all.”

Daring Do put her talon on the bag she'd be carrying since we arrived. “That statue, where is it now?”

Gallus groaned with both talon hands over his head. “In the museum but in pieces. A would-be robber tried to steal a few years back and got caught. Not wanting to give it back whole, she smashed it into the ground, shattering the statue into seven big pieces.” Gallus explained to Daring Do. “If it still had magic in it, it doesn't now...”

“What are the chances that we arrived in the world moments from him being freed?”

“Daring, that's too many coincidences...” Gallus turned to her as she opened the bag, pulling out the sapphire statue. “Is that really-”

“That statue from your first story!?” Scootaloo cut in and screeched like a bird upon seeing it. She put her talons over her beak. “Hehe, sorry, didn't realise I could do that...”

Gallus chuckled. “You can roar like a lion too. We are half lion, half bird after all, and all awesome!”

Daring Do coughed and the attention was on her again. “When is the alignment? And how exactly does this statue work with a pass that has intense wind sheers?”

Gallus quickly turned to the laptop, typing away. “There's one-” He paused, staring at the screen. “This can't be. It says tonight at 11:32 pm.” Gallus sat back in his seat.

“What's the matter?” Sweetie saw the worry on his face.

“I completely forgot there is a festival tonight! And it's right outside in Greenspark Park! It's a huge field that holds all sort of special events, carnivals and so on throughout the year in Griffonstone.” Gallus opened a drawer and pulled out the leaflet to show us.” It's the Lunar Eclipse, and it has to be directly aligned with the pass. The Lunar Eclipse Festival is a really big deal around here: it only happens every three years.”

I took the leaflet and read it out. “Come to Greenspark Park, and join in the festival of the full Lunar Eclipse for the blood moon with friends and family. Rides, games and entertainment throughout the evening. All are welcomed to celebrate in the 500th blood moon of Griffonstone.”

“What's a blood moon?” Sweetie Belle asked and took the leaflet. “Why is the moon so red in the picture?”

“It's when the moon moves behind the shadow of the planet from the sun, and the world's atmosphere reflects light that turns it red when fully eclipsed.” Gallus explained. “But if I know anything, that never happens in Equestria because your princesses control the sun and moon. While here, nothing does. It all works on a principle of gravitation laws.”

What Gallus told us was shocking to hear. We all turned to the window, seeing the sun in the distance. “You're telling me that your sun is controlled by nothing!?”

“In way yes. It's own control is the fiery fusion that gives it immense gravity, which keeps our world in orbit around it, and the gravity made by our planet does the same with the moon.” Gallus said with a shrug to us. “Different universe, different rules. Not all have tones of magic floating around.”

Scootaloo rubbed her head. “I guess so, but it kinda makes my head hurt thinking that it's moving on it own.”

“Not really. We're moving, not it, there's just the illusion of such.”

“Wait what!?” Scootaloo blinked. “You're saying we're moving, but how?”

“I am curious too, since we got time at this moment. Care to explain?” Daring Do was now curious, and so were we.

Gallus got out of his chair and flew over to the wardrobe. He opened the top door, pulling out something with balls stuck to it. “This I had since I was way younger. Things like this in school got my attention, so I wanted to know more.” Gallus pointed to me. “Come up here and hold this, will ya?”

I flapped my wings and came up to him, hovering next to Gallus and taking the end of the string for him. “This still feels weird to know how to fly...”

“I bet, but just go with the flow okay?” I nodded to Gallus. “Right here's the sun, and here are all of the planets, about eight of them in our solar system. I'll tell ya later about those others; this one is our world.” He pointed to one, the third one out. “Now watch.” He pushed it and spun it at the same time. “As you can see, the world spins and moves around the sun, giving us the days and nights we have.”

“Wow, we're really spinning?” Sweetie Belle looked down at the carpet. “But I can't feel it.”

Gallus laughed a little. “Of course you won't. It's moving very very fast but because the world soooo big--” He pulled his forelegs apart from each other. “--We don't feel a thing! Everything looks almost flat, but if you look at how the clouds and sky dip behind you can just notice it a little.”

“I can!” Sweetie Belle stated, looking out the window. “Wow, so we're on a very big round world that spins fast, and it goes around your sun? What about ours?”

“That's easy, Celestia moves the sun and Luna moves the moon. Our world doesn't play by the rules of relativity.” Daring Do responded. “That's what you're going on about, right Gallus?”

He took the model off me and put it away. “Pretty much. I am glad you all got open minds on this.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “We're griffons at the moment, seeing things that we've never seen before, and all these comics of us and some of those in Equestria; it's all crazy but we're here.” Scootaloo held the leaflet now. “But if this Oapious is going to be freed tonight, what can we do to stop him?”

“We? Oh no, this is where you four stay out of this. I am not putting you in harm's way. Night Spark will aid me, but we will figure a way on the fly. There's the question of how to get into the pass though.” Daring Do was not going to let us get involved, and rubbed her underside of her beak.

Gallus pointed to the screen. “My guess is you use the statue over the pass to open a corridor of calm air to the bottom. The blood moon most likely will reflect off it and give some weird magical power that will do just that.”

“How can you be so sure?” Scootaloo frowned at him.

“Simple. Daring Do has done it many times in her adventures. And didn't Twilight use dark magic to open up those doors in the Crystal Empire to get to the Crystal Heart with Spike and save the day with Princess Cadence?” Gallus said to us as he took a comic book and showed us the pictures, flipping through them.

I shivered at the sight of Sombra as seen in the comic book. “He's creepy...”

“Yeah he was.” Gallus closed the book up and put it back.

Gabby called out loudly with excitement. “Dinner's ready! Come on, griffons!”

Gallus closed the lid of his laptop down. “Let's go and have dinner. We'll figure this out after we've eaten. I don't know about you lot but I am starved.”

My stomach growled. “I second that.”

“Me too!” Scootaloo lifted her right foreleg up.

“Ah'm hungry too.”

“Let's go!” We followed Gallus out of the bedroom.

Gallus led us all into a large room with a big long table in the middle with chairs around it. Gabby was placing the last few dishes down, with Night Spark filling up glasses with apple juice. The room was filled with cupboards, and in them were rows and rows of picture plates on display. “Mum loves her plate collection! These she collected over the last 20 years or so I think. But they're still cool right?” Gabby noticed us looking around at the plates.

“They're pretty.” Sweetie Belle replied. “Rarity would love to have something like this.”

I sat at the table looking at the food prepared: it was the breaded fish I tasted with potatoes that looked cut and cooked. With it was a mix of vegetables on the side, and with the plate was a knife and folk on either side. I picked them up with my talon hands. “This looks so yummy!”

“I also got to admit, it does look really tasty and it smells amazing!” Scootaloo took a sniff of her food.

Applebloom sat down and looked at her plate, staring at the fish. Poking it with her fork, she took hold. “What exactly is this? Ah never saw anythin' like it before.”

Sweetie Belle sniffed it herself. “Not sure, but it smells really good though!”

Daring Do joined them at the table as Night Spark, Gabby and Gallus took their seats. “It's cooked fish.” Daring Do revealed it to them.

Applebloom gasped. “Fi-fish!? Ah'm not-” She turned to see me cutting it up and eating it with some of the cut cooked potatoes. “Zaps!”

I swallowed and licked my beak. “What?”

“Yer eatin' somethin' that was alive! That's what!”

“I know, Gabby told me. But like Twilight when she was in the human world reflecting ours in the comic book I saw, Twilight had stuff that shouldn't agree with a pony, and it didn't affect her when she returned home.” I replied.

Applebloom went to take my folk away, but Daring Do put her talon over Applebloom's. “Applebloom, think of this way: you're experiencing what it's like to be a griffon in these lands. Gabby made this for us to experience and keep our strength up. I, being an adventurer, have seen really strange and wondrous things. This adventure put me through many many loops but I am rolling with it.”

“What will Applejack say!?”

“Maybe she'll get a bit upset over it, most likely.” Night Spark admitted. “But what do your senses say when you look at it? The truth.”

Applebloom gulped, looking down at her plate as Daring Do let go. “Ah feel mah stomach growlin' and in pain. The fish looks so tempin' to eat.”

Sweetie Belle decided to cut a piece and throw it right in her mouth without a second thought. Chewing slowly, she closed her eyes tight until she opened them with surprise. She swallowed, still surprised at what she experienced. “Wow, that was really good! But I feel bad that I am eating something that was alive...”

“It's part of being a griffon.” Gabby explained to them. “It's part of our diets. I know you feel bad, but it's just what it is. I look at it and wonder what the fish looked like, but I know I eat it and enjoy it.” Gabby looked at her piece of food. “Pegasi eat fish, don't they?”

Scootaloo gulped with a nervous laugh. “Hehe... Yeah, but only about once every few weeks or so...”

“Yer do?” She nodded. “So do Rainbow and Fluttershy?” Another nod. “Wow, ah never knew...”

“I do as well, and cooked like this. Pegasi need it. We keep it to ourselves as a race, including the thestrals. It was part of our diets far back before the Celestia Era begun.” Daring Do told Applebloom and the rest of us. “We can eat hay, fruit, veg and all that stuff all the ponies can eat, but one thing that's required as a feathered or any winged race is fish. The protein helps our wings and regulates our bodies. We managed to slim it down to a few weeks for a bit of fish.”

Applebloom rubbed her claw under the beak before taking a look at Scootaloo. “That explains why the pegasi aren't often around every two weeks at lunch hour, includin' ya Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo drunk a little of the apple juice and put the glass down. “It is, Applebloom. I might not be able to fly, but it's still part of me. Hope that's okay...”

“Ah guess it is, but why keep somethin' like this from all of the other ponies?”

“It's basic knowledge in books and such Applebloom, we just don't say. Ponies can easily look it up.” Night Spark raised his claw and closed it slightly.

Applebloom cut a piece of fish. Sniffing it again, she raised it to her beak, pulled out her tongue and licked it, and put it in her mouth later, chewing a little before swallowing. “It is tasty, but it feels wrong. But if this is what Scootaloo has to eat every two weeks than ah will experience it for her.” She smiled to Scootaloo, who returned it with a smile of her own.

“Me too!” Sweetie Belle smiled warmly.

“Hmm mmm.” I nod. I still had some food in my beak as I had happily eaten some of my food in the exchange, so I swallowed. “We're Cutie Mark Crusaders, right?”

“Right!” they cheered.

Gabby squawked happily seeing us cheer. “Oh I love everyone getting along together! It makes me happy that we're all friends here now that we all just met!” She took her glass and held it up. “To awesome friends!”

“And to an adventure that no pony or griffon saw coming.” Daring Do rose her glass.

Gallus raised his. “I can toast to that!”

“To friends and adventure!” we all said together, raising our glasses before we went on to eat the dinner Gabby and Night Spark prepared.

Chapter 39: The Blood Moon Eclipse

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 39: The Blood Moon Eclipse

Leaving the Skyway, we descended with many other griffons and odd-looking wagons that had nothing pulling them but made some really strange humming sounds. There was a lot heading to this Lunar Festival. We landed on the ground together with others landing and walking by us, talking to each other with excitement or everyday stuff I think.

“Ah wonder what those wagons are. They don't have anythin' pullin' 'em.” Applebloom watched one land beside another and open up, with big furry hoofed beings I had never ever seen before stepping out. They were easily double the size of an adult griffon; even the smaller ones who I am guessing are their young were big.

“Whoa, what kind of race are those?” Scootaloo pointed at them with surprise.

Gallus waved his right talon hand dismissively. “They're Yaks, part of the USK. Same with Dragons, you find a few of them around as well. As for the wagons you call them, Applebloom, they are called Hover Pods. They use a crystal to power those engines that give it lift. Other than that I haven't got a foggiest idea how those things work.” Gallus told us about those Yaks and the wagon called Hover Pods.

“They're called HPs for short!” Gabby bounced from right hind paw and left talon to the opposites with excitement. “This is going to be so much fun!”

Daring Do looked at her right foreleg at the time displayed on the watch she was given by Gallus. “We got about two hours before we make our move on the ruins. Till then there's nothing really better to do but enjoy this festival, I guess.”

“But we don't have any of those quids you use for money.” I said to Daring Do. “It's like the convention in Canterlot isn't it? They use money too, right?”

Daring Do slapped her face with her right talon. “Urg... I forgot...”

Gallus chuckled, waving a piece of plastic back and forth. “Lucky for you, I do.”

“But Gallus, that's your savings!” Gabby put both of her talon hands on his. “You can't spend that!”

Scootaloo put her own on Gallus's too. “We're not spending your money; it's not right if it's your savings.”

“I agree with Scootaloo, it makes us feel bad...” Sweetie Belle agreed.

Applebloom also declined Gallus's money. “Ah won't take a bit off ya, sugarcube.”

“Bu-”

I walked around, standing by Gabby. “Money is still really new to me; still not sure how to spend it. But I know Applejack wouldn't want us to take advantage of you. Nor would either of our big brothers.”

“Eeyup. Big Mac would agree with that too. Yer helped us so much already, let us repay ya.” Applebloom warmly smiled.

Gallus put it back in his bag. “Okay stop ganging up on me, I get it.” Gallus sighed. “So what do we do then?”

Snowtip had her white talon hand on my head, ruffling my feathers. “That's very simple: we go to the opening event. A very good thing will happen.”

I raised my head, looking up at her. “Snowtip!”

“Hello Zaps.”

“Well for a white griffon that stands out I sure didn't see you coming.” Daring Do was surprised by the sudden appearance of Snowtip. “What brings you here?”

Snowtip opened her right wing and stretched it out to poke the tip of Daring Do's beak. “Same reason as you are here my dear friend. I am very aware of what's going to happen tonight. I've seen the warnings in the ruins of Old Griffonstone.”

Night Spark grinned with a wing out and tapped her on the beak. “I expected you to show up and you did. You may not always directly say things, but I gather you knew of Daring Do's arrival because of the warning and the fact that she carries the statue.” He deduced how Snowtip expected their arrival. “Am I close?” He gave a cheeky smirk.

Snowtip put her wing on his and push it away gently, but held it around his and his around hers. “It been too long since I had someone surprise me, and I'm glad it was you my young friend.” Suddenly she gasped as he pulled her wing into his embrace.

Beaks almost touching he looked into her eyes. “Beautiful sapphire eyes you have there Snowtip. And surprised you again and for a third time.” He kissed her on the cheek and let go.

Snowtip flapped her wings to get some space, but held the side of her face with the white feathers around the underside of her eyes turning slightly pink. “Oh erm... Well... I...” She flustered and ruffles her wings shaking her head. “Oh you! Okay you win this round, Eyes of the Night.”

“Eyes of the night?”

“Because they really a shine with the sunset. Quite lovely I might add.” She winked.

He blinked and shook his head. “Okay, I earn that one. So what's going to happen at the opening event?”

Snowtip turned and headed to the entrance of the festival grounds buzzing with activity. “If you all follow me you will find out. What's the fun in revealing a surprise?” She whipped his beak with her lion tail.

Rubbing his beak had a look from Gallus and Gabby. “What?” He didn't like the stares they were giving while we looked at him questionably at what just happened.

Gabby broke from her startled expression first. “I've never seen Snowtip flirt with anyone!”

“Yeah, she usually gives them a round house kick up the rear and a turntable flip into a tree or rock. Never saw that ever!” Gallus also never saw this side of Snowtip.

“What does flirt mean and why would she hurt someone?” I asked, rubbing my head and trying to understand what they meant.

Daring Do rolled her eyes. “Nothing to concern yourself over, Zaps. It's older teens and adult stuff. You don't have to worry about it yet.” Daring Do nudged me with her wing to move. “We better go before we lose her, and knowing how well she can sneak up on us like that, she's most likely good at disappearing in a crowd.”

We followed Snowtip into the crowd to a massive stage, large speakers, lights and many griffons, dragons and yaks in front of us, with devices held beyond a barrier to us. “Why are they over there and we on this side of the barrier?” I asked.

“That's the press from many forms of media, and from many towns, cities and countries. The President of the Griffon Nation of USK I heard is supposed to be at the opening ceremony.” Gabby put her talons together with glee. “She the best President we ever had, and she's into her second term!”

Gallus hovered slightly and had a griffon in uniform point to him. “No flying, fletchling.”

“Urg...” Gallus rolled his eyes and landed on all fours.

Snowtip put her wing over him. “The rules are there for safety and not to block the view of the elevated stage to those behind us.” She smirked slightly. “But... I believe I can get us in with the reporters.”

I tilted my head. “Can she do that?”

“We're about to see,” Daring Do replied with her forelegs crossed as she watched Snowtip walk up to one of the police officers.

We watched them exchange a few words, and he put his talon hand on something attached to his uniform. “What is that thing he's speaking into?” Scootaloo asked.

“That's a radio. It's how police talk to other police in great distances instantly.” Gabby told us.

Snowtip turned to us with a right wing open and waved for us to come forwards, while the police officer opened the barrier up to us. “How did you do it?” Gallus asked with a brow raised.

Snowtip just gave a sly smirk. “As I said many times before, young one, I have my ways.” She turned and walked through with us following. The officer closed the barrier behind us, and we now stood right at the front beside the reporters.

One reporter glanced our way, seeing the officer let us through. He was a light blue griffon with white feathers around his head and wings. “Snowtip! It's good to see you! My son loves the comics he gets from you and the advice you give him. It really helped him out in a massive way! He's doing amazingly well at school now! I do not know how you do it, but I owe you big time!”

“No need to thank me Graff, I was just doing what I do best: helping when I can, selling amazing comics and getting a very happy smile from those beaks.” Snowtip smiled to him and pulled out a loose feather from her wing and gave it to him. “Give this to your son as an award for doing so well in school.”

