What happens when you cross shadows, ponies and the CMC? Phantasma Eeria, A Mare from Manehattan is about to find out
Phantasma Eeria, A red unicorn mare, has her life flipped upside down when she moves to ponyville, she will have to steel her nerves and take on all the challenges her new life throws at her
I woke suddenly in a cold sweat, panting heavily, my eyes darting beck and forth frantically. “Great another nightmare” I think to myself. I look out of the window and see the sun slightly above the horizon, seemingly hovering. Sighing I heave myself out of bed reluctantly. I would have liked some more sleep, but now I’m up so I may as well get on with today’s menial tasks. I wonder what is on today’s ‘To-Do list’ as I walk into the bathroom, dragging my hooves along the carpeted floor.
Once in the bathroom I get a quick shower, and brush my tail. As I begin an attempt to brush the bird’s-nest of a mane that is sitting atop my head, my face becomes acquainted with Mr. Floor, much to my displeasure. It is at this point I remember that I’m a unicorn and thus can perform ‘magic tricks’. “How in Celestia’s name did I let it slip my mind that I have a darkish-red horn sticking out of my forehead and mane?” instantaneously ‘pops’ into my head as I levitate the brush to the tangled mess atop my head and begin to battle my mane in a desperate attempt to tame it.
After finally brushing my mane into what I hope is a presentable style, I head downstairs, passing stacks of cardboard boxes. At the foot of the stairs, I am greeted (and startled) by my pet, a large jet-black bat. I smile and greet him, before heading into the kitchen for something to sink my teeth into. Raiding the cupboards, I find a hoof-baked cake from the Bakery near the Town Hall, several bowls, plates and the like, a single box of cereal and a few tinned provisions.
I feel my tail being moved, as something pushes its way through the hairs. Upon investigation, it turns out to be Mordecai, my bat, burrowing his way into the, now messy, tail that he favours as a roost. Hurriedly finishing my breakfast, I gaze at the checklist stuck to the kitchen door. I was wrong; the tasks on this list are actually rather fun, compared to a normal day…especially during the last few weeks.
Suddenly realising what day and date it is, my eyes rapidly dilate in shock. I should have been up hours ago! I levitate the remaining unpacked contents of my house into boxes and call the courier service. Much to my dismay a grey pegasus mare, with yellow eyes facing off in separate directions, and a blonde mane and tail, appears from behind the ‘moving chariot’. “Not Ditzy Doo, please” I almost groan as the pegasus is a notorious klutz. I load the chariot up with my possessions and ask the pegasi couriers to take the chariot to the Town Hall in Ponyville, where I shall meet them when they arrive.
The pegasi look confused when I tell them that I expect them to meet me at the Ponyville Town Hall in no longer than half an hour. I sigh and gesture towards my horn, swishing my mane slightly and making my horn glow dimly. A wave of realisation sweeps over the otherwise intelligent ponies and they set of at a significant speed. In a flash of dark purple, I arrive in the quaint town of Ponyville, and greeted by a spritely pink earth-pony with the most tangled mane I have ever seen feel welcome already. “The girls at the mane-stylist in Manehattan would have loved to play with that.” I think to myself in soliloquy, unconsciously letting out a small giggle while the pink mare gazes intently at me, looking a little confused at why I giggled but ecstatic all the same.
“Hi, I’m Phantasma Eeria,” I utter formally, introducing myself “What did you say your name was? I didn’t quite catch it while you were quickly giving me a verbal tour of this marvellous town” “I’m Pinkie Pie, and you must be new here because I know everypony in Ponyville and I’ve never sever seen you before, where are you from? Do you like Cupcakes? Have you seen a toothless alligator around here anywhere, because I lost him and my Pinkie Sense tells me he’s around here somewhere, so I’m looking for him?” Pinkie Pie replies.
“You are correct, I am new to Ponyville, I am moving here from Manehattan, and I’m currently due an appointment with the Mayor which I absolutely must attend. To answer your questions yes I do like cupcakes, they are the best confectionary product I know of, no I haven’t seen any alligators sorry, but I will keep an eye out for him and bring him to you if I find him, where do you live, and Pinkie Sense?” I say, giving the keen mare a small grin as I finish. “I live at Sugarcube Corner; just follow the smell of cakes and milkshakes. In addition, Pinkie Sense lets me know what is going to happen, for example, folks around here know that if my tail’s a-twitching you need to get under cover, because it means something is going to fall. Sometimes, I get a bunch of different signals I call them Combos.” “Do you mean Combos as in Combinations?” I ask inquisitively “Yes indeedely” Pinkie Pie replies shortly afterwards.
“Pinkie Pie, unfortunately I must be going, as I must get to my appointment with the Mayor as it entails my housing arrangements and the like, It was delightful meeting you and the knowledge that I have a friend in this strange new environment is uplifting. I look forward to our next meeting, perhaps we could chat, while having a cupcake and milkshake, and you could introduce me to some of your friends” I say apologetically at first, before my tone changes to a more cheerful one. “Okey-Dokey-Lokey” Pinkie replies delighted that she has made yet another of her friends smile.
After heading into the Town Hall, I ask a beige, grey-maned, bespectacled mare with a scroll as a cutie-mark where I can find the Mayor’s office. The mare kindly informs me that she in-fact is the Mayor of the small town. I apologise multiple times explaining that I am new in town, and the only correspondence between the two were via hoof-written written letters. The Mayor fully introduces herself and tells me that all is forgiven, and that she was just about to see if I had arrived yet. I had made a point about being here at a specific time in a previous letter to the mare that was growing on me as a lead in Ponyville’s political and organisational affairs, and a friend.
As we advance towards the Mayor’s office, the conversation turns to idle the idle chitchat that would be expected from two newly acquainted ponies. The beige mare asks me whom I have met while I have been in Ponyville, and without thinking, I reply, “An excitable pink mare named Pinkie Pie”. Mayor Mare chuckles a little and tells me that Pinkie is the best party pony in Ponyville, and that if ever a new pony comes into town Pinkie will be there to throw a welcome party for them. When we finally reach the politician’s office, I feel a warming sensation throughout my body, as I realise that everypony (more or less) is incredibly polite, sincere, and kind.
