A friendship lasts forever. There are no goodbyes. Not even if you die...right?
A dark and evil pony rules Equestria. Anypony who stands against him, dies. The only hope for survival, is four ponies known as The Prophiced Four, to defeat King Thanatos. With Celestia locked away, Luna dead, Shining Armour and Cadence in hiding, the ponies are all alone.
Hearts will break. Choices will be made. And friendship will be tested to unbearable limits.
Clip-Clip Clop. Clip Clop-Clop. Two ponies walk in the dark of the night. Wind whistles and trees swish. The moon gives small light for the pair of stallions to walk in. Crows from the mists of the shadows, swirl around the ponies and fly away, disappearing back to the shadows. An eerie structure looms over the stallions. Neither say a word as they climb up the stairs to a cracked door. Inside, broken fruniture lies on the floor. Winter leaves crunch under their hooves. They find a set of stairs and climb up, careful not to fall through the holes and cracks.
Reaching the second story of the haunted house, they see that a table sits in the middle of the floor. On the suspicious table rests a crystal orb. They walk towards the orb.
"Please give us the answers we need..please."
"Quiet Shermin. Oh Lady Fortune, your powers are not as great as they were, with you in this crystal orb, but please. We need to know if anypony can defeat King Thanatos. Our world will be doomed unless anypony can stop Thanatos. There must be somepony..."
Mystic swirls of blue and purple mist surround the pleading stallion. Billowing clouds form inside the orb. The clouds clear, and reveal a mare, old and shaggy but dressed in gold beads and spiritual attire. As she speaks to the stallion, her voice is rough but strong. "There will be an end to the darkness that covers. There is a mare, with wings as blue as the night sky."
"A Pegasus? Blue as the night sky? Well, when will this pony come?"
"When the world is most at lost, there will be four: One with the ability to disappear. A love for ponies that is pure and strong. Another Pegasus with talents that give great cheer. And a mare, with wings as blue as the night sky."
"Four ponies, will defeat King Thanatos? That is very splendid Lady Fortune, but when will these ponies come? All of Equestria is on the hooves of these ponies!"
"Wings as blue as the night sky..."
***
The winter's night blew a deathly breeze through the air. A terrible snow storm was once again seeping over Ponyville. Sweet Apple Acres had been abandoned years ago. Sugar Cube Corner, the Carousel Boutique and any other business that have brought many joys, are all deserted. The only standing buildings, are the Golden Oak Library and the Schoolhouse.
Places now used to brainwash ponies into placing their unwilling trust in King Thanatos. The schoolhouse turned to a place where the knowledge of fun, joy, or happiness was banned. No colt spoke of laughter. No filly dared to frolic in the spree of a merry time. Their spirits were broken, crushed, and deserted. The darkness it brought spread to all of Equestria.
As for their hope? There was none. Any hope in the world that was cherished, slowly and painfully drifted away. The whole world of Equestria was at a lost.
Until a very significant pony was born.
A mare that is sky blue in color. Young purple eyes, filled with kindness. Most important, a pair of wings, blue as the night's sky.
Her father, Colonel Nighthawk, was dressed in a suit of luster armor, and a sword of matching awe, gazed upon the newborn mare for a moment, before turning his back away. He was leaving for a battle again. The foal turned toward the sound of sobs, coming from her mother, Sunset Beauty. She was afraid. They both were.
A sudden burst of energy surged through the blue Pegasus. Caught off guard, she gave a loud whinny. Pangs of grief shot through her. A speck of anger and sadness mixed along. What is that? Another wave washed over her, but this time it was more welcoming. Like somebody opened a door inside a dark room. It was a warm and happy feeling, but still strong and fierce. What is it?
Just as quick as it came, it vanished. Her answer unfulfilled. Yet, she could feel something. Just a little spark of that wondrous feeling once more. Only just strong enough to give her an answer.
It was hope.
And there was much more to come from this destined pony. As her parent's awe stricken gaze fell upon her, they too felt this. They began to feel something either has felt for a long, long time. They too felt the same spark of hope. The warming energy flowed through their body again.
The War of King Thanatos was going to end. Soon.
***
Two months passed and the young filly had shared her gift of hope to many. Ponyville was slowly beginning to regain their prior hopeful selves. But they were careful. Very careful, never to show their revived selves in any sight that King Thanatos would see.
Two ponies were lost already. A beloved couple. The parents of a little filly.
Their memory still haunt her dreams each night. She remembers it all. The foul smell of death, sticking to her lungs. Piercing screams from her mother. The sicking silence that fallowed. That still fallows.
She lies her head down, ready for the night. Pulls a thin piece of cloth tightly around her, not yet reaching her hindquarters. Howling winds cause the empty house to creek. Looking out the open window, the full moon's light shines down.
"Mommy? Daddy? I miss you." Her eyes filling with tears as she chokes on her own words. Looking at the moon for just a moment longer, she closes her eyes. The nightmares already replaying.
"Listen honey, stay inside. Don't come out, no matter what. Understand?"
"Yes daddy, but whats happening? Wheres mommy?"
"Mommy's busy hun. She cant come right now. Just stay inside. Please, just stay inside." Nighthawk's voice cracks at the mention of his lost spouse.
The colonel takes up arms. King Thanatos's spies raided their home in the middle of the night. Sunset Beauty ran for cover, but she was already too late. One of the two, a unicorn, cast a death spell on her. She lies still. Never to move again.
The two spies walk slowly up the stairs into the bedrooms. They creep through a dark hallway. One of the two stops and glances toward a picture frame. The picture inside shows a family of pegasi, happily enjoying a family picnic in a field.
The pony sneers at the picture. He knocks it down with his tail. Glass shatters to bits. The pony rejoins his partner, stepping on the picture as he goes.
They enter the parents room first. Empty but the sound of the ghostly wind.
Turning around, they creep further down the hallway. Reaching the door with colorful drawings of ponies, rainbows, and suns with smily faces drawn on them. The ponies turn the door nob ever so slowly. Careful not to make a sound.
The door creeks open. The evil ponies enter the quiet room. Looking around, they see nothing. The bed's sheets are overturned. Toys crowd the floor and the closet is cracked open.
Satisfied that nopony is there, the unicorn pony walks out and back down the hallway. The second spy, an earth pony, glances around the child's room for a long moment. He too turns to leave, but stops in his tracks as he notices the slightest movement in the closet. He slowly moves toward it.
Reaching the door, he opens it wider. A row of clothes hang limp on hangers. The earth pony shuffles through them, one by one. Upon arriving the far corner, he draws out his blade. Rising his weapon upwards, he holds for a second. But only just.
The pony gives a terrifying battle cry, throwing his weapon towards the corner. His blade is met with the Sword of Lionheart, a prized possession that is owned by Nighthawk. The two stallions battle for their lives.
Clang! Clack! Harder and harder their blows become. Deadlier each second! Nighthawk launches a blow to the rival's leg. The pony winces under the pain, struggling to stand. Now finding his chance to end the scrimmage, Nighthawk raises his sword.
But as he does, the rival pony finds his footing, and launches his sword upwards. He won the fight.
Nighthawk falls to the floor with a loud thud. His sword clashing to the ground.
The spy now gathers himself, and limps away down the hallway, rejoining his partner. Their hoofbeats fade away, until all that can be heard is the howling wind.
The blue filly, still shaking with fear, peeks out from her hiding spot inside her wooden toy chest. Her room is empty, but not quiet. Raspy breaths begin to form, opposite side of the bed, and slowly fill the room.
The small blue pegasus climbs out, and rushes over to her father's lying body. He's breathing, but only just.
"Honey? Are..you okay?" Nighthawks struggles to speak. Pain shoots through him each breath he takes.
"Yes papa, I'm alright. What happened? Who were those ponies?"