Graff held it tight to his chest. “I will Snowtip! Thank you!”

All the lights start to dim, apart from a few which moved to the back of the stage. Stepping out of the curtains was a red griffon with a white face, wearing a white blazer and black button shirt under it, with a blue tie tucked in. He was holding something in his talon and spoke into it.

“Hello everyone! And welcome to the Lunar Eclipse Festival! I am Crusherwake and I will be your host for the evening up here on stage!” A massive cheer from everyone could be heard as I looked around. “Before the music really kicks off here on stage, our favourite President will be landing on stage and giving us some of her time!” He rose his free talon hand up to the air. “Here she comes!”

All of the spotlights shifted to the sky, and we all turned and looked up to see a griffon with six others all wearing black suits and ties with white button shirts coming down. The six around her looked like they meant business, and when I looked at whom they seemed to be protecting I couldn't believe my eyes. “Is that-”

“Holy pony feathers is that-”

“Ah can't believe it! Its-”

“Gilda!? She's the President!?”

Luckily only our friends close by could hear us over the roaring cheers as we all watched her land with her guards stunned, apart from Gallus, Gabby and Snowtip. “Okay... Now I am really confused...” Night Spark muttered. “Can someone care to explain how Gilda is President...”

Gallus rolled his eyes. “Of course.” He rubbed the top of his head. “I forgot that in your land she's just old-time friends with Rainbow Dash from that flight camp.”

“Indeed she knows she'd part of the comics but just brushed it off.” Snowtip said as Gilda took the speaking device from Crusherwake. “Well you're about to hear from the beak of President Gilda.”

Gilda took a good look around with her golden eyes, with a smirk showing her teeth in her beak. She finally broke her silence to the crowd silently waiting with the background of music, chatting and games being played across the other parts of the festival. “Hello dweebs!”

The response we saw was laughter from almost anyone as if they were expecting it. “I can see there is quiet in the crowd out there! It's good to see that we're all here to enjoy the festival. We're here celebrating a special blood moon event with the Lunar Eclipse over ruins of Old Griffonstone that only happens once every 333 years!”

Gilda walked on her hind paws back and forth, with her free talon hand moving around as she spoke to us. “Our city has grown and shaped itself through many many years; even other towns and cities have grown. We, griffons, dragons and yaks all formed the USK to make a better tomorrow for all of us.”

“What is the USK?” Scootaloo whispered to Gallus.

“It stands for United Species Kingdom, made up of three races: us, the yaks, and the dragons.” Gallus whispered back to Scootaloo.

Gilda unbuttoned her blazer and started to remove it while still talking. “You know what, dweebs?” She threw it off into the crowd, one of the griffons catching it. “For the duration of the festival I am just a plain awesome one hundred percent griffon!” She undid her tie and threw it too and moved on to undoing the buttons of her white shirt.

Gilda removed it and threw the shirt to the crowd. Now without any clothing on she looked exactly like the Gilda I met at the Trade Fair. “Just enjoying it like every other being here. On the level and that's how cool I...” Her eyes met Snowtip's. “Am. Now everyone enjoy yourselves! That's from your President!” She took a few flaps and dropped from the stage, landing right in front of us.

“Hello.”

“Hey.”

After they said their hi, there was silence between the two griffons. The press had taken the photos they wanted and quickly left, the guard griffons in suit still close but keeping their distance. “So... How are you doing, sis?”

“Not too bad, just President stuff, running a kingdom with two other leaders. You know.” Gilda shrugged, and with a hefty laugh she hugged the white griffon, and in return Snowtip did so too. They let go and Gilda turned to us. “So Snowy, who are the dweebs you're hanging out with? Not that I mind it, it's just that it's not your style to be seen with so many.”

Snowtip put a arm over Gilda and she did the same. “I have my way of doing things G, from comics to giving helpful advice like I did for you.” She gave Gilda a playful punch on the arm.

Gilda did the same. “Sure did Snowy, got me to the very top of the peeking order. It gave me the chance to make the griffon lands a far better place for all, and even with help of the other two leaders make our shared kingdom a far far better place! You're all awesome Snowy.”

“G. I am happy for us to get a bit of sistery time together, but there is a problem that's about to happen at the Lunar Eclipse itself...” Snowtip look at Gilda with concern. “It's all connected with all of these griffons before you, a set of events that's now out of my claws.”

Gilda frowned slightly. “What's going on Snowy? None of this cryptic crap, I want straight answers, got it?” She poked Snowtip in the chest.

Snowtip put her talon out to us. “I'd like you to meet Zaps Apple, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Daring Do and Night Spark. They're all from Equestria.”

Gilda started to laugh and tears came as she laughed. “Oh that's rich Snowy. You're telling me these dweebs are in fact from the Equestria in the comic book Equis series. The same one that portrayed me as a complete utter jerk to ponies cause Rainbow Dash made some new friends? Seriously, I am not that uncool, and I got a few good friends including Ember and Rutherford.”

Snowtip gave her a dead look of seriousness in her eyes. “Does this look like I'm joking?”

Gilda quickly looked back at us, and then her and back again, with a talon tip pointing at us with her beak slightly open. “This is for real, you're really Zaps?”

I walked up to her and reached out my talon hand out to her. “Yes. I erm... We all met our Gilda, we did I mean, at the Trade Fair we-”

She took my talon hand with hers. It was bigger then mine as she shook it. “I saw kid, I mean in the comic book.” She let go. “You and the Crusaders all somehow got that Gilda to get to be friends in some way with Rainbow Dash, nice work.”

“Thanks. I think.” Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head. “It's been kinda weird being griffons, but kinda of cool though.”

“It totally is Scoots. I can call ya that, right?” Scootaloo nodded. “Sweet. So the big question is how the blazes did ya get from a comic book to here?”

“That would be my comic book, which somehow connected to a... Erm... Well... Another comic book. A magical one...” Gallus stepped up. “It's nice to meet ya Madam Pres-”

Gilda put her talon tip on his beak. “None of that, just plain old Gilda at the moment, the President is taking a back seat for now.” She smirked. “Got it kiddo?”

“Sure.” Gallus replied.

Gilda sat down and looked at each of us. “This is beyond weird.” Gilda turned to Snowtip again. “Snowy, how bad is it going to be at the Eclipse? Truth...”

Snowtip ruffled her own head feathers. “G... The legends of what turned Old Griffonstone into what it is... It's true, and the beast that did it is going to be freed tonight.”

“I had a bad feeling something was up but couldn't put my talon on it. Now I can. You're telling me that the two-headed jackal is coming back. That's real bad Snowy. I can't have the festival happen so close to it...”

“That's why Night Spark and I are going to deal with it when the time comes.” Daring Do stepped up with Night Spark and she pulled out the statue from her bag. “We believe the start of it will create an opening with this statue, to get us down and maybe stop him from escaping.”

Gilda took it and her golden eyes scanned up and down it. “This can't be real, it was shattered...” Gilda slowly moved her talon hand over it, feeling the detail of it. “Is this the sapphire statue from the Equestrian jungle?”

“It is, but how two can be the same in two different worlds is strange as it is.” Daring Do said, taking the statue back. “Also the magic that the carvings showed these beasts using seem to be Equestrian by nature too. That spectre and scythe look exactly like what I saw on the temple walls. They described him attacking village after village champion until six ponies called the pillars banded together and defeated him. My guess is that he entered up here.” Daring Do sighed heavily. “These pillars did something a very long time ago, and now we have to clean up the mess they made.”

Gilda shrugged. “We'll just have to roll with it, and it doesn't start for another few hours so...” Gilda looked at us and lowered herself slightly to our level. “Do you fletchlings want to have some fun at the festival with this awesome griffon here? It's all on me, and don't worry: I got plenty to cover it and more some.”

“I don't know, it's your money...” I still felt very unsure about it from Gallus.

Gilda chuckled, lifting me up and placing me on her shoulder. I was a bit bigger as a griffon, but she did this without effort and looked me into the eyes with brown to golden eyes. “It's no sweat Zaps, I'm cool with it. You all like to have fun, right?”

“We do! There's so much going on here!” Scootaloo flapped her wings with excitement, hovering in the air and spinning around a few times.

“Ah like to too!” Applebloom bounced on the ground.

“You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?” Sweetie Belle directly asked Gilda.

Gilda grinned at Sweetie Belle. “Not at all Sweetie, I'm a griffon of pure awesome and no way is this griffon is backing down.” Gilda puffed her chest out with pride. “You're really going to let us go in circles about this?”

“Eenope.”

“Sweet!”

“No and thank you!”

I nod and then ask. “What about Gabby and Gallus. They really helped us out. Gallus has been helping since we arrived and Gabby gave us something really amazing to eat. They are our friends.” I looked at them from her arm, holding onto her neck slightly.

Gilda shifted me to sit on her back, with my talon hands around her neck. “Are you two up to joining us?”

“Of course!” Gallus smirked.

“Cool! We get to hang out with you Gilda! Maybe we can be friends too!” Gabby flew around us a few times and landed with a happy dance.

Gilda laughed. “Sure thing kid.” Gilda turned to one of the suited griffons, a dark blue one. “Hey Steveo!”

“Yes boss.” He flapped his wings and landed before her.

“You're our fastest flyer. I need you to go back to the office and get the Aerois Shield: not the cheap knockoff in display, the one behind the portrait of the golden era of Old Griffonstone. And tell the police, emergency services and the army to be prepared to get every single living being out of here if Daring Do's mission goes south down in the pass in the next few hours. Till that happens everything is normal, understood?” Gilda looked to him with dead seriousness and spoke really like a leader. She was completely different to the Gilda we know of.

He put his talon hand over his forehead. “Right away Madam President!” With his wings wide open and one big push, he blasted off at amazing speeds, heading off into the night.

“Hey Zoom!” A press griffon came up. He was a light shade of green with white feathers and fur in the underside.

“Yes Gilda?”

“You caught on quick, good.” Gilda smiled. “I need you to get word out to the press, media and news crews. In a few hours two things will be happening. Either the Lunar Eclispe happens and we all have a totally awesome time, or a creature of our past will be coming out of that pass looking for revenge for what the Mage Griffons did to him from Old Griffonstone.”

“Are you telling me those stories of the two headed jackal are for real?”

“Yep, so you on board?” Gilda put her talon hand on his shoulder. “It's going to be the best way to get word out to get every single griffon, yak and dragon to get to safety.”

Zoom smirked. “You got it boss, I am your griffon for the job!” Zoom replied with a wing out to her, and she took it with her own wing and shook. “So nothing much more can be done?”

“Not really. Snowtip believes there's a chance these two can do it.” She sighed and he took off to spread the word to the others. “Daring, Night, I am giving you two a lot of the benefit of the doubt here. If it wasn't for Snowy, my sister that I trust with my life and believe to my very being beyond my pride, I would call you two total nutjobs.” Gilda gave them a stern look.

Daring Do nodded with an understanding look. “Being a leader, you can't always take things at face value, but I am surprised by you doing so because of Snowtip.”

Gilda put her wing over Snowtip. “She's my older sister you featherbrain, she's always been looking out for me. If it wasn't for her, I might have ended up the total dweeb that the comic book shows me as, or should say my counter part is. These four fletchlings helped her big time. For that I am grateful in my own prideful way. So having a bit of fun before it all kicks off is the least I can do.” Gilda looked her deep in the eyes. “And if things do go south and he escapes, I'll be ready to do my part in kicking that two headed mutt's butt.”

Night Spark was impressed. “A leader that steps up to defend her people. Just like Princess Celestia and Luna would.”

“What can I say? I'm a badass of a griffon.” She flapped her wings, getting some air between us and the ground. “Come on, let's go have some fun!” Gilda waved for the others to follow. “The carnival's not going to wait for us to go have an awesome time!”

Everyone else flapped their wings and took off with Gilda, and I was still hanging on, Daring Do and Night Spark following close behind as we left the main stage and the band stepped up after being called out by the presenter.

Gilda took us right to the rides. After landing there, we went on ride after ride, having a great time and lots of fun. She was way different to the Gilda we met: she refused to get special treatment and use her power to skip lines. We waited and talked away, laughing as we got on the rides.

Scootaloo, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and I got to experience the ride called Dodgems. We got into the seats of these machines called bumper cars. We waved to each other as Gilda as Gallus gave us basic tips. First was doing up what they called a seat belt. I found it behind me to the left and pulled it across my chest and stomach, clicking it into a slot the other side.

Being in the seat felt good. It was made in mind for a pony or even a griffon: the wings pressed to the side and my back was against something that got them safe and comfortable. Placing my talon hands on the wheel, I pressed my paws to the pedals. I was glad they explained this to us, and now we were going to experience a ride we controlled inside this floor lower than the platform around it as others watched, including Daring Do, Night Spark, Snowtip and Gilda...

I noticed two more griffons took other bumper cars: it was Gabby and Gallus. “Remember to have fun! Bump each other as much as you like with safety in mind of those around you. Do not group bash other cars! Have fun all! Let the music rip!” a griffon in the box spoke out through the microphone and the music started to play.

I pushed my right paw on the pedal and went backwards instantly. “Ah!” I was startled that the right one was to go backwards. I quickly pushed the left one with my left paw and it went forwards, bumping into Applebloom's car. We laughed and continued to drive around. I never thought this thing being powered by a rod connected to a wire net with electrical energy going through it would be fun to drive around as I bumped into these other cars.

After what seemed to be not even that long it was over; five minutes flew by so fast that we didn't feel it. But we laughed as we got out of the bumper cars and talked about how much fun we all had on them. It was going to be an amazing time with my friends and sister, forgetting about our worries of the upcoming Lunar Eclipse.

We went on some spinning cups to a large ride that spins you and twists around you till you were upside down, and we all gathered together for a massive group photo at a platform with the Old Griffonstone ruins, moon high above it. One photo smiles and another silly, afterwards we each got one to keep, seeing them print out of a machine beside of another of those laptops.

I did notice when we got on a roller-coaster the full moon was starting to fade away, and as we climbed up higher with the clicks and clanks I asked Gilda--whom sat next to me with Applebloom and Gallus behind us-- “What's happening to the moon?”

“It's the start of the Lunar Eclipse, which means after this ride we got about 50 minutes until it happens...” Gilda's golden eyes showed concern and worry, but her face changed with a really cheeky smirk. “But for this second, you better get ready to use those lungs of yours! We're about to go under!”

“Go under?” I turned forwards and saw we stopped climbing. It was like the one we went on back in Canterlot, but this one was way bigger and crazier. My eyes widened seeing how high we were and what awaited. As we went down I held tight to the support bar over me. Thank you talon hands! I screamed out at first with fear but it turned into thrill I enjoyed it!

As the ride ended and the bars opened, I just took off out of it, flapping my wings and flipping around excitingly with barrel rolls to twists and yelling out happily. “I never experienced anything like that since the dream coaster! This felt real! So thrilling! I was scared at first, and then it went whosh and zoom! I love it!”

Gilda had gotten out and leaned against the post, grinning with her forelegs crossed. “It look's like Zaps Apple got the thrill of the griffon pumping through him.”

Snowtip laughed. “Sure does look like it G. Nice choice on the ride, look at them all talk.” And we were. We the crusaders laughed and talked about the thrill of the ride, clapping talon hands and having so much fun. “But now...”

“Now we need to prepare...” Gilda stared the moon. “No way I am going to be lame and let anyone down in this city. I will even die trying to make sure that all races that live here in the city are not harmed.”

Almost 45 minutes passed, and during that time we watched the griffons set up stuff all over the place with tables and more of those weird laptops, even big screens of what was seen on the laptops too. Gilda was leading the operation, with others talking to her as more things were being placed. Daring Do and Night Spark had already left for the pass, but they had something on them that allowed us to hear and see what they saw through the screens without being there.

“Is this weird thing working right?” Daring Do's voice came from the speakers. We listened and watched around Gallus as he typed away on the keyboard.

Gallus was wearing headphones with a piece attached to it to speak in response to what Daring Do said. “It is, we can hear ya Daring. Also see whatever's in front of you. Gabby's got the feed for Night Spark's camera.” Gallus turned to us with a thumbs up.

“Daring Do's all the way over the top of the gorge and we can see and hear what she says?” I asked curiously. I looked at the screen and raised my head to look past it at the tan griffon hovering with Night Spark near the Old Griffonstone ruins.

“Yep, wireless connection from this device to that.” Gallus chuckled, turning to me, but looking over me he blinked a few times. “Whoa! What's with the armour President Gilda?”

We all turned around to see Gilda in golden armour, with a chest plate that came over the back linking to plating over the hind legs and forelegs. She also wore a helmet perfectly fitting, as well as gold talon-like metal gloves over her talons. She was also holding a shield with a griffon facing forwards on it, with swirling patterns and diamond shapes of gold on it.

“Ask Snowtip. She's the one that collects the old magical artefacts of the Griffon Kingdom from back in the days of the past.” Gilda replied, flexing her wings and testing out the metal gloves as she flexed her talons. “But weirdly enough, I don't feel a thing on me.”

Snowtip stood by her. “It's enchanted, and can only be worn by a worthy leader of a pure heart.”

Gilda stared at her. “Seriously sis? Me? I don't know...”

“That armour doesn't lie G.”

“Fine...” Gilda grumbled and turned around to a black griffon wearing a blue uniform and hat who saluted. “Report General.”

The large black griffon lowered his talon hand. “We got together as much of the army of all three nations from the bases around and close by. They are set up and ready to deal with the threat if it gets to the surface from the gorge.”

“Great, but I hear a but in this...”