Upon entering I am greeted with a mahogany desk, an excellent view, and a homely ambience emanating from the very being room. I sit in one of the leather chairs in front of the desk, and the Mayor takes her seat behind the mahogany centrepiece. The meeting I desired to get through is finally underway as we finally come to the matter at hoof, my housing arrangements. After ten minutes of discussing formalities, mortgage policies, the neighbours and the availability of help, Mayor Mare gives me the leasing document which I sign and initial elegantly (if I do say so myself) before returning it to the bespectacled mare. With all the documents and legal wavers signed and filed, I receive the keys to, and address of my new house.
As I exit the building the chariot from Manehattan arrives, and I tell the ponies pulling it to follow me to the final destination of the job. Leading a troop of pegasi, I advance towards the address given to me and quickly notice the aroma of cakes, and realise that I must be near Sugarcube Corner. As I search for a sign bearing the street’s name, I bump into Pinkie Pie. She greets me and asks me where I am going with the pegasi behind me. Happily explaining the situation, I remember that I still do not know where I am heading, so I ask Pinkie if she can show me the way, and hand her the slip of paper with my new address on it.
She agrees and looks at the paper, before almost screaming “Oh My Gosh! We’re going to be neighbours! This address is right next to Sugarcube Corner!” Astonished at this, I ask her if she is certain of that fact. Pinkie responds by telling me that she knows Ponyville like the back of her hoof and that my new address is “100% absolutely certainly right next to Sugarcube Corner”. Smiling I follow Pinkie who is bouncing along happily. A purple alicorn mare calls out “Hiya Pinkie, What are you doing?” to which Pinkie responds cheerily “Hi Twilight, I’m showing the new pony where her new house is”.
I look more carefully at the alicorn and recognise her from the fashion week in Manehattan. “You’re Princess Twilight Sparkle, aren’t you?” I ask both curiously and abruptly. “Yes I am, but if you’re new, how did you know?” Twilight replies. “I saw you in Manehattan a short while ago; can I ask you a question?” I answer. The admirable alicorn mare responds, “I see, and yes you may ask me a question any time, within reason”. “Do you know why the majority of the blank flanks in Manehattan are running around in capes shouting ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders!’?” I ask kindly. “I can think of three reasons” Twilight Sparkle replies.
I request that Twilight elaborates, and she says three names, ‘Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’, which mean nothing to me. Twilight explains that they are three fillies without their cutie marks, who founded a club called the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ about a year ago and have been causing a large amount of mischief in Ponyville. She proceeds to tell me that when Apple Bloom’s cousin Babs Seed visited Ponyville, they swore her into their club, and asked the new initiate to set up the Manehattan branch.
I look at Twilight with an expression of understanding adorned on my face, and ask her if she would like to join me for a cupcake and milkshake, so we can get to know each other better. Sadly, she declines as she needs to find her assistant, Spike the dragon. “A dragon?” I exclaim with a shocked expression. “Yes, Spike is a Dragon. I’m surprised you didn’t know, he lit the fire at the Equestria Games, and ended up saving hundreds of ponies from a giant iceberg” Twilight says politely. “I missed the Equestria Games as I was unfortunately incapacitated from an accident involving a steel girder and my skull” I reply, embarrassed.
Twilight grimaces, and then tells us that she really must be going, and offers to meet up with me at a later date when she isn’t as busy, which I kindly accept, telling her I look forward to it. I turn to face Pinkie and suggest we set off again as the pegasi look frustrated. The pink mare agrees and bounces towards our destination at an alarming pace, causing me to have difficulty keeping up with her. When we arrive the scent of cakes is overwhelming, and I subconsciously inhale deeply, licking my lips as I imagine the variety of delicious treats.
“So this is my new house?” I say looking at the building adjacent to the confectionary shop. Pinkie nods her head numerous times in quick succession, and asks if she can come in. Surprised at how helpful she is being, I gaze blankly at her for a few seconds before regaining my composure, getting the key out of my bag and unlocking the door, and gesturing that she comes in for a little while with the pegasi. The pegasi unhook their chariot and walk, single file, into the building taking a quick look around and whistling before complimenting my choice in housing, to which I humbly tell them that the Mayor was the one who decided where I was housed.
I ask the movers to unlock the chariot so I can start unpacking and they can be on their way. As the lock clicks open, and the door slides up to the roof of the container, I begin to levitate a few boxes and bring them into my house. Much to my amazement, several boxes of my stuff has been brought into the foyer of my house, and a couple have been emptied. Pinkie bounces up to me balancing several kitchen utensils on her muzzle. I thought you might need some help” she says gleefully before bouncing off and tossing the utensils into several drawers. I smile at her happily, and start unpacking the boxes as Pinkie Pie brings them into the house, singing ‘Smile, Smile, Smile’ as I do so. As I begin the first line, Pinkie recognises the song and sings along, bouncing as she does so. We finish spectacularly singing “Smi~ile, come on and smi~ile, come on and smile” and Pinkie begins to laugh, and due to the contagious nature of the laugh I begin to laugh too. “How did you know my song?” Pinkie asks out of blatant curiosity. I explain that shortly after leaving Ponyville, a pony named Cheese Sandwich came to Manehattan and threw the best party the city had ever seen.
As Pinkie tells me about the party Cheese Sandwich threw in Ponyville, three heads appear in the doorway, towering, one atop another just shy of the middle of the doorframe. I turn to finish unpacking the final box and see the three disembodied heads in the doorway, and ask the three ponies, who are evidently not fully grown, if they would like to come in. The young ponies semi-cautiously walk through the door. All three appear to be fillies. One is a light yellow, with a red mane topped with a purple bow; the second has a brilliant white coat, purple mane and a voice that squeaks occasionally; and the third walks in with her chest protruding proudly, her orange coat glimmering and her purple mane bouncing as she struts into the room behind her friends.
“So what do you three delightful fillies call yourselves?” I ask smiling sweetly at the adorable fillies that have recently crossed the threshold of my house. “Ah’m Apple Bloom, and that there’s Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, mah friends” the yellow pony, known as Apple Bloom says. Before she can continue I ask “I take it that you are the fillies who started the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the cause of the vast majority of the blank flanks in Manehattan running around shouting ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’, then the name of the profession based around the task they are attempting to perform.”