"It doesn't...matter. Come here..I need to tell...you something."
"Im here."
"You need..to be strong. It'll be just..fine sugar. Okay?"
"Okay daddy. Ill be strong, I promise."
"It'll...be okay...sweetie. Be my..lil' cloud..dasher. Remember...what I told..you?"
"Yes papa. I remember. Cloud dashers are pegasus ponies who make all the bad clouds go away. I remembered daddy."
"Thats my...little girl. Can you...be my little..cloud dasher...for me?"
"Ill always be your little cloud dasher for you. Momma's too. Shes alright, isn't she?"
"I love you..sweetie..."
"Daddy?"
Silence.
"Daddy! No, no.."
Only the wind dares to stir.
"Daddy! Don't go! Daddy?! Wake up! Please, say something.."
***
"Hey Squish, check this out!"
"Whatcha want?"
"Just come look at this! Bring Yippy with ya too! Y'all are gonna wanna take a look at this.."
Clip-clopping sounds drift closer. Then stop. Minutes past and the three mysterious ponies regain their thoughts.
"Wha..What do you think happened guys?"
"Im not sure. But I can take a guess. Look at the window. King Thanatos's spies were here. See?"
"Yeah. I see it. You think anypony is in there? Alive?"
"Theres only one way to find out. Lets go check it."
The three ponies hesitate for a moment. One takes a step forward, the other two fall in step with the first pony. Shadows seep over them. The morning light disappears over their eyes. They enter a house, broken down and dangerous for three fillies to wonder in.
One of the ponies stops. She stepped on something, but couldn't quite identify it. Lifting her hoof up, she sees its a photo. A family of pegasi enjoying a happy picnic in a park.
"I dont like it here. Something bad happened. I know it." The little mare walks back to her friends who are making their way upstairs.
The hallway is dark and cold. Broken glass everywhere and traces of blood here and there. They look inside the first room they see. Nothing unusual except that theres graffiti all over the walls and the room looks as though its never been cleaned.
They leave the room and walk towards the second room. The ponies look at each other with an expression that they know theres something awful beyond the door. They push the door open, but its too late.
"Guys...theres..a pony..is he..do you really think he's.." Unable to finish her thought.
"Yeah Yipps..I think so. But didn't you see the door? That stallion was obviously protection something."
"Or somepony...Come on, we have to check. She could still be alive."
The ponies open the door again. Closing their eyes and looking away from the blue pegasus on the floor, they inspect the room for any little filly.
They looked in the closet. Nothing. Under the bed..empty. They move to an area sprawled with toys. Two ponies check around the area. The last one notices a tiny, little crack in the toy chest. She investigates.
The pony stops two hoof steps away from the chest. She knows. The little filly that their looking for is inside.
"Hello? Were not here to hurt you. We want to help."
Silence. The two other ponies stop and slowly walk towards their friend, curious in thought.
"Its okay. I promise. You can trust us. We only want to help."
This time the chest creaks open. A little blue head with soft purple eyes pop out. Her mane is matted with dirt. Her coat is dull in color from the lack of food and water. But she looks up at the pony standing in front of her. The pony smiles at her.
"See now, ain't that better? Would you like to come out so we can help?"
The blue filly nods her head. The climbs out slowly. As she does, scratches and cuts show on the pony. They look infected. Dry blood and more dirt cover her. A deep gash at her hindquarter startles the three ponies.
The one pony who was speaking earlier walks up to the little pegasus, and places a wing over her. She motions for the other two to help her walk the filly outside. The blue pony leans into the ponies. All four ponies stagger towards the door, but paused for a moment.
The little filly looks back towards her father. A tear runs down her cheek.
No words spoken, the four ponies continue walking. They reach the front door where the previous morning light has faded to a golden afternoon. Setting the blue filly down in a patch of grass, they all look up at each other and huddle in a circle, out of hearing range.
"So know what? We cant just take her."
"Well why not? Shes an orphan obviously. Shes probably doesn't have anypony else, otherwise don't you think they would've gone looking for her?"
"Squishy! What do you think our parents are going to think? We cant walk in and ask if we can keep her! She isn't a dog you know."
"Calm down Eileen. I know that! But just look at her. Shes badly hurt and needs to be fed. Gumdrop, your mom is a great chef! Do you think we could take her to your place?"
"Well..I don't know..Probably. My mom hates turning down a hungry pony."
"Great! Its settled then. Well take her to Gumdrop's house, have her taken care of. Yipps and I can get my dad, and Eileen can watch her till we get back. Good?"
"Sounds great."
"Yeah. I just hope she can make it."
"I'm sure she will. She looks like a fighter. Come on, lets introduce ourselves first."
***
The blue filly looked at her surroundings. She hadn't been outside for over some time now. She almost forgot it all. What a bird's chirp sounds like. How lovely a flower smells. Even that she wasn't the only pony left in Equestria. But not anymore.
The mare looks towards the other three ponies. They look about her age, but from their height, its clear that shes just a little older. One of them is a bit shorter than the other two. Not to mention that the other two are pegasi like the herself. Two pegasi and an earth pony. Odd..
As she looked closer, she could tell that there was something even more odd. First off, the shorter filly wasn't your average looking pony. She was, well..blended in. Different shades of green and brown. Must be hard to play hide-and-seek with. But she sure seems like fun to play with.
Another interesting fact she discovered, is that one of the two pegasi, was a Paint! Well, she hadn't seen a Paint since her parents took her to the Country Fair, four years ago. Her mane and tail looked pretty though. Her forelock was black, and turned to white below her ears. While her tail started out white, and faded to black. Wonder where she got that pink color in her mane though..
The last pony, pegasus also, was a dapple gray. She seems like a bunch of fun to play with too. Out of the other two ponies, the dapple gray was the only other one with a cutie mark besides her own self. An adorable smiling goldfish sat on the ponies' rump. Wonder what her talent is though. Goldfish wrangling? Deep sea diving..best fish aquarium business..? It couldn't just have been a random cutie mark. How crazy that would be
Still deep in her thoughts, the blue filly looked up to see the three other fillies standing there. They all looked like their worried about something. However, the green camouflaged pony sticks her hoof out in a greeting.
"Hi there. My name is Eileen. These are my friends, Squ-"
"Squishy! I'm Squishy McMiffin, and this here is Yippy."
"Its Gumdrop actually. I'm not sure why Squish calls me Yippy, but its kinda stuck. I'm sure that she'll give you a nick name too. Everyone else in Ponyville has one."
"Oh yea! Iv already thought of some already. Hows-"
"Ah! Hold up! Before you continue Squish, whats your name hun?"
My name? Well...oh golly. What is my name? Staring off into the clouds, the little blue pegasus tried desperately to remember her name. But she just couldn't. A thought struck her:
"I remember. Cloud dashers are pegasus ponies who make all the bad clouds go away."
"Can you...be my little..cloud dasher...for me?"
"Ill always be your little cloud dasher for you."
Ill always be your cloud dasher, daddy. Always.
"My name is Cloud Dasher."
***
"C'mon! We can get in from the back, but we gotta hurry. My neighbor has a vicious dog that'll bite ya."
"A vicious dog?! That sounds really scary!"
"Gumdrop! Your scaring Cloud half to death!"
"Oh, sorry Cloud! Ahm just joking around."
"My dog aint anywhere vicious Cloud, Baylee is the sweetest dog ya ever met."
"Aw, that's a cute name! Can we go pet him?"
"Later. Right now we gotta get you filled up with some of Butter Dash's cookin!"
"Sure thing! And here we are, home sweet home. Mmm, smells like mamas already cookin up somethin. What we waitin for? Lets go!"
The pack of little fillies hobble on into a cozy house with delicious smells coming from the kitchen. Setting Cloud Dasher down, Squishy and Eileen pile pillows all around her and even found a ball of yarn to keep her entertained. The trick worked beautifully.