“Indeed ma'am.” He turned to us. “No disrespect, but why do we have fletchlings operating this close to the gorge?”

Snowtip stepped up to him. “That, General, is all part of foretold foresight on our ancestors from over 1000 years ago. You're here, and so are all the three races' armies from the bases around the city. We all believed in the prophecy in one way or the other.” Snowtip explained to the black griffon, placing her talon hand on the side of his face before removing it.

The black griffon rubbed his side the face she touched. “How it ends is up to us and what happens now?”

“Indeed. The griffons of magic back in the day could only do so much.” Snowtip turned around to us. “These youngsters are more than they seem. Each of them have a part to play.”

“I will get the troops ready, ma'am. Grifspeed!” He saluted and flew off.

Gilda clench her talon hand into a fist and opened it up. “Do I really look like a badass in this armour?”

“Bad ass?” I tilted my head. “What does that mean?”

“beats me, never heard of it.” Scootaloo shrugged.

Snowtip hit Gilda on the back of the head. “G! They're too young to hear stuff like that!”

Gilda rubbed the back of head. “Ow Snowy, that smarts!”

“Good! Now I know you'd like to kick some tail in that but we're almost out of time! The alignment is about to happen!” Snowtip pointed up, and we all looked up seeing the moon almost completely gone. But as soon as it was the moon started to appear again, this time red.

I stared at it. What we saw was nothing we had ever seen before. “Whoa...”

“Ah never seen the moon red before! It's almost as red as an apple!” Applebloom stared in awe.

Sweetie Belle took a look at the screens. “The statue Daring Do got is glowing!” She pointed to the screen.

All of us gathered around at the two screens seeing this happen. The statue was changing in Daring Do's talons, as we watched it change shape into a two-headed dog staff now held in both talon hands of the adventurer.

Suddenly bangs and whistling sounds came from behind us all, making us jump. We all turn to see colours exploding in the sky with cheering and music playing from the festival. “The Lunar Eclipse will last only 9 minutes and 32 seconds. We have little time to watch fireworks.” Snowtip took one of the headphones and placed it over her head. “Daring Do, that staff you got now, point it at the gorge. I think it's your key for getting through the wind sheers.”

Daring Do rolled her eyes. “I was already thinking of that, Snowtip!” She aimed it down from our view on Night Spark's camera.

A beam of energy came out of the two set of eyes, blasting through and down into the depths of the gorge. “We got wind speed dropping across the board!” A griffon to our left spoke up, looking at numbers that looked like they were getting smaller.

“Daring, ready?”

“I am, Night.” They fist bumped each other and we watch them from a third screen descending into the gorge at a rapid pace. They dived in and sped up every second that passed.

“How deep is that gorge!” Scootaloo stared at how far they had already gone.

Gilda shrugged. “Not a clue. With all our technology and gagets to trying to drill down to the bottom it's been next to impossible to find out how deep that thing really is. It's so deep that light doesn't even reach it, but the moon really lit it up though... That's rather concerning,” Gilda said as we could see the reddish tint through the rocks as they sped down.

Soon they came to the bottom, both slowing down with a few powerful flaps, landing on the flat marble ground near a weird white building with four massive pillars around it, each having an orb glowing and firing beams of energy to each other orb to the left and right. The box-like building had a dome for a top and a spire coming out if it with an fifth orb: all of the other orbs' beams were connecting to that one.

“I think we found the prison...” Daring Do turned to each pillar to see a marble griffon wearing robes with both talon hands out and head raised, staring at the orbs intensely. “I think we found the griffon mages too...”

Night touched one of them. “It's warm to the touch...” He moved it away. “I think we found out what really happened to the last griffon magic casters from 1000 years ago. They brought him down here and sealed him with all their remaining magic, and to keep him locked they turned themselves into marble statues...”

“The markings on the pillar look like some sort of rune spell, very powerful too...” Daring Do stated. She looked up and gasped. “The blood moon has light travelling down four sides of the gorge! That's how he's going to break out! The wind blasting the rocks... The rocks breaking apart...” Daring Do shook her head. “He had a backup plan if he failed! Buried in the rocks for all this time!”

Night Spark looked around as the lines of energy came to the floor, moving towards each marble griffon. “They're going for the griffon mages!”

“Not a chance!” Daring Do acted fast, slamming the back end of the staff into the ground. As we watched, the line closest to her stopped but the other three touched the griffon marble statues. They cracked all over and exploded to pieces, but landing on their backs were three griffons, groaning but out cold. “Night help me! I can't hold it down!”

Night quickly rushed over to her and grabbed hold of the staff, putting his weight down on it. “We got to hold it in place! If that red light makes contact with the last griffon, he'll be freed!”

Three of the four orbs fell and smashed into the pillars breaking them apart. Only one was left with its beam of energy attached to the big orb above the structure. It was losing power. I saw what looked like cracks forming, and heard the sound through the screens of something growling and hitting the inside of the structure. “He's trying to break free! With three of those orb things gone! Whatever's holding him is collapsing!”

The light of the moon grew as we all felt a cold chill run through our spines. “Oapious... He's about to break free...” Snowtip whispered.

“Daring Do! Night Spark! Get your lion tails out of there! It's not going to work! He's smashing through from the inside out!” Gilda screamed out into the headphone microphone.

Daring Do and Night Spark pulled the staff out and aimed it towards the structure. Without the beam, the whole thing exploded with a massive blast of wind. A shield from the staff formed, protecting them from the blast. As the dust cleared and the winds died down, lying before them was the last griffon mage, who slowly sat up at looked up at the four yellow glowing eyes looking back down at him.

“H-he's freed... W-We failed... Oapious, the two-headed hound of the wind and storm is free...”

Two voices of laughter came, and into the view of all stood a large muscular creature on two legs, holding a staff with an orb at the end in one hand-paw, and in the other a curved blade at the end of the other staff. Around his waist and hanging over his legs he was wearing shorts with something over them with gold, white and blue on it.

Dark black fur all over his body, he had two tails waving around and two dog-like faces with narrow snorts. He laughed with a smile, showing sharp teeth. The glowing yellow eyes were creepy. He wore gold bands around his neck and arms from the wrist to the upper arm.

Crossing over each staff, he glared at Night Spark and Daring Do. “Freed at long last. Now who would like to feel the wrath of we, Oapious the Jackal of the Wind and Storms!?”

Chapter 40: To The City

View Online

Zaps Apple

Chapter 40: To the City

Daring Do...

Oapious was huge: he stood about nine feet tall with muscles rippling through his arms, legs and chest. This was one seriously big two-headed mutt we had to deal with, and the way both heads snarled at me and Night Spark was not good for us...

The first head of the two-headed jackal sniffed the air. “I smell Equestrian magic!”

The eyes of the second head of Oapious glowed and stared down upon the two griffons before Oapious. “Ponies I see! Equestrians! The magic between worlds changed them, but I can see it!” he growled, his right paw clenched tightly on the bladed staff.

“She holds the staff!” They said together with a growl under their throats. Now both of their eyes were set upon me, with their snouts raised and teeth bared. They felt threatened.

I held the two-headed jackal staff, ready for them to strike like a villain in any of my stories and adventures. Although this might work for us, I noticed the gem pulsing from the bladed staff. The same gem from the griffon kingdom idol. “You're not only after the idol of Boreas, are you? And it's not the idol, but the gem within that you want.”

Oapious' solid yellow eyes and his narrowing brow showed anger, but a grin came from the two heads. “Adventurer you are sharp, you have discovered what we are after.”

“Two worlds, two gems. You sent that beast for the idol from our Griffonstone didn't you?”

“We do not know what you speak of, Equestrian!” That blade was glowing and I figured it out.

I rose the staff up quickly and it released a blast of reddish waves of energy, causing the energy building up on the blade to fade. “I get it now! You need them to be able to cut your way through one reality to another. And with that power you could conquer not only this and our world, but countless worlds!”

The two heads snarled at me. “Equestrian adventurer, once we have the second jewel we will battle!”

I stood ready. “Not on your life, mutt!”

Night Spark span his spear around and stood ready to fight. “We will make sure you never escape!”

“You may have stopped us from transphasing to the griffon lands of Equis, but you will not stop us from taking this fight to the surface!” He charged up the blade again. I aimed the staff at him, but he blocked the two sets of beams with his own magic staff, deflecting it. “Nice try, pegasus. We're taking this to the surface to make sure-”

“Not on your life jackal!” Night Spark flew right under him and used the spear to knock one of his feet up, causing him to fall flat on his back. the scythe's energy release hit the side of the gorge, causing a huge explosive compression wave through the rock layer, I saw it travelling upwards.

I quickly screamed out the warning to those top side. “Watch out! You got a compression wave coming right for you from below ground!”

“Gallus get the laptop! Get airborne!” Gilda yelled through my headpiece.

“Everyone leave everything else! Take to the skies!” Snowtip shouted afterwards.

I could hear the many sounds of griffons shouting and of wings flapping just before the rumbling and explosive sound of rock and dirt and all sorts of stuff flying around and crashing into each other. I only could imagine what just happened at the top of the gorge, the danger Oapious brought was very real, that scythe needed to go!

Oapious pushed both hands on the ground, leaping back onto his feet and growling. The two heads turned to each of us and what he said gave us pause. “YOU IDIOTS! THIS IS HONOURABLE COMBAT! WE ARE TO TRAVEL TO A ZONE OF COMBAT AWAY FROM ANY INNOCENT LIFE!”

Both I and Night Spark looked at each other without words coming from our mouths. We just heard the two heads speak of honourable combat. “Did I just hear that right?” Snowtip broke the what felt forever silence between us. “Honourable combat?”

“You did...” I lowered the staff.

The two-headed mutt picked up his staff and scythe. “Ask him about it.”

I sighed lowering head slightly. “Fine...” I rose my head, looking up at Oapious' two sets of yellow glowing eyes. “Oapious, I have a simple question: are you here to conquer this land?”

“Not quite. We do conquer each land, then the next, until we conquer the whole world. Once this is complete we adjust the world's ruling body slightly, and allow them to continue under our watch until we gain the power to transphase to another reality and conquer that world. The world we leave, we make sure they can continue on without us.”

I blinked a few times as this jackal answered my question. He conquers the world, brings order to it, rules it and moves on? “What sort of evil being are you!?”

“We're neither evil or good, we are grey. We have done this for millions of years. We are as you creatures would say... An old dog can not learn a new trick.” He stood firm and continued to speak before I or Night could speak up.

“We have been defeated and when we are, we do not conquer the world. Instead, we gather the knowledge to leave,or are forced to leave as the one called Starswirl and his comrades of the pillars did to us. We shall not conquer your world, Equis adventurer.”

Night Spark asked the next question. “What about now? Didn't the mages lock you away?”

“Yes, but that was not victory in honourable combat. They just postponed us from acquiring the jewels. Until we are defeated or ejected from this world, we will continue.”

I hovered up to him at the eye level of all four eyes. “So... with what I heard and with the new facts in that: You conquer worlds through honourable combat, and if you are defeated or sent to another world you accept defeat and never try to conquer that world again. But you also only fight those that defend it at zero risk to the innocent lives.”

“Correct.”

I land and rubbed the back of my head. “You are one very weird creature... I never in all my time have I met anything like you or even what you do...”

“It has been a long time since we have talked to those we invaded and conquered. But we also do kill if the beings we fight refuse to surrender.”

I shivered at the thought. “Wow blunt... So to be blunt. We're in a massive gorge about a mile down and above us is a city of millions. So now what?”

Oapious placed the glowing scythe into the ground. “Now we take this battle to another location.” Placing the staff down beside his right foot paw, he raised his hand paws over the scythe. It glowed and a blue orb appeared.

As Oapious touched the scythe and moved his hand paws around, we watched the wind whip around, slicing through the ground in a massive perfect circle. “Is he about to do what I think he's about to do?”

I quickly twisted around, flapping my wings and holding onto the two headed jackal staff, quickly landing. “He is!” I quickly tapped against the side of this earpiece thing. “Gilda, we're coming up, Oapious isn't exactly what we thought he was...”

“We heard and saw everything. If we didn't I would have seriously thought this was some twisted joke...but Snowtip believes he not trying to conquer our world. He needs to win to claim the Boreas Jewels, which means he needs to not only defeat you and Night Spark but one or two of us as well in honourable combat!”

The whole land rumbled and shook as it started to raise up through the gorge, heading to the surface. “So that's his game... Our world's a pass for him to move on and conquer other worlds. Once he's done so and fixed things he moves on, and if he fails he just moves on instantly. Not taking time to build up the power or means to travel over an long length of time... Not only that, the power boost the two jewels will give him will be through the roof.” I whispered, standing close to the wind wall and using it to drown out my voice from his hearing.

“Yep that's Sis's guess too. We need to make sure he doesn't get them, we have to win... I am not letting some lame mutt walk all over this griffon!”

Gilda was very certain and very sure of herself. I looked up as the surface got closer. “Well you got the armour for it. And we'll be surface side in about twenty seconds, so make sure you're trigger-happy general and troops keep their talons off the triggers, okay?”

“Oh don't worry, I got that taken care of already. See you top side!”

Zaps Apple...

“I don't get it! Is Oapious a good guy or bad guy!?” Scootaloo threw her talon hands up in the air in frustration.

Gallus sat on a rock ledge, closing the lid of his laptop as he sighed. “He's one of those more complicated characters like in some comics, neither good or bad. More or less grey. In Oapious' case... Conquering worlds can either be bad or good. One world he could have conquered may have had all sorts of evil beings ruling, and him conquering them would turn the world around for the better. While on the other talon a world at peace could be turned upside down because of him...”

I tilted my head, thinking about what Gallus just said. “We're not stopping him from conquering other worlds but getting hold of the jewels in the idols instead?” I was lost as I asked the question.

Snowtip sighed with her arms crossed as gusts of wind came up from the gorge. They were about to surface by the guess of many glances over to it by her, Gilda, Gallus and Gabby. “From what we recently learnt about how he conquers these worlds, he said he's been doing it for millions of years. He's a rather confusing creature...”

“Ah am really confused, are yer too?” Applebloom looked to each of us we all nodded, muttering to ourselves about it.

“If he's all that powerful how can he not travel to other realities, dimensions or whatever they are?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle scratched the top of her head with a talon finger. “Maybe the barriers between worlds are stronger, and what he gathers to travel to each world is only temporary?”

“Maybe...” Scootaloo crossed her arms, huffing a little.

“Could it be like those artefact things? They do seem powerful.” I suggested. “Our box did have very powerful magical traps on it, and it did do that weird fuse thing that you and everyone else told me about.” I recalled the talk about the shadowless orb and the weird fusion that happened to me and my and Applebloom's brothers.

Applebloom turned to the gorge as we felt a strong gust of wind, we dug into the ground with our talons and claws as our wings almost carried us away. “They're surfacin'!” We all watched with amazement as a circular piece of land now emerged from the gorge, with Daring Do and Night Spark standing on it with four griffons out cold. “Okay, that there is impressive!”

Scootaloo pointed her talon at the two-headed jackal. “Whoa, look at the size of that guy!”

“Oapious' eyes are kind of creepy...” Sweetie Belle gulped at the sight of the four sets of semi-glowing eyes. They all were locked on me...

He walked right over to me, the land still hovering as Daring Do and Night Spark talked to Gilda, I guess for getting treatment for those four griffons in robes. The large muscular two-headed jackal now stood only a few feet from us, both heads' eyes on me still. “We meet for the first time time again, Zaps Apple.”

“Y-you know me?” I was surprised, stuttering in response and stepping back a little.

“How the heck do you know Zaps!?” Scootaloo demanded answers from Oapious.

Oapious' two tails moved around with his gaze now on Scootaloo. “Time will tell Scootaloo, but the road to your answers will be on that landmass from below.” He turned around and walked back to the floating land held by the wind. “It would be best for you Crusaders to join.”

“Ah'm confused... He knows us...”

“He does...” Sweetie Belle was equally confused by the brief talk between us and Oapious.

Snowtip walked up beside us, watching him walk back as we were. “Have you not forgot what I said about the past, fletchlings? We go, same with Gallus and Gabby. Something about that brief talk shows this to be strange. He seems very interested in all of you for some reason and it may have to do with what lays ahead.” Snowtip gazed upon him as he continued to walk. “Upon his steps the wind shall raise, once time flows from one to another and what begins the journey for us brings us full circle...”

“Cryptic talk again Snowtip?” Gallus placed his laptop under his right foreleg, holding it with his talon hand and resting it against part of his chest. “Guess we're going for a ride on a floating platform held by wind...”

“Is it weird to be excited about this? Cause I am!” Gabby flew around a few times, doing a few loop-the-loops. “I mean he wants to fight not only Daring Do and Night Spark, so I bet Gilda will get involved too now!”

“Increasing the chance of beating him in honourable combat? Sure, I can see that.” Gallus walked with us to the floating platform. “With the pride of the griffons on the line, there's no way she will back down from this challenge.”

Gabby landed and walked right next to me. “Still weird that he knows you! It's like a line from one of the time travelling comics I read a few months back, where a griffon knew a griffon before he knew her!”

“You think that he met us, but our future selves?” Scootaloo dared to ask.

“Maybe,” the two siblings replied together.

“Ah don't like that. After what happened to Twilight with her time travel it's not somethin' ah like to be involved in...” Applebloom shuddered at the thought of time travel.

I thought about what they were saying but it was something I never knew was possible. “So this time travel is something we can use go back to before something happens?”

“In a way, but it also can work the other way too: you could see what will happen later before it happens.” Sweetie Belle explained as we all looked at her. “I read it in one of Spike's comic books once,” she sheepishly responded with her reason of knowing this.