Sweetie Belle asks me how I know so much, and to answer I relay what I learned from Twilight unto the listening fillies before asking if they would like a cupcake and milkshake. The result is a unanimous ‘Yes, Please’ from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, I ask Pinkie if she wants to join us and she accepts. On the way out, I remember the pegasi that brought my belongings to Ponyville in the first place. I call to them as they prepare to set off and give them 20 bits each for their troubles and keeping them waiting while I talked to Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. After the rigmarole of moving was over and done with Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and entered Sugarcube Corner for a cupcake and milkshake each.
I ask the three fillies accompanying which cupcakes and milkshakes they would like. Scootaloo asks for a chocolate cupcake and the same flavoured milkshake, Apple Bloom asks for a butterfly cupcake with pink icing and a vanilla milkshake, and Sweetie Belle asks for a simple cupcake, and strawberry milkshake. I ask the Crusaders to find a table and trot up to the counter to order the cupcakes and drinks and, greeted by a blue mare with a pink icing shaped mane, request the drinks and cakes for the fillies and I Pinkie Pie orders something for herself. As she reaches to pay for her order, I hold up a hoof and tell her that I will pay for her, as a thank you for being incredibly friendly and helpful. Mrs. Cake adds the cost of Pinkie’s food to my bill and tells me that I need to pay her 47 bits. I reach into my saddlebag and pull out my money, and quickly counting the coins in my head I hand the baker 50 bits and tell her to keep the change, as a small gift from her new neighbour. Mrs Cake smiles at me and bids me good day and good luck in my ventures.
I smile at Mrs. Cake before levitating the food and drink and going to the table that the Crusaders picked out and sitting down with our orders. I hear taunting, directed at the fillies accompanying me, coming from the entrance to the sweet shop and stealthily sneak behind the two fillies sauntering into the bakery. One of the ponies taunting the Cutie Mark Crusaders remarks “Who was the mare you were with? She seems so stupid and messy”. “I hear she also has excellent hearing and is very good at getting wherever she wants without being seen” I retort to the cocky young pony that appears to be only slightly older than the Crusaders. “Wha? Where did you come from?” the filly screams. “I’ve been behind you since you walked into the shop” I reply smirking.
The insolent young pony glares at me while the fillies at the table smile heartily. I inspect the ponies that were, until recently, insulting the Crusaders and myself and notice that they each have a cutie mark that shows an incredibly obscure talent. I call them out on it and they are both speechless at this. The one with the cutie mark of a diamond tipped tiara threatens to get her dad, to which I retort “If your dad is who I think he is, I think he will believe his most common customer, I frequently buy products en-masse from him personally, in fact we get along rather well”. The pink filly glares at me one last time before leaving angrily.
“Do you really know Filthy Rich?” Scootaloo asks politely. “No my little pony, I lied, however I hate bullies and will not stand idly by while a pony I care for is subjected to torment for being free and full of potential, after all, I am still a blank flank” I reply. The ponies at the table look at me curiously. “What?” I ask. “Phantasma you aren’t a blank flank, you have a cutie mark…” Pinkie answers. I look at my flank, emblazoned upon it is a purple ball, with a dull red border that is only a few shades darker than my coat. “Oh WOW, when did that appear?” I exclaim causing several heads to turn and face me disapprovingly.
The Crusaders look at me almost in disbelief when I tell them that I honestly didn’t know that I had a cutie mark. They tell me that they find it hard to believe that a fully-grown mare didn’t have her cutie mark. I give them a sincere look and say that I didn’t have one, and that I would have noticed if there was a big purple ball on my flank. I rub at the mark to see if it will come off, but it doesn’t. It seems that I have convinced the Crusaders as they say that they believe me, and ask if I can help them get their cutie marks. I tell them that I will try but it may take some time.
Having finished our drinks and such, the five of us leave the shop as the ponies accompanying me decide to take me on a tour of the town. As we leave the shop a light blue, blur rushes past me leaving a rainbow streak behind it. The blur loops round and lands in front of us. “Hiya Pinkie” says a blue pony with a feminine voice, rainbow mane and tail and a cloud with a rainbow coloured lightning bolt as a cutie mark. “Hi Rainbow Dash” Pinkie responds. Rainbow Dash asks Pinkie who I am, and what we are doing, at which I step into the conversation. “Hi I’m Phantasma Eeria, I’m new here, you see I just moved from Manehattan and Pinkie Pie and these three fillies were about to take me on a tour of the village, and let me guess, your name is Rainbow Dash. I take it your talent is flying very quickly” I say to Rainbow.
Rainbow Dash looks at me curiously and asks how I know what her talent is, I reply by telling her that her name hints at it and her cutie mark also shows it as well. I proceed to ask whether she is part of the weather team. Rainbow’s jaw literally hits the floor when I ask this, and she stutters when trying to ask how in Celestia’s name I know all of this information. I simply point out the cloud on her flank and the mess my mane is in, when I suddenly remember Mordecai. I quickly turn and moving the hairs in my tail, find that my bat is no longer in my tail. I frantically as Pinkie if she has seen a jet black bat anywhere, but she just giggles.
I tell the giggling pony that I’m being serious and that my pet has gone missing. Rainbow Dash facehoofs and tells me to check on my head. Reaching up my hoof comes into contact with something small and sleek, with webbed wings. The creature hops onto my hoof and I lower it and see Mordecai. I roll my eyes and lift him back up to my mane, and he hops back into it. I turn to Rainbow and ask if she would like to join Pinkie, the fillies and I as they show me around the village. She accepts, with a mischievous glint in her eye.
As we wander around Ponyville, I ask questions about the history and goings on around the town. I learn all about the incident with Nightmare Moon and other escapades of Pinkie Rainbow, Twilight and their friends. As Pinkie tells me about the second magic duel between ‘The Great and Powerful’ Trixie and Twilight, I bump into a yellow pegasus mare accidentally knocking her to the floor. I rush to help her up, apologising profusely and giving her several bits as an apology. The canary yellow pony smiles shyly at me, and thanks me quickly. I ask what her name is, and she replies “my name is Fluttershy” trailing off as she says her name. “Oh, so you’re Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie was just telling me how you helped your friends defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord. You were very brave, especially when you faced the dragon threatening to cover Equestria with smoke.” I say sincerely. Fluttershy whimpers and cowers slightly; I extend a hoof and tell her I didn’t mean to scare her and proceed to introduce myself.