Gumdrop walks towards the kitchen with her two friends following. Putting on their best puppy dog eyes, the group looks up at a light blue earth pony with a fluffy brown mane, stirring a big pot of something magical.
"Momma?" Gumdrop's voice comes out in an adorable squeak.
"Well howdy-do Gummy! I'm fixing up a pot of some gumbo. Would any of your friends- Did y'all bring in another lost puppy?"
"Well, not exactly Ms. Dash." Squishy answered before bursting out laughing. Eileen joins McMuffin in a laughing fit herself.
Looking over at her friends, Gumdrop rolls her eyes and turns back to her mom. "We got ourselves another friend, and she looks real hungry mamma. We were wonderin if she could come over to eat?"
"Well, I reckon so! If somepony is hungry then they ain't goin anywhere till their filled up! Where is your friend Gumdrop?"
The fillies and mare turn the corner to the pile of pillows with a blue pony sitting in the middle, transfixed on a ball of yarn that is now all around her.
Butter Dash's face changes from excited to beyond shocked. She stares for a moment, then walks toward the pegasus, picks her up, and props her on a chair at the table. Squishy and Eileen climb up onto a chair too, while Gumdrop gets bowls and spoons for everypony.
"Now child, ah know that not everyponies cookin is a wonderful as mine, but starvin yourself aint gonna do you no good. Heres a bowl of tasty potato soup, to get you back to health."
Cloud looks up at Butter Dash, gives a small smile, and takes a spoonful into her mouth, before melting into bliss. Ahm in heaven. Taking more bites of the magical soup, the filly's coat slowly regains its color to a rich sky blue color. And her face lightens up along with her spirits.
Seeing that the filly is enjoying her time, Squishy and Gumdrop leave their own empty bowls in the sink, and head out the door.
"So, step one: get her fed. Check. That was pretty easy Squish." Gumdrop remarks.
"Yeah, real easy. Step two: get my dad to check her over." Squishy looks over to Gumdrop, with a look of worry. But continues walking.
Upon reaching her own house, Squishy and Gumdrop wipe their hooves on the "Welcome" mat. She opens the front door, and they both walk into a spotless house with shiny windows and mopped floors.
Walking into the study room, Squishy looks up at her father's desk with a nameplate that reads "Doctor Skyheart".
"Hey daddy, I need some help with something."
"Sure thing hun, what'cha need?
"Well, see, my friend is really hurt, and she needs some fixing up."
"Okay then, where is she? I'm off my shift right now, so I'm sure I can help your friend."
"Thanks dad! Shes over at Gumdrop's house getting a bite to eat. Eileen and Mrs. Dash are watching her. She has a nasty cut on her quarters, and shes banged up bad too."
"Darn howdy! What happened to her? She didn't stand against Thanatos did she? Lemme get my bag and Ill check her over. I'll be over at Gumdrop's shortly."
Doctor Skyheart leaves the room looking for his bag of supplies.
"I hope she didn't go against Thanatos.."
"Yeah, you and I both know the punishment if anypony does that." Squishy looks toward her friend, her eyes beginning to water.
"Right. Sentenced to..to..." Gumdrop chokes on the last word. Looking up at Squishy's tear-covered face, its clear what shes thinking. Gumdrop looks away as her own eyes fill with tears.
"Death." The paint pony finishes her friend's sentence in a rough squeak. Neither say another word as they leave the room.
Dr. Skyheart did as he said, and arrived shortly at Gumdrop's house. Upon looking at her, he knew that the small pony was going to be a challenge. Putting on a kind face, Skyheart approached the blue Pegasus.
"Hello there. I'm Dr. Skyheart. Whats your name?"
The filly looked up at Skyheart, startled at his voice. "H-Hi. Its C-Cloud Dasher."
"That's a lovely name. Do you mind if I look at those scratches on you? It'll only take a moment."
Before the little pony answers, her two new friends Squishy and Gumdrop walk inside. Are they crying? What happened? "Um, s-sure." She looked at both ponies, practicing her telepathic abilities, but neither glanced at her. Cloud's curiosity and growing anxiety were left unsatisfied.
"Splendid! Have a seat over here and lie down for me, please."
Cloud does as shes told and relaxes on the set of pillows that were previously set for her. She starts fiddling with the yarn around her.
"Now, I see that you got some bad scratches on you. Do they hurt at all?"
"No. Not really. Except my leg. It really, really hurts." She gently picks up the leg with a deep gash, but sets it back down, wincing at the pain.
"Oh, I see. I'm gonna have look at it, and clean it so it doesn't hurt any more." Dr. Skyheart looks in his bag for something.
"But its going to hurt again!"
"Well, maybe. But tell me, does sleeping hurt?" Skyheart replies, still rummaging in his bag.
"N-no. But what does sleep have to do with anything?"
"You see hun, if sleeping doesn't hurt, why not go to sleep while I make your leg feel better? Wouldn't that be easier?" He stops rummaging, finally finding what he needed. But he keeps his hoof in his bag, hiding the object.
"Yeah, I guess so. But its not night yet. And I'm not sleepy."
"Well, I can fix that. Can you look towards Squishy for me?" Skyheart slowly pulls out a syringe fitted with a needle. He fills it with a small bottle labeled, "Sedative".
"Okay. But why do you wan- Oh no, no, no, no! What is that? I-I change my mind. I'm okay. It-it doesn't hurt anymore! Please- Oh golly!" Cloud Dasher starts hyperventilating and tries backing away, but the pain from her leg stops her. In an attempt to buck the needle out of Skyheart's hooves, the gash opens again, and leaves Cloud helplessly pinned to the ground.
"Hush, calm down. It'll be okay. This wont hurt any, I promise. Calm down." Skyheart tries his best to comfort the blue pony, but to no avail. He looks at the three fillies for some help.
Receiving the message in her own telepathic email, Squishy walks up to the blue pony, and tries to comfort her. "Hey, Cloud. Its okay. My dad knows what he's doing."
"Calm down. It wont hurt any."
"Eileen's right. It'll be fine. Just calm down and look over here." Gumdrop manages to calm Cloud enough for her to look away from Skyheart.
"Oh golly.." Cloud shuts her eyes as tight as can be, and awaits for the needle.
Skyheart ejects the sedative, and waits to begin until Cloud Dasher is asleep.
The last thing Cloud saw was the three ponies' worried faces. Why are they looking at me like that? What's wrong? Before she could ask, darkness over swept her vision, and she fell into a much needed sleep.
***
Tweet! Twee-e-e-t! Birds sung their morning songs as sunrise colors painted the sky, and the night drifted away. Sunlight seeped into the rooms of every house and little cottages. Morning dew and a spring breeze stirred the trees, still bare from a hard winter.
A couple weeks has passed since the day those three fillies found a small, blue Pegasus named Cloud Dasher, who lost her parents from an unfortunate event only months after her birth. When they found her, she was covered in scratches and injuries that are healed now, but she still finds that her leg doesn't fully support her at times. Frankly, her injury may never heal properly, and yet that doesn't stop her from enjoying a day's adventure with her new friends.
Her amazing friends, Squishy McMuffin, "Captain" Gumdrop, and Eileen saved her life. If Squishy and Gumdrop hadn't gotten Dr. Skyheart as quickly as they did, Cloud would've been horribly sick. And because of her quick act to enter Cloud's abandoned home, Squishy earned her cutie mark, a horse shoe in the shape of a heart, just after Cloud Dasher woke up the next day after being put under the sedative. And as her health quickly improved, it was obvious that Squishy's true gift was to be a loving and loyal friend.