Snowtip flapped her wings, jumping onto the floating land mass and turning around to us. “Leap over, it's safe.” We did one by one with her catching us, and as she did her words came with much confusion. “Time can flow both directions. With the right push the flow can change.”

We now were able to hear Gilda speaking to the general. “Get those four griffon mages to a hospital and keep tracking us. Wherever we're going, we might need backup.”

He saluted to her. “We won't let you down, Madam President!”

“Good. Take care of them, okay?”

“We will, ma'am.” He turned and left the floating land on the wind, joining the others in carrying the four griffon mages away.

Oapious stood at the staff and scythe in the ground, hands over the glowing orb. “Where exactly are we going for this honourable match?” Gilda demanded, flying up to his two heads, looking at one head to the other.

Both heads turned to her directly. “An arena that stands the test of time, a place we can go all out and no damage to any creature or land can happen. A place of our defeat over 4000 years ago.”

Snowtip gasped. “We'll all return to where it begun...”

Gilda turned to Snowtip. “Snowy, are we about to go where I think he's suggesting...”

“I think so G...”

“And where would that be?” Scootaloo frowned.

Snowtip looked to the two-headed jackal when she replied. “The Celestial Mountains...”

“Celestial Mountains?” Me, the crusaders, Daring Do and Night Spark said at once with questionable looks from each of us.

Gallus on the other talon, spoke with shock. “B-But that's a no fly zone, period! There's not even anyone stupid enough to climb up that mountain! It's got static fog and lightning storm clouds all year around! It's all the way in the middle of the peaks! No one has ever even seen what the peaks look like!”

Oapious's heads just smirked. “It's simple for us. Just watch.” With a pulse of light from the glowing orb above the scythe, the wind grew and closed in around the landmass we stood on to form a big ball of air. I looked over the edge, seeing the ball of air was under the land too. “The wind sphere will shield us from extreme acceleration and also the lightning storms from the mountains.”

I put my talon hand against it, feeling a strange vibration from it. “It feels like a solid wall, but it's vibrating!” I hovered by it, feeling each part of it with curiosity.

“So we're in a ball of wind. Good for us.” Gilda looked to her talons and to Oapious. “You're vulnerable to attacks, aren't you?”

His gaze turned to Gilda. “Yes we are. But we believe your pride and the chance of honourable combat will not do such a thing.”

“You're right, so let's get going wherever you want us to go, dweep.”

“Very well...”

On the ground...

The general turned to the sky as the platform of land raising up high above them was encased in an orb of wind. “Are they going to fight all the way up there?” he asked himself. Suddenly, the orb shot off at neck-breaking speeds.

“Holy feathers and lion tails!” He gasped and his troops all stared with bewilderment at what just happened. “Radio now!”

“Yes sir!” One of the griffons gave him a radio.

Holding it up to the side of his head and pressing the button down, he spoke into it. “This is General Coalif to Flight Command. I need radio and satellite east of Griffonstone yesterday!”

“General, this is Flight Command. We got a tracking of an undentified object flying towards the Celestial Mountains. Satellite imaging showing a land mass moving at speeds close to 1992mph.”

General Coalif lowered the radio for a second, staring off in the direction the orb left. He raised the radio up to the side of his face and replied, “Are you certain it's heading for Celestial Mountains?”

“Confirmed sir, it's slowing as it approaches the static cloud. We will lose contact with it in the next few minutes.”

“Hmm...” He placed his other talon hand on his waist, standing on his paws while thinking of a way to follow them. “Is the prototype Celestial One ready?”

“Sir, the prototype has only recently been built. Only simulations and test drones have been used in controlled environments. We haven't tested it in the static cloud yet. Also you need approval from Empress Ember and Lord Rutherford first.”

“Yes, the joint program between all three nations since the Celestial Mountains sit across all three borders...” Coalif turned to one of the griffon soldiers, removing his finger off the trigger on the radio for a second. “Get me a phone to contact the other leaders at once: we need their go-ahead to get Celestial One airborne.”

“Yes sir!” The griffon saluted and flew off quickly to the command unit not to far from them.

Pressing the button down, he spoke into the radio once more. “Keep tracking it and the President as much as you can control.”

“We will sir, over and out!”

“Sir, I have the phone.”

Coalif took the phone off the young griffon. “Thank you.” The griffon saluted in reply.

Coalif looked at the screen, pressing his talon fingertip on it to dial the number to Empress Ember. It rang and rang till an answer came. “General, this better be important.” He could also hear fireworks going off.

Coalif turned to the fair. “Are you at the festival?”

“Yes, you really think Gilda was going to have all the fun? So I managed to get our Yak friend Rutherford to join, that being that. Where the heck is your awesome leader? I doubt she'd miss a festival like this!”

Coalif adjusted his uniform, fiddling with the collar slightly. “About that...”

Zaps Apple...

“Whoa we moving so fast!” Scootaloo and us all saw the city of Griffonstone shrink till it disappeared behind the horizon.

Gallus turned to the direction we was going. “And we're heading right for the Static Clouds of Celestial Mountains, the natural barrier between all three nations of Griffinar, Yakertrem and Dragitanira.”

“Zaps, what's bothering you?” Gabby came over to me as I sat on a slab of marble as they called it, looking out at the fast-approaching mountains. She sat with me. “Is it to do with Oapious?”

I was wondering about him. He said something about meeting me, yet I never have. “Yeah...” I looked down at my talon hands, fiddling with my fingers against each other. “I want us to get home. Our and the others' families must be worried about us...” I raise my right talon hand out to the Static Clouds surrounding the massive mountain range. “Now we're going to some place within the clouds of this mountain to watch a fight over some magical jewels...”

Gabby put her wing over me. “I know Zaps. I was all excited, happy and bouncy seeing you and the others for real, but I think I would feel the same as you if it were me on the other paw.”

“I wonder if Big Mac, Armour and the others discovered those changeling things that looked and acted like us.” I was thinking about it throughout the day since we had been here. The night sky above, as I quickly saw, was so much the same. But sitting here now and going to some place that involved three adults fighting Oapious was strange.

“Big Mac I think would catch on quick; he's gotten to be a big brother to you since the day you two first met at that bale of hay.” Gabby giggled and I couldn't help but laugh too, thinking about that first moment looking up at him and falling from the hay bale. “Zaps, things will work out.”

Resting my head against her side, she pulled her wing hug closer to me. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” she whispered to me.

Scootaloo stepped up to us. “You really can do anything, can't ya?”

Gabby shrugged. “Anyone can if they put their minds to it and practice.” Good advice that Gabby gave to Scootaloo and me.

“We're slowin' down and that massive cloud doesn't look all too friendly...” Applebloom was right: we all looked at it, and the massive clouds all around the mountains were now right on top of us. All that lightning bouncing around within and lighting up the clouds was something we've never seen.

Gallus' eyes shifted from right to left and up. “So beautiful yet so deadly... I've seen this on school trips from a distance, but now seeing it so close up... I can see why griffons or dragons must be crazy to fly into that!”

“We're not really going into that, are we?” I asked, turning to the adults. This was one of the craziest things we were going to do!

Gallus darted his eyes to them too, turning around. “Like Zaps said! We're not really going in are we!?” He put both talon hands out to it as we inched closer to it.

Oapious was calm throughout our freakout as the floating land in the bubble of air was about to enter the clouds. “We are. Remain calm, no harm shall come to us within the wind shield. It will keep us safe.” The two heads reassured us about the safety of all of us.

Upon entering it we all stood silently, looking around as flashes of lightning with rumbles of thunder came, with some lightning streaking around and across the air shield. “If we weren't going to this city to fight against you, this journey alone would be impressive and worthwhile,” Daring Do spoke as her eyes followed each bolt of lightning. She sounded impressed, but also a bit disappointed.

“We do not apologize for what we are; this has to be,” Oapious calmly replied. “It will not be much longer till we pass through the static clouds.” He adjusted his hand paws around the sphere before him. We felt the land mass move sidewards a little before straightening out.

Scootaloo turned to me. “Zaps, you think there'e something on the other side of the clouds?”

I nodded. “I think so Scootaloo. But I wonder what it could be.” One thing I did notice was Snowtip and Gilda had silently glanced at each other. This look I saw from Big Mac when he knew something but didn't say. “Snowtip...” I walked up to her.

Snowtip turned to me, lowering her head to my eye level. “You're about to ask me about what's beyond the static clouds, right?”

“Yes Snowtip. Do you know?”

“I believe I do, but can't be very certain due to the fact that we were only at that city for a few short moments, and also the fact me and Gilda was only fletchlings at the time.”

Gilda sat down on a rock with her forelegs crossed. “Not our proudest moment Snowy. We were a good pair of dweeps that argued with each other a bit too much before we accidentally set off that thing in the ruins Dad was studying.”

Snowtip sat on her hunches with her talon hands in front of her on the marble ground. “G, I highly doubt it was accidental. After all these years, don't you think it's a little strange that they knew exactly of our arrival?”

“Well you knew of fictional characters from a comic coming, so it seems they rubbed off ya Snowy.”

“Hmm...” Snowtip put her talon hand into the bag she carried, pulling out a little six-sided blue box that looked like it was made of stone or something. “Only time will tell; when it's time to open. Shining the way upon six young stars...” Snowtip chanted.

Gilda rolled her eyes, crossing one hind leg over the other. “Seriously Snowtip, that old hippogriff had a few screws loose. She helped us get home, but giving you that stupid little thing and saying something that had no meaning isn't going to help now.”

“Six young stars?” I asked.

“It's something the elderly hippogriff told us when we were sent back from the Celestial City to the ruins of Beak Peak Bay when we was about your age, Zaps.” Snowtip explained to me. “We only saw the outside through one of the windows, and I can barely remember what it looks like after all these years.”

I heard the word hippogriff many times now and was curious about it. “We're griffons so... What's a hippogriff?”

“Yeah, I am wondering about that too,” Sweetie Belle added.

Gilda answered this for us, pulling out of her own bag one of those devices Gallus had. She pressed her talon fingers on it a few times and then turned it to us. “That's a hippogriff. This is General Seaspray from Aries Harbour of the Grif Isles southeast, off the mainland of our lands. They fuel most fish trade too.”

“Wow he's half pony, half bird!” Scootaloo took the device, taking a good look at it. We gathered around looking too.

Gallus and Gabby smiled. “Best holiday ever!” she said with excitement. “We travelled to Aries Harbour a few months ago and had a lot of fun at the sea, the resort, and even watching how they fish! They hold these amazing nets and dive in pairs right into the water, surfacing and boom! They caught a dozen fishes just like that!” She clicked her talon finger and thumb tips together.

“I have to admit it was pretty awesome. We even got to try it on a smaller safer scale, but in a pool of fresh water, not salt.” He shivered, ruffling his feathers and opening his wings a little. “I learned the hard way that it's so hard to fly with salt water on your wings, and that salty smell on your fur and feathers...” He pinched his beak with his talon hand.

Gabby giggled. “I think you looked funny! I even got a photo!”

“Don't you dare show them! You promised!”

Gabby waved her talon hand dismissively. “Don't worry, I won't. Bro, you have so little faith in your sister's promise.”

Gallus was relieved. “Thanks Sis...”

“Sorry to interrupt this moment of enjoyable talk; we're in a bit of trouble.” Oapious spoke up, his dual voices sounding concerned.

One head only spoke next. “I cannot see the way. The path which we took before isn't here, the pattern is changing too fast for my eyes to follow...”

Daring Do spoke to that one head we all now gave our attention to. “You invaded the city to fight their strongest. So they must have found the weakness in the cloud and shifted its pattern to confuse any that dare to enter.”

“I didn't take that into account... I mis-counteracted...”

The second head turned to glance back to the way we came from. “The path back also is lost. I can not smell the path we took.”

“How the heck do you smell a path in the sky!?” Night Spark was very suspicious and didn't seem to believe the second head.

“I have a higher sense of smell, bat! So don't give me that look. Your ears are far more sensitive to sound than your eyes to light! My nose works on senses you will never understand,” the second head countered.

Night Spark snarled. “Oh, I am a two headed mutt that lived for millions of years! I can do impossible things!”

“Impossible is being single-minded, bat!”

“Single-minded!? You conquer worlds whether they are peaceful or the darkest pits of Tartarus!”

Gilda landed between them with her talon hands out to each, showing her talon hand palms to them. “Stop your senseless argument, dweeps! And use your heads on the problem we are facing right now!”

“H-” They were about to speak, but were cut short by Gilda.

“I said stop it you idiots!”

“Are we lost in the storm?” Applebloom asked.

“Yes...” the two heads replied and suddenly flinched.

Daring Do noticed it. “Oapious...”

“We're in trouble...” He rose both heads looking up at the wind shield. We all followed his gaze to see lightning hitting it more intensely. But what caught all of our eyes was the cracks forming. “Our wind shield is failing... The storm is starting to counter our magic...”

Gilda rose her right foreleg, looking to the shield she held tight in her talon hand. “Let's see if the legends are true about the Aerois Shield.” Gilda aimed it up above her head, closing her eyes.

The golden shield before our eyes started to glow, with all the markings pulsing and building up at the centre around a blue orb. The lightning blasted through the wind shield, coming down at us fast. But it never hit us. It hit a golden force-shield that appeared instead. “Gilda, tell me you can hold the storm till we figure a way out of it!”

“Maybe five minutes, ten tops, Snowy!” She was trying to keep her right foreleg up with the shield aimed above her head, each lightning strike causing her to bend her foreleg and grunt in pain. “This storm has got quite the punch!”

Daring Do realised from the lightning what it reminded her of. “Thor's Light...”

“What?” Night Spark questioned and we all turned to her apart from Oapious.

The solid yellow eyes were now looking at the lightning strikes shifting the two heads in different directions. “That would explain why our wind shield was breached...”

“It seems you two know something not even I know...” Snowtip didn't like the concerned looks either of them were giving. “And from those looks I say we're in serious trouble...”

“Far worse... There's a temple in Equestria protected by an endless lightning storm. It gets stronger specially around high-tier magic usage...” Daring Do stated. “Which means-”

Gilda quickly turned her head to all of us. “We got far less time than I said! You dweep, why didn't you tell us!?”

“I didn't know it was that till Oapious' shield was shattered!”

“Erm... Scootaloo...”

“Yeah Zaps?” Her head turns to me.

I looked at the ground. “Isn't the wind shield supposed to hold up the land and make us fly through the air?”

Colour drained from Scootaloo's face as she gulped. “Oh no...”

Lightning was now striking hard with multiple hits against the force shield created by Gilda's shield she held up, but she heard us and dread appeared upon her face as we all saw a blast of lightning came from the bottom left. “Take cover!” she squawked loudly.

Snowtip and Night Spark quickly moved in front of all of us, opening their wings up to cover us and lowering their heads as the lightning smashed through the wind shield below and through the ground. It ripped a part of the land and it fell into the clouds below, only for it to end up crashing down onto the force shield, marble and rock smashing to pieces on impact.

Oapious turned his paws to shift the land as it started to tilt. He growled as the land straightened, while we dug our claws into the marble ground to hold firm from falling off. Loose rocks and marble came crashing down again on the floating land. “In 30 seconds we will fall! We can not maintain the hold much longer!”

Gallus looked up, seeing six blinks of light for a second. I noticed it too. “Six stars...” Gallus took the box out of Snowtip's bag, placing it down before us. “I think I got it! We're the six young stars! Quick, touch a finger on each piece!”

“We agree, do it!” Oapious shouted.

“At this time we got nothing to lose. The lightning is intensifying!” Night Spark shouted. Gilda was starting to lose to the lightning, which was creating cracks in her defence.

Me, Gallus, Scootaloo, Gabby, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom stood around the box that Gallus placed down. We all looked to each other, and with a nod we placed a finger on each of the six plates on the top of it.

“What happens now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Ah don't know...” Applebloom stared down at the part she was touching.

We got our answer with each of the plates lighting up at the same time, with the glow getting brighter and brighter, till a blast of energy caused us all to slide back from it. Shielding our faces from the wind, I noticed as the lightning suddenly spread out and turned into sparkling starlight as the wave passed through it. The lightning and rumble of thunder were now gone.

“Whoa, it worked!” Scootaloo cheered, grabbing me by my talon hands with hers and swinging me around a few times before letting me land on my paws. “Isn't that awesome Zaps?!”

I laughed. “It sure was! I saw the lightning just turn to dust!”

“Six young stars, well done.” We all turned to see a floating see-through version of Seaspray. “Whoa, it's Seaspray from Gilda's picture!” Gallus points to him.

He saluted and stood firm, removing his helmet. “That I am, young Gallus. We've been expecting you and the others...” He slowly turned to Gilda. “I'll see you on the other side.” With a wink he faded away.

Gilda rolled her eyes. “Feather brain dweep. But he sure looked hot in that ceremonial armour.”

“G, fletchlings...” Snowtip hints to us crusaders all staring at her.

“Hehe... Erm...” Gilda's face turned slightly red, her eyes darting left and right and not making eye contact with us.

I turned to Scootaloo. “What does Gilda mean by hot in ceremonial armour? Is he very warm wearing it? Is that why Gilda looked hot too?”

Gilda squawked instantly after I said that, putting her shield-holding talon hand over her face, only to get hit by the shield, yelp in pain, and get laughter from the others in response to her actions. “Erm... I can't think of anything to say about that...” Scootaloo rubbed the back of her neck.

“Why?” I tilted my head.

“B-GAH!” Suddenly Scootaloo fell flat on her stomach, and I noticed almost everyone apart from Applebloom was also lying on the ground trying to get up, but couldn't even move. “W-Wh-What on Celestia!?”