Fluttershy asks me why I’m in town, to which I answer that I have just moved here from Manehattan, and Pinkie Pie, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Rainbow Dash are showing me around Ponyville. I ask the pony, whom I have been recently acquainted with, if she would like to join us, however she declines as she has to take some critters to a safe area, as their houses were flooded during the rainy season. I nod and tell her that it would be a disaster if the poor little critters had nowhere to go, before adding that I take great care of my pet, assuring his wings are healthy, his fur isn’t matted and nothing is wrong with his echolocation. Fluttershy’s gaze drifts briefly upwards and her demeanour changes as she sees Mordecai. She seems to have lost all of her shyness; Pinkie had told me that she did that when she met Twilight and Spike, but it was another thing to see it first hoof. From what Pinkie has told me about her friends, the only ones I haven’t seen are Applejack, and Rarity.
As Fluttershy leaves, I turn to Pinkie and tell her that I really hope that I didn’t leave a bad impression on Fluttershy; I don’t want to make any enemies while I’m here, and I wish to stay here as long as possible. I request that we continue onwards through Ponyville. We continue to walk around the town and Pinkie tells me all about it, we come to the Carousel Boutique, or at least that’s what Pinkie called it. An aquamarine pony with a lyre as a cutie mark exits the building saying over her shoulder “Thanks for the dress Rarity”. “Did she just say Rarity?” I ask Pinkie. “Yep” reply Pinkie and Rainbow Dash simultaneously.
“May we go in? I would rather like to purchase a dress” I request. To my surprise, everypony except Rainbow Dash says ‘sure’ (or words to that effect). When we enter the Carousel Boutique, we are met with a scene entailing several fabrics, mannequins, gems, scissors, and threaded needles moving around the room. In the eye of the storm is a white unicorn, with an expertly coiffed main and tail, and three diamonds as a cutie mark. Pinkie shouts “Hiya Rarity” causing the unicorn at the epicentre of the levitating crowd of objects to lose their focus. Time seems to advance in slow motion, as the mannequins bearing priceless gems, expertly crafted into dresses, hover in mid-air before falling. Reflexively I focus my magic and catch the dress bearing mannequins an inch above the floor, carefully setting them down.
The vacant mannequins hit the ground with a resounding crash, and the unicorn looks around, inspecting the fallout of the disturbance. She notices that her current works are stood up in a perfect line, all facing the same direction, except for the last one. She starts to channel her magic, but before she can rotate the mannequin, it is enveloped in a dark purple shroud and aligned with the others as she stares at it. “Wha?” escapes the designer’s lips, causing her to turn around and see if anypony is behind her. I wave at the pony whose projects were nearly dropped onto the floor and possibly damaged. Because I am the only other unicorn in the room, it is highly unlikely that the pony known as Rarity doesn’t know who saved her dresses. “Thank you darling, however may I repay you?” Rarity asks. “I am hoping to be able to purchase a new dress and having seen your designs during fashion week in Manehattan, I would love for you to design it, darling” I reply, applying emphasis when I say ‘I would love for you to design it’.
The designer looks at me, in a way that implies that she is thinking about something. “Ok, I will get to work on your dress, and I insist that you do not pay for it darling, as a thank you for preventing my new line of couture being strewn across the floor.” Rarity states, her demeanour suggesting that she will not take any arguments from me. I stutter as I did not expect Rarity to say what she did. I accept the offer reluctantly as I feel that I should pay for it, before we leave Rarity takes my measurements, and I ask if there is any way I can help around the shop. She tells me that if she needs any help with anything, she will ask. I bid her adieu and we leave the shop. Mordecai fidgets in my mane before hopping onto my ear and preening his wings.
After leaving Rarity’s Carousel Boutique, we come to the final part of the tour, as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, the Crusaders, and I see the roof of Sugarcube Corner towering above the rest of the houses in the vicinity. Having come full circle, I ask the girls accompanying me if they would like to come into my house for a cup of tea and maybe some sandwiches. Rainbow reluctantly agrees after a horrific noise is heard, caused by Rainbow Dash’s stomach. The others more than happily agree to come in, and thus I open the door and allow my five guests to enter before I do. As I cross the threshold, I hear “Erm…Hello…If it’s alright with you…I’d like to…never mind”. Turning around I see Fluttershy turning and shying away. “Would you like to come in for a drink Fluttershy?” I ask the shy pony. “Oh…ok…I guess” responds the canary yellow mare.
As I give each of my guests their drinks, talk turns to why I moved to Ponyville, and how long I will be staying for. I explain that I moved here because I was born in Ponyville, and lived here for a few years, before moving to Manehattan, and that I was starting to feel ill due to the bustling city, so I moved here primarily to get away from all of that. Scootaloo asks why I needed a tour of the town if I lived here, and I tell her that it was over 15 years ago that I lived in Ponyville, because I was only a filly when we moved to Manehattan. I add that unfortunately my parents are no longer with us. The addition causes a sweep of empathy and sympathy to wash over the crowd. I tell my guests that I didn’t really know my parents when they passed on, and that I was living with my gran for the majority of my time in Manehattan.
We finish our drinks and sandwiches. Afterwards I learn a large amount about the ponies sat around my table, such as the fact that Scootaloo has been banned from King Pin’s bowling alley, and that Rainbow Dash is the only pony that can perform a sonic Rainboom, and did so in the middle of saving the Wonderbolts from a falling Rarity. As the sun sets, I bid farewell and good night to my new friends and look around at my new home before walking into the bedroom, unbuckling my saddlebag, getting under the covers and falling asleep. Today was a good day, who knows what tomorrow will bring?
It Turns Out It Isn’t A Cutie Mark… I wander around Ponyville aimlessly, everything seems the same, but everywhere I look everypony has vanished, I look up and see the sky, with the sun blazing in all its glory. I wonder where everypony has gone, when I feel my hooves fall through the ground. That’s when I realise I have fallen off a cliff. I panic and wish I have wings so I can escape almost certain doom. Amazingly two black wings emitting a seemingly fibrous shroud of black fog, sprout from my back. I flap my new wings as hard as I can and escape from the crevasse. Looking down at the scar in the ground, there is a point where all light has gone, the ravine seems endless. I tear my head away and watch helplessly as my face hits Twilight’s Castle. Then I wake up.