Now, the four friends explore their town of Ponyville, getting into mischief and venturing to find Eileen's and Cloud's cutie marks. While causing all sorts of ruckus, their oddly enough lifting other pony's spirits. Enough to actually be able to convince Mr. and Mrs. Cake to bring Sugar Cube Corner, back to business. With smoke rising from the chimneys, and the smell of freshly baked cupcakes, more and more faces show happiness and compassion towards one another.
And even more oddly enough, King Thanatos has yet to even lift a hoof. No spies. No deaths. No nothing.
Even so, Ponyville has taken advantage of Thanatos's silence and begin to seek out happier memories. Starting with the foals, who have secretly been trading forbidden stories like Adventures of Badger Bit, Tales from a Phoenix, and even the notorious foalsbook, Thegmaster's book of Stories and Tales.
Besides, who doesn't enjoy a good story to read being gathered around your friends in the late spring nights?
***
And speaking about "being gathered around friends", behind one of the hay bales at Sweet Apple Acres are the four fillies, deciding on today's adventure.
"What to do..oh what to do." Cloud Dasher says.
"How bout..swimmin?" In her lovable, southern accent, Eileen suggests.
"Nah, y'all know how it must be right now. The pollen is coming in again."
A-Achoo! Sniff. "Yeah, don't remind me Cap. Im surprised though, my allergies are acting up more this year than it has been." Sitting with a box of tissues next to her, Squishy remarks.
"Iv noticed that too. More flowers must be growing. Thats weird though, because I thought that King Thanatos destroyed all the fields with that storm he casted." Says Gumdrop, while playing with a piece of straw.
"He did that? My daddy told me it was the Windagos howlin."
"Well, it could be Cloud. But I heard my parents talking about it and they say that it was Thanatos. How much do you know about him anyway C-Dash? You seem to be missing a lot." McMuffin comments as she tries her best to hide another sneeze, but to no avail.
"Um..I know that he controls all of Equestria. He's a bad pony, and likes to see other ponies hurt.. But my parents didn't talk about him, as far as I know at least."
"Boy howdy! Thats hardly anything! How could your dad be a colonel and not even talk about Thanatos?" Eileen stares at Cloud in disbelief.
"I dunno. Why does it even matter?" Burring herself in the hay bale Cloud mumbles off.
"C'mon. If were gonna tell her everything, we better go someplace else." Gumdrop stands up, and helps Squishy gather up her tissues to throw away.
Eileen sits up, and takes a glance toward Cloud. Then she gets up, and walks toward her fellow pony friends who were about a couple feet away.
Taking a big breath in and out, Cloud stands up. Lifts her hoof to join her friends, but hesitates. Shaking her head as if to release a thought, she puts her hoof down, and moves forward, trotting to catch up.
The four friends walk in silence, down a worn-down dirt path toward a forest of bare apple trees. Each knowing where they were headed.
To a familiar, but abandoned, clubhouse. Where a particular group of friends, spent their days crusading for their cutie marks. But each were older and discovered their own destinies.
Which is what the fillies hope to do in the future. But for today, story telling is on the agenda.
***
The Cutie Mark Crusader's clubhouse had aged since the trio grew up and left. Few planks for the stairs leading up to the porch had broke. The shudders and windows have gained holes from nearby baseball games. Once pink paint had faded into a softer color in some areas, paler color in others. And it was because of this that nopony ever came by the clubhouse, except for a much older Applejack from time to time, recollecting past memories of her little sister and her friends.
But now the Cutie Mark Crusader's clubhouse belonged to them, after years of Sweet Apple Acres retirement. And the four best friends like it that way. A sense of ownership to prove they were big ponies now. And "big ponies" need a meeting place, of course.
As the pack of fillies reached the clubhouse, they each carefully climbed the steps to the room above. Squishy McMuffin sat in her usual seat, a squishy bean-bag chair, and turned around to pull out a white unicorn stuffed pony, tucking him in his own little house beside her. Captain Gumdrop pulled out her neon purple zebra-print pillow that was covered in designs of hearts, stars, and baby animals. Eileen took a scroll from their personal library, before walking towards a space by the window where sunshine shined through, warming her forest-themed blanket. Lastly Cloud Dasher found a soft blanket with snowflakes, and folded it into a neat square before turning around three times and finally lying down with her hooves tucked beneath her.
The ponies were silent for a moment, lost in their own thoughts, before the sound of rustling, old parchment paper disturbed them.
"I found this scroll in the restricted section of the Golden Oak Library, before they were all later burned. Its written by somepony named Lord Adalgar, who was known for his nobility and leadership when Thanatos began his trek to power long ago. This scroll is apparently during Adalgar's last days, and he wrote this in hopes that one day the "Prophiced Four" would read it and learn how to defeat Thanatos." Eileen told her friends as they silently watched her tell the ancient story that most believe is a foal's bedtime story.
"Wh-Who are the "Prophiced Four"? What does that even mean?" Cloud Dasher looked at Eileen for an answer.
"The Prophiced Four are a group of ponies with unique abilities that are the keys for destroying Thanatos. The prophecy reads: When the world of Equestria is at a lost, there will be four. One with the ability to disappear. A love for ponies that is pure and strong. Another Pegasus with talents that give great cheer. And a mare, with wings as blue as the night sky." The green camouflaged filly looked up at her friends again. They were looking at each other, with puzzled faces. Squishy's eyes fell on Cloud as she stared at her wings before wrapping herself in the blanket and covering her wings. The friend's attention fell back on Eileen and she continued reading.
"The prophecy was created by a mare by the name of Lady Fortune, who could look to the past and future to tell other ponies their destinies. Someponies say that she was a crazy old lady, and that she should be locked up for telling false destinies and prophecies. But the ponies that believed them, ended up disappearing in exactly three days. Nopony ever spoke about Fortune ever since, and eventually she disappeared too." Eileen passed the old scroll to Gumdrop, who took a turn at reading.
"It goes on to talk about Lady Fortune and some other things. Wait- heres something. "A Dark Day for all of Equestria" This ones about Thanatos and how he became an evil pony." Captain looked at Cloud who in turn looked back at her with an expression that told her she was needing to hear this. Gumdrop turned back to the scroll and continued to read.
"Apparently, Thanatos is the son of King Sombra, a dark ruler who ruled the Crystal Empire for almost 1000 years! And when his father was captured and banished, Thanatos was hated when he was a colt. All ponies bullied and made fun of him. So one day he vowed his revenge on all of Equestria, and ran away from home, never to be seen again. But years later, he came back. Something had changed in him; he became evil. He used dark magic to control ponies to be his slaves, and brought darkness and fear to his hometown of Manehatten. When Celestia heard about Thanatos, she sent Shining Armor and his elite army to arrest him. However, he over powered them with his own army, and Shining Armor was forced to retreat. When Thanatos was able to defeat Armor, he quickly set a destructive course to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's castle in Canterlot. There was a brutal and terrifying war that lasted for a whole year! In their last major battle, Celestia casted a death spell towards Thanatos, but he some how blocked the spell! It ricochet and aimed for Princess Luna, and before anything could be done, the spell stabbed her in the heart...and Luna fell to the ground. With her sister dead, by a spell that was cast by herself, Celestia couldn't bring her self to fight anymore. She gave up..and Thanatos threw Princess Celestia into the castle's dungeon, and declared himself as King Thanatos, Ruler of Equestria. The world has been living in darkness and fear for years since. Nopony ever heard of Celestia ever again, and Princess Luna was buried in the Royal Canterlot's Cemetery, next to her parents, Queen Eternity and King Infinity. Nopony else has stood up against him, and those who did..were killed.." Gumdrop's voice cracked on the last sentence. And looked down at her hooves, lost in a memory.
She remembered when her parents told her amazing stories about Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Luna became her idol, and for weeks she played games with Squishy, acting out the stories that were told to her. But when somepony told her that Luna and Celestia were dead and to stop acting like a little filly, she cried for days.