“I c-ca-can't move!” Sweetie Belle struggled to say in alarm.

Daring Do tried but she was almost pinned. “It f-feels like we're b-being pulled against the ground by something!”

“What exac-exactly!?” Night Spark shouted as the force of wind blow into us now.

“Ah'm strugglin' but ah can stand...” Applebloom walked up to me with each heavy step going against the force pulling her down.

Oapious growled and snarled, trying to lift himself up. “These are gravimetric forces! They can stand because of the Earth Pony nature of their magic! There are only two factors that can account to this! One is that the wind shield is out of control and we're being pulled by it!”

“What is two?” I asked.

“We're falling upside down...”

Both I and Applebloom gulped and slowly turned our heads to above us. Squinting at the wind blowing against us, we screamed at what we saw. “SWEET CELESTIA!!! WE'RE FALLING TOWARDS THE CITY!!!” Applebloom cried out.

We hugged each other screaming in fear till Gilda shouted out, pulling the shield off her right talon hand with her left. “Stop screaming you dweeps! Get my shield and aim it above your heads! If it works for you as it works for me, it might save all our hinds!”

“O-okay...” I moved as quick as I could against the forces acting on me and Applebloom beside me.

Oapious didn't seem convinced. “I highly doubt a shield's magic will save you all...”

Daring Do glared at him as we walked by, getting closer to Gilda with each talon and paw step. “Because you're immortal!?”

“Correct. It sounds cold to you, but it's the truth...”

“I think they can do it!” Scootaloo countered.

“I do too! Go Apples!” Sweetie Belle cheered us on, watching as we got to Gilda.

“I believe in them...” Night Spark also backed us up.

Gallus grinned. “You got my vote, no way we're going to go splat!”

“Yeah! Go Apples go!” Gabby tried to move her talon hand in an closed fist but failed to move it.

Snowtip smiled warmly at us. “I believe in you young fletchlings. You have the strength and the hearts within.”

Gilda turn her head best she could to us, pushing the shield with all the strength she could muster. “Raise the shield and focus on protecting those you hold true to your heart...”

“Ready Zaps?”

“Ready.” I nod with both of us taking hold of the shield and trying to lift it over our heads, aiming towards the increasingly close city.

I couldn't think of what I saw of the city, but it looked like a circle with three arms of buildings, trees, and stuff sticking out of it on top of the mountain, with parts of the mountain on either sides of the arms of buildings, and streets that became more clearer by the second.

But we closed our eyes and aimed as high we could, hoping in all our hearts for some sort of miracle...

On the Otherside...

“What!?” Rairty, Applejack and Rainbow Dash screamed at once standing in the library of Golden Oaks with their friends, Spike, Big McIntosh, Armour McApple, Celestia and Luna around a comic on a stand.

Applejack picked it up with her front hooves, flipping through the pages. “They're fallin' to a mountaintop city upside down, and it decided to end with their raisin' some magic shield at it!?”

“It's a cliffhanger. Stories, comics and movies do it time and again.” Pinkie Pie said, taking the comic from Applejack and turning the page to the large land mass falling upside down towards Celestial City.

Celestia stared at the page intently. “They're in real danger, and all we can do is watch this unfold in images and texts in this magically-refreshing comic book...”

“And we can not use magic to try and help because Shadowless could have easily done something to it...” Twilight sighed heavily, lowering her head. “We found out changelings were being used for her own purposes thanks to her flawed mistake with the voices.”

Armour glanced over to Big Mac, who glanced back before speaking. “Ah and Armour believe it was all part of the ploy.”

“Also don't forget the poor souls didn't even know they were changelings...” Fluttershy sadly looked down. “Poor things only remembered what Shadowless did to them in pieces.”

Celestia glanced over to her. “Indeed, but at least we can help those six souls have a productive life in Canterlot. They are not at fault and I will do whatever I can in my power to help them.” Celestia solemnly declared, with a hoof to her chest pledging to aid them.

“We focus on this and she could completely escape, without us knowing where she went or when.” Armour put his hoof against the page before moving it away. “We have to have faith in them...”

“Faith!? Our family in danger!” Applejack snapped, poking her hoof against Armour's chest.

“Because that's all we can do.”

Big Mac spoke. “Applejack...”

“All we can do!? We've been doin' nothin' but watchin'! We should find a way in!”

Big Mac spoke again. “Applejack Apple...” His voice showed anger in the second attempt.

“Ah wi-”

“Applejack Butter Apple...” Big Mac spoke sharply.

Applejack flinched and her ears peered back as she now turned to her big brother, looking up into his green eyes. “Bi-Big Mac...”

“Go get some rest.” He pointed upstairs.

“B-”

“Applejack, ya've been awake longer than any of us. We're all worried, but not sleepin' will end up with us makin' mistakes like Apple Bucking Season when ah got hurt. Now go up and get some sleep. We'll come get yer with news.” Big Mac said in a stern but calm and gentle voice to his younger sister.

Rarity yawned. “I believe it is best for us to rest too...”

Rainbow Dash shook her head a little. “I can't sleep knowing Scoots-”

“Do not worry, we have the night shift. Go rest.” Luna stated. She turned to Celestia. “That includes you, sister.”

Celestia looked to Armour, Big Mac, Twilight, Spike, Luna, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. “Very well. I will return to Canterlot and sleep. Luna; please send a letter via Spike imminently when the comic refreshes itself.”

“I will, sister.” Celestia hugged Luna and then teleported away.

Twilight looked to the stairs. “There are a few beds up in my room. I set them up recently, so you will have somewhere to sleep.”

“Thanks Twilight.” Rainbow Dash yawned with a wing over her mouth and trotted off with Rarity and Applejack up the stairs.

Spike twiddled his fingers against his each other. “So... Shall I make us all some hot chocolate?”

Armour tilted his head. “Hot chocolate?”

“You've never had hot chocolate!?” Pinkie gasped.

“Never.”

“Ooooh, come on mister!” She pushed him into the kitchen with Spike following them.

“Do I have a say in this?”

“Nope!”

Luna shook her head with a smile before turning to the comic book. “Big McIntosh, do you believe they will be fine? The truth...”

The red farm pony turned to the window, looking at the sight of the evening view of Ponyville. The towering tree in the distance at Sweet Apple Acres shimmered with a faded magical rainbow aura around its branches. “Big Mac...” Fluttershy whispered, now staring out the window too.

“Fluttershy, Luna and Twilight, ah believe like with any story that we just have to wait and see.” He turned to them with a confidant smile. “But the truth is... They're goin' to be fine.”

“You seem very certain of it.” Twilight said.

Big Mac put his hoof to his chest. “Cause, ah believe it in all mah heart.”

Chapter 41 - Welcome to Celestial City

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Zaps Apple

Chapter 41: Welcome to Celestial City

Zaps Apple...

“Honey, you two can open your eyes, it is safe now,” a female voice spoke directly in front of us, followed by another male voice.

“My dear wife speaks the truth. Open your eyes, young ones.”

We both opened our eyes to see a light and dark grey griffon wearing a crown, with a scarf around his neck with a seal on it, yellow eyes looking down at us and an smile across his beak. The other beside him was a hippogriff; she had a yellow V-shaped crown on light pink feathers and fur, with big purple feathers for a tail and the back of her neck, as well as three blue feathers on her head and two long ones on her tail too. Her purple eyes also showed kindness with her pink talon hand held out to us.

I looked down for a second, realising we were lying on the ground with the shield just beside us. I took her talon hand with mine as Applebloom took the griffon's one with hers. With a slight lift they helped us on our paws and talons.

“Are the others okay?” I quickly asked.

“Yeah, we tried our hardest to use the shield's magic to save us all! Ah don't know if it worked!” Applebloom said with worry. We were both concerned.

“Your friends are being aided by the mage guard as I speak, honey,” The hippogriff pointed behind us. We turned our heads to see griffons and hippogriffs, each wearing silver armour plates on their head, chest and around each leg, aiding the adults and our friends.

Sighing in relief, we both turned back to the two that helped us on our paws and talons. “That's good to know. Ah'm glad we're all safe, even that weird one Oapious.” Applebloom put her talon hand on her chest, breathing again in relief. “Who are yer exactly?”

“About time you asked, Applebloom. And yes, we know who each of you are. For countless generations, the hippogriff and griffon Nebiims been able to see your arrival to Celestial City on this very day.” She laughed a little before placing a talon hand on her chest. “I am Queen Novo, and this handsome griff is my husband King Guto.”

King Guto put a talon hand on my right side, lowering himself to my eye level. “If it weren't for you two siblings working together and slowing your fall, we wouldn't have been able to use the spell we needed to safely land you all on top of Starlest Palace.” His talon hand pushed slightly for me to follow him, and I did with Applebloom to the edge of the wall to see part of the city. “Even if not by blood, you are family in heart, a bond that beats with pride; don't forget that.”

I nodded and jumped up on my hind paws, using my talon hands on the wall to get a better view. Below was more of the circular palace, and beyond it was a massive garden or park that went all around and out of sight. We could see high beam lights turning night into day on the entire green area.

Beyond that were two big paths on the right and left, with buildings on either side and going around again. But these buildings were round too, and so were the homes of many others, with flat and dome roofs on the two lands the big paths connected to. “There's a third main street that leads to more homes, isn't there?” Applebloom asked.

Queen Novo looked upon the land below with pride. “That there is, little one. We hippogriffs and griffons have for many generations lived here in Celestial City.”

“Why hide the city in dangerous storm clouds?” I asked, turning to her.

She sighed. “That, honey, isn't by choice. The spell to create the storm was lost a long time ago. The portal gates are also only able to be used by blood descendents.”

“What happens if erm... one isn't?” Applebloom gulped a little.

“They come for a short time before it sends them back, and the results not pretty, especially for the mind...” Novo turned away, walking back towards the others as they all slowly regained their senses.

“Can't you turn it off? Or stop the storm spell?” I asked two questions that most likely had a bad answer. I had seen this asked many times, and the answer never came out as one hoped.

King Guto put his talon hand through his head feathers just behind his crown. “Easier said than done. They were created by forbidden magic... Blood magic...”

Applebloom gasped. “Wh-what!? Ah heard from Twilight that that's really bad magic, and no pony, ah mean no one should ever use blood magic! It can do really bad stuff!”

I looked up at the star-filled sky, with the moon becoming whole slowly before my eyes. “Like dropping us upside down from very high above the city?”

“Indeed.” Seaspray responded with a quick salute and continued to speak. “The box given to Snowtip almost 3000 years ago by our ancestors should have safely brought you all and the land mass to safety here on top of the palace. But the magic within the storm had other ideas we didn't foresee, even by our Nebiims.”

“Guess it's a good thin' Gilda brought the shield with her, huh?” Applebloom said to Seaspray.

“Correct.” He turned to the king and queen. “Sires, the guests are all safe and well. A bit rattled, but they do not require any medical treatments.”

Novo smiled. “That is good news, General Seaspray.” She glanced towards Gilda and back at him with the smile still there. “Isn't your shift finished by now?”

He followed her line of sight and turned back to her. “That it is, your highness.”

“Enjoy your rest of the evening.”

“That I will.” He bowed slightly and walked off to our friends.

I tilted my head. “Why were you looking at Gilda like that when you said that to him?”

“Honey, it's something you do not need to worry about.” She laughed. “Now come on little ones, let's go talk to the others. We have much to speak about.” We both looked at each other, and with a nod we followed the Queen and King of Celestial City to our friends and the adults.

King Guto picked up the shield off the ground with his right talon hand and gave it back to Gilda. “I do apologise for your rough arrival at the city. The protective magic, ancient as it is, caught us by surprise by what it did to you all. Not only it could have been fatal, but the harm it could of brought to many here in the city would have been serious as well.”

Gilda took the shield from him but paused, looking at him and the crown before backing up a few steps with fear. “K-King Guto!? Impossible! You're supposed to be dead!”

Gallus and Gabby's beaks were open with no words coming out as they also stared in shock. Snowtip brought out her phone and flipped through some pictures. She held it out towards him, looking at it and back at Guto. “Remarkable, the last king of Old Griffonstone City standing before us. If I was to guess, something magical backfired and caused you to be pulled a thousand years out of your time.”

Gilda quickly turned to her sister. “How in the feathers are you so calm about this!?”

“Because we've been through the same situation when we were little, G, but we got to return to our time. Guto's case was not so lucky, or in his case very lucky since he's married to Queen Novo,” Snowtip answered in a calm manner.

“M-Married!?” Gabby gasped and looked between the two. “Oh I should have seen it! Queen Novo of the Ares Bay and the Isles, and King Guto still being king! I get it now!”

Gallus rubbed his head. “This is all too cliché with the whole 'lost in time finding true love' thing...”

“Yeah, tell me about it...” Scootaloo gagged a little. “Talk about sappy.” She giggled nervously. “No offence, Queen Novo.”

Queen Novo shrugged. “Fletchlings speak their mind, I know. I have a daughter that's crazy wild, and my sister's daughter is as well. They're hyper, cheerful and always excited with new things. Also the niece of mine is looking forward to seeing a certain griff once more.” She glanced over to Gallus.

Gallus blinked a few times. “Silverstream is here?”

“Of course, she's been excited by this day of arrival for weeks now. She and our daughter Skystar are waiting in the throne room, come.” She turned with some guards and Guto heading to a door, it being opened by a guard for her.

Daring Do turned to Night Spark. “Don't you think this is just plain weird...”

“So far in the last few weeks it's been that, Daring Do. I just say roll with it,” Night Spark replied.

Oapious stared at the size of the door, and then looked at Guto, who looked up at him. “How exactly do you believe we can enter?”

“Crawl on your hand paws and knees. Sorry, but entrance to the roof of the palace wasn't built in mind of something as big as an immortal two-headed anthropomorphic jackal.” Guto turned and headed through the doorway.

Oapious grumbled, taking hold of his staff and scythe. “Fine, we'll just convert ourselves into our feral form.”

“Feral form?” I asked. He glowed before our eyes, and changed from standing on two legs to standing on all fours, with his staff and scythe resting on his back. He still wore his clothing and bands, but just morphed into something more like a two-headed big dog. “Wow...”

“Oh you look so cute!” Sweetie Belle went to rub both of his heads' chins.

He growled and spoke. “We might be in our feral form, but we're still fully aware, so do not treat us as a common dog.” Sweetie Belle nodded, and he walked by her through the doorway.

“Okay maybe cute, but a meany...” she grumbled.

“Maybe he just need's some friends,” Scootaloo suggested.

“Maybe...” Applebloom said out lout in thought.

“Come on young ones.” Snowtip waved us on to follow her with her wings flapping a few times. “Gilda and Seaspray need some alone time.” She glance over her shoulder with a wink as we were pushed through the doorway.

Gilda quickly turned to Snowtip, red in the face, as well as General Seaspray who covered his face slightly with his wing. “Snowy you dweeb! I-” The doors closed and we didn't get to hear what else she was going to say. Snowtip was laughing though.

One thing I noticed when we were walking was how strangely warm the floor felt to the talon and paws. The greyish white marble made up the floor, walls and ceiling, with glass windows every ten steps we went round and down. Opposite them were doors leading into rooms I guess. I stopped and looked out the window at the shifting clouds with flashes of light in the distance. There was no sound of thunder. I looked up at the ceiling lights, and they had clear crystal diamond shapes reflecting light.

“Hey Zaps!” I turned away from looking at the ceiling lights to Scootaloo. “Kinda weird palace, isn't it?”

I nodded, walking alongside her behind some of the others, till the floor leveled out and we began crossing some sort of bridge. “It is...” I turned my eyes to see massive marble beams and pillars, which all seemed to be holding up what we were just on. But what caught my eyes was the large arena below, similar to the pictures we were shown of the Crystal Empire arena. “Scootaloo, look at that!”

“Whoa! They have a game field directly under the part of the palace?” Scootaloo looked up. “Look at that, Zaps! There's more of that crystal glass stuff.”

I took a good look around, noticing five more bridges attached to the glass roof, connecting the middle part of it held up by pillars and beams to the outer parts of this palace. The crystal glass must have made it warm inside. “It's amazing! Even the stars look so amazing through that crystal glass! I wish Luna could see it!”

Gallus stepped up to us, aiming his phone up and pressing the side of it with a snap sound. “I'll get that printed for ya, so she can see it.”

“Thanks!” I beamed.

“No problem! Let's catch up with the others.” Gallus flapped his wings, hovering a few feet.

We saw Gilda and Seaspray coming onto the bridge. “Taking in the sights? It is quite the palace, isn't it?”

“It sure is!” Scootaloo flew up to him, coming up to eye level. “This place can't be seriously 3000 years old, right?”

“It is, young flyer. Anything can last if you maintain it over the years as we have. Haven't you noticed the light features?” We both nodded. “Since we made contact with the mainland from the bay, technology came to us, so we adapted it to our lives. Queen Novo struck a deal with Gilda and the other leaders. We just didn't say anything about the city, for the reasons you have discovered.”

Gilda placed her head against his. “And that I can forgive you for, you dweep.”

“That I am glad for, my sweet chick.” Gilda punched him in the foreleg. “Ow... Message reserved madam president.” He rubbed his foreleg.

“Get us to the throne room, feather brain. Wish this was more of a personal visit, but with our two-headed friend and his honourable combat, we got some serious issues on our talons,” Gilda said, giving him a serious look.

Seaspray opened his wing out. “Follow me to the throne room.” We nodded and followed the hippogriff in armour across the bridge.

We left the bridge and came to a hallway that lead to a set of stairs that split into two and bent around the middle. As we went down it, we passed a few guards that weren't wearing armour, but instead wearing light blue coats with blue and black caps, each one holding a weird stick in one talon hand across their arm, with static looks on their faces.