I sit up in my bed and rub my muzzle, which seems to be aching for some reason. Out of the window, I see that sunrise is yet to come, so I lay my head down on my pillow and try to doze off again. I find that it is incredibly difficult, due to a newfound discomfort. I get out of bed straighten everything out, make sure there is nothing under the covers that shouldn’t be and get back in bed. I once again lay my head on the pillow and, this time, successfully doze off.
I seem to be in another world, where everypony walks on two legs, and has a weird appendage at the end of their equivalent of a foreleg. Looking down at my hooves, I notice that I am wearing red boots, with orange stripes, and have turned into one of the strange creatures. I seem to be able to walk on two legs rather easily, I worry that my worst nightmare has come true and that I have lost my horn, but reaching up to check, I find I have still got it. I turn around quickly and walk straight into a door.
Once again waking up and looking out of the window, I see that the sun has risen on Equestria, and realise that the Crusaders will be coming around soon to help me find out how I got my cutie mark, because that is still a mystery to me. I get myself out of bed, head into the bathroom, and get a shower. I notice that my muzzle no longer hurts and that everything seems lower down now, but I just get on with my daily ablutions. That is until I brush my teeth. I levitate the toothbrush, put toothpaste on it and lift it up to my teeth. As I brush, I look in the mirror, and to my horror, I am no longer a pony, I am an alicorn version of one of the strange creatures from my dream. Although my base features are the right colour, my wings are exactly the same as the ones from my first dream.
I scream in terror and end up falling on my flank. Pulling myself up, I begin to pace around the foyer, wondering how in Celestia’s name this happened. I decide that I will be going to Canterlot to see the aforementioned princess, and her sister Luna, to see if they have any explanation for this. Knock, Knock, Knock! I hear coming from the door, causing me to jump. “Who is it?” I as anxiously, not intending on letting anypony in just yet. “It’s us, the Cutie Mark Crusaders” reply three voices in unison, one squeaking slightly. “One minute girls, I’m just getting ready” I respond, disregarding the fact that there is a window next to my door.
I drop to my knees, and cry into my arms, wishing that I wasn’t one of these things, and that I didn’t have wings. As the Crusaders look in through the window they see a black shroud envelop a strange red creature that slightly resembles the new pony. The black shroud causes the wings on its back to shrink back into its spine, its arms lengthen and grow fur, and a similar thing happens to its legs, its hands flatten, its fingers merging together into a hoof, and its ears and muzzle lengthen. I feel a warm furry sensation on my face and look up to see that I have hooves, my coat is back, I still have my horn, the wings are gone, and I am back to my normal self.
I open the door and, staring in with horrified expressions are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I ask what is wrong and they tell me what they saw. My heart sinks as they recall what just happened, and I simply ask if they can go fetch Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity. I tell them that I need them to meet me by the town hall, and that I will ask Pinkie to come with me to meet them. “What about mah sister Applejack?” asks Apple Bloom. “Who?” I respond in turn. “Mah sister, she’s one of Twilight’s friends” Apple Bloom responds. “I guess she should come too, wait doesn’t your sister represent the element of honesty?” I say to Apple Bloom
“She did, I’ll go get her” the addressed filly says, before hurrying off to get her sister. The other fillies say that they will bring Twilight and her friends to the Town Hall, before hurrying off after Apple Bloom. I sigh; turn to Sugarcube Corner, and cross the threshold. Upon entering, I am greeted by Mrs. Cake. “Hello Mrs. Cake, I’m looking for Pinkie, is she in?” I ask, hopefully. “Yes dear, she’s in the back, first door on your left.” replies the baker. Arriving at the room Mrs. Cake described, I knock on the door, and slowly open the door. There in the centre of the room, eating a whole three-tier cake is Pinkie. “Pinkie, I’m going to see the princess, and would appreciate it if you came, I could do with your support.” I say to the party pony.
Pinkie Pie turns and bounces towards me, saying “Okie Dokie Lokie”. With that, we head to the Town Hall. When we arrive, Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and an orange mare, with blond hair, adorning a Stetson, whom I assume to be Applejack, are waiting for us. “Hello, I’m Phantasma Eeria, I moved here recently, I take it that you are Applejack, the fabled embodiment of honesty” I say, introducing myself to the mare I am newly acquainted with. “Eeyup, How’re yah?” Applejack responds. “Troubled, you will all find out why shortly. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, would you mind accompanying us, I may need your help.” I say to the group. The fillies excitedly nod their heads, and we head out to the train station.
Once on the train, the ten of us find an ample-sized empty compartment, and take a seat around a table. I ask the Crusaders to recount what they saw earlier, when they were looking through my window. When the fillies finish, everypony who hasn’t heard the story, has their jaw dropped, except Pinkie. Twilight is first to close her mouth, replacing her dropped jaw for a quizzical expression. “So why did that happen?” asks the princess. “Twilight, I can honestly say I haven’t the slightest idea.” I reply. I tell them that the scenario of this morning is the reason that I want to go to the Celestial Princesses, or to put it simply, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.
Applejack looks at me sceptically, and asks whether this actually happened. I tell her that to the best of my knowledge it is true. AJ rids herself of her sceptical expression, but her body language says that she is still in a state of disbelief. I rest my head on my hoof and wonder how I can prove to them that it happened, and then I remember the wings. I close my eyes and inhale, envisioning myself with jet-black wings, emanating a fibrous mist of shadow. I open my eyes and concentrate on the image I created in my mind. My horn sparks momentarily, before long black tendrils emerge out of my back, bend into a wing shape and long, dark, shadowy feathers sprout from the bone joined to my back.
I spread my new wings wide, a smirk on my face, and look at the amazed faces from all of the fully-grown mares. I look at the Crusaders, who have wide grins on their faces, and raise my eyebrows in a way that says “How’s this for a magic trick?” Pinkie pokes one of my wings, and it twitches. Rainbow Dash asks if they work, and I tell her to come and see. Fluttershy cowers in fright, at the possibility of her friends getting hurt. Twilight accompanies Rainbow and I to catch me if I fail at flying. Before we leave, I remove my wings, and open the door.