Squishy McMuffin got up and walked towards Gumdrop, placing a hoof around her. She took the scroll from Captain's hoofs and traded it with her white unicorn plush. The friends exchanged smiles and Squishy walked back to her bean-bag seat, and took her turn at reading.
"Adalgar continues to write, speaking to who ever reads.."The days of Equestria are darkening. Ponies lives are being ruined and shattered with grief, fear, and a lost in hope. King Thanatos has destroyed many cities and brought chaos to the balance of harmony. Celestia rest their souls, The Element Bearers, Lord Hasenhooves of Laughter, Lady Amana of Honesty, Lady Loving Karam of Generosity, Lady Charity of Kindness, Lord Besnik of Loyalty, and Lady Mystic Fay of Magic, have been captured, and killed. The fate of Equestria rests on the hooves of the Prophiced Four. And hopefully, the day when these ponies will save our world will come soon, before its too late." McMuffin looks up from reading. "Thats it."
The four friends take a moment to think. Gumdrop holds the white unicorn pony close to her, as if somepony is going to take him from her. Eileen looks out the window at the evening sky, watching the sunset fall. Squishy looks over the scroll one last time, before rolling it back up and putting it back on the shelf.
Cloud Dasher looks at her hooves. She shakes her head again, trying to erase a thought in her mind, but to no use. Without saying a word to her friends, she immediately jumps from her seat and rushes out the door, down the stairs, and runs into the forest of empty apple trees, with tears streaming from her eyes.
Her friends, startled by Cloud's sudden movements, quickly react with shouts telling her "Come back!" and "Don't go!" They all gallop after their running friend.
Eileen, being an earth pony with a faster pace than her pegasus friends, comes up beside Cloud enough to talk to her.
"Cloud!! Stop! What ever is wrong, we can help! Please, just stop running!!" She tries desperately to have her friend stop, but its no use.
Noticing her friend at her side, Cloud quickly takes a sharp turn the opposite way and nearly runs into her other two friends. But she doesn't stop to apologize or look back, instead just keeps running. Harder and harder, until the shouts and thundering sounds of hooves fade away.
After a few more minutes of running farther away, she finally slows down. She finds herself in the middle of a small area of grass, surrounded by a dark forest with the night's moon rising to her side.
Anger rises up in her and she yells at the air. In a rage of fury, she bucks and spins around, before collapsing to the ground from exhaustion. Cloud huddles into a tight ball, and tears cloud her vision. Thoughts begin to rush through her mind again. Why did my parents lie to me? Why didn't I know? Why.. Where am I? Where are my friends? The darkness over powers her and she slowly starts to fall into a rough sleep. Before she does, a black figure creeps from the shadows.
"Wh-Who..are..you?" Cloud manages to whisper to the unknown pony.
"A friend, young filly. Rest now." The stranger responds.
Cloud Dasher drops her head, and darkness sweeps her vision.
Clang! Clack! Harder and harder, louder and louder!
Two stallion's shadows cast on the floor, each with a blade in hoof. Striking the other harder than the last. Faster and more deadlier as each moment roars by.
Lightning and rain pour down suddenly. The lightning lights the sky, and the thunder cracks the air quicker than a whip. Yet the swords roar louder than the lion's.
Another spark of lightning, and shadows battle for the death.
One shadow attempts to dodge the other, but falls to the floor instead. The other shadow, rears on his hind legs, sword raised for a hard blow.
But darkness floods over and replaced by a sicking sound. A hollow thud.
Lightning flashes once more. Fallowed by the crack of thunder.
The shadows show one stallion, on its knees. The other stallion, on its back with his hooves raised forward. Half a blade glimmers in the flash.
A little filly's scream rises as she watches her father fall to the floor. Another echoing thud. Rippling back to her, over and over.
A continuous thud, stuck on repeat set by the King of Death himself.
Climbing out of a chest, the filly tries to run toward her father. But her leg gets caught on something.
Or rather, something caught her leg. The murderer stallion's hoof is wrapped around her leg.
He lifts her up, and looks at the filly with an evil smile.
Screams rise up again, louder than before! The lightning flashes and show the face of a gray pony with faded green and bloody blue eyes looking dead straight at the little pegasus filly. The stallion's black mane flows behind his blue tinted crown, with red fangs around a gray oval at the top. A sinister laugh escapes his own fangs, and the purple coloring on the stallion's horn glows to a blood red color, prepared to cast a spell that silences the night.
He lunges forward...the night shrieks with terror...and darkness swallows the scene...
***
With a jolt, Cloud Dasher wakes up. Rubbing her eyes and stretching her wings, she sits up. The forest around her is unknown but peaceful. Water from a creek streams by, giving a calm feeling to her. Birds sing all around her. Buzzing of bees, soft chirps of crickets, and a light breeze rustles the leaves rises. Cloud looks around more, lost in the absolute beauty of nature.
And then a twig snaps. The birds fall silent. The bees and crickets disappear. Only the water and wind stay.
Cloud Dasher jumps to her feet. "Who's there?" she calls.
"Calm down now. Im not here to hurt you." A pony's shadow peeps from a bush in front of Cloud. The shadow walks forward to the clearing.
"You-your the pony I saw last night, ain't you?"
"Yes little filly, I am." An old blue mare stands in front of her, dipping her head as she spoke.
A senior pony, with faded bright blue, sky blue, and white mane and tail. Her wings are worn down with age, were once a navy blue. The stranger's soft purple eyes are the only sign that she was once a young filly too. Her muzzle, ears, and hooves are all the same faded worn-down navy blue as her wings are. And a long old scar runs down her left leg.
"What are you doing here, if you don't mind me asking?" Cloud asks at the old mare.
"I assure you, I am not looking for a fight, young'n. What are you doing here, if you don't mind me asking?" She replies.
"Well..I'm not sure. All I wanted to do was run. Escape everything. My thoughts..my life...even my friends. Anything really." The younger blue pony looks down at her hooves, a tear streams down her cheek.
"Its OK. I understand how you feel. Come with me." The older blue mare puts a hoof on Cloud's shoulder, and walks towards the depths of the forest.
"But I don't even know your name!" Cloud calls to the stranger.
"My name is Cloud Dasher. C'mon and hurry up!" The stranger calls back.
The younger pony stares in complete puzzlement, before jumping up and racing towards the pony, who's name is also hers.
***
The two Cloud Dashers, young and old, walk through a trail in the forest. Neither say a word, each lost in thought. A soft yellow light dims ahead of the trail. As the ponies reach the light-a small campfire-next to a large oak tree, the older Pegasus knocks on the wood in a certain way. A doorway opens from the oak tree, and stairs greet them.
"Whoa that is incredible! How did you do that?" Little Cloud Dasher asks as she looks around the tree, up the tree, and in the tree.
"Yes, it is pretty amazing huh? Actually a unicorn friend of mine carved this for my friends and I several years back. She took on a wood carving hobby and became quite good at it. This was the last thing she made before she left Ponyville and traveled to Manehatten." The senior mare tells her as they walk up the winding stairs into a large tree house.
A rustic rug under a country brown bed against the wall. A small kitchen, set with a wooden fridge and a sink in the corner. A hallowed out fire place opposing side of the bed, hot coals cooling from a previous night's warm glowing fire. And to top the set, a stunning view of the forest covers the last wall up, and the room and fills with morning light.
"Omigosh..this place is amazing.." The young filly stares in wonder and amazement.
"Yes, it is." Older Cloud breathes in and out, before walking to the kitchen, where two plates of food await. "Hungry?" she calls.
Grrrrooowl! Young Cloud silences her tummy with a hoof, before walking into the kitchen, and sitting on a wooden stool.