Coming down the two sets of stairs, between them were two massive doors. “Here we are: the throne room.” General Seaspray saluted to the guards, one a griffon and the other a hippogriff. They returned the salute and raised their staffs, which emitted a magical glow which opened the doors.

“Wow, they cast magic through those staffs?” Scootaloo asked, looking to each of them.

“Indeed,” Seaspray replied.

We all walked by them into the throne room, only to have Gallus get tackled by a pinkish hippogriff. “Whoa!” I jumped into the air, hovering a few feet in surprise of the speed of this hippogriff that came.

Gallus came to eye contact with the pink hippogriff. She had blue and white tailfeathers and a feathery mane, and was wearing a pearl necklace. “Si-Silverstream... can't breathe!” Gallus was getting squeeze-hugged by this Silverstream.

“Oh, sorry Gallus.” She released him from the hug. “I've been waiting for weeks, knowing you would be coming to the city! It was sooooo irritating waiting all this time! I know we can text and video chat, but after that trip at Ares Bay it was driving me nuts!”

Gallus got back on all fours, flapping his wings few times to make sure they was working. “You aren't one for patience, are ya, Silver?” He chuckled and gave her a hug back. “It's good to see you too Silversteam.” She returned the hug.

I landed, looking up at both of them slightly. “You okay Zaps?” Scootaloo asked.

I nod. “I am glad that comic book logic thing works... I might have got knocked over by her...”

Silverstream released herself from the hug, turned to me, and gasped with excitement. “Oh aren't you the cutest little griffon I've ever seen!”

She gave me a big hug and I yelped in surprise. Gallus laughed and Scootaloo didn't seem sure what to do. “Just let her. She's just as hyper as Gabby,” Sweetie Belle said, walking up to us.

“Silverstream, please put the poor fletchling down before he turns from yellow to blue.” Novo told Silverstream.

She giggled and put me down. I stumbled a bit before finding my talons and paws. “Sorry about that, you were just tooo cute!” She took a good look at me. “Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere before?” Silverstream tapped her beak with her talon a few times, staring intently at me before squawking in shock. “Zaps! I heard the orange one call you Zaps! No way you're Zaps Apple! That means...!” She pointed to Scootaloo. “You're Scootaloo! But you're griffons! Not ponies!”

Flying in the air, she put both of her talon hands out and sang out, “OH THIS IS AMAZING!” She flew over to Novo. “Aunty, we have Equestrians! EQUESTRIANS!”

Novo laughed, putting her talon hand on Silverstream's foreleg. “Yes I know, Silverstream. Now why don't you take a few deep breaths and let your aunt talk, okay?”

“Okay!” She landed beside the cream-coloured hippogriff who was giggling. “Can you believe it!? They're really here! They're really not just in comics, Skystar!”

Skystar the cream and blue hippogriff giggled again. “I know! Can't wait to ask them so much about their world! I bet there are soooo many missing parts that are exciting and fun to hear about that aren't in the comics!”

“Do you mind? I'd like to talk.”

“Oh sorry mum! Go ahead!”

“Thank you Princess Skystar.” Novo gave her and Silverstream a hug before walking up to her throne and sitting at it, with Guto beside her on his own throne. Her throne looked like a large seashell, but his throne looked like the fainting coach Rarity had. “Now to get to the bottom of all this and let the pearl out of the oyster.”

Daring Do sat down with her forelegs crossed, holding onto the staff firmly in her right talon hand. “I am going to take a guess and say that arena we saw while crossing the bridge is where we will fight?”

“Indeed. The magic shielding will make sure that damage will only happen in the arena itself during the fight between Daring Do, Night Spark and Gilda against Oapious the conqueror,” Guto explained as Oapious shifted back to his normal form. “It will commence tomorrow at one after noon.”

“Why then and not now?” Night Spark asked.

“Because of your little scuffle with almost being squashed to death by the land you came here on, and the fact it's well past midnight. Would you rather fight while half awake? I gather Oapious can, but can you?” King Guto took a good hard look at each of the three griffons.

Oapious stepped up, placing his scythe and staff down against the wall. “We shall keep our weapons here and wait till one after noon. Honourable combat for the Jewels of Boreas shall be commenced at said time. We shall request a place of rest until then.”

Queen Novo nodded and put a talon hand out to a mage guard. “Please escort Oapious to his room.”

The female guard griffon saluted. “Yes, your highness!” She put her talon out for him to follow. “Please follow me.” Oapious walked behind the griffon guard, leaving the throne room.

Daring Do walked to each of the stained-glass windows, which were showing a hippogriff and griffon on some, but only hippogriffs and only griffons on others. “These are all of the previous rulers?” Daring Do asked, turning towards the two rulers of the city.

“Indeed. Each are the king and queen of Celestial City, proud rulers of this fine city,” Guto replied with a talon hand out towards some of them. “One of these should have been me...” Guto looked upon one of the stained-glass windows. “This is my son. He left the old kingdom below and found his way here, a journey that should have been mine...”

“We all took journeys we had to take, honey. It's all part of our lives. If it wasn't for that surge of magic back in the day, you wouldn't be my loving husband ruling here by my side, and loving father to Skystar.” Novo put her talon hand on his shoulder. He glanced over to her slightly, with a smile and a nod in reply.

Skystar flew up with her forelegs out. “Who knows what I would have been like, or if I would even exist, since if you two weren't together you would have never had me and such,” Skystar stated.

I rubbed my head. “Why would that be important?”

“You don't know? It's simple really, it's when-”

“Skystar!” Guto raised his voice.

“Not saying a word daddy!” She did a zip motion.

“I'm confused...”

“That makes all four of us I think.” Scootaloo looked around to Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, who looked equally confused. “Maybe we can ask Rainbow Dash and the others back in Ponyville later.”

“Yeah, ah like that idea!”

“I am in!”

I nod. “I could ask Big Mac or Armour!”

Guto slapped his forehead. “Now look what you've done, Skystar...”

She giggled. “Sorry...”

“It's all part of the journey, King Guto.” We all turn in surprise to find a black, grey and white griffon with pinkish skin on her neck up to her face. He had a yellow beak and a few feathers on his head. He stood on his paws, holding a staff to support himself.

Sweetie Belle raised her talon hand, pointing to him. “Where did you come from?”

He pushed her talon hand down with his own gentle talon and replied. “That, Sweetie Belle, is something for you to think and ponder about with your friends. As for whom I am, which was the next question Scootaloo about to ask, I am Head Nebiim Gruff.”

“You old buzzard!” We moved quickly out the way as Snowtip came up to him and stood only a few feet from him. “You failed to mention that the last King of the old griffon kingdom was alive and well!”

Gruff chuckled before coughing a few times, feathers falling from him onto the floor. “Snowtip the young Nebiim, you know that I have my secrets and you have your own. The comic book we enhanced with our magic for you to give to Gallus was all part of events foreseen. You played the part you were meant to, and you are even now as you stand here in the throne room. You are a good griffon with a strong will, Snowtip. Gilda is lucky to have such a caring and bright sister like you.” He put his talon hand on the side of her face gently, with one eye normal the other looking almost clear.

Snowtip put her talon hand on his and pulled his away. “You played me back at Ares Bay. Those ruins and the ancient transmatter magic platform used to be used nearly 3000 years ago for teleporting from the city to the bay. There was a working transmatter magic platform there all this time. I don't like being played, Gruff...” Snowtip narrowed her eyes on him, with anger showing not only in her voice, but in her facial expression.

Gruff removed his talon hand from her grip. “I did what I had to do so you wouldn't arrive here too early, youngster. Your arrival to study the ruins threw me and the others off. We weren't expecting you there.”

Snowtip pulled out the hourglass she used to freeze time and shoved it into his chest. He took hold of it and looked down at it. “That you can have, to put away in whatever precious vault you have here. It's far to dangerous for it to be in Griffonstone.” She turned to Novo. “I am going to get some air, it's a bit too stale for my liking in here.” She hinted to the old griffon.

Novo nodded. “When you leave, go to your left. There's a balcony you can go to.”

“Thank you.” Snowtip walked by Gruff and whacked him in the face with her tail before leaving the throne room.

Gilda looked to Seaspray. “Sorry Sea, I have to go see if my sister is okay.”

“I understand. I will take you to Snowtip and wait inside till you're done talking, and then escort you two to your rooms.” Seaspray said, kissing her on the forehead.

Gilda kissed him on the beak top and warmly smiled. “Your such a cute dweep, lets get going.” Seaspray glanced to Novo, who nodded before they left.

Novo sighed, turning her attention to Gruff. “I warned you that this would happen. You played with fire and now you've got burned. Take that artefact to the vault. Make sure it's placed somewhere out of reach of anyone.”

“As you wish, Queen Novo...” He bowed slightly and huffed. “I had no choice. You know that as much as I do.” He turned and left the throne room.

“Hate to say it but he is right...” Guto responded.

“I know, I know... It's just frustrating at times...” Novo sat back on her throne seat. “Doesn't mean I enjoy this stuff happening...” Novo turned to Night Spark and Daring Do. “Your rooms will be opposite to the young ones' rooms. Also Silverstream twisted my foreleg, and so I allowed her to stay with them to have some youngsters time before sleep.”

Night Spark turned to Silverstream, who was close to bursting with excitement. “Alright, but I will be checking in within a hour on them to make sure they are resting.”

“That is fair, right Silverstream?”

She nodded happily. “Yes, that's awesome! I'll get to spend time with Gallus, Gabby, and these four amazing griffons; it's gonna be soooo exciting! Can I take them to their rooms for the night? Please? PLEASE?!”

Novo waved her right talon hand a few times. “Sure, go honey, just remember one hour.”

“Yes!”

“What about me!?” Skystar complained.

“You missy are grounded, after that stunt you pulled at Ares Bay. You're lucky I haven't put a more serious punishment. You need to take responsibility for your actions.”

“But-”

Guto walked down the steps to Skystar. “Come on Skystar, let's get you to your room before your mother decides to punish you with more than just a grounding.”

“Okay daddy...” Skystar sighed and turned to us. “Sorry I can't be with you tonight. Maybe after breakfast?”

Novo heard the question and groaned. “Fine. I will allow you to have some time with the Equestrians, and take them on a tour of the Grand Celestial Gardens to have some fun time too.”

“YES!” She hugged Novo. “Thank you mum! And good night!”

Novo hugged her back. “Good night, my little fletchling, sweet dreams.” Skystar let go and left with her dad.

Daring Do glanced over to us. “Night Spark, go with them. I got to ask a few things in private with the Queen.”

“Alright Daring, see you shortly.” She nodded and Night Spark came to us. “Silverstream, if you may.” He put his wing out to allow her to take charge and show us the way.

Silverstream turned and punched the air. “Alright, here we go! Slumber party time!”

We all left the throne room, walking down the hallway in front of the two staircases and the throne room door. I looked around as the hallway curved slightly, with half rounded pillars curving up on the ceiling, the large crystal shard lights hanging between each. “Silverstream, is everything round here?”

“Some hallways aren't but most are. It's the same with most homes, shops and such. Celestial City has always had rounded buildings, especially around the outside.” Silverstream answered my question, then gasped suddenly, quickly picking me up and placing me on her back. “You got to tell me what it's like!”

“Erm... What is what like?” I asked, now sitting on her back.

She giggled. “Silly me! I didn't ask the full question! You know the whole memory loss thing, getting a new name, and getting a bigger family than you ever thought possible!” Silverstream was excited when asking me this and skipped a few steps, with me holding on as she jumped.

I thought back from the day I woke. “I was confused, scared, and knew things that I didn't know how I learned about, from the rainbow apples to knowing I was a pony. It still confuses me...”

I took a pause and continued. “Big Mac has really been an amazing brother! And when I learned I had another brother, they called him my blood relative Armour McApple. I was surprised that he was married to Celestia. And I somehow remembered Luna as Nighty. But the past few months is all I remember, mostly.”

“Were you scared?”

“I was for a long time, but I am overcoming it with my friends and family!”

“That's soooo awesome to hear!” Silverstream spun around in the air a few times and landed. I felt a little dizzy from it, but still held on. “Oh! I bet it's weird knowing about the series of comics with you and the others, right?”

I nodded. “It is. I was surprised when we first arrived, but Gallus helped us a lot!”

Silverstream turned her head to Gallus. “Yep! Gallus has a warm and fuzzy heart!”

Gallus frowned. “I do not; I just wanted to help. I never leave anyone hanging.” He got a look from Scootaloo. “What?”

“That's something Rainbow Dash says,” Scootaloo replied.

Gallus shrugged. “She's one of my faves from the Mane Six in the Equis Series.”

“Mane Six?” Sweetie Belle repeated.

“Yeah, it's what everyone that reads the comic series calls Twilight and her five friends! The Mane Six are the main characters in the series, apart from the Zaps Apple and other side series,” Silverstream explained in excitement. “It's so cool to know they're real! I am sooo hyped to see them one day!”

Applebloom giggled. “Ah'll sure get Applejack to sign a comic for ya.”

“Would you!?”

“Eeyup!”

“Oooo, get one from Big Mac too!” Gabby joined in. “Ever since Zaps came into their life he says sooo many more meaningful things that really touch the heart!”

“Yer got it!” Applebloom grinned.

“Yes!” Silverstream and Gabby clapped talon hands together, cheering.

Gallus chuckled. “Better keep your word on that Applebloom. Don't want to disappoint your fans.”

“Ah'm a pony... Erm... Griffon of mah word. Bein' a different race sure gets confusin' at times.” Applebloom stopped and placed a talon hand over her chest, with a slightly confused expression after getting the words twisted.

Night Spark brought up something we didn't even think of. “That's if we're not all sucked back to our own reality at the moment of defeating Oapious in honourable combat and the path between worlds closing off.”

“That can't happen, right?” Scootaloo asked.

“Not sure. I had my share of magical comics that allow you to get right into the action of it. As soon as they finished you returned and poof! The comic disappears,” Night Spark explained to us all.

Gallus stopped and pulled out the comic book, looking at it and back at us. “But you came out of my comic, not appearing out of nowhere. That counts for something, doesn't it?”

Night Spark looked at the comic. “It does.” He turned to Silverstream and Gabby, looking a bit disappointed at this news. “That's why I am uncertain that it will happen. If it is anything like what Princess Luna told me about the magic mirror that leads to the human counterpart world, I think the comic book here and the one back in Equestria are linked like the statue and mirror.”

“I hope so!” Silverstream came up to him with me looking over her right side as she tapped her talon finger against his chest. “Cause I want to meet them at least once!”

“I bet all of you do.” He chuckled and noticed the door to the left. “Now that's an oddly coloured door. It has four colourful feathers painted on it.”

Silverstream turned to the direction he was pointing at. “Oh that's your, Gilda, Daring Do and Snowtip's suite.” She pointed to the other door opposite it, with an set of seven colourful feathers painted on it. “That's ours.”

Sweetie Belle flew up to each door, looking at the feathers painted on them. “That's a really cool way of marking our doors! They're sooo pretty too!”

Night Spark put his talon hand on the door handle, and it glowed for a second with an unlocking sound coming from it. “What the blazes!?” He let go quickly, startled by what happened and shaking his talon hand a little.

“Oooooh, I forgot to mention that they're magically locked, and only those whose feathers match the door can open the rooms,” Silvestream explained.

Night Spark turned to her. “How...”

“I think a feather from each of you was taken when you were out cold, and the griffon and hippogriff mages used them to infuse it into your doors,” Silverstream responded.

“Okay... That's quite impressive.” Night Spark opened his door, walked in and closed it. Silverstream raised her talon hand up, and each of her fingers bent down one second after the other till... “This is a suite!? It's huge! We even got our own bedrooms! I am a guard, not some VIP!” we heard him shout in shock.

Silverstream giggled. “You are a very important griffon!”

“VIG...” Night Spark said, opening the door looking down at her. “A simple room would have been alright missy...”

She shrugged as I leapt onto the ground. “My auntie and uncle set it up a few weeks ago.”

“Few weeks... Okay... I will be knocking in an hour...” With that, Night Spark closed the door again.

I walked up to the door with our colour feathers on it, hesitating to put my talon hand on the handle. “It's not going to hurt, is it?” I asked, staring at the handle.

“Nope, it's perfectly safe,” Silverstream reassured me.

I put my talon hand on it, feeling the magical energy go over it, and then hearing the click. “That felt really weird...”

“What did it feel like?” Scootaloo came up to my left side.

I pulled the handle down. “Water going over the handle, but without the water.” I explained the feeling I felt as I pushed open the door. Upon entering there was some sort of sitting room area like back at home, and connected to it was a kitchen.

I looking around saw two doors ajar, with both looking like they led to bathrooms. The other doors caught my attention, and I slowly walked by each of the seven closed doors. “These doors have our names on them...” I stopped at the room with my name on it. Glancing over I noticed the others were also standing and staring at their doors, apart from Silverstream watching with glee and clapping her talon hands together.

“Go on, open and look!”

And we did. I entered a room with a single bed, a night stand and a table. The one thing that caught my attention was the Big Mac plush sitting on top of the pillow, with a tag on it saying 'For Zaps Apple'. I walked up to the bed, climbing onto it. I sat there, picking up the plushy and hugging it. “Did the others get something too?”

“Yeah they did! They're gifts you all get to keep! Is it to your liking?”

I turned around to the door. “It is, Silverstream. Thank you.” I hugged it tightly. “We're all going to be away from our families... I want to see Big Mac, but we're stuck here till tomorrow's arena fight is over...”