When we get onto the roof of the train, I regrow my wings and spread them, fanning the feathers out and quickly preening them, as they seem to me made of solid shadow. Twilight stands at my rear and Rainbow Dash stands in front of me, opens out her wings, and takes off. Taking a deep breath, I leap up and begin to glide. Realising that I’m no longer touching the ground I panic a little, before I remember about the wings. I flap my wings and stop descending, seeing Rainbow Dash in front of me, I fly towards her. “How about a bit of friendly competition?” I ask Rainbow with a demeanour that implies that I could beat her. Not entirely unexpectedly, she agrees, we come up with a course, and set off. As we duck and weave, between pillars of rock, through arches, performing stunts, Rainbow Dash is in the lead, but not by much. I manage to cut through Rainbow’s lead like a hot knife through butter. The blue mare looks sideways and sees me, keeping up with her beat for beat, as she flies at her fastest, before slowly pulling away. I feel my wings tiring, my breathing quickening, and my head lightens as my stamina is drained. We come to the final stretch of the race, and I fly upwards in an arc, before turning head over heels, and diving to reach a great speed.
I streak past Rainbow at the fastest speed I have ever hit, and hit the train carriage in front of Twilight. Rainbow Dash lands besides me, mouth gaping stuttering “How?” I smile at Rainbow and say “Turns out they do work.” Twilight, Rainbow and I head back into our carriage. Fluttershy looks at us and asks if anypony got hurt, to which, we reply “No, we are all fine” simultaneously. Pinkie hops around asking if the wings worked, I hover above the ground and ask her to tell me.
When we arrive in Canterlot, we have a quick look around; Rarity buys some fabrics, and other miscellaneous materials and we slowly make our way to the castle. When we arrive there are a few guards stood outside of the doors. They stop us and look us over, before letting the majority of us through, I am left on the wrong side of the door as Twilight, her friends and the Crusaders are let through. I call “Twilight, a little help please.” Twilight tells the guards that I am with her and her friends. I enter the castle and, upon looking around, I become awestruck.
Twilight guides us to the throne room and there, sat on two thrones, one golden, one dark blue, sit Celestia and Luna. When we reach the Princesses, I instinctively bow to the princesses, before looking around and notice nopony is doing the same. I hastily get back up on my hooves, and wait in the middle of the small crowd present before the ruling sisters. Twilight tells Celestia why she is here, and the crowd splits to turn the attention to me. I cower slightly, and wave a little. Luna looks at me inquisitively, while Celestia says “There is no need to be afraid, my little pony, I care for all my subjects and thus will help to solve all their problems.”
“No offense to you or your sister your highnesses, but I don’t think you will be able to solve this problem, you may however be able to help me figure out the origin of it” I respond in sincerity. Celestia’s brow furrows, as I say this, and it scares me a little, but steeling my nerves, I ask the Crusaders to recall what they saw when they banged on my door about two hours ago. The fillies tell the princesses exactly what they saw, causing Celestia’s eyes to widen in shock and disbelief. Noticing the expression on her face, I ask the solar princess if she wants proof, to which she replies “If you have any, I would like to see it.”
I think of a way that I can prove to the princesses that the story is true. Lighting my horn, I envelop my entire body in a black shroud, my legs shorten, my fur turns to scales, the hooves on my hindlegs are replaced with feet, and the hooves on my forelegs become arms. My mane turns into a ridge of orange-tipped, scarlet scales, and my tail turns into a reptilian one and identical scales sprout from it. Celestia’s eye twitches and Luna’s jaw drops, as they stare at me. Turning myself into a baby dragon worked, I reach up to feel my scales, but a bony appendage blocks my way. I ask for a mirror and looking into it, see that my horn is still present.
I change my shape once again, this time into a pegasus, however the horn remains. “How peculiar, I wonder why my horn will not change, or go completely” I think aloud. “What I want to know is why the black shroud comes from you cutie mark.” Celestia replies. I wonder what else this new ability enables me to do, so covering my hooves in the black mist; I walk to the nearest wall and put my forehooves against it. Pulling myself up, I place my rear hooves against the wall and much to my surprise, I do not fall, nor do I slip even a millimetre. I try to walk, and manage to reach the ceiling with no issues.
Employing the same tactic as before, I stand on the ceiling, and walk about. I light up my horn and the black tendrils that originate from my cutie mark take the shape of a top hat and monocle, adorned on my face. “Hello everypony, what a marvellous day this is, perfect for drinking tea and eating a scone” I say, materialising a shadowy teacup, saucer and scone in front of me, giggling as I do so. Pinkie Pie laughs, Fluttershy winces and cowers, and Rainbow Dash flies up to me smiling, everypony else just rolls their eyes unamused. I lift my hindlegs off the ceiling and carefully drop down, before vanishing the top hat, monocle, teacup and saucer.
I stop smiling and ask Celestia if she has any knowledge of my condition. “I have some but not much, the only pony I know, besides you, who can do that sort of trick is King Sombra” She says trailing off a little at the end. “Do you mean the pony who tried to take over the Crystal Empire, the one who was turned to shadow?” I ask. Celestia simply nods her head macabrely. Everypony in the room swallows simultaneously, looking at me. “Wait does that mean I am a shadow?” I ask scared, and confused. Celestia says that there is a simple test to see if I am in fact made of shadow. I reluctantly give consent for the solar princess to perform the test. Celestia’s horn glows bright yellow, and a beam of light erupts from it, burning a hole through my right foreleg.
“First of all OUCH! Secondly, how does that prove if somepony is a shadow or not?” I ask an evident tone of anger present in my voice. Celestia replies “The beam of light will not pass through anything other than shadow, observe” with that she lights up her horn again, and a beam of light hits Twilight, causing no damage to her. “Great, looks like I’m a freaking shadow, could this day get any worse?” I say rhetorically. Celestia tells me that Sombra was banished, and that she fears she will have to do the same to me. “NO!” I shout desperately “You can’t,” tears begin to form in my eyes “Princess Celestia, please I’m begging you” I begin to cry “Please don’t banish me, Please” I curl up into a ball, and sob, my body visibly shakes as I cry to myself, meanwhile a visible puddle of salty tears forms. Princess Luna looks at Celestia sympathetically, and walks over to me, before sitting and putting her hoof on my side, a caring expression on her face.