"Yum, this looks great! My favorite breakfast food too!" She looks down at her golden french toast with a side of dandelion and honeydew grass. And a cup of orange juice, of course.
"Glad you like it. Pickles helped get the honeydew grass."
"Pickles? Who's Pick-"
A squealing noise rushed in and a flash of white and pink ran across the kitchen floor.
"Pickles! Calm down, shes a guest! Behave now Pickles." Cloud Dasher told the white and pink flash, who stopped at her hooves.
"A PIG!? Pickles is a pig?! Where did you get a pig from??"
"Well, its quite a funny story actually, but short version -a dear friend of mine gave him to me years back." Senior Cloud chuckled to young Cloud, petting her pet pig before she continued to eat.
"Wow that's pretty cool! Iv always liked little pigs, their so cute and funny."
"Yeah, and their an absolute joy to have, huh Pickles?"
Squeak! Pickles ran around in a circle before turning towards her food bowl and getting her own breakfast.
After the two ponies, and a pig, ate their food they made their way over to a room filled with scrolls and books.
"Now, little filly, I know you have a hoof-full of questions. So shoot." Older Cloud Dasher told her as she picked up a few scrolls and sat down in a chair.
"Well, OK then. Who are you? And how come you have the same name as me? And why Pickles?" The little filly turned around in a circle each question she asked, before lying down with her hooves tucked under her.
"Curious little pony aren't you? I am a very old pony, who has lived an interesting life. When I was little, dark forces caused me to loose my home, and my family. I was rescued by my friends, who took me in and cared for me. We grew up and got into loads of trouble, but were the best of friends. We learned something that changed our lives though. We each had a destiny that changed the world. However, our paths weren't easy. We encountered many hard trials, fighting this evil power that destroyed my childhood. Unlike my friends, my destiny didn't end with a fairy tale ending. I died protecting my friends, like they protected me. My name is Cloud Dasher, like yours is too, because I am you. And I picked the name pickles, because his breath smells like them." The old Cloud Dasher looks toward the forest as she tells her life tale. Facing the smaller pony as she finishes, and laughing as she answers the "why Pickles" question.
"But how-how are you..did you-...what? How could you possibly be me? And if you died, then how are you here? When does this happen to me?" The little Cloud Dasher looks at her older self in bewilderment, as she tries to understand what was told to her.
"I cannot tell you when, or how, or why I died. I can only tell you that this does happen. And I am here to tell you this. The Prophecy that our friend Eileen told you, is true. And you, my dear, are the "mare with wings as blue as the night sky." Your friends are the three other ponies who will save Equestria. Everything I say to you, is real. You will be tested, and you will have more trials to come, but as together, your and your friends will succeed."
Silence falls over young Cloud Dasher, as she thinks on her older self's words. "That was you back at the barn, wasn't it? I saw a pony before I was going to catch up with Gumdrop and them. You were looking at me, before I looked away." She looks back up at the older mare.
"Yes I was there. I have been watching you and your friends. Protecting you and guiding you. You were meant to find out the truth about Thanatos. You were meant to run away, and you were meant to stop in that clearing, where I found you. You were always going to find me and learn this, because its what you were always going to tell your younger self. I know, its confusing." The older mare replies.
"Tell me 'bout it. So i was always going to find out this..my future basically. That I die some how, some where, and some time. And that my friends and I..we're the Prophiced Four..?"
"Yes little one. And now you must be heading back home." The older pony gets up, and walks toward the open forest view. Little Cloud Dasher follows.
"But I don't even know where home is. I was kinda in a hurry to leave."
"Don't worry, I will take you back to the clearing, and show you where to go. C'mon."
The two ponies leave the treehouse, walk down the stairs, and out of the tree's magical door. Once again the older pony takes the lead, and the younger pony fallows, caring on with her questions.
"So, if you died but your here in my-i guess our-past, then what about our friends? What happened to them?"
"Well, I don't really know. But I know that their safe, and well see each other again someday."
"Do you miss them?"
"Yes, I do. Very much. And I know that they miss me too. But we wont forget each other."
"Well, how do you know that?"
"Because friends never say goodbye, little one. Never." The older pegasus looks down at the younger one, with a kind smile.
Little Cloud returns the act.
As the two ponies reach to clearing, the sun already tells its around noon. Birds sing, and bees are working. The water from the creek nearby still flows, and the wind still blows.
"This is as far as I go now, young filly. Just head down that path over there, and you shall be back home soon." The older Cloud nods down a trail.
"Will I ever see you again? Or me, I guess." The smaller Cloud asks?
"I am afraid this is the last you will see of your future self. But know that I will always be with you. I am you anyways." She chuckles at herself.
"So this is goodbye then?" The filly looks at the older mare with a sad look.
"No, young one. Friends never say goodbye, remember? This is more of a, Ill see you later alligator.." The old mare hugs little Cloud tightly.
"After a while crocodile.."
The two ponies hug each other, before smaller Cloud Dasher walks away toward the path back to home. She pauses, looks back at her older self, smiles again, and begins to walk back home. The older Cloud Dasher smiles back and when her littler self disappears, she fades into the air, vanishing as the wind blows.
The gently blows to and fro. Picking up leaves and swirling about, Cloud Dasher's wind-like spirit flows into circling directions heading into a darker area of Ponyville.
Twirling around dead, broken trees and down burnt and lifeless homes. Nopony in sight for miles.
Only one structure still stands. A tall, dark, haunting castle. The walls invaded by a blackened ivy and the windows cracked and smudged with dried blood. Banners hang below a few towers, each showing King Thanatos's sign of power.
Dasher's spirit blows through a broken window in the castle. Inside Thanatos's lair she enters. Up stairs into a larger room furnished with a long worn-out rug with old designs. The windows cracked and dirty, looking as if they have never been washed. Two doors that lead into the room barely able to stand on its hinges. Dust-ponies and dirt cover everything, multiplying the more you look around.
And to the far end of the room a stone throne rests. A dark shadow in the seat. An eerie purple glow above his head.
The wind blows quickly around in a circle, and magically the senior Cloud Dasher arrears in its spot. As she walks forward, an evil laugh escapes from the King.
"Ah I seem to have a guest. Please, have a seat." The purple glow from his horn, lights into red and a tall wooden chair forms to the side.
"Oh your so kind Thanatos. Truly." Cloud replies in a sarcastic monotone before taking a seat in the chair.
"Yes, Ive always thought so. So tell me, how are they?" Thanatos takes a sip of his golden goblet filled with strange red liquid. Looking back at Dasher he glares slightly before a monstrous grin creeps over his face.
"You mean my friends? Their doing wonderfully. They like to get into mischief and such. Reading all the restricted books as well. Even my brother's book! Can you believe that?"
"Oh that foalsbook is a bunch of rubbish! I expected Thegmaster to write about the glorious tales of King Thanatos! Ah but instead he wrote about fake tales that bring hope. I hate hope!!" Thanatos spats as he says "hope" and throws his ghastly drink, landing it just beside Cloud.
"Ugh! I literally just cleaned my hooves! You can at least show respect to the one pony that killed you!" Cloud hovers in the air, wiping off her hooves as she speaks.
Another evil laugh, louder than the last one, escapes from Thanatos. "Ah yes! Where are my manners!?"
Thanatos's purple glow on his saber horn lights to blood red again and two giant, green and black glowing monsters rise from the ground. Purple lightning flickers about them as they move toward Cloud. As she tries desperately to fly away, she falls to the floor as on giant grabs her leg and pulls her down. The two monsters pin Cloud on the floor, resisting her efforts to escape.
"You see Cloud Dasher, I own you. Without me, where would you be? What about your friends? What do you think would happen to them if you vanished? Hmm?" Thanatos walks toward the pined pegasus. Looking at her questionably as he asks his questions.