Silverstream entered and sat down on the bed beside me, putting a foreleg around me and pulling me into a hug. “It'll be okay. You have friends: Gallus, Gabby and I. We'll get you home, that's a promise.”

“Thank you...” I felt my eyes getting heavy as I leaned to her, feeling the warmth of the hug.

All the sudden... “What the griffon feathers is this!?”

My eyes snapped open. Both me and Silverstream looked confused before we came out to see Gallus in the sitting room with a comic book open, flipping through page after page... “Erm... Is this supposed to have more pages than it looks?”

“No... Maybe Gruff did something to the book unintentionally,” Silverstream replied, walking up to Gallus. “Gallus, wh-what with the look?”

Gallus turned the pages one way, then another way. “It's impossible...” He turned the pages again.

“What's impossible?” Scootaloo asked.

“This!” Gallus turned the comic around to show us six ponies being confronted by Celestia, Applejack, her friends, Big Mac and Armour McApple. The next picture showed them all turn into...

We said in unison...

“Changelings...”

Chapter 42: A Comical Conclusion Part One

View Online

Zaps Apple

Chapter 42: A Comical Conclusion Part One

Zaps Apple...

I held Night Spark's right talon tightly with both of my talon hands, flapping my wings and pulling him from his and the other adults room to the door to our suite. After a little bit of time looking through the comic book, we needed him to come and see it too! It was nothing that any of us had ever seen, or could even understand. No comic could do this, yet it was!

Night Spark tried to free himself from my grip, but failed. “Zaps, quit with the pulling and tell me why after fifteen minutes you're dragging me from our suite to your suite!?”

“You won't believe me; Gallus said it sounded too crazy and you needed to see it for yourself!” I explained as I kept pulling.

“Fine, I will come. Let go please.” I did, and he rubbed his wrist a little with his left talon hand. “Sweet Luna, that strength of yours is incredible. You were not only able to drag me without much effort, but fly at the same time. Zaps, that Earth Pony strength of yours is impressive.” Night Spark stopped the rubbing and noticed everyone gathered around the table, taking turns to look through the comic book.

I turned and flew over to them, landing by Gallus and sitting down. “It's this comic book. Take a look please!”

Night Spark put his right talon hand out to us. “Give it to me and let me look.” The unarmoured griffon had the comic book handed to him by Gallus.

“Bet it won't make sense to you too.” Gallus crossed his forelegs and blew up at his feathers on top of his head. “We've been through it a dozen times and still can't believe it's possible...”

Night Spark opened up the comic book. “Alright little ones, I will entertain you on this.” He flipped through a set of pages. “I don't see anything wrong, it just-” Suddenly he paused, turning to the first set of pages we saw. “What the blazes!?” He flipped through more, glanced to the side of the comic to see not many pages left, then looked back at the pictures and text on the page he was on. “Is this some sort of magical hippogriff joke?”

Sliverstream put her talon hand up. “I don't know magic, but this comic was enhanced with magic by Gruff. He's a griffon.”

He rubbed the underside of his beak thoughtfully. “I've never seen magic like this. It's giving you almost a live play by play of what's going on back at home, comic book style.” He flipped through some of the pages.

“You've calmed down quickly. What gives?” Gallus asked.

“I am a royal guard, Gallus.” He gazed over to Gallus. “This isn't something too crazy for me to believe. Since being assigned as personal guard to Zaps, I've seen and been in many weird things.” Night Spark rubbed the side of his head. “Like the time Applejack knocked me out of an apple tree with a horseshoe all the way from the barn.”

“Ah remember that, yer was keepin' ya distance to keep an eye on Zaps for Princess Luna,” Applebloom recalled, and I nodded as I remembering that.

“I got to fly on your back! That was fun!” I said with my wings spread out. “I can understand why it's so awesome to fly!”

Scootaloo put her talon hand on my shoulder. “You bet Zaps. Now you and everyone that's not really a pegasus gets to feel like one, even if we're griffons at the moment.”

Gallus, Gabby and Sliverstream looked at each other, and Gabby spoke while turning with the others. “There's nothing in the comic books about that!”

“I've read it too and I've never seen any pictures of that!” Sliverstream complained.

“Another awesome thing missed! First the Twilight rainbow mane shock and now that! Seriously!? Why is the best stuff missed out!” Gallus joined in the complaint, grumbling under his breath and lowering his head.

I shrugged. “I don't know. Could it be the same with what we're seeing in the comic book here?”

“Maybe.” Sweetie Belle said thoughtfully. “It's only showing about three to five pictures per page, apart from some of those graphic ones with shock or something.”

Applebloom rolled her eyes. “That doesn't surprise me. A readin' book has more content then a comic book, which has to shove pictures and text together to make it flashy and dramatic while fitting a few slice of life stories to it.”

Night Spark had been looking through the comic book while we were talking. “I believe that is the case. But it is interesting that we're getting a rough idea what's happening at home though.”

“What did you find out?” Gallus asked as Night Spark handed him over the comic book.

“From what I saw and read so far, they discovered that Shadowless was behind the changelings looking like us. She rushed the mind altering magic on them, so they basically didn't know they were changelings. The side effect from their change into us by her magic left each of them a solid eye colour the same shades as ours.” Night Spark described to us.

Gallus pointed to the page Night spoke of. “It's right here: the one with brown eyes asks why the others look so much like him, apart from the eye colours each had. They asked the same thing, and talked to each other to try to understand what it all meant, none knowing what they truly were.”

Sliverstream quickly pointed to a changeling. “Don't forget her, the one with the same eye colour as Daring Do. She's the one that remembered Shadowless' name, because Ahuizotl was there during the mind wipe phase.” She pointed directly to the part of the comic where the female changeling said it. “See!”

“Each fills in the pieces to show that it was all Shadowless' doing, and Celestia decided to help these poor changelings! That is one amazing princess!” Gabby said, taking the comic and flipping a few pages of it. “They go to the stall where the changeling with Scootaloo's eye colour recalled what Shadowless said. Once they got there, Tris and her cousin told them that Luna bought the comic for a extremely high amount of bits, something like 100 bits.”

“That's a lot, right?” Gallus asked us.

I shrugged and Scootaloo answered. “It sure is! Especially for one comic! She must of known something was strange about it!”

“Yer don't think they can see what we're doin' too, right?” Applebloom raised a question that caught all of our attention: if our comic book could do this, does that mean theirs could too?

Sweetie Belle was next to take the comic book, flipping through more pages. “I think they can. We've only read up to the point where the comic was bought, not beyond.” She stopped and pointed to a page. “They are! Our sisters are freaking out because the floating land was falling.”

“Eeyup, Applejack was sent to bed by Big Mac. Ah guess they did see us,” Applebloom said, noticing the part of the comic where Applejack went up to Twilight's room in the library.

I took the comic, looking at the images myself. “They're all worried about us...” I flipped to the next page to see what looked like a sidewards mirror on both pages. “Huh? Why is there a mirror across two pages?”

“Mirror?” they all said in surprise as Gallus took the comic from me.

He opened up his bag to pull out a magnifying glass. We all looked at him. “What!? I always keep a magnifying glass in my bag. It's been a lifesaver for the small prints.”

Gabby giggled. “He's right. There's been some con-artists out there that used fine print to try and rip our parents off but Gallus had his trusty magnifying glass and WHAM! They got caught in the act and never did it again to any griffon after our parents.”

“Why?” I asked, tilting my head.

Gallus looked at the bottom of the mirror drawing through his magnifying glass as he spoke. “Mum called the police, and they arrived before the con-artists could leave.”

“Yeah, we found out they were major con-artists! Been conning others for years! And because of the small print and the fact that others signed it, they couldn't do anything about it,” Gabby explained, pulling out her phone and showing a photo of two griffons in metal braces being led out by two griffons in blue uniforms.

“Wow, that's awesome!” Scootaloo looked at the two griffons, a purple and orange one being taken away. “Are they still in jail?”

“Sure are.” Gallus glanced at Scootaloo. “Ah! Found it!”

“What does it say?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Erm... Should we not read it? It might be like the one Shadowless read that brought us here,” I said warily, thinking about last time.

Gallus rubbed his head with his free talon hand. “Well I read it in my head, and there's nothing about pulling anything out of the comic to here.”

Night Spark took the glass and read it in his mind too. “He's right... It's a rhyme of some kind.”

Gallus took the glass back. “Since I found it and it's my comic book, I get to read it out, ok?”

“Sure.” Night Spark stepped back. “Go ahead kiddo.”

Gallus smiled. “Thanks.”

“Two Mirrors are one.
One mirror is two.
Two worlds are one.
One world is two.
Realms between the looking glass.”

“Wow that sounds really silly...” Scootaloo muttered.

“Ah don't get it.”

“Me neither.”

I stared at my reflection on the page. “So it just some weird words on a mirror that's on a panel of the comic book?”

“I guess so.” Gallus shrugged, putting away the magnifying glass in his bag.

Sliverstream picked up the comic book, noticing the mirror shimmer. “Gallus, it shimmered.”

“Huh?”

“The mirror, it-” She dropped the book as it started to glow. “Eep!”

“Wh-what happening!?” Gabby quickly jumped behind a sofa, peering over it as we all took cover too.

Night Spark covered us with his wings. “All of you stay clear of it!”

“What do you think we're trying to do!?” Gallus shouted out, with the magic of the book making loud and windy whistling noises. I covered my feathered ears from the sound.

Suddenly the glow continued, but the wind and whistling windy noises stopped. Slowly we turned to the book to see it hovering halfway in the air, with the mirror glowing like one of those disco lights Vinyl used at my birthday party.

Sliverstream touched the tip of her beak with her talon finger. “Huh? It's an floating glowing book now. Is something supposed to happen other than it floating there like that?”

“Ah was wonderin' the same thin'.”

Both me and Applebloom raised our heads in an instant. “Big Mac!?” We both shouted and turned around.

At the same time he did the same thing. “Applebloom!? Zaps!?” Half the room now was the library in Golden Oaks, and standing there face-to-face with us was our big brother. We flew right to him and he ran to us and we collided. He wrapped his forelegs around us in a hug and nuzzled each of us happily while we did the same with our forelegs, talons and wings.

The rest of the ponies, griffons, dragon and hippogriff turned around and stared at one another while we hugged our big brother happily. “Big brother, ah'm so happy to see ya again!”

“We missed you.” I said as well.

Armour McApple grinned with a tilt of his head. “No hug for your other brother?”

Big Mac let us go. “Go on. Give yer brother and sister a hug too.”

We nodded and both went to Applejack and Armour. “Applejack! Armour!” We both cried, hugging them as they hugged us.

Applejack rubbing the back of Applebloom. “Ah'm so happy to see yer and feel yer erm... Win's, feathers and fur...” Applejack chuckled lightly with tears falling from her face. “It feels weird huggin' ya as a griffon.”

“It feels weird to hug yer too...” They both laughed.

Armour released the hug and ruffled my feathered head. “I wonder what mum would say seeing you like this Zaps. It's not a bad look at all. I like your griffon appearance.”

“How is half of Golden Oaks here?” I asked.

“That I haven't got a clue. I've been trapped for over 1000 years and I've never seen anything like this at all.” Armour turned to Twilight. “Any ideas Twilight?”

Twilight trotted by us and past the book looking out to Celestial City. Luna smiled to me and opened a wing out. “Going to give your sister a hug?”

“Yes!” I flew up to her and hugged her as she returned it with a foreleg and wing. “I missed you, Nighty!”

“Same here,” Luna whispered.

Twilight turned around and walked up to the chair, sitting on it beside Gallus. He stared at her with shock, no words forming from his mouth. The shock turned to excitement as he pointed to her with a wing over his face, mouthing to Gabby who was gigging as his level of excitement was growing.

Twilight tapped a hoof on the tip of her snout. “If I were to guess, the two books created some sort of magical pocket dimension, but kept both worlds apart at the same time. When they close, we'll return to our rightful worlds we currently are in.”

Rainbow Dash flew up to their comic book. “So closing it would return Scootaloo and the others back to us?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, they would return to Celestial City in this very room for a matter of fact.”

Applejack sighed. “Darn, so much for the simple fix.” Applejack looked down at Applebloom. “Got say yer look pretty darn cute as a griffon.”

“Ah do, don't ah!” Applebloom giggled.

Gabby gasped. “Oh, I got the perfect idea! Spike, you can cook right?” She was giddy at the idea of getting her favourite dragon in the comic book series to cook with her.

“Of course! And erm... You're Gabby right? Gallus's sister.” He pointed to her.

“Yep! So...” She hints to the kitchen on our half of the dimension.

Spike smiled. “Me and you cook something awesome?”

“Yes!” Gabby cheered, grabbing him and placing him on her back before running off into the kitchen.

Gallus pulled out another comic book from his bag with a grey and black pen. “Erm... I...” Gallus tried to speak to Twilight, took a deep breath and tried again. “Can I have your autograph Twilight Sparkle? Please!” He put both of them in front of her.

Twilight looked down at the comic book, lifting it up with her magic. “Equis Series Issue One. The Elements of Harmony Part One...” She saw herself, Spike and her friends standing at the entrance of the Everfree Forest, with a dark indigo cloud coming out of it that was Nightmare Moon.

Luna heard this and smiled. “Go ahead Twilight Sparkle. I believe it would be an honour. Even I would gladly sign on it too.”

“Don't forget about me!” Rainbow Dash flew right up to Gallus and only inches away she asked, “Who's your favourite?”

Gallus smiled. “You.”

“Yes! The awesomeness of this Pegasus gets number one!” Rainbow Dash span around in excitement. “Who's your second?”

“The rest of them, I couldn't decide after you.” Gallus answered with a closed fist out to her and she bumped it with her hoof. “I can't believe I got to fist bump Rainbow Dash! This is totally the best day ever!”

Sliverstream giggled. “I am so excited and confused! Can you be both!? Cause I seriously am! Cause I am freaking out! I am now in the same room as the Mane Six! Well half in!” Silverstream put both of her talon hands on Rarity's hoof, shaking it happily.

Rarity raised an eye. “Mane Six? Darling, could you be a dear and explain that to us?”

“Oh of course! It's what we call the main characters to the main Equis comic book series! You, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Twilight are the prime focus of that series! You have your moments, but between them there are really big events like Nightmare Moon, the Grand Galloping Gala, King Sombra and the invasion of the changelings at Shining Armor and Cadance's wedding! And my fav of them all, Discord! I love all the comics that focus on him! He's my fav of all time! So is Fluttershy!” Silverstream let go from shaking Rarity's hoof.

Fluttershy put a hoof to her snout. “I am?”

“Mmm hmm!” Sliverstream nods. “I don't care how this magic is working, I am just really glad it is and having the BEST slumber party ever!”

Pinkie Pie gasped. “This a slumber party!?”

“Yes!”

“Wooooo hoo! I'm in a cross-dimensional slumber party!” Pinkie Pie pulled out a party cannon and fired it.

Gallus raised an talon finger at her, blinking a few times. “H-how-”

Twilight gave him the comic back after she, Rainbow and Luna signed it. “Don't question it Gallus. If you've read any comics about us with Pinkie Pie you know not to.” Gallus silently nodded, taking in the advice.

Big Mac, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Armour, Applejack and I stood outside one of the balconies, looking out to the Celestial City. Luna stepped up behind us. “Room for one more?”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac answered. Luna stood beside me, looking down slightly with a soft smile before looking out to the city. We could see from where we stood the sight of the moon slowly returning to it fullest before our eyes, the darkness creeping away.

Luna put her wing over me. “I see you and the others have been on quite the adventure today. But tell us what you've been up to between the pages.” Just like us with them, they've only seen parts of what happened.

I tapped my beak a few times. “Erm... Did you see anything about us at the dinner table at Gallus and Gabby's home?”

“We didn't sugarcube. This is the first time we're hearin' or seein' it, right Big Mac?”

“Eeyup. Ah'm certain that a get together isn't really a settin' in comics.” Big Mac replied to Applejack.

Applebloom rubbed her foreleg with her other talon hand. “We sorta ate fish...”

Applejack's face turned slightly green and she put her hoof to her snout quickly. “Yer did what!?” She managed to not throw up and raised her voice.

Armour McApple put his hoof on Applejack's side. “They're griffons at the moment. I've been doing some catch up with Sunny, and one thing that pegasi and griffons need is a form of protien found in fish for their wings.”

Big Mac put his hoof on her other side. She glanced right to left between the two big stallions at mostly equal height to herself. “The pegasi at home once every two weeks have cooked fish. Yer and ah might not like it, but it is as it is. They're griffons, so their type of taste has most likely changed.”

“Are you going to stop being friends with Fluttershy, Twilight and Rainbow Dash because of it?”

“Are ya gonna to stop Applebloom seein' her friend Scootaloo because she eats cooked fish?”

Applejack groaned and hung her head down, pushing her hat down over her face. “Okay ah get it, ah didn't think before ah spoke. Yer two sure know how to gang up on yer sister, don't ya?”

“Yes/Eeyup.” They clapped hooves, laughing slightly.

Applejack chuckled, putting her own hoof on top of theirs. “Boys will be boys, but yer made a good point that ah can not counter, so good on ya bros.”

“Yer not mad at us?”

“Ah don't like it, but the boys made a good point that ah gotta accept. So ah'm not, Applebloom.” Applejack ruffled the feathers on her head with her hoof.

Scootaloo put her talon hands behind the back of her head. “It's cool that your good with it Applejack! I hate trying to hide that from my friends.”

“Yer welcome Scootaloo. But ah would like to know how y'all got out unharmed from that fall.”