“Sister, you can’t,” Luna says “Sombra was pure evil, this pony wouldn’t hurt anything, I know, I have seen her dreams, or nightmares…” My ear flicks up as I hear this, “Did you say that you have seen my dreams?” I ask Luna, my voice hoarse, and tears are dripping from my muzzle. Luna nods. “If you’ve seen my dreams, how come I have never seen you?” I reply. Luna says that she sees everypony’s dreams, but doesn’t always let the pony know she is there, other times she catches glimpses of a dream as she wanders the dreamscape, looking for somepony having a particularly tormenting dream, such as Scootaloo. The orange filly blushes as Luna says this, and hides behind Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.
Celestia looks at Luna with a slight scowl, Luna returning Celestia’s gaze with a scowl of her own. Celestia gives in after a short amount of time, and agrees not to banish me to the icy wastelands of the Arctic North. I rejoice, and hug Luna, nearly causing the princess of the night to lose her balance. I realise what I have done too little too late, and apologise profusely, my face crimson. I hastily step behind Twilight and hope Luna can’t see me. Celestia looks at me, a slightly shocked, yet still judging expression lingering on her muzzle.
“Does anypony know what the thing on my flank is, or is it just a cutie mark?” I ask concerned, as the question has been bugging me for a while. Twilight and her friends shake their heads, with Luna following suit, Celestia however bites her lip. “What do you know?” I ask, with my brow furrowed. “The thing on your flank is not a cutie mark; it is a mark, but not one gained by finding a talent. I know not how a pony gets one, but I do know that it is what gives a shadow pony its abilities and cannot be removed.” Princess Celestia states. My heart sinks as Celestia says ‘is not a cutie mark’ as I had been hoping that I had finally found what I am good at.
“Thank you for your time Princesses, and thank you for stopping your sister banishing me, like she did Sombra, Luna” I say, courteously bowing to the Royal Sisters. The company about turns and leaves the castle, murmurs of what my mark is, coming into existence. I look at the fillies at my side and wink at them. When we get to the centre of Canterlot we wander around, and I buy a top hat, monocle, and false pipe, that emits a smoke effect. Adorning these, I look at the Crusaders and smile, enticing grins out of the three fillies. “You know, I still don’t have a cutie mark…” I say to Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle. The fillies look at me, eyes wide and partially covered by their cheeks as they smile wide.
We finally get to the train station, and when the train arrives, we find another empty carriage, and fill it. Talk turns to what I’m going to do now, I say that I want to find out what the thing on my flank is, and that I would like a fun way to get to know some of the ponies who live in Ponyville. Pinkie jumps up and shouts “A PARTY!” I roll my eyes slightly and say “Ok Pinkie, you can throw a party if you like, make it the best party I’ve ever seen, or I will be disappointed,” furrowing one side of my brow as I say the last bit. Pinkie jumps in delight at the thought of throwing another party.
Arriving in Ponyville, we head to Sugarcube Corner for something to eat and drink. I ask Twilight if she has any books that might hold information about my mark. Twilight invites me to her castle to have a look, so after finishing my food and drink, I walk to the crystal castle that towers above the rest of Ponyville. Twilight shows me to the library of the castle, and I see a large selection of books, some of them are slightly charred, others look recently bought. As I search for a book that may contain the information I am seeking, a purple baby dragon with green ridge-scales and a dressing gown enters the room. I turn around and see the dragon and jump in fright, leaping up to the ceiling of the library, standing, coat on end, upside down with my hooves glued to the top of the room.
“Spike, This is Phantasma Eeria” Twilight says pointing up at me. Spike looks around for me, and then takes notice of Twilight’s hoof and looking up at me. “Twilight, next time tell me when a dragon is about to walk into the room please” I say shaking, before growing wings, flying down to the floor and dispelling them. Spike’s jaw drops, and his eyes visibly bulge when he sees this. I lift my hoof up under Spike’s jaw and attempt to close it, but it just flops back open. “How did you…?” Spike asks with a dazed look on his face. “How did I what?” I ask Spike, before conjuring up hands and combing them through my mane.
“How are you doing that?” the baby dragon asks in sheer bewilderment. “Doing what?” I reply, looking at my nails, and making them red. “Spike, she’s a shadow pony” Twilight says to her assistant rolling her eyes at my ignorance. “A what?” Spike asks. “I’m a shadow pony, my body is quite literally made of shadow, and I can prove it if you like” I tell Spike. Spike requests that I do prove that I am made of shadow, so I levitate a nearby lamp to my left foreleg, and turn it on. To Spike’s surprise, the light burns straight through my leg, leaving a rather large hole where my coat should be. “I wonder if I could make myself look like a changeling” I think to myself. Spike watches as black shadow billows from the hole and forms the missing part of my leg, before turning red.
“Are you done staring at my leg Spike?” I ask the dragon rhetorically. Spike apologises and asks why I am here. I tell him that I am looking for a book containing information about the mark on my flank. Spike looks at me in a questioning manner, and thus I tell him that I don’t have a cutie mark, because the mark on my flank isn’t a cutie mark, it is something else, and I want to find out what, that something else is. Spike thinks for a minute or two before pulling out a book entitled ‘Strange Marks, and What They Are’ by Mareanda Goshawk and takes it to the nearby lectern.
Opening the book, we see an assortment of peculiar marks on every part of pony anatomy; however, not one of them looks like what is on my flank. I look at the index of the book, and find ‘Shadow Pony – Page 293’. Turning to page 293, I see ‘Shadow Marks’ in large bold writing at the top of the page. “So that’s what it is” I think aloud as I read the page. The book says ‘Little is known about these peculiar marks, except that they are only found on shadow ponies’. “Great, looks like nopony knows what kind of strange magic is flowing through my veins” I remark, an exasperated tone present in my voice.
“Zecora might” Spike semi-blurts out. “Who?” I ask, as Zecora is not a name I remember. “Zecora, she lives in the Everfree Forest. She knows a lot about magic, but mixes potions as opposed to casting spells” Spike answers kindly. “Thanks Spike, I’ll go and see her, do either of you want to come?” I ask Spike and Twilight, as I would rather not go wandering in the Everfree Forest by myself. “We do” say three voices, that weren’t present in the room until now.