Cloud doesn't answer, knowing she was on thin ice already. However concern fills her eyes and she tries harder to escape the giant's grasp.
"Would they even care...? What if they've already forgotten about you?? Oh my, the curiosity is even getting to me! I wonder..." The King walks away from Cloud to a small table with only one object resting on it. A large bubble encased in glass.
Thanatos gently pulls out the bubble with is magic and hovers it beside him. He looks in it for a moment, before walking toward Cloud again.
"This is the same magic bubble that the gray pegasus gave you. Did you know I had it? I have to say, it really does show you what your heart most desires for! Why, just the other day I was looking in it and I believe I saw blood. All over my floors. Isn't that crazy?" Pausing to chuckle to himself, Thanatos hovers the bubble toward Cloud, resting
it in front of her. "So tell me Cloud, what do you see?" He silently orders his giant guards to let the blue pegasus go. She picks up the bubble in a hurry and stares at it in hope for a second or two before the bubble starts to fill with pictures.
Different ponies, familiar ponies. A minty green unicorn with a curly yellow mane walks down the streets of Manehatten, a giant smile across her face. As Glitter Shine fades away another pony fills her place. This one a blue camo pegasus, flying high in the clouds, a blue fire-like trail behind her. The mare chases a large yellow ball through the sky, before catching it in a backflip, and returning to her team whose cheering her name. As Blue Fire fades as well, several more ponies fill the bubble.
This time its a small group of mares. Two pegasi and an earth pony.
My friends! Cloud hugs the bubble tightly before looking deeper inside. Her friends are talking to one another, laughing and smiling. As cloud looks harder, tears are visible in her friends eyes. Their voices stream through.
"...and remember that time when she sat with those stallions?!"
"Yeah! Oh man, I still cant believe she actually rounded up some other
people to go with her!"
"Really?! I still cant believe I actually missed out on that!! The one time!"
"One time?? Um, every time you leave to go visit your mom in
Canterlot, something big happens!!"
"Oh yeah! Thats right!! Goodness sakes, remember that other time when
it snowed for ONE day?!"
"And you missed out on that too?! Oh boy, did she have a time with that story!"
"Naw, it wasn't that one that she kept pokin' at! It was the one bout
how Muffin met her Bug!"
"O thats right!! Geez how could I forget?!"
"I know I didn't! Never heard the end of that one!"
"Aw but it was pretty funny watchin' your face get all red!"
"Like a strawberry!!"
"Yeah well I think it was funnier watching her face get all red! Time.
Of. My. Life!"
"Gosh yes! Aint gonna forget that!"
"Yeah I don't think there's ever a way to forget about Cloud"
"No way, no how"
"I bet well see her again. Never did say goodbye, did we?"
"I aint gonna say goodbye! Thats just wrong on so many levels"
"For real! After all shes done..no way."
"..I wonder if she still looks at that bubble I gave her."
"The one that-oh what was it..."
"...lets you see whatever you desired the most? Wasn't it yipps?"
"Yeah thats it!"
"Id think that she still looks at it. Where ever she is."
"What if shes lookin' at it right now?"
"First off, that'd be totally mind-blowing. Second off, if she is...id
want her to know that I miss her. A lot."
"Me too. And that Im still waiting for ya in the clouds, Dash. Forever
and always"
"Aw well geez yall are already making me cry! I want her to know that shes always with us. Always..."
Her friends slowly fade away, no other ponies fill their place. As Cloud hugs the bubble tightly still, her friend's conversation lingers in her mind. They haven't forgotten about me. And they wont ever.
Dasher looks back up at Thanatos, wet streams down her cheeks still. The King simply looks down at her, snorts slightly, and walks toward his throne. Casting magic over the bubble again, he steals it out of Cloud's hooves and places it back in the glass case.
"You know you cant win Thanatos."
"Perhaps. But however, things are different this time. You'll see."
"The only difference this time is that im still protecting my friends. Both past and future! So if you think that you can do anything different, any thing to save your pathetic excuse of a life, think again."
"Im so glad you think that way."
Thanatos's monsters grab Cloud again and lift her into the air by her wings.
"You know, its a shame really. I do admire your courage and loyalty towards your friends. Always protecting them. But I must ask... Who's protecting you?"
A sinister laugh breaks the eerie silence that followed his question. A look of horror crosses Clouds face. Panic floods her emotions and screams start to rise from the pegasus.
"No, no you cant! Please..no! No—"
Before she could say anything else Thanatos casted a spell that ended her screams. That ended her.
And as his guards, having too much fun in their task, ripped her night sky wings off the pony, and dropped the lifeless body to the ground, she landed with a thud.
Unimaginable sounds of horror echoed through the room. Blood gathered into a puddle, staining the rug. Night sky feathers floated along in the dark, thick puddle.
"Hmm, now thats exactly what I saw the other day."
King Thanatos laughs as he walks away from the bloody mess.
***
Clip clop! Clip clop! Clip clop! As little Cloud Dasher nears her familiar empty apple tree-filled acres. A well known red barn stands in the distance. Smells of hay and barn dust fill Cloud's mind as she gallops on.
Then she comes to a stop.
Her Pack's clubhouse stands in front of her. Sounds of her friends roughly muffle through. And that must be Gummy, crying her feathers out. Great. You really screwed up this time, Cloud.
As the little pegasus climbs the old stairs, she accidentally trips on a board and falls, face first, with a thud.
"Did y'all hear that?
"Comon lets go check it out!
Her friends, Squishy McMuffin in front, Eileen behind her, and a tearful Gumdrop mopping along, come to her rescue.
"CLOUD?! Oh you are SO GONNA GET IT!!"
Or not.
Before Eileen could catch her, not that she even gave much of any effort, McMuffin bolts toward Cloud and tackles her. However Cloud being who she is, and absolutely terrified of her friend, tries to run away. Thus causing a ball of white, brown, and blue to tumble down the stairs.
"Oof! Hey! MUFFIN!! Get off of me!!"
"You're such a little butt-face!!" Pinning Cloud to the floor, Muffin literally sprawls over her friend, pinning her to the cold ground. Eileen and Gumdrop join their two friends.
"Just lemme explain, would ya?!" Cloud says in a strained voice before trying to shake her friend off her, to no avail. Then trying to scoot herself away, still to no avail. Finally Cloud gives in to defeat.
"You better or else your gonna wish you would've never came back! I mean it! The whole explanation!!"
"And if you even think bout' galloping off like that again, ill personally hoof-slap ya across the face Cloud!" Eileen looks dead strait in Clouds eyes while she holds up her hoof and pounds it with her other.
"Geez guys, y'all are squishing her half to death! Squishy!"
"Alright, alright Gumdrop. Calm your ponies! Im gettin up." Squishy gets up, slow as a tortoise, and stomping on Clouds stomach for a silent "im beyond mad at you" hint.
As Cloud takes in a breath of air, after it was knocked out of her, she stands up. All three of her friends herd around her in a trapping circle. Muffin with a stare to kill, Eileen still looking mad but not as much as before, and Gumdrop with a heart breaking face.
Before Cloud begins to explain, she walks over to Gumdrop and gives her a big hug.
"Im so sorry Yipps. I shouldn't have ran out like that the other day. Are you okay?"
"Yeah Im alright, now that you finally came back. Cant believe you did that though! We all really thought you died when you didn't come home last night." Gumdrop hugs her best friend back, still sniffling through her words.
"Im sorry y'all. I wanted to come back as soon as I left, but I didn't know where to go! Honest to Celestia!" Cloud wraps her arm around Gumdrop, wanting to comfort her friend still.
"Well then how did you get back, huh?" Squishy asks in her sassiest voice ever, as she looks at Cloud in a sarcastic way.