Scootaloo looked over to me and Applebloom. “Somehow Applebloom and Zaps got the shield's magic working, and it slowed us down enough for the mages to use their magic to catch us and turn the land the right way up.”

“And land it on top of the palace!” Applebloom finished, flaring her wings out. “This whole palace from what we've seen of it is really amazin'!”

I nodded. “It's like nothing we've ever seen before! It's all made out of some sort of smooth warm marble! I think it's also got magic through it all! The ground feels cool, but also warm to the touch! Not like the concrete back in Griffonstone city in the shade.” I held the plushie close to me. After all this I wanted to take it with me when I go home.

Luna took a good look around. “I can tell. The city looks like nothing I've ever seen before, and the moon... I don't feel any magic from it at all... It's as if it's impossible to grip with my magic...”

“Oh, that because this world's moon moves around the world, and the world moves around the sun while it spins! We all saw the models in Gallus's room!” Scootaloo flew a few feet in front of us and pointed to the moon. “Just a few hours ago the moon moved behind the world and blocked the sun! It turned red because of it!”

Luna blinked and stared as all the other adults. “The moon moves on its own, and the world moves around the sun... This is an odd world...”

“Well not really. Ah believe the world Twilight went to with the human counterparts of us all plays by the same rules as this one,” Applebloom replied.

Luna gasped. “How do you know about the world beyond the mirror!?”

I pulled out the comic I was given by Snowtip. “I got a comic book showing her in that world.”

Applejack took it from my talon hand and flipped through the pages with her hooves, staring at each image. “Equestria Girls, huh? Got a nice ring to it ah say, and the other me looks well... Shoot, ah don't know what to think of it, even Big Mac looks so... Different.”

“Indeed, ah look so young... And granny looks... What in tarnation!?”

“Yer took the worlds out of mah mouth...” Applejack gave it back to me. “Ah think we've seen enough...”

“Eeyup...”

I shrugged and put it back in my bag. “I think the comic is cool.”

“I think all of them are cool from what I've read! Wish I had more time to look at all of them in Gallus's room! He's got soooo many issues! Even the series with Zaps in it are epic! I find it weird looking at myself in it, but they got almost all the good parts,” Scootaloo said with excitement.

“What parts are they missing?” Armour asked.

“Twilight and the mistake she made at the large zap apple tree.” I laughed, and so did the others.

“Oh that's funny, ah think Pinkie got a photo of that.” Applejack turned to Pinkie Pie. “Hey Pinkie! Show the blue griffon Gallus that photo of Twilight!”

Pinkie Pie tilted her head. “Why?”

“Cause the comic didn't show it.”

Twilight gasped. “No! Don't you dare, Pinkie Pie!”

Pinkie pulled out the photo from her mane. Twilight went for it, but Pinkie slipped by and hopped over to Gallus, giving him the photo. “Too slow Twilight!”

“Urg! Why me?!” Twilight groaned, covering her face with her wings.

Gallus took a good look at the photo. “Holy griffon feathers, that's some awesome mane there! Is it also sparking!? How the heck does that work!?”

Gabby came out of the kitchen and took it. “Wow you're right! I like it!”

Silverstream was next to take it, and Twilight raised her head staring at them. “Oooooh, sparkling rainbow mane! Is that a side effect from using magic on the zap apples?”

Gabby flew back into the kitchen.

“Erm... Yes...” Twilight looked between them. “You don't find it funny?”

Gallus shrugged, taking it again to look. “Not really, it looks more cool than anything. You should see what some of the teen dragons wear to make themselves cool.” Gallus gave the photo back to Pinkie Pie.

Silverstream giggled. “I have to agree; some of them go with this rock puck theme, and boy they look really silly when at the islands!”

Rainbow Dash was lying on the sofa with her forelegs behind the back of her head and hind legs crossed over each other as she chuckled. “I only can imagine.” She stared at the TV in the room. “What exactly is that thing? It looks like one of those things Twilight has in her lab.”

“Oh that? It's a TV, short for television. We use it to watch stuff from cartoons, TV shows, films, news and documentaries.” Gallus replied. “Not sure what you can watch from here though...”

Silverstream giggled. “Anything you can see in Griffonstone City, silly! We got dishes and everything we need to watch stuff!” Silverstream took the remote from the side table and pressed the button turning it on.

Rainbow Dash stared as it showed a griffon talking about the weather, with one talon hand out to a map and another talon holding some sort of item and pressing on it at times. “What's with the chance of rain thing there? Don't you control your own weather?”

Gallus raised an eye. “No, we don't mess with nature. A long time ago as the old Griffonstone stories go, we once did so with magic. It led to a real nasty backlash from mother nature.”

“Yep! The storm around this city is magical and it's a real nasty one! None of us can control it now! The only way we get out of the city is via our magic transport gates!” Silverstream pointed to the storm in the distance outside the window.

“Oh my goodness... Do you have animals that come to the city?” Fluttershy asked with concern.

Silverstream tapped her beak with a hum before replying. “Nope, no animals, just us griffons and hippogriffs. Unless...” She giggled. “If you count the bees, bugs and insects, then that's about it!”

Rarity gave a confused look. “How can there be insects this far up the mountain?”

Silverstream shrugged. “Not a clue, my mum or even my aunt might know. This is like, the tallest mountain, and we live almost at its peak. But there's lots of trees, flowers and grass growing mainly in the park around the palace.”

Gallus crossed his forelegs. “Explain Canterlot's gardens. They shouldn't grow where they are either.”

“Good point.” Rarity replied.

Gallus walked up into the Golden Oak's side, looking out the window. “Wow, I never thought I'd get to see Ponyville! It's so colourful and lively!” Pulling out his phone, he aimed it out the window and pressed the button to get some photos. “Sweet! Now I got some awesome photos to keep!” He turned around, looking at each of the ponies. “Can I get a selfie with all of you?”

Silverstream grinned. “I can do one better!” She took the phone off him. “Gabby! Spike! Get in here for a second! Group photo!”

“Cool!” Gabby quickly came in with Spike.

“Not missing this!” Spike also rushed in, wearing an apron as Gabby was too.

Luna stood behind with Armour McApple and Big Mac; in front of them was Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie. To either side of them was Gallus and Gabby, and in fron of them were us four griffons. Lying down in front of them with a talon hand against the side of his head was Night Spark, and Spike stood beside me.

“Timer set at ten seconds. When it flashes red, smile!” Silverstream placed the phone down on its side aimed right at us, pressing a button the screen. She quickly flew in and stood beside Gallus with a foreleg around him, and he did the same. With everyone giving a big smile as the light flashed red, the camera flashed a few times and took our picture.

Gallus took the photo from the side to get a good look. “Now that is one awesome photo!” He showed the screen to us all. “I will get a print of that made when I get home and figure out a way to send it to all of you!”

“Ah'm sure we'll figure out a way!”

“Yep, AJ's right, we always do!” Rainbow Dash clapped hooves with Applejack. Spike and Gabby returned to the kitchen. “So... What do we do now?”

I thought about it and came up with something to do. “We could tell them what happened to us since we've been here.”

“Ah like that! Fillin' in the gaps!” Applebloom agreed.

Gallus nodded. “Like we learned, not all things are in the pages of a comic book.”

“I'm game.” Scootaloo also agreed to it.

Sweetie Belle glanced over to her sister. “You're not going to get mad at some of the things that happened to us, right?”

“Not at all Sweetie Belle. I understand you have all been on an adventure and had Daring Do and Night Spark to look over you, so I won't.” Rarity warmly smiled, putting a foreleg around her little sister. “Now tell us please.”

Night Spark sat back on the sofa. “I will let the young ones fill you all in. They will most likely make it epic.” He chuckled.

Gabby walked in with two trays full of cups filled with hot chocolate, a jug of milk and a pot of sugar. “Here's some hot chocolate! Also milk and sugar if you want to add it to your drinks!” She placed the trays down on the table. “Plenty of spoons to use too! Enjoy!” She smiled brightly and walked back to the kitchen.

I looked at the hot brown liquid, taking it and sipping a bit of it, and found the taste to be amazing. “Gallus, is there anything your sister can't do?” I asked.

Gallus glanced over to where Gabby went. “Not that I've found if she puts her mind to it. She just loves being helpful; it's one of her awesome traits! So happy, bouncy, and always feels happy to help others.” He took some milk, pouring and mixing it into his own drink before drinking it. “Ahh that is nice...”

“Well are yer gonna to tell, or are we just gonna drink hot chocolate?” Applejack smirked at us.

Scootaloo was the first to begin. “Alright! I'll begin!” She sipped some of her drink. “It all began with us waking up in the middle of the woods, finding ourselves as griffons...”

We're not sure how much time passed, but each of us told our share of the adventure we had been on since we've arrived in this world. In the span of a day from about mid morning to night time, a lot had happened: everything from arriving, to meeting Snowtip with Gallus, going to his place and running into Gabby there. From the cartoons on the small screen, to the comics we read of Twilight's journey in another world like this one, where entering the world would turn you into the races that existed there. From the festival, to the very moment me and Applebloom slowed the falling land enough to allow the mages of Celestial City to catch us all. And then finally meeting the Queen and King, learning about how a group of griffon and hippogriff mages had the ability to see into the future, to the moment we arrived at the throne room. We came to the end of our tale with Twilight and the others being halfway in the room by the strange magical means of the two books.

Twilight finally spoke after all this with a look directly at Gallus. “Do you have any of these comics to do with my journey to what you call the Equestria Girls reality?”

Gallus smirked and pulled out from his bag issue one of the series, letting her take it with her magic. “Like our day, it likely has things missing here and there that only you can account for.”

Twilight nodded and flipped through the pages, with all of her friends looking over her shoulders and Luna standing over her. “Interesting. I must say that without seeing this, it would be hard to see what many ponies would even look like as one of these human beings.

“Oh my, the scene with you and Spike meeting my counterpart is almost the same as when we first met.” Fluttershy warmly smiled, seeing how her human self met Twilight. “I am happy you managed to befriend her and the others.”

Twilight flipped through a set of pages. “It's interesting to see myself from an outside point of view too. This does get most of the details right: I won't bore you with the minor hiccups, but it's safe to say this is pretty much how my journey through the mirror went.”

Rainbow Dash took the comic and checked out her part in it. “Wow, even without wings I am awesome!”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Indeed darling.” Rarity now asked Gallus something. “Does a comic by any chance show the slumber party Applejack, Twilight and I had during a storm?”

Sliverstream nodded rapidly and spoke before Gallus did. “Oh it does! It's one of my favourites! Twilight was soooooo caught up in the slumber party through that 101 book that things went way out of hand, and she was still checking the book when you two fixed everything with the tree branch.” She giggled with her hand claws over her beak.

Twilight blushed, rubbing one of her forelegs over the other. “Yeah... Thinking about it now, I did get a tiny bit overboard on it.”

“Really?” Applejack raised an eye.

“Okay a lot!” Twilight threw her hooves in the air. “Can't blame a pony having a great evening with her friends can you?”

“Not at all darling.” Rarity drank the last of her hot chocolate. “It's interesting to learn that there is a world almost mirrored to ours that has no ponies in it, but in which almost every race sees us as just characters in a book with pictures and words no less.”

Gallus took back the comic book, putting it away beside the others he brought with him. “I can tell ya for sure there's no minotaurs, ponies or changelings on our world.” He raised one finger each time to show three up in front of them. “Almost everywhere has photos taken from space from our satellite network.”

“Ooooo! So what other lands are there other than the Griffon, Yak, Dragon and Hippogriff's?” Pinkie Pie asked, rubbing her hooves together.

Gallus tapped the tip of his beak. “Well... You have the colony lands owned by all four races throughout the world, apart from huge parts of the northern continent that are mostly in cold conditions, which are owned by the reindeer. In fact, now that I think about it, one of them is blue with wings and has a rainbow mane.” Gallus's eyes glanced at Rainbow Dash.

Silverstream gasped. “I remember her! Her name was Rainbow Dasher! She's one of a few reindeer that has wings and can really fly! She came with her mother and father to the Ares Isles during the summer! They wanted to experience the sunny beaches, waters and so much more! It was a family vacation! I really enjoyed helping mum out that year! No way I could forget those rainbow manes from her or her father!”

Rainbow Dash's jaw just dropped, and Luna was startled too. “Nighty?”

“Zaps, don't be alarmed, I am just surprised. I--well... created a story based on Rainbow Dasher...”

Twilight responded to it. “Oh I know, Princess Luna. I read it with Spike one Hearth Warming night.” Luna giggled nervously. “Learning she's real here means that's a connection both worlds have, and maybe our counterparts here are reindeer.”

“Sugarcube, don't want to burst yer bubble on that, but if that's the case then why are our siblings griffons?” Applejack pointed out.

Twilight looked at all of us and back at Applejack. “Okay, fair point. I guess our counterparts are griffons, or some at least.”

Silver shrugged. “Beats me on that one. Maybe. I haven't met a purple griffon or hippogriff.”

“Might be in the city, there are so many different griffons of different colours and shapes. Way too many to remember, and that's not including all the villages, towns and cities scattered all over the globe. So it could be they all live so far apart that no one knows.” Gallus explained.

“I saw the globe on the ceiling. Waaaay too many land masses to even think about how many live on them!” Scootaloo recalled what she saw back in Gallus's room. “Didn't human Pinkie Pie say there was a Twilight living in the city who had a dog called Spike too?”

Twilight blinked with a gasp. “You're right! I remember that! Oh wow...”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “I bet my reindeer counterpart is super fast and skilled, like me!”

“One can only imagine, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity shook her head slightly.

Sweetie Belle rubbed her feathers on her head. “There are five races across this world?”

“I guess.” Scootaloo responded with a shrug. “Hippogriffs and now Reindeer.”

Gallus confirmed it. “That's right. We do have animals like dogs, cats, birds, tigers and so on. But those that are able to speak, work, and have a specific style of living are our five races. It's just that the alliance between these three nations are the biggest of them all.”

Silverstream nodded. “Oh it is! The hippogriffs mostly live in the Ares Isles and here in Celestial City.”

“Recent news to me.” Gallus glanced at her. “But this is an ancient city with a rich history of griffons and hippogriffs. I've only seen the surface and can only imagine how crazy it is that things can exist on the top of the Celestial Mountains.”

Silver giggled. “Oh Gallus, now that you're here I can share with you EVERYTHING you want to know!”

Gallus chuckled. “I would like that, Silverstream. Give me more excuses to spend time with an awesome friend like you.” Both clapped talon hands together.

“I like that! And we can easily have a blast at the beach!”

“I'm game!”

I looked over to Big Mac. “How many races are in our world?”

“Hmm... Ah'm not sure. Ah know of griffons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, dragons, cows, buffaloes, donkeys, Zebras, Discord and changelings. But other than that ah do not know,” Big Mac told me.

Twilight spoke. “We have Yaks up in the north, and there are deer too. Crystal ponies count as another race of pony as well. We also have breezies too: they are a very tiny sub-race of pony. There could be more beyond Equestria and the lands we know of. We know of very little beyond some of the lands just outside our own lands.”

Gallus stared at Twilight and Big Mac, blinking a few times. “I count fifteen races so far. I am guessing hippogriffs are around too.”

Luna confirmed Gallus' guess. “Indeed, they live far south on an island called Mount Ares. My sister Celestia met the queen about thirty or so years ago. I never personally met them so I can not say.”

Rarity spoke up. “Oh, don't forget the sea serpent Steve Magnet. His hair and moustache is divine!”

Gallus rubbed both talon hands over his feathered head. “Gah! There's way too many types of sapient life on your world! I can't get my head around it all!”

“We're from there and ah'm getting' a headache just thinkin' about it...” Applebloom grumbled. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and I nodded in agreement.

Luckily for us before things got too overwhelming Gabby and Spike entered with big smiles. “It's one in the morning and dinner is ready to eat!” Yay! They saved the day!

“Gabby is an awesome cook!”

“So were you, Spike!”

“Yep! We did awesome!”

“Hehe, we sure did!” They clapped claw and talon hand together.

Spike waved us to follow. “Come on, dinner's not going to wait for you just for you to sit there and wait for it to come to you!”

Gabby giggled. “Imagine that!” Spike laughed too.

We got up and left our cups on the side table, heading inside to find a large table for all of us to sit at with a mix of all kinds of food for ponies, griffons and hippogriffs. We all stared in disbelief, and even Pinkie Pie I saw was surprised by what they pulled off on their own.

Pinkie Pie bounced over to a chair and sat down. “Wow, this all looks amazing! But we're going to have to wait till next chapter to eat! And we got plenty of room for three more to sit with us!”

“What on tarnation are yer speakin' about, Pinkie Pie? We're not in some comic book!” Applejack said.

I tug her tail and she turned to me. “We kinda are...” I point to the two comic books floating in the next room, with part of Golden Oaks and Equestria being there.

“Darn it! Yer right! The one time Pinkie Pie IS makin' sense!” Applejack pushed her hat down over her face.

Author's Notes:

Hi guys, girls and all readers.

This was the last one to be proof read at this time. I have about five chapters waiting to be proof read by the awesome Sunflower1414 whom done an amazing and awesome job of the proof reading so far since chapter 34 to present.

Also I never post up any chapter from this without it being proof read and edited first. Chapters 43 to 49 will be up soon as I possibly can get them up. So I do apologise for the delay from this point forward.

On a personal Note: I haven't been able to get in contact with Sunflower1414 and worried. Usually I get a reply pretty quickly but heard nothing since 12th of July. If anyone friends with Sunflower1414 I just like to know if she is okay and everything is fine.

Enjoy reading Chapter 42 and happy holidays!
Hope to see some of ya at Bronycon 2019!

-Electuroo