Turning around I see three very familiar faces, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and of course, Apple Bloom. I smile at the fillies and ruffle Scootaloo’s mane, she glares at me before patting it back to how it was. “Heh, sorry scoots, I’ve wanted to do that for a small while, I guess temptation got the better of me” I say to the orange filly apologetically. Scootaloo stops glaring at me, and then Apple Bloom suddenly shouts “So can we come?” I smile and nod my head, admiring the courage of the three fillies in front of me. “Do any of you know the way to Zecora’s?” I ask the Crusaders.
“Yeah, ah’ve been there plenty o’ times,” Apple Bloom answers cheerily. “Lead the way,” I respond, “We’ll follow.” Apple Bloom smiles and sets off towards the Everfree forest. I follow, cowering slightly as the dark forest looms over me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a beige mare with a wavy brown mane exit a derelict looking house; as far as I can tell from this distance, she looks mortified.
Thinking nothing of it, I continue to follow Apple Bloom and her friends through the forest, subconsciously restraining my wanderings to the fading path. Apple Bloom tells me that we are nearly at Zecora’s, by this point, I’m on the verge of freaking out and running for the hills, and the path has long since disappeared. We enter a clearing that encompasses a solitary large oak tree adorned with several strange masks, and bottles. Me left eye twitches and I freak out, I turn about, and try to run, but can’t for some reason. Looking over my shoulder, I see three fillies biting my tail, being dragged along the ground, their hooves leaving visible grooves in the dirt floor.
Taking the hint, I steel my nerves and stop trying to run. I start to walk around the tree, before Apple Bloom clears her throat and asks where I’m going. “Past the creepy tree…”I reply. Scootaloo tells me that the creepy tree is Zecora’s house, so I ask why there are creepy masks and bottles adorning the trunk. “These are souvenirs from Zecora’s homeland” Sweetie Belle tells me, raising questions in my head. “Where is Zecora from?” I question. Apple Bloom replies “Zecora’s a Zebra, from Zebrica” which seems to make sense, as through the window I see a striped figure pouring things into a cauldron.
I reluctantly knock on Zecora’s door and a Zebra answers, saying “Who knocks at my door at this time? A solution to a problem I may have to find.” “Erm…Hi, I’m Phantasma Eeria, I just moved to Ponyville, and you were correct in saying that a solution to a problem is requested. I do not want to impose on you, however I would be very grateful for your help” I say to Zecora, pawing at the ground with my hoof nervously. Zecora invites the fillies and I into her house and asks me to describe the problem, before turning to browse her inventory of ingredients, each with its own curative properties. I shyly request that Zecora turn around so I can show her the problem, as I am not very good at describing things.
Zecora thinks the request odd, but complies, and finds, to her surprise, that a strange bipedal creature is sat where the new pony was. Upon further investigation, the Zebra notices that the creature has a unicorn horn, and features similar to those of the pony who walked through her door. I smile awkwardly, and change my right hand into a hoof, before waving at Zecora. “Is it just these strange creatures, which your body may take all of the features?” Zecora asks me. “Erm, not exactly,” I reply, before changing into a baby dragon, followed by and alicorn, and then a manticore “As far as I can tell I can take on the appearance and abilities of any creature, but cannot rid myself of my horn.” I ask Zecora if I can use the nearby candle to demonstrate something.
Puzzled, the Zebra tells me that I may. I thank Zecora and proceed to lift the candle to my foreleg, Zecora winces as she expects the candle to leave a rather serious burn upon my flesh or to ignite my coat, however she is met instead with the gentle flicker of a candle flame, on the other side of my leg to the base of the candle. I grit my teeth and slow my breathing as a stinging sensation envelops my leg, causing a great deal of discomfort, and a slight amount of pain. Zecora approaches, and takes my leg into her hoof, observing it, as she believes that I was simply using perspective to make the candle appear as if it had gone through my leg.
“Apparently I’m something called a Shadow Pony, and I came here to see if you knew anything about them.” Zecora tells me that she knows a little that is not in any book, having known a shadow zebra when she lived in Zebrica. She tells me that Shadow Ponies are actually ‘made’ of shadow, and that they have complete control over the darkness, however light severely weakens them because of this. Zecora continues by describing what happens if I am hit with something called a ‘light spear’, a magical spear that is infused with light, with very few knowing how to make them.
When Zecora is done telling us all she knows about Shadow Ponies, she says that a Shadow Pony is a Shadow Pony for its entire life, which can last an eternity. According to Zecora there is a way to make a pony into a Shadow Pony but to do so has a 99.9% of failing if the pony transforming the recipient of the strange power is not a Shadow Pony themselves. She continues by saying that if they are the tables are turned but not in its entirety, giving the spell a 51% chance of succeeding instead.
I thank Zecora and the fillies and I depart, my panic settled, and my frustration quenched. I begin to wonder why I don’t bleed when I am cut, but remembering that Zecora told me that Shadow Ponies have few organs outside of a Nervous System, that thought is put to rest. We exit the forest and I see Rarity with the beige mare from earlier, the mare now has a CMC cape on her back, so I ask the fillies who it is. They tell me that it is a mare called Heartbreak, who beside being from out of town, isn’t much different from anypony else.
We get to my house, the talk being about Heartbreak, who apparently went to the Twin Cities with Rarity, and had a row with a pony called Manifest Destiny. Due to personal experience with that particular stallion, I can’t help but feel good for Heartbreak or HB as she prefers to be called. It’s not every day you find somepony who can see past their ridiculous speech encryption fields. I look at the mailbox for a split second and see that the ‘flag’ has been raised, notifying me of received mail. I sheepishly open the mailbox and find three letters, one is a formal letter showing me the dates that I am required to pay rent, the second is from Twilight and her friends saying “Welcome to Ponyville” and the third causes my heart to skip a beat.
I double-check the envelope and confirm that it is in fact from my (mare)friend Octave Symphony. It reads: “Dear Phantasma I am writing to say that I have decided to move to Ponyville. It has only been a day but I already miss you. I can’t wait to see what Ponyville is like, and what your new house is like Love Octave Symphony P.S. You might want to get another key” “I wonder why she said ‘you might want to get another key’.” I ask myself.