"Lets just get in the clubhouse where I can tell y'all without wanting to pass out from so much pain." Cloud rolls her eyes at Squishy, and Gumdrop helps Cloud limp-walk up the stairs, with Eileen following next to the pinto pegasus.
"I'm tellin ya, if she makes another run for it..." Squishy whispers to Eileen, anger obviously ending her sentence.
"Don't worry, i'll tackle her this time." Eileen bumps into Muffin in a playful way, but her tone suggesting that she wasn't lying.
The two buffer ponies make their way behind Cloud and Gumdrop. Squishy trying hard to resist the urge to tug on Cloud's tail.
As Cloud enters her clubhouse, she takes in all the smells of home. Golly, I've missed this place so much! I know I wasn't gone for that long, but still! Each of her friends take their usual seats, and pull them around Cloud's soft snowflake blanket. Gumdrop lowers Dasher onto the blanket, and even gives her the treasured white unicorn while she holds a fluffy pink unicorn plush under her wing.
"Alright Cloud. Talk."
"I am sorry Muffin. Really. Y'all have no idea how awful I felt leaving.. As soon as I couldn't run any longer I fell down to the ground and laid there, crying. Asking myself why did my parents not tell me the truth? Why did they lie to me instead? Where was I..where were my friends.." Cloud trails off, looking down at her hooves with her eyes already starting to tear up as she recalls what happened.
"Aww Cloud..." Gumdrop places her wing over Dasher in comfort.
Looking up from her hooves, Dasher gives a small smile to her friend. Glancing at Muffin, she sees that her friend softens her expression, but Cloud drops her smile, knowing that looks can be deceiving. Eileen looks sympathetically towards Cloud, still curious as to how the story continues however.
"So then what??" Eileen asks, curiosity dominating her thoughts.
"Well, before I passed out from running for so long, I heard something. Somethin was in the bushes in front of me. So course, I asked who's there? And this pony, I couldn't see who they were because it was dark, but she steps out and says "A friend. Rest now." Or somethin' like that. And then everything went dark. Course I had to have yet another nightmare about my dad and then Thanatos trying to get me before I woke up."
"Another one? Maybe they mean something..? Did you find that creepy pony when you woke up?" Eileen asks.
"I don't know, maybe. Yeah I did actually. Its pretty weird what I'm gonna tell y'all next, but honest its the truth!"
"Pinkie Pie Promise?" Gumdrop looks up at Cloud, asking for the most sacred promises of all time.
"Yes, I cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, that I'm telling the truth." Including the gestures and sing-songy voice Dasher recites the promise, ending with her hoof invisibly sticking a cupcake in her eye.
"Alright. What then?" Muffin looking at Cloud, no emotion showing.
"Well, imagine a mare. A really old one. With a long scar down her left flank. Her coat color a royal blue, and her hooves, ears, nose, and wings fading into a navy blue color. Her mane was a really pale sky blue, dusty white, and a faded bright blue. Um, her eyes were purple. Oh, and her cutie mark was a little dashed through cloud in front of a big dashed through cloud. An exact match to this one." Pointing down to her own cutie mark, Dasher describes what her older self looked like.
Silence and astonished faces from her friends. Each has their jaw dropped and a thousand-word expression on their faces.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"You know you just described yourself Cloud?!" Muffin looks baffled at Cloud.
"I know that! But she was way older than me! Wrinkly and gray hair old!" Staring back at her friends with her hooves gesturing in the air.
"But why would some pony look exactly with you? Cutie mark and everythin! Hows that even possible?"
"Because she was me! But like, future self! I legit saw myself from the future!"
"Seriously?! Thats really cool but isn't it kinda strange? Why would you-the future you-be here in the past-or present..you know?" Eileen stares at Cloud with that "this is so weird" kind of look.
"Yeah, it was really strange at first! But then it made sense later. After I saw her in the morning she told me to follow her. So course I did. Then we walked through this trail in a really pretty forest. Birds were singing and bees were buzzin...it was a really pretty forest.." Cloud continues with retelling her story of what happened that morning.
"Focus Cloud! So yall just walked on this trail?" Muffin snaps Cloud back into reality.
"Yeah. Through a really pretty forest. She didn't say anything though, if thats what you were wondering."
"Then what?" Gumdrop asks with excitement and curiosity.
"Well, I saw this light up ahead. When we got there, it ended up being a small campfire next to this big ol' tree! Like a really big tree! It was so awesome! But then what happened next was even more awesomer! The older me did this special knock on the tree-like that- and these stairs opened from inside the tree! It was crazy!" Cloud gestures in the air and knocks on the wooden floor in the same special knock as her older self did.
"Woah really?! Thats awesome!" Gumdrop bubbles with excitement.
"How did it do that? Like that has to be magic or somethin!" Eileen asks.
"Thats because it was magic! She told me that a unicorn friend of hers-or mine- took up a wood carving class or somethin and made that for her and her friends before leaving to Manehatten for her business, or somethin like that." Cloud explains.
"A unicorn friend? And shes you from the future?" Muffin, finally all anger in her gone, asks curiously.
"Yeah."
"So then if shes you, and her friends are us...do you know any unicorns Dash?"
"..um..only Gumdrop's little sister. Whatcha thinkin?" Cloud thinks hard before answering.
"Well, put the pieces together! Unless you meet any unicorn ponies down the road, I'm pretty sure that the older you was talking about Glitter Shine!" Muffin explains herself.
"Woah! Really? But my sister is like, not even one yet!" Gumdrop stare completely baffled at her friends.
"Hmm, naw..what Squishy is saying actually makes sense! Glitz maybe little now, but she aint in the future! For all we know she could enjoy carving, and eventually make us a really awesome new magic clubhouse!" Eileen points out, excitement filling her words.
"Holy ponies! I didnt even think about that! Thats so cool!" Cloud's excitement showing as she grins from ear to ear.
"Well now I know what to get her for her birthday! Thats pretty awesome!" Gumdrop adds in.
"Alright so then what happened?" Muffin wanting to press on with Cloud's story.
"Well we went up stairs and-" Cloud stops mid-sentence.
The sound of a bell ringing interrupts her. Some pony calls out "Gummy! McMuff! Cloud! Eileen! Where are yall?"
"Oh shoot! Is it that late?! We better go before Mr. Snug gets mad!" Eileen stands up in a hurry and packs away her things.
The other three ponies stand up too and move their pillows and blankets to their usual spots. Gumdrop and Cloud are the first out the door leaving Squishy to steal the white and pink unicorn plushes and hiding them under her pillow, before leaving as well. Eileen hurries after, locking the door behind her.
"Hi daddy!" Gumdrop gives her dad, Snuggly Warbunnies a big hug.
"Hey Mr. Snug!" Cloud catches up and gives Gumdrop's dad a brohoof.
"Hey my little ponies! Cloud, I told ya you can call me dad too! Your one of the family!" Snug gives Cloud and Gumdrop a hug back.
"Evenin' pops!" Muffin and Eileen catch up to their friends and give Snug a hug as well.
"Hey guys! Time to come home now, mama's orders. Hey Eileen, you're spending the night. We've already cleared it with your mom."
"Alright cool!" Eileen jumps in excitement and brohoofs Gumdrop.
"Ok ponies, hop on!" Snug gestures for the ponies to climb onto his back for a ride.
Before Gumdrop can hop in the front, Squishy flies in, stealing her spot. Gumdrop accepts defeat, and climbs in behind. Eileen jumps on, and Cloud hovers in the air.
"Ready? Cloud, try to keep up! And don't choke on my dust!" Snuggly asks, looking at Cloud. But before she could answer, he sprints off in a gallop, leaving a trail of dust behind.
"Oh golly, its days like this that I love my family." Cloud smiles before dashing forward, racing towards her family